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If you’re an artist looking for a new drawing tablet, you have a lot of great Wacom alternatives to choose from. When it comes to drawing tablets, Wacom is known as one of the best digital art companies. Its Cintiq line is a standard in the business. But with high quality comes a high price, and not everyone needs something as powerful as a Wacom tablet. Knowing what other options are out there is a great way to start or grow your digital art path.
If you want to find the best Wacom options, the list below is a good place to start. We’ve shown a wide range of models with different prices, screen types, and ways to join. We have more traditional drawing tablets like graphics tablets and pen displays, but we’ve also made sure to include names like Apple and Microsoft if you want to use your art device as a computer tablet as well. Our live tools will also take you straight to the best prices in your area, so you don’t have to do any work.
You might be looking for cheaper alternatives to Wacom for a young artist who wants to start drawing. If so, we have a guide to the best drawing tablets for kids. Check out our general list of the best drawing tablets for an all-around help.
Best Wacom Alternatives Comparison Table
| Model | Active Area | Resolution | Pressure Sensitivity | Connection | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huion Kamvas Pro 24 | 23.8 inch | 2560 x 1440 | 8192 levels | USB-C, HDMI, DP | $999 |
| Huion H430P | 4.8 x 3 inches | 5080 LPI | 4096 levels | USB | $29.99 |
| Huion Kamvas Pro 16 | 15.6 inch | 1920 x 1080 | 8192 levels | USB-C, HDMI | $449 |
| XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro | 15.6 inch | 1920 x 1080 | 8192 levels | USB-C | $399.99 |
| Ugee M708 | 10 x 6 inches | 5080 LPI | 8192 levels | USB | $55.99 |
| GAOMON PD1161 | 11.6 inch | 1920 x 1080 | 8192 levels | USB-C, HDMI | $259 |
Huion Kamvas Pro 24
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | 23.8 inches |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 QHD |
| Color Gamut | 120% sRGB |
| Pen Pressure | 8192 levels |
| Pen Tilt Support | ±60 degrees |
| Express Keys | 20 |
The Huion Kamvas is being marketed as an option to the Cintiq, so it will have to do a lot to keep up. Does it work out? We have to say yes, because this is a very good and cheaper option to the Wacom Cintiq Pro 24. It has a lovely 2K display that covers 120% of the sRGB color space and shows things in a beautiful way. The PW517 pen, which doesn’t need a battery and can tilt up to 60°, makes it easy to draw well.
Some Kamvas users have said that the pen lags and doesn’t track as well as it should. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s something to be aware of. In the end, this is a great choice if you want to save money and don’t need a Wacom Cintiq Pro 24.
The Good
- Large, high-quality screen that shows colors as they are
- Comes with a pen that responds well to pressure and lets you tilt it.
- Has a wide range of colors, which lets artists make artwork that is bright and detailed.
- Offers a lot of customizable express keys that make it easy to get to features you use often
The Bad
- Compared to other models on the market, it’s pretty expensive. Because it’s so big, it takes up a lot of desk space.
Huion H430P
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Active Area | 4.8 x 3 inches |
| Resolution | 5080 LPI |
| Pen Pressure | 4096 levels |
| Connection | USB |
| Compatibility | Windows and Mac OS |
The Huion H430P is at the other end of the scale, but it is made by the same company. This tiny tablet is so simple that it doesn’t even have a screen. Instead, it needs to be connected to a smartphone, laptop, or other tablet so you can see what you’re writing. But it doesn’t cost much more than a meal for two at Nando’s and doesn’t weigh much more than a phone. So there are benefits to it!
With 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and a quick 233PPS response rate, the drawing experience is fairly good for a tablet at this price. It looks like the Wacom Intuos line, and while it is one of the best Wacom alternatives, our next pick is a better choice if you want a real replacement to those.
The Good
- It’s easy to carry around because it’s small and light.
- Option for beginners or those on a tight budget that is cheap and doesn’t break the bank
- High pen pressure sensitivity for drawing accurately and in detail
- Works with both Windows and Mac systems
The Bad
- Some users may not be able to do much with a small active area.
Huion Kamvas Pro 16
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | 15.6 inches |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Full HD |
| Color Gamut | 120% sRGB |
| Pen Pressure | 8192 levels |
| Pen Tilt Support | ±60 degrees |
| Express Keys | 6 |
Huion Kamvas Pro 16 is one of the first tablets people think of when they want a good deal for their money. Since the first time it came out, it has been getting a lot of attention. It has features like a laminated screen and etched glass that were only found in high-end drawing tools before.
The Kamvas Pro 16 has a 15.6-inch 1080p FullHD screen. When you have a 15.6-inch screen with a 1080p resolution, you have 141 pixels per inch. This makes pictures that are very clear. Artists also want their tablets to have good color accuracy, which is another important trait. The 120% sRGB color range on the Kamvas Pro 16 screen is a great thing. This means that the colors on the screen are correct.
The Good
- High-quality screen that shows colors correctly and has a wide range of colors
- Offers a good balance between screen size and portability. Comes with a pen that can sense pressure and tilt.
- Express keys that can be changed make it easy to get to features that you use often.
The Bad
- Some users may find the screen size too small.
- Compared to other models on the market, it has fewer express keys.
Xp Pen Artist 15.6 Pro
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | 15.6 inches |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Full HD |
| Color Gamut | 88% NTSC |
| Pen Pressure | 8192 levels |
| Pen Tilt Support | ±60 degrees |
| Express Keys | 8 |
The Xp Pen Artist 15.6 is another good option that people often suggest. It’s a lot like the Huion Kamvas Pro 16, both in terms of size, functions, and price. The tablet has a 15.6-inch, 1080p screen with 120% sRGB color accuracy. The Huion Kamvas Pro 16 is the same as this.People buy this tablet because it has a better setup for its shortcut buttons. There are 8 quick buttons on the left side of the tablet.
The multi-shortcut dial is the most important part of this tablet. You can zoom, pan, scroll, change the size of the brush and eraser, and more by using the dial. The pen that comes with the Xp Pen Artist 15.6 pro is also very good. It can be tilted 60 degrees and has 8192 levels of pressure sensing.
The Good
- High-quality screen that shows colors correctly
- Offers a good balance between screen size and portability. Comes with a pen that can sense pressure and tilt.
- Express keys that can be changed make it easy to get to features that you use often.
The Bad
- Compared to other models on the market, it has a smaller range of colors.
Ugee M708
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Active Area | 10 x 6 inches |
| Resolution | 5080 LPI |
| Pen Pressure | 8192 levels |
| Connection | USB |
| Compatibility | Windows and Mac OS |
The Ugee M708 is a great option to the more expensive Wacom tablets when it comes to graphics tablets. It’s perfect for artists who want to make digital art because it has a big writing area and a pen that responds to pressure. It also has eight shortcut buttons that you can set up however you want.
The tablet is very cheap, which makes it a great deal for what you pay. But it does have some bad things about it. There is no eraser on the pen, and there is no stand for the computer. Overall, the Ugee M708 is a great tablet for artists who want something less expensive than the Wacom tablets.
The Good
- Large drawing area gives you a lot of room to draw.
- Comes with a pen that responds well to pressure
- Option for beginners or those on a tight budget that is cheap and doesn’t break the bank
- Both Windows and Mac operating systems can use it.
The Bad
- Pen tilt support is not available
- Some users have said that installing drivers on certain operating systems was hard for them.
GAOMON PD1161
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Screen Size | 11.6 inches |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 Full HD |
| Color Gamut | 92% NTSC |
| Pen Pressure | 8192 levels |
| Pen Tilt Support | ±60 degrees |
| Express Keys | 8 |
When it comes to drawing tools, most people agree that Wacom is the best. But there are a lot of other options on the market that can give you the same experience for a lot less money. The GAOMON PD1161 tablet is one of these. The PD1161 is a great option for painters who want a cheaper alternative to a Wacom.
It has 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, which makes it perfect for digital artists who want to make their work look real.
It also has a big 11-inch drawing area, which makes it great for people who want to draw big or detailed pictures. And because it’s small and light, it’s easy to move from one place to another.
The Good
- High-quality screen that shows colors correctly
- Offers a good balance between screen size and portability. Comes with a pen that can sense pressure and tilt.
- Express keys that can be changed make it easy to get to features that you use often.
The Bad
- Compared to other models on the market, it has a smaller range of colors.
- Some users have said that the pen driver software isn’t working right.
FAQs
Wacom Alternatives refer to other brands and models of drawing tablets and stylus pens that can serve as a substitute for Wacom products. These alternatives are often less expensive but can still offer comparable features and performance.
When choosing a Wacom alternative, consider factors such as the size of the tablet, the sensitivity of the stylus, compatibility with your computer and software, and any additional features such as customizable buttons.
Huion tablets offer similar features and functionality to Wacom tablets, but at a lower price point. They typically have a similar number of pressure sensitivity levels, customizable buttons, and compatibility with software such as Adobe Photoshop.