If you are new to drawing tablets, I suggest you read the beginner's guide.
Below, here are tablets I would personally recommend separated by device type. These recommendations are centered around using the tablets for drawing.
Pen tablets (No screen + require a computer)
Pen displays (Have a screen + require a computer)
Standalone drawing tablets (Have a screen + do not require a computer)
If you are beginner, then consider these specific models which are great introduction to drawing tablets. Recommended drawing tablets for beginners.
Brad Colbow: Best Drawing Tablet By Price 2022/06/20
These are highly-curated recommendations for people who are just beginning to get into drawing tablets.
All these tablets deliver the basic experiences and a reasonable price
Some of these tablets are missing so-called "pro" features.
Below you'll find my beginner-friendly recommendations for:
pen tablets (no screen)
pen displays (have a screen)
and standalone tablets.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read Beginner's guide to drawing tablets.
If you want to see the full set recommendations go here: Drawing tablet recommendations
These are tablets WITHOUT a screen that need to be connected to a computer (some support wireless) to work.
If I had to pick one item on this list, I would recommend the Wacom CTL-672 for true beginners. It's reliable and has a decent drawing experience.
More info: Comparison of Wacom pen tablets
One by Wacom Medium (CTL-672) [no tilt, no wireless] (my notes)
Wacom Intuos Medium (CTL-6100) [no tilt, no wireless]
Wacom Intuos Medium (CTL-6100WL) [no tilt]
XP-Pen Deco M [no wireless]
XP-Pen Deco MW
XP-Pen Deco L (IT1060) [no wireless]
XP-Pen Deco LW (IT1060B) (my notes)
If you want better pressure handling:
XP-Pen Deco Pro LW GEN2 (MT1172B)
These are tablets WITH A SCREEN that need to be connected to a computer. No pen displays are wireless. I don't enjoy drawing an 13" pen display. Instead, I prefer 16" and above. But 13" is a good way to get introduced to pen displays. More info: 7P notes on 13" pen displays
Huion Kamvas 13 (GS1331) (my notes)
XP-Pen Artist 12 GEN2 (CD120FH)
XP-Pen Artist 13 GEN2 (CD130FH) (my notes)
If you want a larger size and better pressure handling
XP-Pen Artist Pro 14 GEN2 (MD140FH)
XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 GEN2 (MD160QH) (my notes)
These are tablets that don't need to be connect to a computer.
More info: 7P notes: Apple iPad versus Samsung Galaxy Tab S
Apple iPad - Any Apple iPad that works with the Apple Pencil 2 (My notes)
NOTE: You will have the buy the Apple Pencil 2 separately. It does NOT come with the iPad.
I don't use these devices myself. Here are some popular ones.
Onyx Boox Note Air3
Remarkable 2
Amazon Kindle Scribe
Read this first: Buying a drawing tablet
A standalone drawing tablet might be exactly what you need if you intend to be using the device often in scenarios away from home or away from your desk.
People look for standalone tablets for these kinds of reasons:
Can travel with it
Can be used on the couch in the bed on a bus etc.
Doesn't require the connection to a computer
There are many options depending on what you really need.
There are three kinds of standalone drawing tablets:
Mobile computers with pen support - Formally, these are not drawing tablets, but they can work just like one. And often I think they are your best choice for a standalone tablet. These include products such as Apple iPad Pros and Samsung Galaxy S series tablets.
Operating system: a mobile OS (iOS, ChromeOS)
Scenario: General purpose
Pen tech: varies. Apple Pencil, AES, EMR
Pen computers - The are true drawing tablets that you can carry around and use without a computer. I don't recommend pen computers.
Operating system: currently all run Windows
Scenario: Intended for artists
Pen tech: EMR
2-in-1 laptops and slate laptops - Formally, these are not drawing tablets. These are really normal laptops that have a form factor that might also serve the needs of a drawing tablet. Examples: Microsoft Surface Pro and Samsung Galaxy Book4 360.
Operating system: currently all run Windows
Scenario: General purpose
Pen tech: varies. MPP, EMR
If you're primarily interested in drawing or notetaking I think mobile computers with pen support are your best options.
Apple iPad Air (4th gen and later) ($600)
Apple iPad Pro 11 inch (4th gen and later) (starting at $800)
Supports Apple Pencil 2
Apple iPad pro 12.9 inch 6th gen (starting at $1100)
Supports Apple Pencil 2
My notes on Samsung Galaxy Tab devices
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022 version) ($240) is a good a low-cost option for beginners.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE ($500) excellent mid-budget option
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra ($1000) top-of-the-line performance.
Huion Kamvas Slate 10 NOT RECOMMENDED
XP-Pen Magic Drawing Pad NO COMMENT YET
Even though as a policy, I do NOT recommend them, for completeness here is a list of SOME pen computers. More here: I don't recommend pen computers.
Examples:
Huion Kamvas Studio 16 ($1700)
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 ($2500)
Huion Kamvas Studio 24 ($2400)
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 16 ($3500)
These kinds of devices are really for general purpose use. So if what you want is a full operating system where you can use things like Microsoft Office, or the full version of Photoshop, etcetera. Then these suitable choices for a standalone tablet.
Type: Slate laptop
Pen tech: MPP (similar to AES)
My notes on using the Microsoft Surface Pro
Surface Pro 8 (starting at $900)
Surface Pro 9 (starting at $900)
Type: 2-in-1 laptop
Pen tech: Wacom EMR (Samsung S Pen)
NOTE: I haven't tried it myself, but this may also be compatible with the Wacom CP-913 pen.
Two editions:
It's best if you look through the buying guide first. These are recommendations for tablets that don't have screens. If you are looking for a tablet with a screen go here: pen display recommendations. If you want a standalone tablet, go here: Standalone drawing tablet recommendations.
SMALL One by Wacom Small (CTL-472) $50 (my notes)
SMALL Wacom Intuos Small (CTL-4100) $75
SMALL Wacom One S GEN2 (CTC-4110WL) $100 NOT RECOMMENDED
MEDIUM XP-Pen Deco LW (IT1060B) $90 (my notes)
MEDIUM Huion Inspiroy 2 M (H951P) $70 NOT RECOMMENDED
MEDIUM Huion Inspiroy RTP-700 $93 (my notes)
MEDIUM One by Wacom Medium (CTL-672) $100 (my notes)
MEDIUM Huion Inspiroy 2 L (H1061P) $90 NOT RECOMMENDED (my notes)
SMALL Wacom Intuos Pro Small (PTH-460) $200
MEDIUM Wacom One M (CTC-6110WL) $?? NOT RECOMMENDED (my notes)
MEDIUM Wacom Intuos Medium (CTL-6100) $200
SMALL/MEDIUM XP-Pen Deco Pro MW GEN2 $140
MEDIUM XP-Pen Deco Pro LW GEN2 $170
MEDIUM Wacom Intuos Pro Medium (PTH-660) $300 (my notes)
LARGE Huion Inspiroy Giano (G930L) $200 (on sale for $180) (my notes)
LARGE XP-Pen Deco Pro XLW GEN2 (MT1592B) $200 (my notes)
LARGE Wacom Intuos Pro Large (PTH-860) $500 (my notes)
2024/02/04 Removed Huion HS611 (my notes) from the recommended list.
It's best if you look through the buying guide first. These are recommendations for tablets that have have screens. If you are looking for a tablet without a screen go here: pen tablet recommendations. If you want a standalone tablet, go here: Standalone drawing tablet recommendations.
Make sure you know about anti-glare sparkle before you buy a pen tablet
SMALL Huion Kamvas 13 (GS1331) $240 (my notes)
SMALL Wacom One 2019 GEN1 (DTC-133) $400
SMALL XP-Pen Artist Pro 14 GEN2 (MD140FH) $420
SMALL Wacom One 12 GEN2 (DTC-121) $400 NOT RECOMMENDED (substandard pressure handling)
SMALL XP-Pen Artist 16 GEN2 (CD160FH) $400 NOT RECOMMENDED (due to excessive diagonal wobble)
LARGE Huion Kamvas 22 (GS2201) $450
LARGE XP-Pen Artist 22 Plus (MD220FH) $470
SMALL Wacom One 13 touch GEN2 (DTH0134) $600 NOT RECOMMENDED (substandard pressure handling)
MEDIUM Wacom Cintiq 16 (DTK-1660) $650
MEDIUM XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 GEN2 (MD160QH) $600 (my notes)
LARGE Huion Kamvas 22 Plus (GS2202) $550 (my notes)
MEDIUM Huion Kamvas Pro 16 Plus 4K (GT1562) $900 (my notes) NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO HIGH AG SPARKLE
LARGE Huion Kamvas 24 Plus (GS2402) $900
MEDIUM Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 (DTH-167) $1500 (my notes)
LARGE Wacom Cintiq 22 (DTK-2260) $1200
LARGE Huion Kamvas Pro 19 (GT1902) $1100 (my notes)
LARGE Huion Kamvas Pro 24 4K (GT2401) $1300 (my notes)
LARGE Xencelabs Pen Display 24 (LPH2412U-A) $1800 UNDER EVALUATION (my notes)
LARGE Huion Kamvas Pro 27 (GT2701) $2000
LARGE Wacom Cintiq Pro 17 $2500
LARGE Wacom Cintiq Pro 22 $3000
LARGE Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 $3500 (my notes)
2022/02/05 - Added recommendation for Kamvas Pro 27
2022/02/05 - Added recommendation tag to Kamvas Pro 19
2024/02/04 - Added XP-Pen Artist 22 Plus to recommendations
2023/02/04 - Added XP-Pen Artist 13 to recommendations
2023/02/04 - Marked Huion Kamvas Pro 16 4K Plus as NOT RECOMMENDED due to AG sparkle and better options being available.