If you’re a newbie to digital art figuring out which Wacom tablet is best for beginners can be confusing. This Wacom for Beginners Guide tells you what to look for in a graphics tablet and how to use a Wacom tablet for beginners. We’ve rounded up the best drawing tablets available in the market – from the Wacom Intuos S, over the Wacom Intuos Pro series up to the most affordable Wacom One and Cintiq 16 as the best drawing tablet with screen for beginners. Are you anxious to find out? Well, let’s get right into it!
Do you need a drawing tablet?
Drawing tablets, also called graphics tablets, are different from tablet computers, like the iPad, the Microsoft Surface Pro, and other Android tablets. Those are computers by themselves, whereas drawing tablets work as peripherals to a PC or Mac.
If you’re looking for a standalone drawing tablet, you’ll need to look into the high-end display tablet range. Devices like the Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13 and the Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 can function as a standalone Windows PC.
There are two kinds of drawing tablets: those with a built-in screen (what Wacom call pen displays), and those without a screen (pen tablets, as Wacom named them).
Drawing tablets without screen are more common than display tablets, partly because they’re more affordable. They function like large, sensitive trackpads, with the difference that you use a special pen, or stylus, instead of your fingertips.
Pen control is actually what sets a drawing tablet apart from working with a trackpad – or even a mouse. Drawing, painting and retouching is significantly easier with a pen on a tablet. You can draw natural, flowing lines and accurate circles – you generally just work as if you were using a pen and paper.
Are Wacom tablets worth it?
Shortly after the Japanese company opened up business in 1983, Wacom have developed into what is widely considered as the gold standard of the graphics tablet industry. They’ve been producing cutting edge drawing tablets that are adored by digital artists, illustrators and designers around the world.
Therefore, buying a Wacom tablet should be high on the list for every digital creator. Of course, Wacom quality comes with a fitting price tag, but the company also manufactures a range of entry-level tablets that are affordable to newbies.
Their most recent entry-level graphics tablet, the One by Wacom, retails for around US$60. From there, prices go up depending on what features and functionality you want to have.
Which Wacom tablet is best for beginners?
Wacom is up there with a whole range of models for every possible requirement in terms of functionality and features.
The options in Wacom’s range are actually so vast that it can get a little confusing to figure out the best Wacom drawing tablet for beginners.
There are a handful of important factors to consider when scouting out the best digital drawing tablet for your artistic needs.
Our checklist for choosing
the best Wacom drawing tablet for beginners
Built-in screen
Whether you choose a drawing tablet with or without screen is largely down to personal preference. Using a display tablet can be easier in the beginning, as drawing directly onscreen feels more like traditional painting. Getting comfortable with a regular drawing tablet, on the other hand, takes a bit of a learning curve.
You will need to get used to drawing on the tablet down on your desk, while looking up at your computer monitor a few inches away. After a few days, however, this way of working will quickly become second nature to you, and many professional artists use graphics tablets without screen, such as the Wacom Intuos Pro Small or Medium.
You definitely don’t need a drawing tablet with a screen, but if you choose to get one, you’ll be looking at a significantly higher price. Wacom’s new and ‘cheap’ drawing tablet with screen for beginners is the Wacom One, retailing for around US$400. If you want to have more features and functionality, you can get the Cintiq 13HD or Cintiq 16 for around US$200 more.
Active area
Active area is the actual sensitive surface of the tablet that you can draw on. The size of the active area matters depending on your style of working. If you’re an illustrator who likes to work with long brush strokes and sweeping movements, a larger active area is better for you.
However, if your work consists mainly of editing, photo retouching, and occasional drawing and painting, a medium or small active area is completely sufficient.
Many graphics tablets are actually much bigger than their active area – due to the bezel around it. So, the size of the active area is always something you want to check in the manufacturer’s specifications.
Stylus
The stylus, or pen, that you hold in your hand when drawing is one main factor for creating a natural creative experience. Wacom pens are usually cordless and battery-free. They draw their power from the tablet’s active area thanks to Wacom’s patented electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology, so you won’t ever need to charge them. They are lightweight and ergonomic in the hand, some of them having silicone-free rubber grips.
→ Wacom Pen Compatibility & Replacement Pens
Each Wacom stylus has at least one customizable side switch, many have two side buttons. You can program the buttons on a per-app basis, meaning you can assign them one function, for example, in Photoshop and another in Illustrator. You can map the buttons to all common keyboard shortcuts, allowing you to quickly zoom or undo an action at the push of a button.
Using a pen makes the editing process not only significantly more intuitive. The fact that many styluses are able to register pressure and tilt means you can work with pin-point accuracy and natural flow – which actually brings us to the next point, pressure sensitivity.
Pressure sensitivity
While working with pen on tablet makes drawing more intuitive, the real beauty of graphics tablets is their pressure sensitivity. Pressure sensitivity is measured in levels and indicates how well the drawing tablet can capture how hard or softly you are pressing the pen. Graphics programs can interpret the pressure you exert on your tablet to dynamically increase or decrease brush size, opacity, flow, and pen jitter. Pressing more softly results in a light sketched line, while hard pressure produces heavy-handed, thick lines.
Many of the best tablets are highly sensitive, with the ability to register up to 8,192 levels of pressure maximum. For comparison: the first Bamboo tablets recognized up to 300 pressure levels. Current tablets typically recognize a minimum of 2,048 levels of pressure, going up to 4,096 pressure levels in mid-range tablets.
Bear in mind that tablet manufacturers use this number as a selling point. While its surely useful as a general indicator of build quality, it doesn’t matter that much in real-life editing. Once sensitivity levels get above the thousand mark, it’s totally sufficient for most creative requirements, and in most cases you’re not able to tell the difference to a higher gauge.
Tilt recognition
Besides being sensitive to pressure, some graphics tablets and styluses also react to tilt. Tilt recognition is measured in degrees, with the best tablets being able to support up to 60 degrees of tilt, and lower range models up to 40 degrees. Some of Wacom’s entry-level devices do not respond to tilt.
Tilt response is something nice to have, as it gives you the most accuracy and control over your brush strokes. But it’s more like the cherry on the cake, and not a must-have for a great and efficient workflow.
Tilt recognition is useful if you tend to work a lot with brushes that emulate the features of natural brushes, such as calligraphy or a paintbrushes. In those cases, tilt recognition makes for the realistic simulation of such media.
Customizable hotkeys
Customizable hotkeys are what Wacom standardly refer to as ExpressKeys. Those are buttons built into the tablet that you can configure just like the side switches on your pen.
Some drawing tablets don’t have any ExpressKeys, while others have a number of buttons (usually between 4 and 8) and a scrolling wheel, a so-called Touch Ring.
You can configure the buttons to perform the actions and keyboard shortcuts you use the most. The Touch Ring helps to quickly adjust brush size, opacity, flow, canvas rotation, and more.
Whether and how much you use any of those keys is down to personal preference, but they can speed up your editing workflow and productivity.
Multi-touch functionality
Multi-touch is similar to the ExpressKeys, it allows you to streamline your workflow. But instead of pressing a button, you can move your fingertips over the tablet’s active area to perform actions like zooming, rotating, or panning.
Not all tablets feature multi-touch functionality, and it’s nothing you absolutely need. Some artists prefer to switch it off, as they find it gets in their way when editing.
With well-configured ExpressKeys alone, you’ll seldom need to reach over to your keyboard or go into a submenu anyways!
Resolution (LPI)
The resolution of a tablet is measured in LPI, lines per inch. The LPI tells you how many lines drawn with the tip of the stylus fit into 1 inch of the tablet’s active area.
LPI was originally used to measure the resolution of images printed in halftones, where a number of halftone dots would fit inside an inch of paper. The higher the LPI number, the denser the dots and the finer the resolution.
For a graphics tablet that means the higher the LPI, the clearer your digital drawings on the computer screen.
The lowest resolution of current Wacom tablet models is 2540 lpi, the highest is presently 5080 lpi. Practically speaking, 2540 lpi are already a decent value and sufficient to see high-quality results on your screen.
Bluetooth connectivity
Most drawing tablets connect via USB cable, but some are also able to connect via Bluetooth. Whether you want to work wireless or not depends on your personal taste. Holding the tablet in your lap while editing without any cable clutter getting in your way can be convenient, but sometimes a cable connection is more reliable.
How do you use a Wacom tablet for beginners?
Getting started
Once you got the drivers installed and your tablet is connected to your computer, you’re ready to lay down your first strokes. Grab the stylus with your writing hand and hold it like a normal pen. Put the tip on the active area, move the pen and watch the cursor move across the digital canvas in your drawing software.
If you start with a graphics tablet without screen, drawing on the tablet and looking up at the computer monitor can feel odd at first. But you will quickly get used to this way of working. It’s pretty much the same as working with a mouse. You don’t look at your mouse when moving the cursor on the screen, right? Similarly, try to not look at your hand when drawing, focus on the monitor instead.
Put the tablet square in front of you. When moving the pen towards you, the cursor should move down.
Make sure the tablet is parallel to the monitor. If you place the tablet at an odd angle to the monitor, there will be an angle mismatch. For example, if you draw a horizontal line on the tablet, the line will not be horizontal on your digital canvas, but slightly tilted.
Start by drawing simple things: sketch out a circle or a square, and write down something – just to get used to your tablet.
Choosing the right tablet size
Keep in mind that the active area of your graphics tablet will mirror the size of your computer screen. For example, if you have a large monitor and buy a small drawing tablet, a small stroke on the tablet will move the cursor across a large area on the screen.
Conversely, if you connect a large tablet to a small monitor, you’ll need to make wide pen strokes in order to move the cursor on the screen just a little.
Choosing the size of the tablet also depends on your way of working. Do you like to make long, flowing brush strokes? Then you’ll probably need a large tablet. If, on the other hand, you rather do lots of detail work and short lines, a small or medium size tablet will perfectly do the job for you.
Does the pen feel comfortable in your hand?
The Pro Pen 2 that comes with the Wacom Intuos Pro tablets is designed to be slightly thicker. It has a rubber grip at the bottom to make it ergonomic.
However, if you have small hands and feel that the pen is to thick for you, you can have a look at thinner models, such as the Wacom Pro Pen Slim. Check our Wacom Pen compatibility list to see which pens are compatible with your drawing tablet.
Using surface textures and pen nibs
If you’re coming from traditional drawing and painting, graphics tablets can feel ‘slippery’ because there is less friction between stylus and tablet surface than there is between real pen and paper.
Most Wacom tablets already offer a textured surface to better emulate an authentic drawing feel. However, if that’s not enough for you, there are a few ways to help you out. First of all, some tablets come with the option to use different surface sheets (e.g. the Intuos Pro Medium and Large). You can choose between standard, softer and coarser textures to get exactly the drawing feel you’re looking for.
Second, you can also replace the nib of the pen. Wacom’s Pro Pen 2 comes with standard and felt nibs. The felt pen nibs provide you with a slightly rougher feel that brings you closer to the pen-on-paper experience.
Keep in mind that surface sheets and pen nibs wear down over time. When texture sheets wear thin, they’ll lose friction. Likewise, when your pen nibs are wearing down, they loose pressure sensitivity and can leave scratches on the tablet surface.
So make sure to always have some replacement nibs and sheets handy, if you like to work with them!
Adjusting pen sensitivity (pressure & tilt)
All Wacom pens offer sufficient levels of pressure sensitivity, some are also tilt responsive. You can customize the pen sensitivity in the Wacom Desktop Center to make it match your personal way of working.
To do so, click the Customize button under Tip feel. This will allow you to adjust the settings.
If you feel the pen tip is too hard, then move the Tip feel slider to the left to make it softer. If you think your pen is too soft, simply move the slider to the opposite direction to make it harder.
Customizing ExpressKeys and pen side switches
Fortunately, there’s more to drawing tablets than just moving the stylus over the active area. Each Wacom pen has at least one side switch (many have two side switches), and many Wacom tablets also have built-in hotkeys and a Touch Ring.
In the Wacom Desktop Center, you can customize these buttons and assign them a specific function. You can program them to perform your most used keyboard shortcuts or to do actions like zooming, rotating and panning.
Well-customized ExpressKeys and pen side switches will save you a lot of time and increase your workflow speed. Eventually, you won’t have to reach over to your keyboard anymore and can leave your hands on the tablet during your entire editing session!
Should I get a Wacom tablet?
Wacom are known for offering the best graphics tablets on the market. Despite the competition heating up during the past few years, Wacom tablets are still considered to be the best in the industry.
A Wacom tablet is the most ergonomic way to go. It can make your workflow more efficient, and tracing much faster and easier. To just name a few, here are 4 good reasons why you should get a Wacom tablet:
1. Wacom pen technology
Unlike most competitors, Wacom pens are cordless and battery-free. They work with Wacom’s patented electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology, which enables the stylus to draw its power through the tablet’s active area. This reduces maintenance and weight, so the stylus feels more like a real pen in your hand. However, what really sets Wacom tablets apart is greater pen precision and pressure sensitivity.
2. Pressure sensitivity & accuracy
Generally speaking, graphics programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint, and others, are designed to be used with a pressure-sensitive tablet. Even if you don’t really draw and paint with your Wacom tablet, tools like Dodge and Burn in Photoshop are pressure sensitive, too. Besides, masking and cutting out things from their background also benefit from the accuracy provided by a tablet.
→ How To Use A Graphic Tablet With Photoshop – MUST-KNOWS For Digital Artists!
3. Wacom driver support
Apart from that, Wacom tablets come with better drivers and customer support. Whether you need country-specific support, an easy-to-reach customer service, or an interactive forum – all of that is much more accessible when it’s about a Wacom tablet. When purchasing a tablet of a little-known brand, you’re much more likely to not get adequate support when you run into a problem with your device.
4. Affordable Wacom tablets for beginners
If you’re new to digital art, you can go for a cheaper Wacom tablet first. Test the waters, see how it plays out and take it from there. If you find that digital art is a hobby you would like to pursue, you can upgrade to a more sophisticated tablet.
The Wacom Intuos tablets as well as the One by Wacom are affordable and great for newcomers. The initial learning curve is offset by a faster and better creative experience for the rest of your life.
Using a tablet and pen means you’ll be able to enhance quality and quantity of your digital work in a way you wouldn’t be able to achieve with a mouse and trackpad.
Our Top 5 Picks for
best Wacom drawing tablet for beginners
Wacom Intuos Pro Medium
- Great overall specs at a reasonable price
- High levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt responsiveness
- Excellent precision and virtually lag-free tracking
Wacom Intuos Pro Small
- Sturdy quality paired with maximum portability
- Highly customizable and responsive for authentic drawing feel
- Budget-friendly price makes it an affordable option for beginners
Great Value for Money
Wacom Intuos Small
- Build quality with small footprint and high portability
- 4 customizable ExpressKeys + 2 pen side buttons
- Decent pen pressure sensitivity and tablet resolution
Top Entry-Level Display
Wacom One 13
- Built-in 13.3′′ HD display with AHVA technology
- Real-feel responsive pen + compatibility with other pen brands
- Affordable alternative to Cintiq 16 with Android compatibility
#1 for Prosumers
Wacom Cintiq 16
- Textured surface for natural drawing feel with different surface textures available
- Highly responsive Pro Pen 2 & compatibility with Pro Pen 3D
- Least expensive higher-end Wacom display tablet for prosumers
Our complete lineup of
the best Wacom drawing tablets for beginners
Drawing tablets come in different sizes and designs, with and without screen. Tablets without screen are more common and less expensive. Some tablets offer lots of space to let your creative juices flow, other are more compact and lightweight, making them more portable and suitable for small workspaces.
We’ve aimed to include a broad range of the best Wacom drawing tablets for beginners on this list. So whatever your needs, and whatever your budget, you should be able to find a drawing tablet that suits you.
So, let’s get started!
Jump to a particular Wacom tablet
Wacom for beginners: best allrounder
which drawing tablet is best for beginners?
The Intuos Pro Medium is Wacom’s best all-round graphics tablet for digital artists and photographers – beginners and professionals alike. It’s a perfect blend of size, resolution and cutting-edge features – all combined into a reasonable price.
In terms of size, the Intuos Pro (M) is indeed the happy medium between the Intuos Pro Small and the Intuos Pro Large. It’s compact and lightweight enough to be portable and fit all workspace setups, still offering plenty of resolution to map it also to large monitors, including 4K and 5K displays.
Working on the Intuos Pro feels like drawing with a pen on paper. Its default texture sheet that can be swapped for a variety of other options.
Wacom Intuos Pro (M) Key Specs
- Active area: 8.7 x 5.8 in (224 x 148 mm)
- Pen technology: 8,192 pen pressure levels, ±60 levels tilt recognition, 5080 lpi resolution
- Buttons & Touch: 8 ExpressKeys, Touch Ring, Multi-touch functionality
- Size: 13.2 x 8.5 x 0.3 in (338 x 219 x 8 mm)
- Weight: 1.54 lb (700 g)
Customizability is first-class, too. The Pro Pen 2 has two side switches, and the Intuos Pro Medium comes with 4 bulit-in ExpressKeys and a Touch Ring – all highly customizable on a per-app basis.
The one feature that sets the Intuos Pro apart from other tablets Wacom is its multi-touch capability that can be toggled on an off at the push of a button.
The Intuos Pro M connects to your computer either via USB or Bluetooth, its battery provides you with enough juice for a full day’s work. When connected via Bluetooth, though, there can be a bit of a lag noticeable.
PROS
- Workflow booster with ExpressKeys, Touch Ring & Multi-Touch capability
- Pro Pen 2 with industry-leading pressure and tilt responsiveness
- Excellent precision and lag-free tracking with cable connection
- Different types of texture sheets for natural drawing feel
- Wireless editing thanks to Bluetooth connectivity
- Long battery life for an entire working day
CONS
- Bluetooth connection introduces some lag
- Felt pen nibs wear down somewhat fast
Wacom for beginners: Quality & Portability
Is The Wacom Intuos Pro Worth It?
If you’re a new digital artist looking for a quality drawing tablet on a budget but with all the features of the Pros, the Wacom Intuos Pro (S) is the best drawing tablet for you. The small Intuos Pro is priced below US$250, yet it’s a sturdy tablet made of premium materials. Being super-slim and lightweight, it’s also a reliable travel companion.
It’s highly accurate and responsive with no virtual lag and excellent customization options. While the Intuos Pro S is slightly larger than an A5 sheet of paper, its textured tactile surface offers enough editing space with authentic drawing feel.
The Wacom Intuos Pro Small is a top-level graphics tablet – lightweight, yet durable, with all the features of the Pros.
One minus of the regular Intuos tablets is that the included Wacom Pen 4K doesn’t support tilt response. The Intuos Pro line, however, comes with the powerful Wacom Pro Pen 2 that has twice the pressure sensitivity of the Pen 4K and an equally sensitive eraser on its end. Besides, the Pro Pen 2 recognizes up to 60 degrees of tilt, something especially valuable when you do a lot of brushwork.
The Intuos Pro Small comes with 6 built-in ExpressKeys that are fully customizable in the Wacom Desktop Center, allowing you to assign them any function of your choosing. There’s also a Touch Ring that gives you quick access to your most frequently used actions, such as zooming in and out, rotating, changing brush sizes, etc.
The setup is super-easy out of the box, you can connect the included USB cable to your Windows PC or Mac, or use the built-in Bluetooth connectivity for wireless editing. Battery life is amazing; once fully powered up, the battery will last you for around 10 hours of work.
Wacom Intuos Pro (S) Key Specs
- Active area: 6.3 x 3.9 in (160 x 100 mm)
- Pen technology: 8,192 pen pressure levels, ±60 levels tilt recognition, 5080 lpi resolution
- Buttons & Touch: 6 ExpressKeys, Touch Ring, Multi-touch functionality
- Size: 10.6 x 6.7 x 0.3 in (269 x 170 x 8.45 mm)
- Weight: 0.99 lb (450 g)
All in all, the Intuos Pro is the best Wacom drawing tablet for beginners who want pro features for reasonable money.
PROS
- Sturdy quality paired with maximum portability
- Highly customizable and responsive for authentic drawing feel
- Bluetooth connectivity for wireless editing comfort
- Long battery life for around 10 hours
- Perfect for both left- and right-handed creators
- Budget-friendly price makes it an affordable option for beginners
CONS
- Smaller drawing area
- No changeable texture sheets
Wacom for beginners: Great Value for Money
what is a good cheap drawing tablet?
The Wacom Intuos (S) is a hot tip for best Wacom drawing tablet for beginners. It comes with great specs at a price under US$100 (around a third of the Pro model), so even newcomers on a budget should be able to afford it.
Contrary to the Intuos Pro tablets that are available in small, medium and large, there’s only a small and a medium model of the regular Intuos. The small Intuos should be sufficient for most creative needs. Its 6 by 3.7-inch active area can be easily mapped to any size computer screen and offers enough space to draw on. Yet, the Intuos S is lightweight and compact enough to fit on any desk or to be carried around along with your laptop.
When compared to the Intuos Pro, the accuracy is not quite as good, and the Intuos supports only half the pressure sensitivity. However, 4,096 pressure levels will still be sufficient for most creative requirements. Contrary to the Pro Pen 2 that comes with the Intuos Pro line, the Wacom Pen 4K has no tilt recognition and eraser.
Wacom Intuos (S) Key Specs
- Active area: 6.0 x 3.7 in (152 x 95 mm)
- Pen technology: 4,096 pen pressure levels, no tilt recognition, 2540 lpi resolution
- Buttons & Touch: 4 ExpressKeys, no touch functionality
- Size: 7.9 x 6.3 x 0.35 in (200 x 160 x 8.8 mm)
- Weight: 230g (8.1 oz) without Bluetooth; 250g (8.8 oz) with Bluetooth
With the two pen side switches and four ExpressKeys, the Intuos Small is among the most customizable entry-level drawing tablets.
The Intuos S connects to your Windows PC or Mac via USB. For all those who prefer to work wireless, there’s also the Intuos S with Bluetooth for around $20 more.
PROS
- Compact but sturdy quality for tight workspace setups and travel
- 4 customizable ExpressKeys + 2 pen side buttons
- Decent pen pressure sensitivity and tablet resolution
- Beginner-friendly price below $100 mark
- Wireless Bluetooth model available
- Long battery life of Bluetooth model
CONS
- Surface is prone to scratches with heavy use
- No tilt response
- No multi-touch support
Wacom for beginners: the bare essentials
What is One by Wacom?
Stripped off all unnecessary frills, the One by Wacom is Wacom’s most basic entry-level tablet for beginners. The One by Wacom’s price is newbie-friendly, too, staying well below the Intuos Pro models and also below the aforementioned Wacom Intuos Small.
Just like the Intuos, the One by Wacom is available in two sizes, small and medium. Both tablets are compact and lightweight, with the One by Wacom Small being just as big as an A5 paper sheet, and the Medium One not even as large as an A4 sheet of paper.
The good thing is that the active drawing area is stretched out to the very edges and covers almost all of the tablet’s surface. It has a smooth texture, giving you the feel of drawing with a pen on paper. Unfortunately, the material is not too wear-resistant and scuffs become visible with heavy use. The One by Wacom pen nib is quite resilient and should last you for 2 to 3 years with repeated use. Three standard replacement nibs are included in the package.
As a matter of fact, the One by Wacom lacks in some features of the higher-end models, offering only half the pressure sensitivity (2,048 levels) and half the resolution (2,540 lpi) of the Wacom Intuos S. However, tracking is still pretty precise and lag-free.
One by Wacom Key Specs
- Active area: 6.0 x 3.7 in (Small), 8.5 x 5.3 in (Medium)
- Pen technology: 2,048 pen pressure levels, no tilt recognition, 2540 lpi resolution
- Buttons & Touch: No
- Size: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.3 in (S), 10.9 x 7.4 x 0.3 in (M)
- Weight: 0.57 lb (S), 0.99 lb (M)
The included Replaceable Pen is battery-free and ergonomic in the hand. It has two customizable side switches, but unfortunately no tilt support and no eraser.
While the One by Wacom has surely its appeal for creatives who are just getting started, the lack of hotkey buttons and multi-touch support will impact the speed of your workflow quite a bit. Depending on your way of editing, the missing tilt response will limit what you get out of your painting and drawing apps.
PROS
- Compact and lightweight to easily fit on any desk or be carried along
- Good pen tracking and sensitivity
- Relatively large drawing area with tactile feel
- Compatible with most computer screens and 4K monitors
- Clutter-free one-cable USB connection with no charging or battery required
- Cheapest Wacom tablet targeted at beginning artists
CONS
- No Express Keys and touch functionality
- No Bluetooth connectivity
- No tilt recognition
Wacom for beginners: Pen tablet & paper feel
How does the Wacom Intuos Pro Paper Edition work?
The Wacom Intuos Pro Paper Edition combines professional pen tablet with real paper drawing experience. It’s the best Wacom drawing tablet for beginners who like to start out sketching on paper. Once you’re done sketching, you can transfer your drawings straight to your computer and edit them digitally in your favorite software.
Wacom Intuos Pro Paper Edition combines high-spec digital drawing tablet with classic sketching on paper with real ink.
This Intuos pen tablet is available in two sizes: the Wacom Intuos Pro Paper Edition Medium (13.2 × 8.5 in) and Wacom Intuos Pro Paper Edition Large (16.8 × 11.2 in). The large Paper Edition is big enough to hold an A4 or letter size paper sheet, while the medium model uses A5 (half-letter size) paper sheets. The Intuos Pro Paper Medium has altogether 6 Express Keys, while the Intuos Pro Paper L has two more. Both models have a Touch Ring.
Both the medium and large paper drawing tablets come with a paper clip, two Wacom pens, pen holder, and pen case. You’ll also find some replacement pen nibs and paper sheets with different surface textures in the package.
Wacom Paper Edition Key Specs
- Active area: 8.7 x 5.8 in (Medium), 12.1 x 8.4 in (Large)
- Pen technology: Pro Pen 2 and Finetip Pen with 8,192 pressure levels, ±60 levels tilt recognition, 5080 lpi resolution
- Buttons & Touch: 6 (M) and 8 ExpressKeys (L), Touch Ring, Multi-touch functionality
- Size: 13.2 x 8.5 x 0.3 in (M), 16.8 x 11.2 x 0.3 in (L)
- Weight: 1.54 lb (M), 2.86 lb (L)
One of the included pens is the Pro Pen 2, for digital editing. Additionally, you’ll also get a fine-point gel pen, the Finetip Pen, for sketching on paper. Both pens feature 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and 60 degrees tilt recognition.
As for the Finetip Pen, Wacom provides you with three ink refill cartridges. If there’s a downside to the sketching pen, it’s that its ink supply won’t last too long. Additional refills for the Finetip Pen are available in three-packs to keep your creative sketching juices flowing.
PROS
- Perfect combination of digital drawing and traditional sketching with ink on paper
- Wacom Pro Pen 2 & Finetip Pen with high pressure sensitivity, tilt response and virtually lag-free tracking
- Wacom Inkspace to sync, store, and export your paper sketches in common creative file formats
- Workflow booster with multi-touch gestures, customizable ExpressKeys, Touch Ring and pen side buttons
- Super-slim but sturdy tablet made from premium materials
CONS
- Finetip Pen ink cartridges don’t last too long
- Slightly more expensive than the regular Intuos Pro line
Wacom for beginners: top entry-level display
is Wacom One good for beginners?
Launched right at the beginning of 2020, the ‘One’ is indeed Wacom’s best drawing tablet with screen for beginners. Despite being the cheapest drawing tablet with screen that Wacom has ever produced, it comes with pretty impressive specs.
The 13-inch 1920×1080 full HD display offers a decent drawing area, while using AHVA technology that guarantees color accuracy when viewed off center. The laminated LCD does away completely with the parallax effect, the little gap between drawing surface and screen that is noticeable even on some higher-end models due to their non-laminated displays.
With 72% of NTSC color gamut coverage, you can expect colors to look reasonable. However, if color accuracy is a priority for you, you may want to think about a higher-end Cintiq model.
The supplied Wacom One Pen is cordless and battery-free. With 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity the Wacom One Pen is not as responsive as the Pro Pen 2, but along with its 60 degrees of tilt response, it still allows for real-feel brushwork when designing in a graphics program. Gladly, the Wacom One also supports a range of styluses from other companies if you want to change things up.
Wacom One 13 Key Specs
- Screen: 13.3 in, 1920 x 1080 px, AHVA
- Color gamut & brightness: NTSC 72%, 200 cd/m2
- Active area: 11.6 x 6.5 in (294 x 166 mm)
- Pen technology: 4,096 pressure levels, ±60 levels tilt recognition, 2540 lpi resolution
- Buttons & Touch: No
- Size: 8.9 x 14.1 x 0.6 in (225 x 357 x 14.6 mm)
- Weight: 2.2 lb (1 kg)
With foldable legs to place it at a slight angle, the Wacom One is still small enough to tuck it in your bag. Besides being compatible with Windows and MacOS, the great advantage is that you can also hook it up to your Android smartphone or tablet – something not typically available with drawing tablets. Unfortunately, the Wacom One is not compatible with iPhones and always needs to be plugged into a power socket, as it doesn’t have a built-in battery.
PROS
- Built-in 13.3′′ HD display with AHVA technology
- Real-feel responsive pen + compatibility with other pen brands
- Integrated foldout legs to raise the display to 19 degrees
- Compatible with Windows, Mac and Android devices
- Affordable alternative to the Cintiq 16
- Free software bundle (Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom & Fresco, Clip Studio Paint Pro, Bamboo Paper Pro)
CONS
- Multi-cord setup requiring 4 cables, no Bluetooth connectivity
- No hotkey buttons on the tablet
- Display brightness can be an issue under strong light
Wacom for beginners: #1 for prosumers
Is The Wacom Cintiq 16 Worth It?
Removing the ‘Pro’ handle in the naming, Wacom introduced the Cintiq 16 as a more affordable alternative for all artists who don’t want to take the plunge on a pro model. The Wacom Cintiq 16 is a great display tablet for prosumers, and is also a contender for best drawing tablet with screen for beginners – for all those newbies who can stretch their budget by around $250 for more features and functionality as compared to the Wacom One.
The Wacom Cintiq 16 is a professional grade pen display – at a cheaper price but with all the essentials of the Pros!
In terms of specs, the Cintiq 16 is essentially the same as the Wacom Intuos Pro, but with the extra benefit of a live screen to draw on. Adding excellent pressure sensitivity and accuracy, the Cintiq 16 definitely ranks high for best drawing tablet with screen for beginners.
The Cintiq line consists of the Cintiq 16 and the larger Cintiq 22, both featuring 1920×1080 full HD displays with anti-glare coating and minimal parallax. The screens are slightly textured, accounting for a natural drawing feel. The models come complete with Wacom’s industry-leading Pro Pen 2, featuring 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and 60 degrees of tilt recognition.
Wacom Cintiq 16 Key Specs
- Screen: 15.6 in, 1920 x 1080 px, Full HD IPS
- Color gamut & brightness: 72% NTSC, 96% sRGB, 210 cd/m2
- Active area: 13.6 x 7.6 in (344 x 194 mm)
- Pen technology: 8,192 pressure levels, ±60 levels tilt recognition, 5080 lpi resolution
- Buttons & Touch: No
- Size: 16.6 x 11.2 x 1 in (422 x 285 x 24.5 mm)
- Weight: 4.2 lb (1.9 kg)
The 72% NTSC or 96% sRGB color gamut is lower than that of the higher-end tablets, and while this should be ok for most upfront photo edits, you might only notice the difference when holding the Cintiq right next to a high-end monitor.
With around 4 pounds, the Cintiq 16 is still quite portable and its two foldout legs on the rear allow tilting the device to a 19-degree angle. If this isn’t enough lift for you, you can get a more adjustable stand, sold separately for around US$80. Two other features that have also been dropped are the built-in ExpressKeys and touch functionality. To speed up your workflow with programmable shortcut buttons, you can still get the ExpressKey Remote. If you’re big fan of gesture-based input, however, the missing touch capabilities might be a deal-breaker for you.
PROS
- Great overall specs for a mid-range drawing tablet with screen
- Pro Pen 2 included & compatibility with Pro Pen 3D
- High levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt responsiveness
- 3-in-1 cable to avoid clutter and keep workspace neat
- Textured surface for natural drawing feel with different surface textures available
- Least expensive higher-end Wacom display tablet for semi-professional artists and professional designers on a budget
CONS
- Moderate screen resolution and color gamut
- No Express Keys & Multi Touch capability
- Stand not included
Wacom for beginners: Oldie but Goodie
Wacom Cintiq 13HD
Is The Wacom Cintiq 13HD still a good drawing tablet with screen?
The Cintiq 13HD was released back in 2013 as the upgraded successor of the 12WX. Now, seven years later, it’s still a serious piece of kit. With prices having dropped to around US$600, it’s the best Wacom drawing tablet for beginners that offers an optimal balance between cost and quality.
Being a fantastic all-round pen display, the Cintiq 13HD now is the cheapest drawing tablet with screen for all artists who are willing to trade slightly lower sensitivity for better screen performance than in the Wacom One. With 16.7 million colors, 75% Adobe RGB, and 250 cd/m2 brightness, the 13HD offers vivid colors. The matte screen reduces glare and accounts for a natural resistance when drawing, similar to pen on paper.
The Pro Pen that comes with the Cintiq 13HD is ergonomic, providing 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity for both pen nib and eraser, as well as 40 degrees tilt support. The three side switches on the pen can be programmed to whatever shortcuts are practical to speed up your workflow.
Wacom Cintiq 13HD Key Specs
- Screen: 13.3 in, 1920 x 1080 px, Active Matrix TFT LCD
- Color gamut & brightness: 75% Adobe RGB, 250 cd/m2
- Active area: 11.75 x 6.75 in (299 x 171 mm)
- Pen technology: 2,048 pressure levels, 40 degrees tilt recognition, 5080 lpi
- Buttons & Touch: 4 ExpressKeys, 1 Touch Ring
- Size: 14.75 x 9.75 x 0.5 in (375 x 248 x 14 mm)
- Weight: 1.2 kg
The active area of 11.75 x 6.75 inches is big enough to draw freely. The four ExpressKeys on the tablet or one of the directional buttons of the Rocker Ring will let you zoom in and out quickly. The Wacom Cintiq 13HD is not touch-sensitive, but you can upgrade to a Cintiq 13HD Pen & Touch Display to use gesture-based input.
Weighing around 2.6 lbs, the Cintiq 13HD is lightweight and compact enough to bring it along or to place it on your lap while editing.
PROS
- Good all-round display tablet with decent color performance, brightness, and contrast
- 1920x1080 native screen resolution for pin-sharp details
- Lightweight and portable, yet sturdy build quality
- 3-in-1 cable for easy setup and a clutter-free workspace
- Low parallax
- Great value for money
CONS
- Matte screen texture dulls the colors a bit
- Stand isn’t as robust and flexible
- No touch functionality on the regular 13HD
Quick rundown of the best Wacom for beginners tablets
Wacom Intuos Pro Medium
- 8.7 x 5.8 in active area
- 8 ExpressKeys, Touch Ring, Multi-touch
- 8,192 pressure levels
- 60 degrees tilt
- 5080 lpi resolution
Wacom Intuos Pro Small
- 6.3 x 3.9 in active area
- 6 ExpressKeys, Touch Ring, Multi-touch
- 8,192 pressure levels
- 60 degrees tilt
- 5080 lpi resolution
Wacom Intuos Small
- 6.0 x 3.7 in active area
- 4 ExpressKeys, no Multi-touch
- 4,096 pressure levels
- no tilt response
- 2540 lpi resolution
One By Wacom
- 6.0 x 3.7 in (Small), 8.5 x 5.3 in (Medium)
- No ExpressKeys, no Multi-touch
- 2,048 pressure levels
- no tilt response
- 2540 lpi resolution
Wacom Intuos Pro Paper Edition
- 8.7 x 5.8 in (Medium), 12.1 x 8.4 in (Large)
- 6 (M) and 8 ExpressKeys (L), 1 Touch Ring, Multi-touch
- 8,192 pressure levels
- 60 degrees tilt
- 5080 lpi resolution
Wacom One 13
- 13.3 in, 1920 x 1080, AHVA
- 72% NTSC
- 200 cd/m2
- 4,096 pressure levels
- 60 degrees tilt
- 2540 lpi resolution
Wacom Cintiq 16
- 15.6 in, 1920 x 1080 px, Full HD IPS
- 72% NTSC, 96% sRGB
- 210 cd/m2
- 8,192 pressure levels
- 60 degrees tilt
- 5080 lpi resolution
Wacom Cintiq 13HD
- 13.3 in, 1920 x 1080 px, Active Matrix TFT LCD
- 75% Adobe RGB, 250 cd/m2
- 2,048 pressure levels
- 40 degrees tilt
- 5080 lpi resolution
My name is Angie and I’m a self-taught digital artist. On this blog, I am sharing my knowledge and discussing the best software and hardware for different artistic needs. My desire is to offer options for all creative stages and budgets so that everyone can follow their dream and create art!
