Regardless of whether you’re involved in 2D or 3D animation, A drawing tablet is an essential tool.

Drawing Tablets are the foundation of your creative process. These devices are very efficient that allows animators to create highly-detailed art and animations faster than ever.

Are you starting out digital animation or looking to upgrade your current setup? Want to know what the best tablet for drawing backgrounds, sketching character ideas, and creating storyboards?

You can’t just buy any tablet as Not all tablets are created equal! As an artist myself, I know that the right tools can make all the difference, especially when it comes to animation.

At the moment, if you look at the options available, you will find plenty of excellent drawing tablets for animation on the market from big names like Wacom, Huion, XPPen, Xencelabs and more.

Due to the increase of brands and manufacturers in the tablet niche, the price of good animation tablets has greatly reduced. Even on a budget, you can get a perfect one that suits your needs.

With so many options out there, on the other hand, Choosing the right drawing table can be a bit overwhelming.

That’s why I’ve put together a comprehensive guide on the best animation tablets on the market.

I’ve done the research, compared the features, and gathered all the information you need to make an informed decision on which tablet is right for you.

What’s the most popular 2D & 3D Animation Software for Windows & MacOS?

Popular 2D animation software includes Adobe Animate CC, Toon Boom Harmony, Moho Pro, Synfig Studio, Tvpaint, Pencil2D, etc.

The most popular 3D animation software includes: Maya, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Blender, etc.

The drawing tablets on the market are compatible with Windows, Mac OS and these common animation applications, allowing them to integrate seamlessly into your current workflow.

Should I get a graphic tablet for animation?

A drawing tablet is not essential for animation, Your can do the work even with a mouse at no big significant change in productivity.

However, Some workflows get more manageable with a pen tablet. Especially masking, painting, and coloring work benefit immensely from a tablet.

For animation work a tablet is essential only if you do one of the following:

Traditional frame by frame 2D animation, using no computerized tweens or rigging. as freehand sketching is not really possible with a mouse for most people.

3D Sculpting in Zbrush, Blender and other programs, which is a exceptional case that really benefits form the accuracy and pressure sensitivity.

Other than that it depends on what you do. It greatly depends on what you do, and how traditional your approach to things are.

How Does a drawing Tablet Improve your animation Workflow?

If one is dealing with complex motion graphics or 2D animation, then precision becomes important for creating good outputs.

A drawing tablet will offer a very intuitive experience when it comes to sketching, line drawing, and creating digital art. This would mean fluid and natural drawing, without hesitation and delay, making it easy to draw clean lines and fine details.

The pressure sensitivity of the stylus allows for precise control over line thickness and opacity, mimicking traditional art mediums like pens and brushes.

With less strain on the arm and wrist, creativity and workflow aren’t disrupted by physical discomfort.

Some VFX techniques like rotoscoping (tracing over an element frame-by-frame) can be very time-consuming and tedious. By smoothing every step, the tablet allows VFX artists to do more in an easier, more-ergonomic way.

Drawing Tablets with customizable buttons and shortcut features help animators work more efficiently.

By assigning common functions and shortcuts to the ExpressKeys and pen buttons,the keyboard is less required, the workflow is more efficient, and the focus remains on more creative tasks.

Overall, The drawing tablets are really useful for animators to bring their creative visions to life with precision and ease. It makes all the difference in terms of workflow and quality of the final output.

The 12 Best Drawing Tablets for Animation of 2025

Discover my top picks of the best drawing tablets for animation. Each product on this list has been carefully selected to provide exceptional performance and user experience, making your animation journey seamless and enjoyable.

From budget-friendly screenless options to high-end, professional pen displays and stand-alone devices, there’s a tablet out there that fits your style, skill level, and budget.

3 Cheap Animation Tablets without screen for Beginners

If you’re just starting out, screenless graphics tablets like the XPPen Deco or Wacom Intuos provide an affordable way to hone your skills.

They work by plugging the tablet into the computer, and have an active working area that you draw on when looking at your computer screen. However, this require a bit of getting used to because of hand-eye separation.

I suggest you start from one of them. Because sometimes animation might not be for you, which will cause you to waste a lot of money on an animated tablet.

Get better products when you know that animating ( or anything really) is right for you. Same thing goes with programs.

1. Wacom Intuos Pro

The Intuos Pro is a great high-end tablet that comes with one of the best pens created by Wacom, and has a variety of sizes that will no doubt fit every artist’s needs.

It includes eight shortcut keys and a Touch ring for easy access to any tools and commands you might need. The multi-touch motions make it much easier to navigate and zoom in and out of your animation canvas in only a blink.

The battery-free Pro Pen 2 stylus is very responsive. Its natural tilt response and virtually lag-free tracking embodied the illusion of pen on paper, ultimately boosting our productivity.

Intuos pro is also compatible with the Wacom Pro Pen 3D, which is a great asset if you’re looking to create 3D animation.

Wacom also has a large selection of Texture sheets you can use to give your tablet a natural drawing feel.

The Intuos Pro can be hooked up via USB cable or wirelessly with Bluetooth built-in. Bluetooth connectivity means you have extensive flexibility with your work setup—without annoying cords and cables in the way.

While the Wacom Intuos Pro is fairy expensive, the investment is undoubtedly worthwhile for professionals. Its superior build quality, comprehensive features, and unrivaled performance make it the perfect animation tablet for long hours of detailed work.

2. XPPen Deco Pro Gen 2

With a fresh design, 3 different size options, and improved pen performance, XPPEN Deco Pro Gen 2 is a solid and affordable pro-level alternative to Wacom Intuos pro.

Its large active area allows for expansive, detailed work, while the paper-like textured surface makes the drawing and animating process feel natural and intuitive.

The X3 Pro Pencil has 16K pressure sensitivity levels, low 3g IAF, and recognizes tilt angles up to 60 degree, which gives you a lot more control when using tools like brushes in drawing software.

Pressure feels nice and better than my previous tablet and have no issues there. The pen feels much better, both the way it feels to draw and to hold the pen.

The Deco Pro Gen 2 tablet itself does not have any hotkeys but thankfully there’s the XPPen ACK05 wireless shortcut remote included that has a dial and 10 buttons.

This table is also wireless. You can connect it via Bluetooth or with a USB-C Cable, which was super convenient when I didn’t want to rely solely on Bluetooth connections.

From what I’ve seen so far, the build quality and details of the tablet, the feel of the pen, and the ACK05 wireless Remote Control are top-notch. It’s obvious XPPen put a lot of thought into the design for this series.

3. Huion Inspiroy Frego M

If you’re just getting started with animation, the Huion Inspiroy Frego Medium ticks all the right boxes for you. It’s a simple graphics tablet that offers good value for money yet allows you to create beautiful animations.

Inspiroy Frego features a minimal design without physical shortcut keys, but has a rather large drawing area of 10 * 6.25 inches, providing a smooth and clean drawing canvas.

With a highly affordable price, the Inspiroy Frego has an improved pen that features the Huion’s most advanced pen tech 4.0, which provides impressive sensitivity, lower 2g IAF, and tilt recognition.

The drawing experience was pretty good, too. It felt responsive when I drew, helping me make subtle line variations and detailed drawings without any lag.

The option to go wireless via bluetooth is a great feature that works immediately without any glitches. Additionally, It is equipped with a big 1,300 mAh battery that has a powerful battery life – up to 24 hours.

6 Best Animation Tablets with screen for Professionals

If you’re a professional seeking the immersive experience of a display drawing tablet, options like the Wacom Cintiq Pro, Huion Kamvas Pro and the XP-Pen Artist Pro deliver unmatched precision and quality.

This is particularly true if your goal is to work on frame-by-frame animations that require the artist to draw over multiple layers with different degrees of opacity.

One downside however is that they are not stand-alone tablets and needs a computer connected to use it. This limits their portability because you have to carry your laptop everywhere you go.

4. Huion Kamvas 16 (Gen 3)

The Huion Kamvas 16 (Gen 3) offers budget-friendly price without sacrificing quality, providing aspiring artists with affordability and reliability.

It has a 15.8-inch 2.5K QHD screen with etched glass surface that protects your eyes from glare. It’s fully laminated, so you don’t get parallax when drawing.

The color accuracy is superb, with 16.7 million colors, 90% Adobe RGB, and 120% sRGB. So, your animations will look realistic and vivid.

The PW600L pen features Huion’s latest pen tech 4.0, supports 16,340 pressure levels, ±60° tilt recognition, and lower 2g IAF. It precisely preserves the nuances of your strokes, allowing you to construct sophisticated animations easily.

The 2 dials and 6 shortcut keys on this display tablet are especially considered a bonus to enhance the drawing experience. It can allow you to make quick edits and changes without breaking your workflow.

With Single USB-C Cable connectivity support, the Kamvas 16 (Gen 3) easy to connect with your laptop, and the lightweight, portable design makes it ideal for students or animators on the go.

5. XPPen Artist 15.6 Pro V2

The XPPen Artist 15.6 Pro V2 is a reliable display drawing tablet that’s perfect for both beginners and professionals!

Its 15.4-inch 1080p FHD Screen supports 99% sRGB, 96% Adobe RGB, and 96% display P3 color gamut, inviting you to enjoy a crisp, vibrant, detailed image when creating your art.

The full lamination technology, IPS panel, and matte anti-glare screen protector design ensured that our artwork looked stunning from any angle.

With an impressive 16K pressure levels, 3g IAF, and tilt Response, the precise X3 Pro Stylus catches the smallest subtleties of your strokes, resulting in smooth and lifelike lines.

The Artist 15.6 Pro V2 comes with a single USB-C cable for connecting to your laptop. That reduces clutter on your desk and ensures that you won’t forget a cable by accident!

I particularly appreciate the red multi-function dial which lends itself to such an effortless scaling and rotation of our digital models, not to mention the time it saves.

XPPen Artist 15.6 Pro V2 strikes a fine balance between functionality and cost without skimping on performance. There’s no limit to what you can create on this powerful and durable tablet.

6. Wacom Cintiq Pro 22

The Wacom Cintiq Pro 22 is a top-of-the-line pen display designed for professional animators and digital artists who need an expansive, high-resolution workspace and precise stylus.

The crisp 4K UHD resolution allows animators to see every minute detail, the professional 96% Adobe RGB color range, and over1 billion colors provides reliable, true-to-life color representation.

The screen refreshes at 120Hz, which means you can see your animations play back smoothly with virtually no lag. It’s like everything happens in real-time, which is crucial for animation work.

The Pro Pen 3 stylus, with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 1g IAF, tilt support, and virtually no lag, ensures precise, natural drawing and shading.

The fully laminated screen with etched glass surface reduces reflections and parallax, providing a comfortable and realistic pen-on-paper feel.

To streamline your workflow, the Cintiq Pro 22 tablet offers total 11 programmable buttons on the pen and tablet rear grip to give you customizable shortcuts.

The thin bezel and much-reduced footprint makes all the difference for those looking to save space with a smaller model, and the design makes working for long stretches perfectly comfortable.

The Cintiq Pro 22 is made for professionals and fairly expensive, so the price will rule it out for many beginners. But if your budget can stretch to it, it’s well worth your consideration. Everything about this tablet feels premium.

7. XPPen Artist Pro 22 Gen2

The XPPen Artist Pro 22 Gen 2 is not as good as Cintiq Pro 22, but still a professional-grade pen display that offers a high-quality drawing experience ideal for animators and illustrators.

It boasts a massive 22-inch IPS screen with 2.5K QHD resolution and 99% Adobe RGB color gamut, so you get a lot of screen space to work and get vivid, sharp results for your animations.

Further, it has a fully laminated screen with a Nano Etched Glass surface to give you a more comfortable viewing and drawing experience during long working hours.

When paired with the supersensitive X3 Pro smart chip Pen, it feels like you’re dragging a pencil across paper. It’s so smooth, natural and responsive it’s surreal.

Its adjustable stand ensures a comfortable working angle, and the tablet connects easily via HDMI and USB-C, making it compatible with most workstations.

The included Ack05 wireless ExpressKey Remote with 10 customizable keys and a tactile physical dial allow for a streamlined, ergonomic workflow tailored to individual preferences.

If we take into consideration the most important features that make a drawing tablet the ideal candidate for an efficient animation device and add a reasonable price to the mix, it’s really hard to beat the Artist Pro 22 Gen 2.

8. XPPen Artist Pro 24 4K

The XPPen Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 is a fantastic addition to any animator’s toolkit, with unbeatable features and performance that justify its slightly higher price point.

The huge 23.8-inch IPS display provides utmost clarity and color precision to animators regarding intricate details with a 4K UHD resolution, 99% Adobe RGB coverage and 1.07 billion colors.

It is equipped with X3 Pro smart chip stylus, and an amazing 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity, 60° tilt function, and more to help animators deliver artistic work.

And that’s not all. It’s a joy to draw on the etched glass surface of laminated screen. The pen and tablet work seamlessly together without any lags.

The Artist Pro 24 Gen 2 has a plethora of connectivity choices, including USB-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort, allowing you to connect to a wide range of devices and peripherals.

It also supports multi-monitor configurations, making it ideal for professionals that need a larger workspace for their animation production.

With numerous beneficial features, it is clear that XPPen has taken the needs of animators seriously, making it Perfect for 2D vs 3D projects, motion graphics, explanatory videos.

8. Huion Kamvas Pro 27

When I took the Huion Kamvas Pro 27 for a test run, the first thing I noticed was the impressive screen size of 27-inch. It simply makes 3D animation a more engaging experience.

The vibrant colors and crisp 4K UHD resolution brought my creations to life, and the large canvas allowed for intricate detail work without constantly zooming in and out.

It features an anti-glare etched glass surface that does a brilliant job of keeping everything visible in all manner of lighting conditions, and the screen is fully laminated, which helps reduce parallax.

The huion pen features its latest PenTech 4.0, which was responsive and precise, drawing performance is excellent, something I can’t compromise on for detailed work.

The tablet comes with a 20° metal stand for stability. whereas the wireless mini keydial with 18 customizable ExpressKeys and a dial speeds up my workflow because I can set them to the shortcuts I use the most.

If space and money isn’t an issue, it’s certainly a drawing tablet I’d recommend for any serious digital artist or 3D animator.

3 Standalone Animation Tablets that doesn’t need a computer

Standalone Drawing Tablets are lightweight and portable, meaning you can carry them with you wherever you go.

This mobility enables artists to sketch and work on their projects on the go, whether it’s during a long commute, in a coffee shop, or while traveling.

I would suggest to chose traditional drawing tablets above for animation. Many popular 2D & 3D animation software only available for Windows and MacOS Computer.

These portable standalone tablets except microsurface surface pro typically runs on iPadOS or Android.

Graphics design can be done on these standalone Tablets but there are limited software for animation except FlipaClip, that can be installed on these mobile Tablets.

Finally, These standalone drawing tablets are not as powerful as the professional laptops or desktops, so if you’re looking for a tablet for 3D work, Avoid ithem.

10. iPad Pro 2024

Although a bit expensive, the ipad pro stands out with its exceptional display quality, Apple Pencil support, and powerful hardware, making it a top choice for professional animators who prioritize performance and precision.

Available in 11-inch and 13-inch models, it features a stunning Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED display with 120Hz ProMotion technology and 2.7K resolution, delivering super vibrant colors and crisp, smooth, responsive visuals.

Using the Apple Pencil Pro (Sold separately) with such gorgeous screen was a joy. The drawings felt natural and smooth, with just the right amount of sensitivity to pressure and angle.

Additionally, the Apple Pencil attaches magnetically to the iPad Pro for easy transportation and wirelessly charges, ensuring it’s always ready for use.

Power-wise, it has the extremely powerful M4 chip that handles everything I throw at it, from complex 2D animations to detailed 3D projects.

The iPad Pro also boasts all-day battery life, providing enough power for extended drawing and animation sessions.

There still aren’t a whole lot of great animation programs available for iPad – either 2D or 3D – but there are at least a few popular 2D animation apps, including Procreate Dreams, Animation Desk, etc.

Overall, For the portability, performance, best 2D animation process, and superb top-level 3D asset creation and modeling, the Apple iPad Pro is a perfect choice.

11. Surface Pro 11 (2024)

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (2024) combines the flexibility of a tablet with the functionality of a laptop, and a responsive stylus experience, making it an excellent choice for artists and animators.

Coming with a superior 13-inch OLED touchscreen display with 2.8K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, It provides vibrant colors and sharp details for animatics and animation purposes.

The Slim Pen 2 (Sold separately) delivers incredibly precise and responsive input, with low latency, tilt support, and 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, allowing for detailed and nuanced brush strokes.

The tablet runs on the Windows 11 operating system, offering compatibility with a wide range of art and animation applications, including industry-standard software like Toon Boom Harmony, blender and more.

Powered by fast 10-Core Snapdragon X Plus, the Surface Pro delivers sufficient processing power to handle demanding art and animation software.

With regard to battery life, the Surface Pro 11 offers a decent amount of usage time – up to 10 hours, allowing you to work on your art and animation projects without needing frequent recharging.

Finally, It features a practical and ergonomic design, with a built-in kickstand that allows you to adjust the tablet’s angle for comfortable drawing and viewing.

12. Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is an excellent all-around Android drawing tablet that offers a winning combination of power, portability, and versatility, making it an excellent choice for artists and animators.

Equipped with a large 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display and vibrant color accuracy, it provides an immersive drawing experience, allowing you to bring your animations to life with amazing clarity and detail.

It features a fluid and natural drawing experience with the free S Pen, a highly responsive stylus with 4,096 pressure levels, low 2.8ms latency, and tilt support. This makes it well-suited for 2D animation, motion graphics, and explainer videos.

With its Android OS, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra allows artists to use popular painting and 2D animation apps like Krita, Clip Studio Paint, Stop Motion Studio, Animation Desk, FlipaClip, etc.

It also boasts lightning-fast performance, seamlessly handling demanding animation software and multitasking, thanks to its powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ 8-core processor and sufficient 12GB RAM.

Additionally, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra tablet does have one ace up its sleeve over Apple ipad pro: a micro SD card slot for storing apps and media, giving you even more flexibility.

This samsung tablet offers a long-lasting battery life, allowing you to work on your art and animation projects for hours without interruption. It also supports 45W fast charging, ensuring you can quickly recharge the device when needed.

How do I choose a drawing tablet for Animation?

There are seven main characteristics you need to look for when buying a drawing tablet for animation. Remember my tips, because they do make a huge difference.

1. With or Without Screen

One of the biggest differences among graphics tablets is whether they have a screen or not.

Screen drawing tablets, also known as pen displays, let you draw directly on the screen, which can be more intuitive and immersive.

However, they are also more expensive, heavier, and require a separate power source and connection to a computer.

No-screen tablets, also known as pen tablets, require you to look at a separate monitor while drawing, which can take some time to get used to. However, they are also cheaper, lighter, and easier to set up and use.

In the animation realm, the presence of a screen is even more important. Due to the fact that animators work with opacity layers, being able to see these layers up close and draw over lines between different key-frames is an unquestionable advantage.

2. Tablet Size

When choosing a drawing tablet without screen, consider the size of the active area to suit your needs.

The active area is the part of the tablet that responds to your pen input. The size affect how much detail and accuracy you can achieve, as well as how comfortable you are while working.

Larger tablets offer more space for detail and hand move, while smaller ones are more affordable and portable.

I suggest you get a large tablet for animation, because a small tablet takes a lot of time and patience due to the fact that it require more zooming and panning.

3. Display Size and Quality

If you choose a display tablet For animation work, a quality display with a high-resolution and accurate color reproduction is essential.

Based on my experience, a decent IPS or OLED panel with a high pixel density (PPI) and a wide color gamut, is preferable, depending on your budget.

As for Screen Size, Anything beyond 19 inches (diagonal measurement) should be extremely comfortable to work with. You could even go for a slightly smaller drawing tablet, but you would definitely start feeling the lack of space.

4. Pressure sensitivity and tilt recognition

One of the most crucial feature of graphics tablets is the pressure sensitivity and tilt recognition of the pen.

These features allow you to control the thickness, opacity, and angle of your strokes, depending on how hard and how you hold the pen. This gives you more flexibility and realism in your animations, as well as a natural feel.

Most drawing tablets have at least 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, but some have up to 16,340 levels. Tilt recognition is not available on all tablets, but it can be useful for simulating brushes and other tools.

5. Buttons and shortcuts

Buttons and shortcuts can help you speed up your workflow and access frequently used functions without reaching for your keyboard or mouse.

You can usually customize the buttons and shortcuts to suit your preferences and software.

Some drawing tablets have buttons on the pen, on the tablet, or both. Some also have touch rings, dials, or sliders that let you adjust settings like zoom, brush size, or rotation.

6. Compatibility and Connectivity

Finally, you should check the compatibility and Connectivity of the graphics tablet you’re interested in.

Compatibility refers to how well the tablet works with your operating system, and your animation software.

Connectivity refers to how the tablet connect to your computer hardware.

You should make sure that the tablet supports your OS version, has the right drivers and updates, and has enough ports and cables to connect to your computer.

7. Brand

Wacom has long been the top choice for professionals, from artists to animators. It produces high-quality drawing tablets that work just as well for animation.

Huion, XPPen, and other brands are well known for their affordable yet capable entry-level drawing tablets, as can be seen by the fact we’ve included a couple of picks from them in this list.

If you want the absolute best professional tablet for animation, then you should check out the Wacom.

If you needs decent quality and functionality without spending too much, Tablets from Huion, XPPen and other brands were definitely worth what you paid for them.

Final Words

Choosing the right tablet for drawing and animation is crucial for artists and animators who want to unleash their creative potential.

A right, great tablet can help you translate your ideas seamlessly into stunning animations, character designs, and illustrations.

Check the 12 best animation tablets mentioned in this article, each offer unique features and advantages that cater to different artistic needs and budgets.

When selecting a tablet, consider factors such as Tablet size, display quality, stylus performance, compatibility, connectivity options, budget, etc.

By taking these factors into account and comparing the key features and specifications of different tablets, you can find the tablet that best suits your needs and enhances your drawing and animation experience.

Try not to cut corners, especially if you work with animation, and get a tablet that you will be able to use for the foreseeable future.

Happy animating!