Which iPad Should You Get? A Comparison, Buying Guide, and App Recommendations (Campus BTS Deal Available!)

Why I Got an iPad

I’ve always been a committed Android user XD But I’ve been through quite a few tablets over the years, and switching to the iPad was genuinely a different experience.

I originally bought one for journalist interviews and thesis writing. Even now, when thesis writing is basically the only thing left on that list, I’d still recommend the iPad to anyone looking for a tablet.

It’s not without its frustrations — I personally can’t get used to iOS’s limited storage management or how file transfers work — but the app ecosystem is genuinely excellent in ways Android tablets can’t fully match.

So: Android phone for maximum flexibility, iPad for when you need the best app support. That’s where I landed.

These past few months, with classes moving online due to COVID, I’ve had more teachers asking whether they should buy an iPad or a drawing tablet. I put all my thoughts on that here:

Drawing Tablet Guide for Teaching — Tablets, Graphics Tablets, and LCD Writing Tablets

If you’ve decided an iPad is the right choice, here’s what to consider next.

iPad Comparison: Models and Official Accessories

There are several iPad models currently available on the Apple website. As of writing, the education-priced options are roughly:

• iPad Pro: from NT$23,400
• iPad Air: from NT$17,400
• iPad: from NT$10,500

Overall Impressions

Price-wise, the lineup is fairly clear: iPad Pro is the premium tier, Air is mid-range, and iPad is the budget-friendly option.

If you can, I’d strongly recommend going to an Apple Store and trying all three in person. If that’s not an option, here are my personal, subjective impressions.

iPad Pro is the largest — nearly A4 size — so if you want a big screen, this is the one. It supports the highest storage capacities (128GB up to 2TB), has an ultra-wide camera for advanced photo and video needs, and is the most powerful of the three. If you need to edit video, process audio, or do professional illustration on your iPad, this is it.

The downside? It’s heavier. It’s only about 200g more than the Air, but I found the difference noticeable in everyday use.

iPad Air and the base iPad are close in size, but the Air is about 40g lighter (though honestly the difference is subtle), and its screen is slightly larger. In actual use, I found the Air hard to distinguish from the Pro unless you’re specifically testing the features the Pro is optimized for — while the base iPad does feel a bit less smooth by comparison. But this is all relative, so if you have any doubts, go try them in person.

Official Accessories

One important factor is which accessories each model supports.

Apple Pencil

iPad Pro and iPad Air support both first- and second-generation Apple Pencil (note: some older models only support the first gen — check the official specs to be sure). The base iPad supports only the first-generation Pencil.

In my experience, the second-gen Pencil feels noticeably smoother. The first gen is fine too, but if you’re going to draw, second gen is the better choice.

One thing I’ll note: the first-gen Pencil is round, while the second-gen has a flat side for magnetic attachment. I actually prefer the grip of the first gen — holding the flat-sided one for long periods makes my hand ache, and I haven’t found a great solution for that yet.

Keyboards

iPad Pro and iPad Air support the Magic Keyboard. The base iPad only supports the Smart Keyboard Folio. I don’t use a keyboard with my iPad so I don’t have strong opinions here.

What I Ended Up Buying

I was going back and forth between the Pro and the Air. I’d almost talked myself into the Pro when a very attentive store associate asked about my actual use case and said:

The Air is the right choice for you. With the money you save, you can get both an Apple Pencil and AppleCare.

…and they were right XD

My main uses are note-taking and drawing — and since most of my serious drawing ends up on my computer anyway, I didn’t need the Pro’s extra horsepower.

I left with an iPad Air 64GB (Wi-Fi) and a second-gen Apple Pencil, and I’ve been very happy with it.

On the question of storage and connectivity: I went with the smallest storage because I mostly work with documents and already have a habit of using Google Drive, so I don’t need a lot of local space. And since my Android phone (Pixel 4XL) has great hotspot functionality and is always with me, a Wi-Fi-only iPad made sense. These two factors really depend on how you work, so think them through carefully.

Other iPad Accessories

Beyond the official accessories, I bought two additional things:

Case

I got a third-party case with a magnetic holder that wraps around the Pencil. There’s another style where the case has an extended slot for the Pencil, but I prefer not to carry the extra weight XD. I bought mine on PChome for around NT$599–699.

Screen Protector

I wanted a paper-like writing feel, so I got a matte paper-texture screen protector.

Some people say these accelerate Apple Pencil tip wear — in my experience from March through August it’s been fine, though I do write lightly by habit, so it may not be as much of an issue for me. Pencil tips are consumables regardless, so for writing comfort I still recommend paper-texture protectors.

I bought mine on Shopee from the PAMA store for NT$399. Very happy with it.

Pencil Tips

I haven’t replaced my tip yet, but my husband has replaced his once. He switched to a metal tip, which I tried out briefly — the sensation is remarkably similar to writing with a fountain pen on paper, which is interesting.

Whether it damages the screen I can’t say for certain, but since he also has a paper-texture screen protector on, it should be… fine?

Education Store and BTS Back to School Deal for Students and Educators

Students and faculty can access Apple’s education pricing, which is a bit lower across the board (eligibility criteria are on the official site). There’s also a special promotion each year around back-to-school season — the BTS (Back to School) deal.

I’ll admit I didn’t know what BTS stood for when I first saw it XD (It’s Back to School, not the band.)

For the iPad lineup, buying an iPad Pro or iPad Air at education pricing during BTS gets you a free pair of AirPods — that’s an incredible deal.

So if you’ve been on the fence and you’re eligible, I’d strongly recommend not missing the BTS window.

A few things to note:

• Education pricing has a per-product annual purchase limit — you can’t just buy multiple units;
• The BTS promotion is limited to one pair of AirPods per person per cycle; [Update from teacher Sango: actually during BTS you can get up to two AirPods — one for a Mac and one for an iPad!]
• You can purchase in-store or online; in-store requires ID verification on the spot, online verification is done by email (and the review is fast);
• For online purchases, the recipient must qualify under the education program — the payment doesn’t have to come from the eligible student or faculty member, but the recipient does;
• Education pricing may not be compatible with business tax ID invoices.

If you qualify, don’t let the BTS deal pass you by :D

Recommended iPad Apps

My main iPad uses are reading thesis papers, taking notes, and occasional sketching, so my recommendations are fairly focused. I’ll go into more depth on these in future posts.

Note-Taking Apps

Notion

This has been my favorite cross-platform note app for a while. I mostly use it on my computer where I can type quickly, but I’ll pull it up on the iPad occasionally for reference.

It’s free with paid tiers that unlock more features.

I’ve written several posts on Notion — here are a few:

Cross-Platform Note App Notion: Great for Organizing Research, Resumes, and Travel Plans Notion in Practice: Using Notion for Work and Time Management Notion in Practice: Building a Personal CV/Resume with Notion Templates

GoodNotes

Currently on its fifth version. One-time paid purchase at NT$270. Key features include handwriting support with text recognition (there are occasional word-boundary glitches, but nothing major), and the ability to import photos and annotate directly on top of them. Highly recommended.

You can split-screen two documents for side-by-side comparison, and you can import custom templates to build your own personalized notebooks.

Honestly, GoodNotes handwriting just looks really good XD

Notability

Another note app I love, though I reach for GoodNotes more often in practice. Where Notability really shines is synchronized audio recording — it records audio while you take notes, and you can tap any line of notes to jump to that moment in the recording. Perfect for interviews or meeting notes.

One-time paid purchase at NT$290.

Drawing Apps

Procreate

Most of the time I draw on my computer using ClipStudio with a graphics tablet, but when I just want to sketch something quickly, I open Procreate (see the drawing below for an example of what I’ve been up to).

In all honesty, Procreate is capable enough to handle professional work — I just happen to be more comfortable with CS. One-time paid purchase at NT$330. If you’re drawing on iPad, this is my top recommendation. (iPad also has ClipStudio, but that’s a subscription model, which I personally prefer to avoid XD)

Summary

If budget allows, the iPad is a genuinely excellent choice — thin, light, and feature-rich. It’s a completely different tool from a drawing tablet, each with its own strengths and trade-offs.

I hope this post helps you figure out which iPad is right for you. If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask in the comments :D

Thanks for reading :D

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