How to Choose the Best Drawing Tablet for Creating Graphics, Digital Art and Illustrations

In today's tech-savvy world, a drawing tablet is a graphic designer's best friend. With thousands of features and functionality, a drawing tablet grants a vast spectrum of flexibility to a designer. But every artist has a unique style. A drawing tablet that works for a particular graphic designer might not suit your style. Hence, choosing the right drawing tablet is important. Let us talk about the essential things you need to consider, to help you make the right decision.

What to Look for in a Drawing Tablet?

Operating System

In simple terms, the operating system is a program that is responsible for the working of any device. The OS makes all the calculations in the background. The user interface is a layer that is stacked on top of the OS that provides a window between the user and the machine. You must be familiar with Windows, Mac, and Linux- these are a few popular operating systems that run on most devices, they are built for high-end graphic or animation design software. When it comes to drawing tablets, the choice is mostly between Mac and Windows. According to surveys, Apple's Mac has the highest customer satisfaction score, is more secure and has a smoother user interface. However, the majority of the software is written for Windows, which makes it a more popular choice.

Active Area

The active area on the drawing tablet's screen is the space where you sketch, draw and edit. The active area should not be confused with screen size. The screen usually contains the toolbar and the various menus. The best drawing tablet would have a moderately sized active area. Make sure you check the specifications of the drawing tablet before buying. Look for the 'active area' keyword. The active area should not act as a constraint to your creative freedom, so choose wisely.

Resolution

Resolution is the number of pixels (display units) on the screen. It is represented as A x B where A is the number of pixels in a row and B is the number of pixels in a column. Therefore, the standard resolution 1024x768 means that a total of 786432 (1024 multiplied by 768) pixels are present on the screen. Each pixel can have a different color. A higher resolution guarantees a more accurate display and a more excellent opportunity to show different colors at the same time. Lines per inch or LPI index is a variant of resolution that is common in the drawing tablet jargon. If your work involves designing highly detailed images, a higher LPI index is what you should look for.

Stylus

The stylus is a digital pen. Its purpose is to create a real pen/pencil-like experience for the designer. There a majorly two kinds of styli: battery-operated styli and Electromagnetic Resonance or EMR styli. An EMR stylus uses less power and has a thicker point for drawing. Battery-operated styli, on the other hand, have a thinner point, which increases their level of accuracy.

Pressure Sensitivity

The amount of pressure that you have to apply on the screen to draw is inversely proportional to the pressure sensitivity. A highly sensitive drawing tablet requires less physical effort to draw. This does not necessarily imply that higher sensitivity is ideal. Highly sensitive screens increase the chance of error. The perfect drawing tablet would have moderate pressure sensitivity. Most devices come with a setting for modulating this parameter. You can set the screen sensitivity to some extent, using this and use the most suited setting for your comfort. Before buying a drawing tablet though, do look for this factor because the hardware mostly governs it. The numerical value starts from 300 and goes to 8000 levels.

Model Type

Two types of models are popular. On-screen drawing tablets are those where you draw on the screen itself. In flat models, you draw on the tablet and see the response on a monitor. Both these options have the same resolution, and the choice is yours.

Hotkeys

Hotkeys are the shortcuts that you can use to do your work faster, and smoother. They help you save time. Some drawing tablets come with hardcoded hotkey configuration which you cannot change. These require some getting used to. On the other hand, you can get a device where you can create custom hotkeys for your convenience.

Wired/Wireless

Wired drawing tablets do not give you the freedom of movement that wireless tablets do. However, wireless tablets require a good connection. A poor connection is a big turn off while working on essential projects. The choice between a wireless and a wired tablet depends totally on your requirements. If you move around a lot, go for a wireless tablet. If you prefer working on a desk, pick a wired drawing tablet.

Add-on Features

We will discuss the basic and advanced features that the best drawing tablets provide in the next section. However, if you have to choose between two excellent drawing tablets, look for their additional features. It can be scrollbar or a different kind of stylus. All devices have their USPs, and you have to look for them once your basic needs are fulfilled.

Scrolling

Many tablets come with a built-in scrollbar to move around the screen quickly. The absence of a scrollbar increases the chance of error and directly affects the completion time of your work.

Support

Technical support is one parameter that demands special attention when going for the best drawing tablet. Look for a brand that provides telephonic support at all times and has a repair center at a convenient location. Also, choose a drawing tablet that has an active community of helpful users. Make sure that tutorials, guides, and walkthroughs are easily accessible.

The Three Main Types Of Drawing Tablets

Graphic Tablets

A blank tablet provides an interface for your stylus where you draw. The response is displayed on a screen or a monitor. Graphic drawing tablets are the cheapest amongst the various types. Coordination is a little confusing, though, and you need the practice to work with them.

Pen Displays

These types of drawing tablets are more expensive than graphic tablets. Here, you draw with a stylus on the screen itself. This gives a better experience and is more practical. They are more portable too.

Tablet Computer

Examples of these include Apple's iPad Pro and Samsung's Galaxy tabs. All you have to do is to download a designing app. Then you can work with your fingers or a stylus.

Brands

In the past, it was unheard of for people to be considering Wacom alternatives, much less buying them. They were only slightly cheaper than their Wacom counterparts and they were abysmally worse.

However, the past is the past and what we need to look at is the present. The alternatives have become increasingly more competent and ever since 2017 rolled around, driver problems have stopped being the main issue plaguing Wacom alternative tablet reviews. It’s no longer about whether the alternatives work or not, but rather about whether they fit your personal tastes.

Sure, you might prefer Wacom even at their higher price point, and you decide that for yourself, but know that it won’t hurt to at least know what other options you have.

The alternatives may not have been worthwhile before, but that is now completely a thing of the past. If the alternatives suit your personal tastes and needs, you’re going to be in for quite a lot of money saving.

XP-PEN ( https://www.xp-pen.com ) is a famous brand which specialized in manufacturing graphic tablets ( star and deco series ) , display monitors ( artist and innovator series ) and digital pens .

XP-PEN has rich production line to meet different needs, the pen displays size ranges from 12 to 24 inch , and the graphics tablets size include A6, A5, A4 . for the purpose of drawing, animation, design, signing, edit and game etc.

Either you are a beginner or professional, you can find one which can satisfy your requirement.