Best Drawing Tablets

Last Updated on March 25, 2023 by Ernests Embutnieks and Ameer Ashraf

If you were looking to upgrade your dated drawing tablet for something new and shiny, we’ve compiled a list of The Best Drawing Tablets in 2023. A reliable tool is important in any profession.

But it’s even more critical for creatives who dabble in digital art, graphic design, or just sketching. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of varied types of drawing tablets. We’ve considered budgets, tablet types, styles, and more!

We’re confident you’ll find something that suits all your drawing needs. Let’s take a look at the 11 Best Drawing Tablets in 2023!

The 11 Best Drawing Tablets in 2023:

Earning our Editor’s Choice award is the Wacom Intuos Pro – Large for stable performance and a reasonable price tag. The big caveat with this one is the lack of an actual display which can dissuade some users.

However, what it lacks in a display, it makes up for with functionality. 

The first thing to know about the Wacom Intuos Pro Large is the work area. You have a 12.1” x 8.4”  area to work on which is plentiful for digital artists, drawing, and illustrating. 

It also has 8 ExpressKey buttons that are configurable depending on the app you use. There’s also the Touch Ring which can be used to zoom in or out, adjust brush sizes, or other customizable functions. 

The Intuos Pro Large comes with the Pro Pen 2 featuring 8192 pressure sensitivity levels and is battery-free. You don’t need to charge the pen as it charges while it’s being used thanks to Wacom’s tech. 

Another big reason the Intuos Pro Large tops our list is wireless functionality. You can connect it via Bluetooth or a USB-C cable if you’re at your workstation. It’s incredibly useful and makes it a much more versatile drawing tablet. 

It doesn’t weigh much, maxing out at 2.86 lbs so it’s portable as well. Overall the Intuous Pro Large is a fantastic graphics drawing tablet. It’s large, has a variety of options for shortcuts, and can be used wirelessly.

The price isn’t that expensive considering alternative options available in the market, so we’d recommend this for beginners and veterans alike!

Pros and Cons

The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 2.5K is a superb pen drawing display that’ll suit many digital artists well. 

The tablet has a large 15.6-inch, sporting a 2560 x 1440 QHD resolution. This roughly translates to 2.5K which isn’t as sharp as a 4K panel but much better than the typical Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution on other similarly priced pen displays.

Color accuracy is also excellent thanks to Quantum Dot technology and a 145% sRGB color gamut. Pictures are sharp and clear while retaining vibrancy and vividness on the gorgeous display. 

The Kamvas Pro 16 2.5K comes with the PW517 pen based on Huion’s PenTech 3.0. It has 8192 pressure sensitivity levels and ±60° tilt recognition. The pen feels natural in the hand and feels great on the fully laminated anti-glare glass display. 

It accurately registers pressure exerted on the pen to ensure thin, stable lines when in use. Tapering is also smooth and consistent which is great if you work with a lot of lines when drawing. 

A big downside of the Kamvas Pro 16 2.5K is it lacks wireless connectivity. This is pretty standard for pen displays as you’ll see with the other products on our list. You’ll need to plug it into a power source or your laptop/computer. 

But keep in mind that connecting to a laptop with only a USB-C connection will rapidly decrease your laptop battery. It takes a lot of power to run the Kamvas Pro 16 2.5K so we’d recommend using it at your workstation with both the laptop and tablet plugged in.

Overall, the Kamvas Pro 16 2.5K is great value for money. It’s a reasonable price tag of under $500, especially for the 2.5K display. It’s a bummer you can’t use it wirelessly and it doesn’t have a battery, but it’s pretty standard for these types of pen displays. 

Everything else it has to offer is a steal; the large & sharp 2.5K display, excellent pen performance, and color accuracy.

Pros and Cons

The Xencelabs Drawing Tablet Medium is our pick as the Best Feature-Packed Drawing Tablet on the list. The tablet itself is a familiar package with a 12” display and a 10.3” x 5.75” active area. 

For reference, it is smaller than our Editor’s Choice, the Wacom Intuos Pro Large. 

But where the Xencelabs Drawing Tablet Medium truly shines are the added accessories. The total package includes the tablet itself as well as the Quick Keys remote, and 2 battery-free pens.

The Quick Keys remote is where you’ll set all your shortcuts in different programs. The tablet itself doesn’t have any keys built-in, so you’ll need to use the remote if you wanted to use shortcuts. 

There are 5 sets of 8 keys that can configure 40 programmable functions. This can be set per application so it’s easy to set up once and not worry about. The remote has an OLED display that shows you what the key is programmed to. 

There’s also a dial with which you can set up to 4 different settings. 

Another unique part of the Xencelabs Drawing Tablet Medium is it has two included pens. You can either use the 3-Button Pen with an eraser or the Thin Pen which has 2 buttons and an eraser. 

The Thin Pen is great for more intricate, detailed work while the 3-Button Pen is when you need the extra functionality of shortcuts. Plus the 3-Button Pen may be easier to hold for longer periods of time thanks to the ergonomics. 

Both pens support 8192 pressure sensitivity levels, tilt recognition, and a 5080LPI pen resolution. 

The Xencelabs Drawing Tablet Medium also supports Bluetooth and can be used wirelessly. It includes a 3000mAh battery which can last a staggering 16 hours of continuous usage. 

There’s a lot to love with the Xencelabs Drawing Tablet Medium and it’s a great option for a multitude of artists. Be it design, drawing, or 3D models, the Xencelabs Drawing Tablet Medium is a great companion. 

Pros and Cons

Next up we’ve got many digital artists’ favorite Apple iPad Pro. The version we’re featuring is the latest 6th Gen iPad Pro released in 2022. The new iPad Pro comes packed with an updated processor for even better performance and stability. 

The first thing you’ll notice on the iPad Pro is the gorgeous 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a 2732 x 2048 resolution. The display also supports 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, True Tone, and P3 wide color gamut.

This 12.9-inch version also supports HDR, further enhancing color contrast. This is a great machine for editing videos and high-contrast images or designs. Colors pop on the screen and are incredibly vivid. 

Powering the iPad Pro is Apple’s latest M2 Chip. The latest Apple silicone is a powerful chip capable of handling high-end games and demanding graphic software. Illustrator and drawing software is easy to use, intuitive, and surprisingly feature-packed. 

This version of the iPad Pro features 8GB RAM and a 128GB storage capacity. But it can go up to 16GB RAM and 2TB storage. If you need extra space to store big files and RAW footage/photos, you should check out a higher storage capacity. 

The iPad Pro is compatible with the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil. 

However, the Apple Pencil is not included in the box and you’ll need to purchase it separately. This is a bummer since the iPad Pro is already expensive as is, but it’s worth it if you can afford it.

The Apple Pencil features palm rejection, tilt recognition, and super-low latency. Apple doesn’t officially reveal the pressure sensitivity levels but it’s believed to be 8192. 

The iPad Pro can last up to 9-10 hours depending on how you use it. In our experience, this is plenty even for working when drawing and designing continuously. It also supports Wi-Fi 6e for fast and stable internet connectivity. 

There’s a lot to love about the latest iPad Pro and its attractive, modern design. The software is seamless and performance is on par with any other tablet out there. But the problem is you’re limited to Apple’s apps and it’s pricey. 

If there’s a specific app or feature you’re looking for, the iPad Pro might not have. Traditional drawing tablets can be much cheaper and has functionality catered to artists. But if you want to dabble with digital art on a premium smart tablet, the iPad Pro is the best option.

Pros and Cons

The Wacom Cintiq 22 is a staple in the drawing tablet category. 

The main feature of this tablet is the display size as you get a massive 21.5-inch workable display area. The Wacom Cintiq 22 is by far the largest display on our list so if size is what you need, this is an option for you.

It also has a sharp 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution which is great for most readers.

We’d love to see a higher resolution but it’s workable. 

The display also supports a 96% sRGB color gamut which means colors are accurate and vibrant. It also has an anti-glare coating which makes writing and drawing feel much more tactile and natural. 

The Cintiq 22 comes with the Pro Pen 2 that features 8192 pressure sensitivity levels, tilt recognition, and minimal lag. There are also two customizable shortcut buttons on the pen.

You can set the Cintiq 22 at a 19° incline with the foldable legs to adjust your working position. It’s more comfortable at an incline rather than lying flat on a table. But note that the Cintiq 22 does not have shortcut buttons on the tablet. 

You’re limited to the two buttons on the pen itself. This isn’t great since designers and artists often need quick access to certain shortcuts like zoom, eraser, brush size, etc. It also doesn’t have Bluetooth and needs to connect to a power source. 

Another big downside of the Cintiq 22 is the price. 

You’ll need to pay a premium for the extra screen real estate. Considering there are smaller displays with higher resolutions, with shortcut buttons, at much lower prices, you might not be sold on it. 

But this is the best option if you wanted a large, Full HD display. You just need to know what you’re sacrificing to get it. 

Pros and Cons

The XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 is our pick as the Best Budget 16” Pen Display Drawing Tablet. It will still cost you $400 but that’s the price you have to pay for a pen display of this size.

Compared to our Best Premium 16”, the Huion Kamvas Pro 16 2.5K, the XP={en Artist Pro 16 is a few hundred dollars cheaper. You still get the same screen real estate, but you’ll have to compromise on resolution.

The XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 has a 15.4-inch display with a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution. This isn’t as sharp as the Kamvas Pro 16 2.5K’s resolution which is one of the main reasons for the price discount. 

But Full HD is still a respectable resolution for most users. 

The display is also vibrant sporting a 133% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, and 94% NTSC color gamut. This means the colors you see when drawing will be accurate and vivid. Color contrast is also decent, measuring in at 1000:1. 

Additionally, the display is a fully laminated anti-glare screen. This means you don’t have to deal with light reflecting off the screen and minimal parallax. Parallax is when the cursor doesn’t match where the pen is located.

This can cause discrepancies and inaccurate inputs when drawing. The measures XP-Pen has taken to mitigate that are admirable. 

The XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 comes with the X3 Elite Plus Pen. The pen is using the latest X-3 Smart Chip and supports 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 60° tilt recognition, and an eraser.

On the tablet, there are 8 customizable express keys and a dual dial. These can be customized per software which is incredibly useful. The added bonus of extra shortcuts on the dial is another great feature. 

Overall, the XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 has admirable features, a good screen size, and excellent shortcut integrations. But similar to other pen displays, you need to connect it to a power source and it doesn’t have Bluetooth. 

This limits portability since you need a proper setup to use it, but if you mainly draw at an office/desk setup, there shouldn’t be a problem. 

Pros and Cons

The Gaomon PD1161 is our pick as the Best Budget Pick for its insanely low price tag. This is an excellent option if you’re on a tight budget but still need a Pen Display.

For the price, it’s actually packed with some great features. You get an 11.6-inch screen with a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution. Color accuracy takes a hit as it supports a 100% sRGB & 72% NTSC color gamut. 

Colors are still accurately represented, but they might not be as vibrant and vivid as other options on the list. But again, this is expected because of the very low price tag. 

The Gaomon PD1161 comes with the AP50 pen which supports 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 60° tilt recognition, and is battery-free. Strokes on the Gaomon PD1161 are sensitive so you don’t need to exert as much pressure.

It can still register even slight pressure which is great for drawing with thin lines and tapering. You also get 8 extra pen nibs for when you need to replace them and a pen holder. It’s a pretty generous gift that other manufacturers tend to skip out on. 

The tablet has 8 programmable shortcut keys and two shortcut keys on the AP50 pen. There’s also a USB-C and Mini HDMI port to connect to your computer and power source. 

But the PD1161 needs to connect to a Mini HDMI, unlike other options which only use a USB-C port. This makes cable management a hassle as you’ll have a lot of wires connected to both your computer and tablet. 

It’s definitely not an ideal setup. But if you can look past the sloppy cable management and lower color vibrancy, the Gaomon PD1161 is excellent value for money. It can still do most of what you need to do, at a super low price tag. 

If you’re new to digital art, the Gaomon PD1161 is a great entry pen display for drawing.

Pros and Cons

Next up on our list is another traditional graphics tablet, the XP-Pen Deco Pro MW, as our Best Value-for-Money Graphics Tablet. This is a handy little drawing tablet that comes in a sleek form factor measuring only 7mm thin. 

It’s also lightweight and weighs 2.86 lbs. 

The tablet itself has a modest 11” x 6” active area which is plenty enough for drawing or sketching. It’s marginally smaller than the Wacom Intuos Pro and the Xencelabs Drawing Tablet Medium but it’s bigger than the GAOMON M10K Pro 10 featured below.

It’s a good middle ground when it comes to size and it’s a steal, especially at the price tag.

The XP-Pen Deco Pro MW comes with the PA1 pen which is battery-free and supports 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. It also recognizes up to 60° tilt so you can draw on the tablet similar to how you would on paper. 

The surface is comfortable to draw on and it’s sensitive enough to pick up light brush strokes without fail. 

Another great feature is Bluetooth support. You can use the tablet wirelessly and it’s portable. It can last up to 10 hours on a single charge which beats out pen display tablets any day. 

There are 8 customizable shortcut keys and a dual dial for all your shortcuts. The dual dial can be pressed, rotate both the virtual and mechanical wheels, and swipe gestures. 

All in all, the XP-Pen Deco Pro MW is a formidable companion for drawing. You can use it wirelessly, it has plentiful shortcut options, a slim and trim profile, and a fairly large work area. 

The best part is you don’t need to break the bank. You can get it for under $200 which is a steal for all it offers. 

Pros and Cons

The GAOMON M10K Pro 10 is our pick as the Best Graphics Drawing Tablet for Beginners for its insanely affordable price. You can get the M10K Pro 10 for under $100 which is great value, especially for newcomers and beginners.

If you’ve recently decided to try your hand at drawing with a pen tablet, this is a great choice. The price is affordable enough for anyone to try and it has many features you’d find on pricier options. 

The M10K Pro 10 has a well-sized 10” x 6.25” work area which makes this the smallest graphics tablet on the list. If you need a larger size, we’d recommend one of the other options. But the price is in line with the size, so you’re getting what you pay for.

It comes with AP32 pen which features tilt recognition, 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, and a 266PPS rate. The only downside of the pen is the 266PPS rate which is considerably lower than higher-priced tablets.

This means it won’t be as responsive and you might notice some lag when using the tablet. You could look over it and get used to it, but if you’re the type to notice even subtle input lag, we’d recommend a higher-priced tablet. 

But the M10K Pro 10 does have 10 configurable shortcut keys and a radial controller. These are useful for navigating the software and quick access to shortcuts. The radial controller is limited to three functions – zoom, brush adjuster, and page scroller. 

It’s a well-equipped shortcut layout, but we wish the radial controller had more flexibility.

However, a big downside of the M10K Pro 10 is it lacks Bluetooth connectivity and needs a wired connection to work. The M10K Pro 10 also has a micro-USB port which isn’t ideal since USB-C is faster and more reliable.

But again, we need to consider the price here. It’s a great entry-level pen tablet but it clearly isn’t built for the long run. You can use this at first and eventually upgrade when you know what you’re looking for. 

Otherwise, we’d still recommend the GAOMON M10K Pro 10 since it works well enough for beginners. Just don’t expect too much out of it. 

Pros and Cons

The Huion Kamvas 13 is our pick as the Best Entry-Level Pen Display Tablet for its excellent value and versatile feature set. The first standout feature is the screen, as it features a 13.3-inch display and a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution.

Details are sharp and crisp, while colors are vivid thanks to the 120% sRGB color gamut and 16.7 million colors on-screen. The screen is a fully laminated IPS panel to reduce parallax and for accurate inputs.

It also has an anti-glare coating to help reduce glare from external light sources. 

The screen feels nice to draw on and the matte texture is great for a ‘natural’ feel. The display on the Kamvas 13 is top-of-the-line for this price range. Compare it with the Wacom One below and it’s much more vibrant and accurate. 

The Kamvas 13 comes with the PW517 pen which features 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 60° tilt recognition, and 2 customizable shortcut buttons. The pen nib is also shorter and firmer than previous versions. 

This makes it more tactile and helps the tablet register accurate inputs. 

The tablet itself has 8 programmable shortcut buttons which are great, especially for the price. 

The Kamvas 13 is a very affordable pen display tablet for drawing but it doesn’t skimp on any features. The pen is sensitive, the shortcut buttons are useful, the resolution is crisp, and the colors look vibrant. 

The only downside is cable management isn’t ideal as you need to use both USB-C ports with the 3-in-1 cable or invest in a high-end USB-C cable with DisplayPort support. 

Otherwise, if you’re looking to dive into the pen display tablet category, the Huion Kamvas 13 is a great entry option 

Pros and Cons

The Wacom One is another great option if you were looking for an entry-level pen display. It definitely is one of the weaker options on the list, but it’s capable enough for people who want a Wacom device. 

It’s got the smallest pen display on the list measuring 11.6” x 6.5” work area. The body is built in a 14” shell but the bezels on the display are pretty thick. But it does have a 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution so drawings and content look crisp and sharp. 

It has a 99% sRGB & 72% NTSC color gamut as well as a 1000:1 contrast ratio. It isn’t the most vivid or punchy display, but this is more than capable for most users. It’s great for editing photos and videos, as well as drawing or illustrating.

For a better color performance, we’d recommend one of our other options like the Huion Kamvas 16 Pro 2.5K or Huion Kamvas 13. 

The Wacom One comes with the Wacom One Pen that features 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and one customizable button. It doesn’t support tilt recognition and it definitely isn’t the most sensitive pen. 

You’ll need to press down harder than typical pens like on the Huion Kamvas 13 and most other options on the list. This is where the Wacom One lacks as only one button and being less sensitive can impact productivity.

You also need to keep this plugged in as it doesn’t support Bluetooth. There are no shortcut buttons which heavily limits efficiency using shortcuts. 

Overall, the Wacom One isn’t the most exciting option on the list. It’s got a sharp display and decent color reproduction. But the less sensitive pen and no shortcut buttons can be a deal breaker for some. 

You’re essentially paying for the Wacom brand and the advantages it comes with.

Pros and Cons

Why Did We Rank Wacom Intuos Pro Above Huion Kamvas Pro 16?

A major reason we ranked the Wacom Intuos Pro – Large #1 and as Editor’s Choice is because it has excellent value for money for the large work area. The big work area can be crucial for designers and artists since you have more space to work with.

You don’t have to constantly readjust your position which can mess up drawings/lines.

Another reason is because of Wacom’s support and software. It’s seamless and it’s much easier to connect to your computer and software. This is something people don’t often think about, but not having to worry about drivers and other technical stuff is a huge relief. 

The Intuos Pro also supports wireless connectivity and lasts 10 hours on a single charge.

Many artists and designers prefer traditional drawing tablets like the Intuos Pro. They’re more durable, can be used wirelessly, and don’t have too many things holding them back. 

It might not be as intuitive as drawing on a display tablet while looking at the screen, but it gets the job done. 

The Best Drawing Tablet for Newcomers & Beginners 

The Best Drawing Tablet for Newcomers & Beginners has to be the GAOMON M10K Pro 10. It’s a simple, easy-to-use graphics tablet and it’s very affordable. The cost is an important factor as you can get started without much investment.

It’s a great way to familiarize yourself with digital art and drawing since you don’t have to worry as much. You don’t have to spend a couple of hundred dollars to try a graphics tablet when the GAOMON M10K Pro 10 is so affordable. 

But if you’re still new to digital art but need something a little more feature-packed, the Huion Kamvas 13 is a great pen display option. The screen is sharp and vibrant, has most features you look for in a drawing tablet, and it’s relatively affordable. 

The XP-Pen Deco Pro MW is another capable option and it isn’t that much more expensive than the GAOMON M10K Pro 10. It’s slim, has capable shortcut buttons and dual dial, and has long-lasting battery life. 

Verdict

We’ve gone over 11 Best Drawing Tablets in 2023 and there’s a wide variety to get started with. The Wacom Intuos Pro – Large is our Editor’s Choice as it has everything you need without breaking the bank. 

The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 2.5K is the best option if you want a premium pen display. The 2.5K resolution is a step ahead of the typical Full HD panels we’ve seen so far. Not to mention the excellent color accuracy. 

For a feature-packed graphics tablet, the Xencelabs Drawing Tablet is a great option. It includes 2 different pens and a Quick Keys remote for 40 different programable buttons. Plus, it lasts 16 hours on a single charge.

No matter what choice you make, there’s always a better option. Identify the key features you need out of a tablet and go with the option that fits you best. You’d know better than we do what you actually need.

You might not need shortcut buttons, a display, or an expensive tablet. 

For beginners, it’s best to stick to the more affordable options. They’ve still got plenty of features and you can always upgrade down the line.