Unleash your inner artist: The best drawing tablets

Unleash your inner creativity with one of the best drawing tablets.

drawing tablet

by Isabel Martins |
Updated on

Drawing tablets are a great way for artists and professionals to unleash their creativity as well as produce their next piece of work - and we've rounded up the best drawing tablets for you.

We understand that all digital artists, such as graphic designers, will have varying needs when it comes to finding the best drawing tablet. Whether you've got a tight budget or you're specifically searching for one that has a large screen, we've got you covered. Our best drawing tablet guide features a wide range of tablets, so you won't be stuck for choice.

The best drawing tablets at a glance

And if you've just started out, check out our best drawing tablets for beginners list. But if you're not sure you're set on a drawing tablet, why not read our best tablets guide, too?

Best overall

Apart from being one of the best iPads overall, the Apple iPad Pro is also the best drawing tablet out there. With a large screen and a drawing area, this is ideal for any professional artist or creative individual. We also love its incredibly fast performance due to the powerful M4 Chip, as well as its impressive Ultra Retina XDR display. Though it doens't come with an Apple Pencil, the new Apple Pencil Pro is definitely worth a look!

Pros

  • Impressive display

Cons

  • Doesn't come with the Apple pencil

Best for Windows

Wacom Cintiq 16Amazon
Price: $1084.99
https://redirect.viglink.com?key=349f95720ce5cc9591e15152a710dbb3&prodOvrd=PCR&opt=false&u=W0BNFkoPGB1HFBIbDQZOUF5WS1JaXBpCTgYGAklSUgNmFFYJBGEADwoRUA5eAGZwcCEGfXoGAFEBBQk%3D&x=v1&prdId=10495475462&barcode=AwAAUgAHAQoGUVQCVlY%3D

A close runner-up is the Wacom Cintiq 16, boasting a vast drawing area, as well as a great resolution. What we also love about this is its high pen pressure sensitivity, which will allow you to produce high-resolution drawings and more easily distinguish between thicker and thinner lines.

Pros

  • High-pressure pen sensitivity

Cons

  • Not the best screen resolution

Best included accessories

XPPen Artist 15.6 ProAmazon

Rrp: $360.56

Price: $299.99

If you're on a budget or you're looking for the best value for money drawing tablet, then look no further. The XP-Pen is an excellent choice. Coming in at just under £399, this tablet features a decent resolution as well as a large drawing area of 13.54 x 7.62 inches. You're also saving money as this tablet comes with a pen.

Pros

  • Great pen pressure sensitivity levels
  • Large drawing area

Cons

  • Does not come with a stand

Best for size

Another excellent option is the Huion Kamvas 22. With very high pen pressure sensitivity levels, as well as a superb resolution and the largest drawing area on the list, it's easy to see why this is one of the best drawing tablets on the market right now.

Pros

  • Impeccable resolution

Cons

  • Expensive

Best laptop

Microsoft Surface Pro (11th)Microsoft

Without question, this is Windows' best drawing tablet. If you're looking for an impressive and sharp resolution, as well as a great pen pressure sensitivity then the Microsoft Surface Pro is the one for you. It also features powerful performance and a superb design. This tablet is, however, very expensive, so if you have a tight budget, this may not be the one for you.

Pros

  • Impressive resolution of 3000 x 2000 pixels

Cons

  • Very expensive

<strong>FAQs:</strong>

What software will I need?

Although there are plenty of computer programs that support drawing tablets, we've found that the best software is Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. They support drawing tablets, are fairly easy to use and will help you produce your most impressive work. However, you'll need to purchase a subscription.

What is the Pen pressure sensitivity?

This is the amount of Pen pressure the tablet registers. It gives you an excellent level of control, which will allow you to produce high-resolution drawings and more easily distinguish between thicker and thinner lines.

What features should I look for?

One important feature is the size of the drawing tablet. Larger tablets will cost more money but will offer greater precision. Smaller options are inevitably the cheapest, but they're not ideal for professional artists.
Another significant consideration is the Pen pressure sensitivity. The higher this is, the easier it will be for you to produce high-quality sketches and drawings.

Why should you trust us?

At What's The Best, our mission is to provide accurate and reliable reviews, ensuring our readers receive honest and transparent information about the best technology products available. Anything less would undermine our commitment to being a trusted source of unbiased product information.

Our dedicated in-house writing team comprises experts with extensive experience and a genuine passion for technology. Collectively, we have spent decades testing and writing about tech, leveraging our expertise in all our articles, advice pieces and reviews.

We maintain complete editorial independence and do not accept payment for product reviews. Our writers have full control over their content, ensuring that products are selected based solely on the needs of our readers. While we may earn commissions or other compensation from links on our website, this never affects our product choices. These links enable us to continue offering valuable consumer advice, without compromising the integrity of our reviews.

Read more about why you should trust us.

Isabel Martins is a Commercial Content Writer for What's The Best, specialising in technology.

Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the What’s The Best team.

Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us