#Astropad mac full#
#Astropad mac pro#
#Astropad mac professional#

Unlike Sidecar, Astropad has much broader support in terms of hardware. Astropad now has two tiers: a one-off $30 purchase that includes core functionality, and a $12/month (or $80/year) subscription plan that includes many more features. It first appeared in 2015, long before Sidecar existed, bringing graphics tablet-like functionality to anyone with a compatible Mac and an iPad. Perfect for: Mac users who donвЂ™t meet the requirements for Sidecar, and Windows users.ДЄstropad is the original iPad drawing tablet app. Astropad Standard / Studio ($30 or $12 per month) Astropad If you have a compatible iPad and Mac, you can set Sidecar up right now under System Preferences > Sidecar. A lack of customization could be frustrating to some users who would prefer more control over the UI or pen pressure settings. There are shortcuts around the outside of the screen that allow you to quickly undo, use modifier keys like Command and Option, and access app-specific shortcuts. Sidecar is well-optimized, reliable, and compatible with supported Macs at a system level. Drawing is possible using the Apple Pencil in Mac apps that already support stylus input, including Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. One of the best things about Sidecar is that you can use it as a proper second display, rather than just mirroring whatвЂ™s on-screen. YouвЂ™ll also need to be using the same Apple ID on both devices, and be within 30 ft (10 meters) of your Mac for wireless to work.

#Astropad mac pro#

Sidecar with the 2016 MacBook Pro, 2016 MacBook, 2018 MacBook Air, 2017 iMac or 2015 Retina iMac, the iMac Pro, 2018 Mac mini, and 2019 Mac Pro or later. Speaking of the Mac, youвЂ™ll need a fairly recent model thatвЂ™s running macOS Catalina or later. You can use it wirelessly or plug it directly into your Mac using the USB cable that came with it, which means you can power your tablet while you work on it. Since Sidecar is a first-party solution, it generally works very well (especially compared to some third-party alternatives). You can find out which iPad you have under Settings > General > About. It works with the iPad Pro, third-gen iPad Air, fifth-gen iPad mini, or sixth-gen iPad or newer. Sidecar is AppleвЂ™s attempt at turning the iPad into a second display for use with compatible Macs. Perfect for: Mac users with a recent model iPad and Apple Pencil. Certain apps may work better than others with your particular hardware or preferred creative apps, so testing is essential here to avoid disappointment. Lastly, all of these apps were designed to work with the Mac first and foremost, which means Windows support isnвЂ™t as mature.

Things like nearby wireless interference or lots of network activity can slow wireless performance down so a stress test may be in order. Make sure you fully test wireless performance if you intend to rely on it.

#Astropad mac professional#

Confirm that your solution works with your preferred creative apps, whether thatвЂ™s free tools like Inkscape and GIMP or professional apps from Adobe or Affinity.

#Astropad mac full#

Before you sign up for a subscription or pay a one-off fee, make sure you thoroughly test the full set of features. With the exception of Sidecar (AppleвЂ™s own free solution), all of the products listed below have some sort of free trial.