iPad Pro or Wacom Cintiq: Which One Is Better In 2025?

Since you have decided to buy a drawing tablet. Which one should you go for: iPad Pro or Wacom Cintiq?

This confusion is what I am clearing up in this article. Who hasn’t heard of a Wacom in the world of graphics tablets? This is one such gadget in which Apple isn’t the market leader. However, that doesn’t give an accurate comparison between the two. Since the affordability is more in a Wacom, does it provide the same charm as that of an Apple iPad at a much lesser price?

Even though the Wacom Cintiq 16 and iPad Pro don’t seem like natural rivals because the former requires a computer connection and the latter is a standalone device, many photo editors, illustrators, 3D modelers, and all artists, including me, use them both.

A comparison of the iPad and Wacom Cintiq’s primary features is provided here. Here I have listed the differences between the two tablets and then further explained them based on my experience with the two tablets. Following this, you can find some valuable pros and cons that I have personally curated from users of both Wacom Cintiq and iPad Pro. 

Specifications comparison between the Apple iPad Pro and Wacom Cintiq

1- Battery-life

iPad Pro: Works as a standalone. Using a rapid charger, I have witnessed that an iPad Pro can be charged from 0% to 80% in 1 hour and 33 minutes. If now that it’s time to change your battery as well. To know when its time to replace the iPad battery then we have a detailed data over that.

Wacom Cintiq: The Wacom Cintiq requires a power source because it lacks a battery, so it must be attached to a computer. Since it requires its power source, that makes it much less portable. 

Its battery life is nowhere close to that of an iPad, lasting only 3–4 hours on a full charge on my Cintiq 16.

2- Screen size

iPad Pro: It is available in 11-inch and 12.9-inch models.

Wacom Cintiq: This is available as 15.6-inch and 21.5-inch, plus Cintiq Pro models of 24-inch and 31.5-inch.

3- Resolution

iPad Pro: It gives retina screens with resolutions of 2388 x 1668 for the 11-inch model and 2732 x 2048 for the 12.9-inch models. It means you can see fine details without zooming in.

Wacom Cintiq: The Cintiq and Cintiq Pro both support Full HD 1920 x 1080 and 4K 3840 x 2160, respectively. The Cintiq’s big screen size makes the 1080p resolution seem extremely low compared to the iPad.

4- Weight

iPad Pro: It weighs just 633 grams.

Wacom Cintiq: The Wacom Cintiq is 1.9 kg in weight.

5- Surface Texture

iPad Pro: Has a sketching surface that is more glass-like and smooth.

Wacom Cintiq: It provides drawing surfaces that are matte and textured to complement paper better, and Wacom successfully does that.

6- Parallax

iPad Pro: The screens on the iPad Pros are completely laminated and have no discernible parallax.

Wacom Cintiq: Wacom’s manufacturing technique efficiently eliminates parallax, although the Cintiq lacks a fully laminated screen. However, it is available in the Cintiq Pro range if you are looking for full lamination. 

7- Multi-support touch

iPad Pro: It supports input with a pen, a finger, or a motion. Thus it is versatile.

Wacom Cintiq: As far as Wacom is concerned, unless you get the somewhat more expensive Wacom Cintiq Pro, expect only pen input support.

 

Features – iPad Pro or Wacom Cintiq

Since I have been a freelance digital artist for quite some years and have avidly experimented with various graphics tablets in my work, the review is authentic. All the features I have listed below are from my experience using the two tablets here, The Apple iPad Pro and Wacom Cintiq. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these tablets and some critical variations. Read along to get an overview of the features that suit your needs better.

1. Seeing the image you’re drawing on the tablet in real-time

An iPad Pro allows you to draw on paper and view the result as if sketching it on a screen. The more powerful Cintiq or Mobile Studio Pro tablet, which costs more than an iPad Pro, is the only way to accomplish the same result with a Wacom tablet. As there are lots of other cheap Wacom tablets are available in market which can help you.

2. Portability

Compared to comparable Wacom products, I found the iPad Pro more portable. Whenever I needed to use my Cintiq, I had to have a computer nearby. The MobileStudio Pro, which is once again an expensive model compared to the iPad Pro, is the only Wacom alternative that will operate independently.

You will always have a self-sufficient drawing tool thanks to the iPad Pro’s independence from your laptop or desktop computer. When in Wacom, use MobileStudio Pro to get the same result as the other models require a connected computer to reflect the screen.

3. Software selection

Since the iPad Pro is a mobile device, you can use various specially modified apps to provide a fluid mobile drawing experience. You will utilize the software’s desktop version, such as Illustrator or Photoshop, because Wacom mirrors your laptop or PC screen. A modern illustrator will find the recently developed animation apps for the iPad Pro to be of great use.

Wacom offers a great selection of file resolution and function options and supports full versions of Illustrator and Photoshop. When the iPad Pro was initially released, there was a restriction on the file sizes and resolutions used in apps. Now, though, things are different. First, the Procreate program has consistently provided a good selection of image resolutions and formats. Additionally, Adobe CC created several incredible iPad apps. Adobe Fresco, which supports any size and resolution and provides excellent tools and brushes, is now available. Adobe Photoshop Sketch and Adobe Photoshop Draw are the two more traditional Adobe drawing programs. Through Creative Cloud, they are easily integrated with desktop Adobe apps. You can draw in vector and raster graphics using these programs.

4. Functionality

I didn’t just use my iPad Pro for drawing. IPads are helpful in various other life situations, including checking emails, posting pictures on social media, editing videos, and much more. Apple gives you the liberty to do a lot more than that. When compared, a Wacom cannot be used for anything else.

5. Design and Innovation 

Regarding the screen size, the 16, 24, and 36-inch models from Wacom offer significantly greater workspace. However, this site and other unique characteristics come at a hefty price.

The iPad Pro is a direct pen display compared to any Wacom model. As if drawing on paper, you can see the image you are creating. However, if you know your requirements and buy accordingly as I did, Wacom offers the same in some models. A high-end Cintiq can provide you with a drawing experience similar to the iPad Pro, but it will cost more, or you will still need to mirror it to a desktop, as in the case of the Wacom Cintiq 16, which is indeed cheaper.

6. Penholders 

The iPad and Apple pencil don’t have pen holders; instead, they employ magnets. The stylus magnetically adheres to the side edges of the newer iPad Pro. Dedicated penholders are always included with Wacom Cintiqs.

 

My Experience 

I have had my heart set on acquiring a Cintiq for a very long time. Having used different tablets in the past with varying success, I wanted the on-screen editing capabilities that a Cintiq provides, along with a pressure-sensitive stylus.

When the iPad Pro and Pencil were released, I stopped thinking about the Cintiq. You have movement and flexibility, pressure sensitivity, and an iPad’s wide range of art-related apps. It is not just a second screen; it’s a standalone computer. Using a USB cord and the Astropad app, I used the iPad Pro as a second monitor on my Mac, having the app installed on both my Mac and iPad. I could use the iPad as a Cintiq by connecting Photoshop and other full-featured Mac software. If you own a Mac Mini, as I do, the iPad Pro can also serve as your computer’s sole monitor.

Now with Procreate or Adobe software, the iPad can produce works of art of the highest caliber, mainly when used with the Apple Pencil pen. Many artists prefer this stylus over ones with Wacom, and the iPad is swiftly gaining popularity. The iPad gives the artist access to an entire computer operating system that may be utilized for social media, streaming movies, and other online activities, as well as a drawing tablet with a screen. Who doesn’t like having more, isn’t it?

In contrast to the Wacom, which struggles with portability because their versions with screens need a PC or laptop to utilize, the iPad is incredibly portable and has been a lifesaver for my work in numerous instances.

Using AstroPad or SideCar, the iPad may be mirrored to a Macbook for a larger display.

Wacom tablets cannot be used with the Procreate iPad app because, as it is known, Procreate is only compatible with iOS devices. The iPad is the only device that can use the Procreate digital art app, and it is often labeled as one of the best apps for digital painting, sketching, and art. That adds to the advantage of having an iPad. 

The Wacom Cintiq and Intuos are my best choices between the iPad Pro and Air and the Wacom Cintiq due to their portability, pressure sensitivity, application compatibility, display size, and preferred features. Gestures are a feature of the iPad Pro + Apple Pencil comparable to using two fingers to swipe various commands on a laptop. This can be done using the Pencil to draw on the iPad Pro, enabling instant zoom, rotation, brush swapping, and many other features. This works just as well, but I preferred it to the Wacom touch bar because it is more difficult to use and takes a little longer to activate commands.

Conclusion

I own a Cintiq Pro 16, the most recent 12.9 iPad Pro, and Apple Pencil. Before purchasing the iPad, I originally purchased the Cintiq and used it daily. After I bought the iPad, I never used the Cintiq unless I explicitly needed to use Photoshop or Illustrator.

Drawing using the Apple Pencil is unquestionably superior to drawing with the Cintiq’s Pro Pen 2. It has a more intuitive pressure response curve, is more accurate, has zero parallaxes, doesn’t need calibration, and feels better with the stylus point on the screen.

In terms of technical advantages, the iPad Pro is superior to the Cintiq, Intuos, and Wacom One because it has been improved and offers a few compelling benefits.

With a few minor exceptions, I found the Apple pencil more comfortable for extended painting sessions than a Cintiq stylus. However, most people will not love the iPad’s glassy smooth screen and want a screen protector to make it feel like a Cintiq.

If you’re still in doubt, ask yourself these: How crucial is it for me to be allowed to draw anywhere I please? The iPad Pro is ideal if you want something portable that you can use everywhere.

Do I need a tablet to draw in the full desktop version of Photoshop and Illustrator with all its functions smoothly? If the answer is yes, I’d suggest going for a Wacom.

iPads are always a good option if you’re starting to learn the basics of digital art or graphic designing. When you have a firm grasp of the subject and have honed your basic drawing abilities, consider exploring the additional features Photoshop offers and dive into the technicalities. However, the budget always acts as the final deciding factor.