Hone Your Artistic Skills With the Best Drawing Tablet

We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of our links. The newsroom or editorial staff was not involved in the creation of this content.

Buying Guide: Drawing Tablets

When it comes to creating digital art, a mouse and keyboard aren’t always ideal. Some people prefer a device with a tactile input that resembles a pen or pencil, and a drawing tablet does just that. These devices are specifically made for artists and illustrators who want to make creating digital art feel as natural as sketching on canvas or paper. These devices were initially costly and exclusive to professional artists, but over the last decade they’ve come down in price to fit the budget and needs of just about anyone. Whether you’re a novice, a dedicated pro, or a hobbyist looking for a good bargain, you can find a range of options available. The most efficient drawing tablets stand out from the crowd by meeting certain specifications that allow them to offer excellent performance in various applications. Let’s keep things short and unveil some of the top-rated drawing tablets of 2023 to level up your artistic skills.

The XP-Pen Drawing Tablet is a full-size drawing monitor with an impressive screen and advanced stylus performance. The screen is large enough that it’s ideal for photo editing, design work, and other projects, and with its fully-laminated technology and passive pen design, this drawing tablet helps create a more streamlined, almost parallax-free working experience. 

This drawing tablet’s battery-free stylus has fine pen nibs, allowing for greater accuracy and a smoother experience overall. You can use the tilt feature to tilt the pen up to 60 degrees, eliminating the need to constantly change the brush in the program you’re working in. Shading your artwork is as easy as tilting the pen, helping you achieve more fluid and realistic transitions in your work. With its amazing responsiveness, anti-glare optical film, and user-friendly design, this drawing tablet is the top choice on our list.

Pros

• Customizable interface for a smoother workflow
• Highly transparent and scratch-resistant surface
• Wide viewing angle — 178 degrees

Cons

• Its stand isn’t adjustable

The Wacom Drawing Tablet offers an excellent way for aspiring artists to learn the ropes or for veteran designers to keep their skills sharp. Although not a professional-level tablet, this device is still excellent for personal use at home, in the classroom, or even as a secondary tablet. Because it’s been certified for use with Chromebooks, this drawing tablet is ideal for students, educators, and creators. 

This drawing tablet’s advanced pen technology can seamlessly integrate your movements into your work with its advanced electro-magnetic pen technology. The accompanying battery-free pressure-sensitive pen is also ergonomic, responsive, and feels natural to use. You can seamlessly connect this drawing tablet with your PC or laptop via a USB cable to start creating your designs and sketches in no time at all.

Pros

• Highly precise and accurate
• Pressure-sensitive pen offers better control 
• Ergonomic design for ease of use
• Includes 3-Month Clip Studio Paint Pro trial

Cons

• May not work with older operating systems

The Ugee Drawing Tablet boasts a 10 x 6-inch active drawing area that mimics the texture of paper. This makes for a smooth drawing experience, allowing you to create digital art with no noticeable interruptions. Whether you’re using it for artistic design or a one-of-a-kind brush effect in picture editing, this drawing tablet’s passive stylus technology offers over 8,000 levels of pressure sensitivity for ideal results. 

This drawing tablet makes it possible to draw precise lines, no matter their weight and opacity, based on the pressure you apply while using its stylus. With its eight express keys, you can easily customize different functions like scroll, erase, and undo to save time and improve your productivity, and even better is that this feature-packed drawing tablet comes with an affordable price tag, making it ideal for anyone on a budget.

Pros

• Ideal for both left and right-handed users
• Upgraded pen doesn’t require charging
• Eight customizable express keys
• No lag while sketching

Cons

• Instructions can be unclear

The Huion Inspiroy Drawing Tablet has six customizable hotkeys to help you navigate software and make working with it easier. The customizable hotkeys also have an assigned shortcut for each program, allowing you to switch between tools with a single click instead of having to scroll back and forth on your mouse. 

This drawing tablet is sleek and compact, with an active workspace of 6.3 x 3.9 inches which makes it ideal for those with limited work areas. It’s also extremely easy to store and carry around, allowing you to showcase your creativity or get to work no matter where you are. You can also turn your Android phone into a digital drawing canvas with the OTG adapter, and this drawing tablet’s responsive, easy-to-use pen can make sketching, design work, and photo-editing a breeze.

Pros

• Lightweight, compact design
• Comes with eight extra pen nibs 
• Battery-free, no-lag pen

Cons

• Brush shortcuts may not work in Photoshop

The Gaomon Drawing Tablet is the ideal choice for artists and illustrators who have been searching for a device with amazing responsiveness. This drawing tablet has a large, 1920×1080 resolution in-plane switching (IPS) screen, offering you a one-of-a-kind, high-quality drawing and sketching experience.  

You can tilt this drawing tablet’s pen up to 60 degrees to draw lines or shade without having to change the device’s settings. It allows you to draw from any angle you choose with just a little bit of pressure, and any changes you make will instantly appear onscreen with virtually no lag. This drawing tablet’s pen also features two customizable shortcut keys for a hassle-free drawing experience, with “erase” and “mouse right click” set as its defaults.

Pros

• Eco-friendly tablet and pen design
• Type-C port for fast connectivity
• Comes with eight replacement pen nibs

Cons

• Some programs aren’t pressure sensitive

Will my drawing tablet come with a pre-installed drawing program?

Yes, most drawing tablets come with pre-installed drawing programs, but you can use them with many other programs as well. If your tablet doesn’t have a drawing program installed, you can find one on the manufacturer’s website or online.

How do I know if a drawing tablet is compatible with my software?

Most drawing tablets are compatible with almost all popular programs. Refer to the product description or manufacturer’s website to make sure that the drawing tablet you’re looking at will work with your system and software before finalizing your purchase.

Who should buy drawing tablets?

Anyone who wants to draw and paint using their computer should buy a drawing tablet, as they are extremely versatile devices. Some professional artists use them to draw at different angles, in different styles, and with textures that can’t be achieved with pencils or other art programs. They’re also great for times when you want to illustrate preexisting creations, as you can draw over them with ease for your desired results.

Do drawing tablets ruin my computer?

Drawing tablets have extremely low power consumption levels and won’t affect your computer’s performance. They require less processing power to operate than the average laptop, so there’s no reason that they should slow down your device.