iPad 11 inch iPad Pro M1 or iPad Air 4 for drawing and animation?

[Jsee]

Hi
I'm a student who is planning to get an iPad to take hand written notes with an Apple Pencil. I don't intend to store any photos or do anything intensive, I already have an M1 MBP too for that so the iPad Air seems like an easy no brainer. I guess most of my usage would be writing notes and media consumption.

But recently I've gotten into drawing and was thinking of getting into digital art and animation as a side hobby. For art, the majority seem to recommends the pro for drawing because it has more RAM and hence will be able to take advantage of more layers. This is even more apparent if you want to do animation. The 120Hz is also apparently a game changer.

As I don't know anything about digital art or frame by frame animation (I'm drawing a lot on paper atm) is this really as big of a deal as it is? Because I'm just starting it just seems a little overkill to spend nearly 40% extra on a tablet for a side hobby. Especially since I'm a beginner I probably don't even have the skills to take full advantage of it. I can afford it but I'm a little tight on funds so I'd prefer not to if it isn't that big of a deal. This I also my first iPad btw.

Thanks!

 

[Warped9]

I do practically all of my drawing on paper because of I’m old-school and I prefer the tactile sensation of hand and pen (or pencil) on paper. I just can’t get into drawing on a display although I have tried on my iPad. I then scan my drawings into my iMac and build my 3D models from that.

But assuming you’re a good deal younger than me and/or you’re comfortable drawing on a display, and given you’re just starting to get into this hobby, then I would suggest the iPad Air. It’s a good device and not such a steep investment for a new hobby. This is also assuming you’re watching your pennies at this time.

If your hobby advances into a more serious passion and with more proficiency in a few years you could trade or sell the Air and upgrade to a more upgraded device.

 

[bniu]

I’d probably go for the M1 iPad Pro 11”. It’s just all around a better tablet, and it’s got twice as much RAM (or 4X as much if you choose the 1TB/2TB models), 5G UWB if you desire, the pro motion display, and it’s just a smoother overall experience, and you get the 0.1” of extra screen real estate. I’d also pair it with the magic keyboard for iPad, yes it is pricey, but it adds a whole new dimension to your iPad that previously just wasn’t there.

 

[ericwn]

I’d pick the M1 model if it’s not too much of a burden on your wallet.

 

[Jsee]

I do practically all of my drawing on paper because of I’m old-school and I prefer the tactile sensation of hand and pen (or pencil) on paper. I just can’t get into drawing on a display although I have tried on my iPad. I then scan my drawings into my iMac and build my 3D models from that.

But assuming you’re a good deal younger than me and/or you’re comfortable drawing on a display, and given you’re just starting to get into this hobby, then I would suggest the iPad Air. It’s a good device and not such a steep investment for a new hobby. This is also assuming you’re watching your pennies at this time.

If your hobby advances into a more serious passion and with more proficiency in a few years you could trade or sell the Air and upgrade to a more upgraded device.

Thanks for the reply. I might go with this suggestion since it's uncertain where my hobby will go, it just does not make sense to spend so much extra money on features that may or may not be utilised. Like you said, I may end up finding that paper is still the way to go down the line, or I might even decide drawing is not for me anymore. So I think it is wiser to stick with the base air as it seems to tick all my foreseeable needs.

I'll sell and repurchase if my needs change. Sure I might end up spending more in total but there is no point in preparing for a future that may never happen and I'd probably have more cash down the line too. Indeed I am quite a bit younger, in fact I was born the year you started using apple devices lol.

 

[wilberforce]

I do quite a bit of drawing on my 2018 11" iPad Pro. I really like it, and have not yet felt I wanted to upgrade to a later model.
You can get these for about $500 from the Apple refurb store. Apple refurb is equivalent to new, includes 1 yr warranty and 14-day try-out period

 

[Warped9]

I do quite a bit of drawing on my 2018 11" iPad Pro. I really like it, and have not yet felt I wanted to upgrade to a later model.
You can get these for about $500 from the Apple refurb store. Apple refurb is equivalent to new, includes 1 yr warranty and 14-day try-out period

Thats not a bad idea. A refurb or even a good condition second hand iPad Pro could cost less than a new Air.

Hell, I use my old iPhone 4 as a glorified iPod (for four years now) since my old 3rd generation iPod Nano finally died after ten years. I just removed the SIM and it fit my need perfectly.

 

[Jsee]

I do quite a bit of drawing on my 2018 11" iPad Pro. I really like it, and have not yet felt I wanted to upgrade to a later model.
You can get these for about $500 from the Apple refurb store. Apple refurb is equivalent to new, includes 1 yr warranty and 14-day try-out period

Where I live that model is out of stock in the apple store and it's still a bit more expensive than the base Air 4 with education pricing. As far as I am aware the processor is slightly faster on the air and they have the same memory, so I'm not missing out on much. As my initial concern was memory requirements if I decide to go crazy with layers down the line. Thank you for your input and suggestion though.