Best Drawing Tablet For Photoshop in 2021

Trying to narrow down all the available drawing tablets can be tricky. There are so many different brands and styles to choose from, that it’s often overwhelming. You may be tempted to buy the first drawing tablet that you stumble across, but there are a few things you should think about first.

We’ve covered all the essential features you should look for in a drawing tablet below. These will ensure that you choose a top notch drawing tablet that will be perfect for use with Photoshop. You’ll have everything you need to start creating beautiful artwork with these features in your chosen drawing tablet.

Take a look at everything you need to think about below.

Compatibility

One of the most important factors to consider, of course, is your chosen drawing tablet’s compatibility. You will need to choose a tablet that is compatible with your computer of choice, as well as your chosen software. Take a look and see if your chosen drawing tablet is able to support the Photoshop software.

It’s worth remembering that there are many different versions of Photoshop, depending on the software you’re able to afford. If you have an older version and are buying a newer tablet, this may not be compatible with the version of Photoshop you have on your computer. Before you buy your new tablet, ensure that it’s able to work with the version of Photoshop that you have.

Customizable

A handy feature to look for in your new drawing tablet is whether it comes with customizable express keys. These could be on the tablet itself, or they could even be on the included drawing pen.

The more customizable keys your tablet comes with, the better. This will mean you can quickly switch between all of your favorite features without having to switch to the mouse or use any of Photoshop’s complicated keyboard shortcuts.

Size

The size of your chosen drawing tablet will be crucial. You should think about how much space you need when you draw. This may also be dictated by your skill level as an artist. If you’re more of a professional who needs a tablet for work, then you will likely need a larger tablet. If you’re more of an amateur digital artist, then a more medium or smaller size should suit you fine.

It’s worth bearing in mind that the size of your tablet will dictate its price. The larger the size of your tablet, the more expensive it will be.

Can You Use a Drawing Tablet with Photoshop?

You can indeed use a drawing tablet with Photoshop! In fact, you will have to have a drawing tablet to use with your computer in order to actually create digital drawings in Photoshop. It will be a lot more difficult trying to draw with your mouse!

The best drawing tablets for Photoshop are:

• Wacom PTH660 Intuos Pro Digital Drawing Tablet
• VEIKK Drawing Tablet
• Wacom DTC133W0A One Digital Drawing Tablet with Screen
• HUION H610PRO V2 Drawing Tablet
• XP-PEN Artist22E Pro Drawing Monitor

Should I Get an iPad or a Drawing Tablet?

If you plan on using your new iPad or drawing tablet with Photoshop, we would recommend opting for a drawing tablet out of the two. There is a Photoshop app that you can download onto your iPad, however, many artists find this app to be extremely buggy. The desktop version will be much easier to use, meaning that a drawing tablet will be the better option.

The Wacom PTH660 Intuos Pro digital drawing tablet is one of the best choices for using with Photoshop. You can of course opt for the more expensive Wacom Cintiq that comes with an included screen, however, a standard drawing tablet without a screen is still a solid choice.

This particular Wacom tablet is one of the manufacturer’s finest and features an active area of 8.7 x 5.8 inches. It’s also available in large and small sizes to give you the active area size that’s best for your needs. The tablet is suitable for use with both Mac and Windows computers. It also comes with radial menus, programmable express keys, and side-switches on the pen.

You’ll get everything you need for digital drawing with this tablet. It comes with the drawing pen you need. This is battery-free and won’t need charging before each use. The pen also features a whopping 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt response. It features virtually no lag for a smoother drawing experience, making it a great choice for Photoshop.

If you’re looking for a more affordable alternative to the fancy Wacom tablets, the VEIKK drawing tablet is the perfect choice. Just because it doesn’t come with the massive price tag doesn’t mean it’s not a great choice for beginners who want to get started with digital drawing! This tablet features an impressive 10 x 6 inch active area, making it a worthy competitor to some of the smaller, more expensive branded tablets.

What’s really great about this drawing tablet is that it comes with all the accessories you need for drawing in Photoshop. It includes the drawing pen, which comes with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity. The pen is battery-free, too, making it easier to use. This tablet also includes replacement nibs for the pen, as well as an artist’s glove.

You can choose between 3 colors of tablet. Choose between blue, gray, or red. This tablet also features 12 customizable shortcut keys to make it easier to use. The tablet itself is suitable for use with both left and right hands. It’s compatible with Mac and Windows as well as all major design software such as Photoshop.

Have your heart set on a drawing tablet that comes with a screen? The Wacom DTC133W0A One digital drawing tablet with screen is an excellent choice. This particular tablet is much cheaper than the Wacom Cintiq which also comes with a screen. This particular drawing tablet offers you a full color 13.3 inch display. The benefit of choosing a tablet with a screen is that you can get better accuracy when drawing in Photoshop.

What’s really great about this particular tablet is that it comes with a 2 month free trial of Photoshop and Lightroom included. It also comes with other various software to kickstart your drawing journey. The tablet itself is suitable for use with Mac, Windows, and even Android devices. Ideal if you’re looking for a more versatile drawing tablet.

Another great feature of this particular tablet is that it’s available with a range of additional accessories for an additional price. Choose between the tablet on its own, with an express key remote, with a Staedtler digital pencil, or with a jumbo Staedtler pencil.

Next up is the Huion H610PRO V2 drawing tablet. This particular tablet is a much more affordable alternative to some of the more expensive Huion tablets, as well as the vastly more pricey Wacom. This tablet will give you everything a beginner needs in order to get started with Photoshop. This tablet features an active area of 10 x 6.25 inches to rival even some of the more expensive tablets.

You’ll have everything you need with this particular tablet. It comes with the pen included, which features an impressive 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity. The pen also comes with tilt recognition, which is something that the cheaper Wacom products lack. The pen is also battery-free so you won’t have to worry about charging it every time you want to use it.

Another great feature of the Huion H610PRO is that it comes with 8 customizable express keys. This will make your tablet easier to use, and means you spend less time switching between the tablet and your mouse to adjust your settings. The tablet is also suitable for both left and right hand users.

The XP-PEN Artist22E Pro drawing monitor is another great choice if you want a tablet that features a screen. This particular drawing tablet comes with a large 21.5 inch 1080p display that features 72% color gamut. It’s also able to support 4K displays, which is great if you have a high spec computer. The tablet screen features a custom designed anti-reflective surface that reduces glare by up to 56%.

XP-PEN includes everything you need for drawing with Photoshop in this tablet bundle. You get the pen you need for drawing as well as a multi-function pen holder and a tablet stand. The pen itself features a massive 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity for more accurate drawing.

This particular tablet is suitable for use with both Mac and Windows. It’s even compatible with the majority of popular digital art software such as Photoshop. Overall this is a great value for money tablet to rival the high end Wacom and Huion models.