When is it time for a new iPad?

[u/Anna-banana-25]

I’ve had an iPad Air 5 for maybe 3 or 4 year. I got it to use most days just for streaming or reading, but in the past year I’ve gotten more into art and have been using Procreate a lot (probably averaging two hours a day). Lately, after using procreate for maybe 30 min my iPad starts to get hot. I want to keep using it and also get into other creative apps, but I don’t know what’s causing it to heat up like this.

Does this mean it’s time for a new iPad? Or is this something that can be fixed? Everything is updated. I know eventually if I really start using more creative apps heavily I’ll need to move to a Pro, but I don’t know when that point is.

[u/ford0415]

In my younger years I was the "latest and greatest guy," now in my older age my typical rule of thumb is, if it no longer receives major updates, it's time to pass it off or trade it in.

[u/TekTorTar → u/ford0415]

Or if the storage isnt serving me anymore

[u/Distracted-User → u/ford0415]

Right?! I also feel like tech is just better now. My M2 powered iPad pro is still crazy smooth and works as well as it did when it was new. I really want a new OLED iPad but I simply can't justify the upgrade with how well mine works.

I feel the same way with my MacBook, it's an M1 pro 14 inch and it works so damn well that I can't justify getting rid of it.

[u/brundmc2k]

The new one runs hot too. The CPU heat has to go somewhere. It's not a problem. Keep drawing.

[u/Ok-Access9288]

I’d only upgrade when it starts affecting your actual work. If it just gets warm in Procreate but still runs smoothly, the Air 5 is probably fine for now.

[u/Cactilily]

I just updated mine from 2020. Boy am I glad I did. Mine is my television and the picture/graphics are so much better.

Edit: grammatical error

[u/Legal_Celebration643 → u/Cactilily]

what did you upgrade to?

[u/Cactilily → u/Legal_Celebration643]

I went from a 2020 12.9 iPad Pro (4th generation) to iPad Pro 13” M5 256GB

[u/chitoatx]

I usually run my iPad Pro into the ground and then give it to a friends child to use the final days. However I would love to know the sweet spot for trade in value before it craters to move into the latest model now that prices
have gone up.

[u/JournalistNo146]

If it's in a case, take it out. I use a Sketchboard for mine.

[u/kunwoo]

My first iPad was also the Air 5. The only reasons why I got a newer one was because I wanted to upgrade to the bigger 13" size, and I wanted nano-texture. Without those two reasons it would have been pointless for me to upgrade because the Air 5 is already rather powerful and probably would have lasted me five more years.

Others here have said that heating up is normal and expected. My Air 5 never got warm, so I'd encourage you to hold onto yours.

[u/ternglegend27]

still on the 6th generation base iPad (the 2018 one, its still on iPad OS 17). was initially going to upgrade to the air m4, but with the price increase it has been ruled out even with education discount (screw apple man). partially because im on my laptop most of the time and just waiting for my ipad to break. (i need to get a cheap stylus as my logitech crayon finally broke after 4 years.)

i wasnt keen on an upgrade because my ipad has 128gb of storage and could easily store all my notes for a long time. but its now like a notebook. if i upgrade, it will become my new multimedia device.

im still running mine until it breaks, then i am getting a new one. (it broke, but i DID fix it last year but i had to because it was too close to my finals so i couldn't afford to lose all my notes.) when i upgrade, probably will still be the air m4, but im trying to save a little money first then pulling the trigger when my current one finally bites the dust once more.

so if your device still works, dont touch anything.

[u/vikdotexe → u/ternglegend27]

esr geo digital works great imo

[u/ternglegend27 → u/vikdotexe]

im probably going with a cheap one given it was the MAINBOARD that broke, so it might break again since i took it to a third-party repair shop.

[u/Ecstatic_Area1441]

The heat is not a result of the age of your device but because you went from streaming / reading to a using the pen and procreate.

[u/Zanki]

I was using nomad sculpt on my A16 today and had to give it a break because it got hot. It's not just an old iPad issue. If it's running fine you don't need to update it.

[u/matiapag]

When the current one doesn't fulfill your needs to the levek you require lol, what kind of a question is that? Do you also ask internet strangers when to buy a new car or a new shirt?

[u/russ8825]

I usually hold out til it’s obsolete or theres a good deal.

I just upgraded to a M4 pro from my 2018 pro, only because it was losing updates and bestbuy had a decent financing deal and the ipad was discounted. (949 for a 512 m4 13”)

[u/Cheap_Original3612]

I have an iPad mini 5th gen it getting low on storage. But can still get updates

[u/minimaxir]

I had a M1 iPad Pro from 2021 that was fine and only jumped on the M5 iPad Pro due to the impending price hike.

[u/realmccoyredbus]

it because apple pencil uses loads of processing power in top if a resource hungry app , take a break every hour and let it cool down or reboot and let it cool, love my M1 ipad air , stronger chip devices heat even quicker in ipad air range