The best tablets with a stylus pen for drawing and note-taking

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(Image credit: Future / Samsung / Honor / XPPen)
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This article is currently being updated. Please ignore any errors or discrepancies you see for the time being.

Looking to buy a tablet for drawing or note-taking? You're in the right place. The best tablets with a stylus pen can be useful tools for general productivity and content creation, while owning a premium stylus also makes it easier to draw and write directly onto a tablet screen in a way that feels natural. At Creative Bloq, we test and review dozens of tablets each year, including some of the best drawing tablets.

Ian Dean headshot
Ian Dean

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines in the creative sector, including ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. He has a wide range of experience in reviewing and testing creative hardware, including drawing tablets and tablets for general use.

Our expert says...
Beth Nicholls headshot
Our expert says...
Beth Nicholls

Powerful performance combined with a huge AMOLED display makes the S10 Ultra great for multitasking with the option for a split screen, but its size can make it difficult to use comfortably without a desk.

Our expert says...
Beth Nicholls headshot
Our expert says...
Beth Nicholls

The Honor MagicPad 2 tablet is the very first product that I purchased myself after reviewing it (mainly because I didn't want to give it back). It offers excellent performance in all areas, has a gorgeous IMAX-Enhanced OLED display, and the best part? It's only £399. I think it's one of the best and most affordable tablets you can buy, and I actually prefer it over the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra (sorry, Samsung).

Our expert says...
Ian Dean headshot
Our expert says...
Ian Dean

I was looking for a good e-reader but wanted more, and the Magic Note Pad is just that – it's a decent sketch pad, an excellent note-taking tablet and performs as an e-ink reader. Overall, excellent value for money.

Our expert says...
Ian Dean headshot
Our expert says...
Ian Dean

The XPPen Magic Pad is a genuinely good alternative to iPad for artists. This is a light, responsive drawing tablet with an impressive 16K of pen pressure, making it ideal for digital art on the move.

Our expert says...
Ian Evenden profile shot
Our expert says...
Ian Evenden

This big screen tablet with a bundled stylus at a sensible price makes a compelling choice for sketching and note-taking. It feels like a flagship but lacks some top-end features. Though it may not be an Ultra, the chances are you won’t care a bit, and pro features are likely not to be ones you’ll miss.

Our expert says...
Josephine Watson author bio image
Our expert says...
Josephine Watson

If you’re looking for an Android tablet to quickly jot down notes on and stash in your bag, the Lenovo Tab P12 with Matte Display will be right up your alley. This zippy, light and thin tablet offers phenomenal battery life, making it an excellent choice if you’re often on the go.

Our expert says...
A headshot of the journalist Tom May.
Our expert says...
Tom May

The Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C is like no e-reader you've ever seen. If you want a standard tablet experience, look elsewhere. But if you want a colour e-ink display that is great for reading graphic novels, comics and manga, as well as notetaking and sketching, then you'll love this device.

Our expert says...
Ian Dean headshot
Our expert says...
Ian Dean

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 puts some solid features into a well-priced ChromeOS 2-in-1 laptop. The display is fantastic, making video calls and streaming a pleasure, while the build-quality ensures this laptop will last.

Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2Read our full Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 (2025) review

Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2
This tablet from Huawei oozes luxury and is a great choice if you live outside of the US and can also live without Google apps. It really is a great tablet with a gorgeous screen (and includes a stylus pen), but we've left it out of this guide for the two main reasons stated above.
Read our full Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 (2025) review

iPad Mini (7th Gen)Read our full iPad Mini (7th Gen) review

iPad Mini (7th Gen)
The new iPad mini doesn't make it to our list because it doesn't come with a stylus – you have to buy the Apple Pencil Pro separately. If you can get over that, it's a fantastic compact option for sketching in Procreate or other apps and watching media on the go.
Read our full iPad Mini (7th Gen) review

iPad Air (M2, 2024)Read our full iPad Air (M2, 2024) review

iPad Air (M2, 2024)
The new iPad Air (M2) is a powerful, lightweight tablet that can do almost everything, and it can be paired with the new Apple Pencil Pro. Apple's new AI tools will make this good for notes.
Read our full iPad Air (M2, 2024) review

Microsoft Surface Pro 9Read my full Surface Pro 9 review

Microsoft Surface Pro 9
The Surface Pro 9 is good for general tasks, can handle note-taking thanks to the stylus and full software. But this is a pricey 2-in-1 and I prefer the LG Gram with a stylus.
Read my full Surface Pro 9 review

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2Read our best iPad alternatives guide

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2
A good iPad Mini alternative, the Lenovo Tab P11 is also slightly better specced than the Lenovo Tab M11 (on my list) but twice the price once you add a stylus.
Read our best iPad alternatives guide

Ian Dean
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.