Since Apple launched the Apple Pencil in 2015, iPad has quickly become a favorite drawing tool for many digital artists.
You draw with Apple pencil directly on your screen, Much like you do with a pen and paper.
Unlike traditional drawing tablet, iPad doesn’t need connection to a computer or any other device. It allows you to take it with you and draw wherever you feel like it.
They are powerful, portable, convenient, versatility, and even have some exclusive art apps like Procreate.
Whether you’re a pro or a beginner, you can create stunning looking digital art with iPad.
There are more iPads than ever — especially when you look at how similar so many of the models are, and it can be tough to sort out which one is the best for you.
Fortunately, We compared the main characteristics of top iPads for digital art. Just to guide you through your next iPad purchase.
5 Best iPads for Drawing and Artists in 2025
Several iPad models are excellent for drawing, catering to different needs and budgets. Here are a few noteworthy options:
1. ipad Pro M4
If you are a serious professional artist and want the best iPad for getting work done or even to replace a laptop, then you should just buy the top-of-the-line iPad Pro 2024.
Available in silver and space black finishes, the new iPad Pro comes in two sizes: an expansive 13-inch model and a super-portable 11-inch model .
It’s the only iPad with the best tandem OLED display that can deliver enhanced dynamic range and visual quality- searing brightness, deep blacks, and rich colors.
The M4 processor inside the iPad Pro is the same one you’d get in a MacBook, and it’s extremely capable, making it easy to run multiple apps and switch between them seamlessly.
The newest and most advanced Apple Pencil Pro can significantly enhanced your productivity and creativity on iPad pro, Its pressure sensitivity, hover and tilt recognition capabilities are excellent.
The ProMotion technology ensures that the screen refresh rate is high to 120Hz, It’ll refresh the images faster as you draw with apple pencil.
The nano-texture glass surface is great for you because it removes almost all reflections and the anti-glare works great, making it feel more like pencil and paper.
2. iPad Pro 2022
For most people, the Previous generation iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2022 should be more than enough. It offers almost the same features as the newer model but with a friendlier price tag.
It has a stunning XDR Liquid Retina display, supports 120Hz ProMotion tech, True Tone technology and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, but doesn’t have the OLED panel and nano-texture surface of the newest ipad pro.
The iPad Pro 2022 runs the M2 chip and it offers an abundance of power – the vast majority of iPad users will not perceive any difference in performance between the M2 and M4 models.
The Apple iPad Pro 2022 supports the apple pencil (2nd gen) that still delivers pixel-perfect precision and industry-leading low latency, making it great for drawing, sketching, coloring, taking notes and more.
It’s still not cheap, but for the value it offers and the features it brings to the table, it’s an excellent option for drawers of all skill levels.
3. iPad Air (6th gen)
The iPad Air (6th gen) 2024 provides a good balance between performance and price, great for artists on a budget who still want a powerful device with advanced features.
The Air’s size is the same as that of the iPad Pro, with a 11-inch and 13-inch available.
It has a stunning Liquid Retina display with True Tone color technology, fully-laminated, anti-reflective coating and offers excellent color accuracy and clarity.
The M2 chip with 8GB of RAM ensures fast performance, You can equip the Air with 128 or 256GB of storage.
The iPad Air supports the Apple Magic Keyboard and newest Apple Pencil Pro. The screen-to-pen interaction is essentially the same as with the Pro version.
However, The air only has 60Hz refresh rate, lacks the ProMotion technology, which adds lag, but it’s almost unnoticeable.
4. iPad Mini (7th gen)
iPad Mini (7th gen) 2024 has the smallest screen of any iPad at 8.3 inches, giving it the smallest overall dimensions. It is perfect for the traveling artist who doesn’t want to carry around a heavier tablet.
It has a true Liquid Retina display – as intense, energetic, accurate, and beautiful as the more expensive pro and Air, and sharper than any of them! But the refresh rate limited to 60Hz.
The A17 Pro processor is not as powerful as the M-series chip in the higher-up iPad models, but for most artists, this is not a concern, everything running fast.
With its “all-day battery life” and 10-hour support, the iPad mini can keep up with users’ needs.
It supports the newest Apple Pencil Pro, with all the bells and whistles such as hover and squeeze. Having it working with the mini 6 is pretty impressive.
However, Screen still limited to 60hz; and This small display does not work well with for comfortable drawing, especially in drawing apps that have many UI elements, such as Clip Studio paint.
5. iPad (10th gen)
If you’re on a tighter budget, there’s no question that the 10th-generation iPad 2022 is the one to buy. with Just a little price, you get access to iPadOS and many drawing apps like Procreate.
It introduces a modern design with narrow bezels, no home button anymore. It’s more stylish, and looks more like the current iPad Pro and iPad Air.
You can get a quality 10.9-inch Retina display with True Tone, 2k resolution, and 101% of the sRGB color gamut, delievering sharp and detailed graphics and text.
It has a fast A14 Bionic chip with 4GB of RAM, which is plenty powerful for basic drawing, sketching, and other things. Its storage starts at 64GB but you can go up to 256GB if needed.
It works with Apple Pencil 1st generation, which is still one of the best iPad styluses. You can seamlessly draw with tilt and pressure sensitivity, as well as palm rejection.
Compared to Apple’s more expensive iPads, this iPad lacks some of the features: a laminated screen, an 120hz refresh rate, pro color support,tc.
How to Choose the Best iPad for Drawing?
As you can see, iPads vary greatly in terms of screen size, processor, capacity and of course price.
When picking the best iPad for drawing, there are a few important things you need to consider:
Display Quality
A high-quality display is crucial for drawing, as it affects color accuracy and detail.
Luckily, Apple has always been known for having some of the best quality displays in the market, so even the most basic iPad will have a better display quality than most devices.
If you want the best screen quality, Look for newest iPad pro 2024 with OLED screen.
Compared to the prior-generation iPad Pro with mini-LED display, the OLED display is better!
With an organic light-emitting diode screen, there’s no need for a backlight — each pixel glows on its own.
OLED displays offer perfect black, infinite contrast and weigh much less and are thinner.
If you want to buy an older model with LCD screen, Look for iPads with more screen technology (XDR, True Tone, and ProMotion), higher pixel density, wide color gamut for better visuals and drawing performance.
Liquid Retina XDR based on Mini-LED panel, has a superb level of 1,000,000:1 contrast, which is supposed to make it look close to an OLED display.
True Tone technology adjusts the color temperature of the display based on ambient lighting, providing a more accurate and consistent viewing experience.
ProMotion technology delivers a 120Hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth drawing and seamless navigation.
High-density screens have more pixels per inch than low-density ones.
Wider color gamut means richer, more vibrant colors, allowing artists to create and view their work with impressive color fidelity.
Screen Size
The size of the iPad depends on personal preference and intended use.
A larger screen provides more canvas space, but it also means a heavier and less portable device.
Consider your mobility needs and drawing preferences when choosing a size.
Laminated vs non-laminated screen
The non-laminated displays have a tiny air gap between the layers, while laminated displays consist of a single, multitasking layer.
Laminated displays offer a superior visual display, anti-glare, thinner profile, and helps reduce the parallax to the lowest and gives you full control on the cursor to where you expect to be.
As for non-laminated screen such as in ipad 9th gen or 10th gen, The air gap causes more parallax, some light refraction, and the image does not appear as clear and contrasty. It also produce some hollow sounds when tapping or drawing.
Processor
A powerful processor ensures smooth performance and responsiveness while using drawing apps.
CPU is the “brain” of the iPad, controls the overall operation of the device. Additionally, Apple’s processor also feature GPU, which takes care of the visual side of the tasks.
Both the A-series and new M-series processors are Arm-based, But A-series processor are not as fast as the M-series chipset.
Look for iPads with the latest generation Chipset for optimal performance, especially if you plan to work with complex or resource-intensive projects.
Memory
Random Access Memory (RAM) allows your device work faster when multi-tasking, and in apps like Procreate and Adobe Fresco more memory means more layers to work with.
Memory requirements for picking the best ipad depends entirely on your needs, but we usually recommend at least 4GB for any machine and 6GB for a high-performance system.
Storage
Adequate storage is essential for storing your artwork, apps, and project files. Choose an iPad with sufficient storage capacity based on your needs.
Keep in mind that larger storage options tend to be more expensive, so consider cloud storage or external storage options if you require more space.
Battery Life
The iPad works as a mobile device, has a battery that limits the time you can spend on it.
Normally, if you care about mobility, you should choose an ipad with a larger battery capacity.
Price
The price range for iPads varies significantly, range in cost from $320 to $1000 or even more. Determine your budget and balance it with your desired features.
Keep in mind that newer models with advanced features may come at a higher price point, while older models may offer a more affordable option.
Conclusion
Having the right tools is very important for every artist!
Even though ipads are pricey, these devices fulfill the task that laptop and a pen display can do for the same amount of money, adding the bonus of portability.
From standard budget ipad to iPad Pro M4, Choosing the best iPad for drawing often depends on your specific needs, preferences, and budget.
Factors like screen size and quality, processing power, Apple Pencil compatibility, and additional features can influence your decision.
We hope you’ve found this article useful and that you can choose the best iPad for you.
FAQs:
Which Apple pencil is Best for drawing?
Apple Pencil 1st Generstion delievers great drawing performance.
The Apple Pencil (2nd generation) is a significant upgrade over the first-generation Apple Pencil in terms of precision and responsiveness.
The newest apple Pencil Pro steps up the low latency and pixel-perfection of the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) by adding features like the squeeze gesture and custom haptic feedback.
Avoid get the Apple Pencil (USB-C) for drawing because it doesn’t support pressure sensitivity.
Do I need a matte screen protector for iPad when drawing?
The Apple Pencil is designed to be used without a screen protector, so it’s depends on your preferences and habits.
All ipads feature a gossy screen surface that offers maximum clarity and color accuracy, but meanwhile it feels like you are drawing on slick glass.
If you like to use a matte screen protector to eliminate glare, fingerprint smudges, as well as emulate the pen on paper experience and provide a little resistance. we recommend you get one.
Do I need the Apple Pencil to draw on an iPad?
You’ll definitely need some sort of stylus pen to properly draw on an iPad, It is much more precise than your fingers.
The Apple Pencil works great but sold separately!
There are plenty of third-party stylus pens that can cost less and still let you draw and sketch on ipad, but the experience can differ. Generally, these stylus pens are not as good as apple pencil.
Can any iPad be used for drawing?
No, only iPads that compatible with apple pencil can be used for drawing.
On supported models, you can use Apple Pencil (sold separately) to draw or sketch, mark up a photo, sign a document, and more.
What’s the best drawing/art app for the iPad?
Procreate is the most powerful and intuitive digital illustration app, which is available only on iPad.
Aside from Procreate, there is Adobe Fresco, Clip Studio Paint, Sketchbook, Ibis Paint X, Infinite Painter, Medibang Paint, etc as the better of the bunch.
What is the best note taking app on iPad?
If you’re looking to write notes by hand, Goodnotes and Notability are the two main apps.
Other well-known options including Apple Note, Bear, Evernote, OneNote, Nebo, Concepts and more.
