It is weird how we treat tech cycles now. People act like a tablet from a few years ago is basically a stone tablet, but the iPad Pro 11 2020 is the specific moment where Apple arguably "peaked" for the average person's needs. If you’re looking at one of these on the used market or digging yours out of a drawer, you’ve probably noticed it doesn't really feel slow. That’s because it isn't.
Buying a tablet in 2026 is a weird exercise in diminishing returns. You have the M4 chips now with tandem OLED displays that cost more than a decent used car, yet most people are still just checking emails, watching Netflix, and maybe sketching in Procreate. The 2020 model, known internally as the second generation of the 11-inch Pro, was the first to introduce the LiDAR scanner and the A12Z Bionic chip.
Honestly? That chip was just a slightly beefed-up A12X from 2018. Apple literally just enabled an extra GPU core that was already sitting there on the silicon. It felt like a minor bump at the time, but in hindsight, it was the bridge to the modern era of iPadOS.
The A12Z Bionic is still a beast (sorta)
Benchmarks are mostly for nerds and marketing departments. What matters is if the iPad Pro 11 2020 stutters when you have sixteen tabs open in Safari while trying to edit a 4K video in LumaFusion. It doesn't. Not really. The A12Z came with 6GB of RAM across all storage tiers, which was a big deal because the previous generation's base models only had 4GB. That extra 2GB is exactly why this tablet still feels snappy today.
Apple’s silicon strategy has always been about "headroom." They give you power you can't possibly use in year one so that in year six, you aren't throwing the device against a wall in frustration. The 8-core GPU in the 2020 Pro handles Stage Manager—Apple's somewhat controversial multitasking UI—just fine, provided you aren't trying to push a Pro Display XDR at full resolution while doing it.
Why the screen still holds up
We need to talk about ProMotion. Once you see 120Hz, you can’t go back to the 60Hz screens on the standard iPad or the older Airs. It’s buttery. It’s smooth. It makes the Apple Pencil feel like actual ink on paper because the latency is down to 9ms.
The 2020 Pro uses a Liquid Retina display. It isn't OLED. It isn't Mini-LED. You won't get those "inky blacks" where the screen looks like it’s turned off in dark rooms. You’ll see some "glow" around white text on black backgrounds. Does it matter when you're watching The Bear at 30,000 feet? Probably not. The 600 nits of brightness is plenty for everything except direct sunlight.
The LiDAR sensor and the "Pro" camera bump
When this thing launched, Apple made a massive deal about the LiDAR scanner. They wanted us to believe we’d all be measuring our living rooms and playing AR games every single day.
Most people use it exactly zero times a week.
However, LiDAR does help with autofocus in low-light photography and makes the "Measure" app actually accurate enough to use for furniture shopping. The dual-camera setup (12MP Wide and 10MP Ultra Wide) was a first for the iPad line. It’s fine. It’s a tablet camera. Taking photos with a 11-inch slab of aluminum still looks slightly ridiculous in public, but for scanning documents or hitting a quick Zoom call, it’s excellent.
The microphones are the real unsung heroes here. Apple calls them "studio-quality." They aren't going to replace a Shure SM7B, but for recording a quick podcast demo or a voice memo, they are shockingly clean. They use a five-mic array that does a great job of isolating your voice.
The Magic Keyboard factor
The iPad Pro 11 2020 was the launch partner for the Magic Keyboard with the trackpad. This changed the iPad from a "media consumption device" to a "laptop replacement" for a very specific subset of people. Because it uses the Smart Connector on the back, you don't have to deal with Bluetooth pairing or charging your keyboard.
It’s expensive. It’s heavy. It basically doubles the weight of the tablet. But it also turns the iPad into a floating workstation that is surprisingly ergonomic. If you find a 2020 model used, try to find one bundled with the keyboard; it changes the utility of the device entirely.
Battery life and the reality of aging lithium
Here is the "gotcha."
If you buy a iPad Pro 11 2020 today, the battery has likely been through some wars. Apple promises 10 hours of web surfing. Real-world usage on a four-year-old battery is probably closer to 6 or 7 hours. Lithium-ion is a chemical cocktail that degrades every time you charge it.
If you’re buying used, check the cycle count. You can do this by exporting your analytics logs or using a third-party tool like CoconutBattery on a Mac. If it's over 800 cycles, you’re going to be tethered to a wall outlet more than you’d like. Replacing an iPad battery isn't like replacing a phone battery; it’s a giant pain involving heat guns and a lot of adhesive. Apple usually just replaces the whole unit for a fee.
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What it lacks compared to the M1, M2, and M4
It’s important to be honest about what you’re missing out on by staying with the 2020 version.
- No M-series features: Some features in iPadOS are locked to M1 chips and later. This includes full external display support (where the monitor acts as a second screen rather than just mirroring).
- No 5G: The cellular 2020 models are 4G LTE. If you live in a city with blazing 5G, you’ll notice the difference.
- Thunderbolt: The USB-C port on the 2020 Pro is just USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps). The newer ones have Thunderbolt (40Gbps). If you aren't transferring 100GB of 8K footage, you will never care.
- The Front Camera: It's still on the "short" side. When you're in landscape mode for a video call, it looks like you’re staring off into space. The newer M2/M4 models finally moved the camera to the long edge.
Is the iPad Pro 11 2020 still worth it in 2026?
Depends on the price.
If you can snag one for under $350, it is a steal. It’s a better device than the current "entry-level" iPad 10th Gen in almost every way. You get a better screen, better speakers (quad-speaker audio is a game changer), and a much more premium build.
The iPad Pro 11 2020 represents the point where hardware outpaced software. The M4 iPad Pro is a Formula 1 car being driven in a school zone. The 2020 Pro is a BMW M3. It’s older, sure, but it’s still faster than the speed limit allows you to go most of the time.
Practical Steps for Owners and Buyers
If you currently own this device, don't trade it in for pennies. The trade-in values at the Apple Store are usually insulting. Instead, try a "clean install" of iPadOS to clear out the system cache that accumulates over years of updates. It’ll feel like a new machine.
For those looking to buy:
- Prioritize the 256GB model. 128GB fills up fast if you download movies for flights or use "Pro" apps.
- Check the USB-C port. These can get loose over time. Make sure a cable clicks in firmly and doesn't wiggle.
- Inspect for "white spots" on the LCD. Some 2020 units developed small bright spots on the screen due to pressure on the backlight.
- Get the Pencil 2. The 2020 Pro supports the magnetic charging Apple Pencil 2, which is vastly superior to the original "lollipop" pencil or the newer, cheaper USB-C version that doesn't have pressure sensitivity.
The 2020 iPad Pro isn't a "vintage" device yet. It’s a workhorse that’s currently in its prime for value-conscious users who want the Pro experience without the Pro price tag. It handles iPadOS 18 and 19 with ease, and will likely see security updates for several more years. Stop worrying about the M-series hype unless you are a professional colorist or a high-end 3D architect. For everyone else, this slab of glass is more than enough.