I got my first and so far only iPad in early 2020: the 2018 11” iPad Pro with 64 GB of storage. I never had an Apple-commercial-like use case for it, let it be drawing or video production. I have mostly used it for iPad things, like content consumption, which came in really handy during the pandemic. I also got used to relying on it as a secondary screen for my MacBook via Sidecar (later also Universal Control) when I’m working on the go.
With my iPad needs about to change in a big way as I’m venturing into the academia world (is that what people say?), now is a better time than ever to talk about how I use my aging and storage-limited 2018 iPad Pro in 2025.
Living with 64 GB
64 Gigabytes wasn’t a lot back in 2020, and it’s almost impossible to live with in 2025. Using any device with so little storage, especially a tablet tailored for creativity, productivity, and content consumption, is far from ideal, to say the least. Pair that with the A12X SoC that’s almost 7 years old and rocks only 6 GB of memory and battery health under 80%, you’re left with a lot to wish for.
But, all that aside, the 2018 iPad Pro hardware still feels surprisingly modern, especially when compared to the latest M3 Air models that still lack Face ID, 120 Hz ProMotion display, and a 4-speaker setup. That’s why I have managed to stick to my 2018 iPad Pro this long. Still, I did have to make some compromises, especially concerning the storage capacity.
First of all, I disabled iCloud Photos sync. I used to use my iPad for photo editing with Lightroom CC and later Photomator. Using Apple Pencil to make small brush adjustments was great, especially on iPad’s ultra-responsive and sharp screen. But there was an issue: my iPad was always running out of storage, even though I had the Optimize Storage setting turned on. That also meant I could realistically only edit photos when connected to a fast Wi-Fi network. I tried editing 50 MB raws from my Fujifilm X-T20 at airports, in hotels, and on trains, but it was a terrible experience. I have completely given up once Photomator was released on macOS in 2023.
Second, I uninstalled all audio streaming apps I use: Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Endel. I realized that I rarely used them on my iPad in the first place since my iPhone is always around, and they took up a lot of storage despite various optimization settings being turned on.
At this point, I got to a comfortable 20+ GB of free storage that lets me install iPadOS updates and download a few movies or TV show episodes on Disney+ and Apple TV+. But I went one step further and turned off syncing for Apple Health and Apple Home. They each used around 2 GB of storage and I have never accessed either from my iPad, so I decided to let them go, too.
iPad Pro as a focused productivity device
Reclaiming my iPad’s storage capacity went hand in hand with reclaiming my focus. On macOS, you can overlap tens of windows on top of one another and have various utilities installed to make everything even more complex. While powerful and incredibly useful, it can also be very overwhelming at times, hence why I mostly find myself working in the Full Screen mode. On iPadOS, you’re always in the Full Screen mode (unless you have Stage Manager enabled), which makes it great for doing research, reading longer articles, or having a deep focus writing session. And, whenever I need to multitask, Split Screen combined with Slide Over perfectly fit my needs without introducing a lot of distraction.
After I have disabled the storage-hungry apps, I was left with an even more focused experience than what iPadOS offers out of the box. The apps that remained represent the core of my software tool stack, like my ADHD-friendly Safari with its Reading List, NetNewsWire for RSS, Apple’s productivity apps, Things 3, Notion, iA Writer, and more. As a cherry on top, I have disabled all notifications so that no one and nothing can interrupt me while I’m actively doing something on my iPad.
The future of my iPad usage
I’m certain that my iPad needs will drastically change once I go to university later this fall. I’m likely to hit the limits of what my aging 2018 iPad Pro can offer, not only in terms of storage but also performance. It already has some issues with handling Apple Notes or GoodNotes, occasionally crashing when I’m taking handwritten notes. My iPad also doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, which requires 8 GB of memory to run, and I got quite used to it on my M1 Pro MacBook Pro and, since recently, iPhone 16 Pro. It’s very likely that the 2018 iPad Pros won’t be getting iPadOS 19, either. If there’s a time for me to upgrade, it’s this year, and it will be even harder to resist having access to a student discount and a free Apple Pencil Pro.
One thing I will miss about the 2018 iPad Pro is its Smart Keyboard Folio. I love how thin and light it is so that I don’t mind bringing both my MacBook Pro and iPad with me. The Magic Keyboard, its long list of benefits aside, is far less portable and, of course, far more expensive.
Conclusion
At times, the experience of using a device as old as the 2018 iPad Pro can be challenging, like when an app crashing results in losing a few minutes’ worth of note-taking or when I’m not able to run pro apps like Final Cut. And dealing with 64 GB of storage isn’t making anything easier.
Despite its limitations, I’m still getting a lot of value out of my iPad. If anything, having to compromise on what I can use my iPad for has made it into a great device for deep work. Even though I’m going to upgrade to a far more capable M4 (M5?) iPad Pro later this year, I don’t see myself greatly expanding its role in my overall setup.