If you already have an iPad that is still getting software updates than you’ve got something fast enough to get started. Yes newer models will be faster, but to get started just work on producing more videos and getting good at the craft of it. Don’t spend money on an iPad “for video” that you won’t end up using much because you never stick with it.
If you don’t have an iPad then the first question is, which one should I get? While I’m lucky to be able to afford the biggest bestest iPad at the time of this course, the 12.9″ M1 iPadPro, I started with a 9.7″ iPad Pro as my daily driver iPad.
Screen Size
One bigger consideration is what size screen will help you be most productive? The iPad Mini is an excellent device with a solid processor that will not hold you back during editing or rendering videos, but that small screen will always feel cramped and slow down your workflow.
Processing Power
While all of the iPad’s out there currently have very fast processors, the M1 iPad’s have a huge leap forward in terms of their capabilities. Not only are they the fastest iPad’s, they also enable Stage Manager in iPadOS 16 which can greatly improve your screen space if you have a second monitor.
An M1 iPad Air can connect up to my 27″ 4k screen to give me ample writing or editing area.
Yes the M1 iPad’s will be faster for video rendering, but you likely won’t notice that much. The extra real estate you can get with Stage Manager in iPadOS 16 will be a much bigger productivity boost than the extra silicone speed.
Storage
If you’re going to be running a YouTube channel you’re going to deal with large files. When recording with my iPhone 13 Mini in 4k ten minutes of video will take up about 3.5GB of storage on my iPhone.
For a YouTube video I may have 10 – 15 minutes of a-roll (me talking to the camera) plus another 10 minutes of b-roll (product shots). If I use my Canon 90D then I’m going to take up about 1GB a minute.
While this may not seem like a lot of video, if you’re storing video for a few projects that are on the go at once it’s easy to not realize how many video files are on your iPad. More than once I’ve realized that because I hadn’t offloaded older projects I was getting close to the 1TB of storage available on my iPad Pro.
The rule of thumb, get as much storage as you can afford. If you can only afford 1TB of storage if you get an 11″ iPad Pro instead of the 12.9″, get the 11″. It’s a huge productivity waster to continually move files around so you can keep producing videos.
If you’re going to be really careful, the lowest amount of storage I think you can get away with is 256GB.
Other Considerations
The final thing you should take into account is the connector type on the iPad. You need to give strong preference to USB C. USB C iPad’s allow you to use various USB C hubs so you can have wired internet easily. Adding wired internet to my iPad Pro means a 5GB video only takes a few minutes to upload, instead of almost an hour.
USB C also means you can get various docks that are going to be compatible with other devices, like USB C laptops. The desk I devote to my iPad doubles as a desk for my wife when she takes online courses. She can sit down with her laptop and get an external monitor, wired internet, and power by plugging in a single cable.
Recommendations
The smallest screen I’d recommend if you’re purchasing an iPad for a YouTube channel is the 9.7″ iPad. For $479USD you can get 256GB of storage and a very capable device.
The next step up from there is the iPad Air, which comes in at $749 for a 256GB model. The biggest reason this is a good step up is that it has a USB C Port which enables compatibility with other USB C devices.
For $100 more, at $899, you can get an 11″ iPad Pro. This has not only an M1 processor but a much faster USB 4/Thunderbolt port. It looks exactly the same as a USB C port, but is much faster and has some extra capabilities you may be able to take advantage of.
Really that’s the most expensive model of iPad you need. Sure the 12.9″ iPadPro has extra screen real estate which I take advantage of, but the 11″ or the Air could do the same thing with Stage Manager and an external monitor. Yes more storage will mean I’m juggling files less, but if you pay attention to your storage this won’t be a problem.
Of course, the 12.9″ iPad Pro has a more colour accurate screen, but when you’re fist starting out just make sure the colours look normal. Any iPad screen is good enough for that.
Productivity is more than tools
A good process will work no matter what tool you choose to use. It will work on paper or in a digital task manager. If you’re looking to build a productivity practice that will help you get more done without being overloaded, this is the course you want. Become a member to get all my courses.
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