A lot of people ask me for advice before buying Apple products. The questions usually take one of two forms: (1) Should I buy one
Right off the bat, I want to note that I stole the idea for this post from Marco Arment, who posted his iPad buying advice yesterday. I agree with almost everything Marco wrote, and his post is recommended reading for anyone thinking of buying a new iPad. However, the people who ask me for advice are a little different from Marco’s audience, so I’m going to tailor my advice a little differently.
I don’t have an iPad. Should I get this one?
If you otherwise want to buy an iPad, then absolutely, buy this one. If you’ve been holding off on buying an iPad, this is the time to go for it. Apple’s mobile devices tend to follow a major-minor cycle, where a major release one year is followed by a more minor update the following year. The 2012 iPad is most definitely a major release, and should provide good longevity. Of course, there’s always next year’s model, which will surely be better than this year’s. But: there’s always next year’s model. If you take that approach, you end up waiting forever.
That said, there’s no reason anyone “should” get an iPad if they don’t want one. I sometimes get asked, “Why should I buy an iPad?” In general, if you’re asking that question, you probably shouldn’t. Chances are, that means you’re happy with the technology you already have and aren’t really looking to buy another device.
I already have an iPad or iPad 2. Should I upgrade?
In general, I advise people to upgrade on the major part of the major-minor upgrade cycle. I think it gives you the best bang for your buck, in terms of how long the device lasts. I bought an iPhone 4 and and original iPad in 2010, but sat out both the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2 in 2011. Both the 4S and the iPad 2 are great devices, but I didn’t feel a compelling need to upgrade. This year I plan on upgrading both to their 2012 versions.
For original iPad owners thinking about upgrading, I’d strongly recommend getting a 2012 iPad. The retina display is a big, big upgrade, particularly if you do a lot of reading on your iPad. Text is going to look amazingly clear and sharp.
For iPad 2 owners, the question is a little tougher. The 2012 iPad contains the same basic processor as the iPad 2, meaning most new apps should continue to run fine on the iPad 2. If you’re happy with your iPad 2, don’t feel like you need to upgrade. In fact, it might be worth sitting out the next iPad release as well, and getting the 2014 model, since that’s likely to be the next major upgrade in the cycle.
That said, the retina display on the 2012 iPad is a big step up from the iPad 2. If you care a lot about the clarity of text and photos, it’s worth considering and upgrade. One nice thing about iPads is they hold their value fairly well. If you’re interested in upgrading, you may be able to sell your iPad 2 for a fair portion of your original purchase price, and use that toward a 2012 iPad.
Should I get 16, 32, or 64GB?
It really depends on whether you plan on keeping a lot of media on your iPad. I don’t keep much music on mine, but I do tend to load it up with a fair number of movies and TV shows before a long flight. I find the 32GB capacity works great. The 16GB is also fine if you don’t need to store as much media. I doubt that many people I know would have a use for the 64GB model.
Should I get the 4G LTE model?
This is the question where I differ most from Marco’s advice. The 4G option does give you greater flexibility in Internet access, but in my experience most people I know use their iPad in places where Wi-Fi access is available. If you think you’ll use it, by all means get a 4G model – it looks like a great product. But I think it’s probably overkill for most people, especially if you have a phone that you can use as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Black or white?
Mostly, it’s just a personal preference. I lean toward black, mostly because I think the idea of watching a movie surrounded by a white border is a little odd. But if you like the white, go for it.
Did you get a new iPad? Which one and why?
I ordered a black 32GB Wi-Fi iPad with a green smart cover. Although I was tempted by the 4G LTE option, I mostly use my iPad at home and didn’t think I’d get enough use out of 4G to justify the extra cost. I’m upgrading from a Wi-Fi original iPad, and there were very few times that I wished for 3G. For any times I do need connectivity on the go, I’ll just use the personal hotspot feature on my iPhone. I assume the next iPhone (which I plan on buying) will have LTE as well.