So you’re in the market for a new iPad, either upgrading or getting one for Procreate for the first time. You’ve probably looked at the iPad Pro, seen that price tag, and thought… nope! 😳
Good news: Apple now has two more budget-friendly iPads worth checking out:
But which one should you actually get? Let’s break it down.
Hi, I’m Iva, and I am an illustrator, and Procreate artist for almost a decade. I’ve worked in animation, design, and now do client work, teach classes, make Procreate brushes, and I’ve tested many iPads.
Let’s compare the iPad A16 and the M3/M4 iPad Air based on what actually matters for drawing in Procreate.
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Video: My Experience with iPad Air M3/M4 and iPad 11 A16 for Drawing and Procreate
Overview: M3/M4 iPad Air and iPad 11
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Display: 13″ Liquid Retina Display with True Tone and wide color (P3) | Resolution: 2732x2048px at 264PPI | Brightness: 600 nits | Chip: M4 with neural engine | Storage: 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB | RAM: 12GB | Weight: 1.4lb (620g) | Compatible with Apple Pencil Pro | Get my popular Procreate Brushes Display: 11″ Liquid Retina Display with True Tone and wide color (P3) | Resolution: 2360x1640px at 264PPI | Brightness: 500 nits | Chip: M4 with neural engine | Storage: 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB | RAM: 12GB | Weight: 1lb (460g) | Compatible with Apple Pencil Pro | Get my popular Procreate Brushes Features: Hover, Double-tap, Squeeze, Barrel roll, Pixel-Perfect Precision, Tilt and Pressure Sensitivity, Low Latency for Note-Taking, Drawing, and Art. Attaches, Charges, and Pairs Magnetically Compatible with iPad Pro M4/M5, iPad Air M2/M3/M4 and iPad Mini 7 Best Budget iPad for drawing and Procreate Apple A16 Chip :: 11-inch Liquid Retina LED Display with True Tone :: 2360-by-1640-pixel resolution :: 500 nits brightness :: ±10 hours Battery Life :: Early 2025 model :: Apple Pencil 1 compatible :: Get my popular Procreate Brushes First Generation Apple Pencil :: Compatible with: iPad (6th, 7th, 8th, 9th (10.2″), 10th (10.9″) and 11th (11″) generation, iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st, 2nd generation), iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 9.7-inch Display: 13″ Liquid Retina Display with True Tone and wide color (P3) | Resolution: 2732x2048px at 264PPI | Brightness: 600 nits | Chip: M4 with neural engine | Storage: 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB | RAM: 12GB | Weight: 1.4lb (620g) | Compatible with Apple Pencil Pro | Get my popular Procreate Brushes Display: 11″ Liquid Retina Display with True Tone and wide color (P3) | Resolution: 2360x1640px at 264PPI | Brightness: 500 nits | Chip: M4 with neural engine | Storage: 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB | RAM: 12GB | Weight: 1lb (460g) | Compatible with Apple Pencil Pro | Get my popular Procreate Brushes Features: Hover, Double-tap, Squeeze, Barrel roll, Pixel-Perfect Precision, Tilt and Pressure Sensitivity, Low Latency for Note-Taking, Drawing, and Art. Attaches, Charges, and Pairs Magnetically Compatible with iPad Pro M4/M5, iPad Air M2/M3/M4 and iPad Mini 7 Best Budget iPad for drawing and Procreate Apple A16 Chip :: 11-inch Liquid Retina LED Display with True Tone :: 2360-by-1640-pixel resolution :: 500 nits brightness :: ±10 hours Battery Life :: Early 2025 model :: Apple Pencil 1 compatible :: Get my popular Procreate Brushes First Generation Apple Pencil :: Compatible with: iPad (6th, 7th, 8th, 9th (10.2″), 10th (10.9″) and 11th (11″) generation, iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st, 2nd generation), iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 9.7-inch
Size & Weight
| M3/M4 iPad Air 13″ | M3/M4 iPad Air 11″ | iPad 11 (A16) |
|---|---|---|
| Height: 11.04 inches (280.6 mm) Width: 8.46 inches (214.9 mm) Depth: 0.24 inch (6.1 mm) Weight: Wi-Fi: 1.36 pounds (616 grams) Wi-Fi + Cellular: 1.36 pounds (617 grams) | Height: 9.74 inches (247.6 mm) Width: 7.02 inches (178.5 mm) Depth: 0.24 inch (6.1 mm) Weight: Wi-Fi: 1.01 pounds (460 grams) Wi-Fi + Cellular: 1.01 pounds (460 grams) | Height: 9.79 inches (248.6 mm) Width: 7.07 inches (179.5 mm) Depth: 0.28 inch (7 mm) Weight: Wi-Fi: 1.05 pounds (477 grams) Wi-Fi + Cellular: 1.06 pounds (481 grams) |
The M3/M4 iPad Air now comes in two sizes: 11” and 13”.
The iPad A16 is available in just one size: 11”.
In terms of weight, the iPad 11 is close to the 13” Air. Think hardcover sketchbook with 50–60 pages. Naturally, the 13” Air is heavier—more like a thick mixed media sketchbook.
Choosing a size? Ask yourself:
- What size sketchbooks do you usually reach for?
- How big are your hands and how much screen do they cover while drawing?
- Will the iPad fit in your favorite bag?
I currently use a 12.9” iPad Pro, and love the extra space. But when I started, I used the iPad Pro 10.5” model and it worked great. It really comes down to your comfort and workflow.
Display & Drawing Experience
| M3/M4 iPad Air 13″ and 11″ | iPad 11 (A16) |
|---|---|
| Liquid Retina display | Liquid Retina display |
| LED backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology | LED backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology |
| 11″: 2360‑by‑1640 resolution at 264 ppi 13″: 2732‑by‑2048 resolution at 264 ppi | 11″: 2360‑by‑1640 resolution at 264 ppi |
| Wide color profile display (P3) | sRGB color profile |
The iPad A16 uses the same display as the iPad 10:
- sRGB color profile (colors pop nicely)
- Not laminated (you can hear/feel a subtle tap when drawing)
- No anti-reflective coating (tougher to use outdoors or in bright studios)
The M3/M4 iPad Air improves on that with:
- A laminated display (no air gap)
- Anti-reflective coating
- A wider color gamut (more vibrant and accurate)
60Hz vs 120Hz iPad Display
Both displays run at 60Hz. If you’re wondering about the difference from the iPad Pro’s 120Hz ProMotion screen, It depends on your style.
Personally, I don’t notice a big difference. I create mixed media-style work in Procreate with bold brush strokes and color blocking. But if you do:
- Fast gesture drawing
- Animation
- Super precise line art
…then the iPad Pro’s faster response might be worth the splurge.
Apple Pencil Compatibility
This part’s easy:
The iPad you choose determines which Pencil you can use.
- iPad 11: Apple Pencil 1st Gen (plus a cable adapter to charge)
- M3/M4 iPad Air: Apple Pencil Pro (with haptics, squeeze gestures, barrel roll, and preview features)
Storage
| iPad Air 13″ and 11″ M3/M4 chip | iPad 11 A16 chip |
|---|---|
| Storage 128GB RAM 8GB RAM 12GB (M4) | Storage 128GB RAM 6GB |
| Storage 256GB RAM 8GB RAM 12GB (M4) | Storage 256GB RAM 6GB |
| Storage 512GB RAM 8GB RAM 12GB (M4) | Storage 512GB RAM 6GB |
| Storage 1TB RAM 8GB RAM 12GB (M4) |
The iPad 11 starts at 128GB and goes up to 512GB.
The M3/M4 iPad Air starts at 128GB and goes all the way to 1TB.
If you create high-res artwork, animations, or use lots of reference images, the extra space is a huge plus.
Don’t want to pay Apple’s prices for storage upgrades?
You can always go with external USB-C drives (just make sure they’re Mac/iPad-compatible).
Procreate Layer Limits
When working with Procreate and Procreate Dreams, the number of layers and tracks you can use is influenced by your iPad’s RAM and storage capacity.
M3 iPad Air has 8GB RAM (M4 has 12GB RAM) and iPad 11 has 6GB RAM which is a nice upgrade to iPad 10 which had 4GB RAM. Here’s what you get in terms of number of Procreate layers:
| Canvas | M3 iPad Air 13″ and 11″ Procreate # of layers *M4 Air with 12GB will have even higher limit | iPad 11 Procreate # of layers |
|---|---|---|
| 3000 x 3000px | 112 | 70 |
| 16″ x 16″ @300 DPI | 41 | 25 |
| A4 @300DPI | 116 | 73 |
| A3 @300DPI | 56 | 34 |
| A2 @300DPI | 23 | 15 |
| Procreate Dreams tracks | 200 content tracks 4x 4k tracks | 200 content tracks 1x 4k tracks |
If you need maximum layers/tracks, only the iPad Pro 1TB/2TB (with 16GB RAM) can offer that.
Read more in my post about Procreate layer limit.
Price
- iPad A16: Starts at $350*, with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage
- M3//M4 iPad Air (11″): Starts at $599*
- M3/M4 iPad Air (13″): Starts at $799*
If you’re starting out, the 128GB models will probably be enough. But if you’re creating lots of Procreate files, I recommend the 256GB option for breathing room.
*at the time of writing
So Which Should You Get for Procreate – iPad A16 or iPad Air?
Best Budget iPad for drawing and Procreate
Apple A16 Chip :: 11-inch Liquid Retina LED Display with True Tone :: 2360-by-1640-pixel resolution :: 500 nits brightness :: ±10 hours Battery Life :: Early 2025 model :: Apple Pencil 1 compatible :: Get my popular Procreate Brushes
Go for the iPad A16 if:
- You’re just starting with digital art
- You’re buying for a child, teen, or family member
- You’re on a budget
- You don’t mind merging layers occasionally
Display: 13″ Liquid Retina Display with True Tone and wide color (P3) | Resolution: 2732x2048px at 264PPI | Brightness: 600 nits | Chip: M4 with neural engine | Storage: 128GB | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB | RAM: 12GB | Weight: 1.4lb (620g) | Compatible with Apple Pencil Pro | Get my popular Procreate Brushes
Go for the M3/M4 iPad Air if:
- You’re upgrading from an older iPad Air or iPad
- You’re a professional artist but can’t justify an iPad Pro
- You want a laminated display and better color accuracy
- You need more RAM and layer flexibility
If I needed a new iPad right now, I’d go for the 13” M4 iPad Air, just for the screen space and laminated display.
Hope this helped you figure out which iPad fits your workflow best! Let me know in the comments what you’re leaning toward. I’d love to hear.
And if you want more art inspiration or iPad reviews, check out my sketchbook tour videos and older iPad breakdowns!
Thanks for reading, and see you next time 👋
In the end, I believe that whichever you choose, you will make amazing artwork with either of them.
Happy drawing and painting!
🤩 Join Art Club with Iva for access to popular PROCREATE classes, workshops, creative skills practice, my drawing process, references, Procreate brushes use inspiration, and more.
Hi, I am Iva (rhymes with “viva”). I am a full-time self-taught artist behind Art Side of Life® and a Top Teacher on Skillshare. I have 15 years of experience in the creative field as a concept designer, illustrator, art director, and now freelance artist, content creator, and art instructor. My goal is to help you get your creative groove on with Procreate and make awesome art through practical classes, tutorials, Procreate brushes, and guides on art tools, supplies and resources. About me »
