Cheapest iPad with USB 3, a big screen, M processor, Pencil Pro.
People who need some combination of these things will get an Air.
Not sure what's the sense of "just get the pro" which starts at $400 more and seems to offer no must-have for most use cases. Some people don't enjoy wasting $400 as much as you do apparently.
Also not sure what's the sense of "Just get a Macbook" since that's also way pricier and we've established with 11 years of existence of iPads that they're just not laptops and have different uses. All people who want the pencil can't get a Macbook, all people who need to use the device while standing can't get a Macbook, all people who want cellular can't get a Macbook, all people who want mobile apps... and so on.
I mean, I thought this was common sense.