A Review of 10 of the Best Drawing Tablets Available for Artists and Designers

Full Review: ​​10 Best Drawing Tablets That Give the Best Bang for the Buck

Take a look at 10 best drawing tablets that give the best value for money:

Artisul D16 - 15.6" LCD Graphics Tablet

From beginners to the most discerning artists and designers, the Artisul D16 is every tech-savvy artist and designer’s dream come true. It supports both Windows and Mac devices, and must be connected to a computer before it can be operated.

The D16 comprises the following:

• A 15.6″ LCD pen display
• A pen
• Pen holder
• A pen pouch
• Plug-in power adapter
• USB and HDMI cables for making connections to the computer
• 10 pen nibs
• Protective screen film
• A freestyle Stand 051
• User manual
• One-year limited warranty

Slimmer than its predecessors (the D10 and D13), the D16’s sleek design looks more stylish than ever, but that’s not all there is to it.

The D16 not only looks superb, but is also built solid and sturdy just like the D10 and D13. To help protect the 15.6-inch pen display from scratches and other forms of surface damage, the D16 comes with a pre-applied screen protector.

The D16’s medium size 15.6” pen display has full HD resolution (1920 x 1080) to ensure everything looks fairly crisp and vivid.

Plus, the display provides good color reproduction because it uses an IPS panel – IPS panels offer better viewing angles, so color degradation doesn’t happen when the display is viewed from different angles.

With 8192 battery-free Pen pressure, the D16’s pen draws with more accuracy than ever before.

Get yourself a D16 and experience the enchanting world of graphic design and image creation in a whole new way.

Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet (Medium)

Would you like to work completely digital from soup to nuts? If so, then this Wacom tablet may be exactly what you need.

This tablet lets you illustrate what you want without making you relinquish the creative control you enjoy when working with pencil and paper or mouse and pen tool.

The Wacom Intuos Pro digital graphic best drawing tablets can be used with Mac or PC. It includes:

• A medium size pen tablet
• A pen
• Pen stand – consisting of 6 standard nibs and 4 felt nibs
• 4 additional pen color rings
• 6.6 ft. USB cable for making connections to the computer
• A texture sheet sample card
• A regulation sheet
• A user guide
• A warranty

The sleek, super-slim design of this tablet looks really nice, but the best part is that this device is ultra-responsive to the user’s creativity. Whatever you want to illustrate, the Wacom Intuos Pro best drawing tablets will bring it out in the best way possible for everyone to see clearly.

The Pro Pen 2 – the pen included in the box – is designed to work as a natural extension of the human hand. With 8192 levels of battery-free, pressure sensitivity, the pen’s responsiveness to the movements you make with your hand will be nothing short of impressive. Just grab the pen and unleash your creativity to the world!

XP-Pen Artist 15.6”

This is a great choice for professional artists and designers as well as those who want to go pro. It currently supports Windows 10/8/7 and Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8 or later versions. Its moderate size 15.6” pen display comes with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 IPS and an aspect ratio of 16:9.

The display uses an IPS panel to allow for enhanced color and clarity, and sharper and more vivid images and graphics.

The Artist 15.6 graphics display series includes the following:

• A 15.6″ pen display
• A passive pen
• 1 HDMI to Mac adapter cable
• 3-in-1 data cable
• 8 pen replacement nibs
• A pen stand
• User guide
• Anti-fouling drawing glove
• A cleaning cloth
• A warranty card

The Artist 15.6 boasts of having a slim profile – 11mm to be exact, so it’s highly ergonomic and convenient to work with.

With 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, the passive Artist 15.6 pen – the revolutionary P03S – can draw and modify your images and graphics to your exacting requirements. The P03S stylus doesn’t require recharging, as it is battery-free.

​​Microsoft Surface Pro 3 PS2-00001 12-Inch Pro 3 Intel Core i5 256GB Tablet

Are you looking to use a drawing tablet without ditching your laptop completely? If so, then the 12” Microsoft Surface Pro 3 3 PS2-00001 may be the perfect mobile device for you.

This Microsoft Surface Pro 3 gadget is essentially designed to function as both a tablet and a laptop. When you open the built-in kickstand and add a cover, the device will be in full laptop mode. When you close the kickstand and remove the cover, the device operates as a tablet.

Here’s what’s included in the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 3 PS2-00001 box:

• A touchscreen/pen display
• A surface pen
• 36W power supply
• User guide
• Warranty documents

Unfortunately, this tablet does not come complete with the keyboard, which is sold separately. On the bright side, your will enjoy bringing your ideas to life, thanks to the razor-sharp resolution and rich color on the 12-inch display that responds remarkably well to both touch and the Surface Pen.

​​​Artisul D13 –13.3" LCD Graphics Tablet

The Artisul D13 is reliable, durable and its quality-proven design is what every artist or designer needs to explore the world of limitless possibilities.

The Artisul D13 includes the following components:

• A 13-inch LCD drawing tablet
• A battery-free, pen
• Pen holder
• A pen pouch
• 10 replacement pen nibs
• A screen protector
• A freestyle Stand 051
• A User manual
• A one-year limited warranty

Must be used with compatible versions of Mac and Windows. Designed to unlock creativity anywhere, anytime.

​​​​Huion INSPIROY Q11K Wireless Digital Graphics Drawing Pen Painting Tablet

If a large working area is what you desire, then this graphics tablet is meant for you. The active working area is approximately 11 by 7 inches, provides ample space to work at optimal efficiency.

This tablet is compatible with Mac OS 10.11 or above and Windows 7/8/8.1/10, and includes the following components:

• A pen display
• Pen holder
• A rechargeable pen
• A pen stand
• Replaceable pen nibs
• Wireless USB receiver
• A cable for charging the tablet
• A cable for charging pen charging
• User guide
• Warranty documents

This tablet is ideal for painting jobs and is compatible with most of the painting applications including Illustrator, Manga Studio, CorelPainter, SAI, PS, and Sketch Pro.

​​​​​Microsoft Surface Pro 3 512 GB, Intel Core i7, Windows 8.1

This mobile device uses the Windows 8.1 Pro OS. It has a 12” full HD (2160 x 1440) resolution touchscreen display, which can also be operated using a pen.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Windows 8.1 includes the following:

• A touchscreen/pen display
• A surface pen
• 36W power supply
• User guide
• Warranty documents

To use this device as a laptop, you will need to purchase a keyboard separately. The pen used to draw things on the display is super-light and highly responsive to the user’s requirements. These features make the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Windows 8.1 ideal for artists and designers.

​​​​​XP-Pen Artist22 22-Inch Pen Display Graphic Monitor IPS Monitor Drawing Tablet Dual Monitor 

The XP-Pen Artist22 is the ultimate multi-functional tablet for artists and designers. It can be used to draw, paint, design and modify more intuitively. Also, it is compatible with Mac OS 10.7 or above and Windows 7/8/8.1/10.

It includes the following components:

• A 21.5” display
• 2 rechargeable pens
• A pen holder
• Display stand
• A pen charging cable
• An HDMI to Mac adapter cable
• An HDMI Cable
• A USB cable
• A VGA cable
• A power cable
• A power adapter
• A drive CD
• A pair of gloves
• A user guide
• Warranty documents

This tablet provides a large active area to work from. In addition, the tablet monitor has HD IPS Display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 to allow for optimal color and sharpness as you work.

​​​​​​XP-PEN Star03 Pro Graphics Tablet

Whether you are a novice or professional artist, the XP-PEN Star03 Pro graphics tablet is designed for you. It comes with a 10 by 6 inch digital screen to provide users a large active area.

Windows 7/8/10 and Mac OS are both supported. The box content comprises:

• A tablet monitor
• A passive pen
• A pen holder
• A CD driver for initial installation of programs
• A pair of drawing gloves
• User guide

With 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, you can draw and capture every detail of your imagination with great accuracy. The pen is battery-free, so you don’t have to worry about having to recharge it.

​​​​​​Parblo Coast22 21.5 Inch Digital Graphics Tablet 

This is one of the premium best drawing tablets you can find on the market today. It supports Windows and Mac operating systems, and comprises the following items:

• A tablet monitor
• A battery-free pen
• Pen holder
• A power adapter
• A power cord
• 6 pen replacement nibs
• A USB, HDMI and VGA cable
• A pair of anti-fouling gloves
• A screen protector
• A monitor protector cover
• User guide
• Warranty documents

The ergonomic design and great display qualities of this tablet, as well as the precision of the pen, combined with many more benefits to ensure users have a great time as they work on the tablet.

What to Consider When Shopping for the Best Drawing Tablets

No two graphics tablets are designed and built exactly the same, meaning no two tablet models work exactly the same. There are many factors to consider before investing in a drawing tablet. Two of the most important ones are your needs and your budget.

1. Your Needs for the best drawing tablets

Before deciding which type of tablet to buy, determine how you intend to use it, and establish your level of knowledge and skill as an artist or designer. This way, you will know what the most appropriate device for your application is, and whether or not you’ll be able to operate it properly.

2. Your Budget for the best drawing tablets

There are many decent tablets being sold out there, but they differ in prices. Once you have assessed your needs and capabilities, identify tablets that match those requirements. After that, select a product that falls within your budget range.

Ultimately, the best drawing tablets for you is the one that matches your specific requirements and falls within budget.

3. Durability and Battery Life for the best drawing tablets

A tablet should be able to serve you for several years to come. It should also be able to last for more than 10 hours without charging.

For best results, go for a tablet with large RAM and ROM memory – faster tablets tend to last longer than slower gadgets. Moreover, buy a tablet with a long battery life – preferably 4000 mAh and above. The battery-hours of a tablet may also vary depending on other factors such as frequency of use, Wi-Fi connection, and availability or non-availability of battery saver modes.

Amateur or Professional Drawing – There is Something for Everyone

From the days when images and graphics were created using the good-old pencil and paper, to the days when mouse and pen tool was introduced, to the modern-day use of drawing tablets, there’s no denying that how images and graphics are created has come a long way.

In order to truly appreciate this, you need to consider giving graphics tablets a whirl. Whether you are just starting out as an artist or designer, or you’re already a pro in your field of expertise, this comprehensive review should help you find something that suits you.

Featured Image via Amazon.com (logo, banner and text added).