How to choose a graphics tablet as a beginner

Step 1

Decide what you need a tablet for

A tablet is a tool for specific tasks, not a required designer accessory. Be honest about what you'll do most over the next six months:

• •interfaces, websites, presentations: most Figma work is done with a mouse and keyboard; the tablet can wait;
• •illustration, sketching, lettering, concept art: you need a tablet; a mouse can't control line weight through pressure;
• •retouching and photo editing: a tablet helps a lot with masks and local edits, but you can work without one;
• •icons and logos: vectors are built with curves and a mouse works fine; a tablet is useful for exploratory sketches.

💡 If in doubt, start with a paper sketchbook. Once you're drawing every day and miss digital features, buy a tablet.

Step 2

Choose the type of device

There are three main types. A pen tablet without a screen: you draw on a surface on the desk and look at the monitor. Wacom (Intuos), XPPen (Deco) and Huion (Inspiroy), for example, have such lines. A pen display: you draw right on the screen, like on paper; it connects to a computer. Wacom (Wacom One, Cintiq), XPPen (Artist) and Huion (Kamvas) have such lines. A standalone tablet with a stylus, such as an iPad with Apple Pencil, works without a computer but with its own iPad apps.

• •a pen tablet is the simplest entry; it takes time to get used to looking at the monitor while drawing on the desk;
• •a pen display feels more familiar ("I draw where I see"), but it's another screen and more cables on the desk;
• •an iPad is handy for illustration on the go, but Apple Pencil compatibility depends on the iPad model: check it on Apple's site before buying.

💡 We don't recommend specific models or brands: the choice depends on your task, budget and what your local store has. The line names above are only so you know what to search for.

Step 3

Understand the specs

Product pages are full of numbers. Here's how to read them:

• •active area: the size of the zone that responds to the pen. Wacom Intuos, for example, comes in Small and Medium sizes with 7- and 10-inch active areas. Small suits a desk and travel; medium gives more room for arm movement;
• •pressure levels: how many gradations of pressure the pen distinguishes. Wacom Intuos has 4,096 levels; other makers advertise 8,192 and 16K. Don't choose by this number alone: at the start, how comfortable the pen and surface are matters more;
• •tilt: the pen detects its angle, and some brushes respond to it, like a pencil used on its side for shading. Useful for illustration, but not critical;
• •battery-free or rechargeable pen: some tablets have a pen that needs no battery (Wacom Intuos, for example); others need charging;
• •buttons and connection: shortcut keys for undo or switching brushes, USB or Bluetooth.

💡 Pen nibs wear out over time. Check that replacement nibs are sold for the model you choose.

Step 4

Check compatibility and purchase terms

The worst outcome is a tablet that works badly with your computer or app. Before buying:

• •find a driver for your system on the manufacturer's official site: Windows, macOS, Linux or ChromeOS. Wacom Intuos, for example, works with Windows, Mac, Android and ChromeOS, but the driver installs only on Windows and Mac;
• •make sure the app you plan to use supports pen pressure: for example Photoshop or Krita;
• •if you're left-handed, check that the tablet can be flipped and the buttons reassigned: Wacom Intuos, for example, supports right- or left-handed use;
• •buy where you can return the device, and if possible try it in person in a store;
• •download drivers only from the manufacturer's official site, not from third-party sites.

Step 5

Set up the tablet and train your hand

After installing the driver, open its settings. Check which part of the screen the active area covers: with two monitors, map the tablet to one so your hand movement matches the cursor. Adjust pressure sensitivity to your hand and, if needed, the left-handed orientation. Then do short daily exercises for a week:

• •rows of straight lines of the same length in one quick stroke, not slowly or several times over;
• •circles and ovals, then lines that go smoothly from thin to thick with pressure;
• •tracing a photo or your own sketch on a separate layer;
• •at the end of the week, a small illustration: an icon, a character or hand lettering.

💡 Show your first week's results in the community: a "day 1 vs. day 7" comparison is the best motivation, and others will tell you which settings and brushes helped them.