Graphic designers, artists and other professionals who sketch or draw for a living need a responsive touchscreen with outstanding brightness and color accuracy to bring their work to life. The best tablets for graphic design emulate the natural feeling of drawing on paper and have large, clear displays with high pressure sensitivity pens and other specialised features to differentiate them from regular iPads and Android tablets. That's not to say regular tablets won't work for graphic design - many artists use them because of their multifunction capabilities and portability.
We've reviewed tablets from most major brands this year and decided to take a look at the best graphic design options to see what they're all about and whether they're worth buying. After checking them out, we made a list of the best models for every use and budget to help you decide which is best for your design needs.
Best tablets for graphic designers: Our top picks
Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 Creative Pen Display
The do-all option
The Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 has a large 24in 4K UHD display with an etched surface for a soft, papery feel.
- 24in UHD display
- Includes ExpressKey remote
- Supports multi-touch gestures
- No stand
- Pricey
Wacom's Cintiq Pro 24 has a large 24-inch 4K UHD display, ideal for artists who draw with their whole arm or use their wrist only. Its high colour accuracy brings the visuals to life, and an etched surface provides a comfortable, paper-like tactile experience. It rises 20 degrees with the built-in legs, and there are flex arms, stands, and various mounting options at a substantial additional cost from Wacom to find the perfect mounting solution.
A pen can make or break the experience, and Wacom's battery-less Pro Pen 2 is comfortable for all-day use with 8,192 pressure levels, tilt support, ten nibs, and an eraser. The 17-button ExpressKey remote is included if you don't feel like using the multi-touch gestures and can replace your cumbersome keyboard with shortcuts to zooming in and out, cutting and pasting or anything you like.
Its amazing display and large size make the Cintiq Pro 24 one of the best tablets for graphic design. The pen and nifty remote go a long way to improving the user experience, although it would be nice to have a proper stand to justify its hefty price tag.
Wacom Cintiq Pro 27
Professional tool
The Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 has a 27in 4K display and eight customisable ExpressKeys for a comfortable user experience.
- 27in UHD display
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Eight ExpressKeys
- Premium Pricing
- Too bulky for most buyers
Wacom's Cintiq Pro 27 offers a massive 27-inch 4K UHD canvas with 99 per cent Adobe RGB and 98 per cent DCI-P3 to create your masterpiece. A matte finish on the display reduces glare and reflections, and it's responsive and silky smooth with a 120Hz refresh rate. Build quality is top-notch, and the Cintiq Pro 27 has a sturdy feel with eight customisable ExpressKeys on the rear panel and multi-touch and pen gestures as input options. There's no built-in operating system, and it connects to your laptop or MacBook via USB-C, with a USB-A, mini DisplayPort, and HDMI also available.
The Wacom Pen 3 takes comfort to the next level with adjustable weight, grip thickness, and centre of balance for a bespoke drawing experience. It includes ten nibs, tilt support for shading, and 8,192 pressure levels for amazing precision.
If you buy the Cintiq Pro 27, you must add the pricey optional stand to get optimal stability and adjustability. It's worth it for pros who'll spend the next few years creating spellbinding images on it, but regular buyers are better off with more practical and affordable options on our list.
Huion Kamvas 24 Plus
Feel like a pro for less
Huion's Kamvas 24 Plus offers amazing value with a 2.5K (2560 x 1440) QHD display and excellent colour accuracy for a reasonable price.
- 24in QHD display
- Includes a stand
- Great colour accuracy
- Bulky
- No shortcut keys
The Huion Kamvas 24 Plus is one of the most affordable ways to get a 24-inch drawing tablet, and there's no sacrificing picture quality thanks to the stunning 2.5K (2560 x 1440) QHD display with an excellent 140 per cent sRGB. An anti-glare etched glass display reduces reflections and contributes to the comfortable drawing experience and wide 178-degree viewing angle. Connectivity is decent, with two USB-C ports and a USB-A thoughtfully placed behind the display's right bezel.
Huion's battery-free PW 517 stylus keeps things simple with a rubberised grip and all the expected features, like spare nibs, 8,192 pressure levels and a tilt function. The Kamvas 24 Plus surpasses its pricier rivals by including a sturdy screw-on stand with rubberised feet for a strong grip and adjusts between 20 and 80 degrees for the perfect viewing angle. While there are no built-in shortcut keys, Hulion sells the Mini Keydial remote as an optional extra, along with gloves, cables and other accessories.
This isn't the tablet to get if you're looking for portability because it's meant to sit on a desk all day while you use the pen and massive display to create works of art. It feels great to draw on, and the stand adds more value and makes it one of the best options for pros on a budget because of its competitive price.
Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2022)
Portability with a pencil
The Apple iPad Pro can run most graphic design apps and has a stellar 12.9in Liquid Retina XDR Display to bring out the best in your art.
- Clear 12.9in display
- Excellent performance
- Tough
- Glossy display
- Too small for some users
Apple's iPad Pro isn't specifically created for drawing and lacks the matte finish, papery feel and battery-less stylus of drawing tablets. On the other hand, it's a multifunction tool for calls, messages and more and is portable enough to carry anywhere thanks to its 12.9-inch size. The iPad Pro works with most design software, and the Apple Pencil offers fantastic precision when paired with the responsive Liquid Retina XDR Display.
Some buyers prefer a dedicated drawing tablet because there are no calls or notifications to distract them, while others prefer having a do-all device, which is often more cost-effective. Either way, it's great to have the processing power of the M2 chip and 2TB of storage for your designs, videos and images. You can also attach the optional Magic Keyboard to turn the iPad Pro into a mini-Macbook when you need to work on documents and spreadsheets.
The iPad Pro won't replace a fully-fledged drawing tablet, but it's an attractive option for anyone getting into design or who wants a mobile option to work in coffee shops or planes. You can't go wrong because it's one of the best tablets on the market and seamlessly pairs with Airpods and other Apple devices.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Wi-Fi)
Performance and durability
The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is portable enough to go anywhere with a 13.3in touchscreen and has enough power to run most apps with Intel's Core i7-1255U and 16GB of RAM.
- 13.3in 120Hz display
- Impressive performance
- Built-in stand
- Glossy display
- No headphone jack
Microsoft's Surface Pro 9 is the best option for Windows fans wanting an all-in-one solution for graphics and other tasks. It's compact but tough with sturdy aluminium construction, and a 13.3-inch 120Hz touchscreen. Apart from graphics apps, the Surface Pro 9 can handle media, browsing and other tasks with Intel's Core i7-1255U and 16GB of RAM. Its 256GB of storage is enough for most image and video libraries.
The Surface Pro 9 includes the rechargeable Slim Pen 2 with a 77-degree tilt function and a built-in eraser. Its 4,094 pressure levels won't match the best drawing tablets, but it's enough for most users and works for jotting notes, navigating webpages and more. Thankfully, a built-in kickstand offers 170 degrees of adjustability to find the best position, and the Surface Pro 9 can also turn into a mini-laptop when paired with a compatible keyboard.
Designers on the go or anyone looking for a do-all option with excellent performance and compatibility with most apps will appreciate Microsoft's Surface Pro 9. It's not the best for drawing with a glossy screen and average pressure-level pen, but it gets the job done and offers vivid imagery on its clear display.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
Tough enough for the road
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is great for drawing, movies and other media with a 14.6in, 120Hz AMOLED display.
- IP68 rating
- 14.6in AMOLED display
- Long battery life
- Needs a stand
- Bluetooth stylus requires charging
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the best option for buyers looking for a slightly larger display and excellent durability. Everything from movies to games and graphics apps looks amazing on the 14.6-inch AMOLED display with a wide, 16:10 aspect ratio and up to 120Hz refresh rate. Build quality is excellent, with a sturdy aluminium housing and four speakers built into each corner. It's also the only tablet in its class to feature an IP68 rating to protect it from dust and water damage.
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra includes Samsung's rechargeable S Pen with a 0.7mm tip and 4,096 pressure levels. It easily connects via Bluetooth and provides excellent precision for sketching or writing and can scroll through websites, navigate apps and more with air gesture control. There's no shortage of performance with the capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and you get a full day's charge from the 11,200 mAh battery.
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra offers a stunning display for multitasking and is tough enough to go on camping trips, picnics and other outdoor places where you might want to draw nature. It also offers great performance for most apps, but you'll need to buy a separate stand to get the best out of it.
Huion Kamvas Pro 16 (2.5K)
The everyday option
The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 has a pristine 16in QHD display to bring out the best in your designs and includes a handy folding stand to hold it in place.
- Great price
- 16in QHD display
- Includes a folding stand
- Short power cable
- Requires updates to get it working right
The Kamvas Pro 16 by Huion is ideal for new artists or anyone looking for a superb pro-grade drawing tablet at a great price. Drawings and sketches look amazing on the fully-laminated 2.5K (2560x1440) QHD display, which offers a wide 145 per cent sRGB colour gamut and a high 1200:1 contrast ratio. Its anti-glare etched glass provides a soft, papery feel when you're writing or drawing, and there are eight customisable keys on the left side for shortcuts in different apps.
A battery-less PW517 stylus is included with everything you'd expect at this level, like 60-degree tilt, 8,192 pressure levels, and ten nibs in the box. You also get a practical folding stand adjustable between 14.5 to 45 degrees, and Huion offers a range of add-ons like the Key Dial Mini remote control, slim pen, and artist's gloves to enhance the user experience. Like most drawing tablets, it doesn't have an OS and connects to your PC or Mac via USB-C.
This tablet offers an amazing balance between performance and value with a breathtaking 16-inch QHD display and a handy adjustable stand for a competitive price. It requires immediate software updates to get it going, and the short power cord can be inconvenient, but these are minor nitpicks and aren't worth considering with all the benefits on offer.
XPPen Star03 V2
Budget-friendly for beginners
The XPPen Star03 V2 is an affordable drawing tablet with a responsive 10 x 6in or 25.4 x 15.2cm surface and eight shortcut keys for quick access to certain functions.
- Durable
- Affordable
- Eight hot-keys
- Needs a separate display to work
- Steep learning curve
Drawing tablets like the XPPen Star03 V2 are affordable and durable because they offer a pressure-sensitive pad to draw on instead of a fragile and expensive touchscreen. You plug it into your computer, and all your pen movements and strokes are registered on the monitor. With the Star03 V2, you get a fairly compact 10 x 6-inch surface area to draw on, and it includes eight shortcut keys to assign to zone in and out and other functions.
The lightweight matte plastic battery-less pen is a pleasure to hold, has 8,192 pressure levels, and includes eight replacement nibs. While the Star03 V2's slim 360 x 210 x 8.0mm design and 610g weight make it easy to balance on your lap while you draw, it's not portable and can't work without a separate monitor.
XPPen's Star03 V2 gets the job done and is perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to try out a drawing tablet with the smallest cash outlay possible. It's sturdy and responsive, but the steep learning curve and lack of portability might put off some buyers.
The bottom line: Which are the best tablets for graphic design?
Wacom's Cintiq Pro 24 is the best tablet for graphics design because it has a large 24-inch UHD touchscreen with a comfortable pen and paper-like experience. The Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 takes things up a notch with the same great build quality and a massive 27-inch 4K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Buyers looking for the best value can try the Huion Kamvas 24 Plus because it has a 24-inch QHD display at a fantastic price.
Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 Creative Pen Display
How did we pick the best tablets for graphic design?
Our team has tested many tablets this year, including Surface and Fire models and have hands-on experience with some on this list, like the Apple iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface Pro 9. There are many specs to consider when testing a tablet, and we try to make things simpler by focusing on major factors like the display, performance, and value.
The best tablets for graphic design have huge anti-glare displays offering a soft writing experience to mimic the feel of a pen on paper. Despite their glossy feel, regular tablets also work for drawing and graphic design and offer a portable solution that can go anywhere with you.
Most buying decisions are based on value, so we always consider it when testing equipment. All the options listed here offer decent value, with the pricey options having premium features to justify their cost and the affordable models punching above their weight, offering great features for less.
Do I need a graphics tablet for graphic design?
You can use a regular tablet for graphics design, but graphics tablets offer a better writing surface, shortcut buttons, and other specialised features that make them appealing to pros.
What tablet for graphic design and Photoshop?
Many options on our list, like the Wacom Cintiq Pro 24, iPad Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, will work for design and Photoshop.
Why do graphic designers use iPads?
Because they have a vivid and responsive display for drawing and are powerful enough to run most graphics and photo editing apps.