6 Best Drawing Pads for Mac in 2023 [Draw, Sketch, Doodle]

Are you a graphic designer with a Macbook as your primary workhorse? Or are you a budding illustrator who wants to try something different from the usual iPad for drawing? Irrespective of your professional or leisure requirements, drawing pads for Mac are explicitly resourceful devices to draw, sketch, or doodle with precision.

As a professional involved in photo retouching, illustrations, creative development, 3D art, and other tasks, you often need to interact with apps like Photoshop and InDesign. And to achieve creative perfection, you must rely on tablets, preferably drawing pads. However, finding the perfect mac drawing pad is not straightforward.

That is precisely why I have prepared a detailed list of drawing pads compatible with Mac, keeping diverse user needs (both creative and personal) in mind. Each digital art pad for Mac has been thoroughly tested and reviewed without bias. So let us jump right in before you change your mind about getting one. Just kidding! 😉

Top 6 Drawing Pads for Mac in 2023

Zeroing in on a drawing pad for Mac is all about the utility. Sidecar’s mirroring prowess helps you establish a seamless wireless connection with the host — especially for sketching, drawing, and doodling on the move. And that functionality makes Macbooks exceptional hosts.

Just so you know, each graphics tablet for Mac has been tested as a personal secondary display for at least two weeks before being listed and reviewed. Also, I plan on starting the list with a few premium picks and then tapering down to the mid-range and the budget picks over time:

1. Best for MacBook Pro: Wacom Intuos Pro

Not every Mac drawing pad is as futuristic as the Wacom Intuos Pro. Standing out in a market with diverse possibilities, the wired and wireless connectivity support justifies its top-of-the-list presence. Not to mention that it beats the older Wacom Intuous hands down, all thanks to the more extensive work area.

Still, if the Intuos Pro seems a tad pricey and you are a student with a budget constraint, Wacom One is a pretty handy option.

Why is it a suitable option?

First, it has a large active area of 8.82  5.83 square inches, making it a suitable drawing pad for Macbook Pro. With the featured landscape in play, you can create or recreate some of the best designs using Corel Draw, Illustrator, or any other application.

The stylus works equally well, offering 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. And that allows you to get the exact level of shading and sketching prowess as offered by a standard paper-pen setup.

The device is replete with on-device buttons, including 8 programmable keys with express workflow support. This means you can delete, copy, and achieve other functions without touching your MacBook Pro. Plus, you have radial menus and side switches on the pen to make feature access easier.

The drawing experience is super smooth as the pen and surface work hand-in-hand to achieve perfection. What makes this possible is the 60-degree tilt support, allowing you to get the best designs out. And the lines you draw are as good as accurate, courtesy of the 5080 LPI resolution.

Connectivity & App Support

As for the connectivity on the Wacom tablet for Mac, USB-specific wired support comes across as the most dependable one. However, the Bluetooth connectivity option makes Intuos Pro the best drawing tablet for Mac, allowing you to keep drawing even while traveling.

Regarding app-specific compatibility, you might want to use Adobe’s Premiere Pro, Silhouette, Boris FX suite, and other relevant apps to showcase your entire creative repertoire.

Design & Build 

Here is a plastic-clad drawing pad with some premium undertones. The device is durable and weighs close to 1.60 pounds. The dimensions read 13.14 x 8.54 x 0.31 inches which makes it look sleeker than usual. The integrated touch ring and keys aren’t chunky and easy to use. Also, there is a pen holder for you to make peace with, in case you are prone to misplacing the same.

Conclusion

Overall, the connectivity suite sets the Intuos Pro apart. However, the stylus pen and the inclusions like nibs and lag-free multi-touch support make it a feature on the list. And most importantly, while it works with Mac, it also works with Windows tablets and PCs as and when required.

Comparison you might be interested in: Wacom vs Huion

2. Best with Display: XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro

I do not mind standard pen displays, provided I can get my hands on something as remarkable as the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro. While the fully laminated screen makes it stand out, the enhanced portability, compared to the Artist 24 Pro, makes it quite an upgrade if you are looking for a device that lets you design on the move.

Why is it a suitable option?

As it is a pen display, it’s important to note that you get a screen. The 15.6-inch Full HD panel is bright and boasts exceptional viewing angles, allowing you to perfect every creative illustration. At 1920 x 1080 pixels, the resolution makes the colors pop better. Also, the 88% NTSC color gamut makes sure that every design detail is taken care of.

The battery-free, self-powering stylus is an exceptional addition, boasting 8192 pressure sensitivity levels for a pencil-like experience. This feature allows you to sketch and shade as you would on paper. The sketches are as accurate as they get with 60-degree tilt support and a maximum report rate of 200RPS, eliminating any lag.

Thankfully, palm rejection exists to ensure minimal errors, and the anti-glare screen lets you work outdoors efficiently while cutting out reflections. There are 8 shortcut keys in play, followed by the red dial to zoom in and even zoom out at will. Also, the buttons help you manage to delete, brush size management, and more without any effort.

Connectivity & App Support

You can use the hybrid HDMI and USB ports to connect it with the host. This great feature is the ability to keep the parallax issues to a minimum with the wired setup. The app support is pretty diverse, with XP-Pen bringing support for Clip Studio, Painter, Photoshop, Illustrator, and more. This way, you can try out different genres of creativity and still come out on top.

Design & Build 

Here is a plastic-clad drawing tablet for Mac that is a tad chunky but remains durable enough, helping you slide past the occasional drop. It weighs 0.55 pounds and measures a standard 17.44 x 11.02 x 0.5 inches, which is thick considering the heft displayed by some other drawing pads that work with Mac.

Also, the screen is laminated and offers 178-degree viewing to help you draw 3D sketches with all the colors in the right place. A durable plastic stand bundled with the device lets you use the same across modes. However, the stand only allows the tablet to rest as there are no holes for mounting.

Conclusion

Overall, the XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro is one of the more promising drawing pads for Mac, especially if you seek something with a bright display. And when compared with even the digitizers, this device stands out courtesy of the exceptional stylus pen and a decent collection of buttons.

Fun fact: this model is also featured in:

• Tablets for Tattoo Artists
• Drawing Tablets for Beginners

3. Drawing Tablet for MacBook Air: HUION Inspiroy H610X

Not every drawing pad is as durable and slip-averse as the HUION Inspiroy. While the design makes it a great pick, it still gets some additional brownie points over the older H320M, courtesy of the larger work area.

Why is it a suitable option?

First, HUION promises a large active area of 62.5 square inches, making it easier for you to sketch and create standard A3 size illustrations. The stylus on offer supports EMR or self-charging and offers a sizable pressure sensitivity cap of 8192. And this attribute lets you draw the best possible lines and shade effortlessly.

Making life easier for the designer are the 8 bundled nibs, which ensure that your design work doesn’t need to stop, any reason notwithstanding. The drawing quality is top-notch, thanks to the pen resolution of 5080LPI.

Also, the H610X is one of the few graphic design tablets for Mac that let you map a corresponding area on the Mac’s display, especially for entity tracking while drawing and sketching. There are 8 express shortcut keys in play, making it easier for you to access important functions like managing brush size, handling copy/delete, and more — with relative ease.

Connectivity & App Support

As far as connectivity is concerned, this pad only lets you connect to a mac using the standalone USB port. Even though wireless support seems missing, the design lag and parallax come down to zero with the wired setup.

As for the apps, you can use the pad to work alongside SAI, Corel Painter, Sketchbook, and even Illustrator — making a wide range of creative options available. Also, if you want to use it for taking notes (something that a student might consider), you can pair this with OneNote, Word, Zoom, and other professional apps.

Design & Build 

Regarding the design, the Inspiroy H610X takes the lead by embracing an anti-slip design. Despite being all plastic, the rubberized and rugged chassis ensures that this tablet can handle a few drops along the way.

The tablet has a 60-degree tilt function and makes way for a pen holder— allowing you to find the stylus easily while designing. As far as the dimensions are concerned, the product measures 12.78 x 8.09 x 0.31 inches, making it one of the sleekest options. It weighs 1.14 pounds — a minimalistic figure for drawing pads.

Conclusion

While the design takes center stage, the Inspiroy H610X sets itself apart owing to the loaded stylus pen and the 8-nib bundle pack. And yes, the customizable press keys work better than expected, allowing you to handle most tasks easily.

Also Read: Best Huion Tablets

4. Best Sketch Pad for Mac: XP-Pen Deco 01 V2

Every professional designer, especially illustrators, should consider getting the XP-Pen Deco 01 V2, primarily for the responsive and relatively large active area. And if you have been using the older Deco 02, the V2 makes a better case, courtesy of two additional shortcut buttons, qualifying as a top sketch pad for Mac.

Why is it a suitable option?

The active area of 10 x 6.25 square inches stands out, less for the spread and more for the responsiveness. What makes an additional impact is the powerful stylus with side buttons, allowing you to use the pen as an easy accessibility tool.

The 8192 pressure sensitivity helps with the best lines and shades, whereas the drawing experience is out of this world as there is zero drawing lag or parallax.

On-device shortcut keys make quite an impression, with four buttons on each side of the drawing board. Each key helps you make a certain task easier, including brush size management, element copying, and more. And one button also enables you to toggle between the eraser and the pen with a single press.

Connectivity & App Support

The Deco 01 V2 only supports wired connectivity, with USB as the preferred mode. Connecting to the Macbook minimizes the lags and helps with quick design reproduction. As for the app compatibility, you can pair this device with Sketchbook, Autodesk, FlipaClip, and Artrage apps that let you quickly sketch, draw, and doodle.

Design & Build 

This is easily the best digital drawing pad for Mac, especially from a design point of view. This slim and relatively compact pad is all plastic and offers 60-degree tilt support, which reduces the chances of errors while drawing. The pad measures 13.82 x 8.54 x 0.31 inches and weighs 2.20 pounds to come across as one of the more portable units.

Conclusion

The XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 is a portable tablet that stands apart courtesy of the responsive stylus and 8 extremely interactive shortcut keys. And when compared with products on the list, this Deco-branded pad offers excellent value for money.

5. Illustration Pad for Mac (with Touch Keys): VEIKK A30 V2

If you prefer a Macbook drawing pad that keeps chunky keys and buttons out and instead concentrates on a touch-based surface, the VEIKK A30 V2 certainly makes sense. What works perfectly is the pad’s ability to double down as a signature pad. And compared to the more powerful A50 model, you might want to grab the A30 V2 for portability.

Why is it a suitable option?

The active area of 10 x 6 square inches makes quite an impression, allowing you to create the illustrations easily. VEIKK includes a battery-free pen for you to work with, ensuring uninterrupted creativity. The 8192 pressure sensitivity capping is important as it allows you to perfect the designs, lines, shades, and even color combinations.

The drawing experience gets a boost with 4 on-device touch keys in play. And there is a resourceful gesture pad, allowing you to map the area and track objects while drawing. This functionality lets you use the device as a signature pad. Coming to the additions, you get access to 1 tablet film, gloves for seamless handling, and 8 additional nibs.

Connectivity & App Support

You can connect this drawing pad to the Mac using a Type-C port. And you would be happy to know that the OTG cable is bundled with the same. As for the app compatibility, it works seamlessly with Corel Painter, Adobe Illustrator, MediBang, Krita, and more. You can pair almost every creator-specific or note-taking app with this drawing pad, regardless of choice.

Design & Build 

The VEIKK A30 V2 is a sleek drawing tablet compatible with Mac, made of plastic and rubberized undertones. At 1.2 pounds, it is light and easy to carry around. Plus, you get 60-degree tilt support to keep errors to a minimum. The device measures 13.07 x 8.35 x 0.35 inches, which is still slimmer than other products.

Conclusion

The VEIKK A30 V2 stands out if you want an all-purpose drawing pad to make your Macbook look more equipped. As compared to other products around, it is the lightness of its form that makes it stand out.

6. Budget Pen Tablet for Mac: GAOMON PD1161

If you want a more affordable drawing tablet with a screen, the GAOMON PD1161 takes center stage. Firstly, the bright IPS panel makes it feature on the list. And most importantly, it is quite an upgrade over the 2018-model, Gaomon M10K, a drawing pad that ditched a screen and only focused on the active area.

Why is it a suitable option?

The 11.6-inch laminated screen (thanks to the AG film) makes an appearance. The overall resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels ensures that the color fidelity associated with this pen tablet for Mac is top-notch. The 8-bit color palette with a 100% sRGB gamut to boast ensures that every creative design and illustration looks precisely the same as you plan.

Next, you can access a reliable stylus pen with a pressure cap of 8192. This feature lets you draw lines and sketch accurately, offering a paper-like drawing experience. The drawing accuracy hardly falters with the 178-degree viewing angle and an exceptional report rate of 266 RPS, eliminating errors and ensuring smoother and more precise lines.

On top of that, there are 8 programmable keys to easily access functions like scrolling, erase, zooming, and more. Plus, the bundle throws in 8 additional pen nibs for the workaholic in you.

Connectivity & App Support

The GAOMON PD1161 connects to your Mac using the Type-C or the Mini-HDMI port. While the wireless connectivity is missing, wired connections are better at keeping drawing lag and parallax to a minimum. Most importantly, this Mac-friendly drawing pad can work across applications, including the ones related to image editing, animation, sketching, and drawing.

If you are into specifics, the standout names include Kriya, Blender, Adobe Illustrator, Lightroom, and more. And yes, you can use this pen display as the secondary display to your Mac.

Design & Build 

The screen seems laminated and bright, whereas the pad is replete with nifty little specs like a pen holder and tilt support at 60 degrees. It is primarily made of plastic and measures 14.2 x 7.9 x 0.5 inches while weighing a manageable 1.9 pounds.

Conclusion

The GAOMON PD1161 is a Mac-supported drawing tablet with a dedicated screen. It’s definitely worth buying, provided you want an affordable pen display for your creative needs. Compared with other products on the list, the display quality and reasonable pricing stand out and make it worth the splurge.

Also featured in Tablets for Artists.

Mac Drawing Pad Buying Guide

Now that you have looked at some of the best drawing tablets for Mac, it is advisable to go back to the drawing board (pun intended) and check for the deciding factors. Once you are sure about the specs, you can cross-reference the same with the standard offerings and get the right for the job.

Display or Working Area

If you plan on getting a pen display, i.e., a drawing pad with a screen, an 11-inch IPS screen with at least Full HD resolution is the bare minimum. You also need to look at the color gamut, with 100% sRGB being the minimum requirement for illustrators and designers. However, if you are simply looking for a gesture pad or a device for doodling, you can skip the color gamut spec altogether.

Look for palm-rejection support if you are concerned about procedural errors while drawing or sketching.

If you seek a digitizer, you should look for a device with a minimum active area of 50 square inches. Once you get that out of the way, ensure you focus on features like screen mapping to track the elements to perfection.

Pen & Pressure Sensitivity

Once the display or working area has been sorted, you can take a closer look at the most important aspect of a drawing pad: the stylus. As a professional designer, you might want an EMR-powered stylus with self-charging support, a few on-device keys, and a pressure sensitivity cap of 8192.

The overall resolution of above 5000 LPI also seems like a good bet if you are deep into sketching and shading. Also, try getting a device with tilt support to minimize drawing errors. Plus, investing in a drawing pad where the stylus comes with additional pen nibs is always a good thing.

Connectivity & App Support

Regarding connectivity, you might want to pick a device that offers both wired and wireless support. In that case, you can check out options with Bluetooth support, especially if you have a pen display and want to use Apple’s mirroring or sidecar technology.

Next, you have the wired setup, which can either be initiated via USB or HDMI, depending on requirements. In that case, you might want to look at the bundled cables and cross-check the speed at which the connections are handled.

As for the apps, seeka a drawing pad that supports Illustrator, Photoshop, Sketchbook, and other creative apps. However, it is necessary to see if you have other needs from the graphics tablet for Mac, like taking notes or sketching. In that case, you might want to check its compatibility with note-taking apps like OneNote.

Design

Almost every drawing pad for Mac you see is heavy. However, you can always hinge on portability by checking for the quality of plastic it assumes. If the design is one of your priorities, opt for tilt support (at least 60 degrees), a pen holder to keep the stylus handy, and even a slew of shortcut keys to make life easier.

It is vital to get at least 6 shortcut keys so that you can quickly transition from brush sizes to erase top copy to any other function. Or you can even look for an additional dial to help you manage the brush size better. Finally, it comes down to the screen quality for pen displays, and look at something with lamination and even anti-glare support for better outdoor performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

And that’s everything you need to know about the drawing pads for Mac. However, if the choices still leave you confused, here is a more curated list to help you choose the right one:

• The Intuos Pro is the best-rated Wacom tablet for Mac, especially if you seek wired and wireless connectivity.
• In case you plan on landing a premium pen display, especially for image editing and drawing, there isn’t anything better than the XP-Pen Artist Pro.
• If you are into 3D sculpting and rely a lot on apps like Blender, XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 is the one to look at.
• Budget seekers, sketch artists, and animators can get hold of the screen-loaded GAOMON PD1161 to get the most value out.

While these are easily the best picks, you can always look at the other options and pick one accordingly. If you’re a novice, you must read the comprehensive tablet buying guide for drawing beginners.