The best graphic designers use the best design tablets to bring their visions to life. A graphic design tablet is undeniably indispensable to a designer’s arsenal. Whether you’re a seasoned or newbie designer, choosing the best tablet for graphic design can significantly impact your workflow and work quality. Here are the top eight best graphic design tablets in 2024.
1. Apple M2 iPad Pro
The Apple Pencil for the M2 iPad Pro boasts a thin, slightly heavy pencil-like design with a rounded nib, promoting a comfortable and natural grip for extended use. Offering technical accuracy without cursor calibration, it competes with Wacom and Huion styluses. The M2 iPad Pro introduces a 15% faster CPU, 35% faster GPU, Wi-Fi 6E, hover mode for the Apple Pencil, and Stage Manager external display support, enhancing productivity for digital artists and creatives.
2. Wacom Cintiq 22
Indulge in direct creation on Wacom’s Cintiq 22HD, a large-format, high-definition display featuring a pressure-sensitive pen tailored for creative professionals. Renowned for its ample screen size, advanced performance, and intuitive tools, the Cintiq 22HD is a popular choice. Wacom’s premium pen ensures natural on-screen creative control, mirroring the precision of traditional art tools.
The rotating stand, accommodating landscape and portrait views, effortlessly adjusts to your preferred working position for ultimate comfort. Elevate productivity with customizable ExpressKeys™, Touch Strip, and multi-touch tablet input, offering swift, one-touch access to favored shortcuts for a seamless and efficient workflow.
3. iPad Air
The Apple iPad Air impresses with its sleek design, powerful performance, and vibrant display. Sporting the powerful M1 chip, it delivers fast and efficient processing. This is suitable for a wide range of tasks, from productivity to creative endeavors. The 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone offers crisp visuals and accurate colors. The inclusion of Apple Pencil support and the Magic Keyboard enhances its versatility for creative professionals and students alike. With a USB-C port, Touch ID, and compatibility with the latest iPadOS features, the iPad Air provides a seamless user experience. Its lightweight design and impressive battery life further contribute to its portability. Overall, the iPad Air stands out as a compelling option in the tablet market, offering a balance of performance, features, and design.
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, running on Android 12, stands out as a sleek and high-performing tablet, setting a new standard for premium Android devices. Despite stiff competition from the iPad Pro, the Tab S8 offers a beautiful design, comfortable handling, and impressive longevity. As the successor to the acclaimed Tab S7, it showcases Samsung’s commitment to excellence.
In a market shaped by Apple’s 2021 iPad Pros, Samsung responded with the Tab S8, Tab S8 Plus, and the remarkable Tab S8 Ultra, featuring a substantial 14.6-inch screen. The Tab S8, in particular, embodies the essence of a premium Android tablet, making it a top choice, especially for those already invested in Samsung’s ecosystem. With a slim and lightweight profile, elegant Pink Gold color scheme, and compatibility with accessories like the Book Cover Keyboard Slim, the Galaxy Tab S8 excels in form and function.
5. Huion HS610
The Huion HS610 proves to be a solid choice for beginners venturing into digital drawing and painting. This best tablet for graphic design offers intuitive customization, a touch wheel, and a quality stylus that ensures a satisfying experience. Its compatibility with Android devices adds versatility, and it seamlessly integrates with popular programs like Affinity, MediBang, and Krita. Positioned within Huion’s HS range, the HS610 shares similarities with the established Inspiroy series, with the primary distinction being the touch ring.
Despite the minor confusion in pricing between regions, the HS610 and Inspiroy H1060P essentially share the same features. These include work area size, shortcut buttons, pen, nibs, and connectivity. The neatly packaged HS610 comes with essential accessories, facilitating a hassle-free setup. Moreover, Huion’s user-friendly website ensures quick driver installation, making it an ideal and accessible option for digital art enthusiasts.
6. Microsoft Surface Pro 8
The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 marks a notable redesign in the Surface Pro line, introducing a sleeker chassis with a more prominent 13-inch display and thinner bezels. Despite the cosmetic enhancements, its core functionality as a best-in-class detachable 2-in-1 remains unchanged. With the powerful 11th Generation Core i7 “Tiger Lake” processor and the advantages of Windows 11, the tablet competes effectively as a laptop replacement.
Its dynamic refresh rate, USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, and well-implemented kickstand contribute to a modern and versatile design. Tailored for business use, the Surface Pro 8 boasts a premium aluminum chassis, an excellent type cover keyboard, and efficient performance for multitasking. However, a notable consideration is the reliance on dongles for additional peripherals and a battery life that falls short of an entire workday.
7. XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro
The XP-PEN Artist 24 Pro is an excellent entry-level pen display for professionals seeking affordability without compromising quality. Its accuracy, display performance, and tactile experience make it a worthwhile investment, although its substantial size leans towards a more stationary usage. The anti-glare, textured film overlay emulates a pen-on-paper feel, creating a satisfying drawing experience. With adjustable angles, the tablet stand adds convenience and stability to the substantial device. While lacking touch capabilities, the XP-PEN 24 Pro is a versatile second monitor.
The stylus, PA2, offers battery-free precision with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and 60° tilt recognition, enhancing detailed adjustments. Despite the extreme sensitivity of the stylus buttons, the package includes two styluses and a case with spare nibs. With a robust build, ample workspace, and programmable shortcut buttons, the Artist 24 Pro combines functionality with style, making it a compelling choice in the mid-range pen display market.
8. Gaomon PD1560
The Gaomon PD1560 offers a 15.6-inch pen display. It boasts a premium appearance and feel with a sleek plastic case and a glass-covered front featuring shortcut buttons. Positioned as a cost-effective option, it competes well in the mid-range market without compromising quality. The Full HD IPS display, with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, delivers satisfactory color performance suitable for hobbyists and professionals. Despite a slightly thick bezel, the PD1560 remains compact and lightweight, making it easily portable.
The absence of a cable bulge enhances its aesthetics, although visible cables are a minor drawback. With 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, the pen provides a smooth and responsive drawing experience. The side buttons are subtle and function effectively. Overall, the Gaomon PD1560 impresses with its high-end appearance, reasonable pricing, and solid performance in the competitive pen display market.
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Final Thoughts
Choosing the best tablet for graphic design all boils down to a few factors. Display quality, stylus performance, pressure sensitivity, processing power, compatibility with design software, operating system, size and portability, battery life, and connectivity options are among the top factors when searching for the best graphic designer tablets.
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