Graphic designers will love these graphics tablets
Many graphic designers don’t use a tablet, and it’s certainly not a requirement, but if you’ve been missing the feeling of putting “pen to paper” and you’re ready to change up your approach to graphic design, investing in a tablet can have a lot of benefits for designers. Tablets can help you create much more natural-looking strokes in your designs, and after you get past the learning curve, they can make your designs much faster and easier to make.
The easiest (and most affordable) way to start designing with a tablet is to go for a screenless one, as opposed to one with a screen included where you can see your design on the same surface where you’re drawing. While it is nice to nice to have that seamless design experience, the screenless tablets can be just as effective, and they’re easy to connect with your computer and get to work using some of the equipment you’ve already paid for and become familiar with. The way most screenless tablets work is you either plug it in or connect wirelessly to your computer and the tablet then connects to your design software, and you’re set to start designing! There’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to screenless tablets because you have to get used to drawing on your tablet while looking at your computer screen (which is where your designs are shown). Getting familiar with this style can be challenging for some, but there are lots of helpful tutorials online, and after you get the hang of it, you’ll be making designs faster than you ever could before. While you’re still learning, this screenless tablet help guide on YouTube might help you out!
Without further ado, some of the best screenless tablets you can use to up your graphic design game:
Best overall:
If you’re willing to make a big investment, the Wacom Intuos Pro in size medium is one of the best tablets you can get. With over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, and boasting features like “virtually no lag” and “precise pressure sensitivity,” it’s no wonder why many creative professionals consider Wacom tablets to be the benchmark of the industry.
Best on a budget:
Especially in the financial wake of COVID-19, many people (me included!) are looking for a budget-friendly option. If this is you, the HUION Inspiroy H430P OSU Graphic Tablet, is a great option at a MUCH lower price.
Best for beginners:
One of the best options for beginner designers is the Wacom Intuos Tablet. This is the less-fancy version of the Wacom Intuos Pro (mentioned above), but it’s not only a lot more affordable, but also more accessible for beginners, so it just might be the best option on this list. It’s available in two sizes: small (7.9" X 6.3") and medium (10.4" X 7.8").
