Drawing, painting, and sketching are all ways of expressing one’s unique perspective, allowing them to bring their creativity to life. They even served as a means of knowledge preservation and communication when humans had not found literacy. With time, all of these things became increasingly sophisticated, allowing artists like yourself to express creativity.
Drawing tablets allow you to make use of complex software and apps which increase your capabilities as an artist. The market is filled with tons of different options, and this may be a blessing, but it can also be overwhelming when you’re choosing one for yourself. Now the thing is, as the tablets become embedded with features, their price also increases.
Some of us might have the extra cash lying around to buy an expensive drawing tablet, but others don’t. If you’re on a budget, then this article is for you. We’ll cover the best cheap drawing tablet options and guide you on how to can get the most value for money. Let’s begin!
Oftentimes when we go out to buy something and we don’t really want to break the bank, the right approach seems to be going for the cheapest product available. Sure this approach can make sense in the spur of the moment and maybe a few days after, but that's about it.After that, you’re left with a product that doesn’t meet your needs and seems like a waste of money. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t go for cheap products. You can; however, before you do, you need to understand why they’re cheap to begin with.
To understand why a cheap drawing tablet is actually cheap, let’s step into the shoes of a manufacturer for a while. Now, as someone who’s selling drawing tablets at a lower price, your aim is still to generate profits. However, this aim can not be achieved by you by charging the customer. So, the only other option that is available is to cut costs.
To do this, you begin to eliminate certain features that may give the product a premium edge. In some cases, manufacturers even lower costs by using less durable or lower quality materials and by excluding relevant accessories. This approach allows them to retain their profit margin.
Now, let’s step back into your own shoes and see why they turn out to be expensive. When you buy the cheapest drawing tablet option available, you miss out on key features and maybe even high-quality accessories. If this happens to you, then additional third-party software is something you’ll need to buy to get the features you need.But that’s not where it ends. You may even need to buy additional accessories. So, you see, cheap can actually turn out to be expensive.
Alright, so now that you’re aware of how things can go wrong, let’s take a look at the right purchase approach. When you’re looking to buy the best cheap drawing tablet in the market, you need to consider multiple factors before making a decision. Some of these factors include:
Before you start looking for things like a cheap drawing tablet with screen or a cheap drawing tablet with pen on the internet, you need to assess your objective. To do that, ponder on the reason why you need a drawing tablet. You can ask yourself questions like:
1. Am I just trying out the product for a fresh experience?
2. Do I want to pursue design as a career?
3. Am I still in the learning phase?
4. Can I use my designs to make an income that makes up for the purchase cost?
All these factors will help you determine where you are in your design career. If you’re someone who’s a bit advanced, then perhaps going for a more affordable drawing tablet with above-average specs is the best option.If not, maybe you should try a more beginner-friendly lower priced option. This way, you can make sure you’re not overspending on the purchase or making the wrong decision.
Another key factor to consider is the specifications and software of the affordable drawing tablet you plan on buying. When you’re analyzing the specifications, some of the key things that you should consider include resolution, screen size, report rate, pressure levels, and more.As for software compatibility, you must make sure that the affordable drawing tablet you choose is compatible with the software you already use or plan on using.
Last but not least is the price and your budget. When you’re buying a cheap drawing tablet with screen or a cheap drawing tablet with pen, you need to make sure that it’s within your budget. When you’re making this comparison, remember that cheap drawing tablet with screen options tend to be more expensive than their counterpart. The more features you add, the pricer the item gets!
Now that you’re well aware of how to avoid making the wrong purchase and what factors can be used to guide your decision let’s look at some of the best cheap drawing tablet options that you have.
The XPPen Deco 640 is one of the best cheap drawing tablets with pen in the market today. This affordable drawing tablet comes with multiple accessories like a stylus, pen nibs, cables, and a charging adapter. So, you won’t need to be making an additional purchase with this one, and it only costs $39.99. Some of its pros and cons include:
● Lightweight tablet that doesn’t give you hand fatigue during drawing sessions.
● 5080 LPI resolution that gives you enhanced clarity and detail.
● 16K pressure levels for increased sensitivity and brush control.
● Report rate of 220 RPS, which leads to a smooth drawing experience.
● May have a learning curve.
● Does not have a built-in screen.
Next up on our list of best cheap drawing tablet options we have the Deco Mini 7. This is an affordable drawing tablet that connect to your computer in a wireless way. It’s suitable for designing, sketching, e-signatures, editing, and more. This cheap drawing tablet with a pen is available only at a price of $59.99. Some of its key pros and cons include:
● Eight shortcut keys that help you get quick access to frequently used functions.
● 266 RPS report rate that reduces lag and captures quick interactions.
● Over 8,000 pressure levels that help you to have precise control.
● Does not have a built-in screen.
● A wired connection is required when working with an android phone.
The Artist 12 Pro Display is another great option when it comes to cheap drawing tablets with screen and pen. This affordable drawing tablet has a large 11.6-inch display and comes with three-in-one cable connectivity options. For the price, its features are truly something that’s worthwhile. It’ll cost you around $194.99, and some of its pros and cons include:
● 60-degree tilt that helps you to incorporate more versatile brush angles.
● 14 millisecond (MS) response time that leads to an intuitive drawing experience.
● 1920x1080 pixels display resolution to ensure that your designs are presented with realistic colors and accurate details.
● TÜV SÜD certified low blue light to reduce eye strain
● Not compatible with Android devices.
● Pen-tapering is not smooth enough compared to later versions from XPPen.
Drawing tablets allow you to add an additional layer of creativity and innovativeness to your designs. The decision to choose one, however, can be overwhelming given the amount of options available. When you’re looking for the best cheap drawing tablet, you need to consider and assess various factors that include your budget, objectives, and the specs and software, as it can help you make an informed decision. Check out what we have in store for you and find the best cheap drawing tablet for yourself today!