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The 6 best tablets for handwritten notes in 2024

Finding a good tablet for handwritten notes can be a frustrating task. Tablets are a dime a dozen nowadays, but only a select few are designed specifically for taking notes. Most opt for vibrant screens for streaming movies or try to serve as laptop replacements. That means if you're looking for a spiral notebook replacement, you've got your work cut out for you.

Thankfully, once you know where to look, you'll find plenty of incredible tablets for notetaking. Many of these are custom-built for the task, offering displays that simulate paper as best as possible while also cutting out glare. Most also come with their own pen, allowing you to get as close to "real" notetaking as possible on their digital screen.

Need help sifting through your options? Here's a look at the best tablets for handwritten notes, which includes products from Amazon, Remarkable, Boox, and other traditional tablets that work well for this task. If you're looking for something a bit different than a tablet, be sure to check out the best smart notebooks of 2024 for more great options.

Kindle Scribe

The best tablet for handwritten notes.

• Slim and lightweight design
• E-ink screen looks fantastic
• Tried-and-true Kindle reading
• Superb writing experience
• Weeks of battery life
• Very competitive pricing
• Few formatting tools for writing
• Limited Kindle app integration

The Kindle lineup is primarily seen as a premium class of eReaders, but you might consider the Kindle Scribe to be an "eWriter." While it still functions as an eReader, the big draw of the Kindle Scribe is the ability to take notes on the screen with the included Basic Pen, making it easy to jot down your ideas without any fuss.

Not only do you have the option to take down notes on a screen styled after traditional, physical notebooks, but you can even take handwritten notes directly in books or on blank pages. That gives you impressive versatility to write the way you like. Your notes can then be converted to text and shared with contacts via email. If you need to edit your notes, the Scribe lets you use a Lasso tool to cut, copy, paste, or move them.

Other highlights include a variety of brush types (including a fountain pen for calligraphy or a pencil for sketching), the ability to import documents from Microsoft Word, a two-column layout so you can see multiple pages, and a useful Folders and Subfolders feature to help keep everything organized. The device doesn't support cellular networks, is not waterproof, and doesn't support color images, but if you need a tablet that excels at taking notes, the Scribe is hard to beat.

ReMarkable 2

The best premium tablet for handwritten notes.

• Thin design
• Realistic writing experience
• Responsive screen and software
• Limited storage
• Doesn't support color images

The ReMarkable 2 is one of the main competitors of the Kindle Scribe, offering a paper-thin display and premium Marker Plus pen that makes taking digital notes feel shockingly natural. Part of what makes the ReMarkable 2 so compelling is its luxurious design, which is just 0.19-inches thick and comes extremely close to simulating a "real" writing experience on paper.

Aside from its cool design, the ReMarkable 2 gets nearly everything else right. This includes a distraction-free design that uses no pop-ups or pesky notifications, a UI that lets you quickly organize all your files, and a pen that comes with a built-in eraser. You can even convert your handwritten notes into typed text. And since the tablet integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive, you should never have a problem accessing all your files.

As you'd expect, the ReMarkable 2 includes standard features such as the ability to undo your last action, resize objects, or set up layers to better manage your note taking. But one notable drawback is its built-in storage, which caps out at just 8GB. That means you'll want to make use of cloud storage options if you're an avid notetaker. But beyond that caveat, there's little to knock about this remarkable tablet.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S9

The best galaxy tablet for handwritten notes.

• Vibrant AMOLED display
• Premium hardware
• Water and dust resistant
• Doesn't use an e-ink display

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 isn't built specifically for taking notes. But with an included S Pen and large 11-inch display, it’s a versatile machine that does much more than let you jot down your thoughts. It's also shockingly thin despite all the tech packed inside, clocking in at 0.23-inches thick.

For a full-fledged tablet, that's a pretty tiny footprint. Samsung equipped the Tab S9 with an 11-inch AMOLED display – which is a big departure from the displays on the ReMarkable 2 and Kindle Scribe. That makes this tablet not just great for taking notes, but also watching movies, playing games, or surfing the web. It also means that it's not quite as fun to write on as the other tablets, but for users who want their tablet to pull double duty as an entertainment center, it's nice to have all those other options.

Rounding out the Tab S9 is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset for blistering fast performance, and option for up to 512GB SSD, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. That last feature could make this mighty compelling if you plan to bring it with on vacation, as trying to take notes by the pool with a device lacking waterproofing could be a disaster.

If you want something bigger, you'll find the Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra available with larger displays.

Boox Tab Ultra C Pro

The best android tablet for handwritten notes.

• Lightweight design
• Built-in camera
• Supports black and white and color images
• Expensive for what it offers

It may not be as popular as the Scribe or ReMarkable 2, but the Boox Tab Ultra C Pro is a great Android tablet for handwritten notes. Part of its allure is support for both black and white and color images, while its Android operating system makes it great for diving into third-party apps.

Clocking in at just 450 grams, the Tab Ultra C Pro is light and portable. It boasts a striking exterior chassis, which is largely a matte black and looks both refined and professional. The only object breaking up its smooth exterior is a camera block, which can function as a scanner. And while the touchscreen should be fine for most folks, you'll find an optional keyboard attachment available that turns the tablet into a bonafide laptop replacement.

Taking notes on the Tab Ultra C Pro is similar to most other tablets on this list, as it offers an anti-glare display, a split-screen mode for multitasking, and supports multiple document formats. There's even a microSD card slot if you need extra storage for all your files.

The Android operating system isn't quite as exciting as Windows, but it works well with the Tab Ultra C Pro and turns the device into a multifaceted tablet. Be sure to give it a look if you want something off the beaten path that excels at taking notes but doesn't forgo other conveniences.

Apple iPad Pro

The best mac tablet for handwritten notes.

• Sleek and modern design
• Bright, vivid, gorgeous display
• Wild performance from the M2 chip
• Apple Pencil hover feature
• iPadOS 16 is super robust
• Stage Manager needs more work
• Lackluster, awkward front camera
• Prohibitively expensive

Apple is known for making expensive, yet premium, products, and the iPad Pro is no exception. A variety of models are up for grabs, but the 12.9-inch model with support for Wi-Fi and cellular is one of the best available, making it a well-rounded tablet for almost every task.

Unfortunately, the Apple Pencil is not included with the iPad Pro. But if you do pick it up, you'll get a powerful note-taking tool that offers low latency, tilt sensitivity, and a cool feature that lets you double tap to quickly change the writing utensil you're using. And while the iPad Pro doesn't have an e-ink display, its Liquid Retina display is so vibrant and responsive that taking handwritten notes shouldn't be an issue.

This tablet is powered by the M2 chip, resulting in short load times and applications that are quick to respond to your input. You'll also be able to save your files to iCloud for easy access and download various other apps through the popular App Store. It's not cheap, but the iPad Pro is a luxurious tablet that does a bit of everything – so if you don’t need the unique e-ink display of a dedicated writing tablet, this one is worth a closer look.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

The best windows tablet for handwritten notes.

• New colors look great
• Design and build quality are top notch
• SQ3 is a solid alternative
• Type Cover keyboard is excellent
• High resolution webcam
• No headphone jack
• Upgrades still too expensive
• Limited performance improvements

The Surface Pro 9 is a nice all-around tablet that works well for handwritten notes. It's primarily designed as a laptop replacement, equipped with high-end hardware that's ideal for businesses, schoolwork, or even some light gaming, but if you add on a Slim Pen (sold separately, unfortunately), you'll have a smooth way to take digital notes.

Inside this model of the Surface Pro 9 you'll find an Intel Core i7 processor, 256GB SSD, and 16GB RAM, making it one of the most powerful tablets on the market. The tablet is built with a 13-inch touchscreen that offers a 2880 x 1920 resolution, along with a slim profile so you can easily lug it around with you to meetings or lectures.

If you plan on taking notes, you'll need to tack on the Slim Pen 2. The unique stylus includes a haptic motor for tactile feedback, registers over 4,000 pressure levels, and gets up to 15 hours of use before needing a recharge. It's unfortunate that it's not bundled with the tablet, but at least it gets you plenty of cool features if you do decide to pick one up.

How we chose the best tablet for handwritten notes

There are a ton of tablets floating around in the market, but not all of them offer a great writing experience. Some are designed to be alternatives to laptops, while others are designed primarily for reading or consuming content. That means you'll need to pay close attention to the product you pick out, as each tablet comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. With that in mind, here's how we chose the best tablets for handwritten notes.

Smooth writing experience

Above all else, a tablet for taking notes needs to work as a suitable replacement for pen and paper. Whether you're drawing diagrams, writing out a journal entry, or anything in between, writing on the tablet's screen needs to be an enjoyable experience. Ideally, a pen is included with your purchase – but if it's not, the company should at least offer one as a standalone product. Along with writing, going back and reviewing your notes should be simple, as should erasing sections of your work or deleting entire pages.

In short, taking notes on the tablet should be just as intuitive and second nature as taking notes in a traditional spiral notebook. If not, then you'll want to keep searching.

Easy to read display

A display can make or break a tablet. After all, a tablet is essentially just one big touchscreen display. For this list, we looked for products that offered high-quality resolutions and provided users with a great viewing experience. The list is primairily composed of two types of products – ones that use some sort of "e-ink" display and ones that use a traditional, high-resolution display. For example, the Kindle Scribe uses a black and white display with excellent anti-glare properties, making it great for taking notes. However, the iPad Pro is also solid as a note-taking machine, though it uses a Liquid Retina display that works well for movies or gaming.

Products like the Kindle Scribe are typically better for taking handwritten notes, but users who prefer versatility might enjoy the vibrant display offered by the iPad Pro. Be sure to consider how you're going to use your tablet, and if you're using it for more than just notes, screen quality needs to be a consideration.

Portability

Whether you're bringing your tablet to a conference call, lecture, or the library, a good tablet is lightweight and easy to toss into your backpack. We made sure that all the products on this list are streamlined and won't weigh you down with extra baggage. They're also durable and built to last a long time before needing to be upgraded or replaced. Some also offer additional products such as covers or carrying cases, allowing you to personalize their appearance and make them better withstand demanding travel schedules.

Design quality and additional features

Tablets aren't just for taking notes. And if you're spending hundreds of dollars on one, there's a good chance you'll want it to do more than just serve as a digital pen and paper. While the most important factor we considered on this list was the handwritten note experience, we also looked at what other features were available on the device. This includes things like access to the internet, the ability to download apps, or even the option to use it as a traditional PC.

Overall design quality was also considered, as there's no point shelling out cash for a tablet that'll break down within the year. Every tablet on this list is manufactured by a trusted brand like Microsoft, Amazon, or Apple, ensuring that you're all but guaranteed to get a premium device free of defects.

Operating system

Tablets run on all sorts of operating systems, from custom-built Linux systems to Windows or Android. All of these are perfectly suitable choices for a note-taking tablet, but each works different from the next. Products built with custom operating systems are typically the best for note taking, as they've been optimized for this feature. However, products running Android or Windows might offer better access to other applications, allowing you to branch out beyond taking notes.

Pricing and performance

There are some remarkably expensive tablets available in 2024, and not all of them have earned their price tags. We made sure that all our picks have enough firepower and the performance to back up their price. Of course, that doesn't mean this list is loaded with budget picks. Some products earn their hefty price tags by packing in robust processors, incredible displays, and a smooth writing experience. But the items on this list all give you a good bang for your buck, whether they cost $200 or $2,000.

This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.

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Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites beyond Digital Trends, including The Wall Street Journal , Metacritic , GameSpot , and Slickdeals . He holds a degree in Biology and previously worked as a Medical Editor.

When not playing video games, he can be found running, reading, or checking out the latest series on Netflix.

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The Best Writing Tablets for Making Lists and Taking Notes

One of these tablets can help you boost your productivity and streamline your life.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

Remove the stress of picking out a new notebook every few months with a dedicated writing tablet fit with tools to help you organize, get creative, or take notes on documents. Typically made with E Ink screens for the most paper-like feel, good writing tablets typically have features like glare resistance, palm rejection, built-in calendars, cloud syncing, and ideally, a marketplace for extra apps.

While picking up your writing tablet each time you're ready for a new to-do list might take a bit of getting used to, the trade-off is a streamlined note-taking system that puts your notes in-hand whenever you need them (even if you don't have your tablet on your person). Here are our favorites.

Looking for more productivity tools? Check out our picks for the best Chromebooks , and the best tablets for students .

The Best Writing Tablets of 2024

Most Customizable

Boox note air 2 plus.

Most Affordable E Ink

Amazon kindle scribe.

Best iPad Alternative

Samsung galaxy tab s8 ultra.

Most Versatile

Apple ipad pro (2022).

For A Keyboard Alternative

Astrohaus freewrite traveler.

Best For Professionals

Wacom mobile studio pro 16.

Best For Windows Fans

Microsoft surface pro 7+, what to consider.

Any tablet can serve as a writing tablet, but finding one dedicated to the purpose of note-taking means prioritizing specific features like backlights, stylus feel, and syncing with other devices.

E Ink screens are the best option for dedicated writing tablets because they’re most similar to paper, resist glare, and are easier to configure with palm rejection (as in, the tablet doesn’t register the side of your hand as a touch command). They’re also easier on the eyes compared to the glare of a blue screen. If you intend to draw or sketch on your tablet, look for an E Ink tablet with a high refresh rate that will instantly register your pen strokes. High refresh rates are also helpful if you write quickly or want to use your tablet to read.

Traditional LCD screens are also a good pick if you want a multipurpose tablet for playing games, sending emails, editing photos, and also writing. Some LCD screens don't have palm rejection built in, so make sure to look out for that when shopping.

The best writing tablets have on-device storage as well as the ability to sync with your other devices. We recommend options that sync with an app on your phone or computer so you can access your grocery lists and meeting notes whenever you need them. The file types used on writing tablets are typically very small, so you don't need a ton of storage space—around 32 GB is plenty for most users.

Every tablet uses an operating system to run its software. Some of our picks use open-source software with very few parameters, while others have lock-and-key operating systems that don't offer any extra apps. If you're using your tablet for purposes besides writing and reading documents, pick an option with software that allows downloads from the marketplace, such as the App Store or the Android Store.

Switching from pen and paper to stylus and screen can feel like a betrayal of your writerly sensibilities. That's why prioritizing the feel of writing on your new tablet is so important. During testing, we found that we struggled to integrate writing tablets with poor feel into our daily lives because they didn't remind us enough of notebooks or legal pads. A good stylus and screen combo should glide easily with a touch of resistance or friction to mimic the feel of pencil. Get a comfortable stylus to go with your tablet, or pick up a Bluetooth keyboard for even faster writing (but make sure your tablet is compatible first).

How We Selected

We found the best writing tablets by researching what other publications, like Digital Camera World and CNET had to recommend. We also consulted our product testing, including the iPad Pro and the Surface Pro 7 . We scoured through dozens of writing tablets at retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart, and considered user reviews among the bestselling products. This list is compiled with consideration of all budgets, tablet styles, and aesthetic choices.

Using the Boox Note Air 2 Plus is overwhelming in the best way. This tablet is supremely customizable, running on Android so you can download and use apps like Kindle, Kobo, and Google Drive. Whether you want to use it to write a novel or sketch a cube, you can adjust tons of settings, even down to the responsiveness of the stylus. There are plenty of built-in features to help your note-taking process, including a calendar, multiple brush settings for doodling, and a split-screen option for using two apps at once.

Supremely lightweight and responsive, the Note Air 2 Plus also has a microphone for recording memos and a speaker for playing audiobooks on the go. The brand offers users up to 5 GB of cloud storage just in case its built-in 64 GB isn't enough, but we recommend turning the Boox store and cloud syncing off since the company has free rein to share certain data. It's easy to make your tablet more secure, though, with a simple toggle to turn off these features.

The battery life lasts roughly five weeks on a single charge, depending on whether you use the warm and cool backlights and how often you use the device.

With what feels like hundreds of settings and features to make this tablet work for you, after getting our hands dirty with the Boox Note Air 2 Plus, we think it's best enjoyed by people who are relatively tech-savvy since it requires a bit of tweaking to find the best configuration for each user. Unfortunately, it's quite expensive, but it's well worth the extra cash if you want to write, draw, and read all on one device.

Instead of using a Kindle purely for reading, you can write in it, too. The Kindle Scribe marries the look of a Kindle with the functionality of an Amazon Fire tablet. The 300 ppi glare-free Paperwhite display mimics that of real, tangible paper. With Kindle integration, users can make sticky notes directly in their eBooks or on top of PDF files and Microsoft Word documents.

Of course, note-taking is also available through the device’s software. You can create new notebooks, journals, and lists, with templates lined paper, grid paper, and more. An auto-adjustable backlight helps users see in dimly-lit areas, plus, Amazon claims that a single USB-C charge makes the Scribe last up to 3 weeks.

Users love the Kindle Scribe for its user-friendly interface and price point, though many note that they're waiting on software updates to better integrate with Microsoft programs and handwriting-to-text translations.

The Galaxy Tab S8 is a powerful tablet for taking notes and drawing, and at solid processing speeds. With a screen size of just over 14 inches, this device offers a large, beautiful display for students and workers to jot down notes.

The built-in Samsung Notes app can transcribe your handwriting into text, plus compatibility with Windows and Android apps makes it easy to sync files between devices. You can also use it to record notes on the fly.

Though pricey, the tablet comes with a hefty 128 GB of default storage, plus its S Pen stylus comes bundled with its package. Users love the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra for its quick speeds and impressive speaker quality.

The iPad Pro has as much power as a desktop thanks to its M2 Chip, which allows it to perform demanding tasks at brilliant speeds. Its Liquid Retina XDR display offers smooth performance. Whether you’re using your device as a mobile gaming machine, a note-taking app, or for processing video, it can handle it all. For those handwriting notes, the iPadOS can translate your words into basic text instantly, plus the ability to connect to a keyboard lets users type thoughts on the go. Its stylus, the Apple Pencil, is extremely responsive and feels excellent while gliding around the iPad's screen. Note, however, that it's sold separately.

If you want to jot down notes without relying on a stylus, the Freewrite Traveler may be your distraction-free device. This clamshell keyboard opens to a small, 4.75 inch E ink screen where you can draft your thoughts and perhaps edit later on a PC or laptop. The Traveler is designed to limit distractions, so Wi-Fi is only enabled for users to move files.

The device is better on the eyes, as it uses E Ink, but for some users the lag between typing and what appears on the screen is too long. Otherwise, some customers are impressed by this niche device and praise its four-week battery life and minimalist design.

The most powerful tablet in Wacom’s arsenal is the MobileStudio Pro 16. This tablet can be used for professionals who need incredible processing power to edit photos, touch-up illustrations, and even process videos. But of course, at such a high price point, this may be overkill for those who simply need a writing device.

Critical reviews of the tablet note that the MobileStudio Pro 16’s Pro Pen 2 is very responsive and won’t cause any lag. It sports an Ultra HD 4K display, and at 16 inches, it’s large enough to work on major projects without straining the eyes.

An upgradable memory and hard drive offer an expandable creative workspace, but don’t expect it to last long on a single charge if you’re working on something intensive.

Windows fan? When combined with the Surface Pen stylus, the Surface Pro 7+ is an impressive note-taking machine—especially for its price. Thanks to the integrated software of OneNote, you can type, draw, or use your finger to handwrite notes. You can also translate that handwriting into typed text, all in-app. You can resize and organize notes, and sync them between Android and Microsoft devices. A powerful Intel Core processor will maintain peak performance while you’re jotting thoughts, plus a microphone allows you to record audio. The Surface Pro 7+ can also adapt to a laptop or drawing pad as needed with a simple flip of its keyboard shell. Customers rave about this tablet’s ease of use, plus its stability while taking video calls.

Kevin Cortez is an editor for Runner's World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics covering reviews. A culture and product journalist for over ten years, he’s an expert in men’s style, technology, gaming, coffee, e-bikes, hiking, gear, and all things outdoors. He most recently worked as the Style Editor for Reviewed, a top product recommendation site owned by USA TODAY. He also helped with the launch of WSJ's Buy Side commerce vertical, and has covered the music and podcast industries for Mass Appeal, Genius, Vulture, Leafly, Input, and The A.V. Club. Equally passionate about leisure as he is his penmanship, Kevin dedicates his spare time to graphic novels, birding, making cold brew, and taking long, meandering walks.

Zoë Hannah is a Deputy Editor, Reviews, at Popular Mechanics , Runner's World , and Bicycling . She has ten years of experience as a journalist covering travel, video games, mental health, and product reviews. When she isn't editing or writing, you can find her hiking wooded trails, reading a fantasy book, or stretching out on her yoga mat. You can find her work right here, on her website , and on outlets like WIRED , Tom's Guide , Insider , Entrepreneur , and more.

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10 Best Writing Tablets 2023 (Latest Models)

A good writing tablet comes in handy when inspiration strikes. However, If you’re not sure which tablet you should go for, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Some tablets are designed specifically to meet the needs of writers.

A tablet is a computing solution falling somewhere between a smartphone and a pc. From graphic designing to working in extreme weather conditions, there are all sorts of suitable tablets available. So when choosing a tab, you should be specific about your primary requirements.

Writing tablets should have a fast processor and a good refresh rate for a smooth writing experience. This is quite important because any kind of lag while writing will ruin your creative mood and you will end up being more frustrated. In short, the tablet should be able to match the swiftness of your fingers.

Compatibility with the keyboard is another feature it should have. Earlier, tablets used to support a keyboard through OTG, but nowadays new tablets attach to keyboards through magnetic touch contact featuring NFC. Some tablets also have a pogo pin for attaching the keyboard to the tab. All in all, it’s up to you what works better for you.

The keyboards of tablets are smaller in size compared to those of laptops or computers. That said, you should consider the form factor of the keyboard when purchasing a writing tablet. More or less, the keyboards are the same but if you do not like something in particular with any keyboard, you shouldn’t ignore that.

Another crucial feature is a stylus and related functionality. If you want to take quick handwritten notes, the tablet should come with a stylus or at least compatible with it so that you can buy a stylus separately.

The tablets that have made it to our recommendations are compatible with a stylus, and better yet, come with a stylus included. But again, not all styluses are equal. Some need to be charged, some don’t; some attach with the tablet via magnetic contact for charging while some don’t. It completely depends on your preferences as to what to choose.

A few styluses have replaceable pen tips for better writing and drawing experience. So, you might want to consider this fact while choosing a writing tablet. Tilt angle, response rate, pressure sensitivity, programmable buttons, palm detection, eraser tip are some other features of a stylus you might want to consider before buying a writing tablet.

While writing and keeping your notes safe in a tablet, it is crucial to ensure that the tablet has enough storage that matches your requirement and has fingerprint or facial recognition features for security. Tablets these days have improved battery performance for long-lasting use on a single charge. This way, you can write endless stories on your tablet without interruption.

If you’re not sure what you need to look for, don’t worry, we have considered all the factors and have made a list of recommendations for you. Just go through all of them and choose the one which matches your budget and needs the most.

Best Writing Tablets For 2023

What’s a more joyous and satisfactory feeling than pouring your heart out on paper without even the slightest discomfort? The tablets we have chosen for you have all you need for your writing needs.

However, you shouldn’t overlook other features as well. See which additional features can fulfill your needs and wants, and fits your budget as well. That’s the writing tablet you should buy.

We have gathered the best picks for writing tabs for you and shared our reviews. At the end of the article, I’ll tell you which tablet I’d select if I needed a writing tablet.

1. Kindle Scribe

Wouldn’t it be so nice to have a tablet that supports e-reading and writing? Well, that’s what the Kindle Scribe is designed for.

It allows users to read and write as naturally as you want without any hassle. It is equipped with a responsive 10.2” 300 ppi glare-free Paperwhite display that makes you feel like you are reading directly from a book.

With easy access to the Kindle Store, taking notes on the Kindle Scribe is effortless and uninterrupted. Also, the written notes in the device are automatically organized for easy access in the future.

Not just that, the Kindle Scribe also comes with pre-programmed templates like lined paper, checklists, grid paper, etc. that are here to streamline your life and user experience like no other. You can also take notes and review varying documents digitally and in real-time with easy access to the Kindle app.

The large and high-resolution display also supports adjustable warm light and auto-adjusting front light for a personalized reading experience. It also comes with a USB-C charging port that support months of reading and writing.

2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 | S8 Plus | S8 Ultra

Android tablets have a bad rep to them but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 series could change that for good.

A successor to the Tab S7 series, the models are a breakthrough, especially for users on the hunt for a tablet with larger display. This is one of the best competitors for the staple 5th Gen. iPad Air.

The largest of the three, S8 Ultra is equipped with a 14.6” display, which overshadows a lot of the other available tablets in the similar price range. Integrated with a responsive AMOLED display in the S8 Ultra, the Tab S8 is equipped with an LCD display panel, which is equally bright and responsive.

Featuring a combination of high processing power with the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and up to 16GB RAM that supports elegant and power-efficient functioning of the device. The model is powered by the Android 12 OS for access to all the latest applications and functionalities.

If you are looking for a premium writing tablet that streamlines creativity and content creation, the Galaxy Tab S8 series is hands down the best pick in the market.

3. Onyx BOOX Note Air 2 Plus

A leading e-book reader and writing tablet in the market, the Onyx BOOX Note Air 2 Plus is a great choice for extensive readers who don’t want to avail a Kindle.

Featuring a large and high-resolution 10.3” display , the model is built with a thin metal case and supports dual-touch control.

The stunning E Ink Carta display comes with color-temperature adjustment to accommodate the visuals according to the surroundings. It runs on Android 11 OS, and is upgradeable. So, not only can you use the basic reading and writing functions, the tablet has access to Google Play to download any app of choice.

With the additional Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, data transfer and export has never been easier. Also, the battery life in the writing tablet is quite extensive, further adding to the benefits. The body of the tablet is made with amazing quality aluminum-magnesium alloy that ensures durability but also keeps the device lightweight.

Additionally, the display is covered in an Asahi protective glass that prevents scratches and any prominent damage on the display.

4. Huion Note

When it comes to writing tablets, Huion is a brand that stands out on the top. Huion Note is a leading bestseller that supports writing synchronization, one-click PDF share, and document management – all packed into one device.

This smart digital notebook is like no other. This delicate A5 notebook comes with 50 pages of replaceable inner papers, much like what you’d find in a standard notebook. The outer cover of the notebook is made with a high-quality and tensile spunlace leather material for extra durability.

But, the best part about using Huion Note is the real-time writing synchronization. Everything you write on the Huion Note can be directly synced on the app on the smartphone for digital copy. Once synced, users can share their handwritten notes to team members and other users in real-time.

Huion Note also supports voice and note recording, especially when you are taking consistent notes without a break. These make a good investment for business professionals and students who want to record their meetings and classes digitally.

5. Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra C

With productivity being a priority, looking for comprehensive and useful devices is the need of the hour.

Among them, one that stands out is the Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra C.

Integrated with the new Kaleido 3 screen, the soft and soothing color tones and resolution of the device makes the whole user experience stand out for the better.

The highlight of this device is the combination of GPU and BOOX Super Refresh Technology that offers an immersive ePaper screen and improved efficiency. Every tap, swipe and pinch are responsive and backed with multiple refresh modes that offer improved productivity with reduced latency.

Coming to the screen, the BOOX Tab Ultra C features an HD color ePaper screen that lets you highlight and pinpoint different key points in your document for a more organized workflow. Integrated with 4GB + 128GB storage configuration, your documents can be stored in one place and without any compromise.

Furthermore, the writing tablet from Onyx supports 24 digital formats, spanning from PDF to HTML. This ensures that you can engage in any kind of document without any compromise.

The extent of in-build features for annotation is also diverse. Also, the tablet runs on Android 11 OS and an octa-core CPU for the ultimate performance.

6. Kobo Elipsa 2E

Priced under $400, the Kobo Elipsa 2E is another popular and functional writing tablet that deserves a special mention.

Designed for creators and professionals that prioritize productivity and focus. The tablet is bundled with the Kobo Stylus 2 that offers an improved note-taking experience.

As for the display, the tablet is equipped with a 10.3” touchscreen display with ComfortLight PRO, ensuring that the visuals are comfortable on the eye. It also reduces the Blue light emission. Integrated with 32GB storage configuration, you can carry this tablet with ease and store all your favorite documents in one place.

When it comes to the build, the Kobo Elipsa 2E is made with ocean-bound plastic, prioritizing sustainability in the long run. The Notebook feature in the tablet mimics that of original pen and paper, streamlining your note-taking experience.

Coming to the Kobo Stylus 2, this wireless stylus is ergonomically designed for a faster writing experience and is rechargeable so you can use it anywhere that you take the device.

The stylus is integrated with all the relevant functionalities, including an eraser on the top and a separate highlighter button for annotating the notes.

7. Boogie Board Blackboard Writing Tablet

Blackboard tab by Boogie Board is a tablet just for your writing needs. It actually is a semi-transparent surface that allows you to write on it and erase.

When you’re done writing or drawing, you can simply scan it using the Blackboard app on iOS and Android and store it.

You can clear the entire screen by just pressing a single button and features a real erasing experience. You have to press and hold the erasing button while erasing so that you do not accidentally erase anything.

It works on a replaceable battery that lasts about 5 years so that you won’t have to worry about charging it. You can use Blackboard for drawing and tracing as well due to its semi-transparent surface. Blackboard also features lines and grid templates for a better writing experience.

8. Apple iPad Air (5th Gen)

All-rounder tablets are hard to get your hands on. However, the Apple iPad Air 5th Gen makes it a reality, especially with the refreshed design and the list of specifications that the model features.

The tablet is powered by the 8-core M1 chipset that streamlines writing and content creation experience for the users.

Available in five stunning colors, the model comes in four variants with varying RAM and storage configurations. The 64GB and 256GB variants are no doubt the bestsellers, especially with the 5G connectivity options. The model is equipped with a 10.9” Liquid Retina display with True Tone technology for crisp and vivid visuals.

Another highlight in this model is the combination of the 12MP front-facing camera with Center Stage that works with the subject’s movement to keep them in the frame. The tab runs on the iPad OS 15 and is upgradable to the 15.3 version, which is a bonus. Featuring an all-aluminum build, the model is lightweight but durable at the same time.

9. reMarkable 2

reMarkable 2 is a paper tablet that works on a completely different concept. It has a canvas display unlike LED or LCD displays of general-purpose tablets.

The canvas display is similar to the display of kindle tablets. The digital ink simply reflects the light instead of illuminating a zillion minuscule pixels.

Simply put, reMarkable 2 is a paper given some superior digital powers. The tablet is twice as fast as its predecessor. That said, it responds quicker to the strokes of the stylus. When you write on it, it gives the same feeling as writing on real paper with a pen.

With reMarkable 2, you can also write on any pre-existing document. Meaning, you can edit any PDF documents or put your signature on any important documents without needing to print them out. It can also convert your handwritten notes to text.

All in all, if you’re looking for a distraction-free writing tablet, reMarkable 2 is the best choice for you. Moreover, you can also use it as an E-reading tablet.

10. Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra

With hybrid work life and mobile workflow becoming more and more mainstream, there is a steep demand for writing tablets.

If you are considering buying one in 2023, the Onyx BOOX Tab Ultra is no doubt one of the absolute best options in the market.

Programmed with Android 11 OS, this tablet offers faster refresh, clearer screen and powerful and responsive performance. The highlight of this writing tablet is the stunning crystal clear ePaper screen, which is backed by the BOOX Super Refresh technology for a comfortable viewing experience without straining your eyes.

The functionalities don’t stop there at all. The tablet is integrated with a 16MP rear camera for clear and faster document scanning in no time at all.

Gesture and button support streamline navigation in the tablet as well. Additionally, the tablet comes with a magnetic stylus and a keyboard for convenient performance. Overall, this 10.3” writing tablet in phantom black color and thinner bezels never disappoint.

I hope our list has helped you out with selecting the writing tablet perfect for you. If I want an iOS device, I’d surely go with an iPad Pro. It features the best combination of features and specifications of Apple that makes the tablet perfect for any needs including writing.

However, if you don’t need such a high-end device but still want an iOS tablet, you can go with 5th Gen. iPad Air. The same goes for Android tablets . The best writing tablet working on Android interface, Samsung Galaxy S7/S7+ is the ultimate device. And if you don’t want and need the extra features you can always save money by choosing the Blackboard by Boogie Board.

Microsoft Surface tablets are suitable for workaholic people. Its convenient design lets you work immersively. If you prefer to work on the Windows platform, you should choose any of the two Surface tabs we added to our list.

Lastly, if you do not need an Internet connection to research-and-write and want a distraction-free creative writing tablet, Blackboard, BOOX Note Air 2, reMarkable 2, and Royole RoWrite 2 are the best bet for you. This digital ink and paper technology is new and innovative, and RoWrite 2 has nailed it with creating digital documents from writing on real A5 papers.

Conclusively, all tablets we have included are currently the best writing tablets on the market. So choose a tablet that matches your needs without hesitation!

1 thought on “10 Best Writing Tablets 2023 (Latest Models)”

A tablet and a stylus has significantly improved my work flow for note taking and productivity. But if you don’t want to spend that much money. I would say the XP-Pen drawing tablet and a laptop are also a good solution.

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8 Best Writing Tablets: Reviews & Buyer’s Guide (2024)

Discover our guide with top recommendations for the best writing tablets on the market; check out these exciting products today!

From fountain pens to typewriters and the trusted pen and paper, writers have always had a medium to express their innermost thoughts. However, as technology advances, so does the writing world, with tablets and laptops becoming more and more popular than ever. 

Aspiring writers and seasoned professionals can use tablets to create story outlines, write chapters and more! With the world at our fingertips, research, writing and publishing have never been easier. If you’re looking for the best writing tablet, look no further. I’ve reviewed all the top tablets on the market and assessed them for use as a writer; check out our review. Read our guide on selling self-published books to launch your writing career.

Best Writing Tablets Ranked

Top features, budget-friendly writing tablets, accessories for writing tablets, screen protectors, display size and resolution, battery life, operating system, which tablet is best for writing a book, is a writing tablet worth it.

Some of the best tablets for writing are great for general use. You can use these innovative tablets to pen the outline for your next novel, get creative, draw illustrations, create a journal, and more! Check out our journal prompts for adults to get started.

1. Apple iPad Air 5th Generation

The Apple iPad Air 5th Generation is a powerful and versatile tablet that is a marvel of technological prowess. With its M1 chip and stunning Liquid Retina display, it takes digital note-taking to new heights.

Add the compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil, and you have an unrivaled note-taking experience. The iPad Air 5th Generation is not just a tablet; it’s a creative powerhouse, rivaling the iPad Pro in performance. Check out this product on Amazon; click here .

• 10.9” Liquid Retina display with True Tone technology for a mesmerizing visual experience
• All-aluminum build for a premium appeal
• Compatibility with the Apple Pencil 2, offering precision and versatility
• Strong performance
• Access to many writing apps
• Great display
• No storage expansion
• iOS might feel restrictive

2. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Series

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Series is an innovative and popular product ideal for writers looking for a tablet they can use for both writing and general use. This range of advanced Android tablets offers large displays, powerful processors, and an enhanced S Pen functionality, adding to a stellar note-taking experience.

This tablet range includes an S Pen stylus, offering a seamless writing experience. However, it is essential to note that while this model offers value, it is not the most economical option in the market, as some components may be sold separately. Check out this product on Amazon; click here .

• AMOLED Display: Offers sharp, vibrant visuals with high resolution.
• S Pen Support: Enhanced stylus functionality for note-taking, drawing, and more.
• Expandable Storage: Features a microSD card slot for additional storage needs.
• Dex Mode: Provides a desktop-like experience, increasing productivity.
• High-Performance Chipset: Ensures smooth multitasking and optimized app performance.
• Vibrant AMOLED screen
• S Pen support
• Expandable storage
• It can be expensive
• Some unwanted pre-installed apps
• Varying battery life

3. Microsoft Surface Pro 8

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a versatile Windows tablet. Featuring a high-resolution display, a powerful processor, and compatibility with the Surface Pen, it is a perfect ally for note-takers who prefer the Windows ecosystem. This makes it an excellent choice for professionals requiring a tablet to handle complex tasks without compromise. Check out this product on Amazon; click here .

• Impressive resolution of 2880 x 1920 pixels
• Active drawing area of approximately 11 x 7.5 inches
• Ability to run full Adobe software rather than just apps
• Full Windows OS
• Tablet/laptop versatility
• Good stylus
• High price with accessories
• A bit heavy
• Faster battery drain

4. Onyx BOOX Note Air 2 Plus

The Onyx BOOX Note Air 2 is more than just a writing tablet. It’s a customizable and versatile device with an Android 11 OS, a 10.3” E Ink display, a microphone, a speaker, and up to 5 GB of cloud storage. It is ideal for individuals who wish to compose, illustrate, and peruse on a single device. Check out this product on Amazon; click here .

• 10.3” E Ink display for a unique note-taking experience
• Replicates the feel of pen on paper
• Impressive battery life of approximately five weeks
• Allows for extended note-taking without frequent charging
• E-ink = less eye strain
• Uses Android
• Good for note-taking
• Slower screen refresh
• Not all apps work well
• Higher price for E-ink

5. Huion Kamvas Studio 22

The Huion Kamvas Studio 22 is an all-in-one pen display and PC designed to provide an immersive experience. Equipped with a 21.5-inch Full HD display, an Intel i5 processor, and ample storage, it is a budget-friendly option that doesn’t compromise performance. While it may have a somewhat underwhelming GPU, the Huion Kamvas Studio 22 offers a range of features that make it stand out. Check out this product on Amazon; click here .

• Precision stylus response, making it an excellent choice for note-taking
• Lightweight and durable design, making it easily transportable
• Excellent value compared to other writing tablets
• Big workspace
• Accurate stylus
• Handy shortcut keys
• More for artists
• Less portable

Technology is known to be expensive, but we all deserve a versatile writing companion, no matter the price. Plenty of budget-friendly options are available, ideal for those looking for a simple tablet for note-taking, brainstorming and writing.

6. Amazon Fire Max 11

The Amazon Fire Max 11 is a cost-effective alternative that does not compromise performance. This lightweight and affordable tablet boasts an upgraded battery life, 8MP cameras, and stylus compatibility, making it an excellent choice for students or anyone on a tight budget. Check out this product on Amazon; click here .

• 11-inch touchscreen
• Bluetooth 5.3
• USB-C 2.0 port
• 64-128GB storage
• Amazon integration
• Average display
• Limited app store
• Ads present
• Mediocre performance

7. Samsung Galaxy Tab A

Utilizing these features and the wide variety of apps available on the Google Play Store, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A provides a great user experience. Pre-loaded with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, TouchWiz software, and Samsung apps, the Galaxy Tab A is an Android tablet ready for note-taking. Whether you’re jotting down notes, sketching ideas, or catching up on your favorite shows, this tablet is a fantastic budget-friendly option. Check out this product on Amazon; click here .

• A convenient size
• A clear display
• An intuitive interface
• A 1.2GHz quad-core processor
• A long-lasting battery
• Budget-friendly
• Storage can be expanded
• Sufficient for basic writing
• Less impressive screen
• Not a premium product
• Missing high-end features

8. Boogie Board Jot 8.5 LCD Writing Tablet

The Boogie Board Jot 8.5 is a cheap tablet great for note-taking. It’s light but tough so that you can carry it easily. It has an 8.5-inch screen and a spot to keep the stylus. There’s a button that uses special Boogie Board tech. The screen feels like you’re writing on paper and uses a small battery. Check out this product on Amazon; click here .

• 8.5” screen
• Built-in stylus holder
• One-touch button that activates Boogie Board’s technology
• Durable, ultra-lightweight LCD writing screen that provides a pen-on-paper feel
• Includes a lithium coin battery
• Purely for notes
• Long battery
• Can’t save notes
• Not super sturdy

Stylus Pens

Stylus pens are essential when using a tablet for writing. Writing like a pen on paper but creating digital documents is unbeatable, so make sure you choose a stylus that suits your needs. When you’re choosing a stylus, consider features like pressure sensitivity and compatibility. An active stylus, for example, comes with an internal battery, providing additional features, such as pressure sensitivity and palm rejection.

Screen protectors are an essential accessory for preserving your tablet’s display. These thin films protect the screen from scratches, cracks, and other forms of damage, extending the life of your device. In addition to protecting your screen, some screen protectors offer features such as:

• Reducing eye strain
• Providing privacy
• Protecting against dirt accumulation
• Offering anti-glare or blue light filter features

Tablet Features to Consider

Choosing the right writing tablet involves more than just the brand; it’s about understanding the key features contributing to a superior note-taking experience. To make an informed choice, you’ll need to consider aspects such as:

• Display size
• Battery life
• Operating system
• Stylus compatibility

The first thing to consider is the display size and resolution of the writing tablet. A larger display size and higher resolution can enhance your writing experience by providing a larger viewable area, sharper text and images, and more accurate stylus usage.

While it is suggested that the screen size for note-taking tablets should be 8-10 inches, a screen size of 10 inches or larger is recommended for drawing on tablets. The larger the screen, the more room you have to express your creativity or take detailed notes.

Battery life is a critical factor to consider when choosing a writing tablet. A tablet with a longer battery life allows for uninterrupted note-taking, ensuring productivity is not hindered by the need for frequent recharging. The battery life of most tablets typically ranges from 3 to 10 hours, with cheaper models often requiring more frequent charging.

To optimize the battery life of your tablet, consider:

• Turning off any unused features, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
• Reducing the brightness of the screen
• Avoid running multiple applications simultaneously.

A tablet’s operating system can significantly impact the user experience and app compatibility. The most commonly available operating systems for tablets are:

Choosing the right operating system depends on your requirements and preferences. Consider these features when deciding which operating system is best for you. Here are some key features of each operating system:

• iOS: user-friendliness and security
• Android:  customization options
• Windows:  power and versatility
• Chrome OS:  lightweight nature and security

FAQS About the Best Writing Tablet

For writers looking for the ideal tablet, the Apple iPad Pro (2022) is the most versatile and reliable choice, offering a range of features that make it perfect for professional authors.

It has a large 12.9-inch display, a powerful A14X processor, and up to 1TB of storage. It also has a USB-C port, allowing easy connection to external devices. The iPad Pro also has a long-lasting battery life.

If you’re looking for a lightweight and affordable solution, an LCD writing tablet could be worth it; however, it’s unsuitable for professional or detailed illustrations.

Meet Rachael, the editor at Become a Writer Today. With years of experience in the field, she is passionate about language and dedicated to producing high-quality content that engages and informs readers. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her exploring the great outdoors, finding inspiration for her next project.

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The Best Drawing Tablets

By Arthur Gies

Arthur Gies is an editor for Wirecutter's tech coverage. He's written about video games since 2008 and covers drawing tablets, iPad styluses and more.

Even as screen-based work replaces more and more of the time that people spend with paper, using a pencil remains a near-universal skill, for good reason. Drawing and writing by hand rank among the most intuitive kinds of physical interaction for most people, and drawing tablets translate that movement almost directly to a PC, laptop, or phone.

As a result, drawing tablets can be indispensable tools for creating art and performing more complicated image editing, and they can also be lifesavers for people who encounter some kinds of repetitive strain injury or pain while using traditional mice or laptop touchpads.

In previous years, a good, full-featured drawing tablet would often cost hundreds of dollars. Today, for under $100, you can get a great, midsize tablet such as the Huion Inspiroy 2 M , which offers plenty of drawing area, lots of function buttons, intuitive software, and an excellent drawing experience.

Everything we recommend

Huion Inspiroy 2 M

The best drawing tablet for most people.

Offering a smooth drawing experience and plenty of space and hotkeys, this model is a great drawing tablet for all but the most demanding professionals.

Buying Options

Budget pick.

Huion Inspiroy H640P

A cheap tablet for beginners and artists on a budget.

This tablet isn’t quite as sleek as similar models from Wacom or its more expensive Huion siblings, but the drawing experience is great, and it offers plenty of hotkeys, all for a very low price.

With clipped on-page coupon

Wacom Intuos S

A no-frills wireless drawing tablet.

Wacom’s entry-level Intuos tablet offers a good drawing experience and paper-like texture, plus five hotkeys and wireless connectivity.

Upgrade pick

Wacom Intuos Pro M

A feature-packed drawing tablet.

While its huge size, expansive list of features, and fully wireless capability are more than most people need from a drawing tablet, this tablet justifies its higher price, offering a premium drawing experience.

The 12-by-7-inch Huion Inspiroy 2 M offers a lot of space to sketch on, allowing for comfortable drawing while not taking up too much of a desk. The included wireless stylus provides excellent tracking with no perceivable latency, is comfortable to hold for extended periods, and has two function buttons. The Inspiroy 2 M also has plenty of hotkeys for you to program as you like, along with a dial and a pen holder with replacement nibs. However, it lacks wireless support.

The 10.2-by-5.8-inch Huion Inspiroy H640P doesn’t have as many features as its more expensive counterparts, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get the job done—its stylus tracking and drawing experience feel very similar to those of pricier models, and unlike inexpensive tablets from Wacom, it features six programmable hotkeys. And it carries an extremely low price tag without compromising on the most important features of a great drawing tablet.

The entry-level Wacom Intuos S is as no-frills as Wacom’s flagship line of drawing tablets gets—this 7.8-by-6.3-inch model doesn’t even have a separate pen holder, just a little fabric loop at the top of the tablet. But you do get Wacom’s excellent pen tracking, a paper-like surface that some artists swear by, proper hotkeys, and full wired connectivity or wireless support via Bluetooth. Plus, it comes with a number of software trials if you need a little guidance on where to start with digital image creation.

The 13.3-by-8.6-inch Wacom Intuos Pro M offers just about anything you could ask for from a drawing tablet, providing great tracking, an excellent stylus, quality-of-life perks such as a touch dial and full touch sensitivity, and wireless support via Bluetooth. But you pay a lot more for all those features, in comparison with our other picks.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, how we picked, how we tested, our pick: huion inspiroy 2 m, budget pick: huion inspiroy h640p, also great: wacom intuos s, upgrade pick: wacom intuos pro m, what to look forward to, the competition, frequently asked questions.

I’ve been using drawing tablets, graphics tablets, and almost every variation of a digital drawing device since 2002. I have both a bachelor of fine arts in studio art and a master of fine arts in drawing and painting, which included a semester of assisting in instructing undergraduates in life painting. I also dabble as a professional artist here and there. I do most of my digital drawing on a 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil, but I also personally own a Wacom Intuos drawing tablet and a Cintiq graphical tablet.

A drawing tablet, which helps you create art on your computer, is a flat panel that tracks the input of a stylus and then translates the lines you draw for your PC, laptop, or phone. Virtually all tablets measure the pressure that you apply to the tablet with the stylus—plus its tilt and angle—which some programs can use to vary the thickness and opacity, or other properties, of the lines you draw.

Drawing tablets are great for creating images and for using art tools such as Adobe’s Photoshop, Corel’s Painter, or Celsys’s Clip Studio Paint Pro. Drawing tablets are also excellent tools for working with 3D modeling programs and other situations where a pencil-shaped input tool makes sense. Entry-level drawing tablets are suitable for beginning artists, while more full-featured tablets are designed for creative professionals, but these days you can get a great drawing tablet for less than $100.

A drawing tablet can also be helpful for people who find using a mouse difficult or uncomfortable, as it should put less stress on the shoulders and wrists. However, drawing tablets can take up a lot of space on a desktop, making them a bit of a compromise in ergonomics and convenience, so keep that in mind before investing heavily in one as a mouse, touchpad, or trackball replacement. In addition, not all operating systems and drawing tablets work nicely together when it comes to using one as a mouse replacement, so be sure to do additional research on how a tablet might work for your specific situation.

For this iteration of this guide, we focused on drawing tablets, but we also evaluated display-based drawing options, which are now far more affordable than they used to be. That said, for beginners or somewhat more casual enthusiasts, we don’t recommend such models—they’re still much more expensive than drawing tablets, they occupy even more space, and they usually require a tangle of wires to connect to a PC.

Based on our research, expert interviews, and testing, we found that the key features for a drawing tablet, in order of importance, are the following:

• Reliable stylus detection: A drawing tablet should reliably track the stylus position, including along the outside edges of the panel or when you’re drawing quickly or in tight, circular strokes.
• Pressure sensitivity: Many experts we’ve interviewed agree that pressure sensitivity is the most important feature of a drawing tablet. Most modern tablets range from 4,096 to 8,192 levels of sensitivity, but we’ve found that a minimum of 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity (which scales upward in intervals of 512) is the lowest acceptable number. All of our picks have at least 4,096 levels of sensitivity, though I tested one model with 2,048 levels and didn’t detect any particular deficiency connected to that.
• Software stability: A drawing tablet’s drivers—the software that allows it to communicate with your PC—affect how well the tablet works with your computer, which software the tablet works with, and the presence and severity of input lag. The lines you draw should appear instantly. Drawing tablets in the past have often been glitchy and hard to set up, but in our latest round of testing we encountered few issues in Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma, so things may be improving. In one respect, however, setting up tablets has become more annoying, at least for Mac owners: You need to meticulously review and approve a number of privacy settings in macOS for your new tablet to work properly.
• Price: Most people can find a reliable drawing tablet with essential features for less than $100. Unless you need wireless support, a roomier drawing area, or other specialized features, you probably don’t have to spend more. Once you’re in that $100 range, tablets’ practical results don’t vary much in the ways most people would notice.
• Tablet size: Small graphics tablets are about the size of a mouse pad and highly portable, with an active area around 6 by 4 inches. Medium (8-by-5-inch) and large (10-by-6-inch) drawing tablets are about as wide as a keyboard without a number pad, so they’re better suited for dedicated graphics work. If you’re just starting out or in need of a model that fits in a bag, a smaller tablet makes sense. But a medium tablet offers a working area that better matches a laptop screen or PC monitor and has more room for programmable hotkeys. Larger tablets are best suited to more experienced artists who have a lot of space on their desk.
• Tablet buttons and customizability: Most drawing tablets let you map keyboard shortcuts and other actions to buttons on the pen and tablet, but beginners aren’t likely to need more than a handful to cover the most-used actions. More customizability allows you to fine-tune your workflow, but having easy-to-use software is more important than having 20 customizable buttons.
• Multitouch: This functionality essentially turns a drawing tablet into a touchpad, much as you’d find on a laptop, with swiping, pinching, and other gesture support. Multitouch is nice to have, but it’s a feature that not many people need—and the drawing tablets that support it don’t quite match the best laptop touchpads yet.
• Complimentary software: Some tablets come with software trials, which can be helpful as you’re figuring out what kinds of applications best suit your needs. Such trials can be especially useful for beginners who have little experience with drawing-tablet-compatible software. However, most people shouldn’t pay more for a particular model just to gain access to its bundled trial software, and most of these applications offer trials that aren’t tied to a hardware purchase anyway. For example, Clip Studio Paint Pro, a leading drawing program for comic and manga artists, offers one month free, or up to three months if you sign up for a monthly-usage plan (which you can cancel before the trial expires).

Wacom is the industry leader in graphics tablets, but numerous competitors have emerged over the past decade, several of whom now offer great options that provide similar performance for much less money. We still like Wacom’s tablets, but they’re no longer the only option we recommend to people who are looking to draw on their computer.

We looked at dozens of drawing tablets and narrowed down our testing for this round to nine new models. I tested each drawing tablet paired with a Windows 11 PC and an M1 MacBook Pro running macOS Sonoma, using the newest available driver from each tablet manufacturer.

After downloading the drivers and tablet-management software, I explored each tablet’s settings options and multiple-monitor support, as well as its hotkey functionality, pressure settings, and other features. I also tested the responsiveness of the buttons and their overall feel, and I inspected each tablet for its build quality and overall construction. The only visible discrepancies in pressure sensitivity that I found from tablet to tablet appeared due to driver-level defaults for pressure settings from one device to the next, which I adjusted in each tablet’s settings menu.

The tablets we tested didn’t have any program-compatibility problems, and we detected virtually no input lag or latency in Windows 11 or macOS Sonoma.

After setting up each tablet, I then spent several hours drawing in Photoshop Creative Cloud 2024 across both Windows and Mac. I focused primarily on Photoshop because it’s the creative-industry standard, and drawing tablets are designed to support its features. I drew portraits and did line tests both freehand and using a ruler. I also tested the ability to vary the opacity and line weight based on pressure sensitivity. While drawing, I watched closely for any jumpiness or stutter in long strokes, as well as in winding strokes drawn close together. I also paid attention to how well each tablet seemed to register inputs toward the outer edges of the drawing surface.

Based on my years of experience with both natural drawing and painting materials and drawing tablets and displays, I also paid attention to factors such as surface feel and wrist and arm fatigue, which can be exacerbated by some drawing-surface types. A tablet doesn’t need to have a rough surface to feel good to draw on, though some people prefer that surface type.

Wired | 12 by 7 inches; 8.7-by-5.4-inch usable workspace

The Huion Inspiroy 2 M proves that you don’t have to pay more than $100 for a great drawing tablet with features where it counts—if you’re willing to deal with a wired connection. It offers a large drawing surface with good stylus detection, plenty of hotkeys, and a comfortable, battery-free pen. The drivers are also relatively painless to deal with, and most important, this tablet was a pleasure to draw on almost straight out of the box. Most people shouldn’t bemoan its lack of multitouch support, especially for the price, but the absence of wireless connectivity might make this model a tougher sell for people who can’t stand cables on their desk or are frequently out and about while connected to a laptop. If you need a wireless tablet, consider the Wacom Intuos S or even the Wacom Intuos Pro M .

The Inspiroy 2 M covers all the bases and doesn’t compromise where it counts. This model is an excellent drawing tablet, especially if you don’t have one already or own something much smaller and are looking to upgrade without spending a lot of money.

The Inspiroy 2 M is a pleasure to draw on. It doesn’t really matter how cheap or feature-filled a drawing tablet is if it’s laggy, stuttery, or physically tiring to draw on, and the Inspiroy 2 M is none of those things. In our tests, drawing on the tablet felt easy right away, thanks in part to a relatively smooth pen surface that causes the stylus nib to glide across it. Some artists prefer a rougher drawing-tablet surface, as it more closely resembles drawing on a more textured paper surface. As someone who works in a variety of media and tends to draw in smoother sketchbooks by manufacturers such as Moleskine, I personally found the Inspiroy 2 M’s tablet surface a joy to draw on and less tiring than other tablets with more friction. If you want a rougher-feeling surface with the Inspiroy 2 M, you can buy replacement felt nibs for the stylus, which add friction to the feel of the pen.

In our line and ruler tests, the Inspiroy 2 M performed well, exhibiting minimal wobble on slow, straight lines and tracking tight curving strokes and circles without wobbling or stuttering. Though the initial stroke quality felt a little soft in comparison with that of other tablets, we easily fixed that in the pen-pressure settings within Huion’s software.

It has plenty of hotkeys. The Inspiroy 2 M has eight hotkeys along the left side of the tablet. It also offers three additional buttons that store presets for the hotkeys, for a total of 24 possible programmed keys and commands. The result is a fair bit of customizability that provides easier access to commands and tools. The tablet also sports a programmable dial, though it’s more of a scroll wheel than the capacitive input you might find on more expensive tablets.

Setup is easy, and the drivers are fairly user-friendly. The Inspiroy 2 M was one of the very few tablets I tested that defaulted to single-monitor mode on my dual-monitor desktop setup, which is what most people want out of a drawing tablet in that situation. Changing the mapping settings was about as painless as these things get for drawing tablets, its hotkeys were fairly intuitive to assign, and the driver utility itself was responsive. Plus, in my time with the Inspiroy 2 M across both Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma on an M1 MacBook Pro, the drivers were stable. However, as with every tablet we tested, we had a daunting amount of privacy prompts and settings to approve while setting this model up in Sonoma.

It’s cheap. This is a great-feeling tablet that routinely sells for much less than $100—while conducting research and testing for this guide, we routinely saw the Inspiroy 2 M on sale for about $65 or less. Most people don’t need to spend more.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The design is boring. The Inspiroy 2 M is inoffensive in its design and construction, but it’s still just a slab of (mostly) plastic—though it does come in multiple colors, at least. If you get the black version, be ready to wipe off fingerprints all the time. It’s also available in green and light pink.

It lacks wireless connectivity. If you absolutely cannot stand wires, the Inspiroy 2 M isn’t for you. This is one of the two main compromises that Huion makes with this tablet, the other being the absence of touch input. If you need a wireless tablet and you don’t want to spend more than $100, your next best option is our also-great pick , the Wacom Intuos S. If you want a tablet that performs just as well as, or better than, the Inspiroy 2 M without wires, it will cost you a fair bit more: The Huion Inspiroy Giano G930L performs similarly and supports wireless, but it sells for $200 and is, frankly, massive at almost 17 by 10 inches. Our upgrade pick , Wacom’s Intuos Pro M tablet, is around the same size as the Inspiroy 2 M and offers similar performance, more customization features, and wireless support, but it sells for $380. We love wireless connectivity, but we would hesitate to make it one of our most important criteria for a drawing tablet right now.

Wired | 10.2 by 5.8 inches; 6.3-by-3.9-inch usable workspace

The Huion Inspiroy H640P is a capable, small drawing tablet available at a great price. For less than $40 at this writing, the H640P offers a pen holder with replacement nibs included, six programmable buttons, and a comfortable, full-size wireless pen. We’d prefer the build quality to be a little more solid. But we found the buttons to be nicely spaced and easy to press and feel without looking at them, and the drawing experience felt good almost right out of the box.

It offers a smooth drawing experience. The H640P doesn’t look like much, but it’s good where it counts—namely in the drawing experience, where it behaved as I expected it to almost straight away. In my time with the H640P, I found the pen tracking toward the edges of the active area to be a little more consistent than that of the Wacom One , though your results may vary. While bigger tablets are generally easier on my wrists and shoulder to draw on, the H640P’s size is perfectly serviceable, and I was able to sketch for hours without much discomfort. In my ruler and line tests, the H640P demonstrated only a slight wobble while I drew slow, straight lines, and otherwise it delivered satisfactory results. Plus, the drivers weren’t a pain to navigate, and the tablet was stable and as easy as any other to set up.

It has a good number of function buttons. Though the H640P doesn’t have a dial or a scroll wheel, and it lacks a button to swap between different stored key preferences, it does offer physical buttons that were spaced enough for me to tell the difference between them, and they responded with a relatively satisfying click—even if they were just a little more wobbly than I’d prefer. On a more expensive tablet, we’d be pickier, but for $40, this compromise is more than acceptable.

It comes with a pen holder. At this price, every accessory feels like a treat, and if you’ve ever owned a drawing tablet before, you know how useful a pen holder can be to keep you from losing your stylus. Though I’d like it if the H640P’s pen holder felt a little less wobbly, it’s still useful. It also holds replacement nibs in the base, rather than expecting you to store (and immediately lose) a small plastic bag of them somewhere. Most cheap tablets don’t come with this kind of accessory, so I’ll take it.

It isn’t wireless, and it charges via Micro-USB . Though I won’t hold this $40 (or less) tablet’s wired nature against it, we’d really like to move past Micro-USB on our peripherals.

Did we mention that the buttons rattle? While the H640P doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall apart, it just doesn’t quite match pricier “budget” options from Wacom or Huion’s more expensive tablets in its build quality. When I shake the H640P, it rattles—only a little, but still. This concern applies only to the tablet, however, as the pen feels perfectly stable, and I found it more comfortable than those of Wacom’s budget options.

Wireless | 7.8 by 6.3 inches; 6.0-by-3.7-inch usable workspace

The Wacom Intuos S is solidly built, and it’s the best wireless option we’ve found for $100 or less, but it’s not without a few compromises. It’s more expensive than our budget pick for the same size, and it’s more expensive than our top pick, the Huion Inspiroy 2 M, despite being smaller with fewer hotkeys. It also has the most particular drawing experience of the Wacom tablets we tested, with a harder feel requiring more pressure to get the same kind of stroke as on other models—and attempting to fix that yielded some inconsistent performance while we were drawing. The Intuos S isn’t the best option for everybody, but if you’re looking for wireless connectivity, it’s the best option for the price.

It offers both wired and Bluetooth support—you don’t have to buy any additional pieces. The Wacom Intuos S comes with everything you need to draw right out of the box, including Bluetooth connectivity and a pretty good stylus, plus a USB-C cable. This sets it apart from the One by Wacom S tablet (which is $50 but doesn’t have hotkeys and connects only via USB) and the Wacom One S tablet (which has Bluetooth support and starts at $60 but also lacks hotkeys and doesn’t come bundled with a USB cable or a pen unless you pay more for them). Just confirm that your PC or laptop supports Bluetooth 4.2. We weren’t able to test the battery life directly, but most online reports suggest 12 to 15 hours on a full charge, which should be more than enough for almost everyone.

The drawing experience is good, not perfect. Though the Wacom Intuos S has a comfortable stylus and a rougher surface that many people prefer, I found it to be a slightly more tiring, finicky tablet to draw on in comparison with the Huion tablets we recommend and the more expensive Wacom Intuos Pro M. Because the default pressure sensitivity was “harder” than for the other tablets I tested, I had to press harder with the stylus to achieve similar stroke opacity and line weights. I attempted to fix this by adjusting the stylus options in the Wacom drivers, which helped with the feel of the stylus but introduced a slight stutter in both Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma. The Intuos S is an otherwise very accurate tablet—in our ruler tests, slow, straight lines were steady, with no perceptible wobble.

It’s well constructed. The Intuos S isn’t the most exciting-looking PC accessory, but it’s solidly built and feels sturdy enough to survive being thrown into a bag—so it should last for years of use.

It’s the most no-frills Wacom tablet. The Intuos S is the most limited model in the Intuos line, with just four hotkeys, a stylus without an eraser on the other end, and no dedicated pen holder. Instead, a fabric loop attached to the top of the Intuos S is intended to fit the stylus—and just barely does, if you finagle it enough.

It comes with software trials, if you need them. Wacom tablets still come with software trials, and conveniently, they’re available to download through the included driver software once you register your tablet. The selection includes a two-year license for Clip Studio Paint Pro, a popular drawing program designed for comic and manga art, as well as a 90-day trial for Corel Painter Essentials 8, which simulates natural media such as oil and acrylic paints. But we don’t think you should buy this tablet strictly for the software trials or licenses, as Clip Studio Paint Pro offers flexible trials without a hardware purchase and Painter Essentials is a feature-restricted version of the more powerful Painter 8.

Wireless | 13.3 by 8.6 inches; 8.82-by-5.83-inch usable workspace

The Wacom Intuos Pro M has just about every bonus feature you might ask for, including a touch ring, plenty of hotkeys, touch input that you can toggle on and off via a physical button on the tablet itself, and full wireless support via Bluetooth. It’s also notably large and significantly more expensive than any other drawing tablet we recommend. But if you’ve already been using a cheaper tablet and want to step up—and wireless connectivity and touch input are important to you—the Intuos Pro M is an excellent option.

It offers a great drawing experience, but you might need to adjust the settings. Wacom’s Intuos Pro models are exactly what their name suggests: professional-level drawing tablets. They give you a big active area to draw on, 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt detection, and excellent pen tracking. But in my tests of the Intuos Pro M, I initially found the combination of the slightly rough drawing area and the slim, default stylus nib to be a little tiring as I tried to find the strokes I intended in Photoshop CC 2024. I solved the problem by swapping out the original nib with a thicker one stored in the base of the Intuos Pro M’s pen holder.

I found the stylus handling and pen tracking to be responsive and a pleasure to use, though the tablet’s size might make it impractical for work with laptops smaller than 15 inches. In addition, newer tablet users might find it tough to adjust to the amount of travel required to make a similar stroke in comparison with smaller tablets. In my line and ruler tests, the Intuos Pro M excelled, with virtually no perceptible wobble, and marks came out just as I expected.

Touch input is included and well supported. The Intuos Pro M features full multitouch tracking in both Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma, and though the palm rejection—which is supposed to distinguish between intended input with fingers and incidental contact with the rest of your hand—was a little finicky, it generally worked well. Wacom has added a hardware toggle that turns multitouch on or off, as well as driver settings that allow separate monitor and touchpad settings; as a result, you can set the drawing-tablet features to correspond to a single monitor while allowing the touchpad input to span all of your displays. I wouldn’t advise throwing away your mouse just yet, though, since you’re likely to position the Intuos Pro M below your keyboard, rather than to the right or left as you would place a mouse.

It has a number of features that justify the price. In addition to support for touch input, the Intuos Pro M has more added features than any other drawing tablet we tested, including programmable hotkeys and what Wacom calls a Touch Ring, which offers a variety of potential functions in different applications, including zooming and scrolling.

It also offers both wired and wireless support. For almost $400, wireless connectivity is practically a required feature, but we still appreciate its presence here, and the Intuos Pro M is the best midsize wireless tablet we’ve tested.

It’s the best-built tablet with the best stylus we’ve tested. The Intuos Pro M’s flat black slab is built solidly, and everything fits together, with no odd edges or finish problems. It has no rattle to speak of, it didn’t slide around a glass tabletop in our tests, and even the pen holder is pleasantly weighted and fits the stylus well. Just as important, the Intuos Pro M’s stylus has two modifier buttons and an “eraser” on the back, which is especially convenient during extended drawing sessions. This tablet sells for a premium price, and it feels like a premium object.

But it’s really large. Though the Intuos Pro M doesn’t feature a bigger drawing area than on our main pick, it does have a lot of additional area around it to support the multitouch features and extra hotkeys and interaction points. The result is a device that’s just a little wider and a fair bit taller than a 14-inch M1 MacBook Pro, which takes up an awful lot of space on a desk.

It’s expensive. The Intuos Pro M is a fantastic tablet that usually sells for more than four times what our top pick does, and for most people, it won’t give them four times the results. It’s much more tablet than most people need outside of specific, mostly professional situations. And even for professionals, the features you’re paying more for are additive to the drawing experience, rather than essential to it.

We are currently testing a number of display-based drawing options for this guide, and will update soon with our findings.

XP-Pen announced the Artist 22 Plus in November, featuring a 1080p, 21.5 inch display with 16K levels of pressure sensitivity and a price tag under $500. This marks it as one of the most affordable mid-sized graphical tablets available, and we’ll investigate more in the coming months.

At CES 2024, Wacom announced new One-branded devices, which are designed for beginners, students, and families. The company will release new 12- and 13-inch Wacom One pen displays and redesigned small and medium Wacom One drawing tablets. Wacom also introduced new higher end Cintiqs with 27-, 22-, and 17-inch pen displays. The 27-inch Wacom Cintiq Pro is the new flagship of Wacom’s line, with a 4K display, 10-bit color, and what Wacom is claiming is superb color accuracy and calibration tools. But all that goodness comes at a price: $3,500 without a stand. Because of this, we won’t evaluate the 27-inch Cintiq Pro (or the $3,000 22-inch model ). However, we’ll be looking more into the $2,500 17-inch Cintiq Pro as well as the updated Wacom One line of products in the coming months.

Huion also announced new pen displays in its Kamvas line, including the $2,000, 27-inch Kamvas Pro . The Kamvas Pro 27 features a 27-inch 4K display, which boasts excellent color reproduction and a brand new stylus. After spending time with it at this year’s CES, we came away impressed at the responsiveness and lack of parallax—meaning there was little perceptible distance between the pen where it touched the screen and the results on the display itself. While the Kamvas Pro 27 lacks the physical buttons present on Wacom’s more expensive Cintiqs, it seems designed for professionals on a budget, at $1,500 less than a Cintiq with comparable performance. Huion also announced the $1,300 Kamvas Pro 24 , which offers similar performance to the larger model in a 24-inch 4K display, and a 19-inch Kamvas Pro. All three graphical tablets are rolling out now, and we’ll update this guide when they’re more widely available.

Wacom has introduced multiple entry-level tablets under its One brand. However, the One line might be the single most confusing pileup of product names and market segments we’ve seen. The One by Wacom is a budget tablet with no hotkeys and no wireless connectivity. The Wacom One drawing tablet (which shouldn’t be confused with the Wacom One pen display ), meanwhile, is wireless, but in its default configuration it doesn’t come with a pen or a USB cable. You can find a version of the Wacom One online with both a pen and a cable included , but that version retails for more than the customizable version available on Wacom’s website. I tested both tablets and found them to be serviceable, but the tracking along their edges was finicky and generally less reliable than that of Huion’s Inspiroy H640P , which is also cheaper.

Both the XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 and the XP-Pen Star G640 produced slightly stuttering results in my drawing tests in Photoshop CC 2024 in Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma. This stutter was worse with the Deco 01 V2, which exhibited particular problems when I drew tight lines and curves close together. The Star G640’s pen nib had an awkward amount of travel for drawing, and its settings reset to both of my active monitors in Windows 11 every time my PC woke from sleep.

The Huion Inspiroy Giano G930L is a gigantic drawing tablet, with a base that measures more than 10 inches tall and almost 17 inches wide. The working area is 13 inches across, which in theory is great for people who have gigantic monitors, but in practice it felt too big for even my 32-inch display. Otherwise, it’s a wireless tablet that offers a great drawing experience at a very competitive price, but it doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as the smaller but still manageably large Wacom Intuos Pro M.

This article was edited by Signe Brewster and Caitlin McGarry.

How do drawing tablets work?

Drawing tablets track the location and pressure input of a stylus moving across their surface and translate the results to your laptop, PC, or phone. Modern drawing-tablet styluses are wireless and employ electromagnetic resonance, or EMR. This technology generates a low-powered electromagnetic field from the surface of a drawing tablet that interacts with the stylus to detect its position over the tablet, as well as how much pressure the user is exerting. Most modern tablets and styluses also measure tilt orientation.

Wacom originally owned a patent pertaining to EMR technology in a drawing stylus, and as a result, other manufacturers of drawing tablets and graphic tablets were forced to use other technologies that involved an independently powered stylus, whether through a wire attached to the tablet or an internal battery. However, Wacom’s patent on EMR-driven drawing tablets and styluses expired years ago, and now competitors have almost entirely moved to battery-free technology for their drawing and graphics tablets.

There is one exception: Apple’s Pencil styluses, which are designed for use with iPads and iPad Pros, use rechargeable batteries that charge either via a cable or, for the Pencil 2, wirelessly through the iPad itself.

What about drawing on an iPad?

Just about any modern iPad is more expensive than a drawing tablet, and that’s before you add the cost of a pressure-sensitive Apple Pencil, which sells for more than our top drawing tablet pick all on its own. But if you already have an iPad or iPad Pro from the past few years, and you’re primarily looking to sketch or paint digitally, Apple’s iPads are a great option—my primary digital-drawing tool is a 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro with a second-generation Apple Pencil. You can read our guide to the best iPads , but we’ll cover them more in this capacity in an upcoming update to this guide, along with screen-based graphic tablets such as Wacom’s Cintiq line .

What about pen displays?

Cintiq models and other graphics tablets (also known as pen displays or pen tablets) build the tracking technology into a display, allowing you to draw directly on them. These devices are generally much more expensive than a reasonably priced drawing tablet, though more affordable devices have become available over the past few years.

Meet your guide

Arthur Gies

Arthur Gies is a supervising editor for tech at Wirecutter. He has covered video games and hardware since 2008, has consulted on a number of popular (and not popular) video games, and wrote a book about the Gears of War franchise. He also has a BFA and MFA in drawing and painting, which comes in handy when he reviews drawing tablets and styluses.

Further reading

The Best Android Tablets

by Roderick Scott and Ryan Whitwam

Good Android tablets are few and far between, but if you don’t want an iPad, Google's Pixel Tablet is your best bet.

The Best Pro Tablets

by Dave Gershgorn

If you’re looking to replace or supplement your laptop with a tablet, you have great options but also tough choices ahead of you.

The Best Tablets

by Wirecutter Staff

We think Apple’s 10.2-inch iPad is the best all-around tablet thanks to great hardware and apps. We also have picks for Android tablets, ebook readers, and more.

Getting Work Done on an iPad

by Haley Perry

You can do a surprising amount of work on an iPad with the right gear. These are the best accessories for turning your iPad into a mobile work space.

The best tablets in 2024 — our top recommendations

These are the best tablets on the market, based on our hands-on testing and review of all the top models.

• Best tablet
• Best budget
• Best Android tablet
• Best Windows
• Best big-screen tablet
• Most powerful

Also tested

Battery life compared.

• How to choose
• How we test

The list in brief 1. Best tablet overall 2. Best budget tablet 3. Best Android tablet 4. Best Windows tablet 5. Best big-screen tablet 6. Most powerful tablet 7. Also tested 8. Battery life compared 9. How to choose 10. How we test

The best tablet for your needs can be tricky to find, regardless of whether you're looking to outfit the kids with cheap, durable tablets for school or just want a beautiful iPad to keep near the couch.

That's because there are so many tablets with different prices and features these days, which is why we maintain this regularly-updated list of the best tablets around, based on our hands-on testing. We can help you find the right tablet because we review the best from all the major manufacturers every year. We test them in our lab and in the real world, and we've come to a few key conclusions about the best tablets out there. 

Amazon tablets are generally great for kids and anyone on a tight budget, for example, while Apple's iPads are best for students and creative pros. That's especially true now that an M2 chip powers Apple's latest iPad Air, while the powerhouse M4 chip drives the latest iPad Pro. While most tablets are fine for browsing the web, reading books or watching movies, Apple's new iPads are so powerful they can almost replace your laptop.

I know because I've been reviewing tablets for years, and have reviewed many of the devices on this list myself. Together my team and I have decades of experience testing tablets, and based on our years of hands-on testing and reviews we recommend these slates as the best you can buy right now.  

The quick list

In a hurry? Here's a brief overview of the tablets on this list, along with quick links that let you jump down the page directly to a review of whichever tablet catches your eye.

Best tablet overall

Apple's 2024 iPad Air soars to new heights thanks to the M2 chip inside. With a great display and plenty of power, this is the best tablet for most.

Read more below

Best budget tablet

If you just need a tablet for not a lot of money, the $59 Amazon Fire 7 is a solid choice. This no-frills tablet is weak, hobbled by Amazon's FireOS and has a grainy sub-1080p display, but you can't beat it at this price.

The best Android tablet overall

The OnePlus Pad ($479) is an Android tablet worth getting excited about. With a vivid 11.6-inch 144Hz display, a huge 13MP rear camera, curved edges and great battery life, OnePlus’ first slate stands out from the competition.

Best Windows tablet

Windows 11 is the most touch-friendly version of Windows yet, and if you want to use it on a tablet we recommend Microsoft's Surface Pro 9. It's a solid tablet that works well enough for getting things done if you pay for the detachable keyboard.

Read more below 

The biggest tablet

If you absolutely must have the biggest tablet possible, you want the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. Its 14.6 inch Super AMOLED 120Hz display (bigger than any iPad) is large, luscious and powered by a speedy Snapgradon 8 Gen 2 chipset.

The most powerful tablet

When you want the biggest, best iPad on the block, splurge for the 1TB 13-inch iPad Pro with an M4 chip inside. This is the most powerful iPad yet made, plus it sports a gorgeous OLED display and incredible battery life.

Recent updates

We've just finished reviewing the iPad Air 2024 and the iPad Pro 2024 , which are some of the best tablets Apple has shipped yet. We think the new iPad Air is the best tablet for most people, but read both reviews to see which is best for you!

The best tablets you can buy

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

The best tablet overall

1. Apple iPad Air 2024

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The iPad Air 2024 is the tablet we recommend as best for most people because its light, powerful and delivers 11+ hours of battery life in our testing. This is also the first iPad Air ever sold in two sizes, the classic 11-inch and larger 13-inch, so it's the Air to get if you want the screen real estate of a 13-inch iPad Pro without the extra power.

The 2024 iPad Air is powered by the Apple M2 chip , which is more than powerful enough to fly through web browsing or run any app you can download off Apple's App Store. 

Plus, the screen looks lovely and the 12MP cameras on front and back do a great job of capturing detail, helping you look your best on video calls. While you can get almost as good of a tablet for $150 less if you go for a basic iPad, we think the extra cost is worth it (if you can afford it) to get the new iPad Air, as its a great tablet that's faster and more capable than the basic iPad.

See our full iPad Air (2024) review .

The best budget tablet

2. Amazon Fire 7

The Amazon Fire 7 tablet has one standout feature, and that's its $59 price tag. That absurdly low price gets you a surprisingly decent little slate, with a snappy quad-core 1.3 GHz processor, a headphone jack and a microSD card reader so you can slot in extra storage, and a remarkably light 0.6-pound plastic frame. 

Just don't expect any of the luxuries you get on more expensive, premium tablets from Amazon and elsewhere. For starters, the Fire 7 tablet’s sub-HD screen is not sharp enough for anyone used to an iPad, and its lock screen is filled with ads unless you pay extra. Still, it's a great choice if you need a cheap tablet to give a child without worrying about how much it'll cost to replace if they break it.

Read our full Amazon Fire 7 review .

The best Android tablet

3. OnePlus Pad

The OnePlus Pad is a big Android tablet with a huge 13MP rear camera, attractive curved edges and a unique 7:5 aspect ratio on its display. With this unique look, OnePlus' first tablet really stands out from the competition.

Watching videos and reading ebooks is a great experience on the Pad's vivid 11.6-inch 144Hz display, and thanks to its MediaTek Dimensity 9000 CPU and  Android 13  OS, apps and games run smooth and fast. This lightweight slate also has exceptional battery life, lasting over 13 hours in our testing (as you'll see in our battery test results chart below).

For all those reasons and more, if you’re looking for an excellent Android tablet for under $500 you'd likely be very happy with the OnePlus Pad.

Read our full OnePlus Pad review .

4. Microsoft Surface Pro 9

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is virtually the same as the  Microsoft Surface Pro 8 . We don’t have a problem with iterative releases, but we hoped Microsoft would do something to make the latest edition of their flagship  Windows 11  2-in-1 more appealing. Sadly, that isn’t the case.

The Surface Pro 9 is available with your choice of either a 12th-gen Intel Core CPU or a Microsoft SQ3 ARM processor. 5G connectivity is only available on the ARM model, a first for the Surface line. And based on what Microsoft showed us at its  Microsoft Surface event , the 5G model is also optimized for advanced neural processing unit (NPU) features.

We tested and reviewed the Intel version, and it's a good Windows tablet that's speedy enough to handle day-to-day work tasks. The touchscreen looks decent and feels responsive, and the whole package is light enough to comfortably carry to work or the coffee shop. The fact that neither the detachable keyboard nor the stylus does knock some of the shine off this otherwise solid Windows 11 tablet, however, so try to get it as part of a sale or bundle deal if you can.

Read our full review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 .

The best big-screen tablet

5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra ($1,199 to start) is the ultimate Samsung tablet for those who prize screen size above all else. If you want the biggest, heaviest tablet possible, this is the best choice on this list.

Like its predecessor, the  Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra , the Tab S9 Ultra features a gorgeous 14.6-inch OLED display, an ultra-slim svelte design and plenty of power thanks to its speedy Snapdragon 8 processor. 

Of course, Samsung’s massive tablet isn’t flawless. While you can use it as a laptop when it’s paired with the Samsung Book Cover Keyboard, the accessory adds an extra $349 cost to an already expensive $1,200 machine, taking the cost up above the price of some actual laptops which are more versatile and more powerful. 

Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review .

6. iPad Pro 2024

Apple's iPad Pro 2024 is the tablet to buy if you all you care about is power, because the M4 chip inside drives it to new heights of performance.

As you can see in our breakdown of iPad Pro 2024 benchmarks , this new tablet blows every other slate out of the water in terms of raw speed. It's faster than any other tablet we've ever tested and lasts longer on battery to boot, going for 13-15 hours in our battery test before running out of juice.

But there's more to love about this premium tablet besides what's under the hood. The cameras are as good as ever and the display has been upgraded to OLED on both sizes of iPad Pro, so you can count on one of the best tablet screens ever no matter which size you buy. And while you pay a premium for these powerful, long-lasting OLED-equipped tablets, it's worth it if you want the best of the best. 

Read our full iPad Pro 2024 review .

We test and review dozens of tablets every year, and even though they can't all make this list that doesn't mean they aren't good machines. There are also some really great slates that maintain their value over years, so we sometimes recommend them as good alternatives to the best tablets that are often sold at a discount.

So while these tablets didn't quite achieve the level of excellence needed to be leaders of the pack, they're good alternatives well worth considering if they meet your unique needs, or if you can't find your first choice on sale.

7. iPad 2022 (10th gen)

The iPad 2022 is a bit more expensive than its predecessors, but Apple justified the price hike with a sleek new redesign that slightly expanded the display, removed the Home button, upgraded the power button with Touch ID support and added USB-C charging. 

Sadly, you're still pretty limited in what accessories you can get for this basic iPad. It doesn't work with the new Apple Pencil Pro, for example, but does work with the 1st-generation Apple Pencil. These limitations are easier to stomach when you remember this iPad starts at $349, which is $250 cheaper than the entry-level iPad Air.

And while its shortcomings sting, we still feel the basic iPad remains the best iPad to buy if you want an Apple tablet, but can't justify the added expense of the iPad Air's $599 starting price. 

The interesting thing about the 2022 redesign of the basic iPad is that it brought it a lot closer to the iPad Air in terms of design (thinner, bigger screen, USB-C charging, etc), so for the $349 you're getting an iPad 2022 that's not far behind the iPad Air (our top recommendation for best tablet) in terms of capabilities. It lasted nearly 11 hours in our battery testing, too, so it's plenty long-lived enough to see you through a day on the couch.

Read our full iPad 2022 review.

8. Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet stands out from every other on this list by being the only one to come with its own speaker/charging dock. 

For some shoppers this will be a useless gimmick, but this obvious attempt on Google's part to stand out from the pack pays off if you want to get started with a Google smart home. This is the only tablet on the market that doubles as a solid smart home hub out of the box, and it's a great value.

The speakers on the tablet's charging dock are also great, delivering more satisfying bass at the expense of some treble. It's a good Android tablet too, comparable to Apple's iPad 2022 despite costing $50 less. But its support for various smart home technologies varies, and it's not a great choice for all smart home owners as it can't match the capabilities or sound quality of some of the best smart home hubs .

Read our full Google Pixel Tablet review .  

9. iPad mini 6 2021

Take almost everything we know and love about the iPad Air, but shrink it down to a size and weight that's super-easy to use with just one hand and you have the iPad mini 6 (2021), which may be the iPad you've been waiting for. It has the Apple Pencil 2 support with the flat-edged design, the much-smaller bezels and nearly everything else we love about an iPad. Currently, Amazon has the market cornered on sub-10-inch tablets with the pricing of its Fire slates, but the new iPad mini gives quality-focused folks an alternative worth investing in.

On top of that, you've got the super-fast A15 Bionic system-on-chip, which outpaces the iPad Air and every non-Pro iPad out there. Its display is also super bright (over 500 nits of brightness), plus surprisingly good sound for a device this small. Oh, and speaking of outperforming its size, the iPad mini 6 has terrific battery life. The only thing that isn't small about the iPad mini 6? Its $499 price tag is a bit higher than the normal iPad, but it's another case of "you get what you pay for."

Read our full Apple iPad mini 6 (2021) review .

10. reMarkable 2

If you're a writer who loves pen and paper, you know that the iPad and its Apple Pencil don't really feel right. That's where the reMarkable tablets have jumped into the fray, offering a real-feeling writing experience, with a unique screen technology that uses digital paper and the Marker stylus, which feels more authentic when you press its nib against the screen. The reMarkable 2, however, is a much more seductive device, now measuring a sleek 0.2 inches and ditching its plastic frame for a sleeker metallic chassis.

Oh, and it's not just a notebook. Your documents sync to the cloud so you can read them on iPhones, iPads, PCs, Macs and Android. The reMarkable 2 also translates your handwriting to editable text, so you can share your notes with your whole team, or turn your draft ideas into a manuscript. And its two weeks of battery life means you can just leave it on your coffee table, for when inspiration strikes, rather than keep it plugged in all the time. 

Read our full reMarkable 2 review .

Battery life is one of the key things to consider when buying a tablet, and you can't always trust manufacturer claims about how long they'll last on a single charge.

That's why we put every tablet we test and review through a series of battery tests, then average the results and compare them against the competition. I've assembled the tested battery life of every tablet on this page here in one handy chart, with the exception of the ReMarkable 2 since that e-ink tablet is designed to last up to 2 week on a single charge (according to ReMarkable) and we couldn't adequately test it using our testing regimen for tablets.

How to choose the best tablet for you

The best way to pick an ideal tablet for you is to look at what devices you already own and use on a regular basis. If you're an iPhone user and already tied into Apple's ecosystem, the iPads are a great choice that come in a variety of prices and will integrate more seamlessly with your day-to-day workflow than other tablets on this list. 

If you prefer Android you have a fair few Android tablets on this list, but only the Google Pixel Tablet offers the unique dual functionality of doubling as a smart screen for your home when not in use. It's only a killer feature for certain people, but if you're one of them then it's probably a better choice for you than Samsung's (also excellent) Android slates.

If you really love Windows 11 and like the idea of being able to use your tablet as a laptop, right down to being able to access your usual desktop email client and all your favorite Windows programs, the Surface Pro 9 is probably the right choice for you. It's not quite as slick or as polished to use as the iPads and other tablets on this list, but in return you get the versatility of Windows 11.

How we tested these tablets

As part of our review procedure we first open every tablet we receive, install our testing software and put it through as many tests as possible. The variety of tests we can install and perform varies depending on the tablet operating system (we have to run different tests on Amazon Fire tablets than we do on Apple's iPads, for example), and they allow us to see how different slates stack up. These tests also help us verify whether manufacturer claims about things like, say, brightness or battery life hold true.

We use professional-grade colorimeters to measure how bright the screen can get on every tablet we test, as well as how well it displays colors in the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts. And we don't stop there.

Depending on the operating system we will run performance tests meant to gauge how well a tablet runs games or loads webpages, and we also run every slate through a battery test to see how long you can expect them to last on a full charge.

Finally, after lab testing is complete to our standards we have one of our experienced reviewers (all of whom have spent at least 5-10 years professionally reviewing tablets, laptops and other personal computing gear) spend a week or more doing everything the tablet you would do. We're talking surfing the web on the couch, watching movies in bed, playing games in the back seat, reading books on the train and typing out emails on the plane. When possible we also try to hang on to review units for long-term testing, so we can verify these slates receive software updates in a timely manner and hold up to long-term day-to-day use.

For more information, check out our  how we test page  for Tom's Guide.

Alex Wawro is a lifelong journalist who's spent over a decade covering tech, games and entertainment. He oversees the computing department at Tom's Guide, which includes managing tablet coverage and reviewing many himself every year.

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Alex Wawro is a lifelong tech and games enthusiast with more than a decade of experience covering both for outlets like Game Developer, Black Hat, and PC World magazine. A lifelong PC builder, he currently serves as a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering all things computing, from laptops and desktops to keyboards and mice. 

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• Razorbliss I have a XP-Pen Artist 15.6 pro drawing display , Surface pro with gpu, and ipad 10.5 the experience regarding drawing goes like this: Ipad Pro > Artist 15.6 pro > >>>>Surface pro The Surface pro has little to no pressure curve compared to the other two, has pen jitter, lag (even the Artist 15.6 pro connected to the Surface pro doesn't lag, it's not the processor, it's the N-Trig tech that lags) . ipad pro has higher refresh rate(120hz) which results in lower input lag when drawing. Also the apple pencil supports a wide range of pressure sensitivity. the Artist 15.6 pro has pen tilt and pressure senstivity but need to connect to a laptop which is not portable. Get a desktop(a dencent one would be about 1000 euro) and a second hand ipad pro 10.5(500Euro) + a Artist 15.6(400 euro) (not pro) you're even gonna save money in the end . Reply
• kepic Why include reMarkable but not many similar (and in my opinion better) note-taking electronic paper tablets? Onyx Boox Note, Sony Digital Paper, and Supernote tablets are similar. Supernote especially has the same feel or better for writing. Reply
• msbav8r It's sad what 'affiliate marketing' has done to formerly-trusted websites. I used to check out what Tom's opinion was of any electronic item I was looking to buy. However, that will no longer be the case. How much money did you get from Amazon to repeatedly mention it along with including not one, but TWO of their low-end, low-spec, Chinese-made crappy tablets in your 'best of' list? You just lost any credibility this site once had. It's just sad. Reply
• Chrislife I have to disagree, or at least add a strong caveat, concerning Kindle tablets for kids. Their parental safety controls are abysmal and very easy to get past for a child who wants to. Or for a child to break through accidentally if they don't even know what they're doing. That also includes the ability to purchase things without permission. It should also be noted that, last time I checked, apps purchased through their store are generally disabled unless you are currently online,and you can't add Android games that you've already purchased elsewhere. Then, if they stop carrying an app that you have purchased, or change it to a monthly subscription, your copy stops working. stops working. Kindle is still a pretty good deal, though, if you're an adult and plan to use it for movies and shopping, and maybe some free games. Aside from their tech policies, they are fairly well built and easy to use. Reply
• Reaperc The Mi Pad 5 should be on here. What an awesome tablet. Reply
• josh_boston Funny list. Number one should be iPad. But there are three value android tablets priced between 115 and 142. All with the same guts and all have decent screens. 1. 8.4" HeadWolf Android 14 128 GB 5,500 mAh.... one speaker and SIM 2. 8.4" Iplay 50 Mini Pro NFE 256GB 5,000 mAh - Android 13... one speaker and SIM 3. 10.36" Lincplus T3 128GB 7,000 mAh - Android 13.... 4 speakers GUTS.... 8GB RAM , 128 OR 256 GB, G99, MICRO SD Card. My favorite is the one that does Android 14. Reply
• View All 6 Comments

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Pocket-lint

The best note-taking tablets.

Capture your best ideas in a notebook that never runs out of pages with these great note-taking tablets.

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Best overall note-taking tablet, best affordable note-taking tablet, best premium note-taking tablet, best compactnote-taking tablet, best android note-taking tablet, best amazon ecosystem note-taking tablet, best color e ink note-taking tablet, best 2-in-1 note-taking tablet.

There's a certain charm to writing on pen and paper that tablets will never be able to replace, but if you're trying to cut down on paper waste and want a near-infinite amount of storage for your journal entries, sketches, and meeting notes, a good note-taking tablet is worth considering. And you don't even have to commit to a full-on computer if you don't want to, there are focused tablets designed to cater to writers with a notebook-like experience that only have features you need, and none of the other apps and distractions you don't.

Freewrite Alpha is a playful, distraction-free way for me to write first drafts

The ideal note-taking tablet will be great at capturing handwriting, but it should also accept other kinds of input, maybe even a whole keyboard accessory if you prefer typing. Our picks cover a wide variety of tablets, with different types of displays, accessories, and operating systems. Even though it's not the new kid on the block anymore, we think the reMarkable 2 is the best note-taking tablet because of its high-quality writing feel, simple but capable software, and robust integration with cloud storage, but the whole list is worth a read, so read on to explore all of your options.

reMarkable 2

A remarkable way to digitize notes

The reMarkable 2 tablet lets you take notes by hand, and it does so exceptionally well. It is the ultimate minimalist document creation and editing tool, with Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive integration.

• Handwriting feels natural
• Non-reflective display
• Many sheet styles and templates to choose from
• Can't use in dark
• Unlimited cloud storage, mobile syncing, and other features require monthly subscription

The reMarkable 2 tablet lets you create as many "digital notebooks" as you can store onboard (or in the cloud with a reMarkable Connect subscription). This eliminates the need for physical notebooks, while still retaining the feel and experience of writing with pen and paper thanks to the excellent design of its hardware.

ReMarkable 2: You'll never need paper notebooks again

Writing on the 10.3-inch E Ink display feels natural and responsive while still having enough resistance to feel like paper, and it does a reasonable job of converting imprecise handwriting into text. You can import PDFs and EPUB documents to annotate or read on screen, and bring in Microsoft Word documents, too. The tablet can connect to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive cloud storage. The display lacks a sidelight or backlight, though, which makes it unsuitable for use in the dark.

It's worth noting, the reMarkable 2 is thin, at 4.7mm or 0.2 inches, and light, weighing just 400g, making it perfect for carrying around all day. When paired with its Type Folio keyboard, it is a svelte travel companion that is perfect for writing by hand or keyboard.

Amazon Kindle Scribe

Amazon's staple eReader took notes

The Amazon Kindle Scribe is more than simply the largest Kindle you can buy. It's also the best note-taking tablet and eReader combo around.

• Non-reflective display with sidelights
• Full access to your Kindle book library
• Long battery life
• Few specialty note-taking templates
• No physical keyboard option

The Amazon Kindle Scribe delivers a terrific writing experience paired with all the functionality of the already excellent Kindle eReaders . This 10.2-inch E Ink screen also has a sharp 300ppi resolution, which gives text an extra crispness that you won't find on other E Ink tablets on this list.

Amazon Kindle Scribe: Write on

The Scribe also has side light and color temperature adjustments, so you can use the screen in any lighting without straining your eyes, a key feature from Kindle Paperwhite models. Of course, unlike other Kindles, the Scribe has stylus support. While there are fewer interesting templates than the reMarkable 2, the Kindle Scribe has more options than the competing eReader/note-taking tablet Rakuten Kobo Elipsa 2E , and it lets you pick them before you start writing.

The Scribe's stylus feels comfortable in hand and is smooth to use on the responsive display. You can use the stylus to annotate books and PDFs, but for the most part, this is accomplished via pop-up boxes (as opposed to editing directly on the page). A few eBooks now support on-page writing, but not the majority -- at least not yet, anyway. The Amazon Kindle Scribe is really the best choice for anyone deeply committed to Amazon's Kindle bookstore, including students who also like to write notes.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (2022)

A way to keep all your notes within iCloud

The Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (4th-generation) packs a powerful punch with an Apple M2 processor inside. This tablet supports the second-generation Apple Pencil for accurate and seamless writing and sketching on screen.

• Smooth, pressure-sensitive stylus for writing and drawing
• General use tablet with full iPad app support
• Brilliant, sharp display
• Stylus and keyboard cost extra

The Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (4th-generation) is on the high end of Apple's tablet offerings, and it shows in its level of polish. While other, less expensive models support the Apple Pencil, this model stands out because of how it strikes a balance between size, performance, and price. That starts with its weight, which comes in at just over a pound, and its 11-inch screen, which is large enough to handle everything from drawings to playing your favorite movie.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M2, 2022): Exceptional tablet, but a hard sell

There's widespread support for the pricey Apple Pencil 2 stylus, making the iPad Pro a great note-taking choice for creatives. It also works well with sharing across devices; for example, you can start a note or drawing on your iPad and share it with an iPhone or MacBook .

As a note-taking tablet, the iPad Pro is among the most expensive models you can buy. But for the money, you not only get a capable note-taking tablet, but you also get one of the best all-around tablets on the market. As with other general-use tablets, the Apple Pencil 2 and Magic Keyboard are extra-cost add-ons, but they're worth considering too if you want more of an all-in-one computer experience. Fair warning, Apple is rumored to be refreshing its iPad lineup soon , so if you're interested in the newest tablet experience, it might be worth waiting, either for this model of iPad Pro to go down in price or for a new and improved model.

Ratta Supernote Nomad

Highly-customizable with the Kindle app built-in

Ratta's Supernote Nomad is an E Ink tablet with dozens of templates to choose from, smooth handwriting, and the ability to link notes together.

• Smooth handwriting
• Searchable notes
• Dozens of templates
• Requires a lot of setup

For a smaller, more portable note-taking tablet, the Ratta Supernote Nomad combines the best of the reMarkable 2 and the Kindle Scribe into one compact package. Its self-repairing screen protector is great at simulating the feel of writing on paper when combined with the ceramic nibs of the styluses Ratta sells. And the Nomad's touch-sensitive sides make it easy to pull up menus, select text, and undo mistakes without having to find the right tool.

Even better, Ratta has a small suite of downloadable software you can use to extend the abilities of your Supernote, including a drawing app called Atelier and a Kindle app for reading books from your Amazon library. The apps, along with the Nomad's existing email, calendar, and cloud storage functionality make it an inherently useful note-taking tablet if you're willing to pay a little extra for it.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE

Samsung design at an affordable price

Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9 FE carries over the design of the company's more expensive tablets just with slightly downgraded specs and a far more affordable price.

• Stylus is included
• Adaptive refresh rate display
• Google Play Store has plenty of drawing and writing apps
• Display is a step-down
• Processor is designed for browsing, not intense work

Samsung makes good Android tablets leveraging the company's access to beautiful AMOLED displays, powerful chips, and reliable S Pen stylus, but it doesn't make affordable ones. Enter the Galaxy Tab S9 FE (Fan Edition), which carries over a majority of the features you want from the normal Galaxy Tab S9 and pairs it with a more affordable LCD screen and Exynos processor.

Critical to taking notes, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE includes an S Pen in the box and has a pre-installed Samsung Notes app that is a completely competent way to take notes and sketch simple drawings on the go. You'll have everything you need to read, browse the web, and write down your thoughts without having to spend a dollar more on another accessory.

Amazon Fire Max 11

A thin, stylus-compatible Fire tablet

The Amazon Fire Max 11 is the first Fire tablet with a competitively thin, stylish design. It's also the first Fire tablet that has a stylus option, so you can handwrite notes and sketch with ease.

• Low cost for a tablet
• Full support for Amazon services and Appstore
• Pressure-sensitive stylus support
• Keyboard case and stylus cost extra
• Can't run Google Play Store apps and Google services

The thin Amazon Fire Max 11 is Amazon's first attempt at a grown-up tablet that doesn't come with a plastic, candy-colored chassis. This, plus an aluminum body and reinforced glass covering its display, helps the tablet look and feel like its worth more than its bargain price. The Fire Max 11 also has a 16:9 aspect ratio display with 2,000 x 1,200 pixels. That means it's not as sharp as, say, an Apple iPad, but it's still high-resolution enough to produce pleasing images on its 11-inch LCD.

Amazon Fire Max 11: Amazon's best tablet yet

The Fire Max 11 has a microSD card slot, so you can easily expand its 64GB of included storage. It also has conveniences like a fingerprint reader built into the power button, which makes it easy to reliably unlock the tablet. As with all Amazon tablets , the Fire Max 11 runs Amazon's FireOS operating system, and it only works with the Amazon Appstore. Still, there are plenty of apps for entertainment and productivity, including a free trial of Microsoft 365.

The interface is straightforward, making it easy to consume and discover Amazon's music, videos, and books. You'll also love being able to have a split screen view for two apps and how responsive the USI 2.0-compatible stylus with 4096 pressure sensitivity is for writing and sketching on screen. This tablet is a great choice for students and professionals who want an affordable note-taking tablet and don't need full access to the Google Play Store.

Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C Pro

The best part of a Kindle: in color

• Color E Ink display
• Thin, portable design
• Full access to Google Play Store

If you're considering the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C Pro, it's probably because of its color E Ink display. Where most electrophoretic displays are monochrome, the Boox Tab Ultra C Pro can display colors at 150ppi. That means colors look muted and grainy, like a color photo in a newspaper. But even if they're dull, it still adds a splash of life that differentiates this note-taking tablet from other E Ink competitors.

You can download apps and access any eBookstore, and use Google apps and services, too.

Another notable distinction: this model runs Android 12 and can access the Google Play Store. That means you can download apps and access any eBookstore, and use Google apps and services, too. The Tab Ultra C Pro has a roomy 10.3-inch glare-free screen, and it comes with a stylus that feels good in hand.

Creating notes is front and center and easy to accomplish, but that's about all that's clear about the interface. The stylus is responsive with the included Notepad app and its over 40 templates -- and you can add your template by uploading a PNG or PDF file.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Wi-Fi)

Trade off taking both written and typed notes

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 combines unique design points like a built-in kickstand with a crisp display that supports both touch and stylus input. And since it's a Windows 11 PC running on a 12th-generation Intel Core processor, this tablet is a laptop replacement, too.

• Full Windows PC in a tablet form
• Plenty of power
• Gorgeous display

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 packs a Windows 11 PC into a high-resolution, freestanding display. The 13.3-inch screen has a 2,880 x 1,920 resolution, making it well-suited for everything from gaming to precise content creation and, at nearly two pounds, the Surface Pro has a certain heft that reflects its robust components.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9: A master of versatility

The tablet's specs are modest for a PC, but still more powerful than most other tablets on this list. The baseline configuration priced here has 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and an Intel Core i5 processor; higher-spec'd versions with more RAM and storage and a better processor are options, albeit at higher prices. The Surface Pro 9 even has a Thunderbolt 4 port, handy for use with high-speed storage peripherals. You can run the full gamut of PC and web apps and services just as you would on your laptop.

The Surface Pro 9 works with Microsoft's optional stylus for handwriting notes and drawing in professional applications. The stylus is a great addition to note-taking apps like Microsoft OneNote and complex creative apps like Corel Paint or Adobe Illustrator.

The bottom line: best note-taking tablet

If the only thing you plan to do with your device is write notes, and you don't want the distractions that come with apps and eBooks, then the reMarkable 2 is the top note-taking pick, in part because it is laser-focused on one task -- using a stylus to write digital notes -- and it does this task very well. It has a slew of useful templates, ranging from a blank page to storyboards and various music writing templates. The variety and range of templates are a real plus, since they make it easy to get started on creative and professional projects.

The Kindle Scribe might be Amazon's most expensive Kindle, but it makes for a highly affordable note-taking tablet. Its stylus and notebook tool offer a satisfying note-taking experience and, on the whole, it gives you a good bang for your buck, since it's a great eReader on top of being a good writing tool. If you're looking for something more premium, and a lot more capable, it's hard to beat the 11-inch Apple iPad Pro (4th-Generation). You lose some of the focus of more traditional E Ink tablets, but you get an all-around more powerful and flexible computer, that's great at taking notes with an Apple Pencil.

How did we choose the best note-taking tablets?

Both the Pocket-lint and I have extensive hands-on experience testing and using tablets for work and creativity, with a special focus on taking notes. We considered the various use-cases for each device, along with display quality, writing feel, the reflectivity of their screens, and their software. Additionally, we looked at how other factors, such as battery life and ports, played into the overall aesthetic and practical experience of using each tablet.

Q: Are there any advantages to E Ink over a color screen?

If you're just interested in plain old handwritten notes, there's really no reason to stray from the monochromatic joys of an E Ink tablet. Color screens, and particularly OLED and LCD ones, usually mean you'll have easy access to more distractions. A color E Ink could be worth considering if you know you'll want to read comics when you're not jotting down thoughts, but until color E Ink displays improve, there are real trade-offs in resolution that could bother you.

Q: Do styli for note-taking need replacing or refills over time?

Surprisingly, it depends on the tablet. Both the Kindle Scribe and reMarkablet 2 have styluses with refillable nibs that get worn down over time. They ship with a sheet of refills, but if you write a lot (or with added pressure) you'll have to buy refills eventually.

In contrast, the S Pen that comes with the Galaxy Tab S9 FE doesn't ever need to be changed, but it's also far less enjoyable to use to write. The Apple Pencil you can use with the iPad Pro falls somewhere in the middle. It technically has a replaceable nib, but it takes much longer to wear down.

Sketch & Note Devices: Best Tablets for Drawing & Note-Taking

You no longer have to rely on pen and paper to take notes or work on creative projects. A tablet with a pen is a much more practical and portable option. 

You can work from anywhere or jot down an idea when it comes to mind. You’ll become more productive and streamline your workflow with the right tablet. And with digital notes, you’ll never misplace anything. 

So, I put together this guide of the best tablets with a stylus for drawing and note-taking.

In my opinion, the best premium tablet for taking handwritten notes overall is the iPad Pro. It’s hard to beat Apple technology, especially for a versatile and multipurpose tablet. 

Regarding Android, the Samsung Galaxy S7+ takes the best overall for note-taking and drawing. But if you want a cheaper option, the S6 is another great option.

• WHY IPAD PRO — iPad Pro is the ultimate iPad experience, with the astonishing performance of the M2 chip, superfast wireless connectivity, and next-generation Apple Pencil experience. Plus powerful productivity features in iPadOS.
• IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos. Stage Manager makes multitasking easy with resizable, overlapping apps and external display support. iPad Pro comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps available on the App Store.
• FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Wi-Fi 6E gives you fast wireless connections. Work from almost anywhere with quick transfers of photos, documents, and large video files.
• PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The 8-core CPU in the M2 chip delivers powerful performance, while the 10‑core GPU provides blazing-fast graphics. Add all-day battery life, and you can do everything you can imagine on iPad Pro. Up to 2 terabytes of storage means you can store everything from apps to large files like 4K video.
• APPLE PENCIL AND MAGIC KEYBOARD — Apple Pencil (2nd generation) transforms iPad Pro into an immersive drawing canvas and the world’s best note‑taking device. Magic Keyboard features a great typing experience and a built‑in trackpad, while doubling as a protective cover for iPad. Accessories sold separately.

• PC PERFORMANCE. TABLET PORTABILITY: Transform your tablet into a PC experience with DeX mode and the optional keyboard with expanded trackpad (Keyboard sold separately)
• REDESIGNED S PEN INCLUDED: With improved 9ms pen latency, the redesigned S Pen can control presentations and take notes effortlessly
• ENTERTAINMENT, UPGRADED: Experience cinematic viewing with larger edge-to-edge displays, TFT LCD screen,** and AKG quad speakers with Dolby Atmos surround sound
• CHARGE FAST, POWER FOR HOURS: Go for hours on a single charge and back to 100% with the fast-charging USB-C port
• SYNC AND SEND FROM ANY SPACE: With One UI 3.1, you can copy text or an image from your phone and paste it on your tablet, and vice versa

• Intel Core i5-1035G4 3.70GHz processor, 128GB SSD Drive
• 8GB RAM, Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
• Ports: Full-size USB 3.0; microSD card reader; Headphone jack; Mini DisplayPort; Cover port; Charging port, Camera: 5MP front-facing and 8MP rear-facing cameras with 1080p HD video recording
• Display: 12.3-inch PixelSense touchscreen display; 2736 x 1824 resolution, Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio-enhanced sound
• Operating System: Windows 10 Home, Intel Iris Plus Graphics

• S PEN INCLUDED: Unleash your creativity and never miss a note with S Pen; Use for drawing, jot notes, edit photos, and convert your handwritten notes to text; Plus, S Pen attaches magnetically right to your tablet so it’s always ready to go
• ENTERTAINMENT READY: The shows and games you love look epic with Galaxy Tab S6 Lite; Never miss a second of gaming action with our latest processor and see every detail with a crystal-clear screen; Dolby Atmos surround sound draws you into the experience
• LONG LASTING BATTERY: Go ahead: crush your favorite shows for hours, then head to work for a full day of meetings; This battery will keep up – going up to 13 hours* on a single charge
• SLIM METAL DESIGN: The slim and lightweight build slips right into your bag, making it easy to take everywhere; Make the sleek, stylish frame all your own and choose from distinctive, expressive colors to show the world your personality and style
• MULTI DEVICE CONNECTIVITY: Own your work and play with Galaxy connectivity; Get more done on an expanded workstation that lets you hand off content between your devices and open multiple windows on your tablet. Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4G+5GHz, VHT80 MIMO

• Versatile Windows 10 device with keyboard and pen included, 2-in-1 functionality: use as both laptop and tablet
• All day battery life, rated up to 12 hours of video playback; 128GB Solid State storage; Webcam: 2MP Web Camera
• Latest Intel Atom Quad Core x5-Z8350 Processor with 4GB RAM for fast and efficient performance
• Portable 10.1" frame allows ASUS Transformer Mini to be taken everywhere you go with a compact & lightweight body. It's paired with an active stylus that gives full access to the Windows Ink Workspace
• Magnesium Alloy body weighs less than 1.7 lbs. with keyboard attached and only 0.6 inches thin.Built-in Bluetooth V4.1

• The dazzling, 10.6" FHD IPS display on this Android tablet lets you stream your video services at up to 1080p, while the quad speaker system optimized for Dolby Atmos envelops you with sound
• A lightweight, portable tablet like the Tab M10 Plus Gen 3 is great for student research and projects, working with the Lenovo Instant Memo app to make on-screen input a breeze
• Keep focused with Immersive Reading Mode, which makes long screen sessions easier on the eyes with enhanced readability, so it's more like reading on paper
• The Tab M10 Plus Gen 3 tablet includes Android 12 for all of the latest features and three years of security and other updates
• Stream, study, and multitask for hours with great processing power and a battery that can run the whole day so you can use it just about anywhere

• Starting at just 1.2 pounds (not including Type Cover), with new 10.5” touchscreen.
• Battery life up to 10 hours. Perfect for browsing, shopping, emails, and homework
• Tablet portability, performance and laptop versatility with adjustable Kickstand and Signature Type Cover.
• Stay connected with included USB-C port and headphone jack. Full HD front- and rear-facing cameras let you make crisp, clear calls to friends and family, or take and share great photos.
• Hi-res touchscreen is perfect for browsing, playing, and binge watching.

• WHY IPAD MINI — The full iPad experience designed to fit in one hand. With an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, powerful A15 Bionic chip, 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage, USB-C connectivity, and ultrafast Wi-Fi. Take notes, mark up documents, and edit photos and videos.
• IPADOS + APPS — iPadOS makes iPad more productive, intuitive, and versatile. With iPadOS, run multiple apps at once, use Apple Pencil to write in any text field with Scribble, and edit and share photos. iPad mini comes with essential apps like Safari, Messages, and Keynote, with over a million more apps available on the App Store.
• FAST WI-FI CONNECTIVITY — Fast Wi-Fi keeps you connected at home, work, school, or wherever you go with your iPad.
• PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — The A15 Bionic chip delivers powerful performance and blazing-fast graphics. And with all-day battery life, iPad mini is always ready for any task or project. Choose from 64GB or 256GB storage options depending on the room you need for apps, music, movies, and more.
• APPLE PENCIL AND SMART FOLIO — With Apple Pencil (2nd generation), iPad mini transforms into the world’s best note‑taking device. To protect your iPad mini and easily prop it up, you can use the slim Smart Folio covers, available in five colors. Accessories sold separately.

• Start with a pen in your hand and a clean sheet of paper; Capture your thoughts and ideas; Then turn them into digital, shareable files while you write; When you're ready to turn the page, just touch a button and Bamboo Slate saves your ideas
• Use the free, next generation Wacom Inkspace app to convert your handwritten notes to text, edit your digitized notes and export them into JPG, PNG, PDF, SVG, or WILL files; System Requirements Bluetooth enabled iOS and Android, Windows 8.1 and later smartphones and tablets with Wacom Inkspace app, internet connection maximum notepad thickness about 80 pages (<8 millimeter)
• With an optional upgrade to the all-new Inkspace Plus, you can convert handwriting to rich text. (Free 3 month Inkspace Plus trial included with purchase)
• System requirements: Bluetooth enabled iOS or Android smartphone or tablet with Wacom Ink space app/Internet connection/Maximum notepad thickness: About 80 pages (less than 8 millimeter)
• And for a short time, we’re offering limited edition Bamboo Slate large in red and blue; The pixel pattern is inspired by Minecraft and designed with the high energy, gig economy go getter in mind

• New Class of Creative Pen Display: Optimized feature set for creative starters provides HD clarity and ergonomic design that allows you to take your creative ideas and illustrations to the next level
• Super Responsive: Wacom Pro Pen 2 features 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt response and virtually lag-free tracking. Two customizable switches allow for easy access to shortcuts
• Industry-leading Color Displays: Our Cintiq displays have LCD display with HD resolution and showcase uniform brightness, high resolution and true to life color quality
• Control at Your Fingertips: The relaxed parralax gives you full control and combined with the super responsive Wacom Pro Pen 2, makes creating feel as natural as drawing on paper
• Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life

• [Customize Your Workflow]: The 6 easy accessable press keys on the H640P drawing tablet for pc can be customized to your favorite shortcut so that your creative work become smoother and more efficient. You also can change the shortcut setting for different apps in Huion driver.
• [Nature Pen Experience]: The included battery-free stylus PW100 with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity is light and easy to control with accuracy. If feels like a standard pen, giving you natural drawing experience on the drawing pad for computer. The pen side buttons help you switch between pen and eraser instantly.
• [Compact and Portable]: H640P digital drawing tablet uses a compact design with 0.3 inch in thickness and 1.41 lbs in weight, making it easy to carry between home, work, class and wherever you go. It is a perfect computer graphics tablet for limited desktop.
• [Multi-OS Compatibility]: H640P graphic drawing tablet works with Mac, Windows and Linux PC as well as Android smartphone or tablet (OS version 6.0 or later). It is also available for left-handed user.
• [Intuitive Mouse Alternative]: H640P drawing tablet with pen makes a great mouse replacement. With this pen tablet, you can sign document, freehand draw, take digital note and do all of the functions of a mouse but better. It helps do precise work and save your wrist from strain.

• DRAW or TAKE NOTES: The most affordable Art tablet that comes with a pen and a pre-installed Drawing and Animation apps for those who want to draw, make animations or take notes in the classroom.
• 4 FREE BONUS ITEMS inside the box: a high-quality tablet case, Drawing Glove, universal power adaptor and pre-installed screen protector; a total value of $50 inside the box along with 10-inch tablet and an active Pen.
• CLEAR SCREEN, LARGE DISK and a SUPERIOR CPU: The High power MediaTek Quad-core processor boosts the multitasking abilities of the tablet. The IPS HD screen resolution makes crystal clear pictures and the 64GB disk allows you to download thousands of free apps from the play store.
• CONNECTIVITY: Connect your tablet to your home WIFI network and you can take this tablet wherever you are; your entertainment always goes with you. Link your tablet to the TV via the micro HDMI port and view your movies on the large screen. One of the best tablets for watching movies on Netflix, playing games and browsing the internet. GPS and the USB type-c port provides all the connectivity options you want.
• CERTIFIED QUALITY and WORRY-FREE PURCHASE: Certification by GMS, FCC and CE standards provides you the peace of mind for safety as well as quality. Comes with 1-year warranty, along with best customer service our support staff can provide. You can contact us for any questions that you may have.

Buying Guide: How To Choose the Best Tablets

Buying a new tablet is quite an investment, so you want to make sure you’re making the right choice. In this section, I’ll share some of the essential features to look out for to help you find the best tablet with a stylus. 

In the past ten years, technology has advanced significantly. You can now rely on a tablet for all your creative work. That covers everything from designing logos, illustrating, or making notes on a project.

Tablets are lightweight, portable, and more affordable than ever before. Another advantage is that you can easily edit, save, and share your work.

A wide range of tablets with a stylus is available for every operating system. 

Screen Active Area

There are certain features to look for when buying. You should check out the screen size and the active area, which is the space where you’ll be drawing.

You’ll need a large screen size for drawings and graphic artwork. 

Resolution & Pen Sensitivity

Another factor to consider is the screen resolution and multi-touch capability. For drawing and graphic design projects, you’ll need a super-high-resolution model. It should also have a very responsive stylus so you can let your creativity flow. 

If you’re looking for a tablet for note-taking, you might not need such advanced features. For example, pressure sensitivity and pen tilt recognition aren’t essential for taking notes.

Instead, you’ll want to know that your chosen tablet is powerful and fast enough to run all your apps. Size and weight are also crucial if you carry your tablet around and use it on the go.

Your budget will also factor in choosing the best tablet for your needs. There is something for every budget, including some great, affordable options. But remember that cheaper tablets won’t offer the same premium features.

Top 3 Note-Taking and Drawing Tablets Compared

The best tablets for taking notes and drawing.

Here’s my rundown of the best tablets for all your drawing, design, and note-taking needs! From high-end options to affordable ones, there’s something for everyone. You’re sure to find a suitable model in my list of the best writing tablets.

Apple Ipad Pro

The best premium multipurpose tablet

(Image credit: Apple)

The Apple Ipad Pro is one of the slickest and most responsive models on the market. It has very powerful features and a user-friendly interface.

But what sets it apart from the competition is the high-resolution screen. Pro-Motion, True-Tone display, and 120 Hz refresh rate make for an incredible experience. 

It’s so responsive and fast, with bright, vivid colors. I think any other tablet pales compared to the iPad display. And with 12.9 inches of screen, you have plenty of space to work on. (Movies also look amazing on the iPad!)

(Image credit: Proactive Creative)

You can’t go wrong with the Apple Ipad Pro for your creative projects. Whether you use it for drawing or graphic design, your designs will look stunning!

It’s also the best tablet for taking handwritten notes or drawing when paired with the Apple Pencil. You will need to buy it separately, so factor that into your budget. 

But the 2nd Gen Apple feels great in your hand and has a nice balance. It’s super responsive and writes flawlessly, like a regular pen. Another bonus is that it attaches magnetically to the iPad, so you can keep it safe and charge it all at once.

The 4th Gen iPad Pro is more powerful than the 2018 version, thanks to the improved A12Z Bionic chip. And with 6GB of RAM compared to the earlier model’s 4GB, multitasking is easy.

Harnessing the best of modern technology, the Apple Pencil is a fantastic tablet pen. It gives you an exceptional level of control over your designs and notes. 

While it’s very expensive, it’s also a multipurpose tablet you can use for everything. If it fits your budget, you won’t regret investing in an iPad Pro!

• Screen Size: 12.9 inches
• Resolution: 2732 x 2048 pixels
• Dimensions & Weight: 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.25 inches, 1.5 lbs
• Processor: Apple A12X Bionic 8-core CPU
• OS: iPad OS 14
• Large screen size
• Impressive, crystal clear resolution
• Very powerful
• The Apple Pencil feels just like a real pen
• Can have two apps side by side
• No headphones jack
• No SD cards
• It’s very expensive

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

The best android tablet with a stylus

(Image credit: Samsung)

If you prefer to use Android gadgets, then check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7. This fantastic tablet is cheaper than the iPad Pro but rivals it in many ways. 

The large 12.4-inch AMOLED display is vibrant with a super-fast refresh rate. It’s a real improvement from the Galaxy Tab S7. I think that if you’re an artist or designer, it’s worth upgrading just for the larger and brighter screen.

You can draw directly on the screen with the included S Pen – no extra spending necessary! The tablet and pen work seamlessly together for drawing or taking notes. 

You can easily change font color and write directly onto PDFs. Students will love this tablet with a pen for its handy features like searchable tags. It makes taking digital notes much easier and more streamlined. 

I also love that the S Pen fixes magnetically to the tablet. But I would be careful to keep it attached when out of the house because it could dislodge and get lost. 

The Galaxy Tab S7+ is powerful enough to replace your laptop for most uses. Taking notes on the screen saves you from carrying your laptop everywhere. 

While the Galaxy Tab isn’t quite as robust as the iPad Pro, it’s the best Android tablet with a stylus around. That gorgeous screen and useful features make the user experience hard to beat. 

Product Specs:

• Screen Size: 11 inches
• Resolution: 1600 x 2560 pixels
• Dimensions & Weight: 11.3 x 7.3 x 0.2 inches, 1.3 lbs
• Processor: 1.6 Ghz octa-core
• OS: Android 10, One UI 2.5
• The large AMOLED screen is gorgeous, responsive, and refreshes quickly
• It comes with the S Pen (so you don’t need to spend more money on a stylus)
• The S Pen is pressure-sensitive with low latency
• You can attach the S Pen magnetically to the Galaxy Tab S7+
• The Galaxy Tab S7+ is quite expensive
• It’s pretty big – this isn’t a compact tablet

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

The best multipurpose laptop & tablet with a keyboard & stylus

(Image credit: Microsoft)

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is, without a doubt, the finest tablet for Windows users. The edge-to-edge AMOLED display looks incredible.

It offers improved performance and processor than the Microsoft Surface Pro 6. So, you can run all your favorite Adobe apps without delay or lag.

The Surface Pen writes smoothly on this tablet. It’s responsive and has excellent palm rejection so that you can write quick and accurate notes. 

When you use OneNote, it syncs to all your devices – a feature I’ve found very useful. But even better, you can convert your handwritten notes to text.

But one thing that doesn’t compare is the battery life. You’ll only get around 4-5 hours out of the Pro 7, up to 7 if you’re lucky. That’s disappointing, as you’ll have to carry the charger. 

It charges very quickly, so you can be back up to full power in an hour or two.

If you’re looking for a laptop you can use for all your creative projects, the Surface Pro 7 is for you. As it doubles up as a tablet, it’s versatile and means you only need one device for everything!

• Screen Size: 12.3 inches
• Resolution: 2736 x 1824 pixels
• Dimensions & Weight: 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.33 inches, 1.7 lbs
• Processor: Quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i5
• OS: Windows 10
• Very lightweight
• Super-fast processor
• You can use it with the Surface Pen – it’s a clean, precise pen
• Best note-taking tablet/laptop combo
• The battery only lasts 4-5 hours
• The Surface Pro doesn’t have a lot of ports so you may need an adapter

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6

The best mid-range android tablet with a pen

If you’re looking for a cheaper tablet, consider getting the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6. Although it’s not the newest Samsung model, it was released less than two years ago. It’s still a great tablet with many features the S7 or S7+ offers.

Unlike some tablets on this list, the Galaxy Tab S6 comes with an S Pen. So, you’ll save even more money right from the start. 

With this Samsung tablet with S Pen, you can easily take handwritten notes. The S Pen is responsive, lightweight, and balanced in your hand. It also packs 4,096 pressure levels, so it feels like a real pen.

The Galaxy S6 also has a very long battery life, so you won’t have to worry about charging it often.

While the screen is smaller than the Galaxy Tab S7, you’ll hardly notice the 0.5-inch difference. At 10.5 inches, the S6 is compact and perfect for taking anywhere. You can use it to work in a cafe or take notes during a lecture or meeting.

It also has that stunning AMOLED display, and the tiny bezels make it seem even larger. The refresh rate is slower than the S7 at 60Hz. But you won’t even realize it unless you’re used to a faster refresh rate.

All these features make the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 ideal for note-taking or drawing. It’s a sturdy little tablet that will last and is one of the best mid-range Android tablets with a pen. 

• Screen Size: 10.5 inch
• Dimensions & Weight: 9.63 x 6.28 x 0.22 in, 0.9 lbs
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
• OS: Android 9.0, upgradable to Android 11, One UI 3.1
• It has a very long battery life and a great AMOLED screen
• It’s compact, lightweight, and reasonably priced
• It comes with the responsive and sensitive S Pen
• The refresh rate is slower than the Tab S7

Asus Transformer Mini

The best affordable tablet/laptop for note taking

(Image credit: Asus)

The Asus Transformer is the cheapest option on this list, and it’s technically a laptop. But you can use it as a tablet due to the touchscreen and adjustable hinge design.

Are you looking for a low-cost tablet? The Asus Transformer Mini ticks all the right boxes. It comes with an included stylus and offers great value for money.

You can draw directly onto the touchscreen with the Asus pen. The kickstand lets you prop it up to get the best angle and is compatible with Windows Ink.

It’s also very lightweight – perfect for commuting or using on the go. The keyboard detaches if you don’t need it, making it even more compact. And with the long battery life, you can work all day without needing to charge it.

Asus has also improved the processor, so it’s more powerful than earlier models.

But don’t expect the same performance level as premium tablets and laptops. It’s only 4 GB RAM, and the camera is slightly disappointing with just 2 MP. 

However, the Asus Transformer Mini is not the laptop for heavy design work, video editing, or gaming. But if you want it for light use and have realistic expectations, you’ll get on fine with it. 

The Asus Transformer Mini is a cheap option for note-taking or sending emails. As it’s lightweight and compact, it’s a great choice if you’re on the move.

• Screen Size : 10.1 inches
• Resolution: 1280 x 800 pixels
• Dimensions & Weight: 10.19 x 6.69 x 0.32 inches, 1.17 lbs
• Processor: Intel® Atom™ x5-Z8350 Processor 1.4 GHz
• It weighs only 1.17 lbs and is compact enough to take anywhere
• It comes with a stylus for note-taking on the touchscreen
• It’s pretty cheap for a laptop/tablet combo
• It’s not very powerful and can run slow
• This laptop can’t handle intensive programs 

Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 

The best value for money android tablet

(Image credit: Lenovo)

If you’re looking for a compact tablet that won’t break the bank, the Lenovo Tab M10+ is for you! 

This very affordable tablet still packs a punch with a powerful octa-core processor. You also get 4 GB RAM and 64 GB of storage – impressive for such a cheap tablet! 

The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus looks and feels sturdy. It has a sleek metal cover, and the display looks great, with a pretty high resolution. 

You shouldn’t expect a premium tablet for this price. But even so, the features don’t disappoint. You get 8MP and 5MP cameras, good sound quality, and gorgeous visuals. It’s fast and responsive.

This tablet supports 10-point touch, but using a stylus is a little complicated. It doesn’t work with active pens, but you can pair it with the AccuPoint pen . This stylus emits electric pulses that the tablet responds to the same way as your finger on the screen. 

With this handy tip, you can transform the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus into a tablet. But it’s worth noting that it won’t be as sensitive as other tablets with pressure levels. 

All in all, it offers excellent value for money and is very versatile. The Lenovo Tab won’t let you down if you want a simple tablet.

• Screen Size: 10.3 inches
• Resolution: 1200 x 1920 pixels
• Dimensions & Weight: 9.61 x 6.04 x 0.32 inches, 1.01 lbs
• Processor:  1.8GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P22T 
• OS: Android 9.0
• It offers great value for money
• It’s lightweight and provides a lot of storage
• Not all digital pens will work with the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus
• It doesn’t offer premium features like more expensive tablets on this list

New Microsoft Surface Go 2 

The best Microsoft tablet

The Microsoft Surface Go 2 is one of the best tablets around for note-taking. It works seamlessly with the Surface Pen and makes digital organization easy.

Although you’ll need to buy the Surface Pen separately, it’s worth the investment. It moves smoothly across the screen with no lag and is very sensitive. The sleek metal design makes it feel premium and has the right weight to sit nicely in your hand.

Compared with the Microsoft Surface Pro 7, the Go 2 is cheaper and more portable. It’s lightweight with thinner bezels, although it can’t compete when it comes to pixels. But with 1920 x 1080 pixels, the Go 2 still isn’t shabby. The display looks crisp and clean.

An Intel Pentium processor powers the Surface Go 2. While it’s fine for light tasks like emails and surfing, it can struggle with heavy programs. You can run Photoshop on the Surface Go 2, but I wouldn’t recommend it. You’ll find that it’s quite laggy.

Where this tablet shines is for OneNote users. If you want to get on top of your digital notes, you can’t beat this tablet combined with the Surface Pen.

You can also use the Surface Pen with other apps to make notes on PDFs. If you want to get creative, you could do some sketching on this tablet!

• Screen Size: 10.5 inches
• Resolution: 1920 x 1280
• Dimensions & Weight: 9.65 x 6.9 x 0.33 inches, 1.22 lbs
• Processor: 8th Gen Intel® Core™ m3 Processor
• It’s a great tablet for a reasonable price
• The resolution is good, and the screen looks even bigger due to thinner bezels
• It works beautifully with the Surface Pen
• You can take handwritten notes on many different apps
• The processor lacks power and can’t handle heavy programs like Photoshop

Apple iPad mini

The best compact tablet

The iPad mini is a small-size tablet that’s practical and handy for note-taking. If you want a compact tablet you can take anywhere, snap it up! It’s both affordable and impressive.

The display on the iPad Mini is as close to flawless as is possible. It has a 7.9-inch Retina display with True Tone and a wide color gamut that will blow your mind. While it’s missing the Pro-Motion feature, that shouldn’t be enough to put you off. 

The Apple Pencil works wonders on the iPad Mini. It’s effective for taking notes, drawing, and even graphic design. The robust A12 chip allows you to run any program, so there are no limits to what you can do.

The gorgeous display and powerful processor make it perfect for creative projects. You can use the iPad Mini to draw, illustrate, or edit photos from anywhere. 

It’s so lightweight you won’t notice it, and it can fit into any bag. With up to 10 hours of battery life, you won’t need to worry about charging it while you’re out.

Overall, I think the iPad Mini is the best compact tablet around! Many smaller tablets don’t have the power or sensitivity for drawing and design work. But the iPad Mini provides all that and more! 

• Screen Size: 7.9 inches
• Resolution: 2048 x 1536 pixels
• Dimensions & Weight: 8 x 5.3 x 0.24 inches, 0.68 lbs
• Processor: A12 Bionic chip, 2.49 GHz Hexa-core 
• OS: iPad OS 14.5.1
• Incredibly crisp 7. 9-inch Retina display with True Tone and wide color
• Super fast and responsive
• Touch ID fingerprint sensor
• 8MP back camera, 7MP FaceTime HD front camera
• Up to 10 hours of battery life
• It’s a bit pricey
• No headphones jack or SD cards
• You’ll need to buy the Apple Pencil separately

Wacom Bamboo Slate

The best hybrid note-taking tablet

(Image credit: Wacom)

The Wacom Bamboo Slate Smartpad is one of the most innovative tablets on the market. Halfway between a good old notebook and a tablet, you get the best of both worlds. 

You can doodle right onto a standard sheet of paper. The Smartpad will save your ideas into clever digital files when you’re finished. Then, you can access, edit, and share online at the touch of a button.

You can even use the free Wacom Inkspace app to transform your handwritten notes into text. This feature will take your digital note-taking to the next level. You can export, edit, or share your notes with ease. 

The Wacom Slate isn’t a regular, multipurpose tablet. But it’s ideal for handwritten notes and drawings and converting them to digital files. If that idea appeals to you, I think you’ll love it!

• Screen Size: 11.69 x 8.26 inches
• Resolution : N/A
• Dimensions & Weight: 12.99 x 10 x 0.27 inches, 1.04 lbs
• Processor: N/A
• OS: Windows 8
• Draw on a piece of paper and convert your designs to digital files by pressing a button
• Save your drawings and edit them online.
• A great combination of the old and new, analog and digital – the best of both worlds
• Store your notes online and find them easily when you need them
• Transform your notes to text form quickly and at no cost with the Wacom Inkspace app
• The handwriting-to-text option requires a paid subscription.

Wacom Cintiq 16 

The best drawing tablet with a large screen

Wacom products are some of the best tools for graphic designers and creatives. Whether you want a tablet with a pen for note-taking, designing, or drawing, you’ll love the Cintiq 16.

The 15.6-inch 1920×1080 HD display is sure to wow you. It has an anti-glare surface that protects your eyes and allows you to work for longer.

The amazing features tick all the boxes, specially designed with artists in mind. These include pen tilt recognition, ExpressKeys, and impressive pen sensitivity. 

It also offers multi-touch functionality and comes with the Wacom Pro Pen 2. Unlike many styluses, this pen has shortcut buttons that can save you time as you draw.

One drawback is that you’ll have to connect the Cintiq to your computer. So, it’s not a portable option for working on the go. 

I’ve also noticed a little parallax, the distance between the screen and the pen. But it’s not enough to affect the accuracy of your lines, so don’t worry.

The Wacom Cintiq 16 is worth the investment if you’re an artist or designer. But if you’re after a more versatile tablet, check out the other options on this list! 

• Screen Size: 15.6 inches
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
• Dimensions & Weight: 16.2 x 10.4 x .7inches, 3.3 lbs
• OS: Windows, macOS
• The Wacom Grip Pen is included and boasts 8,192 levels of pen pressure
• Fantastic 15.6-inch 1920×1080 HD widescreen display
• Incomparable visual experience
• You can easily create a wide range of brush and pen styles with the pen
• Combines seamlessly with all your favorite apps and software
• It’s not portable 
• You can’t use it for Internet browsing or streaming videos

Huion Inspiroy H640P

The best budget tablet with a pen

(Image credit: Huion)

The Huion Inspiroy H640P is the cheapest product on this list. And first of all, I want to clarify that this tablet doesn’t have a screen.

It’s designed for your computer screen and isn’t a standalone tablet. As you draw on the active area, you’ll need to look at your monitor to see your designs. It can take time to adjust to drawing on one device while looking at another.

The Inspiroy H640P meets a specific need for a low-cost yet accurate drawing tablet. It’s perfect if you want to get into digital art but are on a tight budget. Just make sure that you have the right expectations! 

This tablet is pretty compact, so you could find that a bit limiting for your artwork.  

You can also use the Huion Inspiroy for note-taking and annotating. But you’ll need to zoom in on your monitor to write comfortably within the small active area.

The H640P doesn’t disappoint when it comes to accuracy and sensitivity. If you don’t mind the small size, this tablet will come in handy for drawing and note-taking. Especially at such a bargain price! 

• Screen Size: 6.3 x 3.9 inches
• Resolution: 5080 LPI
• Dimensions & Weight: 10.23 x 5.7 x 0.31 inches, 0.61 lbs
• OS: Windows 7, 8, 10, macOS 10.11.0 or above
• It’s very affordable – great for anyone on a budget
• It’s compact and has great accuracy and sensitivity
• This tablet doesn’t have a screen
• You only have

View prices on

Simbans Picasso Tab 10-inch 

The best low-cost android tablet

(Image credit: Simbans)

If you’re looking for a cheap drawing tablet with a screen, check out the Simbans Picasso Tab. This tablet is affordable and comes with some excellent features. They make it ideal for drawing or note-taking, among other uses.

The 10-inch screen on the Picasso Tab makes it compact and large enough to work on easily. 

This tablet doesn’t have the best resolution, so I wouldn’t recommend it to professional artists. But it’s ideal if you’re starting or want to use it for note-taking and studying. 

It comes with an active drawing pen in the box, so no extra spending is necessary. 

You can also use this tablet for gaming, surfing, and other light uses. Video calls are easy as it has a 5MP back camera and a 2MP front camera.

The RAM is quite low at just 2 GB, so set your expectations. I would avoid multitasking on this tablet so you don’t slow it down.

But for this price, it’s a great little buy. It’s perfect for students, kids, or anyone who wants to draw and take notes on the screen. 

• Screen Size: 10.1 inches
• Dimensions & Weight:   10.24 x 6.81 x 0.39 inches 2.91 lbs
• Processor: Quad Core MTK8163 1.3GHz
• OS: Android 10
• You get an active stylus and accessories included in the price 
• The 10-inch HD screen gives you lots of space to work on
• It’s a great low-cost tablet for drawing and note-taking
• The resolution isn’t the best at 1280 x 800, so it looks a little grainy
• It’s not the most powerful tablet

Conclusions

Tablet technology has come a long way, and some awesome high-end and budget options for note-taking tablets are on the market. Any of the above-recommended products will serve you well and meet all your needs, whether you intend to use your tablet for creative projects or taking notes.

The best tablet is portable and lightweight, has a great screen resolution, and is powerful enough to run your favorite apps. All the tablets on this list tick the right boxes, and there’s something for everyone, no matter your budget. 

Everyone should have a handy little tablet, whether you use it for note-taking, drawing, graphic design work, or just surfing the web.

Hey, I’d love to hear what you think about this post. If you’ve got a question or an opinion on this, leave a comment at the bottom.

This post contains affiliate links. Proactive Creative may receive a small commission at no additional cost if you purchase.

Outmane is the founder of Proactive Creative. He is an artist/designer.

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Julian Chokkattu

The Best Tablets for Work and Play

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Best for Most People Apple iPad (2021, 9th Gen) Read more

A More Modern iPad Apple iPad (2022, 10th Gen) Read more

Best Android Tablet OnePlus Pad Read more

Best Tablet Under $200 Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) Read more

The best tablet can be a portable TV screen around the house and a way to get some light work done away from your desk. They're not essential but are nice to have around. With a wealth of apps for drawing, painting, and making music, they’re also a great outlet for creative impulses.

The iPad’s ease of use and best-in-breed software make it the obvious choice for most people, but if you don’t want an iPad, other options exist. Android tablets are making a comeback recently as Google refocused its efforts on improving the tablet experience. Amazon’s Fire tablets are also an affordable way to watch movies and browse the web, as long as you don’t mind their limitations. There are even great E Ink slates for jotting down notes or sketching. These are our favorites of the many we have tested.

Be sure to check out our other buying guides , including the Best iPads , Best Digital Notebooks and Pens , Best Drawing Apps , Best iPad Accessories , and Best Amazon Fire Tablets .

Updated November 2023: We’ve added the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE series, ReMarkable 2, TCL NxtPaper 11, and Wacom One 13 Touch.

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Best for Most People

It's surprisingly hard to find another tablet that performs as smoothly as Apple's iPad. The ninth-generation model ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) uses the same A13 Bionic chip that powers the iPhone 11 , which outclasses similarly priced slates. Sure, it looks like an iPad from six years ago, with thick borders around the screen and a classic home button (with Touch ID), but maybe that's what you want. It's the only iPad with this design anymore, and the only one that comes with an audio jack.

The best addition to the 2021 model is the 12-megapixel selfie camera with support for Center Stage. The camera will ensure you're always visible in the frame, handy if you're cooking and FaceTiming with Mom. You also get Apple's class-leading ecosystem of tablet-optimized apps, which truly make this a slate capable of entertainment and work. The latter is especially true if you hook up Apple's Smart Keyboard (or a third-party alternative ). It supports the first-gen Apple Pencil too, but this is the only iPad with a larger air gap between the glass and screen. There's a discernible space between your fingertip and the actual pixels, which makes using the iPad for sketching a little less natural than its siblings.

A More Modern iPad

Apple finally introduced a nicer entry-level iPad in 2022. The 10th-gen iPad ( 7/10, WIRED Recommends ) mimics the rest of Apple's slates with a uniform, slim bezel around the slightly larger 10.9-inch LCD screen. There's also no home button—instead, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor is embedded into the power button at the top—and no headphone jack. It does have a USB-C port, which means you can use the same cable as your MacBook to recharge it. There's also 5G support on the cellular model. The 12-MP selfie camera now sits at the center when you hold the tablet horizontally—no need to awkwardly look to the side during video calls.

Unfortunately, the price has jumped up, which is why Apple continues to sell the 9th-gen model. There's also only first-gen Apple Pencil support , and the air gap between the screen and glass remains, so it's not the best iPad for sketching. It supports the Magic Keyboard Folio and the Smart Folio case , but we recommend you go with a third-party keyboard to save some cash.

Best Android Tablet

If you're eyeing a tablet that can replace your laptop every now and then—one that still works great as an entertainment slate, and is not an iPad—take a look at the OnePlus Pad ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ). It's the first-ever tablet from the phone maker and it runs Android 13 out of the box, so there are a lot of improvements in making the Android experience on a tablet really great. Multitasking is notably efficient here, aided by the company's accessories: a Magnetic Keyboard case and a stylus. It was the first time I felt comfortable working for long stretches of time on an Android tablet. (OnePlus occasionally has a sale bundle that includes the keyboard or stylus with your tablet purchase for free on its own storefront.)

The 11.61-inch LCD 144-Hz display is sharp, fluid, and colorful, the battery has excellent standby time and can get through close to a full workday, and performance is pretty smooth. It'll get three years of OS updates and four years of security updates. It's a shame there's no microSD slot, headphone jack, or biometric authentication.

Best Tablet Under $200

Amazon's Fire tablets aren't for everyone. They really push Amazon Prime services and apps, but they're great for leisurely tasks, like playing games and watching movies. There's no Google Play Store (though there's a workaround ), and not every Android app is readily available. Still, for $140, it's hard to beat the 2023 Fire HD 10, which is our favorite Fire Tablet . The update over the 2021 model is largely just a processor bump, making it slightly faster. It has enough power for most tasks, even some light work if you pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard (there's a keyboard bundle !). There's a USB-C port, so you can charge it with the same cable as your laptop or phone, and it has hands-free Alexa support, meaning it can double as an Echo Show .

Note that Amazon steeply discounts its Fire tablets on Prime Day , Black Friday, and for shopping holidays like back-to-school season, so try to avoid paying full price. That's why it might be worth looking at the Fire Max 11 , which is a faster, better quality tablet, but has far too high of an MSRP. When it dips to $150 or less, it's worth it.

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Best Upgrade

If you want to do some work on your tablet, get Apple's iPad Air ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends) . Thanks to the M1 processor, it's the most powerful tablet for the money. You can play demanding games, edit batches of RAW photos, render 3D designs, and so much more. Apple's recent strides in iPadOS make it easier to multitask than ever too. This slate delivers slim bezels around the 10.9-inch screen and USB-C for charging, and it supports the second-generation Apple Pencil ( Amazon ), which magnetically attaches to the top and recharges wirelessly. That also makes this one of the best tablets for sketching, as the laminated display offers a more natural drawing experience. There's no Face ID, but Touch ID is integrated into the power button.

★ The ultimate iPad: The 12.9-inch 2022 iPad Pro ( 7/10, WIRED Recommends ) is much more expensive at $1,049 , but it's more feature-rich. The large screen makes it even better for drawing. It has Mini-LED backlighting technology , which outputs a brighter display with better contrast, and improved performance with the M2 chip. You also get a 120-Hz screen refresh rate , two extra speakers, 5G, Face ID, and a lidar sensor, among other perks.

Best Tablet and Smart Display Combo

Google's Pixel Tablet ( 7/10, WIRED Recommends ) is part tablet, part smart display. This 11-inch slate is like a big Pixel phone , with a sharp LCD screen, good speakers, and slick software. It's powerful too, thanks to the Tensor G2 software inside. However, it comes with a hub, so when you're done using it as a tablet, you can magnetically dock it to automatically start recharging. This hub doubles as a speaker, and since the Pixel Tablet is the first to support Chromecast, you can cast music or shows to it from your phone or laptop and get beefier sound out of the system. When you're not using it, you can have the display show a clock or friends and family from your Google Photos library like a digital picture frame .

The best part is multi-user support. The Pixel Tablet supports up to eight profiles, so every member of the family can switch to their own personalized profile, and it's securely locked via fingerprint. On another note, I highly recommend getting the official Pixel Tablet Case ($79) , as it adds a much-needed kickstand and it doesn't interrupt the hub attachment point. I also tested a Speck case that has a decent kickstand and is a little cheaper .

Best Digital Notebook

I've been using the ReMarkable 2 for more than a year as a digital notebook, and it's hard to imagine life without it. Writing with the stylus feels closer to paper and pen than any other digital notebook I've tried (we've tested others here ). You can choose between the Marker and the Marker Plus. The latter has an eraser at the other end, but I don't think it's worth the higher cost. The company has done a (sorry not sorry for the pun!) remarkable job of keeping the software updated while adding more organizational features. You can add tags and make folders or notebooks, and the slate does a decent job of converting handwriting to text. You can send files to your email in a few different formats too. You don't need to subscribe to Connect ($3 per month) , but it gives you unlimited cloud storage and the ability to access and make notes on desktop and mobile.

What really upped the game with the ReMarkable 2 for me was the new Type Folio Keyboard Cover ($199) . This handy accessory magnetically sticks to the tablet and adds a tiny keyboard! It connects via pogo pins, so you never have to recharge it. The keyboard takes some getting used to, as the layout is cramped, but I love using it to write when I absolutely need to get away from all the distractions from Slack, email, and other messaging apps. Best of all is the ReMarkable's long-lasting battery—I plug it in once a week if not less.

Best Tablet Under $100

The 2022 Fire HD 8 ( 6/10, WIRED Review ) doesn't add much over the 2020 model outside of a slightly faster processor and thinner design. For the money, you get decent performance, a USB-C charging port, stereo sound, and hands-free access to Alexa—all of this in a travel-friendly 8-inch size. The screen isn't as nice as the Fire HD 10, and it can be a little tough to see images and text clearly if you're outside, but this is the best tablet you can get for around $100. There's officially no Google Play Store, but there's a workaround that nets you access to more apps.

Paying the extra $20 for the Fire HD 8 Plus is wise, as you get extra RAM (which helps when you're scrolling the web or juggling multiple apps) and wireless charging, so you can recharge it on almost any charging pad. You can also use an official wireless charging dock , which props up the tablet and turns it into an Echo Show while it's juicing up. Either way, consider picking up Amazon's magnetic cover to hold the tablet steady when you're bingeing TV shows.

★ An alternative: Amazon also refreshed the Fire HD 7 ($60) in 2022 to offer better performance and USB-C connectivity. You only get 16 gigs of storage (though there's a MicroSD card slot), and the screen is still tiny (7 inches), but if that's what you want, it's a fine option.

A Cheaper Android Tablet

Lenovo's Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen) is all you need if you want a lag-free Android tablet. The MediaTek 1300T processor inside did an excellent job juggling various apps and games, even when spending a few workdays in Lenovo's Productivity Mode, which kicks in when you connect a Bluetooth keyboard. The interface switches to a laptop-like environment with resizable app windows. It's not quite as nice to use as the OnePlus Pad for work though. I tested the version with six gigabytes of RAM—the 4-GB model is cheaper but will likely feel more sluggish. I strongly recommend using Lenovo's Keyboard and kickstand if you plan to get some work done as it connects via pogo pins and doesn't require any power or Bluetooth fiddling (though it's frequently out of stock). You can doodle if you get Lenovo's Precision Pen 3 , and I found it fairly responsive.

The 11-inch OLED (!) display is a nice size to carry around, and the screen is sharp and colorful, joined by a quad-speaker system that sounds robust. There's a microSD card slot to expand the 128 GB of built-in storage if you need it, but there's no headphone jack, so you'll have to listen in with Bluetooth earbuds (or use a dongle ). Other downsides? There's no biometric authentication, the cameras aren't much to write home about, and while I got nearly seven hours on a single charge, this tablet devours battery life in standby mode so turn it off if you're not using it. Lenovo is also promising three years of security updates and two OS updates for this slate, which means since it's running Android 12, it won't get anything past Android 14. That's better than what the company has promised before, but still not as good as the competition, and it doesn't help that Lenovo is really slow to roll these updates out.

Best Kids Tablet

When you're giving a tablet to a kid, you want something durable and cheap so that it's unlikely to break and, if does, a replacement won't be too costly. Amazon offers kid-friendly versions of all its Fire tablets, and the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition sits in the sweet spot of having a kid-friendly size and a wallet-friendly price. It's the exact same as the Fire HD 8 above, but the extra money you spend adds a bulky case to protect the tablet and a two-year worry-free damage plan. That means if your kid breaks it, you can return it and Amazon will send you a replacement for free. You also get a year of Amazon's Kids+ service , which provides access to kid-friendly books , movies, games, and apps, all with parental controls. It's $8 per month after the first year ($5 for Prime members).

There's also the larger Fire HD 10 Kids Edition, which comes in two variants: one for kids aged 3 to 7 , and a Kids Pro Edition for kids aged 6 to 12. Both are pricier and might be too big for younger children to comfortably use. Check out our Best Kids Tablets guide for more ideas.

Luxe Android Tablets

Samsung's Tab S9 series ( 7/10, WIRED Recommends ) consists of three tablets: the Tab S9 ($800) , Tab S9+ ($1,000) , and Tab S9 Ultra ($1,200) . They're all insanely expensive, but you get some of the best hardware in Android, from superbright 120-Hz screens and IP68 water resistance to an included S Pen stylus and flagship performance. Samsung offers some of the longest support outside of Apple, with a promise of four Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates.

These slates are capable at work and play, thanks to multitasking improvements and an improved DeX desktop mode. But I think the Tab S9 is the weakest of the lot in terms of value. You can get a very close experience with tablets like the OnePlus Pad and Pixel Tablet for far less (or even Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9 FE ). Instead, if you really like the look of these Samsung tablets, stick with the Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra. There aren't a lot of large-screen Android slates, and these do the job exceptionally well. Just remember that Samsung's Book Cover keyboard attachment is yet another expensive purchase.

A Great Drawing Tablet

Want a tablet strictly for drawing? Get the Wacom One 13 Touch ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ). WIRED's resident artist and product reviewer Jaina Grey has been using an iPad to draw for years, and yet the Wacom's silky smooth touchscreen drew her in. It's easy to set up—just plug the USB-C cable into your PC—and start sketching with your preferred drawing app ; the stylus doesn't need recharging. The downside is that it needs to be tethered to another device, so you can't just bring it wherever you want, as you would an iPad.

Best Portable Tablet

Want something a little bigger than your phone, but still pocketable and easy to travel with? The 8.3-inch iPad Mini ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) should be up your alley. You get a compact tablet with a refreshed iPad Pro-like design. It has the A15 Bionic processor, the same that powers the iPhone 13 range , and Touch ID embedded inside the power button. It also features Center Stage in the camera, like the aforementioned iPads, and USB-C for charging. It's unbelievably small and cute, and you can attach the second-gen Apple Pencil to it for on-the-go sketching.

Best Laptop/Tablet Hybrid

Who says tablets need to run operating systems originally designed for smartphones? Microsoft's Surface line employs Windows, making it a suitable choice for heavy, desktop-grade workflows. The Surface Pro 9 doesn't add much over its predecessor—it has a faster processor—but it remains powerful, with a large 13-inch screen and a 120-Hz refresh rate . The best part is the built-in kickstand, which lets you plop it down on almost any surface. It's not as polished as an iPad in tablet mode, but Windows 11 has larger touch targets that make it easier to use. Our main gripe? Battery life is not as great as Microsoft promises. 

The Surface Go 3 suffers from similar battery woes, but it's a cheaper option. It's not as powerful, so it's better suited for simpler tasks like writing emails, browsing the web, and watching Netflix.

We recommend the Surface Pro 9 with the Intel Core i5 CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256-GB SSD for most people.

Best for Seniors

If you have a family member who has a hard time with technology and you want to maintain easy contact with them, the GrandPad ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) is your best bet. It's a yearly subscription, so it's expensive, but you're getting LTE connectivity out of the box, so the device is always connected to the internet—no need to set up Wi-Fi. The slate itself has outdated specs (it's an Acer 8-inch tablet), but there's a large, optimized interface, speakers tuned to help those hard of hearing, ad-free music streaming and radio stations, unlimited photo and video storage, and games like Solitaire. If the device is ever damaged or lost, the company will send a replacement.

The GrandPad excels at one-to-one video calls, and it's portable, meaning they can take it with them and still receive your calls. It sits on a wireless charging cradle too, so your loved one won't have to fuss with cables.

Get a Folding Phone Instead

OK, hear me out. If all you're really after is a slightly larger screen to catch up on shows and movies at bedtime, then instead of getting another device you need to deal with, why not upgrade your phone to a folding smartphone? The whole idea behind these kinds of folding devices is to offer a larger screen than ever before in a smaller package. The Pixel Fold ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) opens up to be a 7.6-inch slate—not a massive difference from the 8.3-inch iPad Mini! Not all apps take advantage of the larger screen size, but this is something that's improving over time. Best of all, you can easily hop into a split-screen mode to run two apps simultaneously side by side. Read our Best Folding Phones guide for more options.

Honorable Mentions

We test tons of tablets every year. Here are a few others we like, just not as much as our picks above.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus for $600 : The Galaxy Tab S9 FE is the “ Fan Edition ” version of the flagship Tab S9 series, which essentially means it makes some sacrifices for a more palatable price. It comes in a Plus and standard variant —I tested the former—and both include a stylus. It performed much better than the older Tab S7 FE tablet I tested, with not many stutters. The 12.4-inch LCD screen is vast and a rarity to find at this price in the world of Android tablets, but it's a bit tricky to comfortably hold, especially when you're browsing apps in bed. I still prefer the OnePlus Pad and Pixel Tablet over it, especially at this price.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Series for $500+ : Whether it's the Tab S8 , Tab S8+ , or Tab S8 Ultra , it's always smart to buy 2022's flagship tablets when they go on sale. (Make sure you don't pay MSRP!) They're not that different from the new Tab S9 series, except the smallest slate is stuck with an LCD panel here instead of AMOLED, and there is no IP68 water resistance rating. You still get a stylus that magnetically sticks to the back of the tablet, Samsung's DeX mode to get some work done, and long software support.

Nokia T20 Android Tablet for $145 : I nearly gave the Nokia T20 our top Android tablet spot above. It's pretty great. What brought it down was … my time with the Lenovo P11, which performed better and had a nicer screen—all for not much more money. Still, the T20 will run most apps and games, it has a decent 10.3-inch screen that's not too big and not too small, and there's a headphone jack. The speakers and screen are just OK. HMD Global, which makes Nokia hardware, promises two OS upgrades and three years of security updates (it was only recently updated to Android 13, so the rollouts are slow).

Nokia T10 Android Tablet for $130 : I think the Nokia T20 is the better option, but the T10 is a smaller 8-inch slate if you want something more pocketable. The screen resolution is lackluster, and the performance isn't super snappy, but it's decent enough for reading or catching up on a show before bed. The company promises two OS upgrades and three years of security updates.

TCL Tab Pro 5G Android Tablet for $400 : Unless you really want 5G connectivity and are prepared to sign up for a monthly data-only plan with Verizon, I think Lenovo's P11 Pro (2nd Gen) is the better buy. This TCL has a solid 2K LCD screen, but it's not as contrasty and colorful as our top Android pick. Its speakers are nice, as is performance—it ran all the usual apps just fine. However, the 10-inch screen size isn't large enough to make some apps split into two columns when in a vertical orientation (not the case on the P11 Pro). At least you get a fingerprint scanner.

Avoid These Tablets

TCL Nxtpaper 11 Tablet for $290 : This TCL tablet has dipped on sale as low as $161, so try to avoid paying more than $200 for it. It has a matte paper-like 11-inch screen, which is easy on the eyes, much like an E Ink screen on an ebook reader. It's totally fine to use for browsing your favorite apps and even watching movies and shows, though performance is pretty choppy across the board. But it will only get two security updates, with zero promises to get Android 14. That's pretty pathetic.

Lenovo Tab Extreme for $950 : This is a really expensive, premium-feeling tablet. It's fantastic … until you start using it. My unit was riddled with bugs (apps kept force-closing) not to mention that Lenovo's Android interface made some weird design decisions that affected my workflow. Unlike every other new Android tablet, you can't open a second Chrome tab in split-screen mode to have two Chrome tabs side by side. When I took it to an in-person meeting to type up notes, my palm kept touching the trackpad on the keyboard case and moved my cursor around. It was frustrating. It's also weirdly difficult to buy right now. It's just not worth the hassle.

Amazon Fire 11 Max for $230 : If you are OK with a tablet that shoves Amazon content in your face, and nothing else, then the Fire 11 Max is a fine buy. However, Amazon has a Productivity Bundle that adds a keyboard case for $330, and this is where the Max starts losing value. You can do so much more with many of the tablets above. It's only worth it if you can find it at a steep discount, like during Black Friday.

Great Tablet Accessories

Tablets often don't come with kickstands or enough ports, so it's a good idea to snag a few accessories to enhance your experience. These are some of our favorite tablet accessories, many of which you can also find in our Best iPad Accessories guide .

Satechi Aluminum Desktop Stand for $45 : This is my favorite tablet stand, so much so that I've taken it with me on trips. It packs down relatively well, and it is very stable—there's no wobbling around here. You can also adjust the angle quite a bit. It can handle huge sizes too—it worked perfectly with my 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Twelve South Compass Pro Stand for $50 : This is made for iPads, but I've had no trouble using it for plenty of other tablets. It's more travel-friendly than the Satechi above and fairly stable, but when I lift the tablet off, the back leg tends to change positions. You can angle it pretty low for sketching or keep it upright for watching movies. Unlike the Satechi, it's not a great option for keeping the tablet upright on a mattress.

Twelve South StayGo Mini USB-C Hub for $60 : This works with iPads and other tablets just fine. You can either plug it in and keep it flush with the edge of a slate or use the included cord to keep it extended. You get a USB-C port you can use for pass-through charging, a USB-A, an HDMI, and a headphone jack.

Lamicall Gooseneck Tablet Holder for $26 : I've used this on my bed frame to hold up various tablets for more than a year. The gooseneck requires a bit of finagling to get to the right position, and if you're constantly tapping the tablet, it will jiggle around. But it's a great hands-free way to watch movies. You can affix the clamp to any surface, like a desk or kitchen counter.

Twelve South HoverBar Duo Mount/Stand for $80 : You can use this as a stand or as an arm mount, and Twelve South makes it really easy to switch between the two. That means you can easily affix your tablet to your bedside arm mount, and then put it on the stand in your home office in the morning. Both are sturdy, and the arm mount is decently adjustable. Best of all, it doesn't wiggle around as much as the Lamicall above when you tap the screen.

Keychron K3 Pro Mechanical Bluetooth Keyboard for $100 : If you want to use a third-party Bluetooth keyboard with your tablet, a cheap one ( like this Logitech ) will do the job perfectly. But if you're a mechanical keyboard snob like me, this Keychron is an upgrade that's pretty easy to tote around. You can connect it to multiple devices and switch between them quickly; the keys light up in different, configurable colors; and best of all, it delivers the clickety-clackety experience you want with a mechanical keyboard. It needs to be recharged every three to four days, but you can also use it plugged in.

Anker Nano 3 30-Watt Charging Adapter for $20 : Most tablets charge at around 18 watts, so this 30-watt charger from Anker is more than capable. The plugs fold up, and it's pretty compact. If your tablet does support faster charging, then I recommend Satechi's 108-watt three-port USB-C charger ($75) . This will let you charge your phone, tablet, and laptop all off the same plug.

Einova Ultra Fast Power Bank for $47 : This power bank is slim enough to store next to a tablet in your bag, and it has enough capacity (20,000 mAh) to recharge an 11-inch tablet twice. You can fast-charge with the USB-C port and use the two USB-A ports to recharge other devices.

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• Buying Guide

The best drawing tablets to buy right now

Whether you’re new to digital art or a seasoned professional designer, these are our top picks for the best drawing tablets on the market..

By Jess Weatherbed , a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.

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Drawing tablets (also known as graphics tablets or art tablets) aren’t just for digital creatives like graphic designers, artists, and photo editors. They’re useful for gamers, office workers, and teachers, too. While varied in design, each drawing tablet serves the same purpose: to replace your mouse or trackpad with a digital stylus that feels more natural to draw or edit with. Some, often called “pen tablets,” resemble a blank slab and pen that controls your on-screen cursor. Others, dubbed “display tablets,” include built-in screens, allowing users to draw directly onto the surface that they’re viewing.

• The best tablet you can buy right now
• Yes, paper-feel screen protectors for the iPad are good

Selecting the best drawing tablet comes down to personal preference and what you’ll be using it for. High-end display tablets that might be ideal for professional comic artists and animators aren’t the best choice if you’re just signing digital documents. Some users prefer to stick with Wacom — the most trusted and recognized brand of drawing tablets — because of their reputation for build quality, reliable drivers, and software. But in recent years, other brands, like Huion, XP-Pen, and Gaomon, have emerged that offer products with similar functionality (albeit with less reliable software and slightly lower build quality) at a fraction of Wacom’s lofty prices.

What I'm looking for

Who is this drawing tablet for? Expensive models that target professional artists might have features a complete novice doesn’t need, and a fancy built-in display is a luxury that’s wasted on just signing digital documents.

Some drawing tablets are small enough to fit into a backpack to take to work, school, or college. Others are larger than a typical computer monitor. The appeal for either (and every size in between) is dependent on your budget and what you’ll be using the tablet for.

Does the drawing tablet come with its own drivers and software? If so, how reliable are they, and how much customization do they allow? This won’t be at the forefront of novice users’ minds, but intermediate and experienced drawing tablet users know how frustrating buggy software can be when they’re working on a project. Wacom has become the gold standard manufacturer of drawing tablets because of the reliability of both its software and hardware, but other brands have started to catch up.

Resolution / color gamut

This only applies to drawing tablets with built-in screens (aka display tablets). Many can’t match the quality of a color-referencing computer monitor — something used mostly by photographers and videographers to ensure on-screen colors accurately reflect real-world footage for editing — but should still be able to reproduce a wide range of colors and tones across color spaces like RGB, sRGB, NTSC, and more. It also helps illustrators and graphic designers ensure specific brand colors are accurate and that projects are designed in high resolution for publishing to print or the web.

How many levels of pressure sensitivity (which makes lines thicker the harder you press) does it support? Are there buttons that can be mapped to different functions? How pleasant is it to handle for lengthy drawing sessions?

Does the tablet have buttons that can be mapped to different functions in creative software? Some tablets also feature a built-in kickstand for a more easel-like drawing experience, while others need a professional VESA mount to support their weight.

I have almost 15 years of near-daily experience with both pen and display drawing tablets, and I’ve been lucky enough to own, test, or review a wide range of them over the years. While I haven’t worked as a professional photo editor or illustrator, I’ve used them for everything from designing various monsters and beasties in 3D sculpting software when I worked as a makeup prosthetics artist to drawing cringe fan art of my favorite TV and video game characters in my free time.

There are several things that you need to consider before purchasing a drawing tablet in 2023 (many of which are addressed in our FAQs at the end of this guide), but thankfully, there’s plenty of variety to ensure you’ll find the best choice to serve your needs.

The best drawing tablet overall

12.9-inch M2 iPad Pro (Wi-Fi)

Apple’s latest iPad Pro comes with the faster M2 processor and supports Wi-Fi 6E but otherwise shares the same design as its predecessor. The larger 12.9-inch model sports a higher-quality Mini LED panel than the 11-inch version.

Size: 12.9 inches / Screen resolution: 2048 x 2732, 120Hz, HDR10 / Pen pressure levels: N/A (not provided but second-gen Apple Pencil has been tested to 8,192) / Colour gamut: 100 percent P3 / Weight: 1.5 pounds

One of the most popular display drawing tablets isn’t actually a drawing tablet per se. The Apple iPad has gained a positive reputation among creative professionals thanks to apps like Clip Studio Paint for iPad and Adobe Photoshop for iPad that let it compete with full-fat desktop applications at a fraction of the weight and size of an actual desktop or laptop.

Brands like Wacom and Huion offer tablet workstations — essentially display tablets with built-in PCs — but the iPad trounces each and every one of them for convenience and price. Dedicated all-in-one tablet workstations tend to be heavy, loud, and incredibly expensive, and most other mainstream drawing tablets need to be connected to a desktop computer or laptop. While an M2-powered iPad Pro model isn’t exactly cheap, it could be cheaper than purchasing both a display tablet and a system to run it with.

Some apps, like Procreate — an intuitive illustration software that provides artists with easy-to-use tools — and its upcoming Dreams animation app , are also exclusive to the iPad. Procreate alone has made the iPad coveted by digital artists, and the company is promising that its new animation software will make similar waves across the creative industry when it’s released on November 22nd. If you’re interested in illustration and animation, it’s an exciting time to be an iPad user.

• The best iPads

The iPad Pro handles apps for 3D sculpting and high-definition video editing like a champ, which makes it a great accessory for professionals, or a fully dedicated creative device for those just getting started. If you’re on a tighter budget, the more affordable iPad Air (fourth-gen and above) is also capable of running many of the same creative applications, though more intensive workloads would be better suited to the Pro models. That said, the iPad platform doesn’t support every application that a desktop computer system can run, such as Autodesk Maya or Maxon ZBrush, so make sure you check what software you’ll need to use before choosing this as your only drawing tablet.

You’ll also have to purchase the second-generation Apple Pencil ($129) separately for the full experience. The setup loses some points here since the Apple Pencil doesn’t provide any physical reprogrammable buttons, but double-tapping the flat side of the stylus will switch between whatever tool you’re using and the erase function (at least in most creative apps). Pair that with a decent paper-like screen protector, and you may find you don’t need to buy a dedicated drawing tablet after all.

Read our full review of the iPad Pro (2022) here .

The best display drawing tablet for beginners.

Wacom One (2019)

The Wacom One is ideal for those looking for a simple display drawing tablet to learn the basics, featuring a textured 1080p display and a slim stylus that’s easily stored on the side of the device.

Size: 13.3 inches / Drawing area: 11.6 x 6.5 inches / Screen resolution: Full HD (1920 x 1080), 26ms response time / Pen pressure levels: 4,096 / Colour gamut: 72 percent NTSC / Weight: 2.2 pounds

The Wacom One is one of the company’s most affordable display tablets. The combination of its affordable price point and Wacom’s reputation means that it’s the tablet of choice for many high schools and colleges. If you or your child want to continue projects at home, it may be best to stick with a product that they’re already familiar with. It can take some time to adjust to digital illustration tools if you’ve only experienced traditional media like pencils and ink before, so keeping your tools consistent can make things a little easier.

The Wacom One doesn’t have many frills, nor does it pretend to — what it lacks in features, it makes up for with Wacom’s reliable build quality and frustration-free software. It features a textured full HD 1080p display and comes with a stylus with one customizable side switch. Wacom has also made the One compatible with a host of third-party styluses if you want additional control over things like pen thickness, grip, and button placement for a more comfortable experience.

There are some similarly priced alternatives from rival brands like Huion and XP-Pen that provide more features, but there are two main reasons why the Wacom One might be a better choice. 

First, additional buttons and features might be overwhelming if you’ve never used a drawing tablet before. The Wacom One removes all of that confusion — it’s a display you can draw on, and nothing more. Second, Wacom is the gold standard of reliability when it comes to software and build quality. It’s something you should really experience before buying something from a rival brand, as it’s harder to detect where the quality of these offerings has slipped without anything to compare it to. There’s a reason many professional artists are loyal to Wacom despite its comparatively higher price tags.

The best cheap display tablet for hobbyists

XP-Pen Artist 12 (Gen 2)

The second-generation XP-Pen Artist 12 is a good all-rounder for folks who want an affordable display tablet for everyday sketching and editing. The programmable buttons are also a good first step into learning how to utilize macros and hotkeys with creative software.

Size: 11.9 inches / Drawing area dimensions: 10.3 x 5.8 inches / Screen resolution: Full HD (1920 x 1080) / Pen pressure levels: 8,192 / Color gamut: 90 percent NTSC, 127 percent sRGB, 94 percent Adobe RGB / Weight: 1.9 pounds

Okay, so perhaps you are ready to start mapping some of your commonly used tools to physical buttons. In that case, the second-gen XP-Pen Artist 12 is an endearing little display tablet that serves as a step up in utility from the stripped-back Wacom One, at the expense of some cursor jitters . 

The second-gen XP-Pen Artist 12 display tablet comes with the X3 Elite stylus , which provides 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity (a figure that’s effectively now the standard for drawing tablets) and 60 degrees of tilt recognition to replicate real brush strokes. There are also two programmable buttons on the side for switching between your current tool and the erase function of whatever software you’re using.

Essentially, all the stylus basics are covered here to help developing artists adjust to similar features on more expensive display tablets. They might not be the best quality tools, but they get the job done and allow you to better understand the differences between using a professional drawing tablet (which typically has a higher resolution, greater color accuracy, and customization) and something less powerful that’s designed more for sketching or fan art.

The active area is smaller than that of the Wacom One, but it’s enough space for folks looking to use it for sketching or physical note-taking. It comes in a selection of cute pastel colors (and black if you prefer to keep things professional) and provides eight programmable buttons, which is unexpected at this price. It doesn’t include a built-in stand if you’re wanting to use it at an angle, though it’s not entirely needed at this size — it’s lightweight, portable, and can be used either flat on a desk or resting on your lap to help digital art novices adjust to drawing on a screen.

This would also make a great first display tablet if you’re not interested in jumping straight into Wacom’s offerings, but it loses some marks for software. I noticed that my cursor is slightly jittery compared to some of the more expensive display tablets I’ve used, but not enough to make drawing unpleasant. I was happy to use it for all of my usual tasks, from line art on Clip Studio Paint to sculpting models in Blender, with no real issues besides knowing that pricier display tablets would typically produce smoother lines. If you’re inexperienced with using pen tablets or display tablets, then the slight jitter may not even be something you can detect, but that’s a risk you need to decide if you’re willing to take.

The best midsize display tablet

Huion Kamvas Pro 16 (2.5K)

The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 (2.5K) is an affordable midway point between beginner and professional devices.

Size: 15.8 inches / Drawing area dimensions: 13.7 x 7.7 inches / Screen resolution: 2.5K (2560 x 1440), 60Hz, 14ms response time / Pen pressure levels: 8,192 / Color gamut: 145 percent sRGB / Weight: 2.6 pounds

The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 (2.5K) hits the sweet spot for midsize display tablets, even with every Wacom offering taken into consideration. The 1440p resolution is ideal for its size, providing a noticeable improvement against 1080p displays at a fraction of the cost of a 4K Wacom Cintiq (which would need to be adjusted in the settings to run at 1440p). There’s also a 4K version available, but it costs considerably more, and unless you really need those additional pixels, the 2.5K offering is a better deal.

There are eight programmable hotkeys and a built-in kickstand that can be deployed in two different positions. Huion used to have a reputation for buggy software, and while it hasn’t completely escaped that reputation, Huion products have drastically improved in recent years and are no longer as risky to invest in.

The Slim Pen PW550S stylus is battery-free (as most modern tablet pens are, Apple Pencil notwithstanding) and provides most of the usual perks, like 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and two programmable buttons. You also get a nice donut-shaped stylus stand that opens to reveal a set of replacement nibs.

If you’re a digital illustrator looking to upgrade from your first display tablet, then the Huion Kamvas Pro 16 (2.5K) is a solid choice. Unless you step into working in a field that requires a larger workspace, more pixels, or greater color accuracy — such as photo editing or designing branded logos and graphics — it’s unlikely you’ll ever need something more powerful than this. The size allows it to be thrown into a backpack if needed, and the work area is plenty large enough for character art and web comics.

The best large-screen display drawing tablet 

Xencelabs Pen Display 24

The Xencelabs Pen Display 24 is a powerful display tablet that provides reliable performance and free, high-quality accessories.

Size: 24.4 inches / Drawing area dimensions: 20.7 x 11.7 inches  / Screen resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160), 60Hz / Pen pressure levels: 8,192 / Colour gamut: 99 percent Adobe RGB, 93 percent DCI-P3 / Weight: 13.3 pounds

There’s no shortage of drawing tablet manufacturers gunning for Wacom’s crown these days, but Xencelabs feels like it’s in the best position. The rather unimaginatively named Pen Display 24 is Xencelab’s flagship display tablet offering, and it couldn’t have made a better impression. 

The screen itself isn’t quite as suited to the same color-referencing tasks as the Wacom Cintiq Pro 27, but you’re still getting a 4K resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and coverage for up to 99 percent of Adobe RGB and 93 percent DCI-P3 color spaces. It’s even validated for Pantone SkinTone . That’s plenty good enough for even professional illustration and graphic design, and at just over half the price of Wacom’s flagship offering, it’s hard to beat.

$1,899 may seem expensive, but you’re getting your money’s worth. Xencelabs ships the tablet with a bunch of high-quality accessories, including two different pens (a slim Apple-Pencil-like stylus and a chunkier pen with three buttons ) in a compact travel case as well as a programmable OLED “Quick Keys” macro pad. Having a choice between different pens is great if you like to switch things up depending on your current task — for example, I prefer to use the slimmer stylus when sketching and move to the thicker pen for coloring or 3D sculpting. The Quick Keys accessory also allows you to label each macro button to keep track of your hotkeys and set profiles for different creative apps. Plus, it’s far easier to use than Wacom’s on-screen macro keys or the Huion KD100 keydial accessory. There are also three programmable buttons built into the tablet itself if needed.

I could go on about all the things I loved about the Xencelabs Pen Display 24. The anti-glare etched glass has a nice grain to it that feels almost paper-like when drawing. It runs surprisingly quiet for a display tablet of this size, which usually have fans blasting to keep from overheating. Even without the noise, the glass surface was barely more than warm to the touch, and the free drawing glove provided by Xencelabs to prevent leaving smudges on the display was of a much higher quality than those provided by XP-Pen or Huion.

Wacom will remain my recommendation for creative professionals who are working in an industry role largely because of the company’s reputation for delivering reliable software and drivers. But if you have some flexibility and are looking for a cheaper alternative that somehow feels more premium, the Xencelabs Pen Display 24 is well worth considering.

The best display drawing tablet for creative professionals

Wacom Cintiq Pro 27

The Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 is the gold standard for display tablets used by professional artists, with color accuracy that’s capable of replacing some reference monitors.

Size: 26.9 inches / Drawing area dimensions: 23.5 x 13.2 inches / Screen resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160) 120Hz, 10ms response time / Pen pressure levels: 8,192 / Colour gamut: 98 percent DCI-P3, 99 percent Adobe RGB / Weight: 15.6 pounds

If you want the best of the best, and you’re willing to pay, then the Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 is what you’re looking for. Released last year, the Cintiq Pro 27’s large display is Pantone SkinTone validated and can cover 99 percent of Adobe RGB and 98 percent of DCI-P3 HDR . It can also be calibrated further for maximum color accuracy, bringing it closer to the performance of expensive reference monitors used by professional photo editors. It ships with the battery-free Pro Pen 3, the company’s latest stylus, which provides customizable weights and various replaceable grips and nibs to personalize your drawing experience.

There are “grip” handles built into the back of the device that help with maneuvering the heavy 15.6-pound display, each with two buttons that can be reprogrammed to various shortcuts based on what software you’re using. The $500 mount is sold separately, but its weight means that a kickstand would likely be of little use anyway. If you don’t want to shell out that much, the Cintiq 27 Pro also supports standard VESA mounts so you can attach it to a desk-mounted monitor arm.

This is the most expensive drawing tablet on the market right now, and for good reason. Nothing from competing brands can match it for color accuracy or features. You should only consider this if you’re a creative professional who’s outgrown their current tablet or simply have a lot of cash to burn. It’s superseded older models from the Wacom Cintiq Pro range — the previous industry standard drawing tablet for most creative professionals — and will serve as a noticeable upgrade if you’ve been using them for some time. Just one benefit worth noting is that users report it runs much quieter than older Cintiq Pro models, which had noisy fans blasting to keep the device cool during use.

The best pen drawing tablet for beginners

One by Wacom (Medium)

The One by Wacom’s charm lies in its simplicity — it’s cheap, well built, and doesn’t overwhelm new artists with buttons or dials.

Size: 12.4 inches / Drawing area dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 inches / Pen pressure levels: 8,192 / Wireless?: No / Weight: 0.9 pounds

Again, Wacom is a beloved brand across schools and colleges due to the build quality and reliability of its products, and the One by Wacom is no exception. Not to be confused with the Wacom One display tablet, the One by Wacom is a cheap and cheerful introductory drawing tablet for students and novices who can forgo fancy features while they adapt to using a digital stylus.

It’s available in a few colors and comes with a grid of dots to help users understand how their stylus position correlates to the on-screen cursor. The stylus is slim and comfortable and comes with two programmable buttons. The dots on the tablet itself are also useful for rhythm games like Osu! that require the player to tap in precise locations. The One by Wacom isn’t exactly comfy given its lack of wrist rest and the hard plastic edge you need to lean against, but it’s cute, reliable, and gives users a taste of that Wacom quality for under $100.

Outside of content creation (and video games), the One by Wacom is also a great choice for office workers or teachers who want a reliable, convenient tool for signing PDFs, marking and circling sections of projects, or taking physical notes in meetings or lectures.

The best pen tablet for creative professionals

Wacom Intuos Pro (Medium)

The Wacom Intuos Pro combines high-quality performance with reliable software and drivers to provide a product that’s still coveted by creatives despite its age.

Size: 15.7 inches / Drawing area dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 inches / Pen pressure levels: 8,192 / Wireless?: Yes  / Weight: 1.54 pounds

The Wacom Intuos range has been the darling of the graphics tablet world since it was first released back in 2000, and it’s only gotten better with age. The current version of the Intuos Pro Medium was released back in 2017, and I think the only reason it hasn’t been refreshed is because it would be a disservice to do so — it’s perfect the way it is. You get both wired and wireless connectivity, eight customizable express keys, and a touch-sensitive “loop” wheel that can be used for scrolling or cycling through color and brush options. You can even buy separate “texture” sheets to customize how rough or smooth the drawing surface is.

The difference in build quality between Wacom’s Pro-line tablets and competing midsize pen tablets is like night and day. The buttons are satisfying to press with very little “squish,” and the tablet itself doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy, despite all the black plastic. My own Wacom Intuos Pro served me well for over six years despite the numerous occasions when I dropped it, knocked it around, or put the stylus through the washing machine. And even then, the only reason I still don’t have it is because I gifted it to my younger sibling. If you need a dependable workhorse, this is the tablet you should consider.

The Wacom Intuos ships with the Wacom Pro Pen 2 stylus. That provides the usual pressure sensitivity and tilt recognition benefits, but it’s also worth noting a feature that’s starting to become a rarity for tablet pens — a physical eraser button. The “button” on the end of the stylus is actually another nib that automatically switched to the eraser tool on software like Photoshop, allowing users to simply flip the pen over and erase any mistakes as they would a traditional pencil.

There are small ($249) and large ($499) versions of this tablet available, but the medium offering will be the best fit for most. Too small, and you risk having insufficient space for your needs, and going too large can feel unnatural if you’re not used to moving your hand so far to draw across the tablet. And of course, no matter what size you opt for, you’re still getting Wacom’s gold standard of quality and software.

The best non-Wacom pen tablet

Xencelabs Pen Tablet Bundle SE (Medium)

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet is both stylish and innovative, offering users a choice between different styluses.

Size: 13.1 inches / Drawing area dimensions: 10.33 x 5.8 inches / Pen pressure levels: 8,192 / Wireless?: Yes, 16-hour battery life per charge / Weight: 1.5 pounds

Xencelabs is a relative newcomer to the graphics tablet market, but it’s already making massive waves. Its flagship Pen Tablet can be used both wired or wirelessly, and it gently slopes into an ergonomic palm rest to prevent your hands from aching during use. The real value comes from buying the bundle package, though — the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Bundle provides not one but two different styluses (one slim and one chunky with additional buttons) and a Quick Keys, the brand’s fancy macro pad accessory with eight programmable buttons, a physical dial, and an OLED display.

The Quick Keys retails for $100 if purchased separately and doesn’t need a wired connection. It’s a great package deal suitable for all skill levels, from novice to professional. I’ve opted for the special edition here if only to highlight that you can get such a nice drawing tablet in white — a rarity that will match an all-white or Apple setup nicely (though an all-black variant of the same bundle is also available).

Regardless of which of the two stylus options I used, my cursor was smooth and registered every movement and change in pressure. The three programmable buttons on the device itself didn’t feel cheap or flimsy, and the surface was satisfying to draw on. Better yet, I didn’t experience a single issue with any of the Xencelabs software. It all just worked and worked well . It performed similarly to the Wacom Intuos Pro range if you need a comparison, only with better freebies and fewer built-in options for hotkeys and navigation.

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet is also a solid choice for creative professionals — it doesn’t lose points for not being a Wacom product per se, but some traditionalists have a hard time moving away from the Wacom ecosystem. On the flip side, some artists who are frustrated with the high price of Wacom tablets may be looking for an alternative brand that can match it for quality and performance. Xencelabs can’t match Wacom in years of industry experience, but my own experience testing the Xencelabs Pen Tablet has assured me that the company has a decent shot of encroaching on Wacom’s long-held status as the industry standard for drawing tablets.

The best cheap pen tablet for office and gaming

XP-Pen Deco Mini 7

The XP-Pen Deco Mini 7 is a pint-size drawing tablet that’s ideal for signing digital documents and playing rhythm games.

Size: 12 inches / Drawing area dimensions: 7 x 4.3 inches / Pen pressure levels: 8,192 / Wireless?: No / Weight: 0.6 pounds

The XP-Pen Deco Mini 7 is a great choice for folks who just need something cheap to sign or add written notes to digital documents and projects. It’s easy to slip into a bag and can take a greater beating than a display tablet because it lacks a delicate glass screen.

Its small size means that you can reach every corner of the tablet without wasting precious time moving your hand, and it even comes with eight programmable buttons that you can allocate in-app or in-game shortcuts to. The stylus is also lightweight and battery-free and provides two more programmable buttons.

If you’re a competitive Osu! player, then you may want to stick with Wacom for its reliable software, but for the majority of rhythm gamers, this weeny XP-Pen Deco Mini 7 will be the ideal choice. This wouldn’t be a great option for illustration, as the size is fairly restrictive, but there are plenty of offerings included on this list that are better suited for such a task. This should be your choice if you’re simply looking to replicate the accuracy of pen / paper on a computer for noncreative projects.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is a drawing tablet.

If you’ve ever tried to draw or sign a digital document using a laptop trackpad or computer mouse (it sucks), then you’ll probably understand why creative professionals prefer to use a graphics tablet. Also known as “drawing tablets,” graphics tablets are flat, pressure-sensitive pads that allow users to control an on-screen cursor with a pen-like stylus. They typically need to be connected to a computer — fully mobile “workstation” tablets with their own built-in systems do exist, but iPads tend to just be more practical given the difference in weight.

Drawing tablets are available in numerous sizes and can be broadly split into two categories: display and non-display.

Non-display tablets, otherwise known as pen tablets or “traditional” drawing tablets, are the oldest variant, with the 1964 Rand Tablet widely considered to be the first modern example of such a device. These tablets are essentially a giant trackpad — some will only respond to an appropriate stylus, while others can be entirely touch-sensitive. Some users find they come with a steep learning curve since these devices don’t have a built-in display of their own, so you need to keep your eyes on your laptop or computer display while your hand controls the stylus.

They can be incredibly affordable these days now that the tech has been around so long. The cheapest offerings will be relatively plain, such as the One by Wacom , while more premium options like the Wacom Intuos Pro series may feature a paper-like textured drawing surface and mappable hotkeys to assign software shortcuts to. 

Display tablets are a more recent development, popularized by Wacom’s Cintiq range released in 2005. These drawing tablets do feature a built-in display, allowing users to feel as though they’re drawing directly onto the screen. These devices are also available in a wide variety of sizes, display resolutions, and budgets, though even the most affordable offerings will be pricier than many pen tablets.

Display versus non-display tablets: which is better?

The short answer to this is neither. The longer, more informative answer is that this will be down to personal preference and what kind of tasks you’ll be using the tablet for. Creative professionals like illustrators, 3D artists, and graphic designers often prefer to use display tablets since the cursor will appear on the screen directly below the stylus — allowing users to mimic a more natural drawing experience. Display tablets can be expensive, however, which makes them largely unaffordable for students or artists on a tight budget.

That doesn’t mean that non-display graphics tablets aren’t suitable for professionals, though. Many photographers and videographers use specialist high-resolution monitors that can provide calibration tools and far greater color accuracy than even the priciest display tablet, which could make them a wasted investment. Meanwhile, non-display tablets can be used with these specialist monitors to avoid compromising on display quality. 

These days, even high-quality non-display tablets can be very cheap, which makes them a great choice for novice artists taking their first step into the world of digital content creation. I’d also recommend them for anyone who plays rhythm games like Osu! (which requires players to rapidly click their cursor in a specific pattern) since they can take more of a beating than a glass-screened display tablet.

Does Wacom make the best drawing tablets?

You’ll notice I name-dropped Wacom throughout most of my examples so far. While the Japanese tablet manufacturer isn’t the only company producing such devices, it’s by far one of the oldest and most recognizable. Wacom has developed a very loyal fan base because of its long history, and its range of drawing tablets are considered by many to be the industry standard due to their performance, build quality, and reliable software. The Wacom Cintiq range especially has been the gold standard drawing tablet across professional creative industries, despite numerous competing products emerging over the years.

But that doesn’t mean that drawing tablets produced by other companies should be avoided. Many offerings from XP-Pen, Huion, and Gaomon are fantastic, more affordable alternatives to Wacom’s eye-wateringly expensive products. They can’t always compete head-to-head with equivalent Wacom models (sometimes featuring fewer features and a smaller color gamut, for example), but they’re plenty suitable for both novice and professional artists alike. Unless you absolutely need the very best device, you may find yourself wasting money on features you’ll never use.

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The Best Graphics Tablet Overall

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Whether you're a student, a hobbyist or a seasoned professional, the best drawing tablet is the device that will bring your creative visions to life. Drawing tablets are useful tools for a range of creatives, from photographers retouching and editing images, to animators and digital artists.

There are three different kinds of tablets suitable for creative work; pen displays, pen tablets and general-use tablets (scroll down to our FAQ section to understand the difference.) Graphic tablets and a vast majority of pen displays need to be plugged into a computer or laptop, so if you want a more portable device for your artwork, then one of the best tablets from the likes of Apple , Microsoft and Samsung is likely to be a better option. Some such tablets feature in the list below, offering fewer drawing-specific features but greater portability and everyday uses. 

We’ve tested all the drawing tablets in this guide, focusing on all the key areas that you should consider when choosing a new graphics tablet – from pressure sensitivity to display, drawing experience to accessories and beyond. Whatever your priorities, whether that’s portability or a professional-grade drawing experience, we’ve got you covered.

If you opt for a traditional graphics tablet that needs to be plugged into a computer, you might want to browse our best monitors , and also check out our guide to the best digital art and drawing software . Not sure if you’d be better off with a laptop? Check out our picks of the best laptops and tablets for drawing and artwork . 

1. Xencelabs Pen Display 24

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

It's hard to say anything negative about the Xencelabs Pen Display 24, because it does so much, so right. 

This is Xencelabs' first pen display drawing tablet, but you wouldn't know it to test it out. With a 24-inch 4K display, IPS panel, brilliant 330 nit brightness, extensive colour reproduction (99%, AdobeRGB, 93% DCI-P3), and 8,197 levels of pressure sensitivity in its included stylus, it makes for a capable, well-designed drawing tablet that can show off your creations at their best, and help you make the most of them during the creative act.

Yes, it's a large tablet, and one you won't be lugging around cafes in a tote bag anytime soon. But for a dedicated drawing tablet to sit on your desk, it's hard to beat the Xencelabs Pen Display 24. The build quality is excellent, with integrated touch keys and a built-in stand to help you angle the display to your requirements. The Quick Key Remote, too, with its OLED display and ability to bolt onto the edge of the tablet, ensures that your experience of using the Pen Display 24 is as sleek as possible.

Read more: Xencelabs Pen Display 24 review

2. XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2)

XPPen is one of industry giant Wacom’s biggest competitors, offering more affordable tablets that still pack a punch for performance and design quality. That's nowhere clearer than with the XPPEN Artist Pro 16, here in it's second generation, at a very respectable price point for its feature set.

While not quite 4K, the 2560 x 1600 pixel panel does ensure you get a good amount of detail above a standard Full HD display, and precise brightness controls ensure you can calibrate it to best suit your environment.

A number of impressive accessories help to elevate this drawing tablet too, with a tactile keydial alongside a next-generation stylus with an unmatched 16,000 levels of pressure sensitivity; it doesn’t feel much different from the 8,092 levels seen in other leading tablets, but it’s good to know the finer motions of your hand are being catered to, and the Artist Pro 16 is currently leading the market on this feature.

The one disappointment is the fixed 19-degree angle for the integrated stand, given that the first-generation model did come with a more adjustable setup – but this is a small complaint in an otherwise brilliant drawing tablet.

Read more: XPPEN Artist Pro 16 review

3. Wacom Cintiq Pro 27

Sometimes, bigger is better – and the Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 pen display fully commits to that logic. With a 27.9-inch Ultra HD display, it offers a truly roomy drawing area, with incredible sensitivity levels and multi-touch support for easy interfacing with either stylus or finger.

You're paying for the screen real estate, and the Pro 27 retails for roughly double its smaller Pro 16 counterpart, albeit with double the refresh rate (120Hz vs 60Hz), greater color gamut (30-bit vs 8-bit), and the opportunity to use its sizeable screen as a full-on monitor for the laptop or PC your connect it to. But as a tablet geared firmly towards career professionals, with the option to save yourself a separate monitor purpose, the price tag might just be worth it.

Just keep in mind that a display of this size is more unwieldy than some other options in this guide. It can be uncomfortable to sit up close for this length of time, and the tablet is far too large to really benefit from a wrist support on your desk. Amateur and aspiring creatives, beware.

Read more: Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 review

4. iPad Pro 12.9-inch (M1, 2021)

Without a shadow of a doubt, the iPad Pro is the best general-use tablet for drawing, and the most recent 12.9-inch M1 model is a real treat for artists, delivering plenty of power, a brilliant display and wonderful canvas size. Plus, it’s ultra-portable, which is more than can be said for its competition; as mentioned earlier, all graphics tablets and most pen displays need to be plugged into external devices.

While the iPad Air is lightweight and more affordable, the iPad Pro takes the lead with its brighter Mini LED (Liquid Retina XDR) 12.9-inch screen. You can, of course, opt for the slightly smaller 11-inch iPad Pro model, but the display on that model isn’t quite as impressive. 

Images refresh twice as fast as on many other tablets thanks to the iPad Pro’s 120Hz refresh rate, meaning you have at your fingertips super-fast, super-responsive drawing potential. Add to this the impressive pressure sensitivity of the Apple Pencil 2, which must be bought separately, and the iPad Pro becomes a serious contender. The only thing missing is a tactile screen finish for that real pen-to-paper feel – but you can remedy this by investing in a paper-textured screen protector.

Housing the M1 chip, the iPad Pro is easily the most powerful tablet for drawing and editing images. In addition, iPadOS is compatible with a whole host of creative apps, so you’re much less limited than on other tablets. 

Read more: iPad Pro 12.9 (2022) review  

5. Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle

Unlike the pen displays in this guide, which come with built-in displays, the Xencelabs Pen Tablet is a conventional graphics tablet that needs to be used in conjunction with an external monitor – which makes it a better option for those concerned about the fragility of pen display screens, or those who want to keep to a tighter budget. In terms of what you’d want from a graphics tablet, it ticks all of the boxes, delivering a brilliant blend of sleek, robust design, portability and power at a surprisingly reasonable price. 

The tablet is ergonomically designed with a comfortably curved front edge, which is more than can be said for many rival drawing tablets, and it nails one of the most crucial aspects of graphic tablet design with the texture of its surface, offering a decent level of resistance for a realistic and easy drawing experience. In addition to the tablet itself, the bundle comes with two battery-free styluses, which can be individually programmed and come packing 8,192 pressure sensitivity levels, and a pen case.

There’s also a configurable quick key remote, which in itself is a unique feature that sets the Xencelabs Pen Tablet apart from rival devices. While the tablet is pretty lightweight and easy to carry, these separate elements do mean you have two extra components to account for; but it’s a small price to pay for a comprehensive and high-quality setup. 

6. One by Wacom

Wacom is a dominant force in the drawing tablet market, producing a huge number of professional creative tools, even if the likes of XPPen and Xencelabs (as in our top picks in this guide) are clearly capable of giving Wacom a run for its money. And if you're after a truly affordable drawing tablet, you may want to consider One by Wacom, a screen-free pen tablet with plenty to recommend it.

One by Wacom comes in two sizes: small and medium. With the former option starting at just $49.95 / £35.99 / AU$99.00, it's a shockingly affordable way to get started as an early-career creative, and is clearly designed with teens and younger folk in mind.

That means you're not getting the impressive specs of other models in this list, and certainly no screen to let you draw directly onto your creations – but for those happy to keep an eye on a separate screen, One by Wacom offers a great entry point to the drawing tablet market. As a small, compact model you won't feel worried about carrying around with you, too, it's great for anyone partial to doing quick creative tasks on the go. And while the stylus' 2,048 pressure levels are well below market standard, it still feels comfortable to use, and our reviewer called it a "wonderful drawing experience", even if the offering here is a little bare bones (no shortcut keys either!).

Read more: One by Wacom review

7. Huion Kamvas Studio 16

Forget the pen tablets and displays – the Huion Kamvas Studio 16 is a fully-fledged drawing computer , with the power of the Windows 11 OS behind it as well as a host of drawing tablet capabilities. So if you don't want the hassle of various cables and juggling multiple devices on the same desk, and want a truly all-in-one device, the Kamvas Studio 16 has you covered.

The 15.75-inch drawing area is expansive, with a capacitive touch display that feels like a natural companion for the PenTech 3.0+ stylus, which offers smooth, accurate lines and minimal parallax alongside 8,192 pressure levels – currently the market standard for premium drawing displays. 

100% AdobeRGB coverage makes for a vivid experience, while a 400-nit brightness is well above most tablets we've tested, ensuring colours shine through the screen. We'd have liked 4K resolution at this size, but the 2.5K spec still looks great, and the Kamvas Studio 16 makes up for it with its expansive feature set.

Windows 11 is the main news here, making this as much a general-use computing tablet as a drawing one, with a full Windows OS desktop experience married to a touch-sensitive display. It's not a perfect match, and a dedicated tablet OS designed for touch navigation may have worked better here, but there's plenty of functionality for those who need it.

You'll get 512GB of onboard storage a powerful  Intel Core i7 processor, and 16GB of RAM for “reliable running speed” when you’re multitasking between software. A front-facing camera, stereo speakers, and a microphone array makes it work for video calls and meetings too.

Read more: Huion Kamvas Studio 16

8. Huion Kamvas Pro 13

The Huion Kamvas Pro 13 (2.5K) sits perfectly in the mid-range of pen display graphics tablets. With a 2.5K display, great build quality, and competitive pricing for what you get, this is a great buy for those who need more than an amateur tablet but balk at the expense of truly professional displays.

This 'semi-professional' pen display comes with an expansive screen, 145% sRGB colour gamut, and seven programmable keys built into the left-hand side of the casing, allowing for quick shortcuts while you're in a creative frenzy. At 1kg, it's light enough to be somewhat portable, even if, as a pen display, you'll need to connect it to a laptop or desktop PC in order to get it working – and its included cables are too short to really feel convenient.

Our reviewer found it a good drawing experience, if not a market-leading one – the screen could benefit from more resistance against the stylus, which is also a little thick, and may not suit those after a more compact pen. The vivid screen does a lot of the heavy lifting here, with vibrant, delightful colors and deep, true blacks, and those who don't need a touchscreen should be happy with what's here.

Read more: Huion Kamvas Pro 13 review

8. Wacom One 13 Touch

The Wacom One 13 Touch – not to be confused with the One by Wacom, or the Wacom One, of course – is the flagship model in Wacom's affordable drawing tablet range. It's technically an upgrade to the 2020  Wacom One , and could make a great drawing tablet for a student looking for the right creative tool.

Compared to the previous model, the 13 Touch offers a more compact shape and form factor – utilizing the same display and drawing area, but with less wasted real estate around the screen. That means even though this is a 13.3-inch display, it’s still relatively easy to hold in your lap, at least for short drawing sessions. Its portable design makes it a great for scurrying between lectures or assignments – and while there's no built-in kickstand, it's not quite as crucial a feature in a tablet this size.

As you'd guess from the name, the Wacom One 13 Touch does support multi-touch for hand-based controls, though you can toggle it on or off, allowing the stylus to take centre stage if find the added touch sensitivity distracting. 

The glass screen feels premium, more so at least than the previous model's plastic surface, with a boost to contrast (now 2000:1) and brightness (now 320 nits), alongside an acceptable, if unimpressive Full HD resolution. That means the Wacom One 13 Touch is sufficient for simpler sketching, though may not have the pixel count needed for more impressive professional commissions.

Read more: Wacom One 13 Touch review

10. iPad Air (5th Gen, 2022)

It’s no iPad Pro, but the iPad Air is a very respectable choice for digital creatives – and, coming in at a much lower price, it’s a great option for hobbyists. It still runs on the M1 chip, making it super-powerful and smooth when using creative apps, and its 2360 x 1640 IPS LCD screen offers decent brightness and fluidity. 

Like the Pro, it’s portable, and offers greater flexibility than conventional graphics tablets. You can use it for work and play, as well as creative work, which is the reason it’s a great choice for newer artists and hobbyists.

Drawing experience on the iPad Air remains excellent, largely thanks to its compatibility with the Apple Pencil 2, which is sold separately. As we mentioned above with the Pro, iPadOS is compatible with a huge range of creative apps, meaning you’ll be spoiled for choice compared to traditional graphics tablets. 

Read more: iPad Air (2022) review  

11. Surface Pro 9

The Surface Pro 8 was the closest Microsoft had come to contending Apple in the tablet space – but that was before the Surface Pro 9 5G. This upgrade sees the Pro X line officially retired, the headphone jack discarded, 5G connectivity built in, and a custom ARM ship that provides some neural engine-based tricks (eye tracking, gaze correction, and noise suppression, mostly useful for video calls).

This is the best choice for someone after a Windows tablet that can also do the hard work of acting as a drawing display, as a Windows counterpart to the iPad Pro. A 13-inch screen and minimal bezel makes for an expansive feel, with a built-in kickstand that can help to prop up the tablet when on the go.

The high resolution (2880 x 1920) screen is a bit closer to 3K than 2.5K, with a 267 ppi (pixels per inch) pixel density that matches the iPad Pro 12.9, even if the latter model still wins out on brightness (1,600 nits versus the Surface Pro's 450) and contrast (1,000,000:1 versus 1,200:1). It's not a very favourable comparison, but if you're committed to the Windows ecosystem, this is still a very good choice.

You won't get a pen or keyboard included with the base model – you'll have to buy them alongside. But, assuming you get the intended Slim Pen 2 stylus, you should find it lightweight and comfortable to hold, with effective haptic feedback and 4,096 pressure levels, alongside an eraser function at the rear tip. 

Drawing tablets at this price usually pack in more pressure sensitivity, but you're also paying for an extensive feature set you won't get with a more limited pen tablet – either way, our reviewer praised the stylus experience as looking like "digital ink is flowing out of the Slim Pen 2 tip".

Read more: Surface Pro 9 5G review  

12. Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids

While some kids will get on just fine with cheaper, dedicated graphics tablets such as the Wacom One, it’s pretty unlikely that such a model would be where you want to start. The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids is a general-use tablet that will see them get used to drawing on a screen, without having to navigate advanced drawing features such as pressure sensitivity.

There are plenty of great apps for doodling and drawing, as well as a walled garden selection of other apps to keep kids quiet on a rainy day. This tablet doesn’t come with a stylus, but these are widely available , and you don’t need anything particularly fancy.

If you want to give your child a slightly more grown-up version, you can also opt for the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro , which includes great parental controls plus a better display. Both models are frequently discounted on Prime Day and Black Friday sales on Amazon, too, bringing that already-low price down further.  

Read more: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids  

How we test drawing tablets

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

To choose the best drawing tablets, we look at all of the major - and smaller - players in the market from Wacom and XPPen to Xencelabs and general-use manufacturers like Apple and Microsoft. We test how each drawing tablet works with Windows and macOS, assessing its setup, compatibility, speed and stability to identify who it will work best for and why. Primarily we used Adobe Creative Cloud software, as it's the choice ecosystem of most professionals, but we also look to free and popular software like Kitra and GIMP to accommodate different budgets.

We'll then draw, write and experiment with the tablet to see how natural it feels, identify any glitches and make sure it would be suitable for use over long periods.  

How do I choose the best drawing tablet for me?

What’s most important when choosing a drawing tablet is considering your artistic process: how, where and when do you like to draw?

If you like to draw on-the-go, without the limitations of cables, screens and PCs, you might be better off with a general-use tablet such as the Apple iPad Pro or the Surface Pro 7, which grant great portability and compatibility with other devices, too, at the cost of drawing experience and price.

If cost is front-of-mind, but you don’t mind a steeper learning curve, then your best option is a graphics tablet, which will generally be more robust, too. The more delicate pen displays might lose points for portability, but they do offer the best overall drawing experience, giving artists a pen-to-paper feel with artist-first display, design and features.

Which is better: a pen display, graphics tablet or general-use tablet?

There’s no definitive answer to which kind of drawing tablet is better, since each artist will have different needs. So, it’s important to understand the difference between each tablet type.

Graphics tablets are the more affordable option, being more hardware-lite. They generally respond with great accuracy – if, of course, you can get used to looking up at a screen while drawing. Since they don’t arrive with a built-in display, they’re more robust, too. As such, graphics tablets are the perfect choice for frequent travellers, so long as you have access to external monitors or laptops to which you can connect them.

Pen displays are significantly pricier and a little more fragile, but learning to use them is easier, and you don’t have to rely so much on configurable buttons and shortcuts to navigate your canvas. Some high-end pen displays come with built-in operating systems, meaning you don’t need to connect them to a PC or laptop; but this comes at a significant cost. 

General-use tablets are the more conventional, multipurpose slates from the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Samsung that also double up as drawing tablets. Some devices, such as the Apple iPad Pro, more clearly address the needs of artists through stylus design, display quality and performance. However, if you’re looking for a more professional experience, then they can’t quite deliver Wacom-level results, and unlike pen tablets and displays, general-use tablets won't offer textured work surfaces for a more natural, pen-to-paper drawing experience.

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Josephine Watson ( @JosieWatson ) is TechRadar's Managing Editor - Lifestyle. Josephine has previously written on a variety of topics, from pop culture to gaming and even the energy industry, joining TechRadar to support general site management. She is a smart home nerd, as well as an advocate for internet safety and education, and has also made a point of using her position to fight for progression in the treatment of diversity and inclusion, mental health, and neurodiversity in corporate settings. Generally, you'll find her watching Disney movies, playing on her Switch, or showing people pictures of her cats, Mr. Smith and Heady.

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The best tablets for students

Our experienced tablet testers pick the best tablets for students. Which is the best tablet for students?

• 1. Best overall
• 2. Best portable
• 3. Best for creatives
• 4. Best Windows
• 5. Best Android
• 6. Another Windows
• 7. Cheap 2-in-1
• 8. Affordable Android
• 9. Best budget
• 10. Affordable Windows
• 11. Best basic
• 12. Budget alternative
• 13. High-spec
• How to choose
• How we test

Jump to the quick list↴ 1. Best overall : Apple iPad Air 2. Best portable : iPad Mini 3. Best for creatives : iPad Pro 4. Best Windows : Surface Pro 9 5. Best Android : Galaxy S8 Ultra 6. Another Windows : Surface Pro 8 7. Best 2-in-1 : HP x2 11 8. Budget Android : Galaxy S6 Lite 9. Best budget : Amazon Fire HD 8 10. Budget Windows : Surface Go 3 11. Best basic : IdeaPad Duet 12. Other options How to choose How we test FAQs

If you're starting back at school or looking to upgrade your old kit, the best tablets for students make for fantastic and versatile machines. Gone are the days when bulky, heavy laptops need to be lugged into every lecture and class; now, tablets are available with a variety of tools and software to make them just as good for note-taking, creative work, and organisation. 

To help you choose the best tablet for your learning needs, we've assessed everything from the power, versatility, size and resolution specs to the available apps, any accessories that enhance the experience as well as the build quality to come up with a list of tablets that suit a variety of needs. We've weighed up the pros and cons, explaining why each of the devices below made the cut.; 

As well as our own reviews, we've also considered customer reviews to determine which of these tablets most deserve your attention, but we've also got a more specific guide to the best budget drawing tablets , and the best iPad alternatives if you're ready to whittle down your options further. You may also find refurbished versions of the tablets on my list below; before buying those read our guide to buying refurbished tech .

The best tablets for students: Quick List

Below, we've summarised our top picks for when you want some quick insight, but you can scroll down, click the 'read more' text or find 'jump to' links at the side of this page to read our full thoughts.

This slim, powerful, and lightweight tablet comes with Apple's own M1 chip, making it immensely capable - especially when it comes to creative software. The screen is sharp and vibrant, while the front camera and USB-C have been improved from the previous devices. Read more below

With Apple Pencil 2 compatibility and a processor boost, this powerful and compact little iPad is a great option if you care more about portability than screen size. The brightness is even, the color accuracy is impressive, and we love the new USB-C port. Read more below

If you need size and power as a creative student, the best option is easily the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021). It's powerful and can handle even the most demanding visual design tasks with almost MacBook-level power. Read more below

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is a powerful tablet that, like iPad Pro, can be turned into a decent desktop computer by clicking in a cover/keyboard hybrid. Whichever model you choose – we advise the Intel builds, this is a quality tablet, with a fantastic screen and light and tactile build. Read more below

If Android tablets are more your speed, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra offers plenty of power at a reasonable price. It's a spacious slate, making it great for note-taking or sketching, and has some pretty powerful configurations too. Read more below

If the Surface Pro 9 is a little out of your price range, the Surface Pro 8 is the next best bet, allowing you to run desktop apps without issue. It's got a gorgeous screen and powerful processor. There are several configurations, so you can opt for lower RAM and storage space to save cash. Read more below

The best tablet for students overall

01. Apple iPad Air (5th Gen, 2022)

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

We were already big fans of the 2020 iPad Air , and we had rated it as the best tablet for students since it came out. Now the new Apple iPad Air (5th Gen, 2022) has stolen its predecessor's crown by adding a level of power that comes very close to making it an iPad Pro . It's a powerful, slim and lightweight tablet, now with Apple's own M1 chip, which is the main upgrade over the previous model.

When we reviewed it, we found that this processor upgrade makes the new iPad Air capable of handling almost any task asked of it, including leading art apps such as Procreate and the best video editing software. Considering that it's cheaper than an iPad Pro, for us this makes it the best tablet for students overall. 

We found the screen to be sharp and vibrant, while the front camera and USB-C have been improved from the previous devices (there's also now the option of 5G connectivity. Meanwhile, the revamped iPadOS has introduced desktop workflows, including multiple work windows that can make it faster to work. See our full Apple iPad Air (5th Gen) review for more details.

• Back to the top ⤴

The best portable tablet for students

02. iPad Mini (6th Gen, 2021)

Ever since it received Apple Pencil support the iPad Mini has been a firm favourite of ours, and the September 2021 update made it an even better option, adding Apple Pencil 2 compatibility. It also got a processor boost that makes it a pretty powerful compact little device.

This iteration uses a reworked version of the A15 Bionic chip for powerful processing, and while some users may feel frustrated by only 4GB of RAM, realistically this should be enough for the tasks you'd want to do on a screen this small. We found the compact size and lightweight (less than 300g) make the tablet perfect for use on the go, for example on transport.

There's a very welcome USB-C port, which opens up a lot of possibilities. For example, when we reviewed the tablet, we used it with a USB DAC to listen to Apple's Lossless Hi-Res music, and with a USB mic to record a voiceover. The display is a little larger than that of the last iPad Mini, even though the overall body is smaller, with a 3:2 aspect ratio. We found the brightness to be very even, making it pleasant to use for long periods, and we were very impressed with the colour accuracy. While you're still paying a fairly premium Apple price, we reckon the iPad Mini 2021 offers solid value for money. 

See our full iPad mini 6 review for more details.

The best tablet for creative students

03. iPad Pro 12.9 (2021)

The big appeal of the iPad Mini is its portability, but if your area of study needs power (and you have a bigger budget), we recommend the iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) as the best student tablet for those on creative courses. As Apple's most powerful tablet, it doesn't come with a very student-friendly price, but you get a device that can handle even the most demanding visual design tasks with almost MacBook -level power. Pair it with a keyboard and mouse, and it could could even use it as a super portable laptop.

The HDR display is the best we've seen on a tablet, with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2048 x 2732. Its peak brightness is 1,600 nits, and with better control of local dimming, it's more pleasant to look at for long periods. We found darker areas to have more nuance and depth to them, making for a better and more accurate image that's excellent for photo and video editing.

Of course, we hesitate to recommend this as the best tablet for students because of the price, and we'd say it's only worth splashing out on if you really need the specs you need to run power-hungry editing apps. In that department, it shouldn't disappoint. 

See our full iPad Pro 12.9 (2021) review for more details.

The best Windows tablet for students

04. Surface Pro 9

The Microsoft Surface pro 9 is a powerful tablet that, like iPad Pro, can be turned into a decent desktop computer by clicking in a cover/keyboard hybrid. The thing to watch here is the build – the Intel i5 and i7 models are excellent high-end machines while the 5G SQ3 model is built for battery life, and so lacks some power to run complex software.

For the money, I'd opt for the Intel i5 model that can run full software such as Photoshop with ease and can be paired with the excellent Surface Pro stylus and keyboard for a complete package. Our Surface Pro 9 review found that if you're looking to replace your laptop with a powerful and adaptable tablet (that's also a laptop), and are wedded to Windows, then Surface Pro 9 is an excellent option.

If you're looking for a decent web-browsing, cloud-based tablet for online classes and writing, then the 5G model is good (though there are cheaper tablets on this list that can do this as well).

Whichever model you choose – again, opt for the Intel builds – the Surface Pro 9 is a quality tablet, with a fantastic screen and light and tactile build. A nice feature is this newer Surface Pro can use the keyboard and stylus of the Surface Pro 8, saving you money if upgrading. 

The best Android tablet for students

05. Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

If you prefer an Android tablet and need plenty of power, the new Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra delivers that, and for a very reasonable price given its specs. You get a very big screen for a tablet – 14.6 in, which dwarves the largest iPad Pro. This makes it a good choice for those looking to take notes or sketch using the S Pen stylus, which refreshingly comes included as standard, making this even better value for a premium tablet. 

You can take the specs up to pretty powerful configurations too, with up to 16GB in RAM and 512GB storage. Of course, the size makes this heavier than many of the options on our list of the best tablets for students, and not so conveniently portable. But we loved the slim, sleek design when we reviewed the tablet, and found the punchy screen fantastic for watching media and even editing photos. If you don't need the specs of the Ultra version, you might consider the cheaper standard Tab S8.

Note that there have been availability issues in the US due to high demand, but the Samsung store does now have stock available. There are also imported options available on Amazon. See our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra review for more details.

Another Windows tablet for students

06. Microsoft Surface Pro 8

If you choose an iPad or Android tablet then you'll probably be able to find all the apps you need in their respective stores. However, if your coursework requires the use of full desktop software rather than mobile versions, a Microsoft Surface Pro could be the best student tablet for you. The Surface Pro is a Windows PC in tablet form, which means you can use desktop software such as full-fat Adobe Photoshop and other Creative Cloud packages, without having to worry about them not having all the features you might need.

The Surface Go 3 below is a lot more affordable, making it a good student choice for general use, but if you need a tablet that really runs desktop apps without having to pause for breath every now and then, the Surface Pro could be your new best friend. When we reviewed it, we found the improvements over the older Surface Pro 7 to be much more notable, both in terms of design and performance. 

The Surface Pro 8 is designed to showcase Windows 11 and it does that with aplomb thanks to a gorgeous screen and powerful processor. Pair it with a Type Cover, and you have an experience that can stand up to a laptop while being thinner and lighter Battery life is great as well. There are several configurations, so you can opt for lower RAM and storage space to save cash. This is always going to be a pricey tablet for students, but it's a good time to grab this 2021 device because it's starting to get regular discounts now that the Surface Pro 9 is coming out.

See our full Surface Pro 8 review for more details.

The best 2-in-1 tablet for students

07. HP Chromebook x2 11

The HP Chromebook x2 11 is a smart little Chromebook that offers the best of both worlds; it's a tablet for note-taking, web-browsing, video streaming and digital art but can turn into a decent laptop for writing and productive work when its neat keyboard is clicked in place.

In my HP Chromebook x2 11 review , I found this tablet to be incredibly versatile. We were just as happy to use it on the go as a tablet or on a desk as a laptop; its 2K QLED screen and cloud-focused setup proved excellent for gaming and video streaming. Any student with an Xbox Game Pass account will find this useful between writing tasks and classes.

Of course, this is a Chrome OS device so that comes with the caveat that it runs apps via the Google Play Store rather than full software like the comparable Surface Go from Microsoft. However, Google's own suite of apps – Sheets, Docs, etc – are excellent substitutes for Word and Excel. Also, everything saves and exists in the cloud so you can access your work anywhere you have an internet connection.

For more, take a look at our guide to the best Chromebooks available now.

The best affordable Android tablet for students

08. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite

We've already recommended the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra above as the best tablet for students looking for a premium Android device with a reasonable price tag. But if you don't need those specs (or you don't want such a large tablet), you could save money by going for an older, more budget Galaxy Tab. 

The Galaxy Tab 6 Lite has long been superseded, but you can still pick it up online, and often at a very tempting price. It still provides respectable performance and build quality, and again, it comes with the S-Pen included. While it can't compete with some of the more advanced styluses out there, it's fine for note-taking and doodles.

The best budget tablet for students

09. Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020)

If you don't have a lot of money to spend on a tablet, don't despair. While you're never going to get iPad Pro-level performance out of a cheap tablet for students, if you opt for the very reasonably-priced Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) you should at least be pleasantly surprised by what it can do. Despite its low-end price it still packs some decent features, and it's a significant upgrade from its predecessor.

If you shop on Amazon a lot and you have a Prime membership, you'll find a lot to like with this tablet, and it'll run plenty of apps that can help you with your studies and can be used for word processing and spreadsheets. It's also a good performer when it comes to entertainment. There's Amazon Prime, of course, along with Netflix and Disney Plus, and they all run well and look good on the 8-inch screen. If you want a tablet but don't want to spend much, then this is a great budget choice. 

Note that with Amazon Fire tablets, the number refers to the size of the tablet (as opposed to Samsung, Microsoft and Apple tablets in which the number refers to the  generation). If you need a larger tablet, there's the Fire HD 10, but we like this 8in version for its compact size.

The best affordable Windows tablet for students

10. Microsoft Surface Go 3

The Surface Pro 8 above is the best Windows tablet for students overall, if you have the money to splash and if you need that much power. But if you'll only be using your tablet for taking notes and writing up essays, it's really much more than you need. In that case, you might be better opting for the Surface Go 3.

The Surface Go 3 is not going to be able to cope with heavy creative apps and image rendering like its Pro cousin mat, but it is the most affordable Surface tablet, and it offers a stylish, lightweight design and low price. Invest in the Type Cover, and you can protect the screen and turn the Surface Go 3 into a great little Windows laptop for writing up essays.

The Surface Pro 3 offers a newer processor and slightly better performance over its predecessor, although its display is slightly dimmer and battery life isn't great, so you might also consider the older model if you spot a good deal. See our full Surface Go 3 review for more details.

The best basic tablet for students

11. Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook 10.1

A Chromebook may not be your first choice when looking for the best tablets for students. Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons why you might opt for one. With Google Chrome as your OS, you get speed and ease of use, as well as Google's own security, cloud storage and free connected apps. And the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook 10.1 is a fine option; not only does it come at a great price, it's absolutely perfect for things like research, writing and organisational tasks, and it's ideal for video conferencing too.

The downside to using a Chrome OS is the tablet lacks the power of an Apple or Windows device, and won't run desktop or intensive software. That aside, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet Chromebook 10.1 performs most tasks, and many desktop apps have mobile editions that can prove just as useful and are often far cheaper.

The Lenovo Duet is a well-designed tablet. It's a little chunky compared to Apple devices but that also means it's a sturdy device. The fact it comes packaged with a keyboard and stand is a bonus, and only serves to reinforce the value-for-money this budget tablet offers.

The best budget alternative tablet for students

12. Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab

If you're short on budget, the Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab is an interesting little tablet that's well worth a look. Compared to many of the tablets listed above it's a little short on power, but it has a great-looking screen and decent built-in speakers, and it has Google Assist built in. As a result, what you have here is a well-priced and functional tablet for any student who doesn't have money to burn.

The design of the Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab is unique. One end has a bulky, rounded cylinder that tapers away to form a smooth and curved design. This ensures it a natural typing position and can be stood upright at an angle for viewing – it's a perfect device for written work and video calls (and great for films).

Made from aluminium and covered with a soft-touch acrylic finish, the Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab is a light and agile tablet. This device has a lot going for it, but it's also light on power and uses an older version of Android, which can limit its app use. That said, if you're writing and organising, researching and browsing the web, or taking on video calls and remote lectures, it's actually very handy; a good backup tablet.

The best high-spec tablet for students

13. Huawei Matepad 11

The Huawei MatePad 11 is a high-spec tablet that is comparable to the Apple iPad. It is a light tablet with a superb and vibrant 120Hz display, a rarity in tablets at this size and  budget (£449). The screen, its size and the excellent stylus make this a wonderful tablet for digital art.

There's an overall quality to the Huawei MatePad 11 that impresses, and in fact is a good alternative to Apple and Android, particularly as it comes in a 256GB edition. So what's the catch? Well, Huawei is a Chinese company and so has been banned from access to the Google Store. Huawei has its own versions of all of the apps you'd need for everyday tasks, including a word editor, PDF reader and excel-like document app. 

In use, my Huawei MatePad 11 review revealed there's a neat APK direct download solution workaround, which means you can actually download all of the apps you'd usually use, including Netflix, but it's a little scrappy and not as easy as using Google Store. Also, you're missing out on some great art apps. If you can manage without some apps and need an everyday tablet for work and play, for less, then the Huawei MatePad 11 is a good option.

How to choose the best tablet for students

Which option is the best student tablet for you will depend on your requirements. We'd suggest considering size and weight: you'll want a tablet that can easily fit into your bag. Even with the largest tablets, like the 14in Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, they're still lighter and more portable than a laptop, but one of the reasons we rate the iPad mini so highly is that it offers good specs but also a very convenient size.

Some students will need high-level specs, especially those on creative courses who need to edit images or video. This is why we've included several of the most premium tablets around on our list. Unfortunately, these don't have such student-friendly prices, but you may be able to get an Apple student discount .

Otherwise, if you're studying a course that doesn't entail use of more demanding creative software, then you may be just fine with a cheaper tablet like an older Galaxy Tab S or the 2020 iPad Air, or the super economical Amazon Fire.

How we tested the best tablets for students

We review many tablets hands on at Creative Bloq, both drawing tablets and general-use devices. For our buying guides, we only include tablets that we have awarded three stars and above. We spend time with each tablet to test its usability, design, performance and portability, as well as assess the screen in terms of brightness, clarity and overall quality of the colours.

We test tablets under a mix of conditions, both in the home and on the go. As well as running benchmark tests, we use each tablet for our own projects and daily work tasks to test how well it copes with a real workflow. To test battery life we use the tablet on full charge and let it run down, and make a note of how long the battery lasts. 

You can read our full process for all products in our How we test and review guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can a tablet be used for online classes.

Yes, modern tablets are designed to be used for streaming video and video calls. Whether it's the latest Apple or a Chromebook you'll find new tablets are excellent for taking online classes. You will, however, need a stand so make sure you cost this in; Apple and Microsoft sell these separately while Chromebooks tend to come with them.

Is a laptop or tablet best for college?

Laptops tend to be better workhorses and come with the extra protection of a folding case to keep the screen safe and clean. However, tablets released in the 12 months, such as Apple iPad Air (5th Gen) or Microsoft Surface Pro 8, offer the best of both worlds – power and the portability of a tablet. To explore laptop options, see our pick of the best student laptops .

Is a tablet good for college?

We'd say so, the portability of a tablet, and ideally one with a touchscreen, stylus and keyboard, is a good option for daily classes and campus jostling. If you're looking to take notes, record audio and write a tablet is great. As a companion to a laptop, a Chromebook tablet is a good option as they're cheap and save to cloud storage / Google Drive.

How much do the best student tablets cost?

Of course, when choosing the best student tablet, price is a factor. Some students will require high-end specs that are inevitably expensive, especially those on creative courses that involve the use of graphically demanding software that requires a powerful chip and lots of RAM for a smooth experience. Such students will probably want to go for options like the iPad Pro or Surface Pro, which can even replace a laptop in some cases.

However, students on courses that don't require visual design software won't need that level of power and will be fine with a much more affordable tablet. In our pick of the best student tablets above, we've been sure to include some more economical options for those on a budget or who don't need the highest-end specs for their study.

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Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creativebloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and leading video game title Official PlayStation Magazine. In his early career he wrote for music and film magazines including Uncut and SFX. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on AI, digital art and video game art and tech, and more to Creative Bloq, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5. He's also a keen Cricut user and laser cutter fan, and is currently crafting on Glowforge and xTools M1.

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