The phrase 'best drawing tablets for photo editing' might sound like a contradiction in terms. But it's strange but true: plenty of people use drawing tablets for photo editing in Photoshop, Lightroom and Affinity Photo, and for video editing too. Why? Quite simply, because drawing tablets, aka graphics tablets, are very sensitive; registering anything up to 8,192 distinct levels of pressure from your pen. And that makes for very precise photo editing.
Consequently, in an era where resolutions are getting higher and higher, using a digital stylus like the Apple Pencil 2 on a drawing tablet makes editing much more natural than using a mouse or a touchpad, and allows you to work faster and more accurately too.
To help you buy the right one, we've drawn up a list of the best drawing tablets available today. You'll notice there are a lot of entries from Wacom, which is still leading brand when it comes to drawing tablets. But we've also included rivals like XP-Pen and Xencelabs, which are also worth considering. Apple and Samsung, meanwhile, not only produce some of the best tablets in general, but ones that are increasingly good as drawing tablets too.
So how do you choose between them? Well, think about what size works best for you: a big tablet with a large drawing area, one that's small and portable, or something in between? Think about how much you wish to spend. Also, consider whether you want a tablet that connects to your computer, or one with its own screen. (Meanwhile, if you don't want to use a stylus, check out our broader guide to the best tablet for photo editing.)
• See also: Best Wacom tablets
The best drawing tablets for photo editing in 2023
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Wacom is the biggest name in drawing tablets, and the Wacom One is the best all-round entry-level graphics tablet it's produced to date. With a 13-inch surface area, it is a long way from being the biggest graphics tablet you can get – but that does mean this is an peripheral you can take along with your laptop when away from home (and you can even link it up with some Android devices).
The supplied pen is battery-free, and it has a surface that's said to feel more like paper than glass – making it great for those who want to use this for digital art, as well as an alternative to their mouse. Built-in feet allow you to place the surface at a slight angle, if you don't want it flat on your desk.
All the drawing tablets on this list are good for photo and video editing, but this one is our top pick because it includes two special dials. These can be customised, so you can quickly access and tweak specific tools, sliders and features in your photo and video editing software. (It's also good for using other software). You can assign up to three functions to each dial, it feels natural in use, and this can really speed up your workflow. You also get six programmable shortkeys, a battery-free stylus and Bluetooth 5.0 support if you wish to use the tablet wirelessly.
Wacom makes two types of drawing tablet. The first, like the Wacom One above, comes with its own screen. The second purely acts as a digital work surface, and you connect it to the screen of your laptop or desktop computer. If you're interested in the latter type, here's our favourite.
Wacom Intuos Pro Large's rough, tactile surface and highly sensitive stylus make it an enjoyable experience to use the Intuous for editing, and the combination of Bluetooth and USB connectivity make it easy to boot the device up and start editing your images, whether you’re a Windows or Mac user.
The tablet supports multi-touch gestures (pinching, swiping, etc), and its shortcut keys are fully customisable, allowing you to assign them the functions of your choosing. Also useful is the Touch Ring, which gives you quick access to your favored commands and tools. There are smaller Intuos Pro models (Medium and Small), but the Large near-A3 sized-version is perfect if you have the space.
Founded by former Wacom employees, Xencelabs is out to steal some of the premium drawing tablet market for itself. And its first tablet is well worth a look. It's very user-friendly, and unusually comes with two styluses, along with a case, a Quick Key remote, and a drawing glove.
This tablet connects up to your Windows, Mac or Linux computer via wired or wireless connection. The design of the tablet itself is beautifully ergonomic, with a curved front edge that makes long hours of photo editing that little bit more comfortable. The active area is divided into four, with matching LEDs whose colors you can customise. And there are three small customisable buttons at the top of the tablet, for switching programs or changing pen settings.
It all adds up to a well-thought through design. And any photo editor who likes to tweak their tools for extra comfort and productivity will find a lot to like here.
See our full Xencelabs Medium Pen Tablet review
Like the idea of a drawing tablet you connect to your computer, but on a tight budget? Though it can’t compare to the professional-geared models made by Wacom and others in terms of functionality, the H430p is a well-made little unit that does everything a tablet-editing beginner would need it to. It has a small but well-functioning drawing area, an impressively sensitive stylus for the price, and four customisable shortcut keys to streamline your workflow.
Many photographers might assume that an editing tablet simply isn’t worth the cost. But when the Huion H430p can be picked up for less than £30/$40 you’d be foolish not to at least consider it.
Removing its standard “Pro” designation, Wacom introduced the Cintiq 16 as a more entry-level tablet designed to tempt photo editors who may not have taken the plunge on a tablet before.
Though the price is still arguably a little steep, being many orders of magnitude more expensive than something like the Huion H430p, the Wacom Cintiq 16 is still a great entry-level buy and is perfect for a Lightroom workflow. Its Full HD LCD screen is a pleasure to work on, allow you to directly work on the area of the image you are looking it – and this synergizes well with the included Pro Pen 2.
Bear in mind that the 72% color gamut is lower than that of higher-end models, and while this shouldn’t be a problem for most straightforward photo edits, you may notice a very slight difference in how the image looks from tablet to computer screen if you’re using a high-end monitor.
Want a drawing tablet you connect to your computer, which is compact and light? Then let us introduce you to one of the most affordable pro-spec tablets Wacom has ever introduced. The baby brother to the Intuos Pro Large, the Intuos Pro Small makes it easier than ever to take your editing on the go.
Packaged with the Wacom Creative Pen for highly-sensitive editing, the Intuos Pro Small provides a working area of 157.48 x 98.43mm (6.3x3.9 inches), which is smaller than most of the others in this guide, but still more than enough to make adjustments to your images. It's also equipped with the useful customizable ExpressKeys and Touch Ring, allowing you to make the editing experience your own and get the tablet working exactly how you want it to.
A very good “cover-all-bases” tablet, the XP-Pen Artist 16 pen display gives you all you really need to start editing your images, at a great price to boot. While it doesn’t quite have that tactile Wacom feel when you’re drawing on its screen, for photo adjustments and edits it does the job admirably.
The ultra-sensitive stylus has 8,192 levels of sensitivity, and the eminently portable design of the tablet itself means it’s easy to pack up and take anywhere with you for editing on the go. For a terrific balance between pricing and features, XP-Pen’s tablet is tough to beat.
With Windows built in, the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 is a seriously powerful piece of kit. Its ultra-high-resolution 2560x1440 WQHD LED screen boasts 16.7 million colours and a colour gamut of 96% Adobe RGB, allowing you to view and edit your images in crisp, lifelike detail.
You can use the included Pro Pen 2 to make your edits with pleasingly tactile precision, and if you want, you can even hook the MobileStudio Pro up to your desktop PC or Mac and use it as a pen display for an even more powerful setup. It’s easy to configure the ExpressKeys and Touch Ring to your preferred workflow setup, and you can also control it via the touchscreen.
All this does have an effect on battery life, which could be better, but this is a seriously powerful tool regardless – with a price to match. A larger 16-inch version, the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 16, is also available.
For artists and designers, this is one of the most desirable tablets on the market right now, and it’s a fantastic choice for photographers too. Its large 22-inch screen can display more than 16.7million colours, providing fantastic depth and richness of detail (even if the 1920 x 1080 resolution isn’t as high as we’d like), and it’s a terrific experience to draw on it with the Pro Pen 2.
Like many other Wacom tablets on this list, the Cintiq 22HD features customisable ExpressKeys that you can assign preferred functions to, allowing you to streamline your workflow just the way you want it. It’s not cheap, but it’s an astounding piece of tech that’s great for pro-level editing.
One of the best things about the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is that it’s not only a tablet but a laptop too, meaning you can tablet-editing to your skillset without necessarily having to up the number of devices you lug around. Its powerful Intel Core i5 or i7 chip means everything runs quickly and smoothly, while drawing on the 13-inch, high-resolution display with the Surface Pen (sold separately) is an intuitive and enjoyable experience. For more details, read our full Microsoft Surface Pro 9 review.
• See also Best tablet for photo editing
If you’re already into the Apple ecosystem, it makes sense to consider Apple’s iPad Pro as your drawing tablet of choice. If you’re willing to pick up the Apple Pencil 2 as well, it works magnificently for drawing and photo editing, and the pencil can be magnetically docked when not in use. Note that there is a version of Photoshop for iPad, although it's not quite as powerful as the desktop version.
The latest 12.9-inch M2 version comes with a new 'Hover' feature, which means your stylus is now detected up to 12mm above the screen. This lets you to see a preview of your mark before they make it. Its large high-res display provides class-leading color accuracy, and powering operations is Apple's latest M2 chip, which makes the iPad Pro faster than most laptops, let alone tablets.
See also: Best iPads for photo editing
Want to use a specific Android app for your image editing? Then the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra is your best choice. It comes with an S-Pen in the box, enabling you to to get started right away. You want the latest version of Android. The beautiful 14.6-inch Super AMOLED screen displays your images in crisp, perfect detail. And it has a range of wireless and wired connectivity options. For more details, see our Samsung Galaxy S8 Tab Ultra review.
The Cintiq Pro 16 2021 is the best premium 4K Wacom tablet there is right now. And while that may or may not be overkill for your photo editing needs, it is a very, very nice tablet.
It boasts a beautiful 4K screen, 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, and support for the Pro Pen 2. There's VESA mount that can be combined with its adjustable stand (or any VESA-compatible arm or stand) to give you extra flexibility in positioning your tablet. There's a physical switch to turn multitouch on and off. And we also like the eight ExpressKeys for integrating and customizing keyboard shortcuts and modifiers into your workflow.
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