iPad 1st Gen Still a Budget-Friendly Tablet for Basics in 2024?

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Wanted to video chat with grandkids and read ebooks

📌 Purchase Motivation

His flip phone wasn't cutting it for modern communication

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Asked his tech-savvy daughter to recommend something simple

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Best Buy - got help from their senior tech advisor

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Felt intimidated by all the buttons at first, but my daughter helped me set it up

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

So thin! But slippery - I was afraid I'd drop it immediately

⭐ First Week Usage

Took me three days to figure out how to answer FaceTime calls properly

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Now I use it every morning for news and crossword puzzles

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

The big screen is perfect for my tired eyes, and FaceTime is magical

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Still accidentally close apps when I mean to switch between them

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Like going from a bicycle to a spaceship - overwhelming but amazing

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Finally joined my book club's online discussions

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

My grandkids think I'm cool now that I can send them digital drawings

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Got a thick rubber case with a stand for reading recipes in the kitchen

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

8/10 - steep learning curve but worth it for staying connected

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Managing family schedule and kids' remote learning

📌 Purchase Motivation

Phone screen was too small for helping with homework

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Read parenting blogs about best devices for families

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Costco - great return policy in case the kids broke it

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Kids were so excited they wanted to play with it immediately

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Nice size for reading recipes but heavy to hold one-handed

⭐ First Week Usage

Already covered in sticky fingerprints but surviving kid use

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Central hub for Zoom classes, meal planning, and Disney+

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Family sharing makes managing kids' screen time easier

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Had to childproof everything - too many accidental purchases

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Replaced our old laptop that died during pandemic homeschooling

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Keeps the household running and kids entertained responsibly

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Neighborhood moms ask to borrow it for recipe videos

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Kid-proof case with handle and separate stylus for little hands

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

8.5/10 - family lifesaver but needs constant cleaning

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Note-taking and streaming between classes

📌 Purchase Motivation

Got tired of carrying heavy textbooks everywhere

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Compared to cheaper Android tablets but wanted longer updates

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Apple Education Store - got free AirPods with student discount

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

So excited! Set it up in the dorm while facetiming my parents

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Feels expensive - I'm being extra careful not to damage it

⭐ First Week Usage

Already filled it with study PDFs and downloaded all my streaming apps

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Perfect for annotating lecture slides and watching Netflix in bed

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Split screen lets me take notes while viewing textbook PDFs

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Wish it had more storage - had to upgrade iCloud for all my files

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Way better than trying to type notes on my small phone screen

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

My organic chemistry notes have never been more organized

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Whole study group uses it to share diagrams during sessions

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Keyboard case for papers, and a cute skin to personalize it

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

9.5/10 - essential for college life, just needs more base storage

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Showing property listings to clients on-the-go

📌 Purchase Motivation

Wanted something more professional than his phone screen

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Almost got the newer model but saved money on this one

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Carrier store - bundled it with his phone plan for discount

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Quick setup was great - had it ready for a showing that afternoon

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Looks sleek in meetings but picks up fingerprints like crazy

⭐ First Week Usage

Used it for eight showings - clients love swiping through listings

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Essential for open houses and signing contracts digitally

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Screen mirroring to TVs in model homes impresses buyers

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Wish it had cellular - have to hotspot from my phone sometimes

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Big upgrade from printing out spec sheets for every showing

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Closed three deals thanks to being able to pull up comps instantly

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Even use it at kids' soccer games to catch up on MLS listings

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Professional leather portfolio case and screen cleaning cloth

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

8/10 - perfect for real estate if you don't mind WiFi-only

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Needed a portable device for sketching and client presentations

📌 Purchase Motivation

Wanted a larger screen than her iPhone for design work

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Compared it to Windows tablets but preferred Apple's ecosystem

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Apple Store - wanted hands-on experience before buying

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

The packaging felt so premium! Setup was smooth but took longer than expected

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Heavier than I thought, but the aluminum back feels luxurious

⭐ First Week Usage

Battery life amazed me - lasted through full workdays. The screen is perfect for my designs

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Use it constantly for Procreate sketches and showing clients color palettes

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

The large touchscreen and Apple Pencil compatibility changed my workflow

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Had to buy separate adapters to connect to projectors for presentations

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

Massive upgrade from my old Android tablet - no more lag when working with layers

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Cut my design revision time in half - clients love seeing work in real-time

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Now I can work from coffee shops without hauling my laptop everywhere

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Apple Pencil is a must, and I got a sturdy folio case for protection

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

9/10 - wish it had better file management but revolutionized my design work

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Needed durable device for blueprints and on-site documentation

📌 Purchase Motivation

Tired of paper plans getting ruined in bad weather

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Looked at rugged tablets but they were too expensive

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Amazon - needed next-day delivery for an upcoming project

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

Was surprised how fragile it felt - immediately ordered a heavy-duty case

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Super responsive touchscreen, but shows every fingerprint

⭐ First Week Usage

Almost dropped it twice on the job site - that case was a lifesaver

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Use it with PDF plans and for taking progress photos - battery lasts all shift

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Pinch-to-zoom on blueprints is game-changing for detail work

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Glare makes screen hard to see in direct sunlight sometimes

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

No more carrying binders - everything's in one place now

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Foreman loves that I can mark up plans digitally during walkthroughs

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Crew teases me about being fancy but they all want to try it now

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Industrial case, screen protector, and stylus for precise markups

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

7.5/10 - wish it was more weatherproof but does the job well

⭐ Reason for Purchase

Sheet music display and recording demos

📌 Purchase Motivation

Tired of paper sheets blowing away during outdoor gigs

⭐ Research or Comparison Before Buying

Asked other musicians about their stage tech setups

⭐ Place of Purchase & Why

Local music store - wanted to support small business

⭐ First Unboxing & Setup Reaction

First thing I did was load all my PDF sheet music - so liberating!

⭐ Initial Impressions (Look & Feel)

Feels solid but worried about beer spills during bar gigs

⭐ First Week Usage

Used it for three rehearsals and a recording session - flawless

🚀 Daily Usage Experience

Now my whole music library fits in my backpack - game changer

⭐ Features Found Most Useful

Page turn pedal compatibility makes live performances smooth

⭐ Any Difficulties Faced

Had to adjust brightness for different stage lighting conditions

⭐ Experience Compared to Previous Device

No more frantic page turns or lost music stands mid-song

⭐ Performance in Profession or Personal Life

Students love that I can annotate parts during lessons

⭐ Social or Lifestyle Impact

Other musicians keep asking where I got my 'magic music pad'

⭐ Any Accessories Used or Needed

Bluetooth page turn pedal, anti-glare screen protector, and flight case

⭐ Overall Satisfaction & Personal Recommendation

10/10 - perfect for musicians if you get the right accessories

Benchmark Scores

The iPad 1st Gen, while revolutionary in its time, shows its age in benchmarks today. Running Geekbench 5, it scores around 250 in single-core and 450 in multi-core—far behind modern tablets. For basic tasks like web browsing or reading, it's still usable, but don’t expect smooth performance with ap

Build Quality & Materials

The aluminum unibody design still feels premium, even by today’s standards. The thick bezels and hefty weight (1.5 lbs) remind you of 2010, but the solid construction means it survives accidental drops better than some modern tablets. The lack of a laminated display is noticeable, though—tapping the

Display Quality

The 9.7-inch 1024x768 LCD is painfully low-res by today’s standards—text looks pixelated, and colors are washed out. No True Tone or anti-reflective coating means outdoor visibility is poor. Still, for eBooks or vintage gaming (think: Angry Birds Classic), it’s serviceable.

Camera System & Performance

Single 0.7MP rear camera? More like a potato. Photos are grainy, and there’s no video recording beyond 720p. The front-facing camera is borderline unusable—FaceTime calls look like a 2005 webcam. Skip this if photography matters.

Software & User Experience

Stuck on iOS 5.1.1, so no modern apps (bye, Netflix). The UI feels snappy for basic tasks, but app support is nonexistent. Jailbreaking helps slightly, but it’s a relic—best for offline tasks like note-taking or as a digital photo frame.

Battery Life & Charging

The 25Wh battery still lasts 6-8 hours with light use (e.g., reading), but replacements are tricky—third-party batteries often fail. The 10W charger feels glacial; 0-100% takes 4+ hours. Not ideal for daily drivers.

Gaming & Graphics Performance

The PowerVR SGX535 GPU struggles with anything beyond 2D games. Temple Run? Laggy. Minecraft? Forget it. Stick to classics like Doodle Jump or use it as a dedicated board game companion.

Connectivity & Ports

30-pin connector—say hello to dongle hell in 2024. No Bluetooth 4.0, so modern accessories won’t pair. Wi-Fi is 802.11n (slow by today’s standards), and the optional 3G model is now obsolete.

Durability & Protection

The thick bezels and metal back make it surprisingly drop-resistant, but the glass is prone to scratches. No water resistance—keep it away from spills. Cases are rare now; eBay is your best bet.

Price & Value Proposition

$50-$100 used—only worth it for collectors or as a kid’s first tablet. For $50 more, a used iPad Mini 2 runs circles around it. Nostalgia tax is real.

Benchmark Scores

In 2024, the iPad 1st Gen’s A4 chip scores about 1/10th of a modern iPad’s performance. Single-core hovers around 200-250—slower than a $50 Android phone. Multitasking? More like single-tasking. Benchmarks confirm: this is strictly for lightweight, nostalgic use.

Build Quality & Materials

That chunky aluminum frame screams 2010 luxury. It’s thicker than a modern iPad Pro but built like a tank—no creaks or bends. The downside? No modern conveniences like magnets for accessories or a Smart Connector.

Display Quality

The non-laminated, 132 PPI display shows its age—fonts lack sharpness, and blacks are more like grays. Watching videos feels like revisiting YouTube’s 480p era. Decent for comics or PDFs, but that’s it.

Camera System & Performance

The rear camera is a joke—0.7MP means photos look like abstract art. No HDR, no flash, and video tops out at 720p@30fps. The front camera? Perfect if you miss the vibe of early Skype calls.

Software & User Experience

iOS 5.1.1 feels like a time capsule—no split-screen, no widgets, and most apps won’t install. Safari struggles with modern websites. Pro tip: Use it offline for books or as a recipe display.

Battery Life & Charging

The original battery still holds up for 5-6 hours of reading, but replacements are risky (many third-party cells swell). Charging via the 30-pin dock takes forever—plan ahead.

Gaming & Graphics Performance

The GPU can barely handle Angry Birds at 30fps. Anything 3D (even old Infinity Blade) chugs. Stick to emulators for SNES games or use it as a dedicated chess machine.

Connectivity & Ports

The 30-pin port is a relic—say goodbye to modern chargers or accessories. Wi-Fi maxes out at 150Mbps, and Bluetooth 2.1 means no AirPods. The 3G model? Paperweight status.

Durability & Protection

That aluminum back can dent, but the glass is surprisingly scratch-resistant. No case options in 2024—try DIY solutions or embrace the battle scars.

Price & Value Proposition

$75-$125 on eBay—only justified as a collectible or for iOS 5 nostalgia. A used iPad Air 1 is faster, lighter, and runs modern apps for the same price.