You can create rich visuals and show-stopping artwork with a drawing tablet. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned digital artist, these tablets make illustration easy and creativity endless, with every pen display and brush stroke at your disposal for customization that matches your artistic vision. 

Also: The best stylus pens

Contrary to typical tablets, some drawing tablets don't have screens. Rather, they are essentially a virtual piece of paper that sends pressure from the pad to the computer that powers it. These tablets come in many forms, including computers, basic drawing pads, or typical tablets.

No matter what material artists draw on, they have to be willing to adapt to that surface. But the best drawing tablets make it incredibly easy to get used to them. My top pick is theiPad Pro (6th generation) , but I also included drawing and graphics tablets from Wacom, Huion, and more before you begin the newest phase of your artistic lifestyle.

The best drawing tablets of 2023

iPad Pro (6th generation)

Best drawing tablet overall

Jason Cipriani/ Pros & Cons Pros

• Easy user interface
• Apple Pencil 2 compatibility
• Premium screen experience

Cons

• Expensive

More Details

iPad Pro tech specs: Dimensions (L x W x H): 11-inch: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.23 inches, 12.9-inches: 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.25-inches  Compatibility: iPad OS 16 and Apple Pencil 2nd Generation  Display: 11-inch Liquid Retina display or 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion and True Tone (both have 264 ppi)

Apple's most powerful tablet is the best drawing tablet, thanks to its ease of use and superb display that provides crisp detail while drawing. Apple gave the iPad Pro a notable upgrade in early September with an M2 chip that delivers better performance and battery and a brighter display. Both the 11-inch and 12-inch iPad Pros feature a Liquid Retina display with True Tone, 224 ppi, and a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating. If you are planning to do a lot of professional drawing work, you will have more than enough power with the Apple Silicon M2 chip and high storage options.

According to Juliet Dreamhunter, an entrepreneur who side hustles as a digital illustrator creating stock illustrations, anyone interested in digital illustration should work with the iPad Pro, especially since the popular Procreate app is only available for iOS. "I have also used the Affinity Designer app for vector illustration, which has a desktop version as well. But the ease of drawing on an iPad cannot be compared to drawing with a mouse or using a Wacom tablet with no screen," she said.

Review: iPad Pro (2022) review: I'm cautiously optimistic. Or foolish

She added that perhaps the best part is the Apple Pencil 2 compatibility, as it gives you a professional feel while still allowing you to draw by hand like with a normal pencil.

You can use your Apple Pencil to hover over the iPad Pro's screen and move between tools such as the pencil, brush, eraser, and colors, or you can even preview before making a mark on the screen. With some drawing tools, you can even tilt the Apple Pencil to change the angle for different effects.

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Wacom Intuos Pro

Best drawing tablet for pros

Allison Murray/ Pros & Cons Pros

• Low price for a high-quality product
• Industry-leading amount of pressure sensitivity levels
• Different sizes to choose from

Cons

• Need external screen
• Need to replace the nibs on the stylus often

More Details

Wacom Intuos Pro tech specs:Dimensions (L x W x H):13.14 inch x 8.54 x .31 inches  Active area:8.7 x 5.8 inches  Compatibility:Mac OS X 10.12 or later / Windows 7 or later  Pressure levels:8,192

Wacom is one of the industry leaders when it comes to drawing and graphics tablets. With virtually no lag and 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity in the included battery-free Wacom Pro Pen, the Wacom Intuos Pro is the best drawing tablet on the market for professional artists.

The tablet's lightweight design makes it easy to use on your desk or lap, and you can customize everything from the tablet's ExpressKeys to the Pro Pen 2's buttons, depending on your favorite shortcuts.

My experience with this tablet was fairly easy and enjoyable (especially for someone who is not a professional artist). The pen makes it easy to fine-tune details and brush strokes in any drawing program you are working on.

Read the review: This Wacom drawing tablet feels like putting pen to paper

However, this tablet is made for professional artists. Neil Chase, a digital artist, said that the Wacom Intuos Pro is his preferred drawing tablet.

"One of my favorite projects involved creating a series of intricate illustrations for a children's book. The Wacom Intuos Pro allowed me to achieve the level of detail and precision I needed, thanks to its impressive 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity," Chase said. "This made it possible for me to create incredibly lifelike drawings and easily control the thickness and transparency of the lines."

The Wacom Intuos Pro with the included Wacom Pro Pen comes in three sizes (small, medium, and large) to suit all sizes of artwork and editing.

Note: The Wacom Intuos Pro is currently up to$80 off on Amazon.

View now at Amazon

Huion Kamvas Pro 12

Best budget drawing tablet

Pros & Cons Pros

• More affordable drawing tablet