In general, an iPad should last around six years, giving the tablet a longer lifespan on average than iPhones. Of course, the longevity of your iPad will largely depend on your personal usage and maintenance habits. That said, the model you own also impacts how long it will take before you start seeing signs that it’s time to replace your old iPad.
Most estimates put the lifespan of an iPad Pro at between seven and ten years, while an iPad Air could last six to eight years. The main difference here is the chip, with the M5 iPad Pro being the most powerful yet. The newer iPad Pros – those with an M4 or M5 chip – are more powerful than the M1, M2, and M3 you’ll find in an iPad Air, making the Pro better for gaming and video editing. This also means your tablet needs to stay powerful for longer, which could mean being able to keep your iPad Pro around for almost a decade. All told, the iPad Air or iPad Pro should last longer than other iPad models thanks to Apple’s M chips.
Both the iPad Air and iPad Pro benefit from Apple’s M chip
The base model iPad and iPad Mini use Apple’s A-series chips, which are quite similar to the M chips introduced more recently. Both are powerful, but M chips are designed to maintain optimal functionality for as long as possible, which is why Apple now uses them in Macs and MacBooks outside of the budget MacBook Neo. However, these M chips are too big and run too hot for something as small as a smartphone, which is why they’re not even used for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Notably, M chips seem to last longer than other chips. Many M1-powered devices released in 2020 still work well and maintain impressive battery life over time. Battery health is often the first thing to deteriorate as a device ages, so the M chip’s success here is a good sign for the iPad Pro and iPad Air.
Still, it’s worth mentioning that Apple software support has a major impact on how long your iPad will remain useful. Apple typically supports its tablets with software updates for about six to eight years, after which you’ll miss out on new features and start experiencing compatibility issues with your apps. Security updates continue for a longer period of time, but once your device no longer receives them, your data will be much more vulnerable. At this point, you can still use your iPad for the basics, but you definitely shouldn’t use it for anything that involves personal information.
