Choosing between 1 TB and 512 GB iPad storage
M5 iPad 1 tb vs 512
Question marked as
No contest. If your budget can stretch to it, choose the 1TB model.
The 1TB/2TB models of iPad Pro benefit from 16GB RAM - whereas the 256GB/512GB models have only 12GB RAM. The additional 4GB RAM of the 1TB+ models translates to improved system performance.
Additional RAM consideration aside, whichever model of iPad you choose, you would be well advised to purchase as much internal storage as you can afford - as internal storage cannot be changed, upgraded or extended. The available internal storage is fixed for the entire life of the device. If you run out of internal storage for your documents, photos and other data, you will forever struggle and become a source of frustration. It is far better to have more storage than you need, than to need more storage than you have.
A good rule of thumb is to quantify how much data storage you will need - add a healthy margin - then double it.
Within the Apple Support Communities we see regular tales of woe and disappointment when storage requirements are exceeded, necessitating replacement of the device; by contrast, we never see complaint of having too much available storage. It is relatively easy to fill limited internal storage space; perhaps consider higher tiers of storage as providing room for growth as your needs develop or mature - potentially extending the useful usable life of the device.
Consider also the functional differences between WiFi Only and WiFi+Cellularmodels of iPad. Only WiFi+Cellular models include GPS capabilities - which may impact any Apps or features that require accurate and consistent location data, such as Mapping. Purchase of a WiFi+Cellular model does not commit you to using Cellular connections, but provides this flexibility should it be needed. WiFi Onlymodels of iPad have no Cellular or GPS functions at all.