The demand for graphic designers is snowballing, thanks to massive technological shifts like the metaverse, AR and VR tech, and the ever-growing gaming industry. If you’re an artist who primarily uses traditional mediums, like pencil and paper or brush and canvas, finding the best drawing tablet will make your transition to digital art more manageable.
We’ve put together the following list of the best drawing tablets to help budding digital artists take their graphic design skills to the next level.
Best Drawing Tablet for Beginners
Wacom One 13.3″
The Wacom One 13.3” Creative Pen Display drawing tablet is an excellent starting point for artists who already have a computer or tablet to run their art software. It also works as an additional screen on almost any device, including Windows and Mac computers, select Android smartphones and tablets, and some Google Chromebooks.
The tablet has a resistant surface that mimics the friction you feel while drawing on paper to improve your drawing experience. It includes a battery-free Wacom One Pen, too, so you can get started immediately.
Apple iPad 10.2″ 9th Gen
If you don’t have a computer, you may want to consider a tablet computer instead of a drawing display. The Apple iPad 10.2″ 9th Gen is an excellent self-contained model that offers long battery life so you can use it all day. The 10.2″ retina touchscreen has True Tone automatic color temperature adjustment. It helps reduce eye strain when used in dark environments. It’s also compatible with the first-generation Apple Pencil, which allows you to draw directly on the screen.
Microsoft Surface Go 3
The Microsoft Surface Go 3 is a full Windows 11 computer built into a tablet. It creates a portable art creation tool when paired with a Surface Pen (sold separately). This touchscreen computer features a 10.5” display with a taller 3:2 ratio. This way, you don’t have to worry about scrolling as much when working on large illustrations.
Wacom Intuos Creative Pen Tablet
What if your budget won’t allow for a touchscreen display? In that case, the Wacom Intuos Creative Pen Tablet is an excellent low-cost alternative that lets you use a stylus to draw on any computer. It delivers a 7” drawing surface and a stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. It’s easy to zero in on fine details.
Unlike the Wacom One’s battery-free stylus, the Intuos stylus includes two programmable shortcut keys. Plus, the tablet has four ExpressKeys that you can configure to do anything you want. You can also get different nibs for Wacom’s stylus that change the surface tension to mimic different types of drawing implements.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
If an Android tablet is more your style, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S6 Lite may be the right solution for you. This affordable tablet features a 10.4” touchscreen display and Samsung’s versatile S Pen stylus. The S Pen’s 4096 pressure levels and 0.7mm tip allow for incredible tracking precision. You’ll capture the fine details of your artwork.
Microsoft 12.3″ Surface Pro 7
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 7 is the most expensive graphics drawing tablet on our list, but it’s also the most versatile option. It gives you all the benefits of the Surface Go 3 with more power to work on more elaborate projects. It packs a laptop-class Intel Core i3 processor that can run any digital art software. The high-resolution 12.3” touchscreen display is fully compatible with Microsoft’s Surface Pen stylus, too.
Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen
The Apple iPad Mini 6th Gen is a compact and powerful tablet computer. Apple squeezed an A15 Bionic — one of its most powerful mobile processors — into this 8.4” device, so you can run Photoshop and other robust graphic design apps from anywhere you go. Pair it with the optional Apple Pen, and you’ve got a powerful handheld digital sketchbook that easily fits in a backpack, purse, or messenger bag.
Wacom – One
The One by Wacom: Creative Pen Tablet is an affordable, low-maintenance touchpad drawing tablet. Its USB interface lets you plug it into almost any computer, including Windows, Mac, and modern Chromebooks. With driver-free operation, there’s no software to set up, and the battery-free pen means you never have to worry about charging.
