Last year I debated for weeks whether or not to get an iPad or a Wacom tablet. I was looking for something that would allow me to practice my illustration skills. Wacom had the credibility as it had been creating these specialized tablets for creatives for years. It’s also compatible with the full desktop versions of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. At the time, the iPad seemed enticing as well, but the features didn’t really justify the higher cost for me so I went with the Wacom.
I realized pretty quickly that the Wacom was going to take some time to get used to. I had to use it with my laptop because it only worked with the desktop versions of Adobe software. In addition to that, I had to learn how to do blind illustrations because when you touch the pen on the tablet it essentially gives you full control of your pen on the illustrator. For my purpose of just wanting to work on some quick digital sketching, this wasn’t really the right product for me. I needed something portable and seamless to use. I also wanted that similar experience of drawing on paper.
So when the iPad Air 4th generation came out in October, I was pretty excited. Apple was definitely targeting creatives for this product. When referencing the iPad they literally say it’s “Your creative studio on the go.” Apple now uses their new A14 Bionic chip which enables the product to have 30% higher graphics in comparison to their last model. Not only that, machine learning performance was advanced by 10x. For us creatives that means faster photo, video (even 4K), music editing, and so much more. The iPad is light with a 10.9 inch diagonal which in my opinion is the perfect size. The way I see it is this wouldn’t necessarily be a replacement of your laptop, but rather a complementary device that makes design processes more efficient. To top all of that off the 2nd generation pencil is the cherry on top. When illustrating, details matter. The pen has incredible pressure sensitivity which imitates the real-life drawing experience. It also maintains a high level of pixel precision which is crucial when working with lots of elements in a design.
As you can see, I made it a point to do in-depth research before deciding to purchase because as we all know Apple’s expensive and I wasn’t just going to immediately drop $700+. Unfortunately, the cost is one barrier with all of these devices especially as a college student. Although after seeing all the advanced features and maybe falling for their incredible marketing, I came to the conclusion that it was worth the investment. Apple has definitely captured the hearts of designers and continue to keep making products that benefit our needs. Looking forward, it’ll be intriguing to see if they can make the iPad even more affordable because I’m sure that millions of creatives would be quick to purchase it if they haven’t already.
Source: https://www.apple.com/ipad-air/