How to Calibrate Drawing Tablet
The best drawing tablets in 2022: our pick of the best graphics tablets
Included in this guide:
The best drawing tablets are a great gift idea for the digital artists in your life this year. Or maybe you want to treat yourself? Whether you are a newbie, professional or somewhere in between, we can help. In this guide, there are many different models, manufacturers and price points to make sure you find something right for you.
There are three main types of tablets: graphics tablets, pen displays, and tablet computers. You can jump straight to our explainer on which type of tablet you should buy if you need a primer on the differences. In brief, graphics tablets are your cheapest option. These need to be plugged into an external display so you can see what you're drawing. Pen displays have their own screen, but that comes at a cost. Tablet computers meanwhile are consumer tablets like iPads which you're likely to be familiar with. Many of these offer an incredible drawing experience thanks to the latest apps and stylus technology.
If you're shopping for a tablet for your studies, you may want to check out our guide to the best tablets for students, and if you're buying for a little one, we have a dedicated guide to the best drawing tablets for kids.
The best drawing tablets in 2021
The best pen tablet comes with some excellent accessories
Specifications
Active drawing area: 10.3 x 5.8in
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192
Connections: USB-C to USB-A
Reasons to buy
+Fantastic build quality +Lovely drawing experience +Accessories included
Reasons to avoid
-Requires external display
An ultra-thin pen tablet that was made with the input of digital artists, the Xencelabs Pen Tablet is a superb choice of digital drawing tool. We think in terms of features, performance and price, it's the best drawing tablet you can buy right now. Its size is pretty much pitch-perfect for most uses, the drawing experience is superb, and the price is well-pitched to undercut equivalent tablets from the likes of Wacom.
This is a graphics tablet, meaning you'll need to plug it into an external display to see what you're drawing. While that might put off some users, it is what has allowed Xencelabs to keep the cost down. In use, the tablet is sublime. The bundled Quick Key remote makes controlling the tablet a breeze – its keys are highly customisable, so you can get it set up just the way you want to improve your workflow.
The pen is bundled in too, so you have everything you need to start drawing from the moment you open the box. It's reliable, sleekly designed and solidly built – we'd happily recommend the Xencelabs Medium Pen Tablet to pretty much anyone!
Find out more by reading our full Xencelabs Pen Tablet medium bundle review.
This drawing tablet is still fantastic
Specifications
Active drawing area: 19.5 x 11.5in
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels
Connections: HDMI, USB 2.0
Reasons to buy
+Excellent pressure sensitivity +Fantastic price
Reasons to avoid
-Low screen res for the size -No built-in ExpressKeys
Wacom has been at the top of the digital art game for some time now, so a Wacom tablet was always going to feature very high on this list – and there are more to come. The Wacom Cintiq 22 is a hugely popular tablet among professionals and amateurs alike, and its luxurious 22-inch display is a pleasure to draw on. The Full HD resolution may not have the headline pixel counts of more recent models, but honestly that's all most users need, and the anti-glare surface will provide hours of drawing satisfaction.
The Wacom Pen 2 is one of the best styluses around, with highly attuned pressure-sensitivity and tilt-detection that makes drawing with it feel just like the real thing. As Wacom is the standard used in many workplaces, if you're looking to break into a digital art industry, getting used to how a Wacom tablet feels and behaves is a smart move.
It's not cheap – Wacom tablets generally aren't. If you need to save some cash and don't mind compromising on surface area, the Wacom Cintiq 16 is also an excellent choice. Conversely, if you need more room and have the cash to spare, the Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 is utterly sublime.
Find out more with ourWacom Cintiq 22 review.
A well-sized pen display at a price that might surprise you
Specifications
Active drawing area: 13.54 x 7.62in
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels
Connections: USB-C
OS: Windows or macOS
Reasons to buy
+Highly affordable display +Good pen and drawing surface
Reasons to avoid
-Sound build quality -Stand not included
All the basics you could want from a pen display are covered by the XP-Pen Artist 15.6: a reasonably sized drawing area, a comfortable pen with plenty of sensitivity levels, and a good screen. You don't get quite the attention to detail or the advanced ecosystem of extras that Wacom provides, and the offset between the stylus tip and the on-screen cursor takes some getting used to, but this remains a pen display that can transform your digital creativity without breaking the bank.
Hands-down one of the best cheap drawing tablets right now, the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 pen display is a perfect starter tablet, or a good choice for anyone who wants an affordable upgrade.
An incredible drawing tablet with plenty of features
Specifications
Active drawing area: 10.32 x 7.74in
Resolution: 2,732 x 2,048
Pen pressure sensitivity: Not specified (requires optional Apple Pencil)
Connections: Thunderbolt 4, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
OS: iPadOS 14.6
Reasons to buy
+Unbeatable processing power +New ultra-powerful display
Reasons to avoid
-iPadOS needs a refresh -More than you need?
Apple is basically just showing off now. Like a Mario Kart player who's so effortlessly crushing the competition they start doing donuts in front of the finish line, the firm's latest tablet is simply miles ahead of the rest. The 2021 refresh of the iPad Pro 12.9-inch comes with the M1 processing chip, which was previously only found in Macs. This enables apps to run faster than ever, and when it's paired with the all-new mini-LED-powered XDR display, produces a system for making and displaying digital art that's simply unrivalled.
Drawing with the Apple Pencil 2 is still a smooth and intuitive experience. The new screen really is an improvement across the board, with not only greater overall brightness, but improved control of local dimming, meaning that areas of contrast have greater nuance and definition to them.
So why, with all this, is it not our top pick? Well, it does depend on what you need. The iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 2021) is so powerful, and so priced accordingly, that if you are only looking for a drawing tablet and won't need its many other features, it probably isn't worth it, and a dedicated tool like those above will offer greater value for money. Still, let's not lose sight of the fact that this is the best overall tablet on the market right now, and one of the greatest for drawing, no question (see our iPad Pro 12.9-inch M1 (2021) review for a detailed look at why, and also note that the 11-inch iPad Pro is another excellent, though expensive, choice).
05. Huion H430P
Get started with this low-cost but very usable mini drawing tablet
Specifications
Active drawing area: 4.8 x 3in
Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels
Connections: USB
OS: Windows or macOS
Reasons to buy
+Brilliant starter tablet +Low cost
Reasons to avoid
-Four shortcut keys -Drawing area small for some
If you're not sure whether a drawing tablet is something you'll use regularly enough to justify the cost, the second Huion tablet on our list, the H430P, gives you all the basics without requiring a big investment. The drawing area is small, yes, but the pen is sensitive enough to give you a true sense of the creative benefits drawing tablets can bring. It may not take long before you outgrow this tablet, but it's a very affordable way to get started.
06. Huion Kamvas 22 Plus
Huion's 22-inch tablet boasts a superb screen at a tempting price
Specifications
Active drawing area: 18.77 x 10.56in
Resolution: 1920x1080 Full HD
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels
Connections: USB-A/USB-C/HDMI
Reasons to buy
+Excellent screen +Great value for 22-inch tablet
Reasons to avoid
-No touchscreen -Pen is quite basic
One of the most recent tablets to arrive in the mid-range space, the Huion Kamvas 22 Plus impresses with its beautiful and generously sized screen. A 16:9 display with Full HD resolution, it's constructed from etched anti-glare glass, meaning it should last a lot longer than many comparable screens that rely simply on anti-glare film. It also improves the texture of the screen, making the drawing experience feel more tactile and, dare we say it, analogue.
With an anti-parallax design, 140% sRGB coverage and ability to replicate 16.7 million colours, this is a very impressive tablet. The pen that comes with it is basically decent and will do the job – it's a little no-frills perhaps, with only one type of nib supplied. Overall the Huion tablet is a sound buy, especially when compared to competition at this price point from the likes of XP-Pen – it's got better colour coverage and a generally better drawing feel.
Read more in our full Huion Kamvas 22 Plus review.
A swish-feeling tablet that offers a 'pro' experience at a tempting price
Specifications
Active drawing area: 13.42 x 7.55 inch
Resolution: 1920×1080 (full HD)
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels
Connections: USB-C
Reasons to buy
+Excellent drawing feel +Minimal parallax
Reasons to avoid
-No stand included -Screen could be brighter
XP-Pen continues to carve out an impressive niche in the mid-range of drawing tablets, with the XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 offering a premium-feeling experience at a consumer-friendly price. A minor upgrade on the Innovator 16, it offers an excellent drawing surface with 99% Adobe RGB coverage and virtually no parallax.
The XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 boasts a new stylus with an intelligent chip, promising a 10-fold increase in touch sensitivity. This allows for some real lightness of touch when it comes to making fine lines, requiring just 3g of pressure to make a mark. Having dual dials and eight customisable shortcut buttons makes controlling the Artist Pro 16 a pleasingly tactile process, as does the all-metal casing that surrounds it.
The lack of an included stand is a little disappointing, and some monitor setups may require a bit of a mess of cables to get working, which may annoy those who prefer a clean desktop. But otherwise this is an impressive, sleek, tempting tablet.
Read more with our full XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 review
08. Microsoft Surface Book 3 (13.5 inch)
The best Windows tablet for drawing – but it comes at a price
Specifications
Active drawing area: 11.25 x 7.5in
Resolution: 3000 x 2000
Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels (with Surface Pen)
Connections: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, USB-C
OS: Windows 10 Pro
Reasons to buy
+Impressively versatile +Excellent build quality
Reasons to avoid
-Surface Pen costs extra
One of the latest of Microsoft's impressive laptop/tablet hybrids, the Surface Book 3 is very clearly a premium product from the moment you take it out of the box. Its build quality is gorgeous, and the display looks exceptional. Once you add the highly impressive Surface Pen to the equation (which does add an extra $100/£100 or so onto the already not-inconsiderable cost of the enterprise) then you've got a fantastic drawing tool that'll synergise beautifully with any Windows workflow you already have going. If this isn't quite enough display for you, there's also a 15-inch version – though this of course jacks the price up still further.
Wacom's most affordable release, bringing a great tablet to the masses
Specifications
Active drawing area: 11.6 x 6.5in
Resolution: 1,920 x 1,080
Pen pressure sensitivity: 4,096 levels
Connections: USB-C, HDMI
OS: Windows, macOS or Android (some devices)
Reasons to buy
+Great on the go +Peerless Wacom quality
Reasons to avoid
-No iPhone compatibility -Small-ish drawing area
Wacom's confusingly named Wacom One (not to be confused with any previous Wacom Ones) is an excellent and portable 13-inch tablet at an extremely competitive price point, no doubt designed to tempt users away from cheaper brands like XP-Pen. Its Full HD display provides 72 per cent NTSC colour and an anti-glare treated film, and the tablet even comes with little legs for standing up when you're out and about and want to quickly get some ideas down. An ideal tablet to slip into your day bag, the Wacom One provides a great drawing experience without costing the earth.
Read our in-depth Wacom One review for more on exactly what to expect from this device.
Highly affordable Wacom alternative, though lacking a few features
Specifications
Active drawing area: 11 x 6in
Resolution: n/a
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels
Connections: USB-C
OS: Windows, macOS or Android
Active drawing area: 11 x 6in
Resolution: n/a
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels
Connections: USB-C
OS: Windows, macOS or Android
Reasons to buy
+Superb value +Solid build quality
Reasons to avoid
-Software a little janky -No iPhone/iPad support
Undercutting Wacom considerably on price, the XP-Pen Deco Pro is an alternative to the likes of the Intuos Pro, offering a smaller slate of features but for about a third of the cost. So while the software drivers are a little janky, the fundamental drawing experience is rock-solid. The pen may not have the premium feel of a Wacom, but it still offers 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, and the overall design of the tablet has picked up a Red Dot awards. This isn't just a cheap knock-off – it's a premium knock-off, and if you're an artist on a budget, it definitely merits consideration.
Our XP-Pen Deco Pro review will tell you more.
The best graphics tablet for artists and illustrators
Specifications
Active drawing area: 12.1 x 8.4in
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels
Connections: USB, Bluetooth
OS: Windows or macOS
Reasons to buy
+Great pen sensitivity +Fluid drawing +Wired or wireless connection
Reasons to avoid
-Drawing area could be larger
When you're creating artwork, you want room to sketch freely and a pen that feels as close as possible to the paper equivalent. You'll find both in the Wacom Intuos Pro Large graphics tablet: it's one of the purest drawing experiences you can get from a digital device. The pen provides over 8,000 levels of pressure sensitivity and a drawing area that – while it's not the biggest available – gives you more than the area of a magazine to play inside. All this is supported by Wacom's broad ecosystem of alternative pens and Texture Sheets to give your drawing surface a distinctive feel.
The Intuos Pro is also available in other sizes, so if the asking price is a little steep and you're willing to work with a smaller screen, you may want to consider the Intuos Pro Medium or Intuos Pro Small. Both of these tablets offer similar functionality to the largest version, just with smaller working areas.
Find out more in our in-depth Wacom Intuos Pro review.
- Jump back to the top
The best drawing tablet accessories
Wacom Pro Pen 3D
A third button may not sound much of an innovation, but it enables the Pro Pen 3D to support pan and zoom in three dimensions, giving 3D artists unfettered navigation at their fingertips.
Wacom Inking Pen
For that traditional feel, the Inking Pen enables you to place a sheet of paper on your Wacom tablet then draw onto it with ink, while the tablet captures your drawing movements at the same time. The Inking Pen is only for Intuos tablets: it can damage the screen on Cintiqs and MobileStudios.
Adonit Jot Pro
If the Apple Pencil doesn't appeal or your iPad isn't compatible, the Adonit Jot Pro is a stylish pen that works on any iPad (or Android tablet). The nib, combining a fine-point tip with a plastic circle to register on the tablet screen, looks curious but works well in practice.
The best drawing tablets: What are the different types?
Broadly speaking, there are three main types of drawing tablet. Each takes a different approach to the central challenge of helping you draw on your Windows PC or Mac as if you were drawing on paper.
In terms of drawing tablets, there's everything from professional, high-resolution graphics tablets, to portable tablets that cost less than £40 and fit in a small backpack. There's also a growing market of drawing tablets for little ones, and you can check out our dedicated drawing tablets for kids guide if this is something you're looking for. Want to go unplugged for a bit? Have a look at our best lightboxes for more hands-on creativity. And if you're looking specifically for a tablet for editing, see our best tablets for photo and video editing.
Graphics tablets
The traditional drawing tablet features a flat, featureless surface that you draw on with a stylus, with the image displayed on a computer monitor. Graphics tablets remain the most affordable drawing tablet category. Their main disadvantage is the sense of 'disconnect' between the drawing surface and the screen, although most people get used to this quickly.
Pen displays
Pen displays consists of a flat-screen monitor with a pressure-sensitive surface that you draw on with a stylus. They don't have the sense of disconnect experienced with graphics tablets, are more portable and cost more. However, you get a lot of cables between the display and computer (see the best computers for graphic design), and the display surfaces don't offer the 'bite' that graphics tablets do.
Tablet computers
Android and iOS devices like the Surface Pro and iPad Pro take on the other drawing tablets in two ways. You don't need another computer: just download an art app and start drawing with your fingertip or a stylus. Also, when you want to use the Creative Cloud suite on your main computer, these can function as graphics tablets with apps like Astropad.
The best drawing tablets: Which one should you buy?
Right now, we're confident in saying that the absolute best drawing tablet you can buy is the Wacom Cintiq 22, which provides Wacom's famous quality in a pleasingly large tablet at a surprisingly affordable price. If you want something a bit smaller (and cheaper), then go for the Xencelabs Medium Pen Tablet bundle, which comes with some surprisingly cool accessories and is very affordable.
If you're completely new to this market, it's worth pointing out that there are three different categories to be aware of.
- Graphics tablets, which you draw directly onto with a stylus
- Pressure-sensitive pen displays, which are hooked up to a monitor
- Tablet computers, which can be adapted for drawing with an app
Need a recap? Here are the best drawing tablets, graphics tablets and tablet computers right now...
Related articles:
- The best 2-in-1 laptops for designers
- The best laptops for Photoshop
- The best laptops for photo editing
http://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-hill-39894246 Richard Hill has over 20 years' experience in print and online publishing, including stints at Digital Camera, 3D World, ImagineFX and Practical Web Design.
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How to Calibrate Drawing Tablet
Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/features/best-drawing-tablet