Updated for 2026 — This article has been reviewed and updated with the latest recommendations.
A pen tablet replaces your mouse with a pressure-sensitive pen. For painting, retouching, or masking, tablets provide control a mouse cannot match.
Wacom Intuos Pro Medium
Professional standard. 8192 pressure levels, tilt recognition. Paper-like surface. Bluetooth. Programmable ExpressKeys.
XP-Pen Deco Pro Gen 2
16384 pressure levels. Virtually no activation force. Aluminum build. Stable drivers. Lower price than Wacom.
Huion Kamvas 13 Gen 3
Pen display: draw directly on screen. 13.3-inch fully laminated. Anti-glare surface. 145 percent sRGB.
Wacom One (Gen 2)
Entry-level pen display. 13.3-inch. 4096 pressure levels. Slim and portable.
Apple iPad Pro with Apple Pencil
Runs Photoshop for iPad. Connects via Sidecar on Mac. Excellent pressure sensitivity. Liquid Retina display.
Tablet vs Display
- Screenless tablets are cheaper and more durable.
- Pen displays feel more natural but cost more.
- Screenless is sufficient for retouching. Displays are preferred for painting.
- Medium size is most versatile.
