Top 10 Cheap Drawing Tablets for Beginners and Professionals
Drawing tablets have become an essential tool for modern-day artists. These eco-friendly devices not only save artists from carrying papers and brushes but also makes drawing much easier and fun. Modern tablets can help you create animations, digital artwork, paintings, and drawings.
Just a few years ago they were seen as futuristic products out of the reach of most people. Today, drawing tablets have become cheap and popular among all ages. The latest versions of these tablets are helping children and adults to hone their artistic skills. With an endless number of features and powerful software, these tablets are fun and easy to use.
However, with so many models that vary in size, shape, features, and price, it has become quite challenging to choose the best drawing tablet. Though there are a variety of options available in the market, as a beginner, it is better to go for a cheap drawing tablet. In this article, we have compiled a list of 10 cheap drawing tablets that are sure to give you more bang for the buck.
Table of Content
Best Cheap Drawing Tablets – Comparison
| Drawing Tablets | Price | |
|---|---|---|
 | Wacom Intuos Graphics Drawing Tablet | $79 |
 | Wacom Bamboo CTL471 Drawing Tablet | $78 |
 | Huion H610 Pro V2 Graphic Tablet | $69 |
 XP-PEN Star06C Drawing Tablet | XP-PEN Star06C Graphics Tablet | $66 |
 | XP-PEN Deco 01 Graphics Tablet | $59 |
 | UGEE M708 Graphics Tablet | $59 |
 | VEIKK A30 Graphics Tablet | $47 |
 | XP-Pen StarG640 Graphics Tablet | $29 |
 | Huion H420 Graphics Tablet | $27 |
 | Howeasy Board Drawing Tablet | $18 |
Best Cheap Drawing Tablets – Reviews
1. Wacom Intuos Graphics Drawing Tablet
Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet
Wacom is known for its high-quality graphic tablets. The Intuos tablet is a cheap tablet that is designed as an entry-level product.
Despite the price, the Intuos is perfect for digital art, photo editing, and even animation. It comes with three professional software, Corel after shot 3 (photo editing, Corel Painter Essentials 6 (graphics), and Studio paint Pro. These alone are worth more than the price of the tablet!
It has a sizeable 6×3.7 inch screen size but is very slim and easy to hold. The tablet has four customizable keys and a battery-free pen which has a pressure sensitivity of 4096.
The cheap drawing tablet is compatible with several industry-leading software including Pixologic ZBrush, Illustrators, Photoshop CC, Corel Painter, Illustrator, AutoDesk, Maya and many more.
2. Wacom Bamboo CTL471 Drawing Tablet
Wacom Bamboo CTL471 Drawing Tablet
This model from Wacom Co Ltd. lives up to the company’s reputation for developing high-quality drawing tablets. It has a relatively small drawing area of just 5.8 x 3.6 inches but supports 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Furthermore, it offers a resolution of 2540 LPI and is compatible with macOS and Windows. The battery-free pen comes with 3 variable nibs allowing different types of drawing thicknesses. The complete package comes with a 6-month warranty and 3 spare pen nibs. This cheap drawing tablet that will be a great addition to your home office.
3. Huion H610 Pro V2 Graphic Tablet
Huion H610 Pro V2 Graphic Tablet
The H610 tablet from Huion is better positioned towards aspiring professionals. It is a cheap drawing tablet that comes with tons of features. It has a wide drawing area of 10 x 6.25 inches and comes with 16 keys below the screen along with 8 expressive keys, far more than any other tablet on the list.
The tablet has a resolution of 5080 LPI and supports 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. Thanks to the battery-free pen, you can continuously work for hours without any interruptions. It is compatible with both Windows and macOS and works with virtually every industry software including Photoshop, Manga and Corel Painter.
4. XP-PEN Star06C Graphics Tablet
XP-PEN Star06C graphics Tablet
The Star06 from XP-Pen is developed for adults and professionals in mind. With a resolution of 5080LPI and a refresh rate of 250RPS, this tablet ensures precise and creative drawing.
It offers a large surface area of 10 x 6 inches and comes with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. It also has 5 customizable keys and a large dial knob on the front, similar to the one seen in the much more expensive Microsoft Surface 2.
The dial knob is also fully customizable and provides an amazing level of efficiency and ease in drawing your next masterpiece. For such powerful features, it is a very cheap drawing tablet that is highly productive.
5. XP-PEN Deco 01 Graphics Tablet
XP-PEN Deco 01 Graphics Tablet
The XP-Pen tablet that is great for beginners. This cheap tablet has a compact design and is easy to use. It provides an active drawing area of 10 x 6.25 inch which is enough for any kind of digital artwork.
With 8 fully customizable keys on both sides, it provides a convenient work platform for both left and right-hand users. The battery-free stylus seamlessly moves between pen and eraser mode with a single click. It is compatible with most operating systems and graphics software. Interestingly, it is one of the few cheap drawing tablets that are easy to use in the dark.
6. UGEE M708 Graphics Tablet
UGEE M708 Graphics Tablet
UGEE M708 is one of the best drawing tablets for professionals. It has a large surface area of 10 x 6 inches, a resolution of 5080 LPI and 266 RPS. The tablet is ergonomically designed for smooth creation of all kinds of digital artwork. The pen stylus is completely battery-free and provides a pressure sensitivity of 8192.
Unlike other tablets at this price, the pressure sensitivity comes in handy where a light pressure draws a thin line and harder pressure enables you to draw a thicker line. Moreover, the tablet comes with 8 customizable keys which can be programmed for zoom in/out, scrolling, undo and many other features. This cheap drawing tablet works with all the latest graphics software and the complete package includes a USB cable, anti-fouling gloves and even a pair of white gloves.
7. VEIKK A30 Graphics Tablet
VEIKK A30 Graphics Drawing Tablet
The VEIKK A30 is a cheap drawing tablet that provides a screen space of 10 x 6 inches. It is light, easy to carry and comes with smart gesture touch and 4 expressive customizable keys that greatly improves the productivity of the user.
It weighs just 1.9 lbs, has a screen resolution of 5080 LPI and the battery-free pen with a sensitivity of 8192. Like many other similarly priced drawing tablets, it is not easy to use in the dark, however, the overall features make this a powerful machine for its price.
8. XP-Pen StarG640 Graphics Tablet
XP-Pen StarG640 Tablet Tablet
The tablet is battery-free and only works when connected to a USB-port, either on your laptop or your computer.
It has an excellent 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity that allows you fluid control and seamless drawing without any lag or problems. It is only 2mm thick making it one of the thinnest drawing tablets in the market and extremely easy to carry!
With an active area of 6×4 inches, there is plenty of room to draw your next creation. It even has a stylus pen which can easily be switched from either a pen or an eraser mode with just one click.
If you are looking for a beginner-level drawing tablet, this is one of the best options in the market.
9. Huion H420 Graphics Tablet
Huion H420 Graphics Tablet
Huion H420 is a cheap drawing tablet that is lightweight and punches far beyond its price. The tablet is compatible with all the major graphics application including Adobe Photoshop, CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrators, Adobe Fireworks and much more.
It is completely compatible with Windows and macOS and does not require the installation of any drivers. The screen size is huge at 10×7.5 inches and the device hardly weights more than 150g. The whole set includes a cleaning kit, a stylus, a USB cable, and even anti-fouling gloves.
10. Howeasy Board Drawing Tablet
Howeasy Board Tablet
The Howeasy LCD is the cheapest drawing tablet on the list. It has been specifically designed for young kids and might not be very useful for adults. This drawing tablet is ultra-thin and has a pressure sensitivity up to 8192 levels, which is amazing for a drawing tablet at this price.
It has been ergonomically designed for both right and left-hand users with buttons on both sides of the tablet.
What is even better is that the pen is completely battery-free so you will never have to worry about charging it again. If you are looking for a fun and an educational gift for your child, this cheap drawing tablet might be the best present.
Best Drawing tablets – Buyer’s Guide
Before you buy your next drawing tablet, there are a few things you need to know and consider before making your choice.
Pressure Sensitivity
Before buying a drawing tablet, it is necessary to check the tracking technology and the pressure of the pen. The pressure sensitivity allows a person to use variable pressure to draw thick and thin lines. Choose a tablet with a higher level of sensitivity pressure as it will help in drawing more intricate and detailed artwork.
Different tablets come with varying pressure levels; some support up to 8192, while others provide 1024 and 2048 sensitivity level. If you are buying a tablet for your kid, then a model with 8192 levels will work fine. However, for serious professional work, go for a tablet that has at least 2048 sensitivity pressure level.
Stylus
One of the more important features of a tablet is the stylus or a pen. You can find two kinds of pens, a battery-powered and a battery-free stylus.
If it is battery powered, it may be rechargeable or non-rechargeable. A battery-free stylus, on the other hand, is simply convenient as you don’t need to worry about charging it again and again. Most cheap drawing tablets come with battery-free pens. However, battery-powered pens also have benefits but are mostly part of an expensive tablet.
Shortcut Keys or Express Keys
Almost all drawing tablets come with functional keys, usually referred to as hot, express, or shortcut keys. These keys come in handy when you need to carry out multiple functions at the same time. The keys help to quickly access preferred shortcuts which improves creativity and productivity.
These express keys are also a good option for people who do not like to use the keyboard. You can simply assign these keys important shortcuts such as scrolling, zoom in/out, undo or whatever you like. Nowadays even cheap drawing tablets come with these shortcut keys.
Size
Whether you are buying a tablet for your work or the kids, the size of the tablet matters a lot. Small drawing tablets have a small screen size but these are lightweight, and one can easily carry them around when needed.
Tablets with a large surface area usually come with more features and might be slightly expensive. The size you require only depends on your personal use and needs.
Price
Cheap drawing tablets are one of the hottest selling items for the last two years. If you need a simple drawing tablet with all the basic features discussed above, you would not need to spend more than $100. If you want to use a drawing tablet for the first time, it is better to try these entry-level models.
Conclusion
The kind of drawing tablet you buy will depend on your needs. If you simply want to doodle on something, make notes or want something to keep your kids busy, there are plenty of cheap options in the market with very limited features.
However, you can still find tons of cheap options that provide you with high resolution, great sensitivity, customizable keys and compatibility with all kinds of software for less than a hundred bucks.
