Whether you happen to be a veteran graphic designer or a beginner learning the ropes, it is crucial to have a tablet that can help you achieve your artistic visions. But before you choose one, there’s much to consider, from pressure sensitivity to the type of stylus you want.
Top pick the Wacom DTK1660K0A Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet with Screen represents the height of current drafting technology. It offers incredible screen clarity and a natural drawing experience, but remains affordable, even though it’s on the higher end of the scale.
What to know before you buy a tablet for graphic design
Size of the overall tablet
One important thing to consider when purchasing a tablet for graphic design is what size tablet will be best for your needs. For a student on the go or someone more accustomed to performing their graphic design on the fly, smaller tablets weigh less and are also generally less expensive.
Size of the active area
For those who are unfamiliar, the active area of a graphic design tablet refers to the area of the tablet where drawing functions can actually be performed. The size of a tablet’s active area effectively determines the size of the drawing that can be created without having to pan out or zoom in. This is an important distinction since a tablet’s active area may be significantly smaller than its total area, which includes the rest of the tablet along with any casing.
Tablet for graphic design features
Pressure sensitivity is key
When drawing something by hand, you are able to control every aspect of your creation by varying the pressure, angle and technique of how you draw. With an appropriately equipped tablet, you can enjoy the almost limitless freedom and advantages of digital artistry backed up with your innate skills and talents. Just like when you use a real pencil or brush, tablet users can press harder or softer to create a thicker or thinner line on their digital drawing.
However, not all tablets are created equal in this regard. Some tablets have a few hundred levels of pressure sensitivity, whereas others have thousands of levels, and more sensitivity will cost you more money, generally speaking.
LPI and resolution
LPI stands for lines per inch your tablet is capable of displaying and how much it can detect from the stylus, serving as a benchmark of sorts for how detailed drawings can be. Obviously, a greater capacity for LPI translates into more detailed illustrations than a lower LPI capacity, but it’s important to note that the size of the tablet rarely factors into its resolution.
Degree of responsiveness
While much of this is directly related to your tablet and PC’s GPU (graphics processing unit) as well as RAM and CPU, this is a measure of how quickly lines that you have drawn appear on screen. Ideally, there should be no discernable delay between drawing and the line showing up as drawn.
Screen or no screen
One of the most important decisions when purchasing a tablet is whether to buy one with or without a built-in screen. Many graphic design tablets are not designed to be standalone devices, but rather used in conjunction with a laptop or desktop PC. Graphic design tablets with screens obviously cost more than those without, but they allow artists to digitally draw in real time and on the go without the need for a companion PC.
Type of stylus
There are three main types of stylus for graphic design tablets, namely EMR, rechargeable and battery-powered. The most recent of the three types, EMR styluses allow the pen to receive energy directly from the tablet itself, meaning it never needs to be charged in the first place. Battery-powered styluses are thicker to create enough space for said batteries to fit, which means that users with smaller hands may find them unappealing. As the name implies, rechargeable styluses have to be recharged like any other mobile device.
Tablet for graphic design cost
The general range for a decent graphic design tablet will cost between $200-$600. While some tablets are available for as little as $40 or as much as $1,200, tablet shopping is very much a case of “you get what you pay for.”
Tablet for graphic design FAQ
What size tablet should I purchase?
A. This depends on what application you intend to use it for. Those with a multi-monitor setup may prefer a medium-sized or larger tablet for maximum control and comfort.
How do you fix issues with hand motions not matching on-screen movements?
A. Consider the size ratio between the tablet and screen — a mismatch in size can cause errors like rapid movement or greater amounts of scrolling to navigate.
Which tablet for graphic design should I get?
Best of the best tablet for graphic design
Wacom DTK1660K0A Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet with Screen: available at Amazon
Our take: This tablet prides itself on offering a natural drawing experience for graphic designers.
What we like: This tablet has tilt recognition, 8,192 degrees of pressure sensitivity and comes with Wacom Pro Pen 2 software.
What we dislike: It is fairly expensive and requires a complicated setup process to work properly.
Best bang for your buck tablet for graphic design
Simbans PicassoTab 10 Inch Drawing Tablet and Stylus Pen: available at Amazon
Our take: An excellent jumping-off point for beginners in graphic design.
What we like: This comes with an active stylus ready to go, has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities and has two Android sketching apps pre-installed.
What we dislike: Some display issues have been reported along with continual reboots.
Honorable mention tablet for graphic design
Apple iPad Pro: available at Amazon
Our take: The ultimate tablet for graphic designers who prefer to exclusively use iOS.
What we like: This tablet comes with Apple’s powerful M1 chip and an 8-core GPU with a minimum of 8GB of RAM.
What we dislike: It’s an expensive option, the Apple Pencil costs extra and the factory charging cable is very short.
Daniel Martin is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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