Stop Buying New iPads.

I’ve been daily-driving the same M1 iPad Pro for almost five years — editing, Apple Pencil work, movies, docs, even App Store games — and it still never feels like it’s begging for a replacement. Yearly tablet upgrades look tempting on paper (brighter OLEDs, newer M chips), but for real tablet use the M1 leap aged so well that buying “this year’s slightly refreshed iPad” rarely makes sense unless you have a very specific workflow need.

Apps still open instantly, multitasking stays smooth, and when something feels clunky it’s usually the OS update — not the hardware. I’m keeping my stickered Magic Keyboard and waiting for something actually interesting (foldables, maybe) before I spend again; smarter buying applies to accessories too, which is why the ESR Geo Digital Pencil with Find My, tilt, and a fine tip for ~$33 beats paying Apple Pencil Pro money just to not lose your stylus.

Watch the full Stop Buying New iPads breakdown for the M1 longevity argument, what you’re actually missing on newer models, and when a used M-series iPad is the smarter buy. Final thoughts: if you’re asking whether you should upgrade this year, that question usually means you don’t need to — keep the capable tablet you have and spend on something that actually changes your day.