Hi All,
My child is going to start year 7 this year and the school has requirement for iPad. I chose the option BYOD but now having trouble sourcing one. iPad 9th gen is pretty much sold out everywhere.
iPad Pro 11 inch 3rd gen (M1 chip) is available at a store nearby. Is it worth buying (on salary sacrifice) for school?
I see. Then is it still worth buying over iPad 9th gen or iPad Air 4th gen for non work related use (not on salary sacrifice)?
OP misspelled.
They meant to say salary sacrifice for spreadsheeting.
I’d still get an iPad 9 (assuming you can get your hands on stock), as an iPad Pro 11” with an M1 chip is overkill for what a Year 7 student is going to be doing at school this year. Also, if your kid has an accident and you don’t have AppleCare+ on the device, the out-of-warranty fee will be close to the cost of a new device (which is nothing to sneeze at). Also, if you are going to get accessories with the iPad (e.g. a case, keyboard, Apple Pencil), they are generally more expensive for the iPad Pro 11” with M1. If you can get other iPads instead of the iPad Pro 11” with M1, I think you should do that.
How thoroughly have you searched for stock of the iPad 9?
Have you checked to see whether any Apple Stores near you have stock available for click and collect? I did a stock check across a number of locations across Australia and saw stock available for the 64GB Wi-Fi Space Grey model at stores in Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane ready for click and collect today. If you order it through the Apple Education Store, it will only cost $469… I don’t know your location, but just in case you live in or near one of those three cities, that’s the best option.
Have you also checked David Jones? They have the 256GB Wi-Fi Space Grey and Silver models in stock available in-store (at selected stores) or online. 256GB may be overkill for your kid’s requirements, but if 256GB of storage is a priority, there’s one option. If 256GB is not a priority, this is a pricey option, particularly since you may be better off with the iPad Air 4, but I go into that further down…
What about The School Locker? It is listed as $492 for the 64GB Wi-Fi Space Grey and Silver models, and some The School Locker locations apparently have it in stock. I will warn you that The School Locker is owned by Harvey Norman and is not the best in terms of managing stock and online sales, so they don’t exactly have a rosy reputation on this site. You have been warned!
If you cannot get your hands on an iPad 9, you should at least consider the following alternatives:
An iPad Air 4 would be a more sensible option than an iPad Pro 11” with M1, particularly if you opt to get it through the Apple Education Store for $829 and get a free/discounted pair of AirPods and sell the AirPods second-hand to get some money back. If you stack that with discounted Apple gift cards (e.g. from discounted gift card portals or through TCN today only), I think that would be a reasonable option.
What about the iPad Mini 6? It is only $749 (and is $80 cheaper if you go through the Apple Education Store), is more powerful than the iPad Air 4 and iPad 9 (and both are still powerful devices) and is more portable than the other iPads I’ve already mentioned. The small screen size is not for everyone, but it is a lot easier to carry and handle, so I think it is worth considering. However, I did a quick stock check at Apple, and it looks like it is only available for click and collect a limited number of stores and there are also a very small number of colours available, so it would not be the most practical option.
You could also look at a refurbished 128GB iPad 6 Wi-Fi from the Apple Refurbished Store. Having said that, the A10 chip is three generations behind the A13 chip and it only has 2GB of RAM, so longevity in regards to future updates will not be as good as the iPad 9. It will also feel a little slow compared to newer devices (e.g. iPad 9, iPad Air 4) and will be a little harder to find some accessories for it (e.g. keyboard cases), so I think this should be viewed as an option of last resort.
Checked for stock around my area and none of them have stock. The requirement is iPad 8th generation or above with 128gb storage.
I thought if I can do salary sacrifice, the total cost of buying pro would be similar to buying outright from other shops.
I could wait but have to hand in the device on Monday to the school.
Ahhh, I see why it is time-critical and why you were not interested the 64GB versions! With that additional information in mind, my advice changes…:
Apple
I just re-checked stock in Victoria for iPad 9, and there’s nothing relevant to you.
I checked stock for the iPad Air 4 through the Apple Education Store, and it seems as though stock is not an issue if you click and collect at Apple Doncaster tomorrow. You also get a free/discounted pair of AirPods. Having said that, I would question the practicality of spending $1059 on an iPad that is likely to be discounted from sale within the next few months, especially considering the cost of the iPad Pro 11” M1.
I checked stock for the iPad Pro 11” M1 128GB through the Apple Education Store, and it seems as though stock is not an issue if you click and collect at Apple Doncaster tomorrow. You also get a free/discounted pair of AirPods. Considering it only costs $70 more than the iPad Air 4 256GB, I think the iPad Pro 11” M1 makes more sense than the iPad Air 4 from a cost perspective. I will remind you that some accessories (particularly keyboard cases) are not exactly cheap when you get to the iPad Pro 11”, but if you’re just getting a regular case (e.g. STM) and a screen protector, costs shouldn’t be too much of a concern for an iPad Pro 11”.
David Jones
Personally, I would still go for the iPad 9, as both that and the iPad Pro 11” M1 should more than satisfy your kid’s requirements for school. If the iPad 9 is still a no-go, I would go for the iPad Pro 11” M1.
Thanks a lot. Will buy the iPad Pro 11" M1.
Whereabouts are you located? Some apple stores are showing stock for the iPad 9th Gen
Box Hill VIC
There is stock available for the base model at JB Hi-Fi - Airport West and Hoppers Crossing according to their website - https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/apple-ipad-64gb-wi-fi-spa…
Buy online, pick up in store
Or if you want one with 64GB+ cellular, you can get it from the Apple store at Chadstone
Thanks for the help. I decided on iPad Pro.
According to ATO, items primarily for work-related use.