The best iPad for graphic design

The best iPad for graphic design and two other iPads on a green background
(Image credit: Apple / Future)

The best iPad for graphic design means you can work on the go, either by attaching a keyboard, using the touchscreen, or a combination of both. And you won't have to worry about slowdowns or crashes either. 

The latest iPads now have more than enough power to run graphic design software quickly and efficiently; comparable in many ways to the best laptops for graphic design. And if you need a bigger screen you can always connect them up to the best monitors for graphic artists.

The best iPads for graphic design

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The best iPad for graphic design overall

An Apple iPad Air (M2, 2024) on a desk

(Image credit: Glen Southern)
The best iPad for graphic design overall

Specifications

Processor: Apple M2 chip
Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB
Screen size: 11-inch, 13-inch
Resolution: 11-inch: 2360 x 1640 pixels; 13-inch: 2732 x 2048 pixels
Dimensions: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1mm

Reasons to buy

+
Powerful M2 chip
+
Now in two sizes
+
Supports Apple Pencil Pro

Reasons to avoid

-
Not as light as the new iPad Pro
-
Doesn't work with new Magic Keyboard

The Apple iPad Air (M2, 2024) is our top pick for graphic design today. While it's not the most powerful iPad today (that's our number 2 pick) we reckon it offers the perfect balance between price and capabilities for graphic design.

Equipped with the M2 chip, 8GB of RAM and enhanced storage options, this 2024 model rivals older versions of the iPad Pro, and delivers smooth performance across a variety of creative applications. 

Its compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro unlocks advanced features like haptics, hover functionality and barrel roll, making it a versatile tool for illustrators and designers alike. And it boasts a crisp, hi-res display and excellent colour accuracy and black levels, even without the iPad Pro's Ultra Retina XDR or nano-glass options. All this makes it a dependable choice for graphic design, with seamless performance in apps like Procreate and Clip Studio Paint. 

While the 8GB RAM cap limits its ability to handle the highest-resolutions or layer-heavy projects, it remains more than adequate for most creative uses. For more details, read our full iPad Air (M2, 2024) review.

The best iPad for graphic design pros

iPad Pro M4 at an angle with video editing software on it

(Image credit: Future)
The best iPad for graphic design professionals

Specifications

Processor: Apple M4 chip
Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB
Screen size: 11-inch, 13-inch
Resolution: 11-inch: 2420 x 1688 pixels; 13-inch: 2752 x 2064 pixels
Dimensions: 281.6 x 215.5 x 5.1mm

Reasons to buy

+
Very powerful
+
Future-proofed with the M4
+
Gorgeous XDR display

Reasons to avoid

-
Overpowered
-
Software hasn't caught up yet

Got money to spend, and want the absolute best? With its M4 chip, 16-core Neural Engine, and up to 16GB of RAM, the iPad Pro (M4, 2024) offers exceptional performance for even the most demanding tasks. 

As we shared in our Apple iPad Pro (M4, 2024) review, its 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR display provides a stunning visual experience, boasting true-to-life colours, a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, and an impressive 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio; ideal for precise colour management and design work. 

But where its hardware truly shines in 3D and post-processing tasks. While the M1 and M2 iPads handle most creative work admirably, the M4 takes things further, excelling in high-polygon sculpting, remeshing and intensive rendering scenarios. The device remains cool under pressure, even when tackling massive 40-million-polygon projects with advanced effects like global illumination and depth of field enabled. For video editors, too, the M4 delivers unmatched speed, particularly in resource-intensive tasks such as stabilisation and rendering.

For graphic design professionals working across 2D, 3D and video editing, then, this iPad delivers a level of performance and display quality that few devices can match, although it is undeniably expensive.

The best cheap iPad for graphic design

iPad 2022 on desk with Apple Pencil and plantCB endorsed

(Image credit: Future)
The best cheap iPad for graphic design

Specifications

Processor: A14 Bionic chip
Storage: 64GB, 256GB
Screen size: 10.9-inch
Resolution: 2360 x 1640
Dimensions: 248.6 x 179.5 x 7 mm

Reasons to buy

+
Bigger, brighter screen than previous models
+
Better video calling experience
+
Enough power for complex tasks

Reasons to avoid

-
Needs Apple Pencil adapter

The original, basic iPad received a big and well-deserved upgrade in 2022, with a more powerful chip and a bigger, brighter display. It’s powered by the same A14 chipset that allowed the 4th-generation iPad Air to tackle demanding tasks such as video editing and, naturally, graphic design. So this iPad proves powerful enough to do the same, as we found in our iPad (2022) review.

Budget-minded graphic designers will also appreciate its True Tone display that boasts 500 nits of brightness, which helps a lot when you’re designing all day, and its 264ppi pixel density means you’re getting a lot of image detail and sharpness. Meanwhile, you’re getting up to 10 hours of battery life so it’ll see you through an entire workday as well. Keep in mind, however, that the storage options might not be enough for large files, so you’ll want to make sure to save on your cloud storage.

The best last-gen iPad for graphic design

iPad Pro, one of the best iPads for graphic design, on a desk with a drawing of an eye on the screenCB

(Image credit: Future)
The best last-gen iPad for graphic design

Specifications

Processor: Apple M2
Storage: 128GB – 1TB
Screen size: 12.9-inch
Resolution: 2732 x 2048
Dimensions: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.4mm

Reasons to buy

+
Super-fast M2 chip
+
Gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display
+
USB-C

Reasons to avoid

-
The most expensive iPad

The iPad Pro 12.9 may be the last generation now, but it still packs Apple's M2 chip and can handle graphically demanding workloads with ease. In terms of capability, we've found that the 11-inch and 12.9 inch models are level with each other. The reason we pick the larger 12.9-incher for this list is the screen. 

Firstly, it's bigger, providing more space to work with. Secondly, it's better: only the larger tablet has a Liquid Retina XDR display, which uses smaller mini-LEDs for a brighter image and broader dynamic range. 

We were immediately impressed when we wrote our iPad Pro 2022 review, and we found colour coverage to be excellent for creative work. The touchscreen is very responsive, too, and provides a canvas that's optimised to work seamlessly with Apple Pencil 2 (as with all iPads, you'll have to buy the Pencil separately). 

The best small iPad for graphic design

iPad mini 7th gen

(Image credit: Future)
The best small iPad for graphic design

Specifications

Processor: A17 Pro chip6-core CPU with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores5-core GPU16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Screen size: 8.3-inch
Resolution: 2266 x 1488px
Dimensions: 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3mm

Reasons to buy

+
Small and portable
+
Apple Intelligence
+
Supports Apple Pencil Pro

Reasons to avoid

-
Screen still limited to 60hz

Want the ultimate portable. Then the small but perfectly formed iPad mini is a great choice, and the latest 2024 iteration is the one we'd recommend. 

With the addition of the A17 Bionic chip and Apple Pencil Pro support, this compact device punches well above its weight, delivering a near full-sized iPad experience in an incredibly lightweight and tote-friendly package. The upgraded chip ensures seamless performance across creative apps, from Procreate to Adobe Suite, while the Apple Pencil Pro introduces advanced tools like Barrel Roll and haptic feedback,  enhancing the drawing and design workflow.

In our iPad mini 7th generation review, we found the compact 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, paired with its lightweight build, makes it a practical choice for sketching, painting, and light 3D modelling. This iPad handles high-resolution files and multi-layered projects impressively well for its size, keeping pace with larger iPads in most tasks. And while the absence of a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate or OLED display may deter some, the fully laminated screen with anti-reflective coating ensures a premium experience for most creative uses.

Once you've picked the best iPad for you make sure you see our guides to the best iPad cases and the best iPad keyboard.

FAQs

How do I choose the best iPad for graphic design?

Graphic design has become quite a broad area, and different graphic designers use different software. This means that there's no one answer to the question. If you're working on an iPad, you'll be using slimmed-down iOS apps rather than desktop versions of graphic design software, and most of these will run OK on most iPads.

However, Adobe Illustrator for iPad requires 4GB of RAM, and the entry-level 2021 iPad 10.2 only has 3GB of RAM, so if you're planning to use this industry-standard tool you'll want to choose at least the 2022 iPad 10.9, if not an iPad Air or iPad Pro at the minimum.

How we chose the best iPads for graphic design for our list

We've reviewed most iPads that have been released, testing them against benchmarks but also using them for day-to-day creative work, including graphic design, photo editing and video editing. We've chosen the iPads for graphic design on the list above based on our reviews, as well as feedback from graphic designers who contribute to the site. We've also taken into consideration price and different needs.

TOPICS
Freelance writer

Los Angeles-based Michelle is a writer and photographer. She regularly writes for TechRadar, Steve's Digicams and Techlicious, and is currently a freelance SEO and Production editor for TechRadar.

With contributions from
  • Freelance journalist and editor