Premium Picks: Renewed Tablets and Laptops Worth Paying More For

The 7th-generation iPad tops the renewed best-seller list, and it's easy to see why: a 10.2-inch Retina display, Touch ID, stereo speakers, a headphone jack and Smart Keyboard plus 1st-gen Apple Pencil support. The listing notes it supports up to iPadOS 18, which matters for anyone thinking about how long apps will keep running.

The trade-off is age. Its A10 Fusion chip and 32GB of storage are the floor of this list, and buyers report a wide spread in battery health, with some units draining fast or shutting off unexpectedly. Choose it for light browsing and video, not as a long-term premium investment.

The 8th-generation model keeps the same 10.2-inch Retina screen and Touch ID as the 7th gen but moves to the A12 Bionic chip with Neural Engine. That newer silicon is the main reason to pick it over the model above if you want a bit more headroom for apps.

Apple rates it for up to 10 hours of battery life, though buyers say renewed units vary, with some reporting great endurance and others quick drain or screen scratches. Storage is still 32GB, so heavy app or photo users will feel the squeeze.

The 2021 iPad doubles the storage of the two models above to 64GB, which is the single most noticeable upgrade for families downloading games, shows and school apps. It keeps the 10.2-inch Retina display that buyers already like.

Customers describe it as excellent value and say they enjoy using it, though some mention dents on the back, shorter battery life, or failures after about a year. Check the seller's renewed guarantee before buying.

The 2018 iPad has a 9.7-inch Retina display at 2048 x 1536, the A10 Fusion chip with 2GB of RAM, Apple Pencil support and Touch ID. Parents in particular say their children love it, and many buyers describe units as indistinguishable from new.

It is the least premium device here on paper, so expect it to handle basic tasks rather than demanding apps. Reviewers also report mixed luck with included chargers, with some receiving defective ones.

The only laptop on the list, Dell's Chromebook 11 3100 pairs an 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 screen with a Celeron N4020, 4GB of RAM and 16GB of flash storage running Chrome OS. Buyers say it handles school work well and is a good buy for the cost.

This is not a premium performer: some reviewers find it a little slow, the keyboard responsiveness draws criticism, and battery complaints include units dying when unplugged. Pick it when a built-in keyboard matters more than polish.

The 2nd-gen Apple Pencil offers low-latency precision, pressure and tilt sensitivity, a double-tap gesture to switch tools, and a flat edge that attaches magnetically for charging. On this list, it pairs with the iPad mini 6 and iPad Air 5th Gen, both of which support it.

It won't work with the 10.2-inch or 9.7-inch iPads here, which use the 1st-gen Pencil. Buyers praise its like-new look, but some report it stopped charging or disconnected after a couple of months.

The iPad mini 6 is where premium starts to show. It packs the A15 Bionic chip into an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, adds USB-C, Wi-Fi 6, 5G cellular, a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, and a generous 256GB of storage.

Buyers love how it slips into a small bag for travel and say units look brand new. Cellular plus 256GB means fewer compromises on the road, though a few reviewers mention charging issues or screen scratches.

The iPad Air 5th Gen brings Apple's M1 chip to a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and P3 wide color. It adds Wi-Fi 6, landscape stereo audio, USB-C and support for the Magic Keyboard, Smart Keyboard Folio and 2nd-gen Pencil, making it the strongest laptop alternative on the list.

Buyers call its quality excellent and say it functions like new. Note that reviewers report it doesn't ship with an original Apple charger, and condition can vary, with some screens showing scratches. At 64GB, heavy creators may want cloud storage.