M4 iPad Storage or Cellular

Hardware
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As I contemplate our next purchase, I am contemplating the cellular options for the 13” M4 iPad Pro. Traditionally, we have gotten away with just the WiFi on our iPads. However, thanks to this forum, we have found some great options for eSIMs.

We have a budget, so with the prices as they are, we can either choose more 512GB of storage with just WiFi or 256GB of storage with cellular. 256 seems like enough based on past usage. However, I will probably be moving to using the iPad as an alternative to a MacBook Air and connect to virtual machines when MacOs is needed. Just curious on the group think…Cellular or more storage?

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If you should need more than 256GB of storage you can always use an external SSD. But if you think you will ever need GPS you must have the cellular option.

I’ve used GPS more times than I’ve used cellular on my 256GB 2020 iPP.

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A couple more questions you could ask:

  • do you value connectivity without having your phone at hand or in chaotic situations?
  • Assume your storage usage naturally doubles over the next five years; would 256 still be okay?
  • Qualifying the above, how long might you keep the iPad?

It’s true it’s a nice time to re-evaluate cellular. It seems like lots of MVNOs support cheap independent plans for them.

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Thank you. We do end up keeping the device for 5 years or so except when someone wants a new, shiny device…:roll_eyes:. Then, it gets passed down. I like the connectivity piece as I have noticed more places where the WiFi is meh or we have trouble connecting.

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The GPS piece has tempted us to move a couple of times. However, we didn’t make the jump. I like the external drive idea. I wonder if movies can be stored on the external device now. The last time we tried it with purchased shows, it only worked on device. It might be worth the try though.

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I don’t know but I doubt that would work. I keep the majority of my files online and my archives and financial files on my Mac. So my internal storage is available for work in progress, or photos, music, etc. as needed. Right now I have 218GB free.

@cornchip brings up some important things to consider.

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Personally, I would opt for cellular+GPS, as I find that 265GB is fine for my iPad use. Cellular makes the iPad into an incredibly flexible travel computer. That being said, cornchip’s questions are worth pondering

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I am leaning toward the 256GB with cellular. It seems to be enough for what I need. I think I will appreciate the extra connectivity. Thank you all for your thoughts.

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For what it’s worth, I’ve never gone cellular. If I want to use my iPad when I’m out and about, I just tether it to my iPhone.

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+1

But if staying connected is very important the cellular option, when connected to a different carrier than your iphone, is a good backup.

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My Verizon plan does limit my tethering data but the data to the iPad is unlimited. I have gone through a couple of hundred gb in a month so having the cellular is good for me. The data plan for the iPad is only $20 per month extra. The unlimited data also reduces my storage needs since I keep everything on iCloud so downloading it isn’t an issue.

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If you’ve managed thus far without Cellular and don’t anticipate a significant change in your behaviours, I’d always go for more storage. As someone else said you can always tether if Wifi is not available.

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Hmm. I wonder whether you can tether your iPhone to your iPad if your iPad has cellular service but your iPhone doesn’t because it’s in a dead spot or the service went down.

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Yes. A Personal Hotspot is the same as any other WiFi source. My iPhone is on ATT and I just connected it to my iPad.

Screenshot 2024-05-19 at 3.31.17 PM

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