# Apple iPad notes ## Overview iPads - specifically those that are compatible with the Apple Pencil 2nd gen or the Apple Pencil Pro - are compelling alternatives to a typical EMR standalone drawing tablet. iPads are lightweight, portable, have a great display, have a lot of apps, and a good pen-based drawing experience. * [Apple iPad vs drawing tablets](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/drawtabs/apple/ipad-vs-drawtab) * [Apple iPad versus Samsung Galaxy Tab S](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/drawtabs/apple/apple-ipad-vs-samsung-tab-s) ## Terminology I refer to the **Apple Pencil** as a **pen** to keep my documentation consistent. ## Choosing between iPad models There have been many models of the iPad released over the years. And many models of the [Apple pens](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/pens/apple-pencil). What I recommend is getting any iPad that is compatible with the Apple Pencil 2nd generation or the Apple Pencil Pro. The vary quite a bit in price, below are three models I personally own. You will find many others that work also. * **Apple iPad Air (4th gen and later)** ($600) * **Apple iPad Pro 11 inch (4th gen and later)** ($800+) * **Apple iPad pro 12.9 inch 6th gen** ($1100+) [Teoh on Tech - 2025 Best iPad for Art: Pros and cons for each model](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XsPzA39oCo) 2025-07-24 ## Display experience * The display is fantastic - great color and bright for a pen display. * Does not require a computer to be attached. ## Connectivity * All iPad models use Wi-Fi. * Some models can also use a mobile data plan like a phone. ## Drawing experience * Supports pressure, tilt, and hover. * Has an excellent pressure range with a low IAF and high maximum pressure - about 500gf in my testing - which is very good. * iPad apps are optimized to make the most of the screen real estate available and to be responsive to touch. * Very little pointer lag. Apple iPads have much less lag than pen displays or pen computers. The pointer is comparable to a pen tablet. ## Apps Some popular and excellent drawing applications are available on the iPad. * [Procreate](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/apps/procreate) * [Clip Studio Paint](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/apps/clip-studio-paint) * [Fresco](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/apps/fresco) * [Ibis Paint](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/apps/ibis-paint) See a larger this list: [Apps for iPad](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/apps/apps-for-ipad) ## Surface texture There are two kinds of built-in glass texture of iPads: **Smooth glass** and **Nano texture** * **Smooth glass** - Almost all iPads have their standard smooth glass. When using the Apple Pencil with the iPad, most people will find that touching the glass feels "slippery". Some people a do not like this slipperiness and purchase a protective sheet to put over top of it that provides texture for the pen. * **Nano texture** - Starting in 2024, some Apple iPad models can be ordered with a "Nano texture". I don't have any direct experience with this texture. You can also change the texture with protective sheets for iPads there are some options here: [Surface protection](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/misc/surface-protectors-obsolete). Some of these sheets can help provide more texture for the improved traction with the Apple pencil. ## Diagonal wobble Noticeable diagonal wobble when drawing slowly - this occurs in some scenarios but not others and I need to investigate ti more. But this doesn't seem to hinder people. ## Apple Pencil **Features** * None of the Apple Pencils have buttons * None of the Apple Pencils have an eraser * Only some of the Apple Pencils support hover (and only in combination with some iPads) **Recommendation** If you are going to draw with an Apple Pencil I recommend you get either the Apple Pencil GEN2, or the Apple Pencil Pro. Keep in mind you also have to have an iPad which is compatible with that Apple Pencil model. ## Get the right Apple Pencil Different apple pencils support different features. For a drawing experience, these are the two models of interest. If you get one of the other models you will be missing out on a typical drawing experience. * Apple Pencil GEN2 * Apple Pencil Pro And remember: they work with specific iPad tablets, not all of them. So confirm compatibility. These pens support these featurs * Pressure sensitivity * Tilt * Hover * Barrel rotation only supported in Apple Pencil Pro ## Pencil support in iPads * Since around 2015, iPads have supported an Apple pencil. So ensure that the iPad you are purchasing supports the use of a pencil * Not all iPads support the use of the Apple Pencil. List of iPad Models that support the Apple pencil: ## Pen hover Pen hover is the ability of a tablet to detect and show the position of the pen without the pen touching the screen. Some people - especially artists - really depend on this feature. For others it is not so important. Read this doc to learn more about it and why it could be important for you: [Pen hover](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/core/hover) Hover support in iPads: * iPad Pro models that use the M2 chip with Apple Pencil 2 do support pen hover * Other models of iPads do NOT support pen hover. ## Parallax iPads that support the Apple Pencil have EXCELLENT (i.e. LOW) parallax. More here: [Parallax](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/guides/pen-displays/parallax) ## Pointer lag * iPads have very low pointer lag. * Some apps like Procreate seem very heavily optimized and (apparently) use special techniques to produce **extremely** low pointer lag. * More here: [Lag](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/drawtabs/apple/broken-reference) ## Anti-glare sparkle * You may or may not be sensitive to the anti-glare sparkle effect. Some people hate it. Some are much less sensitive to it. * iPads don't show much AG sparkle at all - I would say it is undetectable in the iPads I have examined * Pen displays have AG sparkle to various degrees. More here: [Apple iPad notes](#anti-glare-sparkle) ## Size I prefer to draw on larger devices (16" and above - and strongly prefer 22" to 24") when I am at my desk. That is an advantage of pen displays because they vary in size from 12" to 30". But for mobile use, the size of the iPad (11" & 12.9") is much more convenient than any pen display. ## Accessories * [iPad stands](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/accessories/stands/ipad-stands) ## iPad apps for creative work There are many great apps for iPad: [Apps for iPad](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/apps/apps-for-ipad). ## How I use iPads I use iPads for drawing - but mostly when I am at not my desk or when I am mobile. Otherwise when sitting at my desk I prefer to use a pen tablet or pen display. I use these iPad models with an Apple Pencil 2: * Apple iPad Pro (12.9 inch) (3rd gen) - Does NOT support hover * Apple iPad Pro (11 inch) (4rd gen) - Does support hover. I primarily these use iPad apps * [Procreate](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/apps/procreate) * [Clip Studio Paint](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/apps/clip-studio-paint) I occasionally use these iPad apps * [Concepts app](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/catalog/apps/concepts-app) ## Transferring files between iPads and Windows One easy way to send files easily back and forth between an iPad and Windows is to use a file syncing service. For example OneDrive - which is what I use. I put my Clip Studio Paint files in a OneDrive folder and sync them to multiple PCs and my iPad. This allows me to edit them with whatever device I want. And changes are automatically synced to all the devices. Also see: [Transferring files](https://docs.sevenpens.com/drawtab/guides/general/transferring-files) ## Videos * [Teoh on Tech - 2025 Best iPad for Art: Pros and cons for each model](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XsPzA39oCo) 2025-07-24 * [Teoh on Tech - iPad vs Computer for Graphic Design: All You Need to Know](https://youtu.be/R68_Q7CiCzs) 2022-10-01 * [PiXimperfect - iPad as a Graphics Tablet for Photoshop? Yes!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNgtQDwW9P4) 2019-10-11 * [Brad Colbow - How the iPad Became my Go To Drawing Tablet](https://youtu.be/c2ewLZplxY8) 2019-06-24 * [Teoh on tech - Can you do graphic design on iPad (vs computer)](https://youtu.be/R68_Q7CiCzs) 2022-10-01 * [Teoh on tech - Why I prefer Concepts over Procreate for drawing](https://youtu.be/5ORoSQ8Q0fM) Aug 1, 2022 * [Adam Duff - Apple Pencil Hover NOW WORKS! Pro Illustrator First Impressions!](https://youtu.be/ZpcKfipVy24) 2022-11-01 * [Ergojosh - 8 Reasons Why I Switched to the iPad Pro for ALL my Art](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJN8e8k-w-I) 2023-10-25 * [Adam Duff - Some Of The Best iPad Pro ARTIST Accessories - Astropad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDcdJu_gUb0) 2023-04-13 * [Studio Fudelio - Why You Don't Need a Wacom Pen Displa](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mc8QDrPy6o)y 2023-11-26 ## Other resources * * * r/ArtistLounge [Reasons why you use an Ipad over Graphic tablet/pen display + pc and viceversa?](https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtistLounge/comments/17erdcm/interested_in_getting_an_ipad_for_drawing_has_it/) 2021-05-17 * r/ArtistLounge [Graphics Tablet, Display, or iPad?](https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtistLounge/comments/17erdcm/interested_in_getting_an_ipad_for_drawing_has_it/) 2022-04-29 * r/productivity [Should I buy an ipad or a graphic tablet for note taking?](https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtistLounge/comments/17erdcm/interested_in_getting_an_ipad_for_drawing_has_it/) 2022-05-07 * r/ArtistLounge [Interested in getting an iPad for drawing, has it improved your life?](https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtistLounge/comments/17erdcm/interested_in_getting_an_ipad_for_drawing_has_it/) 2023-10-23 --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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