How to Choose an iPad for Illustration: Paper Size and Pressure

Among current iPads, to draw A5 at actual size with Apple Pencil Pro (the pressure-sensing pen), you need an 11-inch-class screen or larger; at that size it’s borderline. On 13-inch-class models, both the screen’s long and short sides exceed A5’s by at least 48.5 mm, counting the room on both edges together.

If A6 is enough and portability comes first, the 8.3 in model, though that screen is below CLIP STUDIO PAINT’s recommended 10.5 inches.

No current iPad shows a whole A4 page (210 × 297 mm) at actual size. Worked out from Apple’s diagonal and resolution, even the largest 13-inch screen is only about 264.1 × 198.1 mm.

Screen size vs. paper size at actual size

A5 (148 × 210 mm) is shown whole at actual size on every model except the iPad mini. On the 11-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro and the base iPad (A16 chip), though, the short side has about 12 mm or less to spare, so it’s borderline.

Assumptions: the whole screen is compared with the paper’s long and short sides, before app toolbars are subtracted. Fits means shown whole at actual size. Turning the iPad to portrait gives the same result.

“Borderline” means the spare room is under 10% of the paper’s side.

Apple doesn’t publish the screens’ width and height, so they’re calculated from the diagonal and resolution. Using Apple’s official ppi instead changes the result by less than 0.7 mm and doesn’t change whether a page fits at actual size.

A4 has to be scaled down to fit whole. The largest scale is 88% on the 13-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro, and 55% on the iPad mini. At the largest scale in 1% steps, the tighter side of every model has at most 2.8 mm to spare, so it’s borderline.

The iPad mini holds a whole page at actual size only up to A6 (105 × 148 mm). A5 fits when scaled to 78%, with only 0.2 mm to spare, so it’s borderline.

11-inch or 13-inch: room vs. weight

For A5, pick the 13-inch if you want more room, or the 11-inch if weight matters more. Per Apple’s spec pages, the 13-inch models are heavier than the 11-inch ones, by 152 g for the iPad Air and 135 g for the iPad Pro (Wi-Fi models).

Apple Pencil pressure and hover

In Apple’s compatibility page and comparison table, Apple Pencil Pro works with the iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad mini. It doesn’t work with the base iPad (A16 chip).

Only Apple Pencil Pro is listed with pressure sensing; Apple Pencil (USB-C) doesn’t have it, but it does sense tilt.

The base iPad (A16 chip) works with the USB-C Apple Pencil. It can also use the 1st-generation Apple Pencil with an adapter. Neither is listed with pressure, so the base iPad has no pressure-sensing pen here.

Hover, which shows where the pen tip is before it touches the screen, works on the iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad mini. The base iPad (A16 chip) isn’t on the list.

What the drawing apps need

Per Procreate’s Help Center, the current version, 5.4.14, needs iPadOS 16.3 or later and has no list of models. Every current iPad runs iPadOS 27, so all of them qualify.

Per CLIP STUDIO PAINT’s requirements and device pages, the list names Apple Pencil Pro and the 1st and 2nd generations for pressure, not the USB-C one. Current iPads can use Pro, and the base iPad (A16 chip) can use the 1st generation with an adapter. No current iPad takes the 2nd generation.

The current model on the list for high-resolution illustration and manga is the iPad Pro. The base iPad (A16 chip) and iPad mini are on the list for standard-size illustration.

The iPad Air (M4) is not on the supported-device page. The page doesn’t say it won’t run; it just isn’t listed.

The supported OS versions are iPadOS 18 and iPadOS 26; iPadOS 27 isn’t mentioned.

Current models compared (screen, weight, memory, battery, color)

Weights are Wi-Fi models. Battery isn’t drawing time.

Per Apple’s spec pages, memory is listed at 12 GB or 16 GB for the iPad Pro and 12 GB for the iPad Air. Both meet CLIP STUDIO PAINT’s high-resolution recommendation of 6 GB or more. The base iPad (A16 chip) and iPad mini list none, so that can’t be confirmed.

ProMotion is a display that adjusts its refresh rate to what’s on screen. Its range, 10Hz to 120Hz, is listed only for the iPad Pro. The iPad Air, the base iPad (A16 chip) and iPad mini specs give neither ProMotion nor a refresh-rate figure.

Wide color (P3) is a range wider than sRGB, and full lamination means no air gap between glass and display. Both are listed for the iPad Pro, Air and mini. The base iPad (A16 chip) lists neither.

Picks by condition

One pick per condition, from Amazon.com, if a listing meets the criteria. If several qualify, the pick is the cheapest of those checked.

• Sold new by Amazon.com
• Configuration matches Apple’s spec
• At least 100 ratings and 4 stars or more

Check prices on the retailer’s page.

In the checks here, on Amazon.com, every pick but the ProMotion one is 128 GB, the cheapest qualifying tier, not a judgment that it’s enough. The ProMotion pick is 256 GB. CLIP STUDIO PAINT needs 6 GB of free space; no official storage guide for a given use was found.

Pressure with Apple Pencil Pro, smallest screen that holds A5 at actual size

The A5 margin is under 10% of the paper’s side, so it’s borderline.

Color variants are listed; price may vary by color. The rating count is shared with other models on the same listing.

Pressure with Apple Pencil Pro, smallest and lightest screen, A6 at actual size

In this calculation, A6 fits at actual size and A5 only scaled to 78%, borderline.

The rating count is shared with other models on the same listing.

No pressure sensing needed, A5 at actual size

A5 fits at actual size with about 12 mm or less to spare on the short side, so it’s borderline.

The rating count is shared with other models on the same listing.

13-inch screen with room around A5, A4 scaled to 88%

In this calculation, A4 fits only scaled to 88%, borderline.

The rating count is shared with other models on the same listing.

ProMotion, iPad Pro only

How ProMotion feels to draw on isn’t judged.

The rating count is shared with other models on the same listing.

FAQ

Which iPad is best for drawing and illustration?

Among current iPads, to draw A5 at actual size with Apple Pencil Pro (the pressure-sensing pen), you need an 11-inch-class screen or larger; at that size it’s borderline. If A6 is enough and portability comes first, the 8.3 in model, though that screen is below CLIP STUDIO PAINT’s recommended 10.5 inches.

Models that fit are in the picks section.

Can you draw A4 at actual size on an iPad?

No current iPad shows a whole A4 page (210 × 297 mm) at actual size. Worked out from Apple’s diagonal and resolution, even the largest 13-inch screen is only about 264.1 × 198.1 mm.

Can you draw with the Apple Pencil (USB-C)?

Yes. In Apple’s compatibility page and comparison table, only Apple Pencil Pro is listed with pressure sensing; Apple Pencil (USB-C) doesn’t have it, but it does sense tilt.

Is the base iPad (A16 chip) good enough for illustration?

Yes, it can draw. In Apple’s compatibility page and comparison table, the A16-chip model works with the USB-C Apple Pencil.

It can also use the 1st-generation Apple Pencil with an adapter. Neither is listed with pressure, so that model has no pressure-sensing pen here.

Which iPads run Procreate?

Per Procreate’s Help Center, the current version, 5.4.14, needs iPadOS 16.3 or later and has no list of models. Every current iPad runs iPadOS 27, so all of them qualify.

Which iPads run CLIP STUDIO PAINT?

Per CLIP STUDIO PAINT’s requirements and device pages, the current models on the list for high-resolution illustration and manga have the M5 chip. The A16 and A17 Pro models are on the list for standard-size illustration.

The current M4 models are not on the supported-device page. The page doesn’t say they won’t run; they just aren’t listed.

The supported OS versions are iPadOS 18 and iPadOS 26; iPadOS 27 isn’t mentioned. The recommended display size is 10.5 inches or larger, and the 8.3 in model is smaller than that.