Drawing tablets with screens combine the best of both worlds for designers and digital artists. A true artist is never satisfied until and unless he got an appreciation for his art and the right tool for his work. If we shift towards older times when there was no concept of drawing tablets, artists used to carry large sketchbooks and painting tools for drawing purposes. But time has changed; now an artist doesn’t need a paper or sketchbook to paint his imagination into reality. This era is all about IT tools and performance-oriented technologies and one of them is drawing tablets.
These days, many artists, illustrators, and graphic designers have started to turn towards using tablets to complete their art projects instead of paper and brushes. A good tablet offers an artist a light, handy, responsive, and electronic option to get projects done, even when they aren’t at the office. With the best artists starting their creative journey using traditional drawing kits, the devices also try to mimic the freehand flexibility for producing digital art as easily as possible.
The best drawing tablets combine the fluidity and versatility of freehand drawing with the precision of digital graphics. You need a tablet with the right stylus, pressure sensitivity, multi-touch display, screen size, low latency, and other specs to make your drawing experience as effortless as possible.
Just about any creative task on a computer requiring pinpoint precision can benefit greatly from the tactile response of a pen in your hand. The size and resolution of the tablet will determine the total active area you can draw on and how precisely the tablet will translate your input with a stylus. The stylus itself can also have a huge impact on your tablet experience, ranging from thick, battery-powered options, to slim, wirelessly rechargeable pens.
If you are a budding artist of today’s age and having difficulty in choosing a perfect tablet for drawing purpose with the screen then this article will surely help you to decide which one suit your needs.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Best Drawing Tablets With Screen:
Here are my top picks of the best tablets for drawing. I’ve chosen the most popular and well-reviewed models, both for specialized drawing tablets and all-around excellent tablets that support drawing apps.
1. Wacom DTC133W0A One Digital Drawing Tablet with Screen
Wacom’s newest tablet launched at CES 2020, the confusingly named Wacom One, is an excellent and portable 13-inch tablet at an extremely competitive price point, no doubt designed to tempt users away from cheaper brands like XP-Pen.
This tablet comes with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 for max clarity. It also comes with a pressure-sensitive (with pressure level going up to 4096), cordless, and battery–free pen to save you the trouble of charging it.
It is one of the most popular choices for everything to do with digital creation and visual thinking. If you want to improve your digital expression, this device has all the essential features required to sharpen your skills and also gives you the freedom to explore.
Specification:
- Brand: Wacom.
- Weight: 4.56 pounds.
- Display size: 13.3 inches.
- Operating System: Windows, Mac OS, or Android.
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- Pen Pressure Sensitivity: 4096 levels.
Features:
- Feels like a real pen: No need for batteries, the pen feels and looks right. Plus, this one pen uses software to act as multiple pens and brushes in a full range of colors, with superb accuracy.
- Digital freedom: You can sketch or paint directly on the screen, draw diagrams, annotate documents, enhance photos and videos, plus you can delete, edit and share your creations with ease.
- Durable: This 8.3-inch by 5.7-inch tablet measures only 0.3 inches thick, and has a nice, durable plastic build with rounded edges.
- Stylus: This package comes with a premium-feeling stylus at no extra charge.
- Visual Thinking: With the familiar feeling of pen on paper, Wacom One lets you capture ideas, create mind-maps, draw diagrams & share them with colleagues and friends.
- Distance Learning: If you find yourself learning or working from a new location, you can use Wacom One to easily write, annotate documents, whiteboard, or convey ideas to students or colleagues when web-conferencing.
My Review: This tablet is the perfect solution for budding artists. Although it’s not quite as large and impressive as some professional options, the Wacom One model is a simplified version of an advanced drawing monitor that lets you draw directly on the screen. This is a great starter tablet for beginners.
It is an ideal tablet to slip into your day bag; the Wacom One provides a great drawing experience without costing the earth. I really liked its quality. This tablet even comes with little legs for standing up when you’re out and want to quickly get some ideas down.
Highly Recommended!
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2. GAOMON PD1161 11.6 inches
This is yet another worthy tablet that comes under an impressive list of best drawing tablets with screen 2021. The GAOMON PD1161 is a fantastic example of a low-cost drawing monitor with a screen. Despite the low price, you still get 11.6 inches to work on. It also offers all the basics you need to get started with digital drawing.
It also features a large storage device with a 256.32 x 144.18 mm area where a designer can save their abundant number of graphic works without worrying them getting lost.
GAOMAN PD 1161 aims at bringing out the best in every master piece creation by offering a seamless partnership of the stylus with the screen.
All in all, the value that you get from the GAOMAN PD 11161 is worth the price.
Specification:
- Brand: GAOMAN.
- Weight: 1.9 pounds.
- Display Size: 11.6 inches.
- Operating System: Windows, Mac OS.
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- Pen Pressure Sensitivity: 8192 levels.
Features:
- ±60 Degree Tilt Function: GAOMON PD1161 graphic pen display supports ±60 degrees tilt function. We can freely draw from various angles according to the subtle pressure differences, and every detailed modification will be recognized immediately.
- Compatibility: GAOMON PD1161 drawing pen display is not a standalone product, it must be used with a computer that runs Windows or Mac OS. It not compatible with Chrome book (Chrome OS).
- Shortcut Keys: You can set shortcut keys on the tablet driver based on your preferences, such as erase, zoom in/out, scroll up and down, and so on.
- Battery-Free Pen: No need to charge pen anymore, which is humanized and environment-friendly design.
- Sensitivity: A battery-free digital pen, the AP50 comes with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity giving you the ability to draw more realistic strokes.
My Review: I really liked it. It is quite handy and light in weight; you can carry it around anywhere you go. This drawing tablet features a battery-free technology where you don’t have to charge the Pen AP 50, so making this environmentally friendly drawing tablet. Eight programmable buttons let you customize the tablet to fit your needs.
This tablet really does present an impressive display for the price, but because of the awkwardly wide footprint and the unfortunately high price tag, it might not be the best fit for everyone.
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3. Wacom DTK1660K0A Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet with Screen
If you have a little more money to spend, you could consider grabbing the Wacom Cintiq instead. This nifty drawing tablet offers all the features you get from the Wacom One. It also has a larger 16-inch screen, giving you more space to sketch and create.
This new class of Wacom tablets Cintiq comes with a creative pen display with elevated features that’s great for beginners.
This affordable pen display tablet has a vibrant HD screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 that gives a pleasing viewing experience.
At an affordable price point, the Cintiq 16 is a welcome addition to a line of tablets and proves you don’t need to spend an exorbitant amount of money for a quality product.
Specification:
- Brand: Wacom.
- Weight: 4.2 pounds.
- Display Size: 15.6 inches.
- Operating System: Windows and Mac OS.
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- Pen Pressure Sensitivity: 8192 levels.
Features:
- Clarity: Cintiq’s 6 inch 1920×1080 HD displays provide you with clarity to see every detail of your work. The scratch-resistant, anti-glare surface prevents distracting reflections as you create.
- Clip Studio Paint: It comes with an exclusive software (for a limited time period) called clip studio paint which allows seamless transition from paper to tablet.
- Connectivity: It can connect your computer with the convenient HDMI and USB cables and get into the perfect position with the included adjustable stand that lets you adjust how you want to work.
- Water Repellent pocket: It has a water-repellent front valuables pocket to keep your stuff safe.
My Review: This tablet is considered to be the best tablet for students (like me) who are passionate about learning professional digital art and related kits. There are lots of useful features like the ergonomic pen design. The crystal-clear clarity makes this drawing tablet stand out from other models. The Wacom Cintiq also provides superior sensitivity with 8192 pressure levels.
It also comes with a foldable and adjustable stand or leg support that will help you to get a comfortable and flexible working position of your liking. Highly Recommended!
4. Huion KAMVAS Pro 16 Graphics Drawing Tablet
Huion’s recently launched Kamvas pro 16 is yet another worthy pen display that can surely be counted in the list of best drawing tablets with the screen. It carries huge potential within its compact and handy packing that is both impressive and elegant.
It provides a high – res 16-inch screen to allow your creativity to flow. The screen feels matte and quality. This design makes it feel intuitive, while the pen is a delight to use. It moves smoothly across the surface and provides incredible accuracy. You can also achieve any effect you like, from shading to intricate colors, details, and more.
It’s simple to connect this tablet to any macOS or Windows computer with the included HDMI cable. You can also use all your favorite programs with this tablet.
Specification:
- Brand: Huion.
- Weight: 3 pounds.
- Display Size: 15.6 inches.
- Operating System: Windows, Mac OS
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- Pen Pressure Sensitivity: 8192 levels.
Features:
- Compact size: The weight of the KAMVAS Pro 16 Pen Display is about 1.2KG and the thickness is 11.5mm, only a little thicker than a mobile phone. It is easy to put in your backpack and carry.
- ±60 Levels Tilt Recognition: Kamvas Pro 16 drawing pen display is with ±60 degrees of natural tilt recognition. You will have much more fun when drawing. It provides a more accurate and natural drawing experience.
- Full-laminated Anti-glare Glass: The screen surface is covered with Anti-glare Glass, effectively reducing the “glare” effect and better protecting your eyes.
- Wide Compatibility: It is compatible with Windows 7 or later and Mac OS 10.11 or later. It is also compatible with mainstream software like Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio, Paint Tool Sai, and more.
- 6 Press Keys and 1 Touch Bar: The combination of 6 press keys and 1 touch bar cannot only save your time but also enhance your productivity. You are free to set up your preferred express keys.
My Review: If you prefer to have a larger space to work on, check out the Huion Kamvas Pro 16. It is so well made that you can hardly tell that it’s an alternative to the Wacom products. The screen is nice, smooth to draw on and the colors are more accurate than the GT 191. It’s very light in weight and you have the option to bring it with you anywhere you want.
Overall I would recommend this to the people who want to upgrade from their old huion tablet, or to people looking for a good monitor tablet on a budget. And if you want the stand (which does not come with it) you can either buy the bundle with the stand or buy it separately on the Huion website.
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5. Huion KAMVAS 20 Graphics Drawing Tablet
The Huion Kamvas Pro 20 is one of the new pen display drawing monitors released by Huion. With a 19.5 inch Full HD screen, lots of programmable buttons, and the new PW500 battery-free pen, it is bound to be a very tough competitor in the professional pen display graphic tablet arena. Its specs are good enough that it can be a competitor to the Wacom Cintiq range of drawing monitors.
Huion Kamvas 20 is equipped with a chemically etched anti-glare glass due to which the screen can virtually eliminate reflections and reduce eye – strains. It has full laminated technology to improve visual quality, eliminate parallax and increase durability.
Specifications:
- Brand: Huion.
- Weight: 7.3 pounds.
- Display Size: 19.5 inches.
- Operating System: Windows 7 or later and Mac OS 10.12 or later.
- Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1060 pixels.
- Pen Pressure Sensitivity: 8192 levels.
Features:
- More Space For Creation: The working area on the 19.5-inch display of Kamvas Pro 20 is up to 434.88 x 238.68mm, providing more creative space for you.
- Eyes Safety: Thanks to the pioneering anti-glare etching glass and the multi-layer filter membrane technology, the glare reflection on the mirror screen can be effectively reduced, alleviating the visual fatigue of designers while greatly ensuring the perfect presentation of the works!
- Battery-Free Stylus: Huion stylus has adopted innovative battery-free technology plus the unique flexible pen core.
- Express Keys And Touch Bar: There are 8 express keys and a one-touch bar on both sides, you can easily access the most commonly used shortcuts.
- Multi-angle Adjustable Stand: The multi-angle adjustable stand is sturdy and reliable.
My Review: This tablet is amazing. The installation process is incredibly easy. An extra pen, free stand, and all the possibly-needed cables are included along with it. If you want to keep your computer monitor, this tablet has flawless compatibility with the HDMI splitter, too.
My favorite part about this tablet is the texture of the screen, which has a realistic paper feeling and I adore it immensely, wonderful quality!
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6. XP-PEN Artist12 Pro
The XP-Pen Artist 12 Pro specifically is meant to be a new and improved version of the previous Artist 12 with improvements such as a better screen and more comfortable pen.
From the very first look – the tablet looks like a well-refined product. It has a modern and minimalist design. Adopting fully-laminated technology, the Artist 12 Pro seamlessly combines the glass and screen to create a distraction-free working environment.
With virtually no parallax, your cursor appears exactly where you want it, offering a real paper-like feel while drawing on this 11.6 inches fully-laminated IPS Display with a 178-degree viewing angle and 1920 x 1080 high resolutions.
Specifications:
- Brand: XP – Pen.
- Weight: 3.3 pounds.
- Display Size: 11.6 inches.
- Operating System: Windows, Mac OS X version 10.10 or above.
- Screen Resolutions: 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- Pen Pressure Sensitivity: 8192 levels.
Features:
- Newly Designed Battery Free PA2 Pen: This tablet uses the newest XP-Pen PA2 battery-free pen. It has a rubber grip with a plastic top and has a nice shape with a bulge near the bottom to allow for an easy and comfortable grip on the pen.
- AC- 42 stand: Included with the Artist 12 Pro drawing tablet, the AC 42 easy-to-use stand is built to prevent shaking or sliding as well as relieve eye fatigue and hand stiffness.
- Pen Holder: The multi-function Pen Holder keeps your pen and pen nib safe, and doubles as a pen stand or pen holder.
- Anti-glare Film: The screen is an 11.6-inch display that comes with a replaceable anti-glare film, this keeps the screen from being scratched and avoids glare.
- Pressure Sensitivity: It has 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, which makes it quite precise to draw lines with different weights.
My Review: If you want a good drawing tablet that comes with all the latest features, a tablet that is great value for money and does not compromise with the quality then – XP Pen Artist 12 Pro is the right tablet for you.
Its attractive design makes me love it at first sight. It is really thin which makes it easy to use and carry. It has a sturdy build which screams quality. Also, the display is laminated and has good colors which are necessary for a drawing monitor. And most importantly there is only one single USB Type-C port for connection which is awesome.
Highly Recommended!
7. Microsoft Surface Pro 7
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 improves on one of the best 2-in-1 tablets around with strong 10th Gen Intel performance and a long-overdue USB-C port.
But Microsoft’s flagship detachable hasn’t evolved significantly over the Surface Pro 6, and its battery life takes a step back from the previous-gen model.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a somewhat chunky tablet that can transform into a laptop. The Surface Pro 7’s sharp display, ample power, and excellent optional Type Cover keyboard make it one of the best tablets you can buy if you want a detachable.
Specification:
- Brand: Microsoft.
- Weight: 1.7 pounds.
- SSD: 1TB.
- Display Size: 12.3 inches.
- Operating System: Windows 10.
- Memory: 16GB, 8GB, 4GB.
- Processer: 10th Gen Intel Core i7, i5, and i3.
Features:
- Transformation: Surface Pro 7 instantly transforms from laptop to tablet to portable studio. Pair with a colorful Surface Type Cover and Surface Pen to complete your experience.
- Fuel Your Ideas: Wherever you go, and whatever you do, next-generation Surface Pro 7 stands ready.
- Laptop Mode: Open the built-in Kickstand and add our Signature Type Cover* for a full laptop experience anywhere.
- Wi-Fi 6 Support: Microsoft added Wi-Fi 6 compatibility in the Surface Pro 7. Wi-Fi 6 delivers 4 times the capacity of Wi-Fi 5.
My Review: I expected a bit more advancements from the seventh Surface Pro tablet. USB-C is nice, but for a device at this price, it should be Thunderbolt 3. Plus, the display bezels are awfully thick for a tablet. Its battery life is also disappointing.
If you want the fastest Surface Pro currently available, the Pro 7 still delivers most of what matters. But you can get better battery life and more modern designs if you’re willing to consider some alternatives.
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8. New Apple iPad (8th Generation)
The eighth-generation 10.2-inch iPad is the best option for most people, as it offers the best balance of performance and value. You can usually find the smaller 32GB size for only $299, at any time of year
This iPad is sharp and bright (up to 500 nits), with good color balance, and will be ideal for web browsing, watching a video, or word processing with Apple’s Smart Keyboard case, which costs an extra £159/$159.
Specifications:
- Brand: Apple.
- Weight: 1.08 lbs.
- Storage: 32GB or 128GB.
- Display Size: 10.2 inches.
- Compatibility: Compatible with Smart Keyboard and Bluetooth keyboards.
- Screen Resolutions: 2160 x 1620 pixels.
- Connecter: Lightning Connector.
Features:
- Design: It has thick borders framing its screen on the top and bottom, much like Apple’s older iPads and iPhones, and a Touch ID home button below the display.
- Processer: The 8th-generation iPad has Apple’s A12 Bionic processor from 2018, making it powerful enough for most casual tasks.
- Battery Life: Its battery life lasts for 10 hours on a single charge.
- Connecter: It still uses Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector rather than the more versatile USB-C.
My Review: It’s the right choice for those in search of a general-purpose tablet for watching movies, browsing the web, and making drawings.
If battery life is your top priority in a tablet, this iPad won’t disappoint. Apple estimates that the iPad should last for 10 hours on a single charge, but I found that it lasted for much longer than that. After more than 12 hours of use, the iPad still had 15% of its battery left.
Highly Recommended!
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9. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
The Tab S6 is an excellent content consumption tablet. It has a great screen and speakers, and it’s thin and light enough to hold for extended watching sessions. It even has enough battery life to last through at least three Marvel movies.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 may have been surpassed by the newer Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus, but it was an important tablet in its time and remains a worthy gadget if you think it’s right for you.
Specifications:
- Brand: Samsung Electronics.
- Weight: 0.92 lbs.
- Display Size: 10.5 inches.
- Operating System: Android.
- Screen Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels.
Features:
- S pen: The S6 tablet comes with the updated S Pen stylus. The S Pen remains a great tool for drawing.
- Design: The Galaxy Tab S6 features a lustrous, high-quality design.
- Speakers: The Tab has four Dolby Atmos speakers tuned by AKG.
- Software: The Tab S6 ships with Android 9 Pie along with Samsung’s custom One UI.
My Review: The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is a highly accomplished Android tablet. It’s great for media and almost as good for productivity. It’s expensive but still cheaper than its main rival – the iPad Pro. However, it’s also not quite as good as Apple’s Pro range but it also has many amazing features that are best for drawing.
Highly Recommended!
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10. Lenovo Yoga Book – FHD 10.1″ Windows Tablet
The Lenovo Yoga Book is an insanely thin convertible that combines a laptop, digital sketchpad, and notebook. This super portable two-in-one laptop/tablet hybrid includes a Wacom sketching pad that can instantly transform into a QWERTY keyboard.
The Lenovo Yoga Book is exciting because it is so fresh and innovative. The lower half is a digitizer surface and works with the included Real Pen to offer 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Specification:
- Brand: Lenovo.
- Weight: 1.52 pounds.
- Display Size: 10.1 inches.
- Operating System: Windows.
- Storage: 64 GB.
- Pen Pressure Sensitivity: 2048 levels.
Features:
- Design: When it’s closed, the Yoga Book looks like those expensive Moleskine notebooks.
- Display: The Yoga Book’s 1920 x 1200 IPS touch display is colorful and bright.
- Audio: The audio is loud and clear giving you a better listening experience.
- Thinnest and lightest: At less than 2 lbs, it’s the world’s thinnest and lightest 2-in-1 windows tablet.
My Review: The Lenovo Yoga Book is, frankly, one of those devices that are tough to critique given how different it is. This piece of hardware could very well become an entirely new subcategory within laptops and tablets – devices that bridge the gap between both in ways that today’s 2-in-1 laptops simply can’t.
Its great investment is that we can type accurately on the Yoga Book’s Halo Keyboard, even without auto-correct software helping us.
Highly Recommended!
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To Wrap Up:
A digital drawing tablet will easily light you years and hence is a huge investment. Especially display style tablets that come with screens for you to draw, sketch, doodle, paint, edit images, etc are best.
Above I have recommended you the best portable drawing tablets with a screen. Buying one of these gadgets will improve your workflow. These tablets combine the best features that are essential for any touch screen monitor for drawing.