If you are a professional looking for a tablet with various features, you will find premium tablets at various price points that ensure complete usability according to your needs.
We have thoroughly looked out for best Drawing tablets based on various categories including price range, experience level, and quality, and reviewed 10 best tablets for 2021 sold by various companies like Huion, XP- Pen, and Wacom. Each tablet has been ranked according to its capability and pros and cons.
Keep in mind while reading these reviews that each tablet may suit different user bases so you may not find every tablet ideal to your needs and price point.
Generally, tablets with screens are more expensive than ones that function purely as drawing tablets for laptops, i.e. peripherals.
If you are a beginner, we suggest you buy an entry-level tablet, some good options are mentioned below, so you can learn completely what to look for in a tablet once you’ve gained the experience of using one as a beginner.
We have carefully curated for you a list of 10 best drawing tablets 2021, and we have reviewed them against the same reviewing criteria dependent upon different key factors.
Best Drawing Tablets 2021
1. KAMUGO
KAMUGO Erasable Drawing board coming at an affordable price is one of the best drawing tablets for kids and adults both. With the wide 8.5-inch screen, it enables the flow of kid’s creativity, keeping them away from scribbling on unwanted surfaces such as walls.
Pros
- Comes at an affordable price tag.
- Convenient size offers ease of carrying it anywhere.
- Made up of kid-friendly material.
- Remarkable battery life, so you don’t have to worry about charging it too often.
- Radiation Protection, so your kids are safe.
Cons
- Visibility in the dark is not effective.
- Printing what’s written isn’t a possibility.
- It has no ports
2. Wacom Intuos
The Wacom Intuos is the newest addition in Wacom’s low-end Intuos drawing tablets designed over the years. If you’re a beginner and this is your first drawing tablet than Wacom is considered one of the best drawing tablets for beginners considering you’ll want bundled programs for your use.
Coming in at dimensions of 7.9 inches by 6.3’’, it is pretty potable for beginners, based on the fact that it will be easy to carry and you’ll get used to its size.
Pros
- Improvements in the pen, make holding it easier and an additional pen holding cloth is enclosed.
- Increased battery timing and easy set up of the tablet for both left and right-hand use.
- Compatibility with multiple operating systems.
- Any micro cable can be used in case the original one is not available because of no tunnel in front of the port.
- Four express keys have been embedded on the top for shortcuts.
Cons
- The size of the tablet is far too small for the price but fit for beginners.
- Upon performing drawing tests, it was concluded that it is really hard to draw thin lines.
3. Huion H420
Huion is a cheaper alternative if you’re looking to a graphics tablet as a beginner and are looking at the Intuos Drawing Tablets.
On first glance, it gives of the looks of The Intuos Bamboo. The design of the tablet is outstanding. It will truly be an eye-catcher for people who are minimalists.
Pros
- A comparatively cheaper option with good features.
- Small size thus enhances portability
- Rough Surface for a paper-like feeling
- Minimalistic design
Cons
- No stylus holder so that will have to be ordered separately.
- It is not a dedicated drawing tablet so it lacks some design factors for drawing but can totally be used if the budget is low.
4. XP Pen G430S
Coming in with an active area of 4×3 inches, it is a very thin tablet compared to all major graphic tablets in the market at its incomparable price.
The size though small, makes it portable and thus doesn’t take up much space and is easy to carry. But the thin size of the tablet makes it more prone to accidents.
Pros
- Offers a premium experience without breaking the bank.
- Ultra Slim and small thus easy to carry.
- Drivers present on the website to customize it with easy programming.
- Stylus is comparatively lighter and doesn’t need to be charged.
- Drivers have already been installed for OSU Gaming applications.
Cons
- There are no shortcut keys on the tablet.
- The stylus isn’t as responsive as it should be but its fairly good when it’s working.
5. XP Pen StarG640
XP’s StarG64O is a screen-less tablet that is slightly larger than the G430S, thus offering an acceptable drawing size. It is XP’s newest addition to compete directly with Wacom’s Intuos tablets.
Pros
- Ultra-thin as compared to Wacom Intuos series, while offering the same drawing area.
- The price range doesn’t break the bank.
- The tablet isn’t fragile, and it is made of reliable material.
- Nib replacements offered, cover the cost for frequent nib replacements.
Cons
- The USB port is fragile, may break easily if not taken care off.
- The surface offers a plastic-like feel rather than a paper-like feel.
- The drawing area is the bare minimum area needed; with a little more investment, you can buy other XP- Pen tablets.
6. XP Pen Artist12 FHD
Artists12 is XP- Pen’s first 12 Inch drawing monitor, in fact, it is the first in all brands, and because of it’s the slightly smaller size it is being preferred over the 13-inch drawing monitors. It also costs comparatively less than the 13-inch drawing tablets.
Coming to the design of the tablet, as most of XP’s tablets, it has a minimalistic design. The tablet comes in dimensions of 14.3 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches making it pretty thin.
Pros
- Portable because of its 12 inch size.
- Affordable price.
- Pen responsiveness isn’t an issue.
- Provides USB type C port and HDMI port and cable options.
- Has many buttons for you to use as needed.
Cons
- The pen is equipped with only one button and the eraser functions aren’t that effective.
- The type C port might break easily after some time.
7. Huion H610 Pro
In an attempt to create tablets like Wacoms intuos series, Huion came out with their own tablets at comparatively affordable prices. This tablet is a Wacom Intuos Pro dupe.
The tablets come in with an active drawing area of 10 in x 6.25 in which is a very suitable design size and to match the price point it comes at, its adequate.
Pros
- Multiple hotkeys and soft keys for varied use of functions that you want.
- Wide Active drawing area for ease of use.
- Affordable price.
- Minimalistic design
Cons
- Small inactive area to place hand while working.
- Pen is a screw in pen; thus it might affect its life.
8. UGEE M708
Coming in with an Active drawing area of 10×6 inches, The UGEE M708 comes in at a very good size for the average user of a graphic tablet. The tablet has a sleek minimalistic look to it.
The tablet is very thin and thus very portable. It won’t take up much space. Coming to the tablet surface, it is rough and scratches fairly easy when used to draw on. The surface also tends to get smudged up easily, thus promoting the need to clean it after some time.
Pros
- Optimal drawing area for the average user.
- Battery free light pen for easier use.
- 8 shortcut keys for increased efficiency.
- Addition of 266 RPS for an easier drawing experience.
- Affordable price point.
Cons
- The surface tends to get smudged.
- The surface is prone to scratches.
9. XP Pen Deco 01
XP- Pen’s Deco 01 is one of the premium tablets for experienced users. The tablet is designed with a simple present, making it an elegant design and a head-turner for sure.
The tablet comes in with dimensions of 13.8 x 8.5 x 0.3-inch. These dimensions make it portable somewhat and can be carried around easily. The active workspace of the tablet is 10-inch x 6.25-inch area allowing you to have a wider workspace.
Pros
- Offers a premium experience at a comparatively affordable price.
- Minimalistic design with a premium experience.
- One of the best, P03 stylus to draw.
- 8 programmable hot keys.
- Wide Drawing Area.
Cons
- An absence of kickstand makes it harder to hold with its big size.
- No zoom in zoom out button or scroll wheel.
10. VEIKK A30
VEIKK A30 tablet has been made precisely for professionals who want to draw. But that doesn’t stop beginners from buying and learning through this tablet.
The tablet comes in with a large working area of 10x 6 Inches thus offering its users the appropriate drawing space they need. The screen comes in with a resolution of 5080 LPI. The tablet is ultra-thin, comes in at about 9mm, thus it is easily portable and can fit anywhere.
Pros
- Affordable price point for the size and features offered.
- Smart gesture pad enables easier gestures to perform mainstream functions.
- Premium features like tilt recognition included.
- Batteryless stylus that is lightweight.
- Ultra-thin tablet so enhances portability.
Cons
- Driver issues for the stylus were found.
- Issues with pen pressure and tilt functions were faced in use.
These are the top 10 drawing tablets of 2021 and we hope that our reviews are helpful to our user base. All these reviews have been thoroughly composed based on the main features that you need to research about before you make an investment in drawing tablets.
We suggest that after reading the reviews, you categorize what price range you want to buy the tablet and what features you need.
There are affordable as well as high-end tablets both offering the same features with a huge price difference. Be smart about what investment you make as you can purchase a tablet in your price range and save up for licensed software programs that you will additionally need to buy to use your tablet more productively.
Additional costs like nib replacements and purchase of additional items like gloves and pen holders might be added with some tablets that don’t include them in the package. It is a long-time investment so take a thorough look at the guarantee offered by the brands and the brand’s reputation to respond to claims against their warranty.
Why Use a Graphics Tablet for Drawing?
There are several reasons why drawing tablets are favored over any other input device used for drawing.
By taking advantage of the motions drawn using a pen on the tablet, it forms intelligent shapes and patterns much better than those created by a knife.
Even though the interface of software like Adobe Photoshop is quite complex for beginners, but once you get the hang of it, you can use the tablets in favor of simple, realistic drawings.
Using a tablet and pen helps you create your personalized designs according to your drawing style as compared to a mouse or touch screen.
Often, most tablets are employed with pressure detection systems. As drawing with a pencil, achieve a thicker line when pressed hard, the same happens on the tablet.
This can be useful for your old drawing as well. With the accurate sensitivity level, you can trace drawings from paper onto your tablets, and it would still detect through the paper. This thus converts your old work into a digital medium.
As compared to a mouse and touch screen, pens interact with the screen in a pinpoint motion. They point the cursor directly to where the nib of the pen touches the screen.
As you now control where the cursor clicks and lands by using a pen, only human error can interrupt precise selection on the screen. This thus gives the pen an upper hand over control tools like mouse and touchscreens or other input devices.
A Guide to Buy the Best Drawing Tablet
Before you invest in a tablet for your use, give a read below to some of the key factors you need to know that exist in a drawing tablet. These are some basic know how’s of what a tablet consists of so that you know what you need against what’s being offered and make the right decision.
Pressure Sensitivity
Tablets come with different pressure sensitivity levels ranging from 300 to 3000 levels.
Simplifying it, the more pressure a tablet has, the more line definition your drawings will have. The more pressure you apply, the thicker the lines will be. If you’re a beginner, look for a tablet with 1024 pressure levels, if you’re a professional look for a tablet with pressure sensitivity levels greater than 2048.
Size
The size of the tablet is divided into the active working area of the tablet, which is detected as input and the overall area of the device. Look for a tablet with a good active area as well as inactive area so that you can rest your hand while working and don’t get tired easily.
If you realize that you’ll have to work a lot, it is recommended to buy a tablet that is portable so you can carry it around easily. An appropriate ratio of active vs Inactive area is bound to keep your hand comfortable while you’re working.
Resolution
The resolution of a tablet is measured in LPI (Lines Per Inch) and how much it can detect from the stylus when being drawn on.
The higher the LPI, the more detail your drawing/images will have. Typically, the larger a tablet is the more resolution it has.
Responsiveness
Responsiveness is the ability of the tablet to detect lines, how fast it detects them and makes them appear on the screen. Typically, it is instant, but some factors come to play here too.
Responsiveness greatly depends on the drivers of your tablet and the processing power of your computer and its specifications.
This will ensure you don’t have problems in the future with the tablet being unresponsive and performance lags.
Stylus Type
Tablets nowadays come with three types of styluses; battery-powered, rechargeable, and EMR style stylus.
A battery-powered stylus is powered by AAA batteries typically and is thicker in size than the other two variants. They need battery replacements ever so often thus always keep replacements on hand with such pens.
A Rechargeable pen needs to be charged similar to the tablet and phones. They are lighter in weight as compared to the battery-powered pens and can fit comfortably in your hand.
The third is the EMR type pen, which is a battery-less pen and uses electromagnetic frequencies from the tablet and wirelessly powers the pen so that it never has to be charged separately. These pens are the newest of the three and are lightweight and comfortable to use.
Whatever pen you choose the drawing experience depends primarily on the levels of pressures rather than the type of pen. The only slight difference might be in the look and feel of the pen.
Buttons and Controls
All tablets and stylus come with some number of buttons. Most brands let you program these buttons using drivers so that you can get the most productivity out of your device.
Typically, a tablet will have between 2 to 8 hotkeys and some soft keys if the tablet has a screen. These enable you to save time while working long hours.
So, while selecting a tablet, decide how many shortcuts you’ll need to be able to customize them according to your needs.
Battery
Since you’ll need to travel with your tablet, so make sure your tablet has a battery timing of at least 4-5 hours before it shuts off.
This may depend on many varying factors such as the brand quality, the type of battery used, how you’re using the tablet etc.
When you get the tablet, measure its battery life after a single charge.
Warranty
Another important thing to look out for is the warranty offered with the tablet that you’re buying. You can not risk the tablet being non-functional after a few months of investing money and buying it.
Tablets do come with an initial cost-covering the warranty. The length of this warranty depends on the brands, and most often, a yearlong warranty is offered. Thus, any good tablet should include an MFG warranty of at least one year or more.
Additional Features
The expert user looks for additional features like tilt functions and multi-touch functions. These enable the user to zoom in and out easily.
Tablets with a tilt functionality have sensors so that when the pen tilts, it will adjust its positioning accordingly so you can produce lines just as you would with a regular pencil and paper.
Expert functions incur an additional cost, and they are the main features that differentiate between mid-range and premium tablets. Premium tablets are typically pricy, but when there’s a high-end premium tablet, there’s always a cheaper alternative from a competitive brand.
Frequently Asked Questions
⭐ What can a drawing tablet be used for
Drawing tablets are used as input devices combined with input from a pen to draw images and perfect them just like you would with a hand. They are also widely used for electronic signing, editing pictures and drawing.
⭐ What types of drawing tablets are there?
While tablets can be categorized on various factors such as price, size, etc. but the two main types of tablets are the ones with a screen and the ones without.
A tablet with a screen is generally more expensive but is easy to get accustomed to. A tablet without a screen essentially just functions as an input device for you to draw on with a pen.
⭐ Where can a drawing tablet be brought?
A drawing tablet can be brought through online retailers, electronics shops, and some hardware stores as well. But it is better to first do your research so you can get a bang for your buck.
⭐ What is the price range of a drawing tablet?
The price varies completely with respect to the brand, the features, and the quality of the tablet. While Wacom is offering expensive tablets, brands like Huion offers cheaper alternatives.
Thus, the basic range of drawing tablets varies from as less as 50$ to about a 1000$.
⭐ How to do pen pressure levels affect drawing quality?
Pens come in with a variety of pressure levels. The basic pressure level is 2048 levels of pressure. Pressure levels decide how a pen acts, a pen with a greater pressure level gives a more realistic drawing effect.
The more pressure levels a pen has the more line weight can be achieved upon increased pressure, for example when you use a normal pen as hard as you press the pen the thicker the line will be. The same is the relation among a tablet stylus and pressure levels offered.
⭐ Do hot keys on the tablet only offer default functions?
Most tablets offer hotkeys that can be used as shortcuts. Depending upon your use, these buttons can be easily programmed to whatever shortcuts you want.
⭐ What are drivers and where can I find them?
Drivers are included for both the tablet and the stylus. Drivers are basically software programs written by the company to be used by the consumer.
These drivers help you program your tablet and pens to suit your needs better. Typically, all drivers offered with a package are either present on the brand’s official website or come included with the package delivered to you.
⭐ What does the tablet surface have to do with its quality?
A tablet’s surface varies in each model. Typically, a rougher surface increases the pen’s nib wear. So, when looking for a tablet always research the surface of the tablet, so you don’t have to pay for nib replacements a lot.
⭐ If I am a beginner, should I abstain from buying tablets reviewed for experts?
Absolutely not, the tablets categorized under tablets for experienced user usually offer more complex features and thus are more expensive. Tablets for beginners are cheaper and offer most functions that are essential; thus are recommended for beginners.
The quality of the mid or above level tablets is typically better so don’t hesitate to buy one if you can afford it.
⭐ How much money should I spend?
That is completely up to you. If you’re a beginner or a hobbyist, then most of the tablets mentioned will provide for you adequate functions without breaking the bank.
On the other hand, if you’re a professional, spend your money wisely and look at both alternatives; cheap and expensive for premium tablets and see what suits you best.
Last update on 2022-05-18 at 10:06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Thank you for your articl , it’s useful .
Got my XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro drawing tablet with screen 21,5″ about 3 years ago , use it everyday for work and have no problems. XP-Pen tablets are fairly cheap and decent.
What is the best value for money in this selection?