I Want to Buy a Drawing Tablet

If you're a bit into the art world, you might see more and more artists talking about drawing tablet brands like Wacom, Huion, and XP-Pen. Until relatively recently any brand outside of Wacom was doomed to failure, as the quality in comparison tended to be downright poor, without compensating for a low price, which was often not such.

However, recently, many brands have emerged that take advantage of the expiration of Wacom designs and patents. This allows them to access critical design points and features that would otherwise cost enormously, making competing on price and features possible. But we can already say for sure that Wacom's reign is ending. It will continue to be the most viewed and recognized brand, that is undeniable, but we are facing an unparalleled panorama for all those who are dedicated to digital creativity.

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HUION H1060P 10 x 6.25 Inch Work Area Graphics Tablet with Improved Battery-Free Stylus Support Teaching and Working Online, and Using Web Conferencing

• Compatible Android Devices: Huion H1060P graphics tablet can be connected with Android phone / tablet to deliver your brilliant idea, you can easily connect your phone to the tablet with the OTG connector. Only mobile phones and tablets running Android 6.0 or higher are supported. Note: The cursor will not be displayed on Samsung Galaxy phone and tablet except Note series.
• Battery-free stylus - no need to charge or more batteries. With advanced EMR technology, H1060P allows you to create for a long time without unwanted interruptions. It supports ± 60 degree tilt recognition, allowing you to draw more natural lines with different angles, making your artwork more sophisticated. A fast 233 PPS report rate ensures smooth recording without lag.
• Enlarged area for drawing: The H1060P graphics tablet is only 10mm thick and 770g in weight, making it slim and portable. And the workspace is designed in a 10 x 6,25-inch golden ratio, ensuring you a pleasant drawing experience and more space to create.
• Programmable Keys: The combination of 12 hot keys and 16 programmable keys that can be defined as desired by the user in the controller settings, will allow you to work efficiently with a simplified workflow and greater efficiency. Supports right-handed and left-handed users --- The default mode is right-handed mode. You can configure the left-handed mode through the advanced settings on the driver's platform.
• Well, compatibility: connect this Huion drawing tablet to your computer via USB cable to your Mac (OS X 10. 11 or later) or PC (Windows 7 or later), Android devices (Android 6.0 or later), then you can get started to create immediately. It also works with all mainstream drawing software such as PS, SAI, Corel Painter, Illustrator, etc. 1 year warranty is provided to all Huion respected customers.

• More than one brand
• What to look at on a drawing tablet?
• Cheap Drawing Tablets
• Mid-range drawing tablets
• Drawing tablets with display
• Wacom drawing tablets
• Which one to buy?

More than one brand

When I bought my first graphics tablet for my failed attempt as a digital illustrator I opted for an outlet Wacom Bamboo that cost me € 60. We are talking about the simplest model in the official outlet, because second-hand was not a better price and was more worn.

Huion H420

When I started my career as a PixelArtist this year, I was able to buy a tablet for only € 20, the Huion H420. To this day I would not go back to it because I have a superior model, but we are talking about a price reduction to a third without compromising much. But the fact that it only cost me that and not having to spend more than € 50 on a hobby that I didn't know if I was going to like it, has allowed me to have a new profession.

Huion 420 - Digitizer Graphics Tablet, Small Size (10.1 x 5.6 cm), Compatible with Windows and Mac

• Active area: 10.1 x 5.6 cm. Resolution 4000 LPI (Line Per Inch); Rate 200 rps report.
• Compatible with main drawing software. Used for signature.
• Use for: Industrial Design, Animation Design, Annotate by Word, Cartoon, Image Editing, Signer Pen, Pen Notice, OSU Play.
• Huion 420 supports Windows, ect. You need to download driver update from Huion official website.
• There is no battery in the digital pen, you need to buy a AAA battery by yourself.

What to look at on a drawing tablet?

Then, What should we know when looking at drawing tablets? The main thing is to understand that this is a tool and that having it will make us work more comfortable, but it will be critical to learn to use the hand, wrist and arm for illustration and design to improve our works. We are not going to improve only with a more expensive tool, we must be clear about that.

We must look at several things when buying a tablet.

• Screen or not: Having it will make us have the feeling of working on paper. The price to pay is high, since they all have a price of three figures. They are also usually very large, so it is better to have a lot of free desk,
• Size: Essential if our work space is limited. Sometimes we need a compact model because it does not fit on our desk.
• Work area: How much of this size are we going to use?
• Pressure levels: The more the merrier, they are essential in illustration to give different strokes and make the line have personality. If they don't have pressure levels, it's no different than using a mouse
• Software: Important to see if it is compatible with your operating system. Almost everything is compatible with Windows, if you work with Mac you must make sure and Wacom continues to dominate here. There are some models that claim to work on Android via OTG.
• Reporting rate: How often it communicates with the computer. If we go very fast we will need the more the better, although too much speed can give us strokes without constancy.
• Cable or wireless: If we do not want more cable and we bet on spending more on battery. A matter of comfort.

Knowing all this, which drawing tablets do we recommend?

Cheap Drawing Tablets

Let's put ourselves in the situation: You are an artist who wants to try digital illustration, a new designer looking to test himself or want to give something away and if you don't like it, it won't be a disappointment. Here we are not going to mention Wacom directly because its prices do not allow it to be in this section.

The previously mentioned Huion H420 is perhaps the one I recommend the most to those who want to save as much as possible and have doubts. The pen needs a battery and that makes it heavier and more cumbersome and the size is tiny and it still uses miniUSB instead of even microUSB, but it allows us to enter the world of cheap digital drawing without having to compromise the bank account. The downside is that if you like it, you probably have to buy a new one. There is a complete analysis on our website.

If you want to invest € 10 more to have a good tablet at a good price and that you do not have to renew for a long time, my current tablet is the Huion Inspiroy H430P. It is compact and the work area is slightly larger. Its advantages over the 420 is also that the pen does not need to be recharged, making it more comfortable, and it also has four keyboard shortcuts. For my taste that they are in the upper part does not make them very comfortable, but for complicated commands it can be useful. Of all the cheap tablets on this list, this is perhaps the one I personally recommend the most.

HUION INSPIROY H430P Signature Pad Graphics Drawing Tablet with 4096 Pressure Levels Battery-Free Pen and 4 Quick Keys supports Windows, Mac and Android.

• Android compatible: not only compatible with Windows or Mac OS, it also supports Android devices now; You can download the corresponding free update firmware from the official website, and you can easily connect your phone to the tablet with the USB-C OTG connector. ONLY Android 6.0+. NOTE: Cursor will not show on SAMSUNG Galaxy S series at present.
• Ideal for Osu Game! draw, sketch, sign and write by hand in Microsoft office Word, Excel, PDF, One Note etc.
• Battery-Free Pen that recognizes 4096 pressure levels: the pen does not need batteries or need recharging. With updated pen pressure, it is more sensitive and ensures better control of thick and fine lines.
• 4 customizable Hotkeys to improve your workflow. It is available for left and right handed users.
• Portal Design: 122mm x 76mm working area, 6.3mm thick and 135g in weight, it is thinner and lighter than a mobile phone, and it is very convenient to carry.

If you want to push the limits of what is considered cheap and have a large tablet, we move to the XP-Pen brand. For a price that is now € 60, when you write these lines, you can get a large tablet with many shortcuts on one side. It's about the Deco 01 and Xp-Pen is one of those with the most competition, with a notable community of users and a technical service with quite a few positive opinions.

XP-Pen Deco 01 Drawing Tablet with P03 Digital Pen without Batteries (8192 Pressure Levels)

• It has a Type-C input design, easy to connect.
• Designed for both right and left handed users, you can now set it to left hand or right hand mode through easy access.
• 8 fully customizable hotkeys create a highly ergonomic design and convenient work platform.
• The one-click button allows you to switch between pencil and eraser instantly.
• We have adopted the latest technology IC to make the lines flow more smoothly and perform better.

Mid-range drawing tablets

We turn to drawing tablets that we only recommend to professionals. From this point on, spending more gives us more size and functions that we do not recommend unless we want to participate in large projects. Can it serve as a gift? Yes, but make sure you're really going to take advantage of it.

We return to Huion with one of its new products, to highlight the Inspiroy Dial Q620M. The size of this tablet warns us that it is for artists who require the smoothest and most precise movements and who for any reason do not bet on a tablet with a screen. Apart from putting shortcuts aside, you can see a dial with which we can have a control similar to that of the mouse wheel.

This is widely used for changing brush sizes or rotating the canvas. For almost € 100 it is not a cheap product, but years ago this product would easily cost twice as much. This model also includes wireless connection and compatibility with Android to do work outside the home.

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HUION Inspiroy Dial Q620M Graphic Tablet, 10.5 x 6.56 Inch with 8192 Battery-Free Stylus, 8 Direct Access Keys and 1 Wireless Connectivity Dial Controller

• ★ Excellent New Design: Q620M is the winner of the 2019 Golden Pin Design Award in Taiwan. Q620M has 1 dial controller and 8 programmable keys, which greatly improve your workflow and achieve higher efficiency. All keys and the dial controller are programmable via the controller, without which they can only serve with the default functions.
• ★ Convenient to Carry Anywhere: The Q620M is specially designed at 8mm thick and 666g in weight, without compromising battery capacity. Q620M can be charged via a 5V, 500mA or 5V, 1A power supply. The minimum time required for charging is 1,2 hours with a 5V 1A power supply. 20 hours of battery life is definitely enough for drawing outdoors. * PS: An adapter is needed to charge your tablet via
• ★ Unleash your creativity: The PW500 is a battery-free stylus that adopts the most advanced passive technology, requiring no battery or charging. The 8192 pressure sensitivity levels ensure that each line input is processed in a more realistic way, as the shapes and colors of each line will vary vividly as the pressure applied to the pen changes. Brush tilt of ± 60 ° can be recognized in programs like Photoshop without compromising accuracy.
• ★ Wired and Wireless Capability - Simply connect the included 2.4G ISM USB receiver to your computer to draw wirelessly, or connect the Huion Q620M to your computer with the included USB cable for standard wired use. * PS: the wireless range is about 5-10 meters, which will vary as the environment changes. USB-C is easier to use as it is foolproof and offers higher power supply and transmission efficiency than Micro USB.
• ★ Create your artwork on your Android phone: Android 6.0 or later is compatible with Q620M. Connectivity with Android devices will grant users great portability and convenience. * PS: the wired connection between the tablet and your phone in wireless mode will make your tablet charge your phone and thus your phone battery will drain quickly. The OTG connector is requested when the Q620M graphics tablet is connected to a mobile phone

If we want something a little more affordable but with a dial, the Deco 03 by XP-Pen it is similar to the previous tablet. A somewhat smaller size and fewer keyboard shortcuts, but in return the price is reduced to € 90 at the time of writing these lines. As we can see, they are functions aimed at productivity, with which it is recommended to those who are going to get a lot out of it and want to speed up the pace of work.

XP-Pen Deco 03 Graphic Drawing Tablet with Battery-Free Passive Pen and Touch Keys (Pressure Levels 8192) Comes with the latest ArtRage Lite software

• Designed with a multi-functional red dial! You can rotate its front and side. Easy to control without friction.
• Deco 03 supports wired and wireless USB - simply plug the included 2.4G USB ISM receiver into your computer for wireless drawing, or connect Deco 03 to your computer with the included USB cable for standard wired use.
• The Deco 03 tablet is big and bright, it is designed to break the boundary between the touch keys and the drawing area. It comes with a fully adhered drawing film, so Deco 03 is durable and scratch resistant.
• Our P05 pencil uses the latest technology and provides 8192 levels of instantaneous pen pressure sensitivity, giving you innovative control and fluidity to expand your creative output. No need to charge!
• Designed for right- and left-handed users, you can now set it to left-hand or right-hand mode via a button.

Drawing tablets with display

If we already said that the previous ones we only recommend to professionals, here we are going to be clearer: if you are not a professional illustrator or designer who requires exceptionally precise work, do not buy it. The cheapest you will find here is € 200, and that with cheap models. Everything is much more complicated here because the screen can still have the colors calibrated differently. If you are a professional, make sure to duplicate the screen and that the work also comes out on a well calibrated screen.

We start with the most affordable drawing tablet with a screen that we can find, which is neither more nor less than an XP-Pen. Specifically the Artist 12 HD. A 12-inch screen that, although not as big as a normal screen, offers us the power to draw directly as if it were paper. It is affordable and it is normal that there may be compromises in terms of color and size.

XP-PEN Artist 12 HD IPS Digital Drawing Tablet with Shortcut Keys and Touch Panel Comes with the Latest OpenCanvas 7 or ArtRage 5 Drawing Software (Artist12, Black)

• HD 1920x1080 screen resolution combined with 72% NTSC Color Gamut, presenting vivid images, vibrant colors and extreme details for an impressive display of your artwork. The XP-Pen Artist 12's reporting rate reaches 266 RPS, making it very responsive to every hit. Draw smooth, fine lines, and work more intuitively with ease.
• Enjoy creating directly on the XP-Pen Artist 12's HD IPS screen. Ideal for drawing, photography, animation, fashion, architectural design, and more! Made with a 1.1mm tempered glass protective screen. Anti-reflective coating greatly reduces glare to protect your eyes. Your screen will continue to look clear and beautiful, even if it is bright. Protect your tablet from scratches. USB-C interface: Convenient 3-in-1 design, easy to connect
• XP-Pen P06 Advanced Pen was made for a traditional pen feel. Featuring a unique hexagonal design, non-slip, glue-free flexible grip, partial clear pencil tip, and an eraser on the end! Offering technical sense, high efficiency, with a comfortable and fashionable grip! 8192-level pressure sensitive pressure gives you precise control and precision at your fingertips to enhance creative performance. XP-Pen Multi-functional Pencil Holder. Keep your pen and nibs
• It has 6 shortcut keys with a slim touchpad. Each shortcut key can be customized as needed to fit your preferred tool, while the touchpad can be programmed to zoom in and out, scroll up and down, and more. These customization options allow you to optimize your workflow, create your ideas faster and more efficiently.
• Supports Windows 10/8/7 (32 / 64bits), MAC OS 10.10 and higher. Compatible with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, SAI, CDR and more. Now you can contact us to request the latest openCanvas 7 or ArtRage 5 drawing software for free.

We go back to Huion for a more expensive model over € 500. It's about the Kamvas 20 Pro, which is the drawing tablet of the cartoonist Isaac Sánchez, known as Loulogio. Its a lot of money? Sure, but it's a 20-inch touchscreen with lots of keyboard shortcuts and which he considers the colors to be fine. It never hurts to go through a better calibrated screen, but for professionals who do not want to pay the so-called Wacom tax, it is worth it. Isaac himself admits that it is a great inexpensive alternative and that he does not notice any differences with Wacom tablets.

HUION Graphics Monitor Kamvas Pro 20 2019 8192 Levels Pressure Sensitivity with 120% sRGB Enhanced, 266PPS, PW507,16 Express Keys Separately Programmed Function

• ❤ Hotkeys and Touch Bar: Before those 16 user-defined shortcut keys and two upper touch bars of Huion Kamvas PRO 20 panel on the two sides share the same function. After upgrade, those 16 user-defined hotkeys can be programmed separately.
• ❤ High Report Rate of 266PPS and Resolution of 5080LPI: The high report rate ensures consistency and smoothness of handwriting input strokes and minimizes response lag. And as for the resolution of Kamvas 20, the higher the value, the more detailed the lines and colors will be. You can easily realize the pixel-level painting display effect, the stroke is delicate and lifelike, and the writing is accurate and natural.
• ❤ Enhanced color gamut from 100% sRGB to 120% sRGB. Huion Kamvas PRO 20 2019 occupies the same color reproduction area with digital printing, providing richer colors and a smoother transition between colors.
• ❤ Tilt function - ± 60 ° Tilt function supported. Under the condition of the AG Glass and tilt function design, the Huion Kamvas Pro 20 2019 screen monitor brings you a realistic drawing experience with great precision. And the drawing in different gestures will be presented vividly in the mapping software.
• ❤ OS Compatibility: Huion Kamvas PRO 20 2019 Pen Display is compatible with mainstream systems such as Windows, macOS, etc., running smoothly in major paint and design programs (such as PS, SAI, AI, CDR). We offer a two-year warranty on EU markets and if you have any questions regarding the Huion Kamvas PRO 20 2019, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Wacom drawing tablets

What is the cheapest Wacom tablet with a screen? Well the CintiQ 16, which costs neither more nor less than € 590, almost € 100 more than the Huion 20-inch model. That is why we have not put it in this buying guide: in quality / price Wacom has long lived off its brand. That is why it has its own section only for staunch Wacom fans. It has become the Apple of cartoonists. Is it good? Sure it is, but for someone looking to optimize costs, it is still not the most recommended.

Wacom Cintiq 16 - Wacom Pen Pro 2 Interactive Monitor and Pen, 16 "LCD Screen for Digital Design, Full HD Resolution, Windows and OS Compatible, Black

• Bring your ideas to life with the wacom Cintiq creative pen display; natural pen-on-paper feel, vivid colors, and sharp hd resolution; ergonomic design for more comfortable work
• Total precision captures every stroke with wacom pro pen 2; ciniq display has 8192 pressure levels; thanks to reduced parallax, the cursor accurately reflects the position of the pen
• High definition 1920 x 1080 full hd display, 16 million colors and 7% ntsc color gamut; for demanding projects, with reduced parallax matte screen; scratch resistant
• Compatibility windows 7 or later, mac os x (10. 11 or later)
• What's in the box 15 "ciniq for all / wacom pro pen 6 without batteries / replacement tips / 2-in-3 connection (hdmi 1, usb1. 4 and ac power supply) / ac power supply

If you want to get an exceptional graphics tablet, regardless of price, a large screen is the most desired option by artists is the CintiQ 22HD. Huge, heavy screen like no other and unmatched screen quality, plus Wacom support. Considered the holy grail of digital illustration, those who make this model do not skimp on anything when it comes to investing in their art. Even with a price of almost € 1000 I have seen it bought as a gift for the loved one, with which it continues to sell despite having other options.

However, there is still one last: CintiQ Pro 32. This is bigger than many monitors and we don't know who it is for. We are talking about a screen that costs €3200 and it still doesn't reach 4 stars on Amazon. If you really want to invest it all, this is the most luxurious option. Of course, don't forget to add another € 500 for an ergonomic stand or another € 80 for a VESA mount

Sales

Wacom Cintiq Pro 32 / Creative 4 "32K Multi-Touch Monitor with Integrated Stand / Includes Wacom Pro Pen 2 with Replacement Pen Holders and Tips / Windows and Mac Compatible, Black

• Our Greatest Professional Canvas - The Ultimate Wacom Cintiq Pro Experience; draw on a large 31,5 "screen for an overview, without switching between screens or zooming in and out
• Total precision: capture every stroke with wacom pro pen 2; Wacom Cintiq Pro display has 8192 pressure levels; thanks to reduced parallax, the cursor reflects the exact position of the pen
• Even more detail: 3840 x 2160 screen with 4k resolution and 176 ° viewing angle, 1070 billion colors and 98% adobe rgb color gamut, to bring realism to your works
• System requirements: windows 7 or mac os x 10.10 or higher / usb-c port (dp alt) for ideal performance and the best possible resolution, or displayport and usb-a, or hdmi and usb-a port / internet
• What's in the box: 31,5 "Wacom Cintiq Pro Pen Tablet Right / Left Handed / Wacom Pro Pen 2 Pen with Accessories / Pen Holder / Expresskey Controller / Required Cables (USB, HDMI 2.0, etc.)

We would honestly recommend tablets without a screen, but the prices they have make it not too attractive to recommend it.

Which one to buy?

With all these options, which one is recommended? The biggest deciding factor being money, if it's a gift for a non-professional cartoonist, betting on XP-Pen or Huion is almost the norm. They offer cheap and effective solutions with software that, although not pretty, does give results. We see Wacom that right now it lives off its brand and has not dazzled for a long time, despite continuing to offer products that are objectively good. But if it has something, it is that it is a safe brand, with many years of research and a community like no other, something that is appreciated.

But it's a great time to be a digital artist. The entry barrier has been greatly reduced and it is now much easier to enter without the economic issue being the greatest impediment. We will renew this text as we find recommendations for new models.

I Want to Buy a Drawing Tablet

Source: https://hardwaresfera.com/en/articulos/tabletas-de-dibujo-guia-de-compras-para-dibujantes-digitales-y-creativos/

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