The 15 Best Drawing Tablets of 2024 (for Beginners and Experts)

If you want to buy the best drawing tablet on the market, there are so many choices out there that this can become quite a bit confusing.

After all about half a billion dollars are spent each year worldwide on these devices and this figure is projected to nearly double over the next five years.

So, you may be asking yourself, what makes one model better than another? What features do you really need? Why do prices vary so much? How close do they come to the feel of using pencil and paper?

Luckily, this article will answer all of the above questions (and more!) plus it'll rank and review the 15 best rated drawing tablets on the market, including a summary of the top 3 editor's picks below for your convenience:

What Are the Best Drawing Tablets?

Below you’ll find the top 15 tablets on the market covering the whole range of artistic and design needs, from portability to precision to size of tablet to built-in touch screens to price range.

In every case, the products listed here have the highest user ratings and are the most trusted in the artist and graphic design community.

If you are new to drawing tablets, you’ll also find answers to frequently asked questions at the end of the article.

(Price reference: $ = $150 or below, $$ = $150-$700 , $$$ = $700 & above)

Let’s get started!

1. Wacom Intuos Pro

Wacom is one of the most reliable brands of drawing tablets. The Wacom Intuos line of products is always a crowd favorite and has been for several years now.

With 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt support, multi-touch capability, customizable ExpressKeys, Touch Ring and an ergonomic design, the Wacom Intuos Pro gives you the control needed for natural drawing and writing.

Features:

• The Wacom Intuos Pro has a sleek, modern design made of durable plastic with a matte finish to reduce glare and fingerprints. The tablet has an ergonomic design that feels natural in your hand
• It's a great tool for editing photos, designing websites or creating 3D models
• The stylus has different levels of pressure sensitivity, so you can draw thicker lines by applying more pressure. You can use it on its own or attach it to your computer with a USB cable (included)
• The Wacom Intuos Pro comes with customizable ExpressKeys for quick access to frequently used shortcuts or tools in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc., without having to take your hands off the tablet surface
• You can customize your settings to suit your preferences with the Wacom Tablet Properties panel on your computer monitor or in the Intuos Control Center app on your mobile device (iOS and Android)

Type/Price: No built-in screen / $$

2. Wacom One

Wacom One is a great tablet for  artists. It's lightweight and makes drawing feel like pen to paper, plus, it comes with a stylus with pressure sensitivity so you can create professional fine lines or broad strokes depending on how hard you press.

At 10 inches, the Wacom One is small enough to take from room to room and can be used for both drawing and writing. The battery can last up to 10 hours on a single charge, which makes it ideal for taking on trips or when you just don’t have access to an outlet.

Features:

• The Wacom One is Lightweight and portable
• Built-in battery that lasts up to 10 hours with active use, or 10 days in standby mode
• Surface is sensitive enough for precise drawing, sketching, and photo editing
  
• Supports wireless Bluetooth connectivity so you don't need cables to connect your tablet to a computer or mobile device

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$

3. Huion H610Pro

Huion H610Pro is a low-cost but professional drawing tool for artists, designers and other creatives. It’s also perfect for everyday use such as office work and education. Powerful enough to do highly detailed work, but simple enough that you can easily master it in just minutes.

The tablet also comes complete with all the tools you need for digital art production, including a pen holder and nib set so you can make your own brush strokes. It has an active drawing area of 10 x 6 inches, so it feels like drawing directly on paper.

Features:

• Ergonomic design with a comfortable grip and adjustable stand that can be tilted in any direction, allowing you to work at the most natural angle for your hand and wrist position
• Programmable keys for quick access to your favorite shortcuts and tools
• Supports Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android
• Compatible with popular software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Painter, Clip Studio Paint Pro, Autodesk Sketchbook Pro and more!
• Includes a screen protector as well as a carrying case so that your device will always stay safe when not in use

Type/Price: No built-in screen / $

4. Wacom Cintiq 22

Best for Professional Artists

The Wacom Cintiq 22 is a powerful digital drawing tool that features 4K resolution and several smart tools to help you create artwork. This tablet has been designed with the artist in mind, with many great features to improve your productivity.

It also allows you to draw directly on your screen rather than having you use an external monitor and the screen features anti glare technology that reduces reflection and increases visibility from any angle.

Features:

• The Wacom Cintiq 22 Features a high resolution display and comes with customizable ExpressKeys for on-the-fly shortcuts to your favorite commands and tools
• The stylus allows you to draw in any direction without having to stop and change your angle
• Offers tilt sensitivity so you can draw naturally just like on paper
• Multi-touch interface lets you zoom in/out by pinching two fingers together/apart; rotate the canvas by twisting two fingers clockwise/counterclockwise and pan by sliding one finger up/down or left/right

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$$

5. Huion H420

Best for Hobbyists

If you're looking for an entry level drawing tablet that can fit your budget and give you a good drawing experience, the Huion H420 may be worth checking out.

This is a lightweight drawing tablet created for artists, designers and hobbyists looking for an alternative to more expensive devices.

Features:

• The Huion H420 is Lightweight so it's perfect for artists on the go!
• Ergonomic design that is comfortable to use for hours at a time, even if you're using it as a mouse replacement for long periods of time
• Sturdy build quality that ensures this drawing tablet will last through years of daily use without breaking down or wearing out quickly

Type/Price: No built-in screen / $

6. Huion Kamvas Pro 24

Best for Rich-Color Rendering

The Huion Kamvas Pro 24 is a high-end  drawing tablet that has many of the features of more expensive devices but at a more affordable price.

This drawing tablet is perfect for artists who want to take their art to a whole other level. With a 1440p QHD (Quad HD) display that looks absolutely fantastic and features rich colors and incredible detail, this tablet is worth every penny.

Features:

• The Huion Kamvas Pro has an active drawing area of 23.8" x 15.7", which is larger than most other tablets on the market
• Offers tilt recognition technology so you can make adjustments based on the angle you're pressing down on the screen — this feature makes it easier to create realistic brush strokes in your artwork
• Compatible with Windows and Mac
• Can also be used as an external monitor via HDMI cable

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$$

7. Apple iPad Pro

Best for Portability

The Apple iPad Pro is one of the best general-use tablets on the market. Its Retina Display ensures that your color contrast and brightness are always at their finest.

Although not specifically designed for drawing, it has features that makes it more suitable for artists than the average general-purpose tablet. When used in conjunction with the Apple Pencil, it becomes a great device for artists and designers on the go.

Features:

• Available in two sizes: 11-inch and 12.9-inch
• Smart connector lets you connect a keyboard without cables or Bluetooth pairing
• Has a 2732 x 2048 display resolution
• Up to 10 hours of battery life with fast recharge when plugged into a wall outlet

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$$

8. Microsoft Surface Pro

Best General-Purpose Tablet

The Surface Pro is one of the best tablets in Microsoft’s history. It's so powerful that it can be used as a full-featured laptop as well. With more power than ever, you can work with professional-grade software tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter, which is great for designers.

If you are an artist or graphic designer looking for inch-level accuracy when creating digital art in a full-featured laptop, then this might be the right device for you!

Features:

• The Surface Pro is a laptop and tablet in one, with a detachable display
• Depending on use, the battery lasts up to 17 hours on a single charge
• It has a resolution of 3000 x 2000 pixels, which is the same as the MacBook Pro's Retina Display

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$$

9. XP Pen Deco Pro Medium

Best for Beginners

The XP Pen Deco Pro Medium is a great drawing tablet for beginners. It has an adjustable stand for your comfort with pen tilt and pen rotation recognition.

Whether you are drawing, painting, sketching or editing photos, this tablet provides great features at an affordable price.

Features:

• The XP Pen Deco Pro Offers 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, so you can draw thin or thick lines depending on how hard you press the pen to the surface
• Ergonomic design that's comfortable to use for long periods of time
• Supports Windows, MacOS and Android devices

Type/Price: No built-in screen / $

10. Wacom Cintiq 16

Best for Precise Control

The Wacom Cintiq 16 is a graphics tablet that allows artists to get precise control over every line they make.

It’s suitable for professionals and hobbyists alike and it’s perfect for multiple uses, such as drawing, painting, photo editing or 3D modeling.

The Wacom Cintiq 16 also comes with 4K resolution, which means the colors are always accurate on its screen – even from a distance. It also features an anti glare coating that comes in handy when you’re working with less than ideal lighting conditions.

Features:

• The Wacom Cintiq 16 Multi-touch gestures allow you to zoom in and out without using your keyboard or mouse
• Intuitive ExpressKeys allow you to control shortcuts on your computer without taking your hands off the tablet surface
• Adjustable stand so you can work in the most comfortable position
• Compatible with both Mac and PC, as well as many design programs

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$

11. XP-Pen Deco 03

Best Compact Design

The XP Pen Deco 03 is an affordable and compact drawing tablet. It’s a great option for art students, enthusiasts, and professionals looking to purchase their first  drawing device.

The Deco 03 offers a lot of the same features as more expensive tablets in its class.

The stylus pen comes with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, allowing you to create natural lines like those produced by traditional media.

Features:

• 10 inch screen with a resolution of 5,080 LPI
• Compatible with Windows and MacOS
• Wired and wireless USB capability
• 6 fully customizable express keys

Type/Price: No built-in screen / $

12. GAOMON PD1560

Best for Realistic Image Rendering

The GAOMON PD1560 has been specially designed with artists in mind. It has a high-quality display screen that offers realistic images without compromising color quality.

Also, it features a pressure sensitivity and responsive stylus pen so your drawings come out clean and crisp.

Features:

• 15.6 Inch 1920 x 1080 HD IPS Screen with adjustable arm stand
• 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity
• 10 customizable shortcut keys
• Compatible with Windows and MacOS

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$

13. XP-Pen Deco 01

Best Entry Level Tablet

The XP-Pen Deco 01 is an entry level 10 inch drawing tablet that has all the features of a much more expensive graphics tablet. It’s the perfect drawing tablet for beginners as well as experienced artists alike.

It is compatible with XP-Pen’s Deco Draw Drawing App and also works with most major software including: ibis Paint X, FlipaClip, Medibang, Autodesk Sketchbook, Zenbrush, Artrage, and more.

Features:

• Lightweight and compact
• Battery-free Stylus with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity
• Compatible with Windows, MacOS and Android
• 8 customizable shortcut keys

Type/Price: No built-in screen / $

14. XP-Pen Artist12

Best Lightweight

The XP-Pen Artist12 is a great drawing tablet with an 11.6 Inch display area, 8,192-levels of pressure sensitivity, 8 handy shortcut keys, an anti-reflective coating and a Multi-function Stylus Pen Holder.

It’s the perfect tool for beginner and advanced artists and designers alike and it’s ideal for drawing, photography, animation, fashion, sketching, image editing, 3D sculpting and much more.

Features:

• Supports Windows and MacOS
• 1920x1080 HD display
• Lightweight and portable (~2 lbs)
• Compatible with popular digital art software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, SAI, CDR, Painter, SketchBook Pro, MediBang, Clip Studio and more

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$

15. XP-Pen Artist 15.6

Best for Ease of Use

The XP-PEN Artist 15.6 tablet has a simple design that’s comfortable for drawing and painting, as well as being relatively easy to use.

This product includes an adjustable stand which makes it possible to change from a vertical position when you’re working on portrait illustrations to a horizontal position for landscape drawings.

This tablet is an ideal tool for drawing, sketching and animation on the go. It features 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt recognition and a customizable hotkey to access dozens functions directly within Photoshop.

Features:

• Display has HD resolution and IPS display technology for optimal viewing angles
• Battery lasts up to 12 hours per charge
• Compatible with Windows and MacOS

Type/Price: Built-in screen / $$

What Is the Difference Between a Drawing Tablet and a Graphics Tablet?

A drawing tablet typically comes with a built-in touch screen that allows you to draw, paint, or sketch directly on the image, as if you were using pen on paper.

A graphics tablet, on the other hand, doesn't have a screen and must instead use an external monitor like a desktop or laptop computer in order to render the images.

These tablets tend to be more commonly used for image editing rather than creation from a blank page.

Can I Use a Normal Tablet as a Drawing Tablet?

A normal tablet is just a portable computer with a touch screen. They're great for browsing the internet and checking email, but less than ideal for drawing (with some exceptions).

A  drawing tablet, on the other hand, is a very specialized piece of hardware that’s made specifically to do one thing, and one thing only: allow your computer to sense everything you're doing on it with a high level of precision, including pressure sensitivity and pen angle.

In contrast to a regular tablet computer, drawing tablets offer you far greater control over your work, allowing you to produce more detailed drawings that are fluid and natural looking.

Can You Draw On a Laptop?

If you’re interested in drawing digitally but don’t have a drawing tablet available, your laptop can be an option. However, it won’t be nearly as responsive as professional art equipment and the results will not feel as polished.

Digital drawing requires a much higher level of precision than what touchscreen keyboards can generally provide.

How Long Do Drawing Tablets Last?

There are a lot of factors that affect durability, including heavy use, frequent transportation, physical impacts and whether they have a built-in screen or not.

A good quality drawing tablet without a screen subject to heavy use will easily last you up to 5 years and even longer if you baby it. A drawing tablet with a touch screen will typically last half as long, unless you don’t move it around a lot.

Having said that, if you use your drawing tablet infrequently, say once a month for a few days for a recurring project, it could last you twice as long.

Now, if you store your tablet for a long period of time and your stylus has off-the-shelf replaceable batteries, make sure to remove them before storing because they may leak acid when unused for long periods of time and ruin your stylus.

Is a Drawing Tablet Better than an iPad or a Microsoft Surface?

The short answer is yes because they are specifically designed to cater to the needs of artists and designers, including thousands of pressure sensitivity levels and stylus tilt angle recognition.

iPads and Surface devices are general purpose computers and don’t have the sophistication of top-of-the-line drawing tablets, however the latest generation iPad Pro and Surface Pro are very capable devices for graphic artists on the go.

So, if you already own these tablets and invest in a good quality stylus, you’ll probably do okay. But if you make a living as a professional digital artist, you’ll also need to purchase one of the leading drawing tables to get maximum flexibility.

How Do You Choose the Right Drawing Tablet for Your Needs?

There are a few things you need to consider when choosing the right drawing tablet for your needs. The first is what type of drawings you will be making.

Will you be doing mostly digital art or traditional art that you want to digitize?

If you're mostly interested in digital art, then you'll want to look for a tablet with a pressure-sensitive pen and plenty of features that cater to that type of work, like special visual effects that would look unnatural in a traditional setting.

However, if you're planning on doing more traditional art, then you might want to buy a tablet that offers a look and feel that simulates pen and paper, like the Wacom Intuos Pro.

Also, some tablets have a touch-sensitive surface without a screen, so you'll need a separate computer monitor to visualize your art, while other tablets incorporate a built-in touch screen operated by a stylus.

You'll also need to consider what kind of budget you have in mind. Drawing tablets can range in price from around a hundred dollars to several thousand.

If you're just starting out, you might want to look for a more affordable entry-level option. But if you're a professional artist, then you'll probably want to invest in a high-end tablet as a multi-year investment.

Wrapping Things Up

When it comes to purchasing the latest drawing tablet, there’s an option for every need and every budget. All 15 of the above tablets can be excellent choices depending on your requirements.

Whether you’ll work in an office or are required to travel a lot, do photo editing or create original work from scratch, you’ll be very happy with any of the above choices.