Are you starting out with graphic designing, logo designing, or simply looking to turn your focus to NFTs? If yes, Android tablets with stylus support might be the perfect investment for drawing. They are easy to use, as most of us are familiar with the Android ecosystem. And importantly, drawing on Android tablets works really well.
Whether you are a Photoshop pro, standard illustrator, graphic designer, or casual sketch artist who wants to try digital art, an Android tablet should suffice your needs. And if you’re going to pick an Android-based drawing tablet that manages to cover all or most aspects, look for tablets with a large display, responsive stylus, efficient processor, reliable battery, and sleek chassis.
You would want the device to run apps like ArtFlow, Illustrator Draw, ArtRage, Sketch, PaperColor, and more without any issues whatsoever. But then, not every Android tablet is suitable for drawing, sketching, doodling, etc. While some run short on battery backup, some have mediocre processing setups. And in most cases, the price doesn’t match the value.
Well, keeping every issue, pain point, and requirement in mind, I have finally put together a list of the best Android tablets that you can draw on. And while the list might look small, it covers every user requirement, depending on the skill sets and the budget to spare.
Contents
5 Best Android Tablets for Drawing in 2023
Yes, not every Android tablet in the retail space makes it to the list. However, I have talked to professional graphic designers and even aspiring hobbyists to zero in on the best 5 tablets that actually fit. On top of that, I used each tablet personally for over a week to come up with the best qualities and even a few shortcomings, which were noticeable along the way.
Also, I segregated the devices according to the price points, starting with the most premium tablet and eventually moving to the mid-range and budget options. So let us get the discussion rolling without wasting any more time.
Not sure how to choose a digital art tablet? Check out the beginner’s guide to drawing tablets.
1. Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
It is appropriate to put the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ on the list as it manages to bring forth a responsive stylus and the best display around in terms of clarity and color fidelity. But then, there are truckloads of other great things about this tablet as well, including the 5G compatible processor, compared to the Tab S7, which makes it the best Samsung tablet for drawing.
Why is it suitable for drawing?
First of all, it is the brilliant 12.4-inch screen that makes quite a compelling case. It’s a Samsung-made super AMOLED panel that is adequately color responsive, all thanks to over 200% of the sRGB color gamut. The resolution at 2800 x 1752 pixels is more than adequate. But then, it is the 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling fun and puts the S7+ at a higher pedestal as compared to some Apple counterparts.
As far as the stylus availability goes, the S-Pen comes bundled with the device. It is holistically compatible with every tablet task, including sketching, doodling, drawing, and more, making it the best tablet for drawing with pen.
Plus, it assumes excellent pressure sensitivity levels of 4096, charges within a minute, and works well with any third-party grip you choose. And yes, the stylus supports palm rejection tech, allowing you to draw stuff with minimal errors. Finally, the pen latency at 9ms isn’t an issue as you get instantaneous designs displayed in front of you.
Design & Connectivity
The Galaxy Tab S7+ is easily the sleekest masterpiece around at 11.22 x 7.28 x 0.22 inches. And it weighs 1.27 pounds and comes across as one of the most portable options on the list. As far as the connectivity suite goes, the Type-C port and Bluetooth 5.0 make the cut, riding atop the Wi-Fi 6 standard.
Hardware & Performance
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865+ processor makes the cut, lending exceptional processing speeds and multitasking capabilities. Assisting this octa-core chipset is 6GB RAM that helps run apps like Sketchbook, ArtFlow, and more without any lag, whatsoever.
Plus, you can store every possible design in the 128GB storage unit. In case you run short of space, expanding it by an additional 1TB is also possible.
Battery & other Features
The 15 hours of backup is noticeable, and the battery also supports fast charging at 45W. Plus, there is a dual-camera setup to work with, followed by a standalone 8MP front shooter. Finally, the tablet houses 4 stereo speakers, making leisured getaways possible. And yes, there is the inventive DeX compatibility that lets your tablet pair with any other smart display with ease.
Conclusion
While iPads are excellent picks for drawing, the Galaxy Tab S7+ certainly gives them quite a headache. I would recommend professional designers and logo artists to pick this Samsung art tablet as it scores better than any other product around, in terms of processing power, battery life, and certainly the screen quality.
Reliable Alternative
If you feel that the pocket pinch is a bit hard to handle, you may consider the Galaxy Tab S7 FE instead. While the S7 FE misses out on a Super AMOLED panel and unreal levels of outdoor visual clarity, it manages to offer a comparable 12.4-inch screen. Also, the 256GB storage space readily steals the show.
- Screen colors cannot get any truer
- The S-Pen is an engineering marvel
- Battery life is more than excellent
- Powerful Snapdragon SoC
- Upgradable storage
- Costly
2. Best Runner Up: Lenovo Tab P11 Pro
The Tab P11 Pro is seriously the most inventive tablet around, especially if you are into drawing on the move. And while Tab P11 Pro lets you run most high-end drawing apps like Illustrator Draw, much like the mid-range P11 Plus, the processing setup and screen size is certainly an improvement over the same.
Why is it suitable for drawing?
The 11.5-inch screen is exactly the drawing real-estate mid-level professionals prefer. And while the 100% sRGB color gamut ensures that the exact colors are displayed while designing, the WQXGA resolution at 2560 x 1600 takes care of the viewing angles. And yes, the OLED screen is adequately bright outdoors.
The Tab P11 Pro works like a charm with the Precision Pen 2. And the stylus doesn’t require any charging, is compatible with most tasks, doesn’t display any sort of latency, and also offers palm rejection.
Design & Connectivity
This Android drawing tablet is adequately slim and light, with dimensions reading 10.41 x 6.75 x 0.27 inches. Moreover, it weighs 1.07 pounds, making it one of the best travel-friendly tablets to carry on the move. The device lacks a 3.5mm jack but uses a Type-C port, Wi-Fi 5 standard, and BT 5.0 support.
Hardware & Performance
Powering the same is the Snapdragon 730G chipset that adheres to the 8nm architecture. It works closely with the Adreno 618 GPU to bring out the best visuals. Plus, there is 6GB RAM and even 128GB of expandable storage space to let you handle apps like LayerPaint HD and Ibis Paint with ease and even concurrently.
Battery & other Features
The battery in Tab P11 Pro lasts up to 10 hours. Also, this Lenovo drawing tablet supports fast charging, brings in a nifty fingerprint scanner to protect user privacy, throws in a couple of rear shooters and a 3D front camera arrangement for AR, and packs a quad-speaker setup.
Conclusion
To sum it up, Tab P11 Pro is a versatile Lenovo tablet for drawing that values portability over anything else. However, the overall specs sheet at close to $500 can make the Samsung Tab S7+ and other tablets on the list flop sweat.
Reliable Alternative
But then, if you want to go for something even more affordable, I would recommend the sub $300, Tab P11 Plus for its 11-inch 2K display, reliable MediaTek Helio chipset, 128GB storage, light form factor, and 15+ hours of battery backup.
- Bright OLED screen
- Upgradable storage
- Android 10 is responsive enough
- Precision Pen 2 is quite perceptive
- Nifty fingerprint scanner
- Battery life could be improved
- Lacks Wi-Fi 6 support
3. Best Budget Tablet: Teclast M40 Pro
The Teclast M40 Pro is the perfect Android tablet for hobbyists and entry-level designers. And it doesn’t only live up to the tag of being one of the best tablets around $200 price range. It also outpaces the older M40 with an upgraded version of Android and better camera modules.
Why is it suitable for drawing?
The 10.1-inch IPS screen is adequately bright. Plus, the native resolution of 1920 x 1200 can still turn quite a few heads when it comes to viewing angles. Also, the wide-angle screen is a handy resource to the sketch artist, followed by the glare-combating T-color enhancement. And yes, the 65% color gamut still manages to project design colors accurately.
As far as stylus support is concerned, you can pair this tablet with any given active pen that you come across. And yes, you can activate the palm-rejection support on the stylus and tablet once you take a pick as per requirements and budget.
Design & Connectivity
The product measures 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches, which is a tad thicker compared to other devices around. And most importantly, it weighs a manageable 1.20 pounds, making it good enough to be carried along on trips. Connectivity-wise, there is a dedicated Type-C port followed by Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0 as the wireless standards.
Hardware & Performance
The featured octa-core processor doesn’t heat up as much as I expected it to be. Plus, with 6GB RAM in play, it seems more than comfortable when it comes to managing multiple drawing apps and tasks with relative ease. I tried running the ArtFlow on this and managed to use most of the smudge effects and brushes without any lag.
Battery & other Features
You get 8 hours of backup, but if you are only drawing, you could go beyond the 10-hour mark. Plus, you get an 8MP rear and a 5MP front shooter to work with on this metal-clad tablet.
Conclusion
The Teclast M40 Pro is one of the most cost-effective Android tablets for artists. And while the price might seem to be a tad over the $230 mark, you can always apply a coupon to get it for a mere $199. And this cost-effectiveness sets it apart from other products on the list.
- The screen is made of 2.5D glass
- 6GB RAM at this price is a steal
- Powerful mid-range processor
- Durable form factor
- Battery life could have been better
- No bundled stylus
4. Best Value for Money: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7
If you’re penchant about tablets with a stylus for drawing, you can’t get a better sub $500 tablet than the Tab S7. The bundled S-Pen work seemingly well with 9ms latency, 4096 pressure sensitivity, and palm rejection at the helm.
The Tab S7 from Samsung feels a lot like the premium Tab S7+ but at a far lesser price. And while the Galaxy Tab S7 brings a TFT screen into the mix, instead of AMOLED, it manages to outpace the likes of S6 Lite when processing power and RAM availability is concerned.
Why is it suitable for drawing?
The Samsung Tab S7 is bright and color accurate despite being TFT. The 11-inch WQXGA panel is worth considering, mostly if you are a home-bound designer or sketch artist. The 95% sRGB palette is better than most other products available across the retail space.
The S-Pen follows suit and works effectively with 9ms latency. But it can be tricky to grip it for longer hours, which then needs you to consider a third-party grip. The pressure sensitivity is as high as 4096, making it a good sketching resource. And yes, you do get palm rejection support.
Design & Connectivity
The tablet measures 9.99 x 6.51 x 0.25 inches, making it one of the slimmest drawing tablets around. The Tab S7 weighs a manageable 1.10 pounds, throws in a fingerprint scanner, makes room for Wi-Fi 6 support, Bluetooth 5.0, and a fast Type-C port/magnetic connector.
Hardware & Performance
The Snapdragon 865 SoC is fast and works well with 6GB RAM. The combined processing hardware deals with apps like Studio Paint, SketchBook, and most of their resources, swimmingly. Then there is the 128GB storage unit that houses the upgradeable Android 10 OS. Also, the storage space can be expanded by an additional 1TB, just in case.
Battery & other Features
You get 15+ hours of battery backup followed by a camera setup that is comparable to the high-end Galaxy Tab S7+. You also get a quad-speaker arrangement, but it is the 45W fast charging support that steals the show.
Conclusion
If you find the Tab S7+ a tad out of budget, Tab S7 is a Samsung tablet good for drawing to pick. However, every professional and even a mid-level designer can do some really good work with this device in play. And the overall processing power followed by a steady battery backup makes it run past most of the other tablets on the list.
Reliable Alternative
If the S7 looks pricey, you can pick the Tab S6 Lite, featuring the same S-Pen and storage space. The screen is a tad smaller at 10.4 inches, and the battery backup manages to hit 12 hours, despite the affordability on display.
- Light and easy to carry
- Excellent battery backup
- Excellent hardware setup
- Sharp viewing angles
- 120Hz refresh rate for better scrolling
- TFT screen might not be the best one for outdoor conditions
- Still close to 500 dollars
5. Cheap Yet Best: Vastking KingPad M10
The Vastking KingPad M10 is a much better tablet to use for drawing than you give it credit for. And while it throws in quite a few reliable specs, including a decent processing setup, it is best known for outwitting the premium K10 Pro from Vastking in terms of drawing-specific display quality.
Why is it suitable for drawing?
The 10.3-inch screen is as bright as it can get. However, I was quite happy to see the M10 packing 2000 x 1200 pixels as the standard resolution. Also, the IPS screen assumes a 60% sRGB color palette, which is still a great number for sub $200 drawing tablets.
While VastKing doesn’t offer a dedicated stylus in the package, it allows you to work with a wide range of active pens. However, with a third-party stylus, you can land into a couple of latency issues. Therefore, if you are a professional designer, I would ask you to get a high-end pen.
Design & Connectivity
The KingPad M10 is strictly metal-clad and weighs less than a pound. It is one of the sleekest budget tablets at 9.7 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches. Coming to connectivity, the device supports dual-band wireless AC standards and a reliable Type-C charging port. In addition to that, it is also one of the few tablets with LTE connectivity, courtesy of a SIM card slot.
Hardware & Performance
The M10 fits in a UNISOC T618 octa-core chipset that is capable of clocking at 2GHz. Assisting the processor is 4GB RAM that handles apps like PaperColor and Medibang Paint with relative ease. Coming to the storage, there is 128GB of space that can be upgraded by an additional 2TB via the microSD slot.
Battery & other Features
This tablet offers 12 hours of steady backup, regardless of the task you plan on using it for. Plus, you can also make good use of the powerful speakers and the 13MP rear shooter with AF. Finally, the tablet runs Android 11 right out of the box, which adds considerably to the overall responsiveness.
Conclusion
The Vastking KingPad M10 is a feature-packed, yet cheap Android tablet for drawing that feels premium. However, the LTE support and the max storage upgradeability of 2TB set the M10 apart from the rest of the Android tablets.
- LTE support
- Bright screen
- Android 11 is fast
- Light and sleek
- Lacks Wi-Fi 6
- No bundled stylus
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are planning to get an Android tablet for digital art, I would recommend the Samsung Tab S7+ or Lenovo’s P11 Pro. These tablets are loaded with processing power, and they have some of the best displays around that can project digital art colors rather perfectly.
Yes, Samsung tablets are excellent picks for drawing. You would see me suggesting two in a list of five. What makes them effective is the brilliant screen and color palette, which justifies the price point. And to top it all off, there is the innovative S-Pen to make life easier.
While there are truckloads of drawing apps available for Android, I would pick Illustrator Draw and Clip Studio Paint as my personal favorites. While the former lets you play around with customizations and pen tips, the latter makes life easier by letting you draw with brushes and get digital art in 3D.
Yes, Android tablets are certainly worth the money if you plan on using them for drawing and sketching. These tablets are compatible with most drawing apps, and there are many offering bundled stylus pens as well, unlike the iPads.
Graphic tablets (aka Digitizers) are more like glorified drawing boards. And they need a host to work with and feed of when power and processing support is concerned. While Android tablets are standalone drawing resources with the processing power of their own. And unlike OS-agnostic graphic tablets, they run different versions of Android and, therefore, are insanely user-friendly.
To learn more advantages, it’s advisable to learn about the difference between graphic tablets and drawing tablets.
Verdict
Did you check out each of the 5 Android tablets and a few alternatives that I enlisted? Well, I hope that you have already picked one that works well with your budget and requirement. If not, here is a more curated pick to help you through.
- Pick the Samsung Tab S7+ if you want a professional-grade tablet that can be taken outdoors as well.
- If budget is a concern, but you still prefer Samsung Galaxy tablets, the S7 FE is a good bet, despite the TFT screen.
- Finally, if you fancy a tablet with 6GB RAM but under 200 dollars, the Teclast M40 Pro seems like a good bet.
But these are just some handpicked tablets to help you speed up the search. You can always look at the detailed reviews and pick any other device that suits your drawing style, skills, and budget.
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