I use and review the best drawing tablets, partly because it’s my job and partly because I have a ridiculous weakness for trying new ones, but the Huion Kamvas 22 (Gen 3) is one of those rare tablets that has stuck around after the review rather than getting boxed up and forgotten about. I still use it every day, as a drawing tablet and as a second monitor.
Right now it’s $60 off at Amazon, bringing the price down to $539 from $599. It’s not the sort of savings that has you frantically emptying your bank account, but when it’s a drawing tablet I know and highly recommend to beginners especially, $60 off makes the recommendation a bit easier.
I gave the Kamvas 22 Gen 3 an 8/10 in my Creative Bloq review, and it has become the display I tend to reach for when I want a decent amount of space to draw without having to rethink my whole desk setup. The 21.5-inch 2.5K screen is a big part of that. There’s enough room for a proper Photoshop or Rebelle 8 workspace, your brushes and panels aren’t fighting for space with the canvas, and the 90Hz refresh rate makes moving around that canvas feel pleasingly fluid. Once you’ve got used to 90Hz, going back to a 60Hz drawing display can feel a little clunky.
The hardware helps as well. The metal body gives it some heft, the built-in stand saves having another accessory cluttering up the desk, and the etched glass surface feels good under the pen. It has the sort of finish you’d expect from something costing more than this, particularly when you glance at the panel's rear and see the glow of its atmospheric LED and cable tidy panels. (Read my article on the 11 drawing tablet specs explained for buying advice.)
There are compromises, of course. You don’t get touch controls, and there’s no Quick Key remote in the box, so anyone who likes physical shortcut controls may want to factor that into the price. I tend to work around those things without much fuss, whether by limiting myself to tapping on display menus or using keyboard shortcuts, and for me they’re a much smaller deal than having a good-sized screen and a pen I actually enjoy using.
Which brings me back to the $539 price. I’ve tested plenty of drawing displays that looked impressive on paper and then disappeared back into the review cupboard, whereas this one has managed to stay on my desk. For $60 less, I think it’s worth a look.
