I’m thinking about purchasing a new iPad soon as a travel/secondary computer. Would the A-Series iPads be sufficient to run Dorico for iPad and Iconica Sketch, or would it be better for me to purchase an M-Series iPad (specifically Air)?
The largest instrumentation I work with is: piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, strings
Thank you!
I believe about any M-series will do for this.
Avoid A-series to avoid earlier obsolescence.
That’s a great point. However, you can get a refurbished A-chip with 128Gb for a fraction of the price. I have an 8th Gen A-12(?) and it works fine for most projects, although it will bomb out with larger scores. Memory may be key: mine has 128Gb. Others can attest to whether they have more success with more memory or an M-class processor.
Also, check the threads concerning file sharing through iCloud or some similar. It appears that some have had trouble with the iPad overwriting the original file and saving it somewhere else (or something to that effect). Make backups – preferably with revision dates, times, or something!
— Jim
[Edit] There are also limitations with the Dorico for iPad software. It does not have all the features of Pro – even with the lifetime license. (You may already know this!)
Don’t confuse storage with RAM. An 8th-gen A12 iPad has 3 GB of RAM, which is not enough to run Iconica Sketch.
The current A16 iPad has 6 GB of RAM, which is sufficient, but not over-abundant.
The current Air or Pro has 12 GB, which is more than some Macs!
Thanks for that, as always. Coming from a PC background, I understood that Apple handles memory differently but never really got the hang of what they do! 
For me, the M series took Dorico on the IPad from somewhat used with my older iPad to essential. Primary even, on certain kinds of days.
Memory was part of that and I agree you should consider that carefully. Part of that is that I use a fair number of AUv3. It perhaps shouldn’t matter as much to me as it does, but it’s much easier for me to get engrossed and be creative when a solo cello sounds pretty good for example. Anyway, for that processing and power are a thing, and I find the USB C relevant for powering not just the ipad itself but stuff like keyboard(s).
The pencil and its support with the M is a must have to me - not necessarily the Apple Pencil, but a pencil I think it changes the modality, the satisfaction of use, utility and convenience of the UI substantially, but then I’m a guy whose typos the little buttons on a phone constantly. I’ll never be as fast as I am with Pro, but my tolerance and “good enough” has me being more productive in more circumstances. I don’t dismiss the time after dinner, in breaks or whatever tooling around. I use it in a way I didn’t on the older iPad. And I can load and run scores from Dorico Pro that would crater before.
The simple answer is (and always has been) get the ipad with the biggest screen you can afford.
(I second the point about m-series processors being better and likely to receive longer support, but Apple’s track record on the support front is stellar, and they offer updates for years and years regardless.)
@gdball at least several months ago there seemed to be a dearth of orchestral sample libraries available for iPad. Has this changed? What do you use to get a decent solo cello sound?
Good Morning Mike, this one kinda flew under the radar for me too. Korg Module is the sample player. Once you have it click on “Store” and you will have to do lots of scrolling - only the good kind this time as Korg does have a lot of sample libraries for sale. But anyway you’ll eventually see London Symphony Orchestra, Cinematic Brass, Orchestral Dreams…
I use their Supreme Cello Library for Solo Cello. Your timing is good as they are running a 50% summer sale.
They aren’t small by iPad standards: a GiG worth of samples for each library seems about the average.
I find the Iconica Sketch is the best on iOS. I use it with Cubasis and a MIDI keyboard for practice
OT, but: Storage vs. RAM is the same on a PC. My Windows laptop has a 1TB hard drive (storage) and 16GB of RAM.
Right, of course! I guess I either “misspoke” or hadn’t had enough coffee (probably)! Thanks, I wouldn’t want to mislead anyone by a reckless comment!
Thanks everyone! Given my current usage, I think I’m going to wait for the next-gen iPad mini for now.
I would absolutely not run Dorico on an iPad mini, given its tiny screen. You will regret it. Get the biggest screen you can afford; Dorico is filled to the brim with tiny buttons and controls.
Understood. The thing I keep going back to is that the only thing I use my secondary computer for right now is the Mark Lauren exercise program. I’d only use Dorico on it whenever I can’t use my primary computer, such as an extended power outage or when I’m outside and need something to do (including on trips).
Scratch that. Just found out about Apple’s new Upgrade Program, which will allow me to go for an iPad Air.
I think that is a better choice; more RAM!