The best drawing tablets
Digital art without the expensive screen. The tablets worth buying for a young artist or a grown-up hobby.
A drawing tablet turns a computer into a sketchbook: the pen senses how hard you press, so lines get thicker and darker just like a pencil. It's how most digital illustration, comics and animation are made.
Most here are pen tablets, a pad with no screen that plugs into a computer. They're far cheaper than screen tablets and just as good to learn on. We've also picked a standalone tablet for someone without a computer.
What matters
- Drawing area: 10 × 6in is comfortable for most people.
- Pressure levels and tilt, for natural brush strokes.
- What it works with: Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Android.
- Shortcut keys, for undo and brush size.
#1 of 5
Best overall
XPPen Deco 01 V3 Drawing Tablet
£59.99 RRP
A big 10 × 6.25in drawing area, a pen that feels 16,384 levels of pressure and eight shortcut keys, and it works with nearly anything: Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android and Linux.
What owners say: Owners find it good quality, easy to set up and use, suitable for beginners, and good value.
Heads up: Like all pen tablets without a screen, you draw on the pad while watching the computer, which takes a day or two to get used to.
A closer look: Install XPPen's driver from their website before plugging it in: that's what unlocks the pressure and the shortcut keys. Set the keys to undo, brush size and eraser first.
- 10 × 6.25in drawing area
- 16,384 pressure levels, 60° tilt
- 8 shortcut keys
- Battery-free pen
- Just 8mm thick
Best for: Most people
- Drawing area
- 10 × 6.25in
- Pressure levels
- 16,384
- Shortcut keys
- 8
- Works with
- Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Android, Linux
- No computer needed
- No
#2 of 5
Best premium
Wacom Intuos Medium Pen Tablet
£74.99 RRP
The name professionals grew up with, in a compact size that fits beside a laptop. Like all Wacom pens it has no battery: the tablet powers it through electromagnetic resonance.
What owners say: Owners find it reliable and easy to set up, excellent for beginners in digital art, and worth the money.
A closer look: Register it with Wacom to claim the bundled software, which includes Clip Studio Paint Pro on a two-year licence: plenty for comics and illustration while they learn.
- 216 × 135mm drawing area
- 4,096 pressure levels
- 4 ExpressKeys
- Battery-free Wacom Pen 4K
- Creative software trials included
Best for: A trusted name
- Drawing area
- 216 × 135mm (8.5 × 5.3in)
- Pressure levels
- 4,096
- Shortcut keys
- 4
- Works with
- Windows, Mac, Chromebook
- No computer needed
- No
#3 of 5
Most shortcut keys
HUION Inspiroy H1060P Drawing Tablet
£30–£50 Price range
Twelve hard keys down the side and sixteen soft keys along the top, so a regular user can keep their favourite brushes and tools under one finger. It'll plug into an Android phone too.
What owners say: Owners find it works well straight out of the box, with a big drawing area and a comfortable pen, and good value.
A closer look: Left-handed? Switch it to left-handed mode in the driver's advanced settings and the keys swap to the other side of your drawing hand.
- 10 × 6.25in drawing area
- 8,192 pressure levels, 60° tilt
- 12 keys plus 16 soft keys
- Battery-free pen
- Works with Android phones
Best for: Shortcut lovers
- Drawing area
- 10 × 6.25in
- Pressure levels
- 8,192
- Shortcut keys
- 12 + 16 soft keys
- Works with
- Windows, Mac, Android, Linux
- No computer needed
- No
#4 of 5
Best value
UGEE M708 V3 Drawing Tablet
£30–£50 Price range
A 10 × 6in drawing surface with a papery texture, for about the price of a video game: a low-risk way to find out whether digital drawing sticks.
What owners say: Owners like the large, smooth, paper-like surface and the pressure sensitivity, and find it responsive with no lag.
A closer look: The textured surface slowly wears pen nibs down, which is normal, and spare nibs come in the box. It suits left- and right-handers alike.
- 10 × 6in drawing area
- 16,384 pressure levels
- 8 shortcut keys
- Paper-like surface
- Battery-free pen
Best for: Trying digital art
- Drawing area
- 10 × 6in
- Pressure levels
- 16,384
- Shortcut keys
- 8
- Works with
- Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Linux
- No computer needed
- No
#5 of 5
Best without a computer
PicassoTab A10 Standalone Drawing Tablet
£150–£200 Price range
A 10-inch Android tablet made for drawing, so there's no computer needed: sketch on the sofa, in the car or at a grandparent's. Drawing apps and beginner tutorials come ready to go.
What owners say: Owners find it performs well, is easy to use and good value, and like the smart-looking case.
Heads up: The screen is 1280 × 800, so it's made for learning and sketching rather than detailed professional work.
A closer look: Wear the drawing glove that comes in the box: it stops your palm registering as a touch while you draw. It's a normal Android tablet too, so set up parental controls before handing it to a child.
- 10in drawing screen, no computer needed
- 4,096-level pressure pen
- Drawing apps and lessons included
- Case, glove and screen protector
- Android 14
Best for: Kids, and drawing anywhere
- Drawing area
- 10.1in screen
- Pressure levels
- 4,096
- Shortcut keys
- None (touchscreen)
- Works with
- Runs on its own (Android 14)
- No computer needed
- Yes
How they compare
| Feature | #1XPPen Deco 01 V3 | #2Wacom Intuos M | #3HUION H1060P | #4UGEE M708 | #5PicassoTab A10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Most shortcut keys | Best value | Best without a computer | |
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.9 |
| Price | £59.99 RRP | £74.99 RRP | £30–£50 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £150–£200 Price range |
| Drawing area | 10 × 6.25in | 216 × 135mm (8.5 × 5.3in) | 10 × 6.25in | 10 × 6in | 10.1in screen |
| Pressure levels | 16,384 | 4,096 | 8,192 | 16,384 | 4,096 |
| Shortcut keys | 8 | 4 | 12 + 16 soft keys | 8 | None (touchscreen) |
| Works with | Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Android, Linux | Windows, Mac, Chromebook | Windows, Mac, Android, Linux | Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Linux | Runs on its own (Android 14) |
| No computer needed | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Best for | Most people | A trusted name | Shortcut lovers | Trying digital art | Kids, and drawing anywhere |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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