Cheapest iPad for good procreate experience

[XXXBigdoinks]

I’m looking to get an iPad for procreate and other design tools. I’ve also seen that there are apps that allow me to use an iPad as a second screen for my pc which would also be helpful for my workflow. The new iPad mini looks tempting but I’m curious if there’s an older/cheaper option that would satisfy my needs. 
 

thanks!

[Darkseth]

Basicly, there are 4 things to consider here:
 

1. Laminated DIsplay or not? The base iPad isn't laminated, so there's a small gap. It's said to be not that big of a deal, you can get used to it easily.

If you don't want a Gap between pencil and Pixel, it has to be the Air or Mini

 

2. ProMotion. That 120 Hz doesn't just look more smooth when scrolling, also the "pencil Lag" is reduced.  Try it out, it looks a bit better, but you won't draw better with it.

 

3. Ram. More Ram = More Layers in ProCreate. 

 

4. Apple Pencil 2 vs. Apple Pencil 1. The 2 is matte, slightly shorter, is charged elegant (instead of stupid), and supports a double-tap feature. This can make it a better experience.

Good news: Except the Home-Button base iPad, every other current iPad with the modern Design-language supports the Pencil 2.

 

iPad Pro 2021 with m1 chip has 8gb Ram. iPad Pro 2020 has 6gb Ram. iPad Pro 2018 has 4gb Ram.

iPad Air 4 and mini 6 have 4gb Ram

base iPad has 3gb Ram. 

 

So.. the more you spend, the better your experience will be. What's your Budget? Max, and comfortable?
Which of these 4 points are important for you?

[DwarfEngine]

Darkseth has answered greatly. I want to answer your question directly. The base iPad is more than enough to run Procreate smoothly, so don’t worry about the performance when deciding between iPads. Instead, decide with the factors above.