The best iPad for drawing: fully tested by creative experts

Three of the best iPads for drawing on an orange background
(Image credit: Future / Apple)
Disclaimer

We've just finished testing the iPad Air M3, which will shortly be winging its way to the top of this list. But for now, check out our glowing review.

It can be hard to choose the best iPad for drawing since there are so many models and configurations. It's also slightly subjective because it can depend on whether you prioritise a larger canvas or portability. All current iPads can serve for digital art since they're slim and portable, but some models do provide a better drawing experience, up there with the best drawing tablets, especially recent models.

Ian Dean headshot
Ian Dean

Ian is Creative Bloq's digital art and 3D editor and he is our resident drawing tablet tester, having tried tablets by Huion, Wacom and more. Here, he's focusing on Apple's offerings for digital artists.

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Apple iPad Pro 13 (M4) scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design and build

Sleek and super slim.

★★★★★

Display

The best display on an iPad for drawing and anything else...

★★★★★

Performance

Super fast and supports Apple Pencil Pro.

★★★★★

Pricing

The most expensive iPad.

★★★★

Our expert says
Glen Southern author bio shot
Our expert says
Glen Southern

This is an amazing piece of hardware and has a 5.1mm thick glare-free glass. It works with Apple Pencil Pro and boasts serious power. It may be overkill for some.

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Apple iPad Air (M3) scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design and build

Premium build quality, comfortable for drawing

★★★★★

Display

Excellent color accuracy, though no ProMotion

★★★★

Performance

M3 chip handles complex artwork with ease

★★★★

Pricing

Strong value proposition for serious digital artists

★★★★★

Our expert says
Ian Evenden profile shot
Our expert says
Matt Bolton

"It has the same flat sides, heft in the hand, and speaker grilles that Pac-Man would gobble up as the M1 monster that brought desktop-class chips to tablets, but instead sports an M3."

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Apple iPad mini (2024) scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design and build

Great size for using on the go but a bit small for drawing.

★★★

Display

Decent quality, though with little upgrade from 6th gen.

★★★½

Performance

Superb all around, and the Pencil Pro is a delight.

★★★★★

Pricing

Reasonable enough, though costs climb if you spec up.

★★★½

Our expert says
Daniel Piper headshot
Our expert says
Daniel John

With the addition of the A17 Bionic chip and Apple Pencil Pro support, the iPad mini really does offer the 'full' iPad experience in a smaller package.

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Apple iPad (2022) scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design and build

An improvement on the base iPad with a few quirks.

★★★★

Display

Perfectly good enough for beginners.

★★★★

Performance

Won't handle demanding creative apps, but drawing presents no problem.

★★★

Pricing

Great price.

★★★★★

Our expert says
Kerrie Hughes
Our expert says
Kerrie Hughes

The 2022 iPad boasts a brighter display than its predecessor, more power, USB-C support and all-new accessories. It's a decent option for drawing.

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Apple iPad Pro (M2) scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design and build

Thicker than the new Pro, but it's hardly bulky.

★★★★

Display

The display is looks fantastic.

★★★★

Performance

Plenty of power for drawing software and much more besides.

★★★★

Pricing

Only makes sense if you find a discount that makes it significantly cheaper than the new M4 models.

★★★★

Our expert says
Kerrie Hughes
Our expert says
Kerrie Hughes

This is a great iPad for drawing due to a combination of sheer power under its hood, a fantastic screen and the range of app/software available.

Ian Dean
Editor, Digital Arts & 3D

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.

With contributions from