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This one doesn't work at all with The Graphire 1 Tablet. And yes, I de-installed the old driver and repaired the rights. I think Wacom doesn't know which driver works with which tablet. This pen tablet combines Wacom's finest pen capabilities with intuitive multi-touch support. Gain precision and control, speed your workflow, and take advantage of all the pressure-sensitive capabilities in your favorite creative software, thanks to the innovations built into the Intuos Pro. Wacom drawing tablets are the most popular, and considered to be the best quality and they tend to cost more. The best Wacom tablet for your needs is not necessarily the most expensive one. With a Wacom tablet, you can draw with a natural feeling, and get great accuracy in photo editing. Wacom is at the forefront of tablet technology, though other brands are catching up. The stylus performance and LCD screen in particular call for extensive modification for their quality level. For this reason, the brand has built up a certain level of trust with its customers.
The Rundown
Our Top PicksBest Overall: XP-Pen Artist16 Pro 15.6 Drawing Tablet
4.4
The Artist16 is a drawing tablet by XP-Pen with an extra-wide viewing angle and a host of creative features that make it an excellent all-around choice for most artists. Featuring a 1080P FullHD IPS display, your creations will come to life in vivid color and definition. An extra-wide, 178-degree viewing angle gives you the canvas you need to realize your design. And with 2,078 levels of pressure sensitivity, this tablet will work for drawing, painting, editing, designing, sketching and animating without any trouble.
The Artist16 comes with two rechargeable pens, a black anti-fouling glove and an HDMI adapter. It has eight express keys to eliminate headaches, allowing you to focus on the creative element. The adjustable display stand will also give you the freedom and flexibility you need to get in the zone. Finally, the tablet is compatible with Sai, Photoshop and most mainstream design software.
Best Android: Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
4.4
Samsung equips their Galaxy tablets with the best stylus available on mass-market devices. The S Pen offers true-to-life pressure and sensitivity that rivals pens designed exclusively for drawing tablets. The pen never needs to be re-charged and can operate as a variety of drawing styles and devices.
In addition to a best-in-class pen, the Galaxy Tab S3 is an excellent all-around tablet. It has a vivid Super AMOLED display for deep contrast and extraordinary colors. It also comes with powerful Quad speakers tuned by AKG and a featherlight keyboard that can be attached to the tablet so that it operates like a laptop for word processing. It has a powerful 12-hour battery and a speedy Snapdragon quad-core processor.
Best Drawing Pad: Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet
4
Designed with office work in mind, this ultra-narrow tablet is wireless and fits perfectly on your desk with a keyboard, a space-saving plus for graphic designers. The tablet connects to your PC or Mac where it works on Illustrator, Maya and other graphic design software (you'll need Windows 7 to 10 or Mac 10.10 or above). It has a six-meter wireless connection distance and a 2500mAh battery that lasts up to 40 hours. The sleek design separates the touch and draw area, so you can work without worrying about your palm accidentally touching the screen. The device has six customizable buttons and 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Best Budget: Monoprice 10594 Graphic Drawing Tablet
3
When it comes to functionality for your drawing tablet, it doesn't get much more nuts-and-bolts than this option from Monoprice. If you haven’t heard of the brand, then it’s worth taking a look, because tech heads swear by Monoprice for their cables, and in recent years we’ve been increasingly more impressed with the company’s ability to produce true quality products across the board. This drawing peripheral is no exception – it’s a serious workhorse for the visually inclined.
Let’s unpack the features: it offers a 10 x 6.25-inch drawing surface that sports a 4,000 LPI drawing resolution at a report rate of 200 RPS. There are 2,048 levels of pen pressure, rounding out all dimensions of accuracy for the drawing surface itself. These are certainly not top-of-the-line “premium” numbers, but are more than eye-catching for the price. There are 16 hot zones that can at the top of the drawing surface that can be assigned by you, plus further assignable expression keys that’ll let you do as much work as possible on the surface itself without the need to move to other accessories. It connects to the computer via USB and is compatible with basically any modern OS, and could even be modded to work on Linux.
Runner-Up, Best Overall: Huion KAMVAS GT-191
3.8
The 19.5-inch IPS, widescreen HD display offered by the Huion KAMVAS drawing tablet is the first thing you’ll notice when you pull it out of the box. And that’s for good reason — this thing gives you a massive amount of sketching real estate for the price. But the 72 percent NTSC color gamut gives you equally impressive levels of color representation, so you’ll almost forget that it’s just a peripheral.
As for the actual mechanics of sketching, there are over 8,000 separate levels of pen pressure, giving you extra z-axis precision when you’re trying to realize your art, and that physical flexibility is further extended with the ergonomically adjustable stand, allowing you to position the tablet at the perfect angle for whatever you’re working on.
The included PE330 stylus is rechargeable with two separate assignable gesture buttons, and this model is newly redesigned to be extra responsive when drawing on the display. It’s compatible with both Windows and Mac and further works with the Adobe Suite. This particular package comes with that aforementioned pen, plus a writing glove and additional pen tips to replace once they wear out.
Best for Professionals: GAOMON PD1560
Most artists will swear by Wacom as one of the most reputable brands in the industry, but GAOMON is just as respectable and the company's 15.6-inch PD1560 tablet boasts high-performance specs at half the price of a 13-inch Wacom tablet. Firstly, the screen features full 19020 x 1080 (16:9) HD resolution as well as bright, accurate colors. Secondly, the glass itself offers a smooth drawing experience and the pen features 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity for finessed and precise sketching. There’s also a useful “screen-flip” function to accommodate left-handed artists.
On the edges of the display, you’ll find the menu controls as well as 10 shortcut keys, ready to be customized according to your creative needs. Additionally, you’ll find an adjustable stand on the back of the tablet, offering maximum comfort while you work. Finally, the GAOMON model is compatible with the latest Windows (7/8/10) and Mac OS systems, as well as most professional designing programs, including but not limited to Photoshop, Illustrator, SketchBook Pro, SAI 2, and SketchBook Pro.
Best for Windows Users: Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3
4.1
Like a couple of the other tablets on this list, the Surface isn’t strictly a drawing surface – it’s a standalone device that lets you do basically everything a laptop would allow you to do. But the lines are getting blurrier and blurrier when it comes to the difference between tablets and laptops and drawing peripherals. The Microsoft Surface Pro line is the tech giant’s strongest tablet effort to date, and while the original Surface generations didn’t take off, these newer ones are completely viable options, especially if you’re a working designer.
For starters, their ultra-high resolution PixelSense displays are almost as stunning as Apple’s Retina Displays, and the color representation is pretty solid, too. There’s an added color bonus of being able to spec out and add notes on the screen about print colors that are directly compatible (and readable) by the OS sending print jobs to a Windows Ink printer – a great feature for designers working in print. It’s powered by a full Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM, so if you do want to do more than just use it to draw, you’ll have tons of speed.
In terms of accessories, the accompanying pen and Microsoft’s Surface Dial are both great options for those who want to be more and more efficient and precise with their gestures, and the screen itself offers extra accurate tracking. The whole thing is super light and it runs on an impressive battery that Microsoft says is 50 percent and 68 percent better than the previous two generations, respectively.
Check out our other reviews of the best 2-in-one laptop tablets available on the market today.
Best Small Screen: Lenovo Yoga Book
For the artist on the go, the Lenovo Yoga Book fits snugly into any backpack or travel bag. Ten inches long, 0.4 inches thick, and weighing less than 2 pounds, Lenovo proudly claims that their product is the thinnest and lightest 2-in-1 tablet on the market. It's also a highly versatile machine with four modes that respond to your needs whether you want to draw, binge Netflix, or draft an email. You can adjust the Yoga Book's 360-degree hinge to place it in Create Mode, Browse Mode, Watch Mode, and Type Mode.
Despite its trim size, the Yoga Book also guarantees high-performance hardware, featuring a 64GB solid-state drive, 4GB LP DDR3 of RAM, and 13 hours of battery life. The 10.1-inch screen delivers picture-perfect visuals: 1920 x 1200 HD resolution and 400 nits of brightness. The tablet’s main bonus for artists is the battery-free Real Pen stylus and the attached Create Pad, which allows you to digitize written notes or sketches. The Real Pen stylus boasts 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity and accurately replicates the experience of writing in a real notebook.
Runner-Up, Best Budget: Huion H420 USB Graphics Drawing Tablet Board Kit
Before you plunk down hundreds of dollars on a professional tablet, get a feel for drawing with this $30 kit. The tablet itself has an active area of 4 by 2.23 inches and a resolution of 4,000 lines per inch, while the pen offers 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity, giving you precise control over brush effects and line width. It also has three express keys that let you do things like close or save the current page.
It’s compatible with all major graphics applications (think Corel Painter, CorelDraw, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Fireworks and beyond) as well as most operating systems, including Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, XP and Mac OS 10.4+. Unfortunately the handy pen scrolling feature, which lets you scroll documents and websites by pressing the middle button of the digital pen over the tablet's working area, is unavailable in Mac OS. Even so, it’s a fantastic value, complete with a wool carrying case, USB cable, anti-fouling glove and cleaning kit.
Best Apple Tablet: Apple iPad Pro
The latest iPad Pro model boasts lighter and slimmer dimensions, living up to Apple’s claim: “More screen. Less device.” The 11-inch model has the same dimensions as its predecessor, the 10.5-inch Pro, but the screen is larger. How did Apple accomplish this? The new iPad’s display spans the entire front of the device, eliminating the home button and downsizing both the camera and speakers. Additionally, the screen itself offers remarkable visual quality: up to 2732 x 2048 pixels, true-to-life color detail, 600 nit brightness, and the lowest level of reflectivity on the market.
For artists, this tablet wouldn’t be complete without the Apple Pencil. The user-friendly touch controls and lag-free connection make for a very natural drawing experience. With a simple double-tap, you can switch between the brush, pen, and highlighter tools, or change the brush’s size. The Pencil is also sensitive to pressure: press down to draw thicker lines or tilt to shade. You can even rest your palm against the tablet screen without leaving any unwanted marks, mimicking a true drawing experience as much as possible and eliminating wrist strain.
Best Paper-to-Digital: Wacom Intuos Pro Paper Edition
Some people will always prefer the feel and function of drawing on a piece of paper, but still want digital versions of their creations that they can upload and edit. If you're in this camp, then the Intuous Pro Paper Edition is perfect, as it allows you to capture and upload pen-on-paper artwork into a completely digital form in a raster or vector file. Just use the Intuos Pro tablet’s new Pro Pen 2 technology. It comes combined with a removable paper clip and .4mm fine-tip gel pen. Just place the paper over the tablet and sketch. Your work will be captured on the tablet, even if you aren’t connected to the Internet.
The Pro Pen 2 also delivers the most accurate performance, with 4x higher accuracy than earlier versions for lag-free tracking and tilt recognition. The tablet is very comfortable to hold, opting for a thin and lightweight edition that feels great in your hands and lap. Eight express keys can be programmed to your liking, while a touch ring controls canvas rotation and other features. It's compatible with Windows 7 or later (64bit) and Mac OS 10.10 or later.
Tested byHow We Tested
Our reviewers spent 14 hours testing the five most popular drawing tablets on the market. We asked our testers to consider the most important features when using these tablets and we've outlined them here so that you, too, know what to look for when shopping.
What to Look for in a Drawing Tablet
Type of tablet -While drawing tablets are more expensive, they’re a bit more intuitive because you draw with a stylus directly on the screen. Graphic tablets — which need to be hooked up to a computer — usually deliver a faster workflow because they’re backed by more processing power. They also don’t need to be charged and are usually more durable.
Pressure sensitivity - Pressure sensitivity determines how much you can vary the width of the lines you paint, based on the amount of pressure you apply to the stylus. The standard tablet offers 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity, which should be more than enough for most creatives.
Budget -Drawing tablets prices can start as low as $30 and creep up to nearly $1,000. The difference in price is largely related to the display. The better the resolution and pressure sensitivity, the more expensive the tablet. But of course, if it doesn’t have a display, you’ll likely get it for a lower price.
Test Results: XP-Pen Artist16 Pro 15.6 Drawing Tablet (Best Overall)
4.4
What We Like
What We Don’t Like
If you’re looking for a balance between budget and precision, the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Drawing Tablet is the option you need. According to our testers, the screen size is great, the display is clear, and the colors are very crisp. One of our testers, who also owns a Wacom Intuos 5 tablet and a Wacom Cintiq 22HD tablet (both of which are much more expensive), gave this model high marks. She described it as “surprisingly light” and loved how many extra accessories it came with. “There was a small half-glove for you to keep the surface of the tablet clean, two pens, and extra nibs,” she said. The extra nibs were particularly helpful, because she told us she tends to go through nibs quickly.
One reviewer did mention that “light strokes could be finicky” but said the tablet was “spot-on” if you applied harder pressure.
Test Results: Galaxy Tab S3 (Best Android)
4.4
What We Like
Our testers thought this tablet was a top-notch choice. One person said, “It has everything I need: internet access, a camera, and great drawing capabilities.” Plus, this tablet is not just for drawing. Grab it for a quick binge-watching session on the couch or use the included S Pen to sketch out your favorite designs. It’s a great option for artistic tablet users that want to get more than one function out of a pricey device.
The Galaxy Tab S3 is also easy to travel with, according to Lifewire reviewers.Just throw it in your bag to draw on the go. Our testers’ only gripe is that it takes a little over 2.5 hours to get a full charge.
Test Results: Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet (Best Drawing Pad)
4
What We Like
What We Don’t Like
Our reviewers love the Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet’s wireless capability. You can move up to six meters away from your computer whenever you want. Since some of our testers complained about other drawing tablets’ many wires, being completely unencumbered is a big plus.
Lifewire reviewers did say that only experienced designers should spring for this model. It’s not the right choice if you’re a total drawing-tablet beginner. Once you do buy it though, you’ll be impressed. “The screen is very responsive,” one person said.
Test Results: Monoprice 10594 Graphic Drawing Tablet (Best Budget)
3.7
What We Like
What We Don’t Like
The Monoprice 10594 Graphic Drawing Tablet has everything you want in a very budget-friendly device.It has eight express keys and 16 hot zones that you can assign functionality to. “I would recommend this product if you are looking for a basic, no frills drawing tablet,” one reviewer said. Best mac and cheese for kids. Plus it’s light — weighing in at a little less than 3 ounces — which makes it easy to take on the road.
Test Results: Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3 (Best for Windows Users)
4.1
What We Don’t Like
Designers are known for their preference for Apple products, but if you’re a creative type that sticks with Windows, the Microsoft Surface Pro should be your go-to drawing tablet. The 12-inch screen allows you to see exactly what you’re doing and our testers describe both the picture and color quality as “above average.” Though you can do more than draw on this device, you may not want to: Lifewire reviewers loved everything about this tablet’s drawing functionality. “The screen was very responsive,” one person said. “[The pen] is extremely accurate and very flexible with its pressure-sensing feature.” He went on to say that he actually prefers this pen over Apple’s because it’s easier to hold and shorter. “The pen is very sensitive and it almost provides the same experience as writing on actual paper,” he added.
The best drawing tablet
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- The best drawing tablet overall
- The best cheap drawing tablet - Best drawing tablet for beginners - The best tablet PC for drawing - Best Windows tablet for drawing - The best iOS tablet for drawing - Best Android tablet for drawing - Drawing tablet accessories
It's tough picking the best drawing tablet, that's for sure. There are loads of fantastic options from a huge range of manufacturers, and whether you're a starting artist on a tight budget or an uncompromising digital pro looking for the best of the best, you've got plenty to choose from. This guide will help you find the best drawing tablet for your needs.
Different tablets provide different advantages and disadvantages. Factors like pen sensitivity, drawing area, function buttons, operation system, wireless connectivity – all these must be considered carefully if you're going to find the best drawing tablet for you. Do you want to go for one of the specialised drawing tools from a company like Wacom (class-leading but often costly) or Huion (more affordable)? Or do you want something that synergises well with your other devices – if so you may want to look into a tablet from Apple or Samsung. As you can see, there’s a lot to consider.
Right now, we're confident in saying that the absolute best drawing tablet you can buy is the Wacom Cintiq 22HD touch pen display. But there is some strong competition from the highly recognisable Apple, with its iPad Pro 12.9, released in November 2018 and boasting some of the best processing power out there. If you are thinking of opting for the latter, don't miss our round up of the best iPad stylus in 2019.
Of course, while both of the above are some of the best drawing tablets on the market they are on the much higher end of the price spectrum. So if you’re trying to save some cash on a stricter budget then we would recommend some of the more affordable options out there, such as the Huion H430P.
Ultimately though, determining the best drawing tablet for you is going to depend entirely on a number of factors including how you intend to use it and how often you'll be on it. (Scroll down to see our full list of recommendations.)
If you're completely new to this market, it's worth pointing out that there are three different categories to be aware of, knowing exactly what you're looking for will help you decide what the best drawing tablet for your needs is.
You can read a more detailed explanation below. With this covered, let's look at the options. Read on to find the best drawing tablet for your specific needs and budget – and the best prices.
The best drawing tablet in 201901. Wacom Cintiq 22HD touch pen display
Draw onto a screen that’s big enough for you to express yourself
Active drawing area: 19.5 x 11.5in | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Pen pressure sensitivity: 2,048 levels | Connections: DVI, USB 2.0 | OS: Windows or macOS
Plenty of pressure sensitivity
Configurable ExpressKeys
Probably the most desirable drawing tablet on the market, the Wacom Cintiq 22HD touch enables you to draw direct onto its screen. It's generously sized so you can go large with your brush strokes, but the stylus is sensitive enough to cope with your most subtle expressions, too. The stand takes some getting used to, but enables you to switch between a near-flat configuration for drawing and an upright position for when you want to use the Cintiq 22HD touch as a regular monitor.
The best cheap drawing tablet02. XP-Pen Artist 15.6 pen display
A well-sized pen display at a price that might surprise you
Active drawing area: 13.54 x 7.62in | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels | Connections: USB-C | OS: Windows or macOS
Highly affordable display
Sound build quality
All the basics you could want from a pen display are covered by the XP-Pen Artist 15.6: a reasonably sized drawing area, a comfortable pen with plenty of sensitivity levels, and a good screen. You don’t get quite the attention to detail or the advanced ecosystem of extras that Wacom provides, and the offset between the stylus tip and the on-screen cursor takes some getting used to, but this remains a pen display that can transform your digital creativity without breaking the bank.
The best graphics tablets03. Wacom Intuos Pro (large)
The best graphics tablet for artists and illustrators
Active drawing area: 12.1 x 8.4in | Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels | Connections: USB, Bluetooth | OS: Windows or macOS
Great pen sensitivity
Wired or wireless connection
When you’re creating artwork, you want room to sketch freely and a pen that feels as close as possible to the paper equivalent. You’ll find both in the Wacom Intuos Pro large graphics tablet: it's one of the purest drawing experiences you can get from a digital device. The pen provides over 8,000 levels of pressure sensitivity and a drawing area that – while it’s not the biggest available – gives you more than the area of a magazine to play inside. All this is supported by Wacom’s broad ecosystem of alternative pens and Texture Sheets to give your drawing surface a distinctive feel.
04. Wacom Intuos Pro (Medium)
The best graphics tablet for designers
Active drawing area: 8.7 x 5.8in | Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels | Connections: USB, Bluetooth | OS: Windows or macOS
Great drawing experience
Shortcut keys
Designers don’t typically require the range of movement that illustrators demand, making this smaller edition of the Wacom Intuos Pro graphics tablet just the job. As well as the drawing area, eight shortcut keys and a Touch Ring give you access to your most-used commands and tools, so you don’t have to keep flipping between your tablet and your keyboard while you’re focusing on iterating a concept. The Intuos Pro also supports multi-touch fingertip gestures, making it easy for you pan and zoom around your current document.
The best drawing tablet for beginners05. Huion H430P
Get started with this low-cost but very usable mini drawing tablet
Active drawing area: 4.8 x 3in | Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels | Connections: USB | OS: Windows or macOS
Brilliant starter tablet
Four shortcut keys
If you’re not sure whether a drawing tablet is something you’ll use regularly enough to justify the cost, the H430P gives you all the basics without requiring an big investment. The drawing area is small, yes, but the pen is sensitive enough to give you a true sense of the creative benefits drawing tablets can bring. It may not take long before you outgrow this tablet, but it’s a very affordable way to get started.
06. Wacom Cintiq 16
Wacom's refreshed entry-level tablet is a winner
Active drawing area: 16.6 x 11.2in | Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels | Connections: Micro USB, Bluetooth | OS: Windows or macOS
Attractively priced
No touch support
While not as affordable as some of its rivals from XP-Pen and Huion, the Cintiq 16 Creative Pen Display – Wacom's 2019 entry-level tablet – is still much more attractively priced than many of its expert-oriented siblings. In the entry-level market it also has a trick up its sleeve in the form of the Pro Pen 2 stylus, which tops out at 8,192 levels of sensitivity, beating many similarly priced tablets.
In our Wacom Cintiq 16 review we found a lot to like about this device, especially its gorgeous display that shows off all the hallmarks of Wacom quality. It's really encouraging to see Wacom entering the new-user space, with a price point to match, and the Cintiq 16 is a welcome example of a Wacom tablet that doesn't require absolute fistfuls of cash to acquire. This is a fantastic entry point for any designer.
07. XP-Pen Deco 03
An ultra-slim drawing tablet with a large working area and smooth pen
Active drawing area: 10 x 5.62in | Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels | Connections: USB-C, wireless (with USB dongle) | OS: Windows or macOS
Comfortable, ergonomic pen
Useful multi-function dial
XP-Pen's Deco tablets blend style with functionality, and the Deco 03 is no exception. This matt black, ultra-sleek model doesn't only look good, but also feels good to use, thanks to its well-made pen and generous drawing area. It's well-designed in a workflow sense too, with customisable Express keys and a multi-functional dial in the top corner that allows you to set things up exactly how you want them, so you can spend less time fiddling and more time drawing. Drawbacks? Well, you could be justified in worrying that at 8mm, the Deco 03 is a little too slim, to the point where a moment's carelessness might cause damage to it. If that doesn't worry you, this is a great buy for a good price.
08. Huion H640P
The best compact drawing tablet out there
Active drawing area: 6.3 x 3.9in | Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels | Connections: USB | OS: Windows or macOS https://brownsolo863.weebly.com/blog/best-malware-cleaner-for-mac.
Small and light
Pen doesn’t need a battery
Best Wacom Tablet For Mac
The second Huion drawing tablet on our list is the H640P, which boasts a comfortable drawing experience in a convenient size for travel. If you work between studios or like to draw from a laptop on the move, you’ll need a drawing tablet like this that packs away handily – but still lets you draw with expression. The Huion H640P measures just 10.2 x 5.8 inches and is no thicker than a smartphone, but offers a set of shortcut keys as well as its drawing area.
The best tablet PC for drawing09. Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13
A Wacom with Windows inside? Yes please
Active drawing area: 11.6 x 6.5in | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440 | Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels | Connections: 3 x USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | OS: Windows 10 | Requires: Windows or macOS (with optional Wacom Link)
Fantastic display
Complete computer inside
If you have the budget, the MobileStudio offers everything you could want in a drawing tablet. With a choice of Intel Core processors and solid-state drive storage capacities, it’s a fully fledged Windows computer. But it also benefits from the same technology Wacom brings to its Cintiq pen display range, making the MobileStudio a pleasure to draw with. And if you want, you can even tether it to the more powerful PC or Mac in your studio with the optional Wacom Link. A 16in MobileStudio is also available.
Also read: Wacom MobileStudio Pro review
The best Windows tablet for drawing10. Microsoft Surface Book 2
The ultimate in Windows computing versatility
Active drawing area: 11.25 x 7.5in: | Resolution: 3,000 x 2,000 | Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels (with optional Surface Pen) | Connections: 2 x USB 3.0, USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | OS: Windows 10 Pro
Laptop and a tablet
Pleasing aspect ratio
The Surface Book 2 delivers true versatility for the designer on the go. You can use it as a regular laptop, then twist the screen to turn it into a flat tablet with a touch-sensitive screen. For drawing, you need to add the optional Surface Pen, which provides a respectable 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. You don’t get the deep drawing experience of the Wacom MobileStudio, but you do get a device that keeps up with your needs wherever you are and whatever you’re doing.
Also read: Microsoft Surface Book 2 review
The best iOS tablet for drawing11. Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2018)
A super tablet for drawing, but the stylus costs extra
Best Wacom Tablet For Macbook Air
Active drawing area: 10.32 x 7.74in | Resolution: 2,732 x 2,048 | Pen pressure sensitivity: Not specified (with optional Apple Pencil) | Connections: Lightning, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | OS: iOS 12, upgradable to iOS 12.1
Super fast
Intuitive, improved pencil
The latest in Apple’s series of high-performance tablets, the iPad Pro 12.9 offers a significant performance upgrade over its predecessor, as well as a reduced bezel (screen-to-edge distance) and the removal of the home button – the device is practically all screen. That luxurious LCD Liquid Retina, True Tone screen offers ‘Xbox One S-level graphics’, making it a beautiful surface on which to draw your projects, a process that has become easier than ever thanks to the reworked Apple Pencil 2 released alongside the tablet. The Pencil now offers magnetic docking and new workflow-improving shortcuts, such as double-tapping to switch modes. The new internal processors also mean the iPad Pro is faster than ever before, and even the high-storage versions offer fast read/write speeds for smooth file transfers.
The best Android tablet for drawing12. Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
An Android-powered all-rounder, with stylus included
Active drawing area: 7.65 x 5.04in | Resolution: 2,560 x 1,600 | Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels | Connections: USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | OS: Android 8.0
Samsung’s best tablet design yet
Good pen support
Wacom Tablet Comparison
It's always a treat when you don't have to pay extra for the stylus, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 comes with its pen already in the box – an extremely welcome touch, especially given that this is the most expensive Android tablet yet, at a price on par with the iPad Pro. Despite this, it's still the better buy compared to the more recently released S5e, which, although cheaper, does not offer pen support. Just as with Samsung's previous tablets, the drawing experience is smooth and satisfying; you'll find yourself gliding away in no time. There is a decent range of drawing apps and programs available for Android as well, though iOS still has the slight edge in this regard. Samsung's Dex software, designed to emulate a computer desktop, means the tablet is also useful for general productivity. Best free movie making software for mac. A great all-purpose option, albeit an expensive one.
13. GAOMON PD1560 15.6 Drawing TabletDigital Tablet Wacom
A beautiful beast of a tablet, feature-rich but not particularly portable
Intuos Vs Intuos Pro
Active drawing area: 13.5 x 7.6in | Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 | Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels | Connections: USB | OS: Windows or macOS
Gorgeous wide display
Sensitive drawing pen
It's hard to know what's more exciting about the GAOMON PD1560, the gloriously large 16:9 drawing surface or the intelligent pen with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity. If you can't think of a better way to spend a day than holed up in the studio creating gorgeous digital paintings then this is a terrific buy. It's easy to set up just the way you want it, with 10 shortcut keys that can be customised to streamline your workflow. However, if you like to create on the move then this isn't the one for you, given that it weighs more than 1.5kg and lacks the wireless functionality of some of the sleeker tablets available.
The best drawing tablet accessories
Wacom Pro Pen 3D
A third button may not sound much of an innovation, but it enables the Pro Pen 3D to support pan and zoom in three dimensions, giving 3D artists unfettered navigation at their fingertips.
Wacom Inking Pen
For that traditional feel, the Inking Pen enables you to place a sheet of paper on your Wacom tablet then draw onto it with ink, while the tablet captures your drawing movements at the same time. The Inking Pen is only for Intuos tablets: it can damage the screen on Cintiqs and MobileStudios. Best Mac Apps For Wacom Tablet
Adonit Jot Pro
If the Apple Pencil doesn’t appeal or your iPad isn’t compatible, this stylish pen works on any iPad (or Android tablet). The nib, combining a fine-point tip with a plastic circle to register on the tablet screen, looks curious but works well in practice. Best Wacom Drawing TabletWhat are the different types of drawing tablet?
Broadly speaking, there are three main types of drawing tablet. Each takes a different approach to the central challenge of helping you draw on your Windows PC or Mac as if you were drawing on paper.
Graphics tablets
The traditional drawing tablet features a flat, featureless surface that you draw on with a stylus, with the image displayed on a computer monitor. Graphics tablets remain the most affordable drawing tablet category. Their main disadvantage is the sense of ‘disconnect’ between the drawing surface and the screen, although most people get used to this quickly.Jump to the best graphics tablets
Pen displays
Pen displays consists of a flat-screen monitor with a pressure-sensitive surface that you draw on with a stylus. They don't have the sense of disconnect experienced with graphics tablets, are more portable and cost more. However, you get a lot of cables between the display and computer, and the display surfaces don’t offer the ‘bite’ that graphics tablets do. Jump to the best pen display tablets
Tablet computers
Android and iOS devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab and iPad Pro take on the other drawing tablets in two ways. You don't need another computer: just download an art app and start drawing with your fingertip or a stylus. Also, when you want to use the Creative Cloud suite on your main computer, these can function as graphics tablets with apps like Astropad. Jump to the best tablet computers
Need a recap? Here are the best drawing tablets, graphics tablets and tablet computers of 2018..
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