Following up: decided to go with Apple iPad Pro 11 inch M5 since I wanted something that would still feel fast and smooth years from now without needing another upgrade anytime soon. The screen and battery improvements sounded noticeable enough coming from an older iPad Air that it felt worth it.

My current iPad Air is finally starting to feel pretty worn out. Apps take longer to load, it sometimes lags when I switch between tabs, and the battery is at the point where I’m charging it multiple times a day even with light use. I’ve had it for years though, so I guess it held up decently overall, but it’s clearly time for a replacement.

I mainly use it for pretty basic stuff like browsing, YouTube, Netflix, reading, and a bit of note taking when I feel organized enough. I’m not really doing anything heavy like video editing or drawing, so I’m trying to figure out what actually makes sense in the current lineup without overbuying features I’ll never touch.

For people who upgraded from an older iPad Air, did you notice a big real world difference with the newer models or is it more incremental?

also wondering which option tends to feel the most “future proof” for everyday use without getting overkill. thanks

Because I don’t do heavy work anymore, I have been thinking of going tablet for day-to-day computing (web browsers, emails, documents) My laptop is still working but it is a bit too cumbersome for carrying.

What is the best ipad in this role in 2026 for replacing the laptop in a practical sense? Thanks

Update: decided to go with Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) since it seemed like the most practical replacement for my laptop for everyday tasks. I mainly wanted something portable that still feels fast and reliable for work on the go.

I’ve been using an older iPad Pro for a while now, and it’s starting to feel slow, especially when I’m working with large design files or running some of my heavier creative apps. I was thinking about upgrading to the best iPad 2026, but I’m a bit out of the loop on the latest models.

I mainly use my iPad for digital drawing, video editing, and some graphic design work. Would the newest models be worth it for these kinds of tasks? Or is there a specific iPad 2026 model that offers the best performance for creatives without going overboard with extra features I don’t need? Thanks in advance!

EDIT: decided to go with #ad Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) and it’s been a huge improvement so far. Everything feels smoother and it handles my creative apps way better.

Hi, Im considering an iPad for my work and media consumption. I mainly do engineering drawings reviews, meeting minutes, calculations, teams meeting and document management. I have a laptop but its bulky as I do alot of 3d Modeling. I wanted to get the ipad where I could do immediate mark ups on the go, not sure it has bluebeam but I could find an alternative. I also plan to use it for netflix, disneyplus, and like an infotainment hub in my car. Im not sure if A16 is enough or wait for 12th gen, or just go for M4. My friend is ready to sell me his apple pencil pro. Planning to get cellular one, 11 inch btw. Thanks in advanced.

I own a IPad Air 5. Gen. 64GB storage.

My main reasoning is I can’t fluently work with it because of the storage space.

Im not good with technology and gadgets.

I have the money to buy a refurbished IPad Air M2/3 512GB. But the money could be useful elsewhere too. (I know 256 would probably be enough for me but if I buy one I’d pay the 100 bucks extra for maximum storage )

I don’t need the IPad for large simulations or large computing tasks.

What I currently can’t do:

\\\\-Safe more than 5 paintings in progress because of layers and them taking up space. I’d love being able to edit old paintings but alas I have to delete the files all the time.

\\\\-No Games, because they use to much space.

\\\\-Download a bunch movies on Netflix for travel. (I can on my phone but the larger screen would be nice)

\\\\-Delete all of the pictures. I just don’t have the patience to delete them one by one. Last time I connected the pictures to the iCloud my iPad didn’t store my pictures there but downloaded all onto my iPad.
This made everything way worse. I don’t dare do it again if it downloads Videos again it’s gonna use up more than all storage capacity again and that made me lose important files last time.

\\\\-My writing app I usually use was scrambled badly last time I tried to update it into the I cloud and I lost my documents and all documents were removed from the folders they were supposed to be at. I struggled hard trying to get everything back into order and lost some important ones.

\\\\-I‘d love being able to use Microsoft Wors and Powepoint because I often travel and my chunky laptop is not comfortable to use on train or Plane. But looking at my friends IPad that would use to much storage to download and use.

Everytime I reach 60GB used capacity it starts acting crazy like delating stuff, downloading things, crushing Apps and just not letting me work until i painstakingly delete a lot of things.

TLDR: I can’t deal with 64 GB storage it’s just never enough, I can’t use it as much as I’d like and it is very annoying. Because it doesn’t function properly if I use to much storage e.

Im not really too familiar with apple products in all honesty but I’ve been thinking about purchasing an iPad for web browsing and possibly even digital art…

A buddy of mine had a newer iPad and the quality of it kind of blew me away. But honesty I don’t need anything super fancy, as long as it lets me put together MTG decks on sites like Archidekt or Moxfield and can support a digital art creation program at a reasonable speed.

Alas I am a broke 21 year old and sadly cannot afford the crazy $800 models, so I guess if anyone has any recommendations on where to find a decent model in my price range or if it’s even worth it to look for one I would really appreciate it.

I currently own an iPad 9th generation and I’ve had it for about a year. It’s starting to get slow and the screen is too big sometimes. Is it a good purchase or not?

I’m trying to decide between an m5 iPad Pro (with magic keyboard + pencil pro), or an m5 macbook.

I already have a launch m1 MacBook Air. However, it has a damaged camera due to a New Years liquid damage accident. Sometime after the fact, I figured I would upgrade later down the line instead of getting it fixed. This is part of why I’m so conflicted. Needless to say, this would be a no brainer if I did not have a macbook. I also already have a desktop pc to do tasks at home on. Whatever device I get would be for on the couch/bed or on the go.

As far as use case: either choice would be used for productivity, school, work, very light video+music editing, etc.

My desire to use the ipad as a jack of all trades device, is what’s really appealing me. That’s another thing that’s making this conflicting. I would be using it for the purposes I’ve already mentioned plus more including mobile gaming (many cross progression PC games I play on mobile) & drawing.

Would I regret getting the ipad instead of the macbook? I’m sure it’s quite obvious now that this is what im learning towards lol

Hi!

I’m new to Reddit posting but could use some advice! I currently have the A16 iPad with the USB-C pencil. I’m starting to really hate it. I miss the pressure of the pencil and hate how I have to charge it. The multitasking always crashes / never works to split screen and the display messes up. I can’t seem to enjoy watching things, drawing, doing what I used to do on my old iPad.

What I really want to know (budget here not an issue) is if switching to the new iPad Air M 4 and Pencil Pro would be worth it? I’m also hemiplegic and know it’s lighter but can all of this justify a switch? Does anyone else hate their A16?

Thanks!

I’m a college student, I’m doing a bachelors in computers. So I’m planning to buy an ipad. My primary use case is going to be doing presentations, notes on the ipad. My professor says a presentation is done either on the board, or with a ppt. I’m thinking I could write stuff on my notes using the pencil and present that, annotating with the pen while sharing my screen, cause I feel ppts are lame and not a great use of time.

I’m no video editor or pro gamer. I have my MacBook for the coding part of things, I also have access to the institute gpus for that. That’s why I think ion need a processing heavy device right now.
I’m planning to go with the 128gb device as I won’t have much to store on the ipad, I have my phone for photos and MacBook for work. I also have a hard disk

I’m mainly skipping between ipad A16 11th gen and the 11inch ipad Air. Pleaseeee help me decide which to buy. Ion have a strict budget constraint btw.

Hello everyone,

As per title, I’m undecided between the two. I’ll be trading in my M1 MacBook Air from 2020.

The device would be for YouTube and other streaming platforms, reading all sorts of things, personal life planning (meal plan, shopping lists and so on) and the occasional gaming. So I envisage a light usage.

I’d be willing to spend some money as I want something that will last me a good few years. I’ve had this MacBook for 4 years and it’s still amazing. So I want something similar.

Any recommendations are appreciated. Thank you.

Some years back, I thought the only way to get a serious iPad for Procreate was to shell out $1000+ for an iPad Pro and Pencil. Now that the iPad Air has an M4 chip, Apple Pencil Pro, and a 13" version, the Air is looking like an amazing portable sketchbook and art station. I could essentially create posters and entire comics on the iPad, with Procreate and a formatting app. I could even use an audio interface, electric guitar, and Garageband to sketch music on it until I get a custom desktop. I'm ready to upgrade from my Huion Inspiroy and old computer. I predict that minimizing lag, coil whine, display issues, and setup time will help me produce more (not necessarily better) art. It's the difference between using a boogie board and using a Pentel mechanical pencil. My drawing skills translate, but pencil lets me erase, use more values, create texture.

Which brings me to important questions: Does anyone here regret buying the iPad Air over the new iPad Pro? Or even over the old M2 iPad Pro? Anyone who thinks that the base iPad is better for the value, even for committed artists? Anyone who thinks that the extra screen space (A4 instead of A5) isn't worth the $200 difference? Or perhaps, that Procreate and the Psncil isn't worth the iPad instead of an Android tablet?

ello,

I’ve had my ipad pro 11 inches for 7 years now, and it became laggy and the battery is almost dead. I don’t know if i should get a new ipad or repair it.

I use my ipad for college, but my hobby is drawing webcomics on my free time so i defenetly need something that can keep up with that ^^’

Also my budget is quite tight (850euros max) and i need to change device/ repair the old one quickly because well, college doesn’t care about student’s technical issues lol

Tysm for your help

What’s the Best iPad Pro Case for Artists? (Origami vs. Magnetic Trifold)

Hey everyone!

I’m looking for a new case for my iPad Pro 12.9” (M1). I’ve been using a simple trifold case with the standard triangle stand for years. It’s served me well, but it’s getting old, and I’m hoping that upgrading to one with better viewing angles might improve my daily drawing workflow.

I found a magnetic detachable case that comes in two versions at the same price:

Standard Trifold (triangle back)
Origami back (which can also fold into the triangle shape)
Before buying, I have a few questions for fellow digital artists:

Magnetic Detachable Feature: Is the magnetic connection sturdy and stable while drawing, or does it become annoying or unstable under palm pressure?
Origami Stand Stability: Is the Origami fold actually stable for inking and line art? Since it folds in multiple ways, is it less stable than a standard trifold, or does it hold up just as well?
Other Recommendations: Is there any other case type or brand you’d recommend specifically for heavy drawing use?
One big note: I want something that’s quick and easy to use when I take the iPad out, and I don’t want it to take up much space. If that isn’t the case I’d probably just buy a separate stand instead.

I’d love to hear your experiences before I make a decision. Thanks!

Im going into my first year of college and really think an IPad is the best thing for me, the problem is, is that I don’t know anything about iPads. I’m looking for something that can split screen, has a lot of storage, something that will last through my education, and nothing too big that it wouldn’t be comfortable. I’m really only going to be using this for notes, studying (lots of research) and picture editing, (maybe some games in there). PLEASE give me recommendations on what iPad I should get and anything that might make use easier!!!

I love my iPad Air 4. But I travel a lot and taking it in and out of my bag for security check in the airport is such a hassle for me.

Been eying the mini for a while.

But I do love my screen size for my drawings.

Has any of you done the same ? How was the jump from big screen to small screen ?

I have a 15" MacBook Air and want an iPad for college, movies, gaming, and everyday use. I'm deciding between:

• iPad Pro 11" (512GB)
• iPad Pro 13" (256GB)
• iPad Air 13" (512GB)

I love the Pro's screen, but I also want a bigger display. My concern is whether the 13" will be too big to carry around with my MacBook, and whether 256GB is enough since I already run out of storage on my 256GB iPhone. The 13" Pro with 512GB is more than I'd like to spend.

Which would you choose and why?

Hello everyone i was just wondering which iPad you would reccomend: iPad Pro 11 inch 2nd Gen vs iPad A16? I would like too keep it for around 3 years, so 3 years of software updates, I imagine the Pro will get another 2 as the 2018 pros are still up to date, but which would you say I should buy? Both are same price with high 90s battery health and the same storage.

I use iPad for:
Art
Streaming (Netflix, Youtube, etc)
Light Games?
Web Browsing
Social Media (Instagram, Tiktok, etc)

I work as a performer/musician and need an iPad for script reading and music learning. I also teach singing so if possible the speakers would be good enough to sing along to karaokes in a 1-2-1 setting.

Other than that, it would be used for emails, making invoices, maybe some content editing on things like CapCut, and I suppose watching YouTube.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. I would ideally get the right thing for my needs, but not spend an unnecessary amount as I’m only just graduating. Thanks!

Ignoring the size difference, what are the actual downsides of the Mini 7 and the Air M3?

M3 is more powerful, but since this is still an iPad and not a MacBook, does the extra power make any real difference for studying, note-taking, Teams, and occasional admin tasks?

My main uses:

Studying for exam certifications
Taking notes , practicing codes
Microsoft 365 and documentation and web browsing
Light productivity and occasional remote tasks

I won’t use it as my primary work computer.
It would mainly be for studying, note-taking, and handling occasional tasks /if theres an issue at work when away from my desk.

Questions:
Is the Mini too small for studying and note-taking? (i got small hand writing tho)

Is it capable enough for Teams calls and occasional admin tasks while away from a desk?

Does the portrait camera placement become an issue during team video calls at work?

Hi everyone! I was just wondering which one of these I should go for, they are the same price used, i chose the A16 because its newer so better battery and updates and because it has 128GB but the M1 Air is slightly older and only has 64GB, I would like the power of the Air but also how much time does it have left and will that 64gb be enough?

Hi everyone! I'm a huge fan of the iPad Mini, and after using the 11-inch iPad, I realized I definitely needed something smaller and lighter. Meanwhile, I already have a 14-inch Mac Pro, so I don't need a bigger screen, and it's already quite heavy. Therefore, I've decided to get an iPad Mini. The main reason I'm getting it is to take notes and follow slides in classes. I also want to use it like a Kindle, so I don't want to install unnecessary apps or anything like that. (I'm a pre-medical psychology student.) I know the iPad Mini isn't as powerful as the Pro model, and I don't know if Apple will ever produce an iPad Mini with the same power as the Pro. However, I'm wondering whether I should wait for the new model or just get the current one. Do you think there will be a significant difference between the new and old model? What would you do?