Can using an external hard drive or cloud storage help alleviate RAM issues on the iPad Pro

External Hard Drives

External hard drives can be connected to the iPad Pro using a compatible adapter, allowing users to store and access large files such as videos, photos, and documents[3][5]. This can help free up internal storage space, which is beneficial for maintaining performance, but it does not increase the RAM available for running applications. Apps still need to be installed on the iPad's internal storage, and their operation relies on the device's RAM[2][6].

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage services like iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive can also help manage storage by allowing users to store files remotely. This approach is particularly useful for documents, photos, and videos, reducing the need for local storage and potentially improving device performance by keeping internal storage free[4]. However, like external hard drives, cloud storage does not increase the RAM available for running apps.

RAM Management

For managing RAM issues, iPadOS 16 introduced a feature that allows apps to use storage as virtual RAM on M1 iPads, which can help with demanding workloads[1]. This feature does not rely on external storage but rather utilizes the device's internal storage to supplement RAM when needed.

In summary, while external hard drives and cloud storage can help manage storage space and indirectly support device performance by keeping internal storage free, they do not directly address RAM limitations. The use of virtual memory swap in iPadOS 16 is a more direct approach to managing RAM-intensive tasks on compatible devices.