8 Best Tablets for Playing OSU! in 2023 [According to Gamers]

Have you recently turned to OSU! for creatively upgrading your hand-eye and reactionary coordination skills? Or, are you an enthusiastic gamer who feels rhythm games like OSU are good enough to kill time? It doesn’t matter what your level is, if you’re looking for a fast tablet to play OSU, then I’ve listed out the 8 best options.

As someone who is deeply invested in OSU, you might want to invest in tablets with excellent screen responses, minimal parallax effect, unmatched portability, versatile stylus, compact screen real-estate, and minimal charging worries.

But then, all you get is tablet choices with considerable input lag, underperforming stylus, lack of requisite pressure sensitivity, inaccurate displays, and heavy chassis.

As an OSU professional, I can relate to each one of these bottlenecks and feel that finding the best tablet for this rhythm game and some of its peers like Elite Beat Agents, and DJMax isn’t all that difficult if you are aware of the requirements. This discussion, therefore, entails a handful of such tablets that can make your OSU-specific game-playing experiences, worth remembering.

8 Best Tablets For OSU in 2023

I shall now enlist 8 of the best OSU-compatible tablets that have been reviewed, tested, and appraised across several relevant parameters. However, I made it a point to test over 21 tablets before putting together this list, which has been sectioned as per active working area, response time or report rate, pen quality, OS compatibility, heft, price, and other metrics.

1. Best Overall: Wacom Intuos CTL4100

If you are on the lookout for a handy graphic tablet that can handle most OSU beatmaps, responses, and rhythmic syncs with ease, there aren’t many better options in the market than the Wacom Intuos CTL4100.

Also, if you have ever used the Wacom Intuos Pro, the Intuos CTL4100 seems like a better bet for OSU in terms of portability, owing to its lesser weight and smaller form factor. Therefore, if you are an enthusiastic OSU player who is trying to sharpen your visual memory and coordinative abilities, this graphic tablet seems like a perfect starting point.

Design & Build

When it comes to the form factor, this plastic-clad graphic tablet feels like a writing pad with nifty responses. As far as the dimensions are concerned, the smaller variant measures 7.87 x 6.3 x 0.35 inches, making it one of the thicker options in the market. Also, if you are planning to make a purchase at this moment, you can procure the Intuos CTL4100 in black and pistachio green.

The tablet weighs a tad more than 0.5-pounds and comes equipped with a battery-free stylus pen, capable of charging itself via the EMR technology. The stylus pen boasts exceptional ergonomics whereas the tablet itself features a Type-A slot, radial menu, and other structural enhancements for better control.

OSU! Gaming

As OSU requires you to catch every beat, spinner, and resource according to the rhythm, the Intuos CTL4100 fits in rather perfectly, courtesy of the reliable active area of 6.0 x 3.7 square inches. The response time, however, isn’t the best at 133 points per second but this reading speed is still good enough to transfer command and feedback, to and from the computer screen.

The stylus pen, in addition to exhibiting a decent enough reading time and manageable parallax effect, boasts decent pressure sensitivity levels of up to 4096. This feature ensures that no beats are missed during the gameplay and you can always be in sync with the accompanying music.

Connectivity and Compatibility

The Intuos CTL4100 comes with Bluetooth connectivity, enabling you to establish a wireless connection with the PC that runs OSU in the first place. As far as the OS compatibility is concerned, you are free to pair this with any device running Windows, Android, and macOS, either wirelessly or wired via the Micro-B cable.

Conclusion

The Wacom Intuos CTL4100 is one of the more responsive tablets for playing OSU, courtesy of the calibrated Wacom stylus pen and the 133pps data reading speed and decent pressure sensitivity capping. Plus, you need not worry about charging the pen as it feeds off the tablet surface via the EMR technology.

But then, it is the 15 hours of minimum wireless usage limit that makes it a better bet as compared to some of the other products on the list.

2. Best With Customized Keys: Huion Inspiroy H640P

For serious OSU players and versatility seekers, the Huion Inspiroy H640P comes forth as one of the more affordable, responsive, and reliable graphic tablets to invest in. Personally, I would recommend this device to someone who has a knack for making daring and rhythmic jumps in OSU, whilst being very particular about the beatmaps timings.

Plus, the Inspiroy H640P readily trumps the likes of Huion 430P in terms of usable active area and improved pressure levels, both of which contribute towards better game-playing experiences.

Design & Build

The Inspiroy H640P is one of the slimmest tablets on the list, carrying a heft of mere 0.5 pounds. As far as the dimensions are concerned this product measures 10.23 x 5.8 x 0.3 inches. Not just that, the plastic-clad chassis is easy to hold and carry around and even accommodates a micro-USB slot for wired connectivity.

Other physical traits include a holistic laminated layout followed by the availability of a dedicated on/off switch and 6 express tabs for better tablet control. The PW100 stylus pen is top-rated and boasts 10mm of sensing proximity in adherence to the tablet. Also, the EMR charging technology exists, making the stylus easy to use.

Why is it suited for playing OSU?

As a tablet, the Inspiroy H640P merely works as an extension to OSU’s visual interface. But then, the active area of 6.3 x 3.9 square inches ensures that you can easily make a right-angle jump, which is often an issue with OSU-compatible tablets.

The pen, however, adds to the myriad benefits by exhibiting an excellent report rate of 233pps, which minimizes tablet-to-PC parallax and ensures that you never miss out on the beats. Pressure sensitivity levels at 8192 qualify this as a highly responsive tablet that also doubles up for drawing, online teaching, and other professional activities.

Connectivity and Compatibility

The Inspiroy H640P can be connected to any device running Windows, macOS, or Android, via the micro-USB port. However, it is advisable to select at least a mid-range host for the tablet to perform at its fastest.

Conclusion

Overall, the Huion Inspiroy H640P is one of the slimmest graphic tablets on the list at 8mm, bested further by the availability of express keys and an efficient pen that assumes an enviable accuracy of up to 0.3mm.

But then it is the resolution of 5080LPI that also makes it a handy drawing tablet and sets it apart from some of the other OSU-specific tablets in the concerned space.

3. Best OS Compatibility: Wacom Bamboo One CTL471

The Wacom Bamboo One CTL471 is strictly an OSU-compatible tablet, best suited for professional players who are pretty passionate about global standings. Also, when compared to the likes of Intuos CTL4100, the Bamboo One CTL471 is a much better gaming bet, courtesy of an excellent EMR charging pen and a clean interface, courtesy of zero express keys.

Design & Build

Despite being a plastic-clad, small-sized tablet, the Bamboo One CTL471 adheres to ergonomic and aesthetic preferences. The product weighs a tad over the 0.5-pound mark and measures 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.3 inches, which is at par with most of your expectations.

The reviewed variant, however, features a red rear panel, which adds to the visual allure. The pen on the other hand is sleek, easy to grip, and can be auto-charged via the EMR technology. Not to mention, Wacom also offers a USB port for setting up wired connections.

Why is it suited for playing OSU?

As OSU players are better served by compact panels, the Bamboo One CTL471 makes a strong case courtesy of an active area of 6.0 x 3.7 square inches. The response time is fixed at 133pps, which might look paltry but still ensures the quickest possible tracking,

The parallax, however, can be significant if you end up pairing the tablet with a sluggish machine. However, the pen does a majority of heavy lifting with 2048 pressure levels for tapping every object or managing every jump with precision.

Connectivity and Compatibility

You can consider pairing the Bamboo One CTL471 with any MacBook, iMac, Windows laptop, and Chromebook via the USB port. Also, for the device to work perfectly with the concerned PC or platform, you need to install the tablets, using the bundled DVD.

Conclusion

The Wacom Bamboo One CTL471 doesn’t under-deliver and ensures the best responses and game-playing experiences for OSU and other rhythm games. However, it is the multi-OS compatibility and an innovative pen that set it apart from some of the other products on the list.

Suggested Read: Huion vs Wacom Tablets: What’s Better?

4. Best For Windows: GAOMON M10K2018

The GAOMON M10K2018 doesn’t restrict you to mere gaming and even excels when collaborating with Photoshop, Illustrator, and other apps are concerned. But then, if you want to play OSU, it is advisable for users with big hands to invest in this sizable device.

I even ended up comparing the GAOMON M10K2018 with my go-to M10K Pro, only to find that the former features a portable build quality, as compared to the 2.84-pound M10K Pro.

Design & Build

The GAOMON M10K2018 features hardened plastic as the underlying chassis material and ends up weighing a substantial, 1.53 pounds. The dimensions are pretty pronounced at 14.17 x 9.45 x 0.41 inches. Also, the tablet comes equipped with a host of structural innovations including 10 hotkeys, one touch-specific ring, and 1 round key for easy access, zooming, and more.

The passive charging pen exhibits a perfect grip and can be charged using EMR technology, which entails feeding off the device itself.

Why is it suited for playing OSU?

The extended active area of 10 x 625 inches makes the M10K2018 good enough for OSU and other similar games. While compact real-estates are preferred, GAOMON stands out for users with big hands, who require additional working space to interact with the game.

The feature pen assumes a response rate of 233pps, which is fast and minimizes any form of parallax effect. This means the responses are always in sync with the visual medium. The pressure sensitivity levels, reaching up to 8192, allow the tablet to respond to almost every game-playing scenario.

Connectivity and Compatibility

Connecting the M10K2018 to any Windows laptop and MacBook is easy, courtesy of the micro-USB interface. However, you need to install the drivers beforehand on the concerned device to make use of this product.

Conclusion

Overall, the GAOMON M10K2018 is an excellent multipurpose tablet for both gaming and designing. However, it is the wide array of on-device controllers and the excellent pen-sensing height of 10mm to keep the nibs healthy that makes it stand out amid other products on the market.

5. Best For Mac: XP-Pen StarG640

If you seek the most portable tablet for playing OSU, there isn’t a better tablet around than the XP-Pen StarG640. I would recommend purchasing this tablet to users who are always on the move and have Windows-powered tablet PCs by their side to play OSU at will.

Also, as compared to the Star03V2 from the same company, the StarG640 offers a more usable working area and features improved aesthetics.

Design & Build

The StarG640 is certainly the slimmest of the lot at 7.5 x 6.5 x 0.1 inches. Despite showcasing a plastic-clad chassis, it is the 2mm thickness that qualifies the product as a pocket-friendly and aesthetic one.

Not to mention the manageable heft of 0. 4 pounds, which makes it easy to carry around. The P01 pen that comes bundled with the tablet is slim, features an excellent grip for extended usage, and can be charged passively.

Why is it suited for playing OSU?

Purchasing the StarG640 makes perfect sense if you are a professional OSU player as the 6 x 4 square inches of the active area is exceedingly compact and offers the best active tracking response. The report rate of 266RPS is top-notch and probably the best for any tablet on the list. This automatically entails lesser parallax, quickest possible jumps, and higher OSU scores.

The P10 pen continues being innovative with high-pressure sensitivity levels of up to 8192 for feeding in every important response, with precision.

Connectivity and Compatibility

As far as compatibility is concerned, you are free to connect the StarG640 to any Windows laptop and MacBook, provided the drivers are in place. Also, the existing USB port ensures faster connections and is one of the reasons for the high report rates.

Conclusion

To sum it up, the XP-Pen StarG640 scales beyond its peers when tablet portability is concerned. While it isn’t presently compatible with Android, the quality of the pen and the unmatched accuracy make you ignore this minor bottleneck.

6. Best For Android: Veikk S640 V2

The Veikk S640 V2 houses a lot of power and potential in a smallish chassis. I feel this product is best suited to someone who is into professional drawing or designing apart from OSU-specific inclinations.

Also, if you have already been using the Veikk A15, the S640 V2 seems like a decent upgrade, courtesy of the smallish form factor and better active tracking.

Design & Build

The 0.40-pound S640 V2 is one of the more ergonomic tablets on the list. Also, it measures 8.6 x 5.1 x 0.35 inches to be exact and brings in a plastic-clad chassis, albeit with exceptional heat management. The passive-charging pen is good to hold and readily complements the slim form factor of this tablet.

Why is it suited for playing OSU?

The S640 V2 should be your tablet of choice for any rhythm-based game, OSU included. The reason, however, is the 250pps of report rate, which signifies how promptly the tablet interacts with the host. Plus, the 6×4 square inches of the active area is worth considering if you are inclined towards compact form factors.

As per hands-on game-playing experiences, the S640 V2 exhibits minimal parallax as I could make jumps, collect points, and manage beatmaps without any sort of lag. Plus, the pressure sensitivity of the pen is set at 8192, making the S640 V2 good enough even for engineering-grade designing.

Connectivity and Compatibility

The best thing about the S640 V2 is its multi-platform compatibility. In fact, you can pair this tablet with Windows laptops, MacBooks, and even Android tablets via the existing USB interface.

Conclusion

Overall, the Veikk S640 V2 is one of the more portable tablets on the list that scales above the rest in terms of OS compatibility and obviously, a high-end passive pen.

7. Best For Beginners: GAOMON S620

The GAOMON S620 is easily one of the more affordable products on the list. As far as OSU gaming is concerned, I would recommend this tablet if you are a rough user and looking for something light yet durable for your gaming preferences.

Also, as compared to the aforementioned GAOMON M10K2018, the S620 is faster courtesy of a higher report rate of 266 RPS as opposed to 233 RPS exhibited by the former.

Design & Build

The S620 measures 8.30 x 6.85 x 0.32 inches, which is in sync with the humanized layout it chooses to exhibit. Starting from the rubberized edges to a manageable weight of almost 0.56 pounds, this tablet from GAOMON is strong enough to take a few occasional blows.

Plus, you also get access to a battery-free passive pen followed by 4 express keys and 2 dedicated pen keys for better tablet management.

Why is it suited for playing OSU?

It is an exceptionally compact active area of 6.5 x 4 square inches that makes it suitable for playing OSU and other similar games. The reasonable working space, coupled with 266 RPS of report rate ensures top-notch active tracking, perfect hover-drag balance, and even keeps the parallax, lag, and latency to a minimum.

The pen, however, is capable of managing tablet responses from a sensing height of up to 10mm. Also, the pressure sensitivity levels of 8192 make it one of the more responsive graphic tablets for gaming and designing

Connectivity and Compatibility

As far as the connectivity suite is concerned, you are free to make use of the USB port, precisely for connecting the device to a MacBook, Android tablet, or a Windows-powered device.

Conclusion

The GAOMON S620 is built to last. However, it is the snappy OTG functionality that makes it a better bet as compared to other products on the list.

8. Cheapest Option: Parblo A640

The Parblo A640 is strictly an entry-level tablet, meant for enthusiastic and new OSU players, who are planning to work more on their visual memory and cognitive abilities. As compared to the Parblo A610 Pro, which is the bigger of the two, the A640 seems more suitable for OSU gaming, courtesy of the compact area and lesser on-device express keys for minimizing clutter.

Design & Build

Despite being plastic-made, the A640 introduces rubberized paneling for added durability. However, the built-to-last structure is on the heavier side at 0.8 pounds. As far as the dimensions are concerned, this product measures 7.08 x 5.4 x 0.16 inches. Regardless of how it spans, it is the 5.2mm thickness that makes it one of the more ergonomic devices to invest in.

Parblo also introduces a passive pen, which boasts a brilliant grip and an inventive pen jacket for added safety. Plus, there are 4 customizable shortcut keys, adhering to the tablet surface, which qualify it as one of the more functional products on the list.

Why is it suited for playing OSU?

It is a compact working area of 6×4 square inches that makes it suitable for playing OSU and other rhythm games. Also, the 260 RPS makes a strong case by speeding up response times and minimizing parallax. Therefore, with A640 by your side, no game-playing seconds are lost due to system and input lags.

Plus, the 8192 pressure sensitivity capping and two pen buttons allow you to make the best use of the passive pen, both for gaming and drawing. However, OSU users can make the best use of the minimal working deviation and tilt support exhibited by the featured pen.

Connectivity and Compatibility

You can connect the A640 to a Windows and Mac-based system via the fast Type-C port. However, you need to have the drivers installed on the host to be able to deploy this graphics tablet for gaming and drawing.

Conclusion

For this price, you wouldn’t get a better graphics tablet than the Parblo A640, which scales above the rest in terms of report rate, excellent charging technology, excellent 5080 LPI resolution, and excellent pressure sensitivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

Finding the best tablet for playing OSU is often difficult as you need to select from a pretty restrictive collection of graphics tablets. As conventional Android and Windows tablets aren’t capable of matching up to quick responses, I feel graphics tablets are better bets for professional and even base-level OSU players.

But then, if the mentioned list still confuses you, here are some handpicked choices to consider, as per select use-cases

• If you plan on using the tablet with almost every interface there is, I would recommend the  Wacom Bamboo One CTL471 as the tablet of choice
• For inclination towards a bigger screen and several device-adhering hotkeys, it is best to invest in the GAOMON M10K2018
• In case higher response rates, minimal parallax, zero lags, and top-notch active tracking are your priorities, the XP-Pen StarG640 seems like the best option in the market
• Lastly, for affordability seekers who would still seek excellent pressure levels and a reliable pen, the Parblo A640 is worth purchasing

In addition to these, you can also check some of the other products on the list to take a call as per your holistic preferences, structural requirements, and budget.