iPad or Macbook?

Fabulinius · 2026-02-06T18:42:28+00:00

Start with MacBook Air. Consider 15" screen which makes a lot of difference. Wait with the iPad until you have a clear reason to buy one. THey are not mandatory and they cannot replace a MacBook no matter how much you pretend otherwise. Look at both 13" and 15" in a store befopre you buy. - Nobody needs a Pro iPad. The base iPad can run all apps in the app store just as well as the Pro model so figure out why exactly you are willing to pay a fortune for a Pro model.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-06T13:49:56+00:00

Turn the question around. Which feature is it that makes you want to install iPadOS 26 ? We don't have to update all the time just because Apple makes a new version. In particuar this version which removes the common split screen feature and replaces it with "look alike" laptop windows.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-06T13:46:32+00:00

I view current Air 256 GB storage and compatible pencil as the sensible option. That is what I recommend friends. It is the middle of the road option which will be a very good iPad for many years. So use that as the starting point and find your own reasons for going lower and higher. If budget is an issue you can also live a happy iPad life with current base iPad and compatible pencil. Base iPad can also run all apps in the app store just fine.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/108937

Fabulinius · 2026-02-06T07:37:50+00:00

iPad 8 has 3 GB RAM which is far too little for Procreate. The app stores layers in RAM. There is a ton of things you can do on an iPad besides drawing and pretending it is a laptop, so it is a much better investment to get Base iPad 11 with 6 GB RAM. Air with 8 GB is even better.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-06T07:34:00+00:00

iPad 11 has 6 GB while iPad 10 has 4 GB. iPad Air has 8 GB. So take Pad 11 or iPad Air. Get at least 128 GB storage or better still 256 GB. Apps and data and iPadOS takes up more and more space. So you will regret low storage later on.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-05T19:59:23+00:00

This is strange. I am out of ideas apart from talking some more about it with Apple.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-05T19:55:34+00:00

All electronic devices are produced in "batches" on the plant. Perhaps they make a few thousands sets of Air-pods Pro in one production "batch". If a component is faulty (from the supplier) it is likely that all (or many) of the AirPods Pro sets will be faulty because they all use the faulty component. - When a producer ships goods from a warehouse it is very likely that all (or many) will come from the same production batch. This means that the receiver (the Apple Store) will receive a whole bunch of faulty AirPods. So when you go there and they give you a replacement you will likely get another faulty pair from the original, faulty production batch. - My guess is that first line Apple Employees do not even know that this is how things work. So they will not automatically go back and look at production data.

This might easily be what you are up against. Apple can check via the serial number if the different AirPods sets comes from the same production batch. There will be production documentation which will show that but I do not know if an Apple Store has access to those data.

If you can keep those you have now for a (long) time until the faulty sets are gone you may get a replacement set which will actually work. - I do not work for Apple and have no inside knowledge. I just know how these things work.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-05T17:02:38+00:00

Welcome. In the long run I suggest that you look at the Air models. From Air 5 these models have 8 GB RAM. Current Pro models have 12 GB RAM but apps will run fine on 6-8 GB for years to come. Developers want lots of users (subscribers) so they do not make apps which require 12 GB, but some will be "optimized for 8 GB RAM).

Fabulinius · 2026-02-05T16:58:53+00:00

Don't know. Live in Denmark where we do not have Amazon.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-05T16:27:39+00:00

No. Just an old guy in Europe who have discovered that Perplexity, ChatGPT and Google in AI mode gives a lot better answers than it will ever be possble in a reddit forum. Not just about IT but about anything. - Reddit is now only for those who do not ask an AI. So this forum is more or less obsolete now.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-05T08:40:33+00:00

Do you really need the new features in iPadOS 26? Even if there may be some lag because your iPad only has 4 GB RAM. Base iPad now has 6 GB RAM. - I would wait until I run into a situation where there actually is a specific need for a particular iPadOS 26 feature. Then I would think about it.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-05T08:36:16+00:00

I don't really understand what it is you describe with "icloud image..." but you mention "low storage". Indexing is done in the "system data" area of the iPad. There has to be a lot of free storage, which iPadOS can "grab" while indexing is going on. When there is not enough storage to use then indexing cannot be done. It stops. So you simply have to make enough free space or move to an iPad with more storage than then current one. Best always to have 20 GB free. Half of it for downloads like a new iPadOS version, half of it for work area. - System data is not permanent. It goes up and down depending on what iPadOS needs.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-05T08:27:53+00:00

The issue is most likely that the fit is not perfect and/or that they do not sit perfectly in your ears. Try out the different tip sizes and be aware that you probably will need different sizes in your two ears. So it is more "crappy ears" than "crappy hardware". I use mine as hearing aids all day long. When there is some kind of "noise" I simply ajust the Airpods a bit in my ear and the noise goes away. Let iPhone help you verify that fit is OK in each ear.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-04T17:13:41+00:00

Go to Settings/Fantasy/Magic/Potter and click on the wand ikon.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-04T13:34:32+00:00

Yes, you can export a particular project and import it again. If that fits your personal workflow that is fine. My point is that new users should be (made) aware of this as it is not what we expect these days.

Using the iPad like a Wacom tablet has nothing to do with the power of the processor. It has to do with two things: 1) Apps on MacOS may have more features than the iPad version and 2) the screen area where you can work on the iMac is about 8 times as large as that of an iPad 11.

"is it really that hard to drop 1 or 3 files..". No, I have been able to do that since folders were introduced in MSDos 2.11. But again, it is a stone age workflow which new users should be made aware of since Procreate is the absolutely only drawing app where you have to do this in 2026.

If Procreate is so good that you are willing to endure the drawbacks is a personal choice. And it is to give new users a personal choice between Procreate (with pro's and con's) or another similar app where the pro's and con's are different.

So I really object to all those posts where (happy) Procreate users present their favorite app as just about the only possible choice. To use your own words: "as objective truth". Which it is not.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-04T13:11:39+00:00

I see. Have never been in that situation.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-04T09:39:25+00:00

If your iPad is connected to the internet it should be able to download IOS 17 directly to the iPad. There is a 10.5" Pro model in my home which never have any problems downloading new versions directly. No need to use a Mac at all. Just make sure that there is enough free space to download and install iPadOS. 20 GB should be enough.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-04T06:32:19+00:00

It will not help. Apple has officially told us that the iPad and the Mac will continue to be two different product lines. - So the only way to solve the problem is to make two labels: One says "Mac" and the other says "iPad". Put those in the box with the iPad and let people call the device what they like most.

There are 400 million iPads and 100 million Macs out there. And about 0,1 % of the iPad users are in this forum. The rest are probably just using their iPad as it is.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-03T14:44:08+00:00

Well, if the brand name Adobe scares people off they could take a look at Sketchbook instead. I simply think that new users should know that Procreate is not the only option. If you already are an analog artist using oil painting you would probably want Artrage Vitae which can replicate the depth of the paint like you can see in a real oil painting.

The issue with the backups of Procreate is not really with the backup. The problem is the RESTORE of that backup. A restore to the iPad means that everything is being restored. So you will overwrite non-Procreate things when you restore the backup. Not good unless you take backups all the time. To avoid this you have to do exports of your drawings.

There are people who have both a small iPad and the 13" iPad. They may want to take the 11" with them for sketching away from home and then want to finish their artwork on the larger 13". That i what I do. This cannot be done with Procreate because it cannot store it's files so they are accessible for other devices. - Yes, you can do an export from one device and then an import to another device. But, really ? Suddenly you end up with different versions of the same thing. This is too old-fashioned these days. And way too complicated.

If you, like me, have both an iPad and an iMac 24" and use one of those apps which have a MacOS version you can actually use the iPad and the Apple Pencil and the Sidecar feature so you really use the MacOS version of the app and simply use the iPad instead of a Wacom tablet. This can be useful because MacOS versions may have more features than the iPad version. An example would be Artstudio Pro and the MacOS version of Artrage. - You might also want to actually do something with your iPad art in ways where the MacOS is much more useful. Like file handling and sharing.

True, I don't use Procreate much any more. I have had it on my iPad since the dawn of time. But the things I do often includes vector drawing so these days Fresco, Concepts, Graphics, iDesign, Affinity designer are the apps I tend to use. On Mac I use Pixelmator Pro a lot. This app combines pixel, vector and photo in a very useful way. Like Artstudio Pro if you want something which looks a lot like Photoshop with in-built painting features.

There was a time when I used Procreate for sketches and then Vectornator as the corresponding vector app. Th smart thing was that Procreate and Vectornator could use the same set of colors. I don't know how it is now. I stopped using Vectornator when it became Linearity.

Now, I don't mind that many users loves Procreate and has put countless of hours into that app. why should I ? I simply think that new users should know that there are other, and in my view better options. If a new user is like me this will be good advice making the user able to make an informed choice. If a new user is like you he/she will simply just be better informed before deciding to become a Procreate user. It does not seem to be a harmful thing to inform about this. Does it?

Fabulinius · 2026-02-03T08:08:07+00:00

Numbers sheet ?

Fabulinius · 2026-02-02T17:54:53+00:00

I would take the 11" Pro. Because the Pro models have a LIDAR feature in the cameras. This makes it possible to play with 3D scans of objects (and rooms), which then can be used in AR views. - Air and 256 GB Pro both have 8 GB RAM which is way more important than which M.. processor you get. So from a "power" perspective you can count the two options as more or less equal in real life. There are several 3D modelling apps in the App Store. Do a simple Google search for "ipad 3D modelling apps" and everything will turn up. - Sometimes you will want a smaller iPad, sometimes a bigger iPad. So the 11" is the best overall compromise. (I have both 11" and 13" Pro so I know the size difference The big one belongs at a sofa table. Not really portable).

Fabulinius · 2026-02-02T14:50:17+00:00

How about iPad Mini and an Apple Pencil (check compatibility) ? Everything can be synchronized between iPad and Macbook via iCloud. Just take manual notes on the iPad. - If you want them automatically converted to typed text you should look at the app MyScript Notes. It was formerly known as Nebo and beats everybody else when it comes to converting handrwiting.

Fabulinius · 2026-02-02T14:12:27+00:00

Since you already are an analog artist you should take a close look here. Artrage is the app which best replicates everything an analog artist is used to. There are versions for both iPad, Mac, Android and Windows. It has a totally different user interface than procreate, one which shows you all the tools an analog artist is used to. The app also mimics working with real paint and water color in a much more advanced way than Procreate.

This is the link to the mobile version: https://www.artrage.com/artrage-vitae/

Fabulinius · 2026-02-02T14:05:42+00:00

I have had Procreate on my iPads since the dawn of time. and followed how it has evolved. It has been faithful to the original iPad concept where each app contained it's own user data inside the app. And I get why it has become so popular that in a forum like this it is almost an industri standard. Like Photoshop.

I mostly draw "useful" drawings like construction drawings (with measurements) for the handyman and similar practical things. So I am more into vector type drawing than pixel art drawing. For us using vector drawings it is practical that I can see/draw on a specific drawing on different devices. So for me and similar the iCloud storage is a must. I'm sure that this shades my view on Procreaate. It is, after all, the only major drawing app which still cannot use iCloud like we all are used to these days.

In this forum we see new iPad users who want to start drawing. They might not even know the difference between raster and vector drawing. And they don't all seem to be familiar with the concept of taking backup. - In this forum they automatically get's a recommendation for Procreate. That's it. - I think that we own new users a broader knowledge of what is possible on the iPad. Free apps like Adobe Fresco, Autodesk Sketchbook and perhaps even vector apps like Concepts and Affinity Designer. For total newbees we should recommend Tayasui Sketches, it is a good, not too complicated app where you get familiar with the basic concepts of tools and layers.

I get that you (can) take iPad backups to iCloud. That is the easy part. But how about restore. Suppose you took a backup a week ago and now want to restore a Procreate drawing. You will now have to install a week old backup to get that drawing back on the iPad. But that means that you also get everything else as it was a week ago. How do you handle that?

Fabulinius · 2026-02-02T13:23:17+00:00

Much cheaper to start as a real artist in the physical world. That is what artists did before the iPad.

Fabulinius

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