A drawing tablet is a device mainly used for painting on a digital touch-sensitive surface using a stylus pen. It's gained popularity with designers, artists, and other creative professionals due to its extensive features and great capabilities. Drawing tablets are not simply tools that artists need to create and manipulate technically detailed art, they're becoming a trend in the artist community as well as the future of art itself. With every artist almost wanting to get one, that raises the question – which tablet is best for artists in 2024?
What Do Artists Look For When Choosing A Tablet?
Before we tackle what are the best tablets, let’s get to know how to choose one. As of now, the growing demand for drawing tablets is driving the market much more with drawing tablets continuously evolving to give users an improved better experience. Whether an artist is a beginner or an expert, purchasing a drawing tablet is a wise decision because it can greatly enhance your artistic abilities.
Drawing Features
Most artists consider purchasing drawing tablets that can provide better tools and help them refine their techniques for it will help them enhance their drawings. One that could allow them to practice and experiment with designs, easily undo mistakes, and work in layers. This is mostly true for beginners and is the same even for expert artists, as tablets that support the best drawing features, allow them to make adjustments without fear of destroying the entire project.
Convenience
The majority of consumers also go for drawing tablets that are lightweight, responsive, pressure-sensitive, and easy to use. These features are crucial for ensuring user comfort, particularly when creating intricate works and lengthy art sessions quickly without straining your wrist.
Price
Of course, another factor that artists take into consideration when buying drawing tablets is the price. A professional artist may want a more expensive and heavy-duty device while beginners and budding artists may prefer something cheaper yet still reliable. Price also affects the features and capabilities of a drawing tablet as higher-budget tablets tend to be more powerful and advanced.
So, these are basically the things artists are looking for in a drawing tablet. And with the continuous evolution of drawing tablets, as artists, we may wonder what could be the best drawing tablet for artists. Could a certain drawing tablet be really worth it? For your guide, here, we compile a list of the best drawing tablets for artists, which even artists themselves do recommend!
Best Tablet For Artists In 2024
Best Tablet for Artists Overall - XPPen Magic Drawing Pad
$499.99
The winner for the overall best tablet for artists is the XPPen Magic Drawing Pad which can be used without a computer connection. It includes an integrated Android system that’s why it’s also the best Android tablet for artists. Also, this can be used anytime anywhere. Basically, this is an illustrator-android tablet that offers artists an on-the-go canvas with awesome pen display features. With its price of $359, it has high-cost performance in such a small package. Not to mention, it is more professional than the iPad for drawing.
Additionally, AG Etched technology is used in the creation of the X-Paper layer to eliminate any glare and reflections that can strain users' eyes and divert their attention from their jobs. Another thing is this tablet is not just for drawing, but also for any other task that an Android device can handle. However, the very best thing about this device is that it's generous enough to provide 256 GB of internal storage with 8 GB of RAM—giving artists sufficient storage for everything they want in it. With all these feats, this is the best tablet for artists.
Key Features:
Super portable: The Magic Drawing Tablet is 6.9mm thick and weighs only 599 grams. You can easily take it anywhere.
Powered by Android 12: Featuring the latest operating system, Android 12, users can enjoy an enhanced user experience and improved application compatibility.
X3 Pro Pencil and EMR Technology: Unlike most tablets, the Magic Drawing Tablet is equipped with the X3 Pro Pencil, which has 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity. In addition, with advanced EMR (Electro-magnetic Resonance) technology, X3 Pro Pencil delivers a digital drawing experience that feels as intuitive and natural as pen on paper.
X Paper: X-Paper is crafted with AG etched technology to emulate the friction and resistance of premium paper as you move the stylus across the surface of the pad, while reducing unwanted glare and fingerprints.
The Best Tablet for Apple Users - iPad Pro 12.9 Inch
$1299-$1599
Artists love this because it’s convenient, adaptable, and portable. The iPad Pro is considered the best tablet for tattoo artists, and it performs similarly to other drawing tablets. Its 12.9-inch screen makes drawing feel more natural. Additionally, you can quickly print out the drawings accurately as they appear on the screen thanks to its really useful function, which makes it possible to bring it with you in real-time during tattoo sessions. Additionally, the iPad Pro is perfect for digital artists who need a strong drawing tablet and a versatile device for daily use at the same time.
However, like any other Apple gadget, its downside is its restricted software capabilities. The iPad Pro is powered by the mobile operating system, iPadOS. Although having unique features, it could not be as functional and compatible with a PC or laptop running a full desktop operating system like Windows or macOS.
The Best Tablet for Beginner Artists - XPPen Deco Fun L
$39.99
Without a doubt, the XPPen Deco Fun L is one of the most affordable tablets on the market. This is so far the best tablet for beginner artists as it offers tons of benefits such as affordability, which most buyers first consider next to specs. Aside from its low price, it’s also portable and can perform tasks well. Usually, Deco tablets are also the best drawing tablet for young artists as they are kid-friendly and even students can use them for note-taking and studying. This tablet is also light and sturdy, something you could carry on your backpack with ease. As for its software, the XPPen Deco Fun L provides a smooth and responsive drawing experience.
It comes with a battery-free pen (P01) that runs on the tablet itself. This means it doesn't require a battery to be inserted inside it, nor does it require any kind of charging cable or other apparatus. The Deco Fun L has a 10 x 6.2 inches active area, which is the ideal size for a great drawing experience, especially when you're starting out. This is an ideal first tablet and it can be as great as a tablet that has a screen.
The Best Large Drawing Tablet for Artists - XPPen Artist 24 FHD
$569.99
Recently, XPPen released Artists 24 FHD, which is garnering positive internet reviews. The tablet has a nice, sturdy appearance. It has a brilliant screen with adjustable colors that you can tune to your taste. One of its standout features is the massive 23.8-inch display that is fully laminated and has an anti-glare matte film. Included in this are 5 physical buttons that have fully customizable functionalities to make your drawing experience feel smooth and professional.
Overall, it provides a great drawing experience, especially for artists at a professional level. This is supported by the 8192 Pressure Level battery-free stylus and the option to attach it to an external mount. In general, upgrading your beginner drawing tablets is a smart idea once you’ve gotten the hang of things, and the XPPen Artists 24 FHD is a great choice. Like all XPPen tablets, this one comes with a kit that includes a stand, case, pens, cable, and protective films. It doesn't if you do architectural design, interior design, or digital painting, the XPPen Artist 24 FHD can handle it.
The Best Tablets for Artists on a Budget - XPPen Artist 15.6 Pro
$369.99
XPPen Artist 15.6 Pro is the best tablet for artists on a budget and can also be the best tablet for beginner artists who want a tablet with a screen. It is an excellent low-cost substitute for more expensive, high-end pen displays. Not only that, it is a great alternative for self-assured beginners or artists looking to upgrade from a less expensive, smaller graphics tablet but don’t want to buy something as big as the XPPen Artist 24.
The XPPen Artist 15.6 Pro is a great choice because of its extensive features. It has a 5080 LPI Resolution and a total of 8 shortcut keys! It is also comfortable to carry and use for extended lengths of time because of the battery-free 8192 Pressure Level stylus. All in all, this isn’t just the best tablet for artists but is also an impressive and competitive drawing tablet, giving you good value for your money.
The Best Android Tablet for Artists - Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
$449.99
Android tablets are the better option if you want sketching tablets with no software limitations. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is a contender for the best Android tablet for artists aside from the XPPen Magic Drawing Pad due to its enhanced S pen and high-resolution display, in addition to its suitability for professional sketching. Aside from being pressure-sensitive and low latent, this drawing tablet's robust technology enables it to handle demanding graphic applications.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab Ultra has a solid reputation in the field of digital art and in the tablet market in general. However, the tablet’s real edge over other tablets is that it can’t only draw. This can also be used for other productive purposes aside from arts, such as office or school work. You can upgrade it to have around 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM. Not only that, it has tons of built-in AI features that can boost your efficiency to the next level.
FAQS About The Best Tablet For Artists
What is the best tablet for artists?
The best tablet for artists essentially provides the best features and specs and in our opinion, it’s none other than the XPPen Magic Drawing Pad. The XPPen Magic Drawing Pad even has revolutionized Pen Pressure Levels with the world’s first 16K Pressure Levels! In addition to that, it has EMR technology and X3 Pro pencil which is being run by a drawing-dedicated chip. It’s very thin being 1.65mm wide, meaning that you can bring it wherever you go without much trouble at all. With all that in mind and a lot more, it is without a doubt the best tablet for artists.
Do professional artists use iPads?
Yes, but of course, the experience can differ. It is still highly recommended to use drawing tablets especially if you want to do complex images and use certain kinds of software. Though some iPads can be used for painting, and drawing tablets are the devices that are specifically designed for digital art. So, this explains why most professional artists use drawing tablets.
What is the difference between a tablet and a graphic tablet?
The main difference between a conventional tablet and a graphic tablet is that graphic tablets are crafted specifically to cater to artists who involve themselves in digital art, illustration, and similar tasks. Meanwhile, just like mobile phones, normal tablets are manufactured to accommodate general tasks like surfing the internet, watching videos, playing games, communicating, and more. Ordinary tablets aren't generally recommended for digital art as they lack the specs needed for the project, like the precision and sensitivity required for complicated drawings.
What is a professional graphic tablet?
Professional graphic tablets have features that support the requirement of generating complex art whereas conventional tablets may only allow basic sketches and designs. This makes them convenient for people who do heavy digital artworks. They also have very specific features that only cater to digital art and design such as battery-free stylus and more. XPPen Drawing Tablets are, so far, the best professional tablet in the market right now.
Conclusion
Leaders in the graphic tablet industry, like XPPen, are constantly developing to provide customers with an improved art creation experience, as the demand for the best tablet for artists keeps rising. Like art itself, the means used to create it have changed, from traditional to digital.
Selecting the best drawing tablet available is, of course, the first step in staying up to date with this evolution. Nowadays, it's not hard to accomplish this, because various tablet industries are releasing a lot of new products. However, as a buyer, you need to consider which ones best suit your demands. That’s why choose XPPen and the Magic Drawing Pad, the best tablet for artists that not only performs extremely well but is also cost-effective. Check it out now!
