Best Drawing Tablets on the Market
Most artists find out at an early age that they have the creative gene. Doodling on papers, on the back of notebooks and breaking out paintbrushes are all early signs of an artist. Somewhere down the line, the physical "paintbrush to canvas" turns into computer programs and mouse clicks. But there will never be anything that can replace drawing with a pen, pencil or paintbrush using your own hands. For the artist in the digital era, drawing tablets seamlessly merge the physical creative world with the digital one.
In this post, we'll help you select the best drawing tablet for your creative needs, whether you're looking for a cheap tablet for sketches or a top-rated tablet designed for professional artists. Below, you'll find an FAQ to help you select the right product, as well as our drawing tablet reviews. Keep scrolling to find the best drawing tablets for sale in 2021.
What Is a Drawing Tablet?
These high-tech tablets are slightly different than the everyday tablet we use to watch movies and read the news, offering a more sensitive screen with features geared towards drawing. However, there are actually three distinct types of drawing tablets to consider.
Tablet Computers: You're already familiar with tablets like the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab. The best tablets offer enough pressure sensitivity and processing power to double as drawing tablets, and they can be a great all-in-one solution for creatives.
Pen Displays: Drawing tablets like the high-end Wacom Cintiq Pro offer a highly sensitive touchscreen monitor, so you can watch your creations appear in real-time on a gorgeous 4K display.
Graphics Tablets: Finally, there are the more traditional drawing tablets, which look like high-tech mousepads at first glance. These devices offer a pressure-sensitive drawing surface, and your work is inputted into a program on your monitor or tablet as you draw. Because they lack an onboard monitor, the best drawing tablets, like the XP-Pen Deco 01 V2, are much more affordable than most tablets.
What Is the Best Drawing Tablet You Can Buy in 2021
Depending on your skill level, the best drawing tablets are as follows...
- Best Drawing Tablet for Most People: XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro
- Best Drawing Tablet for Beginners: Wacom Intuos S
- Best Drawing Tablet for Professionals: Wacom Cintiq Pro 24
How We Chose the Best Drawing Tablets of 2021
Whether you're a professional graphic designer, someone who's just starting to draw or anywhere in-between, going digital with a drawing tablet is a major upgrade. When buying a drawing tablet, you'll want to look for a few key features:
- Pressure Sensitivity: This is arguably the most important factor in purchasing a drawing tablet. Pressure sensitivity means the range of pressure the tablet can recognize; higher sensitivity means the more you can control the line thickness with the amount of pressure you put on the pen. Obviously, the more sensitive the drawing tablets, the higher their prices go. Entry-level drawing tablets offer around 4,000 levels of pressure, so that's a good baseline to seek.
- Physical Size :Although this is pretty self-explanatory, it is worth mentioning, if you are going to be taking your drawing tablet with you everywhere you go, you'll want to find something lightweight and portable. A tablet like the iPad Pro weighs only about a pound, while the XP-Pen Artist Pro 12 is incredibly slim. Size also relates to your work area. Some drawing tablets have a large area to write — 10 or more inches — while some have six inches or less. If you want more room to write or draw, consider going with a larger surface or display size. We picked a variety of sizes for you to choose from.
- Software Compatibility: Just because you pick up a new drawing tablet shouldn't mean you need to compromise on the drawing software of your choice. The best drawing tablets work with a variety of software programs like Photoshop, Corel and others, so instead of learning a whole new program, you can just get to drawing.
- Budget: Price can be tricky with drawing tablets, as they range from $20 all the way to $2,000. There are many factors contributing to this discrepancy, but generally, pick a price-point that reflects your skill and need. If you're a professional designer, it's probably a good idea to invest in a top-of-the-line drawing tablet. Alternatively, if you're just getting started, there's no need to spend hundreds of dollars.
The Best Drawing Tablets For Most Artists
There's a wide variety of drawing tablets you'll find below, but first up are what we consider the best drawing tablets for the typical artist. Whether you're a hobbyist or an aspiring pro, these tablets will offer you advanced features at accessible price points. And as noted above, most of these are on sale at the moment! We've highlighted the top tablets and called out their specific sales in blue just beneath their product descriptions.
If ever there was a time to get your hands on the best drawing tablets, it's now!
1. XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro
BEST OVERALL
There are a few slight tweaks that make the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro slightly more user friendly than the cheaper Artist 15.6. For starters, the touch bar was replaced with a red touch dial that provides more accuracy and control with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and 1080p resolution packed into its 15.6-inch screen. The display is also improved upon with a 178-degree viewing angle. Furthermore, the Pro supports up to 60-degree angling with the stylus for more hands-on control and less adjusting your software for the right brush strokes. And if you manage to find it on sale, it won't cost much more than the standard Artist 15.6.
15% Off
Courtesy of Amazon
XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro
$399.99
2. GAOMON PD1560 Drawing Tablet
BEST MID-RANGE
If you're looking to step-up your drawing tablet game without breaking the bank, go for this Gaomon PD1560. It has an onboard HD monitor, 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, and a large 15.6-inch workspace. The device also features an adjustable arm stand for the perfect angle, making it highly ergonomic. It's great for professionals, but if digital art is a just hobby, then this is still a serious upgrade. This is also one of the best drawing tablets for students thanks to its user-friendly features and affordable price. Finally, left-handed users can access leftie mode so they're not left out of the fun.
Courtesy of Amazon
GAOMON PD1560
$299.99 $359.99 17% OFF
3. Microsoft Surface Book 3
LAPTOP POWER
When you pair the Surface Book 3 with the Surface Pen (sold separately), you get a portable and pressure-sensitive graphics tablet. With 4,096 pressure points on the Surface Pen on a 13.5-inch touch screen with 3000 x 2000 resolution, you get more control and better visuals, which make for cleaner lines and better drawings. And you can use your choice of artist software such as Photoshop or Corel Painter and others. On top of all that, when you don't feel like drawing, you have a tablet with full laptop power at your disposal with an Intel Core i7 CPU and 16 GB of RAM. In short, this is a great all-in-one solution for artists on the hunt for the best drawing tablets and laptops in one.
Courtesy of Amazon
Microsoft Surface Book 3
$2,199.99
Microsoft Surface Pen
$59.99 $99.99 40% OFF
4. Galaxy Tab S7
BEST FOR ANDROID USERS
While you might not get the pressure sensitivity from a tablet like the Galaxy Tab S7 as you would, say, the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro, the Tab S7 does allow you to draw and create using the illustration software of your choice but also provides the extras of one of the best tablets available. Sticking with its creative strengths, the S-Pen not only allows you to draw, but you can also remotely snap pictures and control movies. And when you're done, it magnetically snaps to the side of your tablet to charge.
Get $50 Off
Courtesy of Amazon
Galaxy Tab S7
$509.99 $649.99 22% OFF
5. Wacom Intuos Pro L Drawing Tablet
HONORABLE MENTION
If you want the premium feel of a Wacom product, but don't quite want to plunk down on a pen display, the Wacom Intuos Pro L is the next best drawing tablet you can get your hands on. With 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and multitouch capabilities, the spacious 12.1 x 8.4-inch workspace on this tablet will have you creating masterpieces in no time. While it may not have a built-in display, it is wireless, so you don't have to worry about annoying cables, and it comes with the Wacom Pro Pen 2 which is the industry standard when it comes to digital drawing instruments.
Read More: The Best Samsung Tablets
Courtesy of Amazon
Wacom Intuos Pro L
$499.95
The Best Drawing Tablets for Beginners
6. Wacom Intuos S Drawing Tablet
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
With a dot grid to help beginners draw straight lines and keep things to scale, along with a textured surface that feels like pen to paper, the Wacom Intuos S is a great choice for entry-level graphic designers. The 6 x 3.7-inch drawing surface provides 4,096 levels of pressure which is plenty for a beginner to have complete control, but not overly sensitive to become overwhelming. It comes with Corel AfterShot and Corel Painter Essentials 6 so beginning artists can get right to work.
Read More: Best Gaming Tablets
Courtesy of Amazon
Wacom Intuos S
$39.95 $79.95 50% OFF
7. XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 Drawing Tablet
BEST BUDGET DRAWING TABLET
The XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 is affordable and ideal for online learning. It has a big 10 x 6.25-inch workspace providing plenty of room to draw or write. It works in both portrait and landscape orientation which is useful depending on what you are working on. You might want to use portrait when you are working on a math problem in MS Word, or landscape when you are making edits in Photoshop. Speaking of, when you're using the stylus, it can tilt 60 degrees so you can be more interactive with the pen and less with the software.
14% Off
Courtesy of Amazon
XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 Drawing Tablet
$59.99 $69.99 14% OFF
8. XP-Pen G430S
VALUE PICK
If you're new to drawing tablets, digital art or just art in general, you don't have to risk dropping hundreds and then realizing digital art isn't for you. This tablet (also from XP-Pen) costs just $20, and while it's not prepared for serious art, it's fantastic for messing around with and learning the craft. Plus, it comes very highly-rated with over 400 reviews and 4.3 stars.
Read More: Best Tablets for College
Courtesy of Amazon
9. Huion H420 Drawing Tablet KIT
BEST KIT
There are a few accessories that upgrade the drawing tablet experience, and this bundle has them all. This affordable tablet from Huion includes cleaning supplies, anti-fouling gloves, pen tip replacements and more. You get all this for under $30, making it another great option for beginners or gifting.
Courtesy of Amazon
Huion H420 Drawing Tablet KIT
$29.99
10. XP-Pen Artist 12
ALSO CONSIDER
If you're looking for the best drawing tablets with screens, one of our overall favorites is this XP-PEN Artist 12. It's simple and reasonably priced at $200, but still has some premium features to keep a professional in business. The device boasts the highest pressure sensitivity possible with 8,192 levels, an elegant, handy touch bar on the side and a crisp HD display. Pick up one of these for any artistic job, drawing hobby, or as a great gift for any artistic soul in your life.
SAVE $30
Courtesy of Amazon
11. Huion Inspiroy H640P
MOST COMPACT
Looking for a compact yet professional tablet? Go for this thin, 6.3 x 3.9-inch Huion Inspiroy. It's a clear upgrade from the Huion tablet above thanks to 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, a battery-free stylus and android compatibility for drawing on-the-go. It's a good beginner tablet, but can also be used as a back-up or traveling tablet for professionals.
Courtesy of Amazon
Huion Inspiroy H640P
$39.99
The Best Drawing Tablets for Professionals
12. Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 Pen
BEST SPLURGE
In the digital art world, Wacom's Cintiq Pro is the crème de la crème amongst the best drawing tablets. It boasts an incredible 24-inch, full-4K display with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, making it the best screen you'll find anywhere. This means clear, virtually lag-free drawing and designing, and freedom to make whatever you want. For professional artists, you won't find a better option anywhere. The best drawing tablets don't come cheap, and this device has everything creators could want.
Courtesy of Amazon
Wacom Cintiq Pro 24
$1,999.95
13. Apple iPad Pro Tablet
BEST FOR MULTIMEDIA
iPad Pro is about as powerful as a tablet can get. And when you pair it with an Apple Pencil, or an Apple Pencil alternative, you can really create some artistic magic with it. The Liquid Retina True Tone display looks absolutely incredible on both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models and provides the clarity to see every detail in your drawings. It's compatible and powerful enough to run major editors like Photoshop, so no need for an additional computer. And it's small enough to bring with you wherever you go. iPad makes a strong case as a drawing tablet.
Courtesy of Amazon
iPad Pro
14. Huion Kamvas 24 Drawing Tablet
BEST BUDGET OPTION FOR PROS
What do you get when you combine a 1440p laminated IPS display with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 20 programmable keys, an anti-glare coating and a wide color gamut that can cover 120% of the sRGB color space? Well, you get Huion Kamvas 24, which is the best drawing tablet for pros on a budget. This pen display represents a step up from a graphics tablet, and while that means a decidedly larger price tag, it's still a great value relative to similar products on the market.
Courtesy of Amazon
15. Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13 Drawing Tablet
BEST PORTABLE DRAWING TABLET
If you're looking for a no-compromises drawing tablet that is also fully portable, then look no further than the Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13. A completely self-contained pen display, the Mobile Studio Pro 13 sports a 4K display and running Windows 10. The secret to this drawing tablet's power is the fact that it has an Intel Core i7 CPU, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD under the hood. Combined with the Wacom Pro Pen 2's 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and you have a drawing tablet that you can use absolutely anywhere and can handle nearly anything you throw at it.
Courtesy of Amazon
Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13
$2,599.95
Ranking the Best Tablets of the Year
Best Drawing Tablets on the Market
Source: https://spy.com/articles/gadgets/electronics/best-drawing-tablets-reviewed-198148/
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