As they say, creativity has no bounds. It is a form of expression; a means to convey a message. But, in the professional world, putting yourself in the market as a graphic artist entails more than just freedom of expression; it comes with a responsibility. You must have the right tools to help you deliver your outputs promptly. More so, these tools should allow you to work more efficiently so you can cater to more clients and different types of projects and earn more.
With the help of a graphic tablet, it has now become easier to execute your projects and deliver them to your clients digitally. From working on a typical drawing pad, now, you can draw directly on the computer more conveniently. No need to use your mouse that some find it hard to adjust to. Connect your graphic tablet to your computer and with a special pen, each stroke displays on the monitor in real-time.
There are tons of options in the market catering to different levels, purposes, and budgets. Looking for the best drawing tablet for beginners? You can either go for the cheapest option for now just to practice or, go for a professional drawing tablet so you can expand your opportunities to learn and improve at your own pace.
Generally, a professional graphic tablet offers more features. Also, it displays better graphic quality, therefore, allowing artists to customize and improve their projects. This broadens their options when it comes to colors, textures, and other visual elements, helping them satisfy their clients’ requirements.
We scoured Amazon for the best buys when it comes to professional digital drawing tablet options and narrowed them down to this best three graphic tablet list. We looked for functionality, intuitiveness, precision, and compatibility (must work with a PC or Mac). Budget and size considerations will be up to the user as they are relevant to personal preferences.
| Name | Key Feature | |
|---|---|---|
| Wacom PTH860 Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet for Mac or PC– Editor’s Choice | Equipped with external buttons like customizable ExpressKeys, TouchRing; Multi-touch screen function (can be turned on/off); Dotted and textured working surface screen (for scale and additional precision) | Check Price |
| XP-PEN Artist22E Pro Drawing Pen Display Graphic Monitor | Massive screen size – 21.5 inches; Displays 4k-resolution images | Check Price |
| 2020 HUION Kamvas 13 Graphics Drawing Tablet | 1920 x 1080 FHD screen resolution display – 16.7 million colors | Check Price |
Wacom PTH860 Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet for Mac or PC – Editor’s Choice
One of the most popular choices when it comes to graphic tablet technology, the Wacom Intuos line is all about precision.
The Wacom Intuos Pro offers three tablet sizes to suit your preference when it comes to your drawing workspace. You can also buy one (smaller) for travel and have another in your office (larger). All graphic tablet sizes come in dotted tablet surfaces, which can assist you in scaling and drawing proportioned images.
Another noteworthy to mention is the surface feel – it is somewhat textured just like how a paper feels like. And not only it feels like dealing with the “real” deal, but the textured surface also allows better control in your strokes so you can define details better.
More on the working surface, this graphic tablet supports multi-touch functionality. This allows you to zoom in or out, navigate, and scroll on the surface using your fingers. You can also turn this function off if you want.
This graphic tablet also has ExpressKeys that you can program with your most frequently used keyboard commands and make them more convenient to execute. Aside from ExpressKeys, this Wacom drawing tablet has a Touch Ring key. This allows you to do more on your screen like navigating, scrolling, adjust brush sizes, etc. But if you do not want to wear this button the right way, you can alternate it with the multi-touch functionality using the graphic tablet screen.
Aside from the impressive graphic tablet screen, the Wacom pen tablet is a game-changer. First, it boasts 8,192 pressure levels. And this already concludes the battle when it comes to precision. If you are into hyperrealism, this is a feature that you’ll surely appreciate.
Next, the Wacom Pro Pen 2 can also recognize up to 60 degrees of tilt. This graphic tablet pen is also responsive so you will not have problems with lags. It also works without batteries.
This graphic tablet already comes with image and video editing software. And if you register your Wacom digital drawing pad on the Wacom website, you get a complimentary 2-month subscription to Adobe After Effects and Premier Pro, as well as a 3-month subscription to Boris FX. This is ideal if you want to test these software products first and choose the best one according to your needs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Comes in 3 different tablet sizes | Bluetooth connection drains the battery faster |
| Equipped with external buttons like customizable ExpressKeys, TouchRing | |
| Multi-touch screen function (can be turned on/off) | |
| Dotted and textured working surface screen (for scale and additional precision) | |
| Responsive screen | |
| Pro Pen 2 – 8,192 pressure levels, plus-minus 60-degree tilt recognition, lag-free | |
| Complimentary Adobe After Effects, Premier Pro, and Boris FX subscription when you register your Wacom Intuos Pro | |
| Battery-less tablet pen | |
| Cord or cordless connectivity to your PC or Mac computer |
Conclusion
The Wacom PTH860 Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet for Mac or PC adapts to the needs of graphic artists when it comes to convenience, flexibility, and functionality. The 8,192 pressure levels provide tremendous ease to the user, and the size options are also a plus.
XP-PEN Artist22E Pro Drawing Pen Display Graphic Monitor
If you want a massive working surface that is monitor-like, this is the graphic tablet for you.
Resembles like a drawing tablet with screen, the XP-PEN Artist22E Pro Drawing Pen Display Graphic Monitor allows you to add and define more details with its massive screen size. At 21.5 inches, you can produce bigger arts and have more freedom to move around, as well as see your artworks on a bigger scale.
This graphic tablet monitor comes with a Vesa mount that can tilt between 15 to 85 degrees so you can use it more conveniently. It is also sturdy and stable to support the whole tablet as you move your arms and hands over it. It is overall ergonomically designed with user comfort in mind. The tilt can also help reduce glare.
Meanwhile, the XP-PEN Artist22E Pro Drawing Pen Display Graphic Monitor is not just about a massive working surface. The size is strongly supported by a visually-stunning graphic technology. This graphic tablet can display 4k-resolution images so you can define more details and play around with colors and visual effects.
In support of your long working hours, your art tablet screen is equipped with an anti-reflective coating. So, if you are working in brightly-lit environments say, while outside your home or in a studio, you will not have problems looking at the screen and hurting your eyes. This coating can reduce the glare by up to 56 percent.
For convenience, this graphic tablet also uses shortcut keys. A total of 16 keys can be customized with your frequently-used functions so they will help you accomplish your projects faster.
The XP-PEN Artist22E Pro Drawing Pen Display Graphic Monitor uses an advanced stylus technology that deploys 8,192 pressure levels and sensitivity. This translates to smooth and seamless strokes. The stylus pen also comes with a pen holder to keep the nibs safe and your pen organized.
This graphic tablet offers expansive compatibility with various image editing software and works with Linux, Mac, and Windows computers.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Massive screen size – 21.5 inches | Users find it cumbersome that it needs to connect with USB and HDMI ports at the same time |
| Comes with a Vesa mount that inclines from 15 to 85 degrees | |
| Displays 4k-resolution images | |
| Equipped with 16 customizable shortcut keys | |
| Stylus technology with 8,192 pressure levels | |
| The working surface comes with an auto-reflective coating | |
| The stylus comes with a pen holder |
Conclusion
The XP-PEN Artist22E Pro Drawing Pen Display Graphic Monitor offers a massive screen workspace for a variety of applications.
2020 HUION Kamvas 13 Graphics Drawing Tablet
This graphic tablet offers 13.3 inches of drawing screen space. All you get is purely working space, with minimal offset for the buttons to boot. The controls can be done on the buttons and screen using the upgraded PW 517 Pen Tech 3.0.
The Huion drawing tablet utilizes an IPS screen that is fully laminated both for protection and clear screen view. This helps avoid the effect of parallax so there’ll be no shadowing. Meanwhile, this graphic tablet provides a 1920 x 1080 FHD screen resolution display capable of showing about 16.7 million colors. To further enhance your viewing experience, it is installed with an anti-glare protection screen that cuts down too much brightness from your environment.
Meanwhile, the 2020 HUION Kamvas 13 Graphics Drawing Tablet utilizes a powerful pen tablet that utilizes EMR technology. With it, you omit the batteries so it will be more convenient to use. This graphic tablet exhibits 8,192 levels of pressure and sensitivity, with plus-minus 60 degrees pen tilt recognition. Overall, this allows you to draw with ease – as close to the comfort of a traditional pen and paper method.
This digital art tablet can also connect both with your computer (Windows or Mac) or Android device (please see the supported list of devices). Aside from drawing, you can also use it as a gaming monitor since it can be connected to Switch. Just a downside though – it does not have speakers so there’s no sound.
Different Huion tablets can cater to your needs and budget. This particular graphic tablet is best for both beginners and professionals.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 13-inch working screen space | Some users have issues observing some bad angles |
| 1920 x 1080 FHD screen resolution display – 16.7 million colors | |
| With a layer of anti-glare protection screen | |
| 8,192 levels of pressure and sensitivity, with plus-minus 60 degrees pen tilt recognition | |
| Can be connected to Switch as a bigger screen (without sound) | |
| Connects to Windows and Mac computers, as well as compatible Android devices |
Conclusion
The 2020 HUION Kamvas 13 Graphics Drawing Tablet provides premium features without the hefty price tag.
Final Verdict
A drawing pad for PC allows you to work on your projects more conveniently. It is a must-have for digital artists nowadays, which can help you improve your skills and migrate them to digital to increase your marketability.
With consideration about ease of use, functionality, precision, and compatibility, the best drawing tablet on this list is the Wacom PTH860 Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet for Mac or PC.
The Wacom PTH860 Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet for Mac or PC remains to be the best choice for digital or graphic artists, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned professional. It is easy and seamless to use. This graphic tablet has customizable buttons and a multi-touch surface, plus the advanced Pro Pen to help you ease into the device. Using it still feels familiar, but with greater precision and effectiveness in terms of use on your end.