Best Drawing Tablets Under 100 Dollars – Budget Picks

1) WACOM INTUOS GRAPHICS DRAWING TABLET (CTL4100) - BEST CHEAP DRAWING PAD

Try asking your fellow friends about their favorite brands that manufacture drawing tablets. I’m sure you will hear at least one suggesting the brand “Wacom.” It is because the brand itself is very reliable!

The CTL4100 tablet from Wacom is the upgraded version of the Intuos Draw CTL490DW tablet with amazing features.
Both beginners and professional artists/animators can make the best out of this tablet as it has a larger drawing area of 6 by 3.7 inches and has a solid build to withstand wear and tear.

The size of the tablet is itself 7.9 x 6.3 inches, so it will not consume much space on your working desk.
The drawing of thin and thick lines/curves has never been this smooth. Thanks to the high Pen pressure level - 4096. That too, the pen is battery-free, so you can start your artwork as soon as you receive the tablet.

You can use the tablet even while traveling because the battery life of this tablet is quite good. It will last up to 15hours when fully charged.

It works well with Chromebook, Windows, 7,8 or 10, and even later versions plus Mac 10, which is also an appreciable point to be noted!

Lastly, four keys on the tablet allow you to customize your preferred shortcuts. So, get rid of your mouse, make the most of the customizable buttons, and have an enjoyable drawing experience.

Overall, if you are keen on having a lightweight tablet that will allow you to make to make your drawings with the best precision and control, then this Wacom Intous CTL4100 is the best choice.

Note: Not only this tablet, but all the other tablets’ screens might get scratched if you do not handle it with care, so pay attention to it!

2) HUION INSPIROY H1161 - BEST GRAPHICS TABLET UNDER 100

Are you a left-hander? Then I’ve got an amazing drawing tablet for you—the famous Huion Inspiroy H1161. This Huion Inspiroy H1161 is an upgraded version of the H1060 Plus with some fantastic features just for you.

Firstly, it has a larger working area (drawing space) than the Wacom CTL4100 mentioned above. Yes, with this tablet, you get a working space of 11” x 6.875” in PC mode & 109.1 x 174.6mm in phone mode.

Secondly, the pen pressure level is 8K. Yes, you heard it right! This means the battery-free digital pen can detect almost all unique points while you draw on the tablet.

While connected with a computer/laptop, you will not have any lag in the communication, as the tablet has a faster Report rate of 266 RPS.

Its lightweight design will give you the best comfort when working on it, even for long continuous hours. Lastly, drawing with this tablet is easier than drawing on paper because it features 10 express hard keys and 16 express soft keys that allow you to zoom in and out the pictures quickly and create your favorite shortcuts. 

Overall, If I have to pick my pick for the best graphics tablet under 100 for drawing I will choose this HUION INSPIROY H1161. I'm a right hander, but this tablet still works as the best drawing tablet for left handed people as well.

3) HUION H610 PRO V2 - BEST DRAWING TABLET UNDER $50

If you only want to spend less than $50 on a drawing tablet, what about trying the HUION H610 Pro V2 graphics tablet. Before getting to know about this tablet in detail, I want to inform you that this H610 is not the one mentioned in the previous review. In the earlier product review, I had said H1161 is the upgraded version of H610. And this H610 Pro V2 is the updated version of the older H610.

If you ask me the difference between both, it’s all about the changes made in the Pen’s performance. This newer model has an increased Pen pressure sensitivity (8K), making it a favorable piece for beginner and intermediate level artists.

It has a drawing area of 10×6.25 inches on PC mode, which is a big feature for the price. You can easily change/adjust the brush size using the 8 programmable keys provided by this tablet.

This tablet will work very well with Chromebook, Windows 7, and later versions, plus Mac 10.11 and other versions. But the key takeaway is it will work only with mobile phones and tablets powered by Android 6.0 or above. It doesn’t support iPhones and iPad.

Overall, it is the best beginners drawing tablet! Give it a try if you like the features.

4) HUION INSPIROY H640P - CHEAPEST GRAPHICS TABLET

Want an ever less-pricey option? Well, I’ve got one for you. The Huion Inspiroy H640P. This is for my fellow friends who don’t want to break the bank to get a drawing tablet while also wanting to achieve a comfortable drawing experience.

The tablet is a great gifting option for your kids; it will get more creative about their animations and drawing style. Even if you are a newbie to professional portrait drawing, you can start with this amazing tablet from Huion.

It is lightweight, portable, and supports working with Windows and Mac OS-powered systems.  You can use the tablet to make a fair amount of rough sketches because it is coated with top graded material. So the screen is not going to deteriorate that fast. 

The tablet offers a considerate working space of 6.3 x 3.9”. The pressure sensitivity of the Pen and the report rate of the tablet is also quite good - 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and a report rate of 233 RPS. All that means you will get your expected results with every stroke.

In terms of design, you will notice that the tablet is easy to hold with its rounded corners and bezel-less design.  You can customize your preferred shortcuts using the 6 customizable keys while also locking the keys using the key-lock present on the tablet’s right side. That will avoid unnecessary interaction of the function keys while you draw. 

6) HUION New 1060 Plus Graphic Drawing Tablet

This all-new 1060 Plus drawing tablet is better than it's the previous version due to many reasons. In terms of pen pressure sensitivity, this drawing tablet has been upgraded and built-in 8GB SD card to save all your work.

You don't have to use any other storage card you can simply save and share the completed work directly on your Android device. The size is compact and thus is suitable for carrying in offices and schools.

7) UGEE M708 Animation Drawing Tablet - BEST digital graphic tablet

When you seek for a reliable best drawing tablet under 100, it's hard to find mediocre ranged tablets that fulfill all your requirements and is cost-effective. Well, not anymore!

This drawing tablet from UGEE is something you could use for all your designing work. The tablet is equipped with essential functionalities like eight programmable hotkeys, larger working area, and good pressure sensitivity over the tablet that results in a smooth and clean drawing.

8) GAOMON M10K2018 Graphic Drawing Tablet

If you are a student or a teacher, you can use this drawing tablet to solve your complicated tasks, mathematical equations and whatnot. Not, only that you can edit pictures with this best drawing tablet under 100, there are much more.

The tablet includes special features that make this GAOMON M10K2018 tablet totally worth it! I highly recommend this tablet due to its larger working space and functional keys that deliver quick response and enable a smooth working environment.

9) MONOPRICE 110594 - BEST DRAWING TABLET FOR ARCHITECTS

This is a highly professional, best drawing tablet under 100 with very high accuracy levels. This best tablet comes with 4000 lines per inch of drawing resolution that enhances the quality of the work of art to a great extend.

I highly suggest this Monoprice Graphics drawing tablet for art students, professional artists, and a graphics designer who need good pen pressure sensitivity for accuracy.

10) XP-Pen Star05 V2

The outstanding Star05 V2 series tablet is bound wireless capabilities. If you need a high-end and tough best drawing tablet under 100 for yourself then choose this one. The slim and sturdy body tablet has the highest pressure sensitivity of 2048 levels that deliver natural art accuracy.

11) XP-PEN Deco Pro Small Graphics Drawing Tablet

Next up in my list comes the XP-Pen deco pro small graphics drawing tablet. This highly-professional graphics drawing tablet is every artist's wishlist.

It is because this deco drawing tablet has all the features that a professional graphics designer or an architect needs during their art creation. Take a look at the features of this all-time favorite drawing tablet.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A BUDGET DRAWING TABLET?

Why do you need a drawing tablet?

Not everyone purchasing a drawing tablet will use it just for a hobby. The reason for buying a graphics tablet varies from person to person. Only if you know the answer to the question, why? You will know what factors you should look upon while selecting the drawing tablet.

So, before directly heading out for a purchase, ask yourself the sole reason behind purchasing it.

• Are you looking for a tablet to gift for your kid's birthday?
• Are you looking to enhance your animation/creative drawing skills by purchasing a graphic drawing tablet?
• Are you a pro in need of a high-end drawing tablet?

If you belong to the first 2 cases, then any of the tablets mentioned in this list can serve your job. However, it is highly recommended to invest in high-end options for professionals as your needs will demand more sophistication.

KEY SPECIFICATIONS TO LOOK UPON

1. Size of the drawing area

Larger the drawing area space the tablet gives you, the more comfortable the drawing experience. Many people think less expensive tablets only have smaller drawing areas. However, that's not true. Some tablets provide you with a larger drawing space than you expect.

You must have noticed that most of the tablets mentioned in this list are larger and provide a larger drawing space.

So, the idea is to check if the tablet's drawing area size is sufficient for your needs.

NOTE:  Multi-touch technology

While drawing using a tablet, you will obviously expect the tablet to be more user-interactive. Like giving you options to zoom, scroll, select, swipe or even select a setting using a single tap.

So, make sure you look for the same in the drawing tablet.

2. Warranty

If you use the drawing tablet regularly, there are chances that the drawing surface gets scratched or even the tablet parts get worn out. So, make sure the tablet has a warranty period of at least 1 year.

3. Pen Pressure Levels

How irritated you will feel when you purchase a brand new drawing tablet and notice that the digital pen/Stylus is less sensitive towards the tablet.

To avoid that, always check the pressure levels of the digital pen is 8192. This is the highest maximum possible pressure level for a drawing tablet.

"Stylus: This is the grade or pen that comes with the tablet. The pen must feel comfortable, light and must have dual function buttons on the pen"  

What do Pressure levels in a tablet mean?

It is the actual number of distinct points the tip of a digital pen can detect. So, the more the pressure level of the pen, the more smoothly and easily you can draw circles, straight lines, or even draw complicated pictures with intricate details.

4. Resolution (LPI - Lines Per Inch)

Another essential factor closely related to the tablet's pressure levels is Resolution. Resolution refers to the number of distinct pen positions the working surface of a tablet can sense within one inch in either direction.

Note: Any drawing tablet with a higher RPS and LPI is the best for drawing (gives smoother curves and finer line control) or even writing purposes.

5. Report Rate

None of the tablets mentioned here belong to the category of Standalone tablets (have a computer and a viewing screen). It either needs a computer or a laptop to work with.

So after you've connected a tablet to your PC, position your digital pen to start your drawing. A report will be sent from the tablet to the PC regarding the pen position. This is called the Report Rate.

So a tablet with a higher Report rate (response rate) will give you a more effective drawing experience than a tab with a lesser RPS (Reports per sec).

NOTE: RPS (Report per second) - The PC will get reports about the digital pen's position every second using the RPS values only. Though a higher RPS rate is helpful for a fuller drawing experience, the overall lag time will also get affected when the tablet has a larger RPS.

Also, the RPS of the tablet should match your computer's hardware and the software you'll be using.

6. Connectivity: 

Check if the tablet for drawing purposes has a USB port for sure. I'm telling you, a tablet with a built-in USB port is the best for a handy experience. You can easily connect it to a USB-compatible device and start your work even while you're traveling.

Suppose wireless connection is a concern for you. See if the tablet supports Bluetooth. Even this can aid you in many ways which you already know.

7. Does The Tablet Come With A User Guide And A Built-In Software?

Most tablets come with a user manual to quickly learn about the different settings. These days tablets come with built-in software that makes the tablet perform soon.

8. Extra Accessories

All the tablets mentioned here come with additional external accessories like an anti-smudge glove, a USB cable, extra pen nibs, a pen holder, or a nib removal tool.

9. Operating System

To pair your tablet with your PC, the tablet must have the same system version as Windows, Mac, Android, or Linux.

FAQ

1. Which drawing tablet is best for beginners?

According to me, the WACOM INTUOS CT400 is the best best starter drawing tablet. It costs only under 100 dollars; but for this price you get the best features.  

2. What does drawing tablet with screen mean ?

Generally, there are 2 types of drawing tablets; Professional drawing tablets (don't require a computer to work with) and regular graphics drawing tablets that need a PC/Laptop to work with.

If you have a budget above 150$, you can invest in a professional drawing tablet because those drawing tablets have an in-built screen so you don't have to connect them to a PC to see what you're drawing . Mostly, professionals use such types of drawing tablets.

For beginner use, a regular graphics drawing tablet will do the job. 

My top picks for the best drawing tablet with screen are:

• Wacom Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet with Screen
• GAOMON PD1560 15.6 Inches drawing tablet
• Wacom One Drawing Tablet with Screen

3. What is a Standalone drawing tablet?

As the name suggests, they work by themselves; they don't need any laptop or PC to work with. These types of drawing tablets have a built-in computer inside them that allows you to have access to innumerable shortcut buttons or accessories than the regular drawing tablets have.

CONCLUSION

There are a lot of options available in the market for best drawing tablets under 100, but the listed products are the finest and cost-effective. You may consider buying them for your learning purposes.

Choose the graphics drawing tablet with the highest pressure sensitivity for yourself if precision and detailed artwork are your primary requirements.

I hope my list nudged you in the right direction. Share your views about this article in the comment section. Cheers!!