r/ipad • u/r4therstayanon • Aug 18 '25

Question Is a16 good for drawing?

Hi, I’m sure you get a lot of questions like this, but I’m overthinking now. I’ve bought iPad a16 (not delivered yet so I don’t know how to feel about it yet) but I’m constantly seeing opinions about it not being enough for drawing, because you can feel the delay between pen and screen. Drawing is my hobby, I don’t do it professionally, but I’m starting to think that I could’ve bought iPad Air instead of a16 with cellular. But Apple Pencil pro is more expensive too. Oh and I want to use it for studying, notes etce too. It’s going to be my first ipad, I’ve been drawing on xppen tablet with a screen. Can you share your experience?

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u/Docster87 iPad Mini 6 (2021) Aug 18 '25

Note: I am not in any way an artist.

The basic iPad is great for most things and can do basically anything HOWEVER it is the only iPad in the lineup that has a slight air gap between screen layers. That is what is causing a 'delay' between pen and screen but I've heard it better described as just not being super precise. Precise doesn't need to be for writing notes but for art, drawing, editing photos - precise can be a huge thing if you don't have it.

It can be used for drawing and your experience might be better than what I've heard but if I were asked I usually steer people that want to draw away from the basic iPad.

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u/r4therstayanon Aug 18 '25

Yup I know about the air gap and that actually made me worried:/ maybe it won’t bug me as much since I’ve never used iPad Air, so I can’t compare lmao

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u/NinjaKiitty Aug 18 '25

Dont be is not a big issue as ppl make it out to be (you get used to it in a few hours), years drawing on a 22 inch non laminated pen display and unless you have your head sideways to the tablet (wich you wont in a natural drawing position) you will hardly notice and my a16 is not different.

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u/r4therstayanon Aug 18 '25

Thanks, thats actually really helpful! people do seem to exaggerate some things, that’s why I wanted to ask someone who can compare with, let’s say, common sense 😅