While I love the new Wacom Intuos Pro, the older model might just be your smarter choice if you want a reliable, precise drawing tablet. For many, at a reduced price – it has $79 off at Best Buy – the older Wacom Intuos Pro remains a tablet I'd still buy.
I still remember unboxing my first Wacom tablet. It wasn’t the latest or the flashiest, but it changed everything. That feeling of pen-on-surface responsiveness, the pressure sensitivity, the flow, made digital art feel real and personal. Fast forward to Prime Day, and Wacom’s older Intuos Pro (Medium) is back in the spotlight, reduced by a generous $79 at Best Buy, and honestly, it's still a no-brainer for newcomers or hobbyists (like me).
While a new model was released months ago, and I loved it for my Wacom Intuos Pro review (2025), the upshot is that the older version was always going to be reduced in price. But here’s the thing: Wacom has built its name on precision and reliability. The Intuos Pro (Medium) still delivers everything you need to, now at a lower price: 8,192 levels of pressure, lovely tilt support, and ExpressKeys you can map to your favorite Photoshop, Blender, or Clip Studio shortcuts.
Better still, the older Intuos Pro supports multi-touch gestures, something omitted from the newer drawing tablet.
The medium size is a sweet spot, enough room for sweeping brushwork or multiple displays, but still portable enough to slip into your laptop bag. There's Bluetooth for wireless freedom, and it comes with the excellent Pro Pen 2, while I prefer Pro Pen 3's customisation, for the price, this stylus is a steal.
If you're just stepping into the world of digital art or want a reliable backup that won’t let you down, don’t be put off by the release of a newer tablet, as this older Intuos Pro is still Wacom at its best; and at this Prime Day price, it's a deal worth grabbing. For comparison, read my roundup of the best drawing tablets as well as my list of this Prime Day's best drawing tablet deals.
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Prime Day Wacom deals: frequent questions
What's the difference between a pen tablet and a pen display?
It can get confusing, particularly as prices come down for tablets with screens, but basically, a pen tablet is an old-fashioned 'graphics tablet' – it doesn't feature a display, you draw onto a smooth, reactive surface. A pen display has a built-in screen you draw on, but it still needs to be connected to a laptop, computer, or smartphone to run software.
The difference is not simply price, but also how the tablet is used, for example, pen tablets need to be used in an upright seated position, with you looking at a large monitor, while pen displays encourage you to hunch over the screen. Also, unless you're paying a lot for something like the Xencelabs 24 or XPPen Artist Pro 24, you're monitor offers a better display and colour accuracy than most budget pen displays.
Do Wacom pens need charging?
No, Wacom’s pens, like the Pro Pen 2 and the new Pro Pen 3, are battery-free. They use EMR (Electro-Magnetic Resonance) technology, meaning they draw power wirelessly from the tablet’s surface. They never need charging and they're always ready.
Can I use a Wacom tablet with any software?
Yes, one of the advantages of Wacom is that they work with all leading design and the best digital art software, including Photoshop, Blender, and Krita. If you buy from Wacom, you'll get access to free trial versions of the best software, and tablets can be set up for each app specifically.
Is Wacom Intuos Pro god for beginners?
Yes, don't be put off by the word 'Pro' the name, Wacom's pen tablet range is good for all users from pros to beginners. These are easy to setup and feature enough customisable shortcut keys to grow with your skill and needs.
Do I need to install drivers to run a Wacom tablet?
Yes, but the setup is easy. You simply download the Wacom drivers and follow the instructions. Once installed, the drivers enable you to adjust pressure sensitivity, calibrate the stylus and customise the Express Keys.
