Which iPad is best for digital artists? (A Review)
Have you ever wondered which iPad is best for digital art? Well, I’m going to give you a full in-depth review of my experience with the iPad Pro 9.7"and the new iPad Pro 12.9” (4th generation).
This will be from my perspective as a lettering artist and digital creator so I hope that it helps you decide which model might be best for you. I go through everything from why I decided that an iPad tablet was for me, to pricing, specs and more. If you don’t feel like reading. Feel free to check out my Youtube video on the topic here.
Why I chose the iPad
Back in 2016 when I was thinking about purchasing my first iPad, I saw a lot of lettering artists that I follow using one. Of course they had Procreate loaded onto it as well and I guess I just wanted to see what the hype was about. When I first invested in my iPad, I got it during a Black Friday sale and I can honestly say it was a great investment for me. I didn’t realize at the time that I would also be investing in my business with this purchase but I definitely would say that these four reasons in particular were what sold me on the idea of getting an iPad:
Faster and less messy than traditional materials
Connectivity with my Apple iPhone & Mac Book Air
Compact and travel friendly
Being able to use Procreate
So it wasn’t simply a case of FOMO, but rather a tool that would be of value to my then just budding lettering practice.
Technical Specs
There are a lot of technical specifications for both the iPad Pro 9.7” and the iPad Pro 12.9”. These are the specs that I would look at in particular when considering an iPad purchase. How much storage space is there? What’s are the dimensions and weight? What Apple Pencil is it compatible with? Lucky for you, I’ve done some of the leg work for you already:
iPad Pro 9.7"
Storage Capacity: 256GB
Screen Size: 9.7” (Diagonal)
Connection: Lightning Cable
Weight: 0.96lb. (437 grams)
Apple Pencil 1st generation compatible
iPad Pro 12.9"
Storage Capacity: 1TB
Screen Size: 12.9” (Diagonal)
Connection: USB-C
Weight: 1.41lb. (641 grams)
Apple Pencil 2nd generation compatible
Pros and Cons
Of course these pros and cons are going to be based on my own personal experience but my hope is that some of these things that I only realized after having purchased each of these devices are at the front of your mind before you make your iPad invest.
iPad Pro 9.7” Pros
Light weight & easy to carry
Better connection for my current cable setup
iPad Pro 9.7” Cons
Slow to charge
Small screen made drawing less comfortable
Apple Pencil and iPad charge from the same port
Cap for the 1st generation Apple Pencil can get lost easily
iPad Pro 12.9” Pros
Bigger screen
Apple Pencil 2nd generation charges on the side of the iPad
Charges very fast with the cable it comes with
More storage means better performance and space to save large art files
More pleasant drawing and note taking experience
iPad Pro 12.9” Cons
USB-C isn’t the most compatible cable for my other devices
USB-C block is very wide and doesn’t always fit in my surge protector well
Heavier and bigger device makes it slightly less travel friendly
Learning the new gestures was a bit weird for me at first (no home button)
Pricing
So like I mentioned, iPad devices are investments for us as artists. They’re essentially a part of our equipment and toolbox so if you’re running your own freelance business like I am, make sure you purchase yours through your business account so you can write it off on your taxes (pro tip!) So let’s talk about money. These prices reflect the amount of money that was invested into each iPad including accessories at the time of purchase. So just so you know, my iPad Pro 9.7” will be a lot cheaper now than it was when I got it when it was relatively new.
iPad Pro 9.7” Pricing
iPad 9.7” (32GB) - $482.11
Case from Amazon - ∼$20
Apple Pencil (1st generation) - $100
Total: $602.11
iPad Pro 12.9” Pricing
iPad 12.9” (4th Generation, 512GB) - $1,299.00
Smart Folio Case - $100
Paperlike Screen Protector* - $39.99
Total: 1,558.99
A final note on pricing. I wanted to save money on my first iPad so I invested in the lowest amount of storage. Please don’t do this. This should not be the way that you try to save money on your device investment. I ended up having a lot of performance issues with my iPad because of this mistake which leads us into the final section of this article.
Upgrading your devices & backing up your work
I’m adding this section as a note of caution because as artists it’s super important that we establish a proper workflow for saving our artwork. Don’t make the same mistake that I did and make sure that you’re backing up your iPad on some kind of schedule. My iPad Pro 9.7” didn’t have a lot of storage so the Procreate files filled up quickly on my device leading to issues with the performance which led me to losing all of my work. Yup. So basically, be smarter than I was back in 2016. Cool? Cool.
Upgrading your devices & backing up your work
I’m adding this section as a note of caution because as artists it’s super important that we establish a proper workflow for saving our artwork. Don’t make the same mistake that I did and make sure that you’re backing up your iPad on some kind of schedule and invest in a bit of iCloud storage. My iPad Pro 9.7” didn’t have a lot of storage so the Procreate files filled up quickly on my device leading to issues with the performance which led me to losing all of my work. Yup. So basically, be smarter than I was back in 2016. Cool? Cool.
Conclusion
So, which iPad is better for digital artists? The one that works the best for you and your lifestyle. While I gave up being able to travel light with my first iPad, the drawing experience wasn't as great as it could’ve been because of the screen size. I don't recommend for anyone to purchase an iPad new because it's almost 100% unneccessary. You can find quality devices certified refurbished from Apple, Amazon, and on sale at Target. Apple is always releasing new devices so even though I just purchased my iPad Pro 12.9” this past March, it's already a lower price because of the new 5th generation M1 chip iPad Models.
I hope this article is an asset to other digital artists on their creative journeys. Don’t feel like reading? Want a refresher on the things that I covered here? Check out my video below and while you’re there give it a like and subscribe to my Youtube channel. I post videos there every single week about lettering, tutorials and product reviews for you to enjoy.
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