We look at the key things to consider when you’re choosing a drawing tablet for graphic design work.
If you’re serious about graphic design, picking up a drawing tablet is pretty much essential. Whether you pick up a pure graphics tablet to plug into a computer, a pen display with its own screen, or a tablet computer, you’ll have the tools you need to bring your design ideas into (digital) life. So the question is – how to pick the right drawing tablet?
There was a time when Wacom was basically the only serious option if you wanted a dedicated drawing tablet. It is still arguably the top choice, producing tablets that are well-regarded for excellent build quality and broad software compatibility. However, rivals like XP-Pen, Huion and Xencelabs have arisen to offer compelling alternatives, often at significantly cheaper prices than Wacom (whose products are famously quite expensive). See our guide to the best drawing tablets for a complete rundown.
And then there’s also competition from regular tablets from the likes of Apple and Samsung. Major improvements in stylus and display technology have seen these tablets become highly effective digital art tools, and more than a few designers have defected to an iPad Pro. See our rundown of pen tablet vs. pen display vs. tablet for more detail on the pros and cons of different types. For now, let’s take a closer look at how to choose the right tablet for graphic design. 1. Size and ergonomics
A basic question, but an important one – how large of a drawing tablet do you want to use? In terms of drawing and graphic design, having a larger tablet is beneficial for fairly obvious reasons. The larger the drawing surface, the more room you have. If you want to be able to draw long, sweeping lines, you need a decent-size canvas on which to do so.
Drawing tablets come in a wide variety of configurations, with display (or surface) size expressed in diagonal inches, the same way it is with smartphones or regular tablets. The general view among designers is that for professional work, you’ll want a tablet with a screen size of at least 16 inches.
