Apple iPad Air 2 9.7-Inch, 32GB Tablet (Space Gray) (Renewed)

It was a gift for my godson and he loves it.

Works great and the battery has good life

Love it

I recently ordered five “renewed” iPad Air 2 tablets through Amazon.  The Air 2 was, and still is, one of the best iPad designs.  So good, in fact, that the first iPad Pro 9.7 (2018) was really just an updated Air 2 and shared the same thin construction, laminated 9.7-inch Retina display, and overall size.  The Air 2 has supported seven iOS updates and currently runs the latest iPadOS 14 –talk about longevity.  Over 2 million iPad Air 2 models were sold during its two year production that ended in early 2017. 

Since you can no longer buy a new Air 2, the only option is used/refurbished.  Apple devices like the iPad are remarkably durable and buying refurbished is a great way to find a “like new” device that will last you many years to come.  It’s a good value, too: When the Air 2 was originally released, the models ranged from $500-$700.  A few years later, you can buy the same models renewed for $200-$300 –a great deal for a device that’s still state-of-the-art. 

There’s no shortage of vendors for renewed/refurbished iPads but one thing is clear:  “Renewed, like new” is a broad term that covers everything from near-mint condition to laughingly-damaged devices.  Some vendors are better, others are worse, none will be perfect.  Here’s my experience shopping over the past month: 

Vendor #1:  All Out Apple 
I purchased two iPad Air 2’s from this seller, one 32GB and one 64GB.  Both arrived in good condition, packaged safely, and they work fine.  The cosmetic defects are OK –a few light scratches and discoloration on the back of the case on one and a few nicks and shallow dent on the back of the other.  When held at “arm’s length” per Amazon’s criteria the issues are not that visible.  The display/touchscreenS are fine.  The batteries in each last the normal 8 or so hours under typical use. The vendor includes a decent 2.4A (12W) USB charger and cable with each device similar to the original iPad charger for fast charging times.
  
Vendor #2:  Platinum Deals
[UPDATED 3/6/21: I purchased four iPad Air 2’s from this seller, three 32GB and one 64GB.  One of the 32GB arrived in close to “like new” condition.  The cosmetic defects were minimal, however, after two weeks use, I noticed that a portion of the display backlight would flicker when set to the lowest brightness setting –the sign of a failing LED in the backlight. I returned this iPad for another from same seller and the replacement works fine so far. However, the cosmetic condition of the replacement is not as good as the first one since there are noticeable blemishes all the way around the aluminum bezel and there are a couple light scratches on the surface of the display glass.] The other two iPads were, unfortunately, a totally different story:  each one was delivered literally bent in the middle –not dented but actually deformed, as in the device was not flat!  This had nothing to do with shipping since the devices were well-packed and the boxes were undamaged.  The deformation on each device distorted the display glass and it was easy to see the permanent distortion when viewing along the edge of the device.  On one iPad, the deformation was severe enough to cause backlight distortion that showed up as bright spots along the edge of the LCD (see photos).  The fact that the refurbisher considered these two bent iPads to be “renewed, like new” is both hilarious and sad.  Of course, both of the bent iPads went right back in their boxes for return to Amazon (I put a bright yellow post-it on each one to hopefully warn whoever inspects the returned devices not to turn around and sell them again.)  This vendor also included different USB chargers (either 8W or 12W USB-A or, incorrectly, one of them was USB-C) and cable with each device so they are not consistent –the 12W charger is the correct one for faster charging times. I do give the vendor credit for immediately sending me the correct charger to replace the wrong USB-C charger delivered with one of the Air 2 units.

ADVICE: So, my advice is to inspect your “renewed” iPad carefully since the vendors are not consistent in the overall condition of what they’ll send you.  The iPad Air 2, in particular, is remarkably thin and perhaps more prone to getting bent if mishandled during its life –perhaps explaining why bent ones find their way to a refurbisher in the first place. The Air 2 has a wide tolerance for being bent and still work without a problem. However, it’s quite clear that “like new” may not necessarily mean “not bent” for the ultra-thin Air 2 so use the 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee wisely to make sure your renewed device meets a reasonable definition of “like new” upon receipt.

Overall, I’m happy with the two renewed iPads I decided to keep (32GB models, one from each vendor listed above).  I’m not sure that any one vendor does a better job in selecting “like new” iPads but clearly, one of the above did not have an issue sending two bent iPads.

Finally, be aware that the 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee says you’ll get a full refund if not satisfied, however, some of the refurb vendors claim to charge return shipping and restocking fees.  The Amazon Renewed policy is not clear about this so if you’re charged fees for the return then you should contact Amazon to have them correct it.

I love my IPad tablet! It’s a wonderful tool that works well. I had a Vankyo tablet prior which was a dog from the get go. Apple products are definitely superior!
Only thing I can say is that I wish it had a longer battery life