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.
To help you choose the best option for you, we've extensively tested a wide range of drawing tablets and curated views from our reviewers, assessing their design, performance, software and price to find the best option for different uses. If money is tight, you're a student of beginner, try the best budget drawing tablets for when money is tight or the best tablet with a stylus for the complete package. If you want a premium tablet, read my guide to the best Wacom tablets.
Our reviewer concluded that this tablet is well priced, offering tremendous value for money, and it's one I use too. With excellent accuracy, solid build quality, and two types of pen stylus, this is my favourite overall drawing tablet. There's also a cheaper, Xencelabs Small bundle that I love too. Read more below
Wacom is a brand name that delivers quality and the reliable Intuos Pro range ticks all the boxes, including a responsive stylus, great build quality and solid support for all leading digital art apps. Overall I prefer the Xenclabs Medium, but if you want a larger drawing tablet this is a great runner up. Read more below
The Huion Inspiroy Frego M drawing tablet is a good option for beginners as it's both affordable but comes with the accuracy and quality of the more expensive tablets. Standout for this budget tablet is the option if wireless connectivity usually reserved for more costly drawing tablets. Read more below
This is our pick as the best pen display overall when balancing specs and price. It blends great ergonomics, a 4K OLED display, good colour coverage and an easy set up. Also see the 24in version below if you want a larger display. Read more below
The full HD screen may not be the flashiest in terms of pixels, but it more than does the job. And since this isn't the newest Wacom tablet on the block, it can be surprisingly affordable whilst offering great features. If you want all the reliability and compatibility that comes with Wacom, this is the one for you. Read more below
The Ugee 16 offers lots for less, including a 16K pressure sensitive stylus, a Full HD display with 143% sRGB color gamut, and a metal stand is included. It's well-made and in my review performed excellently, which for the price (below $200) is unrivalled.
The new iPad M4 Pro could be considered overpowered, but if you want a future-proof tablet computer for digital art (and more) this is the one. Slim, lightweight and with a striking OLED screen, and compatible with Apple Pencil Pro, this will last you years and support new intensive art apps and 3D sculpt apps as they release. Read more below
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 16 is a Windows OS powerhouse, with a dedicated NVIDIA Quadro graphics card, Intel i7 CPU and 16GB RAM. It is heavy, and not so portable as an iPad Pro, but it's larger and runs full software, from Photoshop to Houdini and ZBrush. I've been using mine for nearly eight years, these things last. Read more below
The new Ugee UT3 replace the XPPen Magic Drawing Pad as my favourite budget Android tablet for digital art. It features a larger 4.25-inch display with a NanoMatte canvas finish. It's 8-core CPU can handle any Android app, and it comes with three art apps pre-installed.
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Best drawing tablet overall
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Xencelabs)
(Image credit: Ben Brady)
(Image credit: Ben Brady)
01. Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle
The best drawing tablet and accessories overall.
Our expert review:
Specifications
Active drawing area: 10.3 x 5.8in
Screen resolution : NA
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192
Connections: USB-C to USB-A
OS: Windows, macOS, Linux
Reasons to buy
+
Wireless
+
Great build quality
+
Fantastic drawing experience
Reasons to avoid
-
Nothing of note
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Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design
Solid, comfy and a lovely 'tooth' feel.
★★★★★
Performance
Delivers an accurate and precise experience.
★★★★★
Features
Quick Key remote, two stylus and case.
★★★★★
Price
An excellent package at a good price.
★★★★★
Buy it if
✅ You need a starter drawing tablet: this comes with two stylus, a case, cables and a Quick Key remote - everything you need. ✅ You need reliability: the build quality and precision impresses; a tablet for all workflows.
Don't buy it if:
❌ A larger work area is needed: while excellent value, this is a smaller tablet than the Wacom Intuos Pro Large at No.2 on my list.
❌ You don't have a laptop: this is an old fashioned drawing tablet, so you need a laptop or desktop computer.
The bottom line
🔎 The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle is a complete starter kit and includes everything you need, including a slim Apple-style and 'fat' Wacom-design stylus. It's also fantastically made and very precise and reliable. ★★★★★
Need to know: The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium is a drawing tablet that strikes an optimal balance between power, design, portability and price, and in our opinion that makes it the best drawing tablet you can buy right now. Relative newcomers to the market, Xencelabs boast among their roster a number of Wacom alumni, who have brought their tablet design nous to this newer brand.
Design: One of the most important aspects of a drawing tablet is the texture of its drawing surface, and the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium gets it bang on the money. As our reviewer noted in their five-star review of the tablet, the level of 'bite' against the stylus feels exactly right, and it makes the tablet immensely satisfying to draw on. Having used the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium myself I agree with our reviewer, this one just feels good to use.
This drawing tablet's design removes the Quick Keys from the device itself and puts them into a Bluetooth remote unit that comes packaged, the upshot is the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium devotes all of its space to a drawing area. Some may find this new approach awkward, in which case the more traditional Wacom Intuos Pro at No.2 on my list is a better choice.
Features: The pressure and 60-degree tilt sensitivity of this tablet and stylus are also practically pitch-perfect, and having two pens bundled in is also great, as you can set them up for different uses (for example one for line art and one for digital painting, or one for 3D and the other for 2D) to enable quick swapping and a smooth workflow.
Stylus pen pressure is 8,192, which is now standard and a solid performance, though the XPPEN tablets on my list blow this away with 16K levels of pressure, which is fast becoming a new standard. The Quick Key remote features eight programmable buttons and an OLED display for ease of use. The calibration and setup interface of the Xencelabs' app is my favourite outside of Wacom, and this tablet works with all the leading digital art and design software, including Photoshop, ZBrush and Corel Painter.
Price: The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium costs $249.99 / £249.90 with two stylus and pen case, but my recommendation would be the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle for $329.99 / £289.90, this includes the Quick Key remote which is essential. This is great value, for example the comparable Wacom Intuous Pro (medium) is $379.95 / £329.99.
Not the cheapest, but Wacom will last a long time.
★★★★
Buy it if
✅ You need a large tablet: A large and precise drawing tablet is hard to come by, if you need more drawing space this is the one. ✅ You're a pro artist: this Wacom tablet is a mainstay of the creative industries and is a proven workhorse. Wacom tablets will last you years of daily use.
Don't buy it if:
❌ Price is an issue: there are cheaper and just as good drawing tablets on my list, but not as large. If price is an issue, the Xencelabs at No.1 is the best value.
❌ You want a modern approach: this Wacom has a traditional design with its Quick Keys on the tablet, so extending its size. If you want a modern design, Xencelabs is the one.
The bottom line
🔎 The Wacom Intuos Pro Large is a pro-grade drawing tablet built to last, with great Quick Keys, reliability and one of the best stylus around. It is, however, a little old fashioned. ★★★★
Need to know: Wacom is a legacy brand for drawing tablets, and as such is compatible with every app you can think of and these tablets are very reliable.For creating artwork on a drawing tablet you ideally need lots of room to work with as well as a pen that feels just like the ones you'd use on paper. In which case you should opt for the Wacom Intuos Pro Large, which delivers pretty much the most natural drawing experience you can get digitally. In our review we found the Wacom Intuos Pro to be responsive and worked well with all leading digital art apps.
Design: This drawing tablet is large, solid to the touch and flat - it measures just 8mm thick. It's made from a black anodised aluminum and fiberglass composite resin which gives it a sturdy feel but also flexible enough to give when you push into it. The Wacom Intuos Pro (Large) measures 16.8 x 11.2 x 0.3 inches, ensuring there's a nice sweep or arc to your arm and hand as you draw.
Unlike the Xencelabs Pen Tablet at No.1 this Wacom features its trademark stack of Quick Keys down the side, eight buttons and a dial for total control. It's worth noting the Wacom is suitable for both left- and right-handed users. This is a more traditional approach and may appeal more than the Xencelabs remote solution.
Features: The Wacom stylus remains one of the best around, and with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity gets you as close as you can get to using an actual pen. All this is supported by Wacom’s broad ecosystem of alternative pens and Texture Sheets to give your drawing surface a distinctive feel. This drawing tablet is also multitouch for using gesture controls and stylus together - cheaper drawing tablets often lack this.
The Quick Keys are fully customisable, as is the stylus. This is also Bluetooth enabled (the cheaper Wacom Intuos range isn't) and comes with everything you need in the box. It's worth noting that unlike the Xencelabs this only comes with one stylus, Wacom's traditional 'fat' design. If you prefer the slimmer Apple Pencil style of pen, then you can by one separately. It's also worth noting Wacom is one of the best supported brands for alternative stylus.
Finally, something worth mentioning is Wacom's excellent calibration software and compatibility with near enough every digital art and 3D app. It's very easy to setup and customise, and if you're upgrading from cheaper drawing tablets you'll need to uninstall the old driver - Wacom doesn't play nicely with others.
Price: The Wacom Intuous Pro Large costs $499.95 / £449.99 and for a short time comes with a choice of app for free, either Shapr3D, Capture One or MASV. For a limited time US readers can also add a Wacom Intuos Wireless Tablet and save 50%. Wacom's are more expensive than other tablet brands on my list, but they made to last, compatible with every app and industry-proven.
Active drawing area: 10 x 6.25 inches (PC mode), 10 x 6.25 inches (Android mode)
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8,192 levels
Screen resolution : n/a
Connections: USB-C, Bluetooth 5.0
OS: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, ChromeOS, Linux
Reasons to buy
+
Easy to set up
+
Simple yet stylish design
+
Portable size
Reasons to avoid
-
Lack of pen storage
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Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design
Elegant and neatly designed, but lacks on-tablet QuickKeys.
★★★★
Performance
Solid but a little laggy on older MacBook Pros.
★★★
Features
Bluetooth wireless, stylus included. Android and PC work modes.
★★★★
Price
Affordable, well made and great value.
★★★★★
Buy it if
✅ You need a cheap tablet: there are cheaper, but few come with wireless connectivity and a pro-level stylus for under $100. ✅ You want to go mobile: this tablet is light, cheap and neatly specced, ideal for mobile use. It's also compatible with Android and ChromeOS.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You need a pro tablet: the stylus is great, but the tablet itself is a little finicky and won't last as long as a more costly Wacom Intuos Medium.
❌ You need custom keys: this lacks Quick Keys so you'll need to buy a remote.
The bottom line
🔎 The Huion Inspiroy Frego M is a slim, budget drawing tablet with some great features, including wireless connectivity and an accurate pro-level stylus. But it lacks Quick Keys. ★★★★½
Need to know: The Huion Inspiroy Frego M is an well-priced and elegant drawing tablet that's a solid starter option for new artists and beginners to digital art, as well as anyone who needs an affordable mobile tablet. In our review we recognised this as a good entry-level tablet that isn't too expensive but features good specs where needed.
Design: Pro artists would need more, especially when it comes to Quick Keys (the Frego M doesn't have any), but for anyone new to digital art seeking a solid drawing tablet the Huion Inspiroy Frego M is recommended. Our reviewer has been using drawing tablets for decades, and loved this new Huion.
This comes in two sizes, the Frego M measures 304 x 220 x 8 mm and the Frego S comes in at 220 x 165.7 x 8 mm. Interestingly it features two work modes, one for mobile Android connection and the other for PC desktop - the active work area dimensions vary with the M and S models: Frego M: 10 x 6.25 inches (PC mode), 10 x 6.25 inches (Android mode), Frego S 6.3 x 3.9 inches (PC mode), 6.3 x 3.9 inches (Android mode).
Overall the Frego M is our pick, and we love how slim, lightweight and neatly designed this drawing tablet is; for a budget tablet it feels like a premium device. There are some nice design notes too, such as the canvas loop to store the stylus and the subtle curve to rest your wrist.
Features: Despite the budget price this Frego M tablet uses the brand's excellent PenTech 3.0+ stylus that has 8,192 levels of pressure stylus, with 60-degree tilt; for this price, it's surprisingly excellent. The Frego M can connect to your main device via USB-C or Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless use, so you don't need to worry about wires (and boasts over 24 hours of use).
The Huion Inspiroy Frego M works with the most common digital art apps, including Photoshop, Krita and Blender. It can also be connected to iPhones and Android smartphones for use with mobile art apps - Huion offers HiPaint and ibisPaint as free downloads. One drawback our reviewer found was it could lag in older MacBook Pro laptops (M1 models).
Price: The Huion Inspiroy Frego M costs $99.99 / £104.99 (but you can regularly fund deals for around $80) and comes packaged with a stylus, USB-C cables, USB adapters and spare nibs. Extras like a stand are sold separately.
The best pen display for a balance of specs and price
Our expert review:
Specifications
Active drawing area: 13.5 x 7.75-inches
Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K)
Pen pressure sensitivity: 8192 levels of pen pressure
Connections: 1 x USB C. Supports HDMI and DisplayPort using Hub
OS: Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Reasons to buy
+
Beautiful display
+
Excellent stylus
+
Good design choices
Reasons to avoid
-
Lacks touch controls so Quick Keys Remote is required
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design
Well-designed, although no touch controls.
★★★★
Performance
Excellent stylus performance
★★★★
Features
Gorgeous OLED display with good colour coverage.
★★★★
Price
Good value for the specs.
★★★★
Buy it if
✅ You want a great-value pen display with pro features: We think the OLED display, great colour coverage and quality build make this the best value pen display overall.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want a more portable device: At 16 inches, this is a good medium size for using in different locations, but the lack of on-screen controls limit its portability when compared to a device like the Wacom Movink 13 below.
The bottom line
🔎 The Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is an excellent pen display that benefits from good design decisions that enhance usability. A vibrant OLED display, great colour coverage and the inclusion of a case and two styluses (and a stand and Quick Keys if you go for the bundle), make it great value. ★★★★½
Need to know: The Pen Display 16 consolidates Xencelabs' growing reputation for producing high-quality drawing tablets at very competitive prices. It's well build and packs in features like an OLED display and good colour coverage at a reasonable price for a pen display of this size. Just note that the Quick Keys Remote, which is sold as part of a bundle, is really an essential to get the most from the device.
Design: We have been impressed with the build quality of Xencelabs' pen tablets, and its foray into pen displays has keeps that up. We found this to be very light for a 16-inch Pen Display, but it felt reassuringly solid and durable, and it remained cool in use. The fat bezel around the edge of the screen is a good design decision since it means you can rest your wrists and prevents the stylus from falling off the tablet when selecting from menus in the top left or right corners of an app's menu. It's also nice that the bundle includes a case and a stand, which aren't always included by other brands.
Features: The 4K OLED screen really shines, and it covers up to 98% of Adobe RGB, 98% P3-DCS and 99% sRGB. We found that the anti-glare coating worked with direct light overhead. It isn't a touchscreen, though, so doesn't support gesture controls. This means that the Quick Keys Remote included is a pretty essential add-on (it's included in the bundle package but not in the Essentials package). The Remote can be connected via cable or wirelessly via a Bluetooth dongle, and it has its own OLED display to show key functions. Both the keys and the labelling are cutomisable, and we found them to be convenient and easy to use.
The two styluses included are the same ones that come with Xencelab's other drawing tablets, so we've tested them a lot by know and we've found them to be consistently accurate. Each can be customised and set up for specific software or jobs, and there's a case for them included.
Price: We think the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is very competitive when it comes to price. At $1,249 / £1,199, the Bundle deal, which includes the Quick Key Remote and Mobile Stand, is worth the extra cost over the Essentials option ($999 / £969).
There is also the outstanding Xencelabs Pen Display 24 that repackages the same tech and design ideas into a much larger display. This costs $1,899 / £1,850, which is around $600 / £600 less than the similarly specced Wacom Cintiq Pro 24. The advantage of the Xencelabs is it's not only more affordable but comes with everything you could need in the box.
In both cases, the tablet sits comfortably between Wacom's Cintiq Pro 16 ($1,599 / £1399.99) and the budget XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) ($599.99 / £529.99). Considering that the latter isn't OLED and lacks true 4K resolution, Xencelabs offering gets our vote as the best value Pen Display overall. The new Wacom Movink 13 is a little cheaper at $749.95 / £729.98, and it has a touchscreen, but it's smaller and has inferior colour coverage.
