Choosing the best iPad for drawing can be confusing since there are so many models and configurations available. But it’s worth making the effort, because modern iPads are a great choice for creating digital art. Slim and portable, they offer a fantastic alternative or compliment to the best drawing tablets, especially considering that you can also use them for other things besides drawing.
So which of the iPad generations is best for artists? The simple answer is the largest, newest iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil 2, but there are other things to consider, including portability and budget. We’ve reviewed and tested all current iPads on the market, including using them to drawing via various programs. That puts us in a good position to be able to recommend the best options for different needs. If you’re primarily going to be using Procreate, then also check out our guide to the best iPads for Procreate.
Quick list
1. iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 2022)
The M2-chipped 2022 iPad Pro offers brilliant processing speed and a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, the largest and best quality display on any iPad. We love the drawing experience, but this is an expensive tablet.
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2. iPad Air (5th gen, 2022)
The mid-range M1 iPad Air is smaller, has a slightly dimmer display and a slower refresh rate, so you might experience some delay when drawing. However, it makes up for that with portability and value.
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If you want to draw on the move, the mini is a wonderfully compact option that still has enough power for sketching, and it supports Apple Pencil 2, so you don’t sacrifice much beyond the screen size, which is ideal for working in more cramped places.
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The 10th-gen standard iPad is reasonably priced, offering decent performance and a premium feel with a sharp and detailed display. The downside is that it supports Apple Pencil 1, not the super second-gen stylus.
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5. iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 2021)
A great way to get more bang for your buck is to opt for an older iPad model. This 2021 iPad Pro still holds up as a great slate for drawing, especially thanks to its M1 chip and Apple Pencil 2 support, and you might find a good discount.
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The best iPad for drawing in full
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The best iPad for drawing overall
The iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 2022) is simply the best iPad for drawing you can buy right now if we exclude cost as a varibale. Equipped with Apple‘s super-fast M2 processor, it offers fast processing speeds, while we love the fidelity of the Liquid Retina XDR display. Note that there’s also an 11-inch iPad Pro, but the 12.9 inch pro is the only iPad with a Liquid Retina XDR display, which provides better dynamic range with high contrast and brightness.
In our full iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 2022) review, we praised the drawing experience in combination with the Apple Pencil 2. And several members of our team use the device almost daily for digital art. We found that the display’s refresh rate of 120Hz provided excellent responsiveness, and with up to 2TB of storage available, there’s no need to worry about file sizes.
One potential drawback is the size, although this is also one of the big pros. A larger screen is more comfortable for working on in most situations, but it’s less discreet when you’re working on the go. The other downside is that this is the most expensive iPad on the market, and unless you’re a pro, it’s probably more than you need.
The best value iPad for drawing
The 2022 iPad Air is also a strong contender for the title of the best iPad for drawing, offering many features that are reminiscent of the iPad Pro while offering better value and a lighter, more portable device. The latest iPad Air closed the gap in performance a little by incorporating the M1 chip from the previous generation of Pros.
In our iPad Air (5th Gen, 2022) review, we note that screen resolution is comparable to the Pro models and that the backlighting is even and colour-accurate, making it a great choice for visual creative work, including drawing. The drawbacks are lower brightness levels compared to the Pro 12.9’s Liquid Retina XDR display, and the refresh rate of 60Hz (compared to the Pro’s 120Hz) may cause some delay in the display of strokes when drawing.
However, if you’re looking for a tablet with a larger screen and more powr than the iPad mini, but without the hefty price tag of the iPad Pro, the 2022 iPad Air is definitely worth considering as the best iPad for drawing to suit your needs.
The best iPad for sketching
The iPad Mini (2021) is a great choice for artists who travel a lot or just want to quickly doodle and sketch wherever they find themselves. The big iPad Pros aren’t the most comfortable option if you want to work on the move – such as on public transport, for example. The iPad Mini hasn’t been updated for a few years now, but it still performs well, and unlike the standard iPad below, it supports Apple Pencil 2.
We found this tablet to be wonderfully compact, suitable for carrying anywhere since it can fit neatly into a small bag (read our guide to the best iPad cases for more), but it still offers plenty of power for sketching (more than the standard iPad), and the 8.3-inch Liquid Retina screen offers an impressive resolution of 1488 x 2266 pixels. in our review, we found that Apple’s claims of 10 hours of battery life were accurate, so you should have no problem drawing for several hours while on the move before needing to find a power socket.
There’s up to 256GB of native storage space, which is probably more than enough if for drawing, although it won’t go far if you also do a lot of video work. Of course, the downside of the screen size is less space to work with. If you’re looking to replace your Wacom drawing tablet then this isn’t for you. But, if you want a tablet to doodle on or sketch digitally, and then transfer those rough ideas to a large drawing tablet, it’s ideal. Our Apple iPad mini (6th Gen) review goes into greater depth.
The best affordable iPad for drawing
Apple gave the basic iPad a refresh in 2022, upgrading the chipset for better performance and adding an improved rear camera. The result is a reasonably priced iPad that has a more premium feel than its predecessor and great colour options too.
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. When we reviewed it, we found that battery life was generally good too, while the new A14 chip provides a small but noticeable speed boost in operation.
While all this is very welcome, making the standard iPad feel less inferior to the models above, I do wish Apple could have found room to include Pencil 2 support. The first Apple Pencil is a fine stylus and does the job well enough, but the lack of built-in controls is a pain and the introduction of USB-C charging ports on this iPad means that you need to buy an additional adapter to charge it (note that Apple has since launched a USB-C Apple pencil, but this cheaper stylus has no pressure sensitivity. Despite that missed opportunity, in our in-depth iPad 2022 review, we found this to be a solid value option, including for drawing.
The best last-gen iPad for drawing
If you fancy an iPad Pro but not the price tag of the latest devices, there’s always the option of looking out for a good deal on the 2021 M1 iPad Pro 12.9-inch. Going for an older iPad doesn’t always make sense. The starting price of new models tends to be around the same as the previous generation, and Apple often rapidly discontinues its last models. However, third party retailers do sometimes still have stock and offer the tablets for reduced prices.
When we did our original iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 2021) review on release, we gave the device 4.5 stars, and we stand by that today. We think the M1 iPad Pro is still a fantastic machine worth of any creative. It’s not the M2, but the M1 chip is still very fast by today’s standards, and can easily handle drawing, as well as much more intensive creative work. Build-wise, the tablet pretty much identical to the newer 2022 model, down to the exact same weight, and it still boasts that Liquid Retina XDR display for improved brightness and detail in dark areas.
If you’re looking for a smaller display, you can also pick up the 11-inch iPad Pro 2021. However, I personally prefer the larger screen for artwork and think it’s the main advantage of going for a Pro.
How to choose the best iPad for drawing
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. Here are some key factors to think about when selecting your iPad for drawing.
Screen size: How much screen do you need when drawing? Larger iPads naturally have larger screens, which gives you more space but also makes the tablet less portable and heavier to carry around, which arguably defeats the purpose of having a portable drawing tool. Then again, if you’re going to leave the iPad at home or in the studio, portability doesn’t matter. Personally, I prefer the 11 or 12.9-inch displays ideal. At 10.2 inches, the 9th-gen standard iPad is too small for my liking, but I also know artists who love using the iPad mini for sketching.
Processing power: Newer 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 is not necessarily a very important factor. However, if you are working with very high resolution files, or if you want to use you iPad for other creative work as well as drawing, then it’s going to be very important that your tablet has enough power to load and display files efficiently.
Stylus compatibility: Different iPads are compatible with different versions of the Apple Pencil. The Apple Pencil 2 is the superior stylus, with on-pen controls, but it’s also more expensive and works with the more expensive iPads, so it’s up to you whether you can justify the outlay. Read our guide to Apple Pencil vs Apple Pencil 2 for more details here.
Price: iPads are expensive, especially the Pros. Your budget may dictate what you have to choose from to an extent. A good way to expand your options is to keep an eye out for the latest sales and offers. We’re currently updating our guide to the best iPad deals, which is a good place to start.
How we test the best iPads for drawing
We test and review all the latest Apple products here at CreativeBloq, which means we have a lot of experience in using Apple devices for creative work, including for drawing. Our reviewers are experts in their field. Many of them are working creatives and have years of experience reviewing iPad and other tablets (for more details, see How we test and review on CreativeBloq.)
The iPads on this list have been tested and rated by our team of expert reviewers, after weeks of use. We put them through a series of benchmark tests but also real-world situations, using them for a range of tasks, including drawing via different iPad art apps, including Procreate.
We evaluated the drawing experience using an Apple stylus, and compared specs, including screen size and resolution, RAM and storage size. We considered the strengths and weaknesses of each tablet and factored in the cost to make recommendations for a range of budgets.
The best iPads for drawing: FAQ
Which iPad is best for drawing?
If price is no object, then the latest iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M2, 2022) is ideal. The screen size is perfect, it’s packed with storage and RAM and can run any app you’ll need for digital art, including the upcoming Procreate Dreams animation app.
If price is an issue, I’d recommend the older iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 2021), which is still more than fast enough for drawing and has the same large, bright display and Apple Pencil 2 support. It’s sometimes possible to find good discounts.
How do I find my iPad generation?
You can find your iPad generation by looking on the back of the iPad for an etched model number starting with ‘A’. Then visit the Apple support website and look up your model number.
Do professional artists use iPads?
Yes, absolutely. Many pro artists and animators use iPads, but how they use them can differ. Some artists only use iPads and create art using Procreate. But many complement their best Wacom tablets with an iPad, working between the two. This may mean using an iPad to sketch and create ideas before finishing in Photoshop or one of the best digital art softwares.
Is Procreate exclusive to iPad?
Yes, Procreate has been developed exclusively to run on Apple iPads, meaning it runs on all iPad generations released in the last ten years. (obviously the newer iPads work better these days). Start now by reading our Procreate tutorials and our quick advice feature, ‘My 5 Procreate tips‘. On 22 November a new animation edition releases, read our guide ‘Procreate Dreams: everything you need to know‘ for more.
Can I make my iPad better for drawing?
Some of the best Pad accessories can improve your experience drawing with an iPad. 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.
What is the ideal GB for drawing on iPad?
For many artists, their drawing files won’t be huge, but they may create a lot of them, so most people will want a reasonable level of storage unless you know that you’ll always be saving to the cloud. You’ll also need storage space for whatever apps you use. I’d suggest at least 128GB as a minimum.
Can iPad replace a drawing tablet?
Yes, your iPad can replace a drawing tablet but you need to remember a drawing tablet can be connected to a laptop to run desktop software, incuding the best Adobe software while iPads only run apps. The best pen displays, like the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13, are close to iPads in that they can run software natively.
You can buy apps that enable you to connect your iPad to a computer and mirror the display, so using full software rather than apps on the tablet. Read our guide, How to use an iPad as a drawing tablet with a PC for the best advice.
What’s the best drawing iPad with a pen?
Technically, none of them as iPads don’t come with an pen stylus; you need to add it on at checkout or buy one separately. All recent iPads support either Apple Pencil or Apple Pencil 2, and newer iPads also support the newly released cheaper USB-C Apple Pencil. Read our guide to the best tablet for drawing with pen and stylus for more details.
There are also some excellent Apple Pencil alternatives. My picks would be the Logitech Crayon (2023), which was designed and developed for digital artists.