iPad vs Samsung Tab for Creatives
Let’s get this out of the way first: I’m a Samsung girly through and through. I’ve tried the iPhone before and it just wasn’t for me. MacBooks? They’re stylish, sure, but I can take or leave them. While I love the customization potential of Apple’s accessories and covers, the coder/developer side of me doesn’t enjoy how Apple locks you into its ecosystem. It feels limiting.
That said, I did eventually fall to the siren song of the iPad. In a previous article, I compared the iPad with the Wacom Cintiq for artists. It was a bit of an apples-and-oranges situation, but the Wacom Cintiq still stood out to me as the ultimate artist’s tool, especially considering Wacom’s new models that minimize cables or even go fully standalone. But it got me thinking: what about the Samsung Galaxy Tab? Can it hold its own against the iPad? And for artists and creatives, which one makes more sense? In this post, I’ll walk you through the big-picture pros and cons of both devices, without getting bogged down in specific models. Let’s talk iPad vs Samsung Tab!
iPad vs Samsung Tab: Price Breakdown
The iPad Air starts at around $550 for the 11-inch model and $740 for the 13-inch. The iPad Pro jumps up to $900 for the 11-inch and $1,200 for the 13-inch. These are 2025 prices, so older models can be found cheaper, but Apple products aren’t exactly known for being budget-friendly. And remember—you’ll also need the Apple Pencil ($110), plus at least $50 for a decent case or stand, and maybe another $20 for a clip to keep the pencil attached. If you want the Apple Magic Keyboard, that’s another $100–200. So realistically, you’re spending $700+ just to get started with the iPad as a drawing setup.
Now let’s look at the Galaxy Tab lineup. The Galaxy Tab S11 (11-inch) sits around $860 on Amazon. The S10+ gives you a bigger 12.4-inch display for $850, and the Ultra version stretches to a massive 14.6 inches for $980—perfect if you love a huge canvas. Samsung does have Lite and FE editions, but for creatives, I wouldn’t recommend them since the limited specs can slow you down. The big win? The S Pen is already included with most flagship models. And if you lose or damage it, replacements are under $50. Samsung’s official keyboard case costs around $150 AND comes with a handy compartment to store your SPen, so you don’t need to spend even more money just to secure it. In other words, with Samsung, you can technically start drawing right out of the box.
Price-wise, both brands will set you back at least $700+, but Samsung has the advantage of including the pen and giving you more size options right out of the gate. But, you get what you pay for, and Apple products have a distinctly more ‘luxe’ feel to them and wonderful build quality.
The Pens: Apple Pencil vs. S Pen
The S Pen is slimmer and lighter than the Apple Pencil, with a slightly ‘flimsy’ feel. It doesn’t need charging, which is great, and its fine metal nib makes it excellent for writing and annotating. Some people even skip screen protectors because they like the tactile feel of the nib directly on glass. Personally, I loved it for note-taking but didn’t enjoy it for drawing. For me, it just didn’t capture the fluidity and pressure levels I wanted.
The Apple Pencil, on the other hand, feels more ‘premium’. It’s heavier, which some people find fatiguing, but I found it perfectly comfortable for long drawing sessions. It has excellent pressure sensitivity, smooth palm rejection, and a buttery pressure curve that makes it intuitive to use. It needs to be charged, but as long as you keep it docked when not in use, it’ll always be ready for you. The downside is the price—and the fact that most artists I know end up adding a paper-feel screen protector or swapping nibs for a better texture, which means more expenses (a running theme with Apple products). Still, for drawing, I much prefer the Apple Pencil.
Durability-wise, my S Pen’s nib broke rather quickly and the whole pen needed replacing. My Apple Pencil has lasted longer, though it’s picked up a crack and slight curve over time. Both can break, but Apple’s feels sturdier overall. At the end of the day it’s very much a personal preference thing – try the pens in-store and see for yourself!
Software & Ecosystem
This is where Apple really shines: Procreate. Honestly, Procreate was 90% of why I bought an iPad. It’s one of the most effective, seamless art apps I’ve ever used, built specifically for the iPad rather than being a desktop app awkwardly ported over. On top of that, you get access to other great programs like Clip Studio Paint, the Affinity Suite, Photoshop apps, and basically every creative app under the sun. The Apple Store is unmatched.
Samsung doesn’t have Procreate, Affinity, or full Photoshop (just Lightroom and some lighter apps). It does have Infinite Painter and other solid Android art apps, plus Clip Studio Paint, which is a nice win. The real appeal, though, lies in Samsung’s flexibility. With Samsung DeX, your tablet can act like a desktop, complete with resizable windows, a taskbar, and right-click options. Many apps, including Clip Studio, Lightroom, and Office, work smoothly in this mode, and you can even use browser based art apps like Canva and Photopea.
Another great Samsung feature is Second Screen, which turns your Galaxy Tab into a pen display for your PC. That means you can run full Photoshop or other desktop programs right on your tablet. Apple offers a similar feature called Sidecar, but—as always—it only works if you own a Mac. Both features are great if you already have a strong art laptop, though they do add to the overall cost since you’ll need desktop software too. However, since Second Screen and Sidecar let your tablet pull double duty—as both a regular tablet and a pen display— instead of buying a Wacom Cintiq and a tablet, you can just stick with one device that does it all.
Other Considerations:
Screen Quality
When it comes to screens, both Apple and Samsung bring their A-game. The iPad Air has a lovely Liquid Retina display, but it’s not quite as smooth or bright as its big sibling. The iPad Pro ups the ante with a gorgeous OLED Ultra Retina XDR panel, hitting up to 120Hz refresh and super-bright HDR levels, making colors pop and blacks look inky. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S11 series, especially the Ultra, holds its own with a huge Dynamic AMOLED 120Hz display. It’s vibrant, sharp, and rivals the iPad Pro when it comes to contrast and smoothness.
Battery Life
Battery life is always a big deal for creatives on the go. Apple claims “all-day” use across both the Air and the Pro, which usually translates to around 10 hours of sketching, browsing, or streaming before reaching for the charger. Samsung’s Galaxy Tabs pack in larger batteries—especially the Ultra—so they tend to last a bit longer under heavy use. Plus, fast charging is a nice perk if you need to juice up quickly before heading out. In practice, both will get you through a full day of drawing, but Samsung might give you just a little extra leeway.
Final Thoughts?
At the end of the day, both the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab are excellent options for creatives—it just comes down to what matters most to you. If you want the widest range of creative apps, especially Procreate, and a super-polished drawing experience, the iPad (especially the Pro) is hard to beat. But if you value flexibility, bigger screen options, and getting a pen included without extra costs, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is a fantastic choice. Features like DeX and Second Screen give Samsung an edge for those who want a tablet that doubles as a desktop-style device or even a pen display.
In short: go iPad if you want premium build quality and unbeatable creative software, and go Samsung if you want versatility, more screen space, and better value right out of the box. Either way, you’ll have a powerful creative tool in your hands.
So what about you—are you Team iPad or Team Samsung Galaxy Tab?
Let me know in the comments or shoot me an email at [email protected]!
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