What makes modern day animation so lifelike? What devices are suitable for traditional artists transitioning to digital art? With what tools does one begin on the journey of digital art?
All these questions are answered in our curated list of top tablets for digital artists. We understand that as a creator, looking for the perfect canvas can be a daunting task. That is why we have made things simpler for you. We compare features like software compatibility and price points, highlighting qualities that make each tablet stand out as the best in the category in hopes that you find your perfect match.
Best Tablets For Creating Digital Art
Best Overall
Apple iPad Pro (6th Generation)
Versatility meets creativity
$967 $1099 Save $132
The iPad Pro is a multifaceted powerhouse, perfect for professional digital artists and beginners alike. With its M2 chip, Liquid Retina XDR display, and Apple Pencil support, it adapts to any task—whether it’s productivity or a creative endeavor.
- Accommodates portability with its light weight and thin design
- Provides true-to-life visuals with the Liquid Retina XDR Display
- Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) lacks customizable buttons and eraser
Beyond its merits as an exceptional tablet for everyday use, the iPad Pro also fulfills all the requirements of a premium device for digital artists. Its ProMotion technology dynamically adjusts the iPad Pro’s refresh rate up to 120Hz. This not only helps make smoother animations but also improves the touch feedback of the device.
The high brightness (up to 1600 nits) and an exceptional 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio couple with the 2732×2048-pixel resolution to make for a crisp visual experience for the artist. P3 wide color gamut allows for more saturated, vivid colors that are closer to human perception. All these features combine as the Liquid Retina XDR Display.
The display also supports both the second generation Apple Pencil and the USB-C. Artists can enjoy precise drawing, tilt and pressure sensitivity, and low latency for art creation. You might find the 2nd gen harder to work with due to its lack of customizable buttons.
The Apple M2 chip in this device features an 8-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. This combination ensures efficient multitasking and responsiveness even while handling heavy digital art and applications like adobe fresco and procreate. The 128GB to 2TB capacity helps store them seamlessly.
Best Budget Tablet
Huion Inspiroy H640P
For the hustlers
$28 $46 Save $18
Huion Inspiroy H640P is the economical option in the world of extremely expensive art equipment. It has all the features you require in a tablet, like a pressure-sensitive stylus and customizable keys for maximum control. If you’ve just started experimenting with digital art, this one’s your best bet.
- Connects to phones as well as computers
- Both the tablet and stylus are battery free
Despite its budget-friendly price, the Huion Inspiroy H640P boasts numerous standout features as a drawing tablet. Its pen offers 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, which allows for precise and nuanced input. Additionally, the included stylus is battery-free, offering the convenience of uninterrupted use without the need for charging.
Its pen holder PH03 enables you to keep your stylus safe and doubles as a nib replacer for it. The programmable keys on the side enable you to personalize your tablet to your artistic requirements. The tablet has a slim design: only 8mm thickness, and a featherlight weight of 277g. This makes it highly portable and enables you to carry it on your person when required. Its small size surprisingly does not make you lose out on the working space as its active area, 6.3 x 3.9 inches, provides sufficient room for creative endeavors.
What’s amazing is that you can not only connect this tablet to your personal computer but also to your mobile device. It is, however, a wired option and requires a USB port. Thus, if you do choose this product, you can invest in a good USB Hub so you’re short on ports for other peripherals.
Best Display
Huion Kamvas Pro 24
True-to-life brilliance
If you’re animating for TV shows or video games, the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 is a good option to go for. Its accurate color representation allows artists to create without having to worry about how the final product will look on a high definition screen.
- Provides an attractive price point for a large tablet
- Offers 4K image quality for precise work
- Lacks touch functionality
Huion Kamvas Pro 24’s display is where art comes alive. Its 3840 x 2160 resolution (four times higher than full HD screens) makes every stroke appear crisp and clean. The HDR technology helps regulate the contrast ratio and brightness of the screen, allowing for more lifelike images.
This tablet has a color gamut of 98% Adobe RGB 1998 and that too can be improved through customization. Meaning it represents most of the colors within this standard, enabling the artist to accurately visualize the pigments. Its ample, 23.8-inch QHD screen allows for detailing without having to zoom in every time. The split screen mechanism further saves you the effort of having to switch between windows.
This mammoth of a tablet does, however, restrict you to a desk as it weighs 6.3Kg. What makes up for this slight inconvenience is the 20-degree integrated stand that allows for comfortable working postures.
Kamvas Pro has a paper-like feel to it which makes the drawing process all the more reminiscent of traditional art. The anti-glare glass prevents any sort of reflection. Its battery free pen has a silicon grip for a comfortable hold. The added felt nibs provide a softer glide across the canvas, making it a comfortable choice for professional artists.
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Best Color Accuracy
Xencelabs Pen Display 24
An endless palette
Immerse yourself in the saturated colors of Xencelabs Pen Display 24. Its color accuracy combined with the dual pens and ample workspace enables you to create uninhibited. This one is made with the artist in mind.
- Provides a luminance of 330 cd/m^2 for clear visibility
- Offers a fanless design for noise reduction
- Operates at a low refresh rate of merely 60Hz
The 20.8-inch active area of Xencelabs Pen Display 24 features vibrant, true-to-life colors due to its 99% Adobe RGB color gamut. It covers 93% of the DCI-P3 color space as well, enabling the artist to create cinematic illustrations. It can also recreate the entire spectrum of Pantone colors and a very extensive range of skin tones.
The programmable buttons it comes with make each app individually customizable. Besides these, it also includes remote keys that offer 40 shortcuts each to your own liking. It includes two pens: the 3 Button Pen v2 and the Thin Pen v2. Both feature a built-in eraser for uninterrupted workflow. What sets them apart are their ergonomics. The former has a bulkier look with three customization buttons and the latter sports a thin design for prolonged use.
This tablet truly lets art speak with its silent, metal back that dissipates heat without noise. What’s more is that it includes a tilt stand that has a wide elevation range suited to your personal requirements. The color accuracy definitely sets this tablet apart from others of the same size. However, its steep price point might sway you to consider other products on this list, like the Huion Kamvas Pro 24.
Best Portable Tablet
Wacom Intuos Pro Small
Small but mighty
The Wacom Intuos Pro Small has all the features of a professional digital art tablet all the while boasting a compact (12.6 x 8.2 x 0.5 inch) design. This tablet is made for the artist on an adventure.
- Features an ambidextrous design
- Provides inbuilt softwares like Clip Studio Paint
- The pen nib wears out fast
For artists inspired by the world around them, the Wacom Intuos Pro Small serves as the best travel buddy. It packs just as much of a punch as its larger counterparts, while fitting easily into a laptop bag. The wireless feature further enhances portability. Couple it with a good portable monitor, and you’ve got yourself a perfect set-up for your creative adventures on the go.
The features it shares with other Wacom Intuo Pros include, first and foremost, the Multi-touch gesture support, which enables you to use up to five-finger gestures. With these, you can curate custom multitouch shortcuts. You can also swipe to navigate, and pinch to zoom as the built-in gestures.
Beyond these customizations, you also get to customize the ExpressKeys and Touch Ring on the left side of the tablet. This enables you to control your environment via pure muscle memory, choosing whatever suits your style the best.
The Pro Pen 2 stylus that comes with this tablet is also accuracy oriented. It has 2048 levels of pen pressure sensitivity along with seamless tilt recognition, allowing for precise brush strokes. Its compatibility with both Windows and macOS adds to its versatility, making it the perfect option for artists who demand a portable all-rounder.
Best Waterproof Tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+
Create fearlessly, even in a downpour
$1000 $1120 Save $120
The IP68 rating of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ ensures that your device remains dust-free and withstands prolonged immersions in water as deep as 1.5m. This allows for carefree, creative sessions without worrying about knocking a mug over onto your canvas.
- Strikes a balance between screen size and portability
- Comes with the S Pen without added charges
- Lacks professional-grade applications for graphic design
If you like to work by the beach or poolside, you can confidently use the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ for your art sessions. It can be immersed in water for up to half an hour without sustaining damage.
The included S Pen is also waterproof and provides a pen-to-paper experience, letting you draw with sufficient friction. This tablet lets you connect your personal computer to it as a second screen. This enables you to undertake complex tasks with efficiency and ease.
This, however, is not all for this tablet. Its 12.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display has a refresh rate of 120Hz, allowing for clean and crisp details. Furthermore, it has an octa-core processor with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, which enables artists to run heavy applications on this tablet without worrying about lag or performance issues. If you’re looking to get the cheaper 256 GB variant, get an external SSD. You can save old artwork on it to save space, plus it serves as a safe backup.
While there are alternatives like Clip Studio available, it’s a bit of a shame that Adobe Creative Cloud is not supported on Android devices. This prevents artists from flexing their creative muscles fully, even on powerful devices such as this one. Despite these drawbacks, if you’re looking for a durable tablet for work and play, the Tab S9+ is a great choice.
FAQ
What is the best tablet for digital artists?
The tablet that accommodates all the needs of a digital artist, be they a pro in the game or just starting out, is the Apple iPad Pro 12.9″ (6th Gen). What makes it the best is its amazing display and powerful hardware. What’s more is that it doubles as your daily driver, allowing for seamless transition between work and play.
What is a drawing tablet?
A drawing tablet is a device that enables you to digitally draw by connecting to your personal computer. It usually includes a stylus and customizable keys for smooth usage.
What should you look for in a drawing tablet?
As a long-term investment, there are a few things to consider while purchasing a drawing tablet. Some basic things that ought to be considered are size, responsiveness, resolution, controls and functionality, and Stylus type.
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