Best Wacom Drawing Tablets for Artists
As anyone who has ever tried to draw, edit photos, or even sign their names on a computer knows, the humble mouse is not the best tool for the job.
We needed an input device that more closely resembled a pen or brush, and so, the graphics tablet was born.
As photo-editing and computer illustration software has grown more prevalent and sophisticated, the demand for these tablets has only grown.
For that matter, anyone who'd like to put stylus to screen and sketch, doodle, or take notes. They'll likely find it more natural than using a mouse or touchpad.
If you're looking for a reliable and robust drawing tablet, the Wacom will be right up your alley. The brand has reputation for producing high-quality, high-performing drawing tablets.
Is Wacom still the best?
Wacom is a Japanese firm that specialises in graphic tablets and related devices. It was established in 1983 in Japan.
From cinema and animation to auto-design and manga, Wacom comprises many creative customers worldwide.
Wacom also provides revolutionary user interface technologies and solutions to successful medical, educational, and other companies.
Wacom are the industry leaders in the pen tablet field and with good reason - their products are well designed, well made and customisable in virtually every way imaginable.
Other popular brands besides Wacom are Huion, XP-Pen, Veikk, and etc.
Wacom Drawing tablets are highly ranked for providing a better drawing experience whereas other brand like huion or xp-pen is well-known for its amazing features at a decent price tag.
10 Best Wacom Tablets in 2023!
Finding a great tablet for your needs as a graphic designer or digital artist can be an adventure. Finding great drawing tablets from one manufacturer can be tricky.
Luckily, Here are the List of 10 Best Wacom Tablets for for artists at any level and budget in 2023! Let's help you choose the best one for you.
1. One by Wacom , 2. Wacom Intuos, 3. Wacom Intuos Pr, 4. Wacom One, 5. Wacom Cintiq 16, 7. Wacom Cintiq Pro 16, 6. Wacom Cintiq 22, 8. Wacom Cintiq Pro 24, 9. Wacom Cintiq Pro 27, 10. Wacom Mobilestudio Pro 13 .
Is it worth while getting a Wacom tablet?
Yes! Wacom has established itself as a reliable brand for graphics tablets and constantly innovates to offer the best features to artists.
These tablets perform well, have solid build quality, and are user-friendly.
Wacom graphics tablets have a full line of battery-free pens, charged electromagnetically, which means you never need to charge the pen or swap out its batteries. so it's ready to go whenever you are.
The ease of installation on diverse platforms like Linux, Windows and Mac is also a point in its favor.
The Wacom drawing tablet has had longer time to refine and hone their drivers within their tablet products. This, along with their features and design, mean they have a lot of extra capabilities that other brand's graphics tablet products do not yet offer.
Multitouch is offered by Wacom across their Intuos Pro and Cintiq Pro lines, whilst other brand tablets do not offer it.
The Wacom Cintiq Pro range has excellent color accuracy and highest resolution like 2K or 4K, and provides 27-inch and 32-inch large drawing monitors that other brands doesn't have.
But most Wacom cintiq drawing monitors do not have express keys, as all the work is done on the tablet screen, which can be especially frustrating for those used to brands like XP-Pen and Huion which feature express keys.
How many pressure levels do you need with a Wacom tablet?
The number of pressure sensitivity levels indicates how realistic and natural your drawing experience will be. The rule of thumb suggests that more points give you a better experience.
However, 2048 is a suitable metric for beginners. Professionals may seek 8192 for a more absorbing experience.
What features should you look for in a Wacom tablet?
Wacom Intuos series drawing tablets without screens are best suited to using Photoshop and for photographers. They are significantly cheaper that models with screens. But they requires some accustoming time because of a feeling of disconnect between the drawing surface and the screen.
Wacom Cintiq Line drawing tablets with screens are ideal for illustrators and those doing a lot of line drawings. Here, it pays to be able to look at what you are drawing as you draw it, exactly as if you were using paper. In general you pay more for this privilege, but many prefer screened pen tablets for their ease of use.
Device portability (weight and size) is crucial as you will probably travel and work on the move. You have to decide whether to get a tablet that connects to a computer or has a built-in computer like Wacom Mobilestudio Pro 13 or Mobilestudio Pro 16.
Note that the Wacom Cintiq or Cintiq Pro is not like an iPad. It requires a wired connection to a computer to work—just like any extra monitor—except you can draw on this one!
Which Wacom tablet is the best for beginners and professionals?
The Wacom Intuos, Intuos pro, or entry-level wacom cintiq is a fabulous choice if you are getting started with graphics design. It is compatible with many platforms and has a very user-friendly layout.
The Cintiq Pro and Mobile Studio models adapt well to professional environments. They bundle many premium features like a vast color gamut, higher resolution and radial menus.
Intuos vs Intuos Pro: Which Wacom Screenless Tablet should I buy?
While the Intuos Pro line is geared towards serious amateur or professional designers and artists, Wacom also offers a standard Intuos line which offers a more basic tablet for a significantly cheaper price.
The Intuos Pro differs from its cheaper sibling by a better build quality, more customizable buttons, double the pressure sensitivity and the more advanced wacom pro pen 2 stylus.
Conclusion
With technology improving exponentially, pen enabled tablets are getting more and more popular by the day. However, that doesn't mean you should go for just any product that appears on the market. You will undoubtedly want something that is well suited to letting you express your full creativity.
Wacom is a brand known for their high-quality drawing tablets at the upper end of most artists' budget. At the other end of the scale, you have Huion, XP-Pen and other chinese brands, whose range attempts to fit a more affordable price range.
Wacom are the industry leaders in the pen tablet field and with good reason - their products are well designed, well made and customisable in virtually every way imaginable,
If you're a professional who is looking to invest in a tablet for multimedia manipulation, I will highly recommend Wacom's line of Cintiq display tablets.
If you're simply a consumer who is looking to utilize a tablet for recreational use, you'll likely be better off saving some money and choosing to one of the regular Intuos tablets.
If you still use the mouse to draw and paint digitally, I recommend you invest in one of these babies. Maybe a smaller size if you're on a budget.