One of the biggest drawbacks of traditional drawing tablets, especially pen display monitors, is – they need to be connected to a computer in order to work.
If you need the portability for drawing on the go and away from your computer. Standalone Drawing tablets are the only choices that provide this functionality.
As the name implies – “Standalone tablets” are self-sufficient devices that have their own computer built inside them and do not need to be connected to an external computer.
This makes them highly compact and portable – allowing you to carry and work from almost anywhere.
Basically, the standalone drawing tablets are super expensive and that’s why mostly used by professionals or rich man.
Luckily, Although you may need to make some compromises in functionality, You’ll find some of cheap standalone drawing tablets available online in 2024.
In this article, I will walk you through the best budget standalone drawing tablets that don’t need a computer, so read on to make sure you get the most bang for your buck!
Recommended $180 digital drawing tablets no computer needed
If you’re looking for a digital drawing tablet that doesn’t require a computer and is priced around $180, there are a few options that could work for you.
These tablets often have built-in screens and allow you to draw directly on them without needing to connect to a computer. Here are a couple of options you might want to consider:
1. Frunsi T8
Priced at just $169.00, The Frunsi T8 is a pretty good and portable Android drawing tablet that support pen input. It works well for drawing, watching videos, and other daily tasks.
Its 8-inch Liquid Retina display with 1200×800 HD resolution is crystal clear, making every drawing session a delight.
The included pen is battery operated, and supports 1024 Levels of pressure sensitivity, which is good, But don’t expect too much.
What truly stands out is the standalone feature. With the built-in Ouad-Core MTK CPU and Android 13, there’s no need for a computer, making it incredibly convenient for on-the-go use.
The only thing is drawing on a smaller 8-inch display feels quite restrictive and limiting. You will need to zoom in and out to get a larger view.
If you want a larger drawing space and don’t mind adding $30 to your budget, you can get the Frunsi T11 Pro, which has a bigger 10.1-inch 1920*1200 FHD screen.
2. PicassoTab X
The Simbans PicassoTab X is a budget-friendly Android tablet for a casual artist or someone on a smaller budget who wants a portable device to draw.
The tablet has a very comfortable pen that supports 1024 pressure levels and it’s very easy to set up.
However, the lower resolution of 1280×800 on 10.1-inch screen might be a drawback for some artists.
Mid-range Quad-core MediaTek chipset with 4GB RAM; A touch sluggish to use.
For the price of $199.95, it is quite worth it for how complete the package is.
Good Cheap Standalone Drawing Tablets Under $300
For the budget of $180, selections are limited, if add another $100, I can recommend a Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (10.4-inch), HUION Kamvas Slate 10 (10.1-inch), Ugee UT2 (10.36-inch), PicassoTab XL (11.6-inch), and PicassoTab X14 (14-inch).
These affordable Android drawing tablets are portable and versatile, suitable for drawing, editing photos, and taking notes on the go. They come with higher tech specs (better screen quality, More powerful performance, more pressure levels, etc) that provides better drawing features and experience.
What affordable iPad can I buy for digital art?
If portability is necessary and you have a few more funds available, then Apple ipad is the best choice of course.
The android tablets just aren’t as good as the iPads in terms of drawing performance. Not to mention that you can use some iPad OS -specific drawing apps like Procreate.
If you just needed an iPad for art, you can get a standard Ipad 9th gen (10.2-inch) or iPad 10th gen (10.9-inch) for less than $400 (ipad+ pencil) right now which a great value compared to other iPads.
ipad 9th gen seems more classic while ipad 10th gen looks more modern. They all support apple pencil 1st Gen, which needs to be purchased separately.
$180 Display Drawing Tablets with computer needed
Honestly, for the price range of $180, the best bet would be a pen display Monitor that connects to a computer. You can get a 12-inch display tablet or slightly smaller in this price range.
The well-known examples are Huion, XPPen, Ugee, Gaomon, and Veikk tablets. I recommend check the XPPen Artist 10 2nd gen (10.1-inch), UGEE UE12P (11.9-inch) and Huion kamvas pro 12 (11.6-inch).
While they may not have all the advanced features of higher-end models, they can serve well for basic illustration needs. You can draw directly on the tablet’s screen the same way you would draw on paper.
Conclusion
Generally, When talks about computer technology and related products, “good” and “cheap” usually don’t go hand in hand. You can get one or the other but not both. As a general rule in tech, you get what you pay for.
If you already have a laptop, you can get a Huion or XPPen drawing tablet with 12-inch or smaller screen, but they are not standalone, need to connect to a computer to work.
If you want a cheap standalone drawing tablet that doesn’t require a computer, then you may have to choose to sacrifice some things, such as a Not very responsive pen, poor performance, lower screen quality, small screen size, etc.
Starting out at a lower price point will take the pressure off, allowing you to give it a try without feeling guilty for spending lots of money.
