The 5 Best iPads for Procreate in 2024

One of the apps that changed the art scene for good is Procreate, with its multiple brushes and drawing tools, iPadOS seamless integration, high customization level, and above all, easy-to-use interface, Procreate became the most used creative app for iPad users.

With the arrival of the Apple Pencil and new iPad models, the software has only kept on improving, adding new features, fixing bugs, and making Procreate an excellent tool for beginners and Professionals alike.

Now that Procreate has established itself as one of the best digital art apps and the Procreate-iPad compatibility is as good as it gets, the question that now arises for new users is: Which iPad should I get?

Choosing the right iPad when you have Procreate in mind is very important, not only for the software but for your pocket. iPads are not cheap devices, therefore you must carefully consider the different features like size, performance, storage, and price and find the perfect balance between what you want, what you need, and what you can pay for.

In this article, we’ll visit every factor that might influence your decision and we’ll help you choose the best iPad according to your needs.

Why Procreate?

With the ever-growing digital art community the popularity of drawing tablets increased immensely, drawing tablets and pen displays were the devices every artist wanted, however, no one suspected that the iPad would become one of the most used equipment for digital art.

When Apple announced the launch of the Apple Pencil, Procreate was already a well-established digital painting app, however after the launch of the Apple Pencil, Procreate’s popularity skyrocketed, making the iPad a portable creative station for artists and the starting point of many creative careers.

Some of the advantages of using the iPad with Procreate are:

• Portability and Convenience: iPads are lightweight, easy to carry, and have a great battery life, making them the perfect device for artists to work anywhere, anytime.
• Intuitive User Interface: Procreate has an intuitive, super user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate and learn, perfect for those who are just starting and not so overly complex to learn for the more experienced ones who are already used to other software.
• High-Resolution Display: iPads, especially newer models, have ultra-high-resolution displays that not only are beautiful but also render colors accurately, which is crucial for professional artwork.
• Pressure Sensitivity with Apple Pencil: When used with the Apple Pencil, Procreate offers almost professional-grade pressure sensitivity, plus the weight of the stylus feels great in the hands.
• Multiple Brushes and Tools: Procreate offers a vast array of brushes and tools, from realistic ones to textures and effects that you can easily customize, duplicate, and modify to your taste.
• Layer Support: The app supports multiple layers and layer modes, just like any other professional digital drawing app.
• Time-Lapse Recording: One of the most popular features of Procreate is the Time-Lapse Recording. You can record your drawing process and save it as a short video, which is great for sharing your process on social media.
• Price: Compared to other professional digital art tools and platforms, Procreate is super affordable, offering a one-time purchase without a subscription model.

How To Find The Best iPad for Procreate

Size and Model

The size and model of the iPad you get are among the most important factors to consider. The size will affect the portability of your iPad and your level of comfort while drawing, however, the iPad model you choose can make or break your experience.

Currently, we have four iPad models: 

The iPad Pro: 

Available in two screen sizes: 12.9-inch and 11-inch. This is the latest, best, and most expensive iPad model at the moment, the iPad Pro features not only a better display, but more processing power, more storage, and even a longer battery life. The larger size in the 12.9-inch model’s case is a nice perk for drawing with Procreate and the extra storage and RAM are always well appreciated.

The iPad Air: 

The screen size of this model is approximately 10.9 inches, which is a decent size and extremely close to the 11-inch iPad Pro. This model might not be as powerful as the Pro, but is more affordable, lighter, and very portable. 

The Regular iPad (10th Generation):

With the release of the latest model of the iPad came an upgrade to the screen size too, similar to the iPad Air, around 10.9 inches is the new look for the regular iPad. This model is much better than the previous gen but still lacks RAM and storage, still is also very affordable and has a decent processing power that almost compares to the Air.

The iPad Mini: 

The smallest iPad with its 8.3-inch screen surprisingly handles Procreate very well. The screen size and working area might not be everyone’s cup of tea, however, the iPad mini is the perfect companion for everyday tasks, entertainment, and light sketching and painting. 

Performance

When getting a new iPad, especially if you’re planning on using Procreate, performance is something you must consider. Of course, you don’t have to get the latest iPad models, thanks to Apple’s high-quality assembly line, the past generations are still going strong, and are fully compatible with Procreate. 

The issue regarding performance lies in the use you’re planning on giving your iPad, and I’m not talking about the processing chip since A14, M1, and M2 chips have excellent processing power, but about the RAM.

While a good processing chip will allow you to use your iPad to the max, the amount of RAM your iPad has will directly affect your drawing experience. Procreate will set limits in layers and canvas size that won’t hinder your Pad’s performance according to your RAM. While said limits are a great way to make sure everything works smoothly, some might find them too restrictive.

For example, for the latest iPad Pro model, with 16GB of RAM (the most expensive), Procreate allows up to 900 layers on a canvas of 1920 x 1080 px.

For models with 8GB of RAM, the number goes down to 500.

Less RAM means fewer layers to work on, and 900 might seem like a high number, but when talking about professional work, with canvas sizes of +4000 px, the number of layers drastically diminishes to less than 100, and when using objects from the 3D library, it goes down to less than 50.

Display Resolution

Just like the performance and RAM go up with the latest and more expensive models, so does the display resolution. A high-resolution display means you’ll get more “space” to draw. You’ll be able to see the details better, zoom in to your heart’s content, and draw precise lines every time. High display resolution is one of the most sought-after characteristics when looking for a drawing tablet, however when talking about iPads, there’s nothing much to worry about. Truth be told, Apple has made sure to offer some of the highest quality displays on its devices since quite a while ago.

The difference between display resolution varies from model to model, however, it has to do more with the size than with the model.

What you do have to consider is the color accuracy of the display. While Apple’s color space P3 is amazingly accurate, it is not used on the regular iPad, which can be quite limiting when working professionally since the colors won’t be the same on different displays, or even on printed media.

Stylus Compatibility

There are currently two Apple Pencil models, the first generation which is round, charges with a cable, and doesn’t have the double tap feature, and the second generation, which is flat on one side, charges magnetically and has the double tap feature. Each Apple Pencil generation is compatible with certain iPad models, and one common mistake is buying a new iPad and getting the wrong Apple Pencil.

Here’s a full compatibility list:

• Apple Pencil (1st generation): Compatible with iPad (9th generation), iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad (6th and 7th generations), and older iPad Pro models (12.9-inch 1st and 2nd generation, 10.5-inch, 9.7-inch).
• Apple Pencil (2nd generation): Works with iPad mini (6th generation), iPad Air (4th and 5th generations), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th generations), and iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generations).

Although both pencils work perfectly with Procreate, the Apple Pencil 2 has a significant advantage over the 1st gen, and that is the double tap feature, which makes changing brushes, undoing, and erasing much simpler and easier.

Storage

Storage space is another factor that will influence your decision when purchasing a new iPad. While 64GB might seem like a lot, believe me when I tell you it is not near enough. We recommend always going for 128GB plus cloud storage and an external storage solution for your files. 256GB is the ideal amount, but if you have a lot of photos or videos, then transferring your data from time to time will become a must.

Price

And last, the price. Buying an iPad as an artist is all about balance between the features we need and the ones we can afford. iPads are not cheap, if anything I’d say they’re quite expensive, however, if you have a budget set for an iPad, and you’re serious about digital art, then saving up a bit more for an Air model or a Pro would be the best you can do. 

Best iPads for Procreate in 2024

1. Best iPad for Procreate Overall — iPad Pro 12.9” 6th Gen 256GB
2. Best iPad for Procreate for Beginners — iPad 10th Gen
3. Best iPad for Procreate for Professional Artists — iPad Pro 12.9” 6th Gen 1TB
4. Best Budget iPad for Procreate — iPad 9th Gen
5. Best iPad for Procreate for Students — iPad Air 5th Gen

#1. Best iPad for Procreate Overall — iPad Pro 12.9” 6th Gen 256GB

Selection Criteria

• Size and Model: 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display.
  • Our Score – 10/10
• Performance: M2 chip, 8-core CPU, 10‑core GPU,  8GB RAM.
  • Our Score – 10/10
• Display Resolution: 2732 x 2048 Pixels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: 256 GB
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus Compatibility: Apple Pencil (2nd generation).
  • Our Score – 10/10
• Price: $1,189.99.
  • Our Score – 7/10

About the iPad Pro 12.9” 6th Gen 256GB.

When talking about iPads, the best will always be the Pro. Besides the additional couple of inches, improved CPU, and GPU, the pro offers something that gives an advantage to Procreate users, and that is, the possibility of getting extra RAM and storage.

This is especially important for artists who work with large files and canvases, and need the extra layers and the extra GB of storage for their work. 

The excellent display resolution will also play an important part in your decision, since the color accuracy offered by Apple on the new iPad lines is very high, even for professional drawing tablet standards, additionally, the high resolution will allow you to work on details without straining your eyes.

Although the iPad does offer more storage, we’ve come to the conclusion that 256GB is more than enough, however in case it’s not you can always go for an alternative storage solution like cloud or external storage.

On the downside, the iPad Pro, especially the 12.9-inch model is very expensive and is a hefty investment that is not for everyone. 

Pros

• Large display
• High performance
• Ample storage

Cons

• Higher price
• Heavier weight
• Overkill for beginners

2. Best iPad for Procreate for Beginners — iPad 10th Gen.

Selection Criteria

• Size and Model: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Performance: A14 Bionic chip, 6-core CPU, 4-core graphics, 16-core Neural Engine.
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Display Resolution: 2360 x 1640 Pixels.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Storage: 64GB, 256 GB.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus Compatibility: Apple Pencil (1st generation).
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $349.00.
  • Our Score – 8/10

About the iPad 10th Gen.

The latest iPad that was released is the 10th Gen. Certainly an improvement to the 9th gen, this iPad offers an improved aesthetic, better resolution, more RAM and better performance overall. This iPad is the perfect iPad for beginners who are starting their digital art journey and don’t want to overspend on a more expensive model. It has enough RAM to properly support Procreate but due to the limited storage, you might need an alternative storage solution.

This iPad doesn’t offer the same level of color accuracy and resolution as other models, additionally, do remember that despite this being a newly released model, this iPad still works with the Apple Pencil 1st Gen.

Pros

• Affordable price
• User-friendly
• Good performance

Cons

• Smaller display
• Limited storage
• Less advanced features

3. Best iPad for Procreate for Professional Artists — iPad Pro 12.9” 6th Gen 1TB.

Selection Criteria

• Size and Model: 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display.
  • Our Score – 10/10
• Performance: M2 chip, 8-core CPU, 10‑core GPU,  16 GB RAM.
  • Our Score – 10/10
• Display Resolution: 2732 x 2048 Pixels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: 1TB.
  • Our Score – 10/10
• Stylus Compatibility: Apple Pencil (2nd generation).
  • Our Score – 10/10
• Price: $1,989.96.
  • Our Score – 7/10

About the iPad Pro 12.9” 6th Gen 1TB.

The iPad Pro 12.9-inch is the best iPad out there, not only for Procreate but for pretty much everything, and although the models with 8GB of RAM are more than enough, professional artists need more. 

After careful testing and multiple crashing incidents with the 8GB models, we’ve come to the conclusion that the 16GB model is what the iPad needs to become a reliable tool that handles those big files with multiple layers, 3D painting, and animations.

Additionally, this iPad is excellent for video editing and content creation and the extra storage is very useful for all the timelapse videos that you might want to share to social media.

Pros

• Immense storage
• Top-tier performance
• Exceptional display

Cons

• Very expensive
• Bulky size
• Complex for novices

4. Best Budget iPad for Procreate  —  iPad 9th Gen

Selection Criteria

• Size and Model: 10.2-inch Retina display.
  • Our Score –7/10
• Performance: A13 Bionic chip with Neural Engine.
  • Our Score – 7/10
• Display Resolution: 2160 x 1620 Pixels.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Storage: 64GB, 256 GB.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Stylus Compatibility: Apple Pencil (1st generation).
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Price: $249.00.
  • Our Score – 9/10

About the iPad 9th Gen.

The iPad 9th gen is at the moment the most affordable option that Apple has to offer, this iPad alongside the Apple Pencils 1 is very much able to handle Procreate and is the perfect option for those who are on a tight budget but still want to draw and have a mobile tablet for daily use and entertainment.

This iPad is slightly smaller and doesn’t offer the same RAM and storage as the other models, however, due to the release of the iPad 10th gen, the price of the 9th gen has significantly lowered while still offering great performance for Procreate and other drawing apps. 

Pros

• Most affordable
• Decent performance
• Lightweight

Cons

• Outdated features
• Smaller screen
• Limited storage

5. Best iPad for Procreate for Students — iPad Air 5th Gen.

Selection Criteria

• Size and Model: 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Performance: M1 chip, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, Next-generation Neural Engine.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Display Resolution: 2360 x 1640 Pixels.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Storage: 256 GB.
  • Our Score – 8/10
• Stylus Compatibility: Apple Pencil (2nd generation).
  • Our Score – 10/10
• Price: $649.99.
  • Our Score – 8/10

About the iPad Air 5th Gen.

The iPad Air 5th gen is possibly the best value iPad that you’ll be able to find. It offers a good screen size, perfect to draw and paint on and to carry around in your bag and take notes at school. It has the M1 chip, which still has amazing processing power and is able to handle Procreate with ease. We recommend going for the 256GB storage version that offers 2GB extra RAM instead of the cheaper alternative since that’ll allow you extra layers, and better performance and will help Procreate not crash frequently.

Pros

• Balanced performance
• Portable design
• Reasonable price

Cons

• Less storage
• Moderate display
• Not top-tier