How to Compare Drawing Tablets

Best Drawing Tablets for Beginners (Updated 2021)

Are you a new artist that would like to work on your drawing skills? If so, check out this list of the best drawing tablets for beginner in 2021.

If you've been drawing exclusively on paper for a long time, the idea of using a graphic tablet might seem strange. However, these gadgets offer illustrators, animators, designers, and many other unique features that allow artists to explore their creativity in a very convenient way.

The science behind these gadgets is straightforward. By digitalizing your strokes, these devices transform your input into a digital output. That sounds easy, but newbies working on the wrong tablet will have this convenience and limitlessness turned into a bother. For this reason, first-timers must find the best drawing tablet for beginners.

These entry-level drawing tablets tend to include enough features for drawing. They are also relatively easy to use. Drawing tablets, as they are collectively termed, are available as a large variety of devices. They include graphic tablets, drawing monitors, and universal tablets designed with graphic features for artists. Check out this guide to find the best drawing tablets for beginners. We've included some pros & cons for each product in this list for you to consider. Once you reach the end of this guide, you'll know which of the best drawing tablets for beginners is best for you!

The Wacom Cintiq 22 is a stylish drawing tablet that is meant to give you the best experience as an artist, thanks to its features, size, and usability. This drawing tablet is one of Wacom's most polished products, which explains why the manufacturer has thrown in every high-end spec in the device. The Wacom Cintiq 22 is designed to meet the needs of professional artists, which means that it will handle any type of artistic task you have.

The Wacom Cintiq comes with a comfortable pen built to feel and behave like a drawing pencil. The stylus is light and comes with 8192 pressure sensitivity levels putting it at par with other high-end drawing pens. You are also getting a drawing stylus with a low activation force, which you want in high-precision art projects.

One of the commonest concerns among digital artists is parallax, which can sometimes lead to inaccurate drawings, no matter how careful you are with your strokes. The Wacom Cintiq eliminates this problem by making sure that the drawing is as natural as possible. Part of this means ensuring that the distance between the digitizer and the stylus nib is extremely short.

The Wacom Cintiq has one of the best tablet screens on the market. The 1920x1080 HD display is calibrated to precisely reproduce pen strokes, which is a key feature if you are looking to use the tablet professionally. You do not have to rely on your computer's monitor or laptop screen when drawing. Such a flawless experience will go a long way toward increasing your productivity since you can focus on a single device on your desk.

Key Features

• Has an anti-glare surface
• Battery-free pen
• A vibrant HD display with 72 million colors

Specifications

• Active Area: 13.6 x 7.6 inches
• Max Report Rate: 133 PPS
• Resolution: 8192 LPI
• Compatability: Windows 7
• Brand: Wacom

Pros

• Sensitive screen
• Works with older pens
• Perfect size

Cons

• Tedious VESA mounting

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From a powerful processor and portable studio to fast graphics and long-lasting battery, the Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a great tablet suitable for art and design. The Surface Book 3 is an incredibly powerful tablet that can handle intensive tasks such as preparing visual aids and editing photos and videos.

The Surface Book 3 has a 32GB memory that further elevates its performance levels giving room for fast sketching and drawing. Apart from its reliable memory, this 2-in-1 laptop has 512GB SSD storage providing enough space to store most of your pieces of art. This vast storage means, unlike other tablets, you will worry less about the storage capacity getting depleted so fast.

Whether you want to be engaged in painting or drawing activities, this tablet meets your demands through the attached pen. This surface pen is way better and extraordinarily fast, with greater sensitivity that enhances your creative abilities.

The Surface Book 3 is the ideal definition of a studio in motion. With its 13.5-inch display and surface pen, this tablet allows you to sketch and draw images with a touch of class and excellence. The high-end graphics of this tablet ensure maximum clarity for your arts and designs.

The Surface Book 3 easily connects with other platforms such as USB-A and USB-C to display your works. Sharing your drawings and visual aids has never been this easy. The Bluetooth capabilities of this tablet make it easy to share and transfer your work. Also, the battery of this tablet can see you through for more than 15 hours, which translates to a full day worth of art.

Key Features

• Bluetooth-enabled
• Intel Core i7
• 32GB memory
• 3000 x 2000 pixels maximum resolution

Specifications

• Active Area: 12.3 x 9.4 inches
• Max Report Rate: 150 RPS
• Resolution: 2540 LPI
• Compatability: Windows 10 Home
• Brand: Microsoft

Pros

• Sleek design
• Fast charging
• Contains a USB-C port
• Wide compatibility

Are you looking to invest in your first graphics tablet? The Huion H420 is a basic graphics tablet endowed with a great selection of easy-to-use features for beginners.

First things first, the Huion H420 is not just a standalone tablet. It is available as a drawing board kit. The kit features an assortment of items, from a cleaning and maintenance set to replacement parts; that's quite the lucrative deal. Obviously, the most important items featured in this kit are the actual tablet and pen.

At first glance, the initial impression is that this graphic device is pretty small. The exterior is all-black with a few inches of drawing area. Since it's so small, this graphics tablet is easy to carry around and use outside the confines of your drawing space. Although the exterior is a plastic-like material, this tablet will not break easily.

On the left side of this tablet are three programmable express keys. You simply need to designate an action to each of the keys as you see fit and enjoy the automated convenience. Some everyday actions you may program are redo, erase, or whichever function you see fit.

The accompanying battery-dependent pen features a standard 2048 pressure sensitivity rate. Because the kit comes with extra pen tips, you won't need to worry about the tip growing dull from overuse or even getting lost. Speaking of spare parts, the Huion's graphics tablet kit comes with a cleaning kit to help maintain the graphics tablet for a long time.

There is nothing revolutionary about the Huion H420 tablet and the technology therein. However, the features available on it, combined with the level of functionality this tablet offers, is more than enough reason to get it.

Key Features

• 3 Express Keys
• 2048 Pressure sensitivity
• USB connectivity technology

Specifications

• Active Area: 4 x 2.23 inches
• Max Report Rate: 200RPS
• Resolution: 4000 LPI
• Compatability: Windows 7/8/10, Mac 10.8+
• Brand: HUION

Pros

• Easy to install
• Compatible with all the essential software
• Ergonomic design
• Convenient express keys

Cons

• The drawing area is quite small Convenient express keys

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A balance of great features is the most important consideration for many artists looking to pick up a new tablet and stylus. That is precisely what you get with the XP-Pen Artist 15.6. This great drawing tablet is one of the few that check all the boxes in functionality, usability, power, and openness. The tablet and stylus combo is an easy recommendation if you want a bit of every flagship drawing feature.

If you want a tablet that presents you with a wide drawing area without compromising the design element, the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 is a great choice. The tablet has a 15.6 inch IPS drawing monitor, which automatically makes it one of the industry's biggest.

The brightness and large display mean that you will hardly ever need to look at your computer screen when working. The panel's viewing angles are excellent, allowing you to work outdoors, which is more likely to be more inspirational.

The stylus that comes with the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 is the perfect drawing tool on such a large display. With a pressure sensitivity of 8192 levels, you are guaranteed accurate lines and shades regardless of whether you are a beginner or a more seasoned artist. These features make the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 perfect for designing, editing, painting, and sketching.

Drawing tablets tend to collect dust and suffer wear with time since they are meant to be used in various settings. That may explain why every worthwhile tablet has some ruggedness in the design. That is the case with the XP-Pen Artist 15.6, which adds a proactive glass cover to keep dust off the sensitive panel.

Key Features

• Has a passive pen design
• Life-like and vivid images
• USB-C design input

Specifications

• Active Area: 9 x 6 inches
• Max Report Rate: 266 RPS
• Resolution: 5080 LPI
• Compatability: Windows, MacOS
• Brand: XP-PEN

Pros

• Accurate
• Low latency
• Portable

Cons

• May be too big for some people.

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An iPad can replace typical graphics tablets for professional drawing purposes. The Apple iPad Pro is an excellent tool for artists to explore a different avenue in terms of graphics tablet options.

First, the device has a 12.9-inch display that isn't just large but also quite sensitive. Features including the wide color gamut and True Tone help make images on this device appear quite lovely. Other impressive technical specifications like the long battery life and incredible processor performance allow for a smooth, interruption-free drawing experience.

Since you will be working directly on the iPad Pro's screen, learning to draw on it is very easy. However, you will have to get used to the new feeling of putting a stylus to the glossy screen surface. That feeling is very different from drawing on paper.

One of the perks of using the iPad Pro as a drawing tablet is its access to different drawing applications. Such diversity is valuable for beginner artists who want to experiment on various platforms and with different tools.

Moreover, the iPad Pro is designed to work naturally with these platforms quite well. For example, the touch screen interface allows for tilting, pinch zooming, and even rotating. With these, work flows better and feels more efficient. On the iPad Pro, the second generation Apple pencil functions as your stylus and primary input tool.

Since the iPad is a standalone device, it will work as a highly portable on-the-go graphics tablet. That is excellent news for users who intend to draw outside their studio or designated work areas. You can simply whip out the gadget and illustrate, animate, or draw away. Doing this would prove difficult with graphics tablets that require tethering to a PC to operate.

In conclusion, the iPad Pro might be a universal tablet, but it offers many useful features for artists to express their creativity quite conveniently.

Key Features

• iPadOS operating system
• Liquid Retina display
• Apple pencil stylus

Specifications

• Active Area: 10hrs
• Max Report Rate: N/A
• Resolution: 2732 x 2048p
• Compatability: MacOS
• Brand: Apple

Pros

• Great selectionof colors
• Good choice for on the go artists
• Advanced display
• Highly compatible with drawing applications
• Easy to use

Cons

• Pressure sensitivity unknown

Of the bat, the XP-PEN Artist12 strikes you as a versatile graphics tablet with a very vibrant screen. That's not all; this graphics monitor is highly applicable and well endowed, enabling you to explore your creativity to the max.

Starting off the Artist12's review is its chic-looking all-black exterior. On the sides, the Artist 12 includes some useful shortcut keys, specifically six of them. These are customizable to the tools you prefer to have while you work. With these sessions can run smoothly and more efficiently. Be advised, this tablet is not a standalone device as it requires a direct connection to a computer to operate.

Speaking of compatibility, XP-PEN's Artist12 is compatible with most of the popular art software, and applications like Adobe, allowing you to spread your figurative creative wings on many platforms.

Concerning display, the Artist 12 features a decent 11.6-inch working area. Many picture qualities, such as the high resolution and wide color gamut, help develop vibrant images that are pleasing to look at. Overall, the visuals on this tablet are stunning. With the impressive 8192 pressure sensitivity levels on this device, you can add as much detail and refine your work to perfection.

Provisions such as the anti-glare protective coating on the XP-PEN Artist12 screen help protect your eyes from strain even when working for hours on your art. The hexagonal-shaped pen with a digital eraser is designed with a reminiscent pencil feel. The bonus pen holder helps protect this stylus from damage.

Key Features

• 72% NTC color gamut
• 8192 pressure sensitivity
• 5080 LPI
• 1920 by 1080 display resolution

Specifications

• Active Area: 10.08 x 5.67 inches
• Max Report Rate: 266 RPS
• Resolution: 5080 LPI
• Compatability: Windows7/8/10 (34.64bit), Mac 10.8+
• Brand: XP-PEN

Pros

• IPS display
• Highly efficient stylus
• Tablet responds quite well to detailing
• Higher pressure sensitivity

Cons

• The stand is sold separately for this tablet

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Very few drawing tablets meet the processing frequency, huge display, and multi-touch nature of the Wacom DTK2200 Cintiq. This tablet has an outstanding balance between the pen and the multi-touch input, which combine to offer a good platform for drawing. The inclusion of the multi-touch option has made drawing a more interactive session.

The Wacom Cintiq has a Full HD 21.5-inch IPS display, giving enough room for sketching. The 16:9 aspect ratio of this tablet combines with its 1920 x 1080 native resolution to form a display of up to 16.7 million colors. With the multiple colors, it means the era of dull and boring images, whether drawn or generic, is long gone.

The Wacom Cintiq is among the most enticing picks for a budding artist. This tablet focuses on the digital workflow that gives room for professional art and design as it allows you to draw and edit images directly on the screen. Long ago, artists were required to sketch their designs on paper before scanning them, but with this tablet, all activities are done directly using the pen or touch option.

The design of the Wacom Cintiq ditches the traditional look of other tablets that depend on tables and other flat surfaces for support. Instead, it has adopted a unique stand that facilitates its viewing angles and enhances the multi-touch and pen input options. The peculiar stand also allows you to turn the display in almost all angles, making it easy to make sketches and edit existing ones.

Key Features

• 21.5-inch display
• Full HD
• 1000:1 contrast ratio
• High screen pressure levels

Specifications

• Active Area: 13.6 X 7.6 inches
• Max Report Rate: 190RPS
• Resolution: 5080 LPI
• Compatability: Windows
• Brand: Wacom

Pros

• Quality graphics
• Larger display
• Multiple express keys
• Can easily function as a second monitor

Cons

• Only compatible with computers with a DVI port

A digital tablet that has a display has a lower learning curve than one without. That is the premise behind which the GAOMON PD1560 is designed. Aside from packing all your favorite drawing features, the tablet comes with an FHD screen built with precision and productivity as main considerations. The GAOMON PD1560 manages to pack all these features in a package that is quite compact and portable.

The feature that stands out in the GAOMON PD1560 is the 1920x1080 IPS display, which excels in all aspects that matter to artists. The screen offers excellent viewing angles, although the panel gets pretty bright. You will not feel the need to find a spot with some shade to get some work done since direct sunlight is not a problem.

The GAOMON PD1560 is a multipurpose device since you can use it for online meetings and digital sketching. Like many people around the world, working from home is becoming more popular. This tablet is excellent for remote meetings on Zoom or Skype. When you are not using it for such collaborative tasks, you can quickly convert it into your drawing canvas for some artwork.

If you frequently need to annotate documents or append signatures as a student or professional, you will find the GAOMON PD1560 to be a valuable addition to your gear. Not only is the tablet light and manageable, but it mimics a physical folder when used for editing documents.

Key Features

• Has ten shortcut keys
• The pen lasts for over 350 hours
• Pre-applied screen film

Specifications

• Active Area: 13.5 x 7.6 inches
• Max Report Rate: 233PPS
• Resolution: 819LPI
• Compatability: Windows 7, MacOS
• Brand: GAOMON

Pros

• Bright screen
• Sensitive display
• Light but comfortable stylus

Cons

• You must update the drivers.

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The Wacom DTC133W0A is a digital pen tablet designed to complement your creative lifestyle. The Wacom One is more than just a pen display. Instead, it contains all features needed for digital and creative drawing.

The Wacom One is among the few drawing tablets that come with free software. When new, you get to enjoy up to six months of the Adobe Fresco, a software used for painting and drawing. The tablet also comes with the Bamboo Paper Pro app that will be helpful when sketching and drawing.

As a beginner, the last thing you want to see is a tablet that does not work well with other devices and platforms. For the Wacom One, you have unlimited access to a wide range of platforms such as Mac, Android, and PC, which improve your creativity and drawing skills.

Least to say, all that this tablet can do for you is hard to imagine. With just a single click, the digital pen that comes with this tablet can do more, including acting as a marker, pencil, and paintbrush.

Although the Wacom One is known for its prowess in drawing, it can perform a multitude of other tasks such as video and photo editing. The easy-to-use pen also makes it easy to prepare and deliver presentations with proper visual aids.

The 13.3-inch display of this tablet means you have ample room to make your drawings and edit others. The Wacom One, therefore, allows you to capture ideas, draw diagrams, and create mind-maps while on the move.

Key Features

• 13.3-inch display
• Creative pen display
• Paper-like canvas
• Photo editing

Specifications

• Active Area: 11.6 x 6.5 inches
• Max Report Rate: 125RPS
• Resolution: 2540 LPI
• Compatability: Android
• Brand: Wacom

Pros

• The pen feels like a standard pen
• The stand is easily adjustable
• High-quality display
• Easy to use

Cons

• The screen unit lacks any buttons

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A drawing tablet needs to meet certain standards before you decide to spend your hard-earned cash to get it. Huion Inspiroy does that precisely while promising lots of extra features you will not find on tablets at the same price point. The tablet shines in terms of build quality and functionality, making it a top recommendation for casual users and professionals alike.

The Huion Inspiroy comes with a free stylus, which is a big deal for anyone looking for a bundled drawing package. Hunting down for a compatible stylus after buying a tablet can be a painful hassle that most people want to avoid. So many things could go wrong, especially in the age of online shopping. For example, you might end up ordering incompatible stylus only to return them and delay your project.

Pressure sensitivity is a crucial factor when shopping for a new tablet and stylus. The screen, which comes with the Huion Inspiroy has a pressure sensitivity of about 8192 levels. With such an impressive capacity, you are guaranteed breath-taking precision on display. The tablet will let you define line weight and thickness based on the amount of pressure you apply.

Most people have some experience working across OS platforms due to general preference or work demands. If you use an Android phone, a Mac, or Windows PC, the Huion Inspiroy has got you covered since it is compatible with all three operating systems. The drawing tablet will work perfectly between the three giving you a nice setup that is reliable and clean. The implication is that you won't have to invest in a new device to take advantage of the tablet's power.

Key Features

• Accommodates handwritten text
• A lag-free stylus
• Has eight pen nibs

Specifications

• Active Area: 6.3 x 3.9 inches
• Max Report Rate: 233PPS
• Resolution: 5080 LPI
• Compatability: Windows 7, MacOS, Android
• Brand: Huion

Pros

• Excellent for beginners
• Accurate colors
• Cord length is decent

Cons

• Not all programs accommodate pressure sensitivity

You never forget your first, not even your first graphic tablet. Many different factors influence the decision. Failure to consider all of these could lead to the wrong choice of tablet for your needs.

Complications Of Getting A Drawing Tablet

To be honest, the process of buying a graphic tablet involves a lot of moving parts. Unprepared buyers tend to get carried away, focusing on some features that honestly don't matter that much for beginners. Not to say that features such as display or resolution are not necessary. However, prepared buyers focus more on the features that will directly influence usability.

Feeling unprepared? Do not worry; the section below highlights some of the focal points.

Features You Probably Didn't Think About

Color range and color accuracy are important when buying a drawing tablet. Your choice of tablet will affect the range of colors available on a device and how accurate the colors appear.

Pressure sensitivity is a popular consideration many users focus on when choosing drawing tablets. Without boring you with the details, pressure sensitivity affects your line strokes, their size, and density. The more sensitivity on a drawing tablet, the more detail and variations you can add to your work, just like you would drawing on paper. Similarly, latency in pressure sensitivity is a big deal when buying any drawing tablet. If you know your computers, this is similar to what is termed as input lag. The more latency there is with a device, the longer it will take to relay and respond to your drawing strokes.

Next on the list of obscure but essential considerations is efficiency and influence on your workflow. If you've used a friend's graphic tablet or drawing monitor, then you know these devices take some getting used to. However, convenience features like programmable buttons and high-level integration with drawing applications help ease this process. Programmable keys allow you to add shortcuts that you can utilize during your sessions. Additionally, tablets that are compatible with these applications make working with them quite easy.

Some artists love to work from their studios, while others prefer to draw on the go. For the latter, drawing tablets that are not just portable but support on the go sketching, illustrating, or animating. Always let your needs and drawing preferences dictate the style of instrument you should choose.

Now that you've finished this guide, you can revisit this list and make a final decision on which of the best drawing tablets for beginners is perfect for you!

FAQ

Q: How big or small should a drawing tablet be?

The best drawing tablet for beginners should be at least 13 inches. Besides creating more room for you to draw, it provides sufficient dimension to attain a 1440p resolution. The brightness is enough for all your digital purposes. Also, a 13-inch tablet fits easily on average desk space, with your keyboard and monitor also onboard.

If you draw your inspiration from the outside world, you can effortlessly toss it into a bag. Although smaller tablets are usable, they may not be the best for beginners who prefer using longer strokes. The cursor gets jumpy in a smaller space, which can be disappointing when making fine selections. Size impacts your workflow significantly, so getting the wrong one will make you uncomfortable.

Q: How are drawing and graphic tablets different?

Drawing tablets have screens you can draw on and show images as you craft them. Graphic tablets require a computer to run, and with this comes some limitations. The ability to draw on a graphic tablet while viewing your drawings on the monitor creates a certain disconnection, especially for beginners. It doesn't mean that working on a graphic tablet is hard, but it may take you some time to master the concept.

The best drawing tablets for beginners offer visibility, allowing you to see what you are drawing, just like using a pen and paper. As such, you get a more natural feeling since you don't have to concentrate on both the screen and computer.

Q: Does Wacom produce better drawing tablets than Huion?

Many consider Wacom as the gold standard of drawing tablets, mainly for their stunning colors, high resolution, and other advanced features. Such tablets are primarily for experienced artists since users can scroll and zoom with their fingers.

Although several tablets from Huion have enough features to meet the needs of skillful artists, they fit easily in any beginner's budget. Huion may be comparable with Wacom tablets feature-wise, but working with Huion's drivers and hardware is a bit tougher. Most tablets in Huion have 2,048 pressure levels, but many styluses don't have erasers, which may be frustrating to those looking to master their drawing skills.

Beginners looking for a quality tablet and not on a budget will appreciate Wacom's tablets. Still, you can find something exceptional but affordable from the Wacom Intuos or Wacom One line.

Q: Should I choose an active or passive stylus?

Although both distort the electric field in your tablet to get things done, the two types of stylus have some minor differences. An active stylus has internal electronic components featuring erasers, memory, and pressure sensitivity. The stylus includes a palm rejection feature that allows you to rest your palm on your screen without interfering with your drawing. In addition, the electronic components make it larger than a passive stylus.

The passive or capacitive stylus doesn't have electronic components or touch sensitivity. The stylus conducts an electric charge from the finger to your screen, so you can use it on any tablet that works with your finger. Although the active stylus is bigger, it offers superior accuracy.

Q: What types of drawing tablets are on the market?

Touch-screen tablets are connected to a computer since they require special software for you to render designs and transfer images. Such tablets are popular among animation giants like Marvel and Disney to produce stunning animations.

Smart pads don't need a computer to work. Instead, they have a screen that allows you to sketch, take notes, and doodle. Wacom makes some of the best drawing tablets for beginners, especially since they are battery-free and have cordless pens. Here, each stroke appears with complete accuracy, making them the best if you're a precision-oriented artist.

Essential drawing tablets are bare drawing boards and require you to connect them to a computer. The process is like drawing on a sheet of paper, only that here you see your images come across digitally.

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Rachel Scherer (28 Articles Published)

Rachel finds providing consumers with honest and detailed reviews about the best products on the market quite fulfilling. Her hobbies are reading novels, watching movies, dancing, and swimming. She also loves trying out different recipes during her free time.

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How to Compare Drawing Tablets

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