How Much Is A Drawing Tablet

How much is a drawing tablet? In this article, I will explain exactly how much you should expect to spend on a drawing tablet and why. I will also provide examples where necessary.

If you are a beginner intending to start with drawing tablets, then this is the article for you. Additionally, this article will help any professional or mid-level artist or graphic designer seeking to upgrade their gadgets to the next level.

How much does a drawing tablet cost

Before understanding how much you need to spend, the best approach is to understand the factors to consider when choosing the best drawing tablet.

Screen or No screen tablet

The first main consideration is whether you need to choose a tablet with an inbuilt screen or one with no screen.

Some tablets come with their own screen to display artwork while others do not. Those without screens are considered beginner-level tablets and are some of the cheapest drawing tablets that you can buy.

If you opt for the one with a screen, there are 2 types available. One with a screen but no computer must connect to a computer to access the drawing software. This is referred to as a graphic drawing tablet.

The second option has both a screen and a computer and does not have to be connected to a computer to use. It is referred to as a standalone tablet or a fully portable tablet.

Active Area Size

Whether you choose a tablet with a screen or not, the active working area is an important consideration. It will determine the overall user experience when using your tablet.

This is the overall area where your tablet is responsive to your pen. The larger the working area, the more comfortable the tablet is.

Pen Pressure Levels

Pen Pressure is very important when you are choosing a drawing tablet. It will determine the tablet’s ability to draw different stroke weights and stroke variations.

You need optimum, 8192 Pen pressure levels for comfortable drawing. In modern tablets, however, lower pen pressure difference such as 2048 levels is not so noticeable. You will be able to get this even in very cheap pens.

Customizable Shortcut Keys

Customizable shortcut keys can be set to any commonly used function, therefore, increasing your workflow speed. If you like this feature you can choose a tablet with at least some shortcut keys on the body or the Pen.

Price

If you are a beginner or on a budget, consider choosing a tablet without a screen. Although it is cheap and beginner friendly, it is limited in a lot of aspects but will work for a start.

A tablet with a screen will be a little more professional but slightly more expensive. In this category, you will have a wide choice because they range from very small to some of the largest and most professional tablets you can buy.

Finally, if you prefer the fully portable option you will need to invest a little more. Although most are powerful and will run drawing software easily, it is important to note that they are not originally made as drawing tablets and are more of multipurpose devices.

Drawing Tablet Brands

Some years back, the industry was dominated by Wacom tablets. Many drawing tablet brands have come up with similar products at a fraction of the Wacom price range which is rather considered expensive.

Some cheap alternatives include Huion, GAOMON, and Xenlabs.