Apple iPad 9.7-inch (Renewed, Gold) Review: Conditional Buy
A buyer summed up the best-case scenario in six words: “cosmetically it’s perfect.” The catch is that refurbished consistency is the real story behind the Apple iPad 9.7-inch (Renewed, Gold)—when it’s good, it feels like a steal; when it’s bad, users describe it as “garbage.” Verdict: Conditional buy, 7.6/10.
Quick Verdict
For the Apple iPad 9.7-inch (Renewed, Gold), the deal hinges on tolerance for refurbished variability. Many buyers celebrate near-mint condition and strong everyday performance, but a minority report battery degradation, charging weirdness, wrong color shipments, and even “no gps or cellular as advertised” experiences on listings that should support LTE.
Amazon listings pitch a familiar Apple story—Retina display, multitasking, Apple Pencil support, Touch ID—yet user narratives focus less on features and more on the refurbishment lottery: packaging, accessories, battery health, and seller behavior.
| Decision | Evidence from user feedback | Likely impact |
|---|---|---|
| Conditional Yes | “super happy with this purchase of a used / refurbished ipad” (Amazon review) | Great value when unit arrives in good condition |
| Major Pro | “screen is perfect… crisp images, vibrant colors, true tone” (Amazon review) | Strong for reading, streaming, note-taking |
| Major Con | “battery goes down very fast, and charges very, very slowly” (Amazon review) | Risky for school/work days without a charger |
| Major Con | “no gps or cellular as advertised” (Amazon review) | Deal-breaker for navigation/ForeFlight-type use |
| Watch-out | “didn’t come with the original apple charger… knock off brand” (Amazon review) | Accessory quality can vary; may need replacements |
Claims vs Reality
Amazon’s Apple iPad 9.7-inch (Renewed, Gold) listings emphasize an “immersive” Retina screen and fluid multitasking. Digging deeper into user reports, the display claim largely holds up in real life—people talk about it in emotional terms rather than technical ones. One Amazon reviewer called it a “powerhouse of an ipad for a steal,” praising “crisp images, vibrant colors, true tone.” A Best Buy reviewer echoed the comfort angle, saying reading with the True Tone display makes it “so much easier on the eyes.”
The multitasking and “like-new” promise is where reality starts to split. Some buyers report weeks or months of smooth operation—one Amazon customer wrote, “update: it has been 2 months and still agree this is an excellent buy… everything works perfect.” Others describe instability that feels unacceptable even for renewed: “this ipad also freezes when i try to open an app… i have to shut down the ipad and reboot… it happens often,” said an Amazon reviewer, who also alleged being asked for a “5 star rating” in exchange for warranty extension.
Battery life is the sharpest gap between expectations and outcomes. Consumer Reports’ testing for the 2018 iPad 9.7 (32GB) states web browsing can last “10.3 hours” and video “9.3 hours,” but refurbished units show uneven wear. One Amazon buyer described an extreme case: “it fully drained within an hour… charged extremely slow and only up to 70%… the back of the ipad could be used to fry eggs.” Meanwhile another Amazon reviewer found the opposite: “battery is totally fine… lasts 4 hours & takes 2 hours to fully charge,” framing it as acceptable for “casual usage.”
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
The most consistent praise for the Apple iPad 9.7-inch (Renewed, Gold) is that, when refurbishment is done well, it arrives looking surprisingly clean. That “like new” theme repeats across Amazon and Best Buy. An Amazon reviewer said the condition was “nothing that is noticeable without really looking for it (surface scratches)… the screen is perfect,” while another wrote simply, “it works great and is in great shape.” On Best Buy, a pre-owned iPad buyer (username provided) described refurbished anxiety turning into relief: Best Buy user banon said: “I was worried when I purchased it because it is refurbished… it has proven to be just as high quality as a brand new tablet.”
Display quality and media consumption come up constantly—especially for families and readers. Best Buy reviewers repeatedly point to speakers and screen comfort: one said, “encourage to watch movies… enjoy the amazing sound quality,” and another framed it as a credible laptop alternative for content: “battery lasts a solid ten hours… it’s a great tablet.” On Amazon, buyers tie the screen to specific use cases like school notes and creative apps; one reviewer highlighted the “laminated screen (means far less glare)” and “seamless apple pencil interface,” explaining why an older iPad Pro still feels premium.
Ease of use is the quiet “keeper” factor. Consumer Reports testers found setup “quick and simple,” and said the touch screen showed “little, if any, lag.” That matches how casual buyers talk about it: the device “runs smooth,” “works great,” and becomes a household staple. One Amazon customer said, “my kids use it every day,” and another described gifting dynamics: “bought as a gift for my granddaughter… the problem now is getting it away from her!”
After the initial excitement, users who are happy with their unit often describe it as a “steal” specifically because it delivers Apple basics—solid build, good screen, app ecosystem—at renewed pricing. One Amazon reviewer justified going refurbished for a child: “it made no sense for me to spend any more than 250… the size is perfect for a kid.” That theme shows up as a practical family purchase rather than a status buy.
Common Complaints
Battery uncertainty is the number-one pain point across Amazon renewed reviews for these 9.7-inch models. The complaints aren’t subtle: “battery goes down very fast, and charges very, very slowly,” wrote one Amazon reviewer who saw it drop from “around 30% to 2%” during a “one hour and a half movie,” plus “5 hours” to charge from “1% to 96%.” Another Amazon buyer said the unit began “dying out at 60%” within “a week or two,” which is exactly the kind of hidden wear that makes refurbished risky.
Charging accessories and ports are the second recurring problem. Several users mention off-brand chargers, and the experience ranges from “it charges it just fine” to outright failure. One Amazon reviewer said, “it didn’t come with the original apple charger… just some knock off brand,” but still felt it was “worth it.” Others were less forgiving: “the wall charger simply did not work at all,” alongside a “bit torn” cable, said a reviewer calling their renewed iPad “garbage.”
A more serious and job-specific complaint is connectivity mismatches—especially around cellular/GPS expectations. One Amazon review is blunt: “no gps or cellular as advertised… i use foreflight as part of my job… as is, it will not do it.” For pilots, surveyors, and travelers relying on LTE iPad GPS behavior, that’s not a minor annoyance; it turns the device into, as the same reviewer put it, “door stops” without extra hardware.
Finally, some complaints focus on seller practices and refurbishment transparency rather than the iPad itself. One Amazon user described refund friction: “seller refusing a timely refund despite returns within the 90-day window, forcing amazon intervention” (reported in the InsideReview summary of customer feedback). Another Amazon reviewer alleged a rating-for-warranty message: “if i will give them a 5 star rating they will add 2 years to my warranty,” which they said prompted them to “reducing my stars to two.”
Divisive Features
“Renewed” packaging and accessories divide buyers into two camps. Some treat generic packaging as normal and eco-friendly—one Amazon reviewer said, “i do love that i am buying a used device—it seems more earth friendly.” Others interpret a brown box and off-brand charger as suspicious or disappointing. An Amazon buyer noted, “the ipad came in a brown box… it came with a off brand charger,” but remained satisfied; in contrast, broader community summaries (InsideReview) warn that “no apple packaging” can trigger counterfeit fears “at first glance.”
Battery life is also divisive because expectations vary by workload. Light readers and casual users often report it’s “fine” for PDFs and books, while gamers and heavy streamers describe rapid drain. One Amazon student buyer said “when i was reading books and pdfs, it’s fine,” but gaming and movies exposed fast drop and slow charging—exactly the use case mismatch that splits opinions.
Trust & Reliability
Concerns about scams and unreliable sellers show up less as “fake iPad” allegations and more as behavior around warranties, accessories, and returns. On Amazon, one user claimed they received a message offering an extended warranty for a “5 star rating,” calling it out explicitly: “therefore i am reducing my stars to two.” That kind of report feeds the larger refurbished anxiety: buyers are not only judging hardware, they’re judging whether the seller will stand behind it.
Durability stories are polarized. Some users describe months of stability—Amazon reviewers say things like “running for a month… works great” and “2 months… everything works perfect.” Others report the opposite trajectory, like a unit that “stopped working after 6 months,” with the iPad “turning on and off in quick succession” when plugged in and running “very hot.” The long-tail takeaway is simple: renewed iPads can be dependable, but longevity varies sharply unit-to-unit.
Alternatives
The only clear alternative framed in user reviews is the jump to a larger iPad Pro size, not a different brand. Best Buy reviewers compare portability vs. “full functionality,” with one saying they used a 12-inch at a conference and decided they’d “much rather just carry my macbook around,” positioning the 9.7-inch Pro as the sweet spot for travel and reading.
Within the same family, storage tiers also act like “alternatives.” An Amazon reviewer strongly suggested avoiding tiny storage: “i say get the 128 gb… getting any more than that is overkill for the average user.” That advice is echoed indirectly by people using iPads for school notes, movies, and apps—workloads where 32GB can feel tight fast, especially on older iOS versions.
Price & Value
On Amazon, renewed 9.7-inch iPads cluster around the sub-$200 range in the provided listings (examples include $194.97 and $197.00 for Wi‑Fi + Cellular 32GB renewed). That pricing is why so many buyers describe it as a “deal” or “for a steal,” especially when buying for kids or as a secondary device.
Resale and market listings show a wide spread depending on model and condition. eBay pricing snapshots for iPad Pro 9.7 refurbished sit in ranges like “NZD 236.53 to NZD 341.66,” while other iPad generations can be much cheaper. The swing reinforces the core refurbished rule: condition grade and seller reputation matter as much as the model name.
Buying tips from community stories are consistent: expect generic packaging, expect an off-brand charger, and treat the return window as part of the product. One Amazon reviewer’s mindset captures it: “i figured i had to try it out… and i could always return it.” Another buyer learned the process lesson the hard way after a battery issue: “i contacted the seller when i should have contacted the warranty company.”
Practical value depends on your use case. For families streaming and browsing, the renewed iPad can feel like “one of the internet’s best deals!” For professionals needing LTE/GPS certainty, the risk of “as advertised” mismatches is too costly to ignore.
FAQ
Q: Does a renewed iPad 9.7-inch actually arrive in “like new” condition?
A: Often, yes—but not always. Amazon buyers describe units as “cosmetically it’s perfect” and “looks like new,” while others report “surface scratches” or worse. Expect variability: packaging may be generic and accessories may be off-brand, even when the tablet itself looks great.
Q: Is battery life reliable on renewed iPad 9.7-inch models?
A: It varies widely by unit. Consumer Reports lists about “10.3 hours” web browsing for the 2018 iPad 9.7, but Amazon reviewers report everything from “battery is totally fine” to “fully drained within an hour” and charging that takes “5 hours” to reach the 90% range.
Q: Will it come with an Apple charger and original packaging?
A: Frequently, no. Amazon buyers note “it didn’t come with the original apple charger… just some knock off brand,” and others mention a “brown box.” Some say the charger “charges it just fine,” while others report nonfunctional accessories and switch to another charger immediately.
Q: Can I count on cellular/GPS features if the listing says Wi‑Fi + Cellular?
A: Some users say LTE is reliable, but at least one Amazon reviewer reported “no gps or cellular as advertised,” which broke a ForeFlight workflow. If cellular/GPS is mission-critical, user feedback suggests verifying immediately during the return window.
Q: Is the 9.7-inch size good for students and kids?
A: Many buyers think so. An Amazon reviewer said, “the size is perfect for a kid,” and students describe using it for “taking handwritten notes and recording lectures.” Battery condition is the limiting factor—heavy note-taking plus recording can expose weak refurbished batteries.
Final Verdict
Buy the Apple iPad 9.7-inch (Renewed, Gold) if you’re a budget-focused parent, student, or casual streamer who can test everything immediately and return fast if the battery or charging is off. Avoid it if your job depends on cellular/GPS being exactly as advertised, or if you can’t tolerate the possibility of “freezes,” rapid drain, or accessory failures.
Pro tip from the community: treat the return window like your inspection period—one Amazon buyer’s approach says it best: “i figured i had to try it out… and i could always return it.”
