9+ Best Portable Drawing Tablets | Unrivaled Guide 2023

A graphics or drawing tablet is a great way to seriously enhance and upgrade your digital drawing experience. Drawing tablets come with a wide variety of options that can affect your device’s responsiveness and clarity, so it’s important to choose one that improves your drawing ability, not hinder it. Don’t worry though, finding the best drawing tablet for your needs will be easy with a little help from our top 10 reviews and buying guide article.

We will discuss everything you need to know to be able to find the best potable drawing tablet that will ensure that you can keep creating and enjoying the process as you do it.

Best Portable Drawing Tablets | Comparison Table 2023

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Best Portable Drawing Tablets | 2023 Products Overview

Product Overview:

The 2021 Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi‑Fi, 128GB) in Silver is an exceptional device that offers next-level performance, a stunning display, and advanced features that take productivity and creativity to the next level.

At the heart of this iPad Pro lies the Apple M1 chip that delivers a powerful performance that surpasses that of many laptops. It can handle complex tasks and run multiple apps seamlessly, thanks to its 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU. This makes it perfect for demanding workloads, gaming, and content creation.

One of the standout features of this iPad Pro is the 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display, which features ProMotion technology, True Tone, and P3 wide color. The display delivers exceptional color accuracy, high brightness, and contrast, making it ideal for watching movies, editing photos, and creating designs. Additionally, ProMotion technology delivers a 120Hz refresh rate, resulting in incredibly smooth scrolling and reduced latency when using Apple Pencil (2nd generation).

The TrueDepth camera system is another noteworthy feature that makes the iPad Pro stand out. It features an Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage, which automatically keeps you centered in the frame during video calls, even as you move around. The 12MP Wide camera and 10MP Ultra Wide camera allow you to take stunning photos and videos, while the LiDAR scanner adds depth to your AR experiences.

With ultrafast Wi-Fi, you can stay connected to the internet and stream content with ease. The iPad Pro also offers all-day battery life, so you can work, play, and create without worrying about running out of power. The Thunderbolt port allows you to connect to fast external storage, displays, and docks, while Face ID provides secure authentication and Apple Pay for easy payments.

The iPad Pro also features a four-speaker audio system and five studio-quality microphones that deliver immersive audio experiences. You can pair it with the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) for precise note-taking and drawing, the Magic Keyboard for a laptop-like typing experience, or the Smart Keyboard Folio for added protection and versatility.

Overall, the 2021 Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi‑Fi, 128GB) in Silver is an outstanding device that offers exceptional performance, a stunning display, and advanced features that cater to the needs of professionals and creatives. It is an ideal device for anyone looking for a powerful, versatile, and portable computing solution.

Product Overview:

The Simbans PicassoTab 10 Inch Portable Drawing Tablet with a Screen is a must-have for anyone who wants to draw, take notes or browse the internet on the go. It is an affordable tablet that comes with a stylus pen and a pre-installed drawing app, making it ideal for beginner digital graphic artists, students, or professionals who want to create digital art.

The tablet comes with four free bonus items, including a high-quality tablet case, a drawing glove, a universal power adapter, and a pre-installed screen protector. These items are worth $50 and are included in the box along with the tablet and the active pen. The tablet case and screen protector provide added protection to the tablet, while the drawing glove ensures that your hand doesn't smudge the screen when drawing.

The Simbans PicassoTab features a clear 10-inch IPS HD screen resolution, which makes crystal clear pictures and videos. The tablet has a large 64GB disk, which allows you to download thousands of free apps from the play store, store photos, videos, music, and other files.

The tablet is powered by a high-power MediaTek Quad-core processor that boosts the multitasking abilities of the tablet. You can easily switch between apps, browse the internet, and watch movies without any lag or delays. The tablet runs on the latest Android 10 operating system, providing you access to the latest features and apps.

The tablet is highly connective. You can connect it to your home Wi-Fi network and take it wherever you go. You can also link the tablet to the TV via the micro HDMI port and view your movies on the large screen. The GPS and USB type-c port provide all the connectivity options you need.

The Simbans PicassoTab has been certified by GMS, FCC, and CE standards, providing you with peace of mind for safety and quality. The tablet comes with a one-year warranty, along with the best customer service support staff can provide. You can contact us for any questions or concerns you may have.

In conclusion, the Simbans PicassoTab 10 Inch Portable Drawing Tablet with Screen is an excellent tablet for anyone who wants to draw, take notes or browse the internet on the go. It is affordable, highly functional, and comes with a variety of accessories and features that make it an excellent value for the money.

Product Overview:

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ is an Android tablet that boasts a large 12.4-inch sAMOLED screen with stunning visuals and vibrant colors. The tablet is available in Graphite color and comes with 128GB of storage space, making it an excellent device for entertainment, productivity, and creativity.

One of the most impressive features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ is its Wi-Fi 6E capabilities. With 3x faster speeds than previous generations of Wi-Fi, the tablet delivers blazing-fast internet connectivity, making it perfect for streaming, online gaming, and more.

The tablet also features an ultra-wide camera that can record 4K videos and take amazing photos with auto-framing capabilities. This camera is perfect for capturing stunning moments and is easy to use, regardless of your experience level.

The tablet comes with the Samsung S Pen, which is included in the purchase. This pen is more responsive than ever and feels like a real pen, making it easy to take notes, sketch, or draw on the tablet's large display.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ also features enhanced productivity capabilities, such as Samsung DeX and Microsoft 365 integration, allowing you to work on the go with a PC experience wherever you are. This feature-packed tablet is powered by an upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset that provides powerful performance, ensuring that you can work, stream, or game all day without running out of juice.

The tablet's long-lasting battery can keep you going for hours on a single charge, and the fast-charging USB-C port ensures that you can get back to 100% quickly when you need to. The tablet also features universal charging capabilities, making it easy to charge the device using compatible chargers.

In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+ is an excellent device for anyone looking for a high-performance tablet with a large, vibrant display, powerful features, and excellent battery life. It is perfect for entertainment, productivity, and creativity, making it an excellent choice for anyone who wants to get the most out of their tablet.

Product Overview:

The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 2-in-1 Touchscreen laptop is a powerful and versatile device that is designed to help you stay productive and creative wherever you go. With a sleek and lightweight design, this laptop is easy to carry around and can be used in a variety of modes to suit your needs.

The laptop is powered by an 11th Generation Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor, which delivers fast and efficient performance for multitasking, streaming, and more. With 4 cores, 8 threads, and a 12 MB cache, this processor can handle even the most demanding applications with ease.

The laptop also features 16GB of LPDDR4x memory, which is soldered to the motherboard for improved stability and performance. Additionally, it comes with a massive 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD for plenty of storage space for your files, documents, and multimedia.

The Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 2-in-1 laptop features a 15.6-inch FHD AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 2256 x 1504 and a brightness of 370 nits. The touchscreen is highly responsive and accurate, making it easy to interact with your applications and media. The integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics is expandable to 2 monitors via Thunderbolt 4, with a max resolution of 8K @30Hz.

The laptop comes with an active electrostatic (AES) pen, which is great for testing, drawing, taking notes, and delineating details. With a fine tip and high precision, the stylus pen is perfect for artists, designers, and students who need to create and edit digital content on the go.

Other features of the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 2-in-1 laptop include Wi-Fi 6E (Gig+) and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, a Thunderbolt 4 port that supports DisplayPort and Power Delivery, 2 USB Type-C ports, a MicroSD multi-media card reader, and a headphone out/mic-in combo. The laptop also comes with Windows 11 Home 64-bit, which is ideal for family entertainment, daily productivity, casual gaming, streaming, online class, remote learning, Zoom meetings, video conferences, and more.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 2-in-1 Touchscreen laptop is a high-performance and versatile device that is perfect for anyone who needs to stay productive and creative on the go. With its powerful processor, ample memory and storage, high-resolution touchscreen, and active stylus pen, this laptop is a great choice for artists, designers, students, and professionals alike.

Product Overview:

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is the latest addition to the Surface Pro lineup, and it comes with a range of advanced features that make it a versatile and efficient device for all your computing needs. With a 13-inch touchscreen display, a built-in kickstand, and a detachable keyboard, this device offers the flexibility of a tablet and the power of a laptop, making it ideal for both personal and professional use.

One of the standout features of the Surface Pro 8 is its compatibility with Windows 11, the latest operating system from Microsoft. Windows 11 is designed to be more intuitive and efficient, with a new interface that makes it easier to access all your favorite apps, documents, and settings. Whether you're working on a project, streaming a movie, or catching up with friends and family, Windows 11 has everything you need in one place.

The Surface Pro 8 is also the first Surface Pro device to be built on the Intel Evo platform, which means it delivers exceptional performance, graphics, and battery life in a thin and light package. The device is powered by a powerful Core i7 processor, which ensures speedy and responsive performance, even when running demanding apps or multitasking. The 16GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage allow you to store and access all your files and documents with ease.

In addition, the Surface Pro 8 comes with the Surface Slim Pen 2, which offers the best pen experience on a Surface Pro device. The pen is rechargeable and provides a natural feel of pen on paper, making it perfect for taking notes, drawing, or marking up documents. The pen is securely stored in the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard, which is sleek, compact, and performs like a traditional laptop keyboard, complete with backlit keys and a full-function row.

Finally, to get the most out of your Surface Pro 8, you'll need to add Microsoft 365, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other essential apps for productivity and creativity. With Microsoft 365, you can access your documents and files from anywhere, collaborate with others in real time, and get the latest updates and features as soon as they're released.

Overall, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a powerful and versatile device that offers the best of both worlds, combining the portability and convenience of a tablet with the performance and functionality of a laptop. Whether you're a student, a professional, or a creative, the Surface Pro 8 is an excellent choice for your computing needs.

Product Overview:

The 2023 Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Starlight (5th Generation) is a high-performance tablet designed for both personal and professional use. With its sleek design, powerful features, and stunning display, the iPad Air is perfect for streaming content, gaming, video conferencing, and productivity.

The iPad Air features a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone, P3 wide color, and an anti-reflective coating. This means that the screen is capable of displaying vibrant, accurate colors with a high level of contrast and detail, even in bright sunlight. The True Tone technology adjusts the color temperature of the display to match the ambient light in the room, providing a more natural viewing experience.

The iPad Air is powered by the Apple M1 chip with Neural Engine, which delivers incredible performance and efficiency. This chip is capable of handling demanding tasks like editing high-resolution photos and videos, running advanced apps and games, and multitasking with ease.

The device also features a 12MP Wide camera and a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, which automatically pans and zooms to keep you centered in the frame during video calls. The Ultra Wide camera also provides a wider field of view, making it perfect for group calls or capturing more of your surroundings in photos and videos.

The iPad Air comes with up to 256GB of storage, providing ample space for all your apps, photos, videos, and files. The device is available in a range of colors, including blue, purple, pink, starlight, and space gray, so you can choose the one that best suits your style.

The tablet also features stereo landscape speakers, which deliver immersive audio for movies, music, and games. Additionally, Touch ID provides secure authentication and Apple Pay, making it easy to make purchases without having to enter your credit card information.

Finally, the iPad Air boasts all-day battery life, meaning you can use it for hours on end without worrying about running out of power. The device is also 5G capable, providing lightning-fast connectivity wherever you go.

Overall, the 2023 Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Starlight (5th Generation) is an exceptional tablet that offers a blend of style, performance, and functionality. Whether you're a student, professional, or casual user, this device is sure to meet your needs and exceed your expectations.

Product Overview:

The Wacom DTK1660K0A Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet with Screen is a top-of-the-line digital drawing tool designed for students, hobbyists, and young professionals looking to take their art to the next level. The Cintiq 16 is a more affordable option than the Cintiq Pro, but still offers advanced pen technology, build quality, and support that Wacom is known for.

The Cintiq 16 features a 15.6-inch 1920x1080 HD display that provides exceptional clarity, allowing you to see every detail of your work. The scratch-resistant Anti-Glare surface also prevents distracting reflections as you create. The display showcases your creations in vibrant color with 16.7 million colors Bit and 72% NTSC, making sure that your artwork looks as good on screen as it does on paper.

One of the standout features of the Cintiq 16 is its battery-free pen, which charges off the screen as you work. This feature ensures that you can work for as long as you'd like without worrying about the battery life of your pen. The pen also has a high level of sensitivity, providing a natural drawing experience that feels just like working with traditional tools.

The Cintiq 16 connects to your computer with a convenient 3-in-1 (HDMI) connection cable, and the foldable legs allow you to adjust the screen to the perfect position for your work. This feature provides the flexibility to work in any environment, whether you're at a desk, on a couch, or on the go.

Overall, the Wacom DTK1660K0A Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet with Screen is an excellent option for artists of all skill levels who want to work directly on the screen. It offers advanced technology, exceptional build quality, and support from Wacom, making it the perfect product for those looking to rapidly advance their creative skills and improve their art.

Product Overview:

The SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 10.4" 64GB WiFi Android Tablet is an entertainment-ready device that provides a versatile and immersive experience for users. This tablet comes with an included S Pen that makes it easy to write notes, personalize photos and videos, and more, without needing to charge the pen. The S Pen attaches magnetically to the tablet and is always ready to use.

One of the main features of this tablet is its slim metal design. It is sleek and lightweight, making it easy to carry with you wherever you go. You can choose from different stylish colors to match your personal style.

This tablet is designed for entertainment. The vivid and crystal clear display draws you into the content, while the dual speakers with sound by AKG provide spacious Dolby Atmos surround sound. You can set a personal soundtrack to your waking moments with discovery powered by Spotify, making it easy to enjoy your favorite music or podcasts.

In addition, the long-lasting battery of this tablet lets you stream for up to 12 hours on a single charge. The fast-charging USB-C port allows you to quickly recharge the device when needed.

The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite also features One UI connectivity, which allows you to sync up multiple devices and double down on your todos. You can use it as a hotspot and create share-ready content all at once.

Moreover, with the DeX experience, you can get more done each day by turning your Galaxy devices into an expanded desktop workstation. You can send multiple windows to the devices of your choice and control them all from your Galaxy Tab S6 Lite.

Overall, the SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 10.4" 64GB WiFi Android Tablet is a versatile and powerful device that provides an immersive entertainment experience. With its slim metal design, long-lasting battery, and included S Pen, it is an excellent choice for users who want a high-quality tablet that can keep up with their busy lifestyle.

Product Overview:

The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 is a cutting-edge graphics drawing tablet with a built-in screen that is perfect for digital artists, designers, and photographers. It boasts a stunning 15.6-inch full-laminated display with Full HD resolution and a wide color gamut of 120% sRGB, providing vivid and true-to-life color reproduction. The IPS panel and anti-glare glass reduce glare and reflections while providing consistent, high-quality visuals from wide 178° viewing angles.

The tablet's advanced pen performance is a standout feature, with the battery-free pen PW507 offering 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and ±60° tilt recognition. The etched glass screen provides a natural drawing experience that feels just like drawing on paper. The two side buttons on the pen can be programmed to your preferred software shortcuts for easy access to frequently used commands.

The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 is also optimized for workflow efficiency, with a set of six customizable express keys and a touch bar that can be programmed to your favorite shortcuts, such as zooming in and out or adjusting brush size. The tablet's slim and modern design, weighing less than 3 pounds and only 11.5mm thin, makes it easy to carry on the go.

The Kamvas Pro 16 connects easily to your computer or laptop with a convenient 3-in-1 USB-C cable that transmits both power and the HDMI signal. It is compatible with most creative software, including Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, and SAI, and runs on Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.12 or later, and Linux(Ubuntu).

Overall, the Huion Kamvas Pro 16 is an outstanding graphics drawing tablet with exceptional visual performance, advanced pen features, and efficient workflow optimization, making it an ideal tool for digital artists, designers, and photographers looking to bring their vision to life.

THE BEST PORTABLE DRAWING TABLETS: BUYING GUIDE

You've come to the end of our graphics tablet reviews section. Now let's explore and better explain some of the finer details regarding drawing tablets so that you can find the best portable drawing tablet based on your specific needs.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN THE BEST DRAWING TABLETS

Whether you're looking for the best potable drawing tablet for beginners, kids, or professionals, it's important to know how to differentiate which traits make them best suited to your specific needs. The following sections look at some of the main features found in drawing or graphics tablets, so you can decide how these will fit into your personal quest for the best drawing tablets.

SCREEN SIZE

One of the best places to start when looking for a graphics tablet is the screen size or drawing area size. The best drawing tablets will give you enough room to move your hand freely without interfering with buttons or unnecessarily exiting the workspace. However, if you want something more portable, you may want to go for a smaller, more compact tablet.

SCREEN RESOLUTION

To achieve a highly readable and accurate workspace, the best drawing tablets have a high LPI resolution. The higher the resolution number, the more detailed the strokes and lines can be expected. The LPI rate on our list ranges from 2540-5080.

STYLUS

Another of the best features to look for when comparing drawing or graphics tablets is the stylus or pen. A stylus that glides smoothly, without a lot of surface friction can make the user experience more enjoyable, just like with an ink pen. Additionally, the available stylus pressure levels or the pressure sensitivity on a stylus can also make a world of difference when it comes to creating lines of varying thickness and accurate response. That's why we think the more pressure levels a stylus has, the better.

SHORTCUT BUTTONS

The buttons or hotkeys or express keys on tablets are available in various quantities and formations. Shortcut buttons are exactly that, shortcuts. On tablets, these express buttons are customizable so you can set them up to do your most performed tasks with the touch of a single button. Against how much they can improve your overall efficiency, we like tablets with lots of quick buttons. However, some people find that they just don't use them much, do you?

PRODUCT WEIGHT

Weight can also affect which tablets are best suited to your needs. Others prefer a tablet with some weight because they feel sturdy. While others prefer tablets that are lightweight because they prefer to hold them in their hand while they work, or plan to travel with them and don't want to add unnecessary weight to their bag.

CONNECTIVITY

Connectivity options should also be considered when looking for new drawing tablets because most of them rely on a constant connection to establish a viewing screen. Most drawing tablets have a USB port, but some also have additional ports for added versatility. Some of our favorite drawing tablets also have Bluetooth or Wireless connection options which, in our opinion, is the best type of connection because you don't have to consider cable length or tangles, port compatibility, or perhaps forget to bring the cord with your tablet when you leave the house.

Tablet computers, on the other hand, don't require an external connection, so their connectivity ports may not be at the top of your priority list.

BASICS OF DRAWING TABLETS

DRAWING TABLETS AND drawing or graphics tablets

The terms drawing tablet and drawing tablet are often used interchangeably, but there is a real difference, technically speaking. So what's the difference between a graphics tablet and a drawing tablet? drawing or graphics tablets do not have a pen display on the workspace. Instead, drawing or graphics tablets rely on their connection to another screen, such as the computer monitor, to display the images that are recorded. Drawing tablets, on the other hand, do not require an external connection and the pen is displayed on the screen as you draw, just like with a piece of paper.

ADVANTAGES OF DRAWING TABLETS

Drawing tablets are a great tool to use for photo editing, drawing, text recording, by a graphic designer, artist, and more. They can seriously improve your efficiency, which we briefly touched upon above, and elevate your digital art creation to the next level. Whether you are looking for tablets for professional or amateur use, they can make recording and editing images by hand more efficient and, of course, interactive.

Frequent questions