The best drawing tablets: fully tested for all kinds of digital artists and budgets

Best drawing tablets; black, colour screened drawing tablets
(Image credit: Xencelabs / Ugee)

The best drawing tablets are essential tools for digital art and illustration, and Black Friday is the best time to pick up one of our highly recommended tablets for less. They allow artists and other creatives to replicate the feel of using a pencil on paper to interact with a screen to create all kinds of art in different software programs. Today, there are more options than ever, but there are big differences. We've tested and reviewed dozens of drawing tablets of different types and compared them to pick the best option for different needs.

There are three types of drawing tablet. A pen tablet or graphics tablet is a flat, slim slate-like device with high levels of accuracy that you need to use with an external screen in order to see what you're doing. Pen displays work in a similar way but use a display instead of a tracking pad so you can see what you're doing directly on the device itself. Finally, there are pen computers. These are general tablets like iPads that allow you to draw directly onto a screen with a stylus and also to run art apps (and other apps) natively.

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

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AttributesNotesRating
DesignSolid, comfy and a lovely 'tooth' feel. ★★★★★
PerformanceDelivers an accurate and precise experience.★★★★★
FeaturesQuick Key remote, two stylus and case.★★★★★
PriceAn excellent package at a good price.★★★★★
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AttributesNotesRating
DesignBuilt to last, comfy and large.★★★★
PerformanceAccurate and compatible with all software.★★★★★
Features8 Quick Keys, an excellent stylus and software.★★★★★
PriceNot the cheapest, but Wacom will last a long time.★★★★
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AttributesNotesRating
DesignElegant and neatly designed, but lacks on-tablet QuickKeys.★★★★
PerformanceSolid but a little laggy on older MacBook Pros.★★★
FeaturesBluetooth wireless, stylus included. Android and PC work modes.★★★★
PriceAffordable, well made and great value.★★★★★
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AttributesNotesRating
DesignWell-designed, although no touch controls.★★★★
PerformanceExcellent stylus performance★★★★
FeaturesGorgeous OLED display with good colour coverage.★★★★
PriceGood value for the specs.★★★★
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AttributesNotesRating
DesignSolidly made and featured unique design ideas.★★★★
PerformanceSuper accurate, precise and a joy to use.★★★★★
FeaturesAn excellent Quick Key remote and Switch Display is a game-changer.★★★
PriceGreat value for the features, build and performance.★★★★
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AttributesNotesRating
DesignSlim and has on-body Quick Keys. Can feel 'plastic-y'.★★★
PerformanceAccurate, easy to use and the display is lovely and smooth.★★★★
FeaturesQuick Keys on the frame and features 'virtual keys'. A 16k levels of pressure.★★★★
PriceSome high-spec tech for a lot less.★★★★★
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AttributesNotesRating
DesignSlim, lightweight and a great display.★★★★★
PerformanceFast for most digital art tasks. Restricted to apps.★★★★
FeaturesGreat display, LiDAR and supports Apple Pencil 2★★★★★
PriceStill expensive even after two years.★★★★
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AttributesNotesRating
DesignHeavy but durable and solid build quality.★★★★
PerformanceRuns desktop software, and capable of 3D intensive projects.★★★★★
FeaturesComes with the Wacom Pro Pen 2, Quick Keys and dedicated GPU.★★★★★
PriceA high-spec tablet at a high price.★★★
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AttributesNotesRating
DesignLarge, slim curved metal frame, smooth matt-finish display.★★★★★
PerformanceAndroid 14 and an 8-core CPU runs even sim-hungry art apps. Stylus could be better. ★★★★
FeaturesA vibrant display designed for art, premium build quality and a three colour modes.★★★★
PriceA high-spec tablet at low price for the size.★★★★
Wacom Movink
Wacom Movink: $749.95 at Wacom

The Wacom Movink is superb, and one of the only pen displays with an OLED screen - but it's an oddity. Smaller than standard mid-rang drawing tablets, but without a CPU like the Ugee UT3, it sits somewhere in between. If you want the best display, Wacom tech and don’t mind your mobile pen display linked to a laptop or smartphone, then Movink is ideal.

XPPen XPPen Magic Drawing Pad
XPPen Magic Drawing Pad: was $499.99 now $424.99 at xp-pen.com

This has been replaced on my list by the larger Ugee UT3. But while the Ugee has the better display and newer CPU, this tablet has the better stylus, with an impressive 16k levels of pressure sensitivity.

Huion Kamvas Pro 27
Huion Kamvas Pro 27: was $1,999 now $1,799 at store.huion.com

Our new favourite large pen display was a surprise hit with our reviewer - who fell in love with the luxurious build quality, numerous accessories and crisp, responsive display. The Huion Kamvas Pro 27 is a pro-grade display for less than a Wacom equivalent, but it has a rival in the new XPPen below.

XPPen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 165Hz
XPPen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 165Hz: was $934.99 now $1,099.99 at xp-pen.com

XPPen's new large pen display features a number of firsts, not least the slick 165Hz refresh rate and Calman certified colour grading for striking, dynamic colours. Paired with the excellent Dual X3 Pro series stylus, with 16k levels of pressure, this really is a wonder. The only downside, it’s tech can be tricky to calibrate.

Editor, Digital Arts & 3D

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.