Astropad

Overall Opinion: The rise of the tablet device has fundamentally changed how many artists do their work - finally allowing a sensible and portable fusion of digital and traditional design. But for a while, making this transition could be an expensive endeavor. Dedicated tablets like those offered by WaCom allowed the precision of a traditional notepad with all the features that come from a computer art editing application, but these dedicated tablets are exceedingly specialized and costly. More casual users might find little reason for such an investment, and even creative freelancers might find difficulty justifying the steep price tag associated with these devices. Astropad allows the precision and functionality you'd expect from a drawing tablet directly on your iPad, and it comes packed with the same intuitive design and wealth of editing features users come to expect from a Mac experience. All you have to do is power on your iPad and launch the software to have access to a powerful and versatile stylus-based art tablet. And its ability to integrate with your existing Mac means that you can use your larger screen and wealth of Mac-based tools seamlessly in tandem with your tablet. What makes Astropad so special is just how well it interfaces with your existing devices. While it works exceedingly well as a tablet in and of itself, it was built from the ground up to work within the Apple ecosystem, creating a piece of software that can function equally as well as a peripheral as it does as a standalone device. Astropad synchronizes seamlessly with all native Mac design and editing apps. From simple sketching to post-production, Astropad can serve as a second screen throughout the entire process of design and implementation. Of course, when you're talking about using a computer as a second screen for your drawing tablet, smooth integration is important. In that regard, Astropad excels. Astropad is GPU accelerated to improve performance, and it consistently runs at 60 frames per second to ensure that what you draw smoothly transitions to the screen almost immediately. It also makes use of ASR assembly code to maximize the battery life on your tablet no matter how long you need to spend working. Control over how you make use of your monitor's real estate is expansive as well. You can take up the whole screen with your tablet or relegate control to a single rectangle. That's a great choice when trying to multitask or juggle the complex demands of multiple projects at the same time. You can also create a designated work space. Translation to your screen is crystal clear with no compression artifacts. Compatibility is a high spot, as Astropad works with all models of iPad and any version of Stylus. Two subscription models are offered. Standard gives users access to all the features that make up the core experience, while studio offers higher responsive and control features for design professionals.

Pros: Works with all native Mac apps Optimized for quick display to your monitor

Cons: Subscription cost can be pricey for non-professional users