iPad Pro 12.9
The ultimate portable studio. Paired with Procreate, this is the most intuitive digital sketching experience exists.
Tech Specs
- Screen Liquid Retina XDR (Mini-LED)
- Chip M1/M2
- Pencil Apple Pencil 2 (Sold Sep.)
- Refresh Rate 120Hz ProMotion
Best For
The Good
- • Procreate is exclusive to iPad
- • XDR Display hits 1600 nits brightness
- • LiDAR scanner useful for 3D capture
- • 120Hz makes latency imperceptible
The Bad
- • Expensive (Tablet + Pencil cost)
- • File management is still annoying vs PC
- • Glass surface is slippery (needs matte protector)
The Couch Canvas
The iPad Pro changed the game because it removed the friction of “start up.” You don’t boot a computer, launch software, and find your pen. You just pick it up and draw.
Procreate
Hardware is only half the story. The iPad Pro is a vessel for Procreate, arguably the best raster drawing engine ever coded. It is fast, crash-proof, and designed for touch from day one.
XDR Display
The 12.9” model features Mini-LED technology. Blacks are truly black, and highlights are blindingly bright. For studying light and value, having a reference screen of this quality is a cheat code.
Verdict
It doesn’t replace a workstation for heavy 3D or 100-layer photobashing. But for sketching, studies, and layout, it is unbeatable. It is the sketchbook of the 21st century.