The iPad Mini’s smaller screen (8 inches diagonally) means it’s not as well suited to larger drawings, but its compact size makes it perfect for travel and use on the go. If you want a tablet that is super responsive and can perform detailed editing tasks quickly, get an M2-based model and as much RAM as you can afford.
Battery life and charging options: All the latest-generation iPads have the same battery-life rating from Apple at 10 hours. The newer M1 and M2 processors are incredibly efficient, but their added power means that sustained high load will drain your battery faster than sporadic, lightweight tasks on older iPad designs.
That may not be much of an issue if you have older iPhones with Lightning connectors and have lots of handy chargers, but if you’re trying to move all your devices to USB-C, it won’t do.
The best iPad for drawing in December 2023
And with older models still delivering on performance, drawing on an iPad Pro needn’t too expensive. More and more artists are opting for Apple products when it comes to digital art as the iPad is slim and portable, offering a fantastic professional alternative or compliment to the best drawing tablets. Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.
Its compatibility with the Apple Pencil 2 means you get one of the best styluses available right now, while the display’s refresh rate of 120Hz ensures excellent responsiveness.
One small thing to consider is the size – the 12.9-inch offering is the largest in the iPad range and can feel pretty bulky if you’re not used to it. Unless you’re going to be doing a lot of professional drawing work, it is probably more computing and display power than you need, and in that case, a cheaper tablet on this list will likely prove to be the better choice. While the Pro models still reign supreme in terms of performance and display quality, the iPad Air has closed the gap by incorporating the same M1 chip found in the Pros, making it a powerful and more affordable option for digital artists. He noted that the screen resolution is comparable to the Pro models, and the backlighting is even and colour-accurate, making it a great choice for visual creative work, including drawing. And some artists swear by a completely different drawing experience away from the bigger (and more expensive) iPad Pros.
This model boasts a small but perfectly formed 8.3-inch Liquid Retina screen, which offers an impressive resolution of 1488 x 2266 pixels. In short, if you’re looking for a good-quality compact tablet for digital drawing, you won’t find a better option. Matthew also reviewed this one, writing: “It’s powerful enough to handle pretty advanced creative work, yet fits in a coat pocket,” which is just what some on-the-go artists need.
Apple gave the basic iPad a refresh in 2022, upgrading the chipset for better hardware for better performance and adding an improved rear camera. Much like the more expensive iPad models, this tablet includes True Tone support, which is Apple’s technology that adjusts colour balance depending on the quality of light in the room. Battery life is generally pretty good, and the new A14 chip provides a small but noticeable speed boost in operation. Whilst this slightly older model doesn’t sport the shiny new M2 chip, the M1 still packs a punch and can easily handle intense creative programmes.
In our iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 2021) review our writer goes into more detail, and summerises by explaining how this tablet, “offers one of the best screens ever made, and as much power as a desktop PC. In personally prefer the larger screen for artwork, but accessories like the Astropad Slate can be used to expand the drawing area. Our expert review: Average Amazon review: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Specifications Stylus support: Apple Pencil 2 / Apple Pencil Screen size: 12.9-inch Resolution: 2732×2048 pixels Weight: 641 g Dimensions: 280.6 x 214.9 mm OS: up to iPadOS 17 CPU: A12Z Bionic chip Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB Rear cameras: 12MP, 10MP, TOF 3D LiDAR Front camera: 7MP, 1080p video Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon Reasons to buy + Still powerful and fast for most art apps + Can use Apple Pencil 2 + Display remains excellent Reasons to avoid – You may need to buy refurbished – Cameras feel dated At the time it felt a little underwhelming but in hindsight it’s a solid release that remains a powerful and fast tablet.
It’s lack of ambition on release actually ensures its a competent device in 2023 because Apple needed to get as much out of its A12Z Bionic chip as possible.
The only thing to be careful of is the price, don’t pay over the odds, which means you may need to buy refurbished, is so, I’d recommend buying from Apple directly as they offer the same one-year warranty as a brand-new iPads, a new battery and outer shell and all the manuals. Ultimately, the best iPad for drawing is going to depend on the individual needs of the artist, and there’s no objectively right or wrong answer. As a rule, I either find the 11 or 12.9-inch displays ideal, so if you’re going to get a basic iPad the 10.9-inch model is preferred to the 10.2-inch, which is just a little small.
Processing power: Newer (and more expensive) iPads have faster processors, and are capable of handling more complex tasks without stutter or slowdown. Drawing is not the most intensive task that an iPad can perform, so this may well not be a factor – however, if you are working with super-high resolution files, then it’s going to be very important that your tablet can load and display them correctly. If price is an issue, I’d recommend the older iPad Pro 12.9 inch (2020), which lacks the new M-chips but regardless is a solid tablet with a large display, runs the new iPadOS and supports Apple Pencil 2. My personal favourites are the Astropad Slate, a large drawing stand that the iPad sits into to give it a larger work area, and secondly is Rock, Paper, Pencil (also from Astropad), this textured display cover offers a paper-like feel, protects your iPad screen and comes with hard-wearing Apple Pencil 2 nibs. I’d suggest at least 128GB of storage, which means you can create large high-res files and ensures all apps can be used, from Procreate to Illustrator and ArtRage. The best pen displays, like the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13, are close to iPad in that they can run software natively.
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I’m looking at (secondhand) iPads to use for digital illustration (Procreate) and can’t decide on a few models.. I watched a YouTube video and heard that the iPad 9 would go up to 7 layers.
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The one big plus that the Air 3 has over Pro is the matte screen finish which is perfect for drawing. Money is not a big issue here but I would not want to spend an extra $500 for no good reason.
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I’m planning to buy an iPad with an Apple Pencil for drawing but I don’t really know which one to get.
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