Honestly, the tech world moves too fast. We’re constantly told that if a device is more than three years old, it’s basically a paperweight. But then you look at the iPad Pro 2nd Gen. Released way back in June 2017, this thing shouldn't still be relevant. Yet, if you hop onto Reddit or scan the desks of digital artists, you’ll see that 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch chassis everywhere. It’s the tablet that refused to get old.
It’s weird.
Apple hit a specific "Goldilocks" zone with this release. They moved away from the original 9.7-inch Pro and gave us the 10.5-inch model with those slimmed-down side bezels. It felt futuristic then. Surprisingly, it doesn't feel like a relic now. While the newer M4 chips are obviously screaming fast, the A10X Fusion chip inside the second-generation Pro still handles basic Procreate layers and multitasking better than most budget tablets sold in 2026.
What changed everything: The 120Hz ProMotion breakthrough
If you want to know why people still hunt for the iPad Pro 2nd Gen on the used market, it’s the screen. Specifically, ProMotion. Before this model, every iPad screen was locked at 60Hz.
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Then 2017 happened.
Apple introduced a variable refresh rate that went up to 120Hz. It was buttery. It was smooth. If you’ve ever used a standard iPad and felt that tiny, annoying lag when the Apple Pencil follows the nib, you’re feeling the lack of ProMotion. The second-gen Pro fixed that. It made the digital ink feel like it was actually flowing out of the pen.
But there’s a catch.
There is a well-documented issue with the 10.5-inch version of this specific generation: the "White Spot" problem. About an inch or two above the Home button, many users started seeing a bright patch on the LCD. It’s caused by the backlight pushing against the display assembly. If you’re buying one today, you have to check for that. It’s the Achilles' heel of an otherwise perfect display panel.
The A10X Fusion chip vs. Modern Apps
Let’s talk power. The A10X Fusion is a six-core beast. Well, it was a beast. By today’s standards, it’s a middle-aged marathon runner. It can still finish the race, but it’s going to sweat.
In real-world use, you’ll notice that Safari tabs might reload more often than they do on an iPad Air or the newer M-series Pros. This is mostly down to RAM. The 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd Gen models both shipped with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM. For perspective, the base M2 models have 8GB, and the high-end ones have 16GB.
You’ll feel that 4GB ceiling when you’re editing 4K video in LumaFusion. It works. You can do it. But don't expect to have twenty other apps open in the background without the system getting a bit cranky.
Hardware quirks you probably forgot about
Remember the Home button? It’s here. It’s tactile. It has Touch ID 2.0.
For some of us, that’s actually a win. Face ID is great until your iPad is lying flat on a desk and you have to lean over it like a gargoyle just to unlock it. With the iPad Pro 2nd Gen, you just tap the button.
Then there’s the headphone jack. This was the last "Pro" iPad to feature the 3.5mm jack. For musicians and audio engineers who hate Bluetooth latency, this is a massive deal. You don’t need a dongle. You just plug in your Sony MDR-7506s and get to work. It’s a small detail that makes the device feel more like a tool and less like a luxury fashion statement.
The Battery Reality in 2026
We have to be realistic here. Lithium-ion batteries have a shelf life. If you find a second-gen Pro that’s been used daily since 2017, the battery is likely shot.
Apple’s official battery replacement service is usually the best route, but it’s pricey relative to the value of the tablet. Many people find that their "new" used iPad Pro only lasts about 4 hours off the charger. If you're a student planning to take notes all day, you're going to need a power bank or a seat next to an outlet. There's no way around physics.
Is it actually a "Pro" device anymore?
Complexity is the name of the game here. Whether this tablet is still "Pro" depends entirely on your workflow.
- Digital Artists: Yes. The 120Hz screen and 1st Gen Apple Pencil support are still top-tier for sketching.
- Writers: Absolutely. Pair it with a Bluetooth mechanical keyboard or the old Smart Keyboard Cover, and it’s a distraction-free typing machine.
- Video Editors: Mostly no. It’s slow. Rendering takes time. The A10X shows its age here.
- Gamers: It’s hit or miss. It’ll run Genshin Impact or Zenless Zone Zero, but you’ll need to turn the settings down to "Medium" or "Low" to keep the frames steady.
One thing people get wrong is the charging. This model still uses Lightning. It feels ancient in a world where everything—even the iPhone—has moved to USB-C. You’re stuck with slower data transfer speeds and the constant search for that one specific cable.
Comparing the two sizes: 10.5 vs 12.9
The 12.9-inch second-gen is a massive slab of glass. It’s beautiful for drawing. It feels like a literal canvas. But it’s heavy. It’s not something you want to hold in one hand while reading an e-book in bed.
The 10.5-inch was the sweet spot for portability. It weighed just about a pound. It fit in small bags. However, that 10.5-inch screen has a weird resolution that some apps still struggle to scale perfectly, though that’s becoming less of an issue as developers focus on flexible layouts.
Software Support: The End of the Road?
We are approaching the horizon. iPadOS updates won't last forever for the A10X chip. While it currently supports modern versions of iPadOS, we are likely looking at the final one or two years of major feature updates. After that, you’ll get security patches for a while, but the "new" stuff—the Stage Manager improvements or whatever AI features Apple cooks up next—won't land here.
Does that matter? Not really. A tablet doesn't stop working just because it didn't get the latest emoji update. If it runs the apps you need today, it’ll run them tomorrow.
The Secret Value Proposition
The reason the iPad Pro 2nd Gen remains a hot item is the price-to-performance ratio. You can often find these for under $200. At that price, you're getting a laminated, high-refresh-rate display that puts the $350-$450 base-model iPads to shame.
The base iPad (10th Gen) doesn't have a laminated display. There’s a visible air gap between the glass and the pixels. It feels cheap. The second-gen Pro feels premium. It feels like the screen is right under your fingertip. That tactile experience is why people stick with the older Pro over the newer budget models.
How to buy one without getting burned
If you're scouring eBay or Facebook Marketplace for an iPad Pro 2nd Gen, you need a checklist. First, ask for a photo of the screen on a pure white background. Look for that bright spot I mentioned earlier. If it’s there, negotiate the price down or walk away.
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Second, check the Lightning port. These can get loose over time. If the cable wiggles and stops charging, the port is failing.
Third, ask about the Apple Pencil. The 1st Gen Pencil (the one that looks like a golf tee and charges via the Lightning port) is the only one that works here. The 2nd Gen Pencil with the magnetic charging won't do anything but sit there.
Actionable Steps for Owners and Buyers
If you currently own one, don't rush to upgrade just because of the hype around M4 chips. Instead, try these three things to breathe new life into it:
- Clear the System Data: Do a full factory reset and "Set up as New." It clears out years of cached junk that slows down the A10X chip.
- Replace the Tips: Buy a fresh pack of Apple Pencil tips. A worn-down tip makes the 120Hz screen feel sluggish.
- Manage Background Refresh: Go into Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turn it off for everything except your essential apps. It saves the aging battery and keeps the RAM free for what you're actually doing.
If you’re looking to buy, skip the 64GB model. 64GB is nothing in 2026. Look for the 256GB or 512GB versions. Since these devices are old, the price difference between the storage tiers has shrunk significantly on the used market. You might as well get the extra space for your photos and files.
The iPad Pro 2nd Gen isn't a museum piece yet. It’s a workhorse that represents a peak era of Apple hardware—a time when they were adding features like ProMotion and quad speakers that still feel "high-end" nearly a decade later. It's not for everyone, but for the budget-conscious creative, it’s still one of the best deals in tech.