I’d say “Neutral,” at best. It’s still an entry-level model using a two-year-old processor.
It’s definitely a good value to get an iPad at the absolute lowest price, but a lot of the sales on 10.5 inch and even 2018 iPad Pros lately are bringing the Pros down to affordability, and they offer a lot more for an extra $200-400. To me, “buy now” has always seemed to be MacRumors’ way of saying “Apple launched this thing yesterday, now’s the safest time to buy without fear that it’ll be replaced in 2 months.”