iPad 6th Generation –  It was inevitable that Apple would eventually release regular, non-Pro iPads with Apple Pencil support. It is the 6th generation iPad released in March 2018.

Before continuing, I must thank his Patreon patrons for making this review possible. She bought her iPad with Patreon money and did some studies. After this, I decided to sell my iPad, but since I already have an iPad Pro, I was at a loss again.

This review is aimed at artists and designers who want to know if this new iPad fits their workflow and if it has any advantages over the iPad Pro.

iPad 6th Generation – Selling Point

The main selling point of this iPad is Apple Pencil support. If you don’t use the Apple Pencil, you can find older models and see if they’re on sale for a low price. The difference in performance between the previous A9 processor and the new A10 processor is not that great. If you’re considering upgrading, ask yourself if you need Apple Pencil support.

Apple Pencil support on iPad 6th Generation is exciting for artists and designers. Let’s look at the prices of various Apple Pencil-compatible iPads.

  • Apple iPad [2018] 32GB – US $ 329 wifi / $459 cellular
  • iPad [2018] 128GB – US $ 429 wifi / $559 cellular
  • iPad Pro 9.7 [2016] 32GB – $ 469 (renovated)
  • iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) 128GB – $529 (renovated)
  • iPad Pro 9.7 (2016) 256GB – $589 (renovated)
  • iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) 64GB – $649 new-fangled / $549 renovated
  • iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) 256GB – $799 new-fangled / $679 renovated
  • iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) 512GB – $999 new-fangled / $849 renovated
  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2015) 32GB – $589 (renovated)
  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2015) 32GB – $659 renovated
  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2017) 64GB – $799 new-fangled / $679 renovated
  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2017) 256GB – $949 new-fangled / $809 renovated
  • iPad Pro 12.9 (2017) 512GB – $1149 new-fangled / $979 renovated

All iPad Pros above are Wi-Fi models. Wi-Fi+Cellular models typically cost $100 or more.

There are so many different iPads and iPad Pros in many price ranges. The most important thing to note is that the iPad Pro, even refurbished, is still significantly more expensive than the iPad 6th Generation . a $140 difference. The price difference is even greater with the new 2017 iPad Pro. Also, don’t forget to add the $99, as the Apple Pencil is sold separately.

iPad 6th Generation – Design and Build Quality

The design and build quality of the iPad 6th Generation  are excellent. And since it’s similar to the iPad 5 (2017), all previous cases will still work.

The display is still an IPS panel, which I prefer to the unnaturally oversaturated look of OLED. The colour of the IPS panel pleases me more.

iPad 6th Generation (2018) with Apple Pencil (1)

The screen is very reflective. I have already applied a matte screen protector. Wearing a screen protector eliminates reflections and dramatically enhances the tactile drawing experience when using Apple Pencil. It feels good to draw on a flat surface. However, the downside of matte screen protectors is that they slightly affect sharpness, which is a small compromise for me.

Using a non-reflective screen will give you a more enjoyable experience when painting outdoors. If the screen is thoughtful, the reflection can block your view.

The IPS screen has 2048 x 1536, and everything looks sharp. You can also see the details of the small icons in the Icons folder. Screen brightness is suitable for drawing outdoors.

iPad 6th Generation uses 1st generation TouchID technology. It’s a little slower than the iPad Pro when unlocking, but it’s not slow.

The iPad 6th Generation has speakers on the bottom, while the iPad Pro has speakers on the top and bottom. If you’re someone who consumes a lot of audio or video content, the four speakers on the iPad Pro will sound more complete as the audio comes from both sides.

The charging port is the equal port used to charge the Apple Pencil. When you insert the Apple Pencil, the bottom of the iPad rises slightly because the Apple Pencil is thicker than the iPad. If you have a case, it might be the Apple Pencil that lifts off the table.

Apple iPad 6th Generation Pencil

It is still the same Apple Pencil released with the first iPad Pro. It still works well and is the perfect stylus for the iPad Pro. The tapered tip lets you see the line under the information when drawing.

It takes 15 minutes to charge Apple Pencil fully. And since you can set it with your iPad, you don’t need to carry around other charging accessories.

Apple Pencil has a good weight and feels good in the hand.

iPad 6th Generation vs iPad Pro

Here are the main changes between the iPad 6th Generation and iPad Pro.

iPad 6th Generation (2018) with Apple Pencil (2)

Size

iPad Pro is available in larger 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch sizes. Drawing on the 9.7-inch iPad 6th Generation  is like drawing on an A5 (5.8 x 8.3 inch) sketchbook.

Not only is it 10.5 inches bigger, but it also has better resolution. 2224×1668 vs 2048×1536. A 0.6-inch diagonal difference isn’t that big. However, his other 10.5-inch explanation is beneficial as it can provide more space for user interfaces such as toolbars and palettes. In reality, the physical drawing area isn’t that big, but 10.5 inches feels like more room for drawing.

The 12.9-inch is significantly more significant compared to the 9.7-inch. The 12.9″ drawing area is double the 9.7″ drawing area. The downside of 12.9″ is that it’s less portable than 9.7″ or 10.5″.

Some prefer portability. Others like the size.

True Tone display

iPad Pro features True Tone technology that measures ambient light and corrects screen colour, so colours are accurate. The iPad 6th Generation does not come with True Tone. Not a deal breaker for me. True Tone is friendly to have but not essential.

True Tone is helpful when working in environments with unpredictable or coloured lighting. For example, if your iPad Pro has a warm light bulb, True Tone will adjust the colour temperature of your screen to make it more relaxed, making whites appear whiter rather than slightly yellowish.

The photo above was occupied in a room with blue tinted windows. You can click the image to increase it and see if you notice the difference.

Colour accuracy

iPad Pro supports a wide colour display (P3). iPad 6th Generation colours look great too.

Laminated display

The glass surface of the iPad Pro is very close to the actual screen. The iPad 6th Generation has extra space between the glass and the screen.

When I draw on the iPad Pro, it feels like the lines are really on the surface of the glass. Drawing on the iPad 6th Generation is not wrong, and I am satisfied.

If you have that gap, you usually have parallax. However, parallax affects larger screens more than smaller screens, so it doesn’t matter here. On the iPad 6th Generation, lines still appear directly under the nib while drawing.

The iPad 6th Generation, an air gap, makes a hollow sound when you hit the surface. The iPad Pro has a more muffled sound.

The iPad Pro screen is good, but the iPad 6th Generation screen is pretty good too.

ProMotion display with 120 Hz

With a frame rate of 120Hz, animation effects look super smooth on the iPad Pro; scrolling and fading in and out are super soft. It is only a noticeable side-by-side comparison of the iPad Pro and iPad 6th Generation. If you don’t have anything to compare it to, you may be unable to tell the difference: monitor, phone.

When it comes to drawing, the alteration isn’t that noticeable. The lines still look very responsive when drawing.

RAM and Storage

iPad 6th Generation  only has 2 GB of RAM

Having 4GB of RAM on the iPad Pro is excellent, but the difference is only felt when you use a lot of layers to work with. When he tried to create the same custom-sized canvas in Procreate using an iPad Pro and an iPad 6th Generation, the iPad Pro had just over three times as many layers. For example. For A3 size canvas, iPad 6th Generation can only create 7 layers, while iPad Pro can make 26. For A4 size, it is 57 on iPad Pro.

In terms of storage, the iPad 6th Generation has a maximum of 128 GB, while the iPad Pro can be expanded up to 512 GB.

32 GB of storage is enough if you want to create art and graphic files. If you occasionally download videos or store large files, the storage in the 32GB model will run out quickly. iOS also takes up storage space. Also, installing a large number of apps can take up space quickly. 32 GB might not be too bad if you’re using cloud services. If you have the budget, the 128GB model is recommended. You may need to save some videos to watch on long trips or trips.

Other things

iPad Pro has four speakers, two on each side. The iPad 6th Generation only has two spokes on the bottom.

iPad Pro has a smart connector that allows you to plug in a smart keyboard cover.

Both have 10 hours of battery life.

Conclusion

This is the final result. The iPad 6th Generation is the best portable digital drawing tablet at its current price. The iPad Pro is undoubtedly better but more classy. Wacom Mobile Studio Pro is better but more classy. It’s even more inexpensive than the Samsung Tab S3, and even with the S Pen, it’s not much better.

If you’re looking for an affordable (relatively speaking) great digital drafting pad, the iPad 6th Generation is for you.

The iPad Pro’s main advantage over the iPad 6th Generation is its size. Despite not having so many features, the drawing experience is very similar, so spending an extra few hundred bucks to get the Pro isn’t wise unless you need to draw larger areas. It may not be.

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