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Tablets are fantastic for photo editing as well as drawing
THE BEST drawing tablets for photo editing might sound like an oxymoron, but plenty of photographers use drawing tablets for that very task – and with good reason. After all, a pen and drawing tablet can feel much more natural than using a mouse or touchpad.
By definition, graphics tablets need to be sensitive, and the best models register anything up to 8192 distinct levels of pressure, so you can be very precise with your photo editing, which is useful when standard resolutions are getting higher and higher every day.
So, what’s the best drawing tablet for photo editing? Well, it depends what you’re looking for and what your budget is. We’ve found 10 great options and all the facts and figures to find the right fit for you. Let’s take a look…
Huion Inspiroy H430P
MANY photographers assume that an editing tablet simply isn’t worth the cost, but when the Inspiroy H430P can be picked up for around £30/$40, you’d be foolish not to at least consider it. While it can’t compare to the pro models made by Wacom, it’s well made and does everything a beginner might need it to. It has a small but well-functioning drawing area, an impressively sensitive stylus, and four customizable shortcut keys to streamline your workflow.
PROS: Portable; very cheap; sensitive stylus
CONS: Small working area; no screen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
GREAT FOR viewing and editing your images, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is a fantastic tablet for Android users, and the fact that it comes with a stylus in the box means you have everything you need to get started right away. Having access to the range of editing apps for Android is an excellent advantage, and if the crystal-clear, 11-inch screen isn’t big enough for you, larger 12.4-inch S8+ (£849/$900) and 14.6-inch S8 Ultra (£999/$1100) models are also available.
PROS: Comes with stylus; range of Android apps
CONS: Bigger variants are expensive
XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pen Display
A VERY good cover-all-bases tablet, the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pen Display gives you all you really need to start editing your images, at a great price to boot. While it doesn’t quite have that tactile Wacom feel when you’re drawing on it, for photo adjustments and edits it does the job admirably.
The ultra-sensitive stylus has 8192 levels of sensitivity, and the eminently portable design of the tablet itself means it’s easy to pack up and take anywhere with you for editing on the go.
PROS: Good price; sensitive stylus
CONS: Small area; no wireless connectivity
Wacom Cintiq 22
FOR ARTISTS and designers, this is one of the most desirable tablets on the market. The large 22-inch screen can display more than 16.7 million colours, providing fantast
