A graphics tablet turns a computer into a natural drawing surface for digital artists, illustrators and photo editors, translating the pressure and tilt of a pen into brushstrokes on screen. There are two kinds: pen tablets, where you draw on a flat pad while watching your monitor, and pen displays, where you draw directly onto a screen. An extensive test of 36 graphics tablets sorted the best, and these are the top picks, checked against current UK prices.
What to Look For
Pen tablet or pen display? A pen tablet with no screen is cheaper, more portable and — once you adjust to watching the monitor rather than your hand — brilliant for everyday work. A pen display, a screen you draw straight onto, is far more intuitive and the choice of most professionals, but costs considerably more and still needs a computer to drive it.
Pressure and tilt. A pen's pressure sensitivity is measured in levels — 8192 is the long-standing professional standard, though newer models push to 16384 — and what matters is a smooth, controllable response rather than the headline number. Tilt recognition, up to 60 degrees on the best tablets, lets you shade by angling the pen just as you would a real pencil.
The screen, on pen displays. Size ranges from around 11.9 inches to a huge 21.5 inches, and 16 inches is the sweet spot for desk use. Look for a sharp resolution and wide colour coverage — the best cover around 99 percent of a professional colour space — so what you draw matches what prints.
Controls and stylus. Built-in shortcut keys and a multi-function dial speed up your workflow enormously; a tablet without them can be a chore, sometimes forcing you to buy a separate remote. The best styluses are battery-free — powered by the tablet itself — slim at 8 to 10.5 mm across, and light, and a slightly textured surface gives paper-like feedback. Every tablet ships with at least a 1.5 metre USB cable, and drawing areas run from about 264 x 149 mm to 279 x 152 mm on a mid-size pad, rising to 409 x 230 mm on the largest.
Best Pen Tablet: Wacom Intuos Pro Medium
The Wacom Intuos Pro Medium (around £338.42) is the best pen tablet and the overall winner. It pairs genuine versatility with precise, professional-grade input: 8192 pressure levels, tilt recognition to 60 degrees, a battery-free pen, and a bank of customisable ExpressKeys with a touch ring for fast workflow. It is beautifully made and equally at home with illustration, retouching and design. If you are happy drawing while looking at your monitor, nothing here does it better. Check the price on Amazon
Best Pen Display: XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 Gen 2
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For drawing directly on a screen, the XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 Gen 2 (around £529.98) is the pick. This second-generation model's strengths are a much-improved 2.5K display with excellent colour and a superb new stylus, and at 16 inches it hits the desk-friendly sweet spot. It supports tilt and high pressure sensitivity, and undercuts the equivalent Wacom pen displays substantially. For most artists who want a screen to draw on, it is the smart buy. Check the price on Amazon
Best Budget Pen Display: Wacom One 14
The Wacom One 14 (around £279.99) is the affordable way onto a drawing screen, with Wacom's trusted pen technology and clean, accurate input in a 14 inch package. One honest caveat: it has no built-in shortcut keys, so heavy users may want the optional ExpressKey remote — factor that into the price. But as a first pen display or a portable second screen, it is a likeable, well-made entry point. Check the price on Amazon
Also Tested
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The test featured several strong alternatives. The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 is a keenly-priced pen display that competes closely with the XP-Pen, while newcomer Xencelabs impressed with its pen tablets and generous accessory bundle, adding tilt support and a comfortable two-pen setup. Both are worth a look if the picks above are unavailable — check current UK stock.
How to Choose
Decide first between a pen tablet and a pen display. If budget and portability matter, or you already work happily looking at your monitor, the Wacom Intuos Pro Medium is the finest pen tablet you can buy. If drawing directly on a screen appeals — and for most people it does — the XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 Gen 2 offers near-professional quality for far less than a Wacom Cintiq, while the Wacom One 14 gets you started for less still. Prioritise a controllable pressure response, tilt support if you shade, and built-in shortcut keys, and match the screen size to your desk.
Verdict
For a pen tablet, the Wacom Intuos Pro Medium is the one to buy at around £338.42: precise, versatile and professional. If you want to draw on a screen, the XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 Gen 2 (around £529.98) is the standout pen display, with the Wacom One 14 (around £279.99) the budget route in. Match the type to how you like to work, and any of these will make digital drawing feel natural.
