17 Best Drawing Tablets in 2023

best drawing tablets for graphic design 2023

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Drawing tablets are a key resource for any graphic designers or digital artist nowadays to explore your creativity and optimize your working speed, on this list I will help you choose the best graphic tablet depending on your necessities and budget to help you boost your workflow with this indispensable IT tool for modern graphic designers.

Best Drawing Tablets With Screen for Graphic Design

Wacom Cintiq 16 (The Best Drawing Tablet Overall)

Wacom Cintiq 22 (The best Tablet Overall) 

Huion Kamvas Pro 24 (Best Huion Tablet)

Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13 (Best High-end Drawing Tablet)

Huion Kamvas 22 Plus (Great value for a professional drawing tablet)

Best Budget-Friendly Drawing Tablets With Screen For Graphic Design

XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 (Pro Experience at a Great Price)

Wacom One (Best Value for Drawing Tablet)

Gaomon PD1560 (Affordable Widescreen Tablet for Graphic Design)

Best Computer Tablets For Graphic Design

Apple iPad Air 2022 (Most Powerful Tablet For Graphic Designers)

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (Best Apple iOS Tablet for Illustrators)

Microsoft Surface Pro 8

Best Graphics Tablets (Without Screen)

Xencelabs Medium Pen Tablet (Best Graphic Tablet Bundle)

Wacom Intuos Pro Large (Best Tablet for Artists and Illustrator)

Wacom Intuos Pro Small (Best Small Drawing Tablet)

Best Budget Graphics Tablets for Beginner Graphic Designers

XP-PEN Deco 03 (Best Slim Drawing Tablet)

Huion H610 Pro V2 (One of the best ultra-cheap tablets)

Huion 430P (Great Budget Option For Beginner Designers)

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Best Drawing Tablets With Screen for Graphic Design

If you are a professional graphic designer looking for the best drawing tablet with a screen these are the best options you can find right now.

The Best Drawing Tablet Overall

Wacom Cintiq 16

Active drawing area: 16.6 x 11.2in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: Micro USB, Bluetooth, OS: Windows or macOS

The Best Drawing Tablet Bigger

Wacom Cintiq 22

Active drawing area: 19.5 x 11.5in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Resolution: 1920 x 1080, Connections: HDMI, USB 2.0

Best Value Pro Drawing Tablet

Huion Kamvas 22 Plus

Active drawing area: 18.77x 10.56in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: HDMI/USB-C/USB-A, Resolution: 1920×1080 Full HD

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Specs: Active drawing area: 16.6 x 11.2in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: Micro USB, Bluetooth, OS: Windows or macOS

A refreshed version of an already a great drawing tablet, Wacom Cintiq is a great option under this price range as it offers you Wacom’s graphic tablet quality and it comes with the Pro Pen 2 Stylus with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity offering you a great drawing experience overcoming other rivals of the same price range.

 

Wacom Cintiq 16 has a 1920x 1080p HD screen resolution and 16.6 x 11.2 inches active drawing area offering you a larger display screen perfect to take care of every detail, this graphic tablet is supported by digital art software like Adobe Suite (Photoshop, illustrator, more), Corel Suite and Autodesk Sketchbook, so if you are looking for an affordable drawing tablet that offers you an excellent drawing experience consider to buy Wacom Cintiq 16.

Pros for Wacom Cintiq 16

 

  • Affordable price for great quality
  • Large display screen
  • Excellent Pen

Cons for Wacom Cintiq 16

  • Not 4K Screen
  • It hasn’t multi-touch support

Specs: Active drawing area: 19.5 x 11.5in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Resolution: 1920 x 1080, Connections: HDMI, USB 2.0

If you are looking for the best overall drawing tablet for graphic designers and digital artists then Wacom Cintiq 22 is the graphic tablet you are looking for, offering premium features such as 8192 pressure levels, tilt recognition, amazing accuracy for the best results, and Parallax tick reduced to offer you the best drawing experience right now.

 

The Wacom Cintiq 22 drawing tablet offers you 21.5 inch full HD screen with 1920×1080 resolution and a 19.5 x 11.5-inch drawing area to draw directly on your graphic tablet screen to help you see every detail of your project with the highest color accuracy. This graphic tablet works in any creative software such as All Adobe Suite, Corel Suite, Autodesk Sketchbook, and more.

 

If you are a digital artist or graphic designer and you are looking for the best drawing tablet then you need to go for the Wacom Cintiq 22.

Pros for Wacom Cintiq 22

  • Excellent Pressure sensitivity
  • The best drawing tablet on the market

Cons for Wacom Cintiq 22

  • No pen stand
  • Dull colors because the anti-glare film

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Specs: Active drawing area: 20.7 x 11.6in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: HDMI/DP/VGA, Resolution: 2.5K 2560×1440 QHD

If you are asking what is the best Huion tablet for graphic design, the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 is your answer, as it is the top range drawing tablet from Huion, and this great pen display offers you an active drawing area of 20.7×11.6in and superb 2.5K 2560×1440 QHD resolution at a really affordable price for a high-end drawing tablet.

 

With this high-end drawing tablet, you will have a premium drawing experience with 8,192 levels of pressure, 120% sRGB color gamut perfect for color accuracy, and a large drawing area making it a really great investment for professional artists and graphic designers to have a high-end tablet for a really good price compared with other high-end drawing tablets from this list.

Pros

  • Premium drawing experience
  • Excellent screen display
  • Attractive design
  • Great price for a high-end drawing tablet

Cons

  • Can’t customize the pen sensitivity

Specs: Active drawing area: 27.44 x 15.43in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 OS: Windows, macOS Resolution: 2560×1440 WQHD

If you are a professional graphic designer, 3D designer, or illustrator looking for the best equipment for your graphic design office your best choice is Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13” as it’s the high-end Wacom drawing tablet offering you a powerful tablet with Intel i7-8559U CPU, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD.

 

Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13” has an active drawing area of 27.44×15.43 inches and 2560×1440 WQHD screen resolution offering the best drawing experience. this drawing tablet is the best drawing tablet available now on the market with a price tag to match it, so if you are a professional designer looking for the best tools this is the best option for you.

Pros:

  • Best High-End Drawing Tablet
  • Powerful tablet
  • Wide storage

Cons:

  • The high-end price tag

Specs: Active drawing area: 18.77x 10.56in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: HDMI/USB-C/USB-A, Resolution: 1920×1080 Full HD

Huion Kamvas 22 Plus is one of the best drawing tablets from Huion offering you a great drawing experience with an excellent screen and a 1920×1080 Full HD resolution at a really affordable price, so if you are looking for a great value tablet you should take a look at this pen display.

 

This drawing tablet offers you a 140% sRGB color coverage that allows you to see 16.7 million colors and an anti-parallax design that will give you a smooth and great experience when you are working on your next design, so if you are a professional graphic designer looking for a great value drawing tablet that offers you all the needs for professional work you should consider buying this drawing tablet.

Pros

  • Great screen
  • Great value for a professional drawing tablet
  • Includes accessories
  • Great price

Cons

  • Pen could have been better
  • Don’t have a touchscreen

Best Budget-Friendly Drawing Tablets With Screen For Graphic Design

If you are a professional graphic designer looking for a budget-friendly drawing tablet that offers you a great drawing experience these are the best tablet with screens you can find for an affordable price.

Pro Experience at a Great Price

XP-Pen Artist Pro 16

Active drawing area: 13.42 x 7.55in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: USB-C, Resolution: 1920×1080 Full HD

Best Value For Drawing Tablet

Wacom One

Active drawing area: 11.6 x 6.5in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels, Connections: USB-C, HDMI, Resolution: 1920 x 1080, OS: Windows, macOS or Android

Affordable Widescreen Tablet for Graphic Design

Gaomon PD1560

Active drawing area: 6.5 x 4in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: HDMI, OS: Windows/Mac OS

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Specs: Active drawing area: 13.42 x 7.55in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: USB-C, Resolution: 1920×1080 Full HD

XP-Pen drawing tablets dominate the mid-range niche offering you great products for really attractive price tags, and the XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 drawing tablet will give you a premium drawing feeling for an affordable price tag, this pen display offers you an active drawing area of 13.42×7.55 inches and 1920×1080 Full HD resolution for an immersive drawing experience.

 

If you are looking for the best drawing tablet from XP-Pen, this is your best choice, with a 99% Adobe RGB coverage and a new brand stylus that will give you a smooth drawing, so if you are a professional graphic designer but you have a limited budget, you definitely should consider on buying XP-Pen Artist Pro 16.

Pros

  • Premium drawing feeling
  • Minimal parallax
  • Great value

Cons

  • The stand is not included
  • The screen can be brighter

Specs: Active drawing area: 11.6 x 6.5in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels, Connections: USB-C, HDMI, Resolution: 1920 x 1080, OS: Windows, macOS or Android

Wacom is one of the best brands if you are looking for drawing tablets, and Wacom One it’s an affordable alternative from the brand offering you a great drawing experience for beginner graphic designers and digital artists to improve your drawing skills for a great price.

 

This drawing tablet is one of the best for under 400$ offering you an active drawing area of 11.6×6.5 inches, 4,096 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, and a Full HD screen to take care of every detail, so if you want to practice your drawing skills without making a huge investment then go for the Wacom One tablet.

Pros for Wacom One

  • Wacom’s economical alternative
  • Perfect for Beginner graphic designers
  • Wacom quality for an affordable price

Cons for Wacom One

  • Low sensibility
  • Low screen resolution
  • Pen has no eraser included

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Specs: Active drawing area: 6.5 x 4in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: HDMI, OS: Windows/Mac OS

If you are looking for a widescreen pen display at an affordable price, you should take at Gaomon PD1560 offering you a full HD 15.6-inch monitor and an active drawing area of 6.5×4 inches perfect for an excellent drawing experience while you are looking at your design directly on the display.

 

This drawing tablet is great for graphic designers with 10 shortcut buttons and a 178-degree viewing angle for a really great price.

Pros

  • Widescreen
  • Affordable price
  • 10 Shortcut buttons

Cons

  • The battery could have been longer

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Best Computer Tablets For Graphic Design

If you are a graphic designer looking for a drawing tablet that doesn’t need an external computer and offers you the functions of a normal tablet these are the best tablets you can use as a drawing tablet right now.

Most Powerful Tablet For Graphic Designers

Apple iPad Air 2022

Active drawing area: 9.74 x 7in, Pen pressure sensitivity: Requires Apple Pencil, Connections: USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Resolution: 2350×1640 OS: iPadOS 15.4

Best iOS Tablet For Graphic Design

Apple iPad Pro 12.9

Active drawing area: 10.32 x 7.74in, Pen pressure sensitivity: Not specified (requires optional Apple Pencil), Resolution: 2732 x 2048, Connections: Lightning, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, OS: iPadOS 13.4

Best Windows Drawing Tablet

Microsoft Surface Pro 8

Active drawing area: 11.25 x 7.5in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 (with Surface pen), Connections: USB, USB-C, Blueetooth and Wi-Fi, Resolution: 3000×2000 OS: Windows 10 Pro

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Specs: Active drawing area: 9.74 x 7in, Pen pressure sensitivity: Requires Apple Pencil, Connections: USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Resolution: 2350×1640 OS: iPadOS 15.4

For graphic designers looking for an iOS system and the most powerful tablet, your best choice is the iPad Air (5th Generation, 2022) with the M1 Apple CPU makes this tablet a really powerful tool for any designer giving you a really fast and smooth experience and performance.


With the Apple Pencil 2 combined with the iPad Air makes it one of the best drawing tablets on the market right now, and the best Apple tablet offering you an incredible 2360×1640 IPS LCD panel to give you a great feeling when drawing your next design, this tablet is perfect for designers looking for a great drawing experience and more functionalities than conventional drawing tablets, like being able to watch movies, write articles and play games.

Pros

  • Powerful M1 Chip
  • Great Screen Quality
  • More functions than a conventional drawing tablet

Cons

  • No thunderbolt 4
  • A refresh rate of 60Hz

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Specs: Active drawing area: 10.32 x 7.74in, Pen pressure sensitivity: Not specified (requires optional Apple Pencil), Resolution: 2732 x 2048, Connections: Lightning, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, OS: iPadOS 13.4

If you are an iOs fan and you are a graphic designer or digital artist working with Apple product, then there is no better choice for you than Apple iPad Pro 12.9 for the best drawing experience for iOs.

 

With a 2,732 x 2,048 resolution and active drawing area of 10.32×7.74 inches offer you a great drawing experience at the same time that you get the best performance with the new A12Z Bionic chip with the 8-Core graphics engine, the only disadvantage for the Apple iPad Pro is that you will need to buy the Apple Pencil separately.

Pros for Apple iPad Pro 12.9

  • Fastest performance
  • Superior display
  • Best for iOS

Cons for Apple iPad Pro 12.9

  • Not the best option for heavy work
  • Processor could be better

Specs: Active drawing area: 11.25 x 7.5in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 (with Surface pen), Connections: USB, USB-C, Blueetooth and Wi-Fi, Resolution: 3000×2000 OS: Windows 10 Pro

If you are a looking for a multifunctional tablet that will allow you to have the functions of a traditional tablet and be able to use it as a drawing tablet and you already work with Windows Systems the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is your best choice offering you a really powerful tool with Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD.


This tablet can easily compete with Apple’s flagship iPad Pro 12.9inch offering you a great drawing experience with the Surface Pen Stylus (you need to buy it separately) and a powerful tool with a refresh rate up to 120Hz and a screen resolution of 2,880×1,920 being a highly responsive drawing tablet.

Pros

  • Responsive display
  • All the functions of a traditional tablet
  • Run Windows 11

Cons

  • Stylus comes separately
  • The price tag can be high for some designers

Best Graphics Tablets (Without Screen)

If you are looking for a graphic tablet to use with your computer these are the best Graphic Tablet you can find right now.

Best Graphic Tablet Bundle

Xencelabs Medium Pen Tablet

Active drawing area: 10.3 x 5.8in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: USB-C and USB-A

Best Large Graphic Tablet

Wacom Intuos Pro Large

Active drawing area: 12.1 x 8.4in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: USB, Bluetooth, OS: Windows or macOS

Best Small Graphic Tablet

Wacom Intuos Pro Small

Active drawing area: 6.2 x 3.8in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: USB, Bluetooth, OS: Windows or macOS

Specs: Active drawing area: 10.3 x 5.8in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192, Connections: USB-C and USB-A

Xencelabs is a new brand in the graphic tablet world but they already have experience as the designers have worked for Wacom in the past, and they made a great introduction with Xencelabs Medium Pen Tablet offering you an exceptional graphic tablet for a good price giving you a great quality tool for graphic design with unmatchable price.

 

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium offers you a great drawing experience with an active drawing area of 10.3×5.8 inches and an ergonomic design to make it easy to work for hours on your design idea without feeling tired, another great thing about this graphic tablet is the incredible stylus offering you smooth drawing experience. This graphic tablet is perfect for beginner and advanced graphic designers as it offers great quality for a really good price.

Pros

  • Great build quality
  • Smooth drawing experiences
  • Includes accessories
  • Great price

Cons

  • Only has three built-in express keys

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Specs: Active drawing area: 12.1 x 8.4in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: USB, Bluetooth, OS: Windows or macOS

Wacom Intuos Pro Large is the best graphic tablet without a screen for artists and illustrators and if you are a beginner in digital art or graphic design this drawing tablet is perfect to start as it’s user-friendly and perfect to transform your PC into a digital canvas with an easy installation process.

 

This graphic tablet provides you with over 8,000 levels of pressure sensitivity and a 12.1 x 8.4-inch drawing area at the same time that thanks to its multi-touch surface, programmable express keys, and pen side-switches help you to speed your workflow.

 

With Wacom Intuos Pro also comes the Wacom Pro Pen 2 to give you the most accurate drawing experience and advanced pen performance giving you full control over your creativity.

Pros of Wacom Intuos Pro Large

  • Best Pen Sensitivity
  • Fluid Drawing
  • Wired or Wireless Connection

Cons of Wacom Intuos Pro Large

  • Limited shortcuts
  • Pen and touchscreen don’t work too smooth together

Specs: Active drawing area: 6.2 x 3.8in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: USB, Bluetooth, OS: Windows or macOS

Wacom graphic tablets are some of the best tablets for graphic designers in the market right now, and if you are looking for the perfect drawing tablet to start then the Wacom Intuos Pro Small is the best option as it is the most affordable tablet giving you an excellent drawing experience.

 

This graphic tablet shares the same characteristics that the Wacom Intuos Pro Large version but the only difference is that the drawing area is smaller, making it light enough to take it everywhere and if you have a creative idea you can use this drawing tablet at the same moment, and this drawing tablet offers you a great value for the money.

Pros for Wacom Intuos Pro Small

  • Excellent Pen Sensitivity
  • Great value for the money
  • Light weight you can use it everywhere

Cons for Wacom Intuos Pro Small

  • Limited shortcuts
  • Pen and touchscreen don’t work too smooth together

Best Graphics Tablets (Without Screen)

If you are an amateur or beginner graphic designer who wants to get started on using drawing tablets these are the best budget-friendly graphic tablets you can find right now.

Best Slim Drawing Tablet

XP-PEN Deco 03

Active drawing area: 10 x 5.62in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: USB-C and wireless, OS: Windows or macOS

Best Ultra-Cheap Tablet

Huion H610 Pro V2

Active drawing area: 10 x 6.25in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: Micro USB (USB-C adapter included), OS: Windows, macOS or Android

Best Beginner Designers

Huion 430P

Active drawing area: 4.8 x 3in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096, Connections: USB, OS: Windows or macOS

Specs: Active drawing area: 10 x 5.62in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: USB-C and wireless, OS: Windows or macOS

If you are looking for an affordable graphic tablet with an ultra-slim tablet and a large drawing area with a smooth pen consider buying the XP-PEN Deco 03 drawing tablet, this tablet mixes a good design with great functionality feeling good to use for any graphic designer.

 

This drawing tablet is perfect for beginner digital artists as it offers you a large drawing area and a comfortable and ergonomic pen with 8192 levels of pressure for a good price. With this graphic tablet, you can customize the six express keys to maximize your working speed.

Pros for XP-Pen Deco 03

  • Good Price
  • Large Drawing Area
  • Comfortable Pen

Cons for XP-Pen Deco 03

  • Not the best option if you need pen rotation function
  • Less smooth with some softwares

Specs: Active drawing area: 10 x 6.25in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels, Connections: Micro USB (USB-C adapter included), OS: Windows, macOS or Android

If you are looking for an affordable drawing tablet under 100$ then the Huion H610 Pro V2 is the best ultra-cheap drawing tablet you can buy right now, as this drawing tablet has a highly affordable price it makes it easy for any novice graphic designers or student to buy this one giving you the best drawing experience on that price range.

 

Some of the best qualities of the Huion H610 Pro V2 drawing tablet is the large drawing area, great drawing feel with a pen pressure of 8,192 levels and of course, the price, the only disadvantage of this graphic tablet is that it’s not supported with iPhone or iPad, instead, it’s only compatible with Android, PC or Mac with OS versions higher than 6.0.

Pros for Huion H610 Pro V2

  • The best cheap Drawing Tablet
  • Great Drawing Feel

Cons for Huion H610 Pro V2

  • The pen has no eraser integrated
  • Could cause lag problems with some softwares

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Specs: Active drawing area: 4.8 x 3in, Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096, Connections: USB, OS: Windows or macOS

If you are a beginner graphic designer who wants to get introduced to this industry and don’t want to make a huge investment, Huion 430P is the best choice for you, as it will offer you all the basic functions you will need in a graphic tablet without big spending.

 

Besides the drawing area can be small for more advanced designers, the pen sensitivity will give you a really smooth feeling and will help you learn how to use drawing tablets, the Huion 430P is the best option to get started working with drawing tablets, but if you are a more advanced graphic designer, you should take a look on other more advanced tablets from this list.

Pros

  • Great for getting started on drawing tablets
  • Really cheap price

Cons

  • Too basic for professional designers
  • The drawing area is small for some

Best Drawing Tablet Accessories

If you are a 3D designer you should invest in Wacom Pro Pen 3D as it adds a third button that enables you the ability to zoom in three dimensions giving you more possibilities as a 3D designer.

If you are a more traditional illustrator and want to have the feeling of drawing on paper, you should take a look at Wacom Inking Pen as it enables you to use a sheet of paper on your Wacom tablet and draw with ink while the tablet captures your design at the same time, but this pen only works with the Intuos products as it can damage other tablets with screens like Cintiq or MobileStudios.

If you are using an iPad Pro or iPad Air as a drawing tablet you need to buy a Stylus to be able to use it as a drawing tablet, and the best option is the Apple Pencil offering you a great drawing experience without any lag and great pen pressure sensitivity.

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If you are looking for an affordable alternative to Apple Pencil to convert your iPad into a drawing tablet you should consider buying the Logitech Crayon offering you good features for a good price.

If you are working long hours on your drawing tablet to complete your design you should consider buying drawing tablet gloves to protect the screen of your tablet from sweat or smudges.

The Different Types of Drawing Tablets

Graphic Tablets

Graphic tablets are the most traditional drawing tablet offering you a flat and clean surface where you draw with a stylus with the image displayed on a monitor. This type of drawing tablet is much more affordable than pen displays being perfect for beginner designer who doesn’t want to make huge investments and for professional designers looking for budget options, but their main disadvantage is the disconnection between the drawing surface and the image of what you are drawing.

Drawing Tablet Types Graphic Tablet Explained

Pen Displays

Pen display drawing tablets are the best option for professional graphic designers as these tablets have incorporated a flat-screen monitor to help you view what you are drawing directly from the tablet, being a really useful tool to have direct control over what you are designing and don’t feel disconnected with your design.

 

Usually, these type of drawing tablets is more portable as they already offer you a screen display making it really easy to carry them and work everywhere, the main disadvantage of pen displays is their price tag, as they cost more than graphic tablets due to the screen technology.

Drawing Tablet Types Pen Displays Explained

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Tablet Computers

Tablet computers as the name suggest are portable computers working on Android or iOS that you can carry everywhere offering you a powerful and portable tool, the main advantage of tablet computers is that you don’t need any other device to start drawing, as you only need to download an art app and start working on your creative ideas.

 

Another great advantage about tablet computers is that they are already portable computers offering you more functions than drawing tablets, like watching Netflix, reading graphic design blogs, or playing games. The main disadvantage of tablet computers is that pen displays and graphic tablets are built and designed for graphic designers being the primary use of drawing giving you a better drawing experience.

Drawing Tablet Types Tablet Computers Explained

How To Choose The Best Drawing Tablet

As we saw in this post there are plenty of options to choose a drawing tablet and sometimes can be difficult to choose the best one but don’t worry, I will show you how to choose the best drawing tablets and what you should consider before buying one.

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Type of drawing tablet

The first thing you should consider about buying a drawing tablet is to choose what type of tablet will suit you better, as we have seen in this post there are three types of drawing tablets, graphic tablets, pen displays, and tablet computers all of them offering you different advantages to keep in mind t before buying one, let’s see what are the pros and cons of each type.

 

  • Graphic Tablets: This type of drawing tablet will offer you a great drawing experience for an affordable price being really cheap options for beginner designers, but these types of tablets don’t have screen creation a disconnection feeling with your design sometimes.
  • Pen Displays: Pen displays have built a flat-screen monitor perfect to connect with your design as you can see what you are drawing directly from the tablet, being the best drawing tablet for professional designers, the main disadvantage of this type of tablet is the price tag being more expensive than graphic tablets and they also tend to have more cables.
  • Tablet  Computers: With a tablet computer you won’t need to have a computer or another device to start working on your digital art ideas as they are already portable computers, just by downloading a drawing app like Procreate you can start drawing, another great thing about tablet computers is that you can find alternative in all price ranges, from affordable to high-end. The main disadvantage is that pen displays and graphic tablets are designed for drawing purposes and they offer you a more immersive drawing experience.

What is the use you will give your drawing tablet?

Another thing to consider when buying a drawing tablet is what type of use you will give it, as we saw there are different types of drawing tablets in different price ranges from cheap alternatives to beginner and amateur designers to high-end tools for professional designers.

 

  • College student:  If you are a college student with a limited budget and want a multifunctional tool you should choose a tablet computer as it will have the functions of a portable computer and with drawing apps, you can have the drawing experience.

 

  • Amateur or beginner designer: If you are starting into the graphic design industry or learning to use a drawing tablet you should go for a graphic tablet, as they will offer a great drawing experience at an affordable price.

 

  • Established designer: If you are an established graphic designer but have a limited budget you should invest in a high-end graphic tablet or an affordable pen display from this list.

 

  • Advanced and professional graphic designer: If you are a professional graphic designer looking for the best tools to match your skills you definitely should go for the high-end Pen Displays from this list.

What is your budget?

When choosing the right drawing tablet for graphic design you should consider what is your budget, as you can find ultra-cheap tablets from $20 to high-end tablets to $3000, that is why consider how much you want to invest in your drawing tablet and you have great options for any price range like I show you on this post that will offer you a great drawing experience.

What OS/Software do you want to use?

Before buying any drawing tablet you need to verify that your computer is compatible with the drawing tablet to be able to work, usually, most drawing tablets will run with macOS and Windows but it’s always good to check to avoid any surprise, also if you opt for a Computer Tablet you need to think what OS you will be more comfortable to work with Android or iOS and if your favorite drawing App is compatible with those systems.

Pressure Sensitivity

If you are looking for a drawing tablet you probably be a graphic designer, illustrator, or digital artist and you will use it for drawing purposes, that is why you should check the table sensitivity to know if it matches your drawing style, and choose an ultra-sensitive and responsive drawing surface.

 

Usually, pressure levels on drawing tablets start at 300 levels to 3000 levels higher the number will be better, and for graphic design and illustration projects an optimal pressure level will be 1024.

Resolution

For graphic designers is important to have a precise image of what they are designing that is why when choosing a drawing tablet you should look at their resolution, being more will help you draw with more precision, but have in mind that when resolution is higher the price tag also will be higher.

 

For graphic tablets, you will be looking for a tablet with high LPI to create precise designs, and for display pens or compute tablets you will looking for a high screen resolution being 4K options available for professional designers.

Size and portability

Before buying a drawing tablet you first should have in mind how much space you have in your working space and think if you will only use your drawing tablet in your office or do you want to transport it everywhere and be able to draw at any place.

 

If you have a big working space and only will use your drawing tablet in your studio you definitely should go for a bigger screen tablet that will offer you a great and professional experience, but on other hand, if you have a reduced working area or want to take your tablet with you everywhere you definitely should go for much smaller tablets.

FAQs about Drawing Tablets

Is a drawing tablet the same as a regular tablet?

 

A drawing tablet it’s not the same that a regular tablet but have some similarities, being the drawing tablet is designed for drawing purpose for digital artists, designers, architects or illustrator, and regular tablets are designed to be a portable computer, but they also can be used for digital drawing combined with a Stylus and drawing app offering you a great drawing experience.

 

What is the difference main between a drawing tablet and a graphic tablet?

 

The main difference between a drawing tablet and a graphic tablet is that you need an external screen when using a graphic tablet as you don’t see on the device what you are drawing, while in the drawing tablet you have a screen that helps you see what you are drawing.

 

Can you use a drawing tablet without a computer?

 

The short answer is YES, but not all of them, usually drawing tablets that don’t require external devices are much more expensive and before buying a drawing tablet you should verify the specs of it and check if it doesn’t require to be connected to a computer.

 

Can I use a normal tablet as a Drawing Tablet?

 

Yes, you can use a normal tablet as a drawing tablet by buying a compatible Stylus and downloading a drawing app.

 

How much does a good drawing tablet cost?

 

You can find drawing tablets for any price range, being ultra-cheap alternatives for 30$ to high-end tablets over 2,500$, but starting from 100$ you can find good graphic tablets without screens and for a professional graphic designer you should consider investing around 850$ to find a professional drawing tablet with screen.

 

What tablet do most artists use?

 

The most popular drawing tablet for graphic designers is the Wacom Cintiq 16, but if you are looking for a more budget-friendly alternative you should consider Huion’s tablets, as they offer great performance for an affordable price.

 

Is Wacom good for drawing?

 

Yes, Wacom is good for drawing as they are specialized in designing drawing tablets for professionals and are the most popular brand among graphic designers and artists.

 

Is Wacom or Huion better?

 

Both brands are great regarding drawing tablets, but if you have a big budget the best choice is Wacom as they have better build quality, stylus performance, and support, but if you have a more limited budget, Huion tablets provide you with excellent drawing tablets for a more affordable price.

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Conclusion

With this list, it will be much easier for digital artist and graphic designers to choose the best drawing tablet for their needs and budget, practice your digital art skills with the graphic tablet best suited for you, and hope you have found this post useful and help you to choose your best tablet.

best tablets for graphic designers and artists

If you found this post useful you might like to read these posts about Graphic Design Inspiration.

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