iPad A graphic designer desperately needs help with his first iPad

[VikB15]

Hi! I found this page looking for opinions of different ipad, and I take the opportunity to ask for help

To put a bit of context, i'm a graphic design student and I want to buy my first ipad, I have found several offers that fit my budget (about 600/700 dollars including shipping abroad), but when it comes to comparing the technical details of each i'm completely lost!

I'm between new and refurbished equipment options, not too sure if it's a good option either

The equipment I've seen (in order from lowest to highest price, if that's relevant) are:
Apple iPad Air 2 128GB - Renewed
Apple iPad 9.ª gen 64GB - New
Apple iPad Air 3 256GB - Renewed (It has a considerable price difference with the previous Air 2, I don't know if the technical differences vary a lot or if the difference in capacity influences the price so much)
Apple iPad Pro 2nd 12.9in 256GB - Renewed
Apple iPad 9.ª gen 256GB - New
Apple iPad 8.ª gen 128GB - New
Apple iPad Air 4 64GB - Renewed

I hope someone can give me some advice, thanks!

 

[Jessica Lares]

What apps are you thinking of using on it?

 

[VikB15]

What apps are you thinking of using on it?

Mostly Procreate, Affinity and MediBang

I don't think I will use the adobe package, I understand that the iPad version is reduced and I have a laptop

 

[ericwn]

First determine the screen size you want, then go from there.

 

[VikB15]

First determine the screen size you want, then go from there.

Around 10.5" is fine, but can be bigger (up to 12.9") or smaller (up to 9.7") if performance is better

 

[Jessica Lares]

I'd go for the 64GB Air 4 then. The first one with the newer design and 64GB is more than enough since you're using a laptop aswell.

We are on the 6th generation of the Pro and that 2nd doesn't get OS updates anymore. (This was wrong, see the replies below)

That Air also supports the 2nd generation Pencil.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Hi! I found this page looking for opinions of different ipad, and I take the opportunity to ask for help

To put a bit of context, i'm a graphic design student and I want to buy my first ipad, I have found several offers that fit my budget (about 600/700 dollars including shipping abroad), but when it comes to comparing the technical details of each i'm completely lost!

I'm between new and refurbished equipment options, not too sure if it's a good option either

The equipment I've seen (in order from lowest to highest price, if that's relevant) are:
Apple iPad Air 2 128GB - Renewed
Apple iPad 9.ª gen 64GB - New
Apple iPad Air 3 256GB - Renewed (It has a considerable price difference with the previous Air 2, I don't know if the technical differences vary a lot or if the difference in capacity influences the price so much)
Apple iPad Pro 2nd 12.9in 256GB - Renewed
Apple iPad 9.ª gen 256GB - New
Apple iPad 8.ª gen 128GB - New
Apple iPad Air 4 64GB - Renewed

I hope someone can give me some advice, thanks!

If you are truly serious about your Procreate usage, do not get any of the ones you have listed. Similarly, do not get any model of iPad that only works with the first generation Apple Pencil. You will thank yourself later.

1) You need to determine how important having a large canvas is. 10-11-inches or 12.9-inches. No one can tell you which one is most important to you. That's a purely subjective question. If the answer is that the larger canvas is critical to you, then it's obvious that you are shopping for a 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

2) After determining that, the next question you need to answer is "how important is precision and screen response to the Apple Pencil". This is also subjective and best answered by going into your local Apple Store, or third party Apple authorized reseller and playing around with them. This is only worth really examining if you've determined that you're fine with the 10-11-inch iPads because there is only one size option for the 12.9-inch one. Pick up an Apple Pencil, play with it on (a) the current iPad Air or (b) the current 11-inch iPad Pro. If the difference isn't much to you, buy an iPad Air. The 4th Generation model is fine. The 5th Generation one is way better (and likely to set itself apart from the 4th Generation model down the road as Apple starts adding more M1 specific features to iPadOS). If the difference IS a lot to you, then you need to be shopping for an 11-inch iPad Pro.

3) There's very little reason to NEED to spend money on the CURRENT iPad Pros. Though, I'd argue that a current generation iPad Air is substantial over its predecessor (unless your needs are truly super casual). Either way, go to the Apple Online Store, navigate to the Apple Certified Refurbished iPad page. Apple is currently selling the 4th Generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro (A12Z Bionic) and the 5th Generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro (M1) as well as the 2nd Generation 11-inch iPad Pro (A12Z Bionic) and the 3rd Generation 11-inch iPad Pro (M1) (the current M2 models are the 6th and 4th Generation, respectively). If all you care about is being able to draw with the Apple Pencil in Procreate, the 4th Generation 12.9-inch and 2nd Generation 11-inch iPad Pro will suffice. You get a bit more future-proofing with one generation up. Also, again, for how much they were criticized for not doing this sooner, M1 and M2 iPads are clearly in the process of getting features exclusive to them, so if you can afford to up your budget to get at least an iPad Air or Pro with at least the M1, it's probably worth doing.


So, in short:

1) 11-inch iPad or 12.9-inch iPad? Only you can answer this.

2) If 11-inch iPad, Air or Pro (again, I'd evaluate it based on using the pencil to draw)? Again, only you can answer this and you really need to play with both to see the difference.

3) Go here if Pro (unfortunately, they don't yet have refurbished current generation iPad Airs on sale): https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/ipad

(I'm not wholesale opposed to the 4th Generation iPad Air. And Apple DOES sell those at that site too. I own one and love it; but you get a bit better longevity and bang for buck, especially for your needs with the others I've mentioned.)

 

[Yebubbleman]

We are on the 6th generation of the Pro and that 2nd doesn't get OS updates anymore.

Apple is still putting out updates for every model of iPad Pro (dating back to the 1st generation 12.9-inch and the 9.7-inch models). That's not to say that they won't cut support with anything based on A9, A9X, A10 Fusion and A10X Fusion in the next iPadOS release in the same way that iOS 16 dropped support for any iPhone with anything older than A11 Bionic. Just that, iPadOS 16 - the current release as of this comment's posting - is still supported on those older iPads and iPad Pros.

 

[HDFan]

I'm between new and refurbished equipment options,

go to the Apple Online Store,

If you buy refurbished be sure to purchase from a well known and reviewed source with an extended warranty. The Apple refurbished store is likely the best option out there.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Apple is still putting out updates for every model of iPad Pro (dating back to the 1st generation 12.9-inch and the 9.7-inch models). That's not to say that they won't cut support with anything based on A9, A9X, A10 Fusion and A10X Fusion in the next iPadOS release in the same way that iOS 16 dropped support for any iPhone with anything older than A11 Bionic. Just that, iPadOS 16 - the current release as of this comment's posting - is still supported on those older iPads and iPad Pros.

Ah, right, sorry. I read that information wrong! That's good news then.

 

[TorbenIbsen]

You already got some good advice from yebubbleman. So I'll just add this.

I use iPad Pro 12.9" 2nd generation with the apps you want to use. And several other graphic apps too. I also use iPad Pro 11" 3rd generation with the same apps. And the same data because I use iCloud. I even use some of the graphic apps on my 24" iMac too because I can do this via iCloud.

Be aware that all iPad models do not have the same amount of RAM. So look only on iPad Air and iPad Pro. The Pro models have better screens (non-reflection and such) so in some environments you really want the Pro for the screen quality.

As I can use my 2nd generation iPad Pro 12.9" from 2018 with all graphic apps there is no particular reason to pay a fortune for the newest pro models. We also have the iPad Pro 10.5" which is really good too. Also for your purposes.

About ProCreate and Affinity Designer. One is raster and the other is vector. But there is a "problem" with the very popular ProCreate app. It is just about the only major drawing app which does not use iCloud. So you cannot look at any drawings on another Apple device, let alone use it. And Procreate is also just about the only major drawing app which don't have a MacOS version too.

There is another raster drawing app which easily can outperform Procreate when it comes to features, and it uses iCloud and have a MacOS version as well. It is simply just not so well marketed as Procreate. On the iPad it is called "Artrage Vitae". On the Mac you want "Artrage 6".

Artrage

www.artrage.com

 

[ian87w]

Hi! I found this page looking for opinions of different ipad, and I take the opportunity to ask for help

To put a bit of context, i'm a graphic design student and I want to buy my first ipad, I have found several offers that fit my budget (about 600/700 dollars including shipping abroad), but when it comes to comparing the technical details of each i'm completely lost!

I'm between new and refurbished equipment options, not too sure if it's a good option either

The equipment I've seen (in order from lowest to highest price, if that's relevant) are:
Apple iPad Air 2 128GB - Renewed
Apple iPad 9.ª gen 64GB - New
Apple iPad Air 3 256GB - Renewed (It has a considerable price difference with the previous Air 2, I don't know if the technical differences vary a lot or if the difference in capacity influences the price so much)
Apple iPad Pro 2nd 12.9in 256GB - Renewed
Apple iPad 9.ª gen 256GB - New
Apple iPad 8.ª gen 128GB - New
Apple iPad Air 4 64GB - Renewed

I hope someone can give me some advice, thanks!

Just to echo others, at this point, if you are entering the iPad ecosystem, definitely get the iPad with Pencil 2 support. The magnetic feature by itself already improves usability by a ton vs the slippery rolling Pencil 1.

Seems like budget is an issue. Although having 128GB or more is preferable, my vote will be for the iPad Air 4. Since shipping is involved, I’m assuming OP is not in the US. Maybe look at the local prices first to see if they end up cheaper vs importing one.

 

[ericwn]

Around 10.5" is fine, but can be bigger (up to 12.9") or smaller (up to 9.7") if performance is better

I personally wouldn’t pick anything below 11” from anything creative. Get as current a device as possible with the pencil 2 of course. Refurbished iPads only from Apple.

 

[one more]

Apple iPad Pro 2nd 12.9in 256GB - Renewed

For anything design-related I would pick this one from your list - it has plenty of storage, a large enough laminated screen and is still a very capable device. 🖐️

 

[JPack]

The equipment I've seen (in order from lowest to highest price, if that's relevant) are:
Apple iPad Air 2 128GB - Renewed
Apple iPad 9.ª gen 64GB - New
Apple iPad Air 3 256GB - Renewed (It has a considerable price difference with the previous Air 2, I don't know if the technical differences vary a lot or if the difference in capacity influences the price so much)
Apple iPad Pro 2nd 12.9in 256GB - Renewed
Apple iPad 9.ª gen 256GB - New
Apple iPad 8.ª gen 128GB - New
Apple iPad Air 4 64GB - Renewed

Out of all those, I'd say the iPad Air 4 is the only viable option.

The other ones on the list have processors that are way too old (iPad Air 2/3, Pro), or the display isn't suitable for sketching with Pencil (iPad 8/9).

 

[leagueoflegos]

As a fellow graphic designer, I find my 2018 12.9" iPad Pro to be stellar for my workflow—at least when it comes to ProCreate and AstroPad to connect to my Mac, or using it as a second display. Won't be upgrading until it breaks.

Also, depending on how crazy you get with layers/dimensions, the processor/ram will matter for iOS apps. Make sure to review any apps you plan to use for limitations based on iPad model. Below is what Procreate says:

Here are the maximum canvas sizes by device in pixel:

• iPad Pro 12.9" M1 and M2, iPad Pro 11" M1 and M2, and iPad Air (5th generation) on iPadOS 15 or later: 16,384 x 8192 or 11,585 x 11,585
• iPad Pro 12.9", iPad Pro 11", and 10.5"; iPad Air (4th generation), iPad mini (6th generation), iPad (10th generation) on iPadOS 15 or later - 16,384 x 4,096 or 8,192 x 8,192
• iPad Pro 9.7", iPad (6th and 7th generation), iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation) - 8,192 x 4,096 or 16,384 x 2,048
• iPad (8th and 9th generation) - 7327 x 7327
• iPad (5th generation), iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 - 8,192 x 4,096

Astropad saves me here by letting my hook up to my Mac and control the full working files and programs there—so there is no heavy work actually done by the iPad.

Above all I suggest a large canvas if you do lots of work. I used smaller iPads in the past, and the larger screens make a big difference (to me at least).

Just for fun: This is how I setup usually—treating it like a giant trackpad.

Best of luck finding the right solution for you! iPad can really excel in this space.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Be aware that all iPad models do not have the same amount of RAM. So look only on iPad Air and iPad Pro.

To this point, when it comes to second generation Apple Pencil compatible non-mini iPads, here is what you're looking at in terms of RAM:

iPad Pro 11-inch (1st Generation) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd Generation) (Both use A12X Bionic) - 4GB for 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB models; 6GB for 1TB models

iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd Generation) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th Generation) (Both use A12Z Bionic) - 6GB across the board

iPad Air (4th Generation) (uses A14 Bionic) - 4GB across the board

iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd Generation) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th Generation) (Both use M1) - 8GB for 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB models; 16GB for 1TB and 2TB models

iPad Air (5th Generation [current model]) (uses M1) - 8GB across the board

iPad Pro 11-inch (4th Generation [current model]) and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th Generation [current model]) (Both use M2) - 8GB for 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB models; 16GB for 1TB and 2TB models

I don't know that 16GB matters enough on its own to spend the eye-watering cost for 1TB or larger versions of either the current or previous generation iPad Pros. Apple has expanded on M1 iPads' ability to utilize more RAM, but it's not yet to the point where 16GB makes all that much of a difference. Certainly, 6GB will be better than 4GB and 8GB is going to be great (for an iPad) for a very long time.

 

[floral]

Around 10.5" is fine, but can be bigger (up to 12.9") or smaller (up to 9.7") if performance is better

Sounds like you would do great with an 11" M1 iPad Pro. Great size, and big power, not to mention a sizable amount of RAM (8 GB). If you really need more RAM, you could go for the 1/2TB models which double it to 16 GB, but that sounds pretty overkill. It was released over a year ago, but that means you can score one on the Apple Refurbished store for a discount. I'd recommend the 128 GB storage model, but if you really need to save more art/graphics, you could bump it up to 256 GB.

Price is $639.99 for that specific model I'm recommending, which fits perfectly with your budget :3