PaintTool SAI is a high quality, esy to use, lightweight digital painting software with amazing anti-aliased drawing functionality, and stabilizer tool, making digital art more enjoyable and comfortable.
If you spend a lot of time painting in Paint tool SAI or other graphics programs, a wacom drawing tablet with pen is a must have.
Wacom is a very professional and reliable brand. Their graphics tablets are of incredible quality and are industry standard in the animation, gaming and film industries.
Wacom offers a selection of products that make it easy for artists to create digital works of art in SAI. ranging from incredibly budget friendly for beginners, to wildly expensive and insanely powerful for the working professional.
With so many options, on the other hand, choosing the right wacom drawing tablet can be a hassle. What is the best wacom tablet for SAI? What needs to be considered when buying?
If you are thinking of buying a wacom tablet, then read my recommendations and buying guide so you have a seamless and enjoyable experience using SAI.
Should you use a Wacom tablet for Paint tool SAI?
Drawing with a mouse in SAI is possible but highly discouraged as it is uncomfortable and could cause adverse effects on your wrists.
Wacom tablets are graphics tablets that allow users to draw, paint, and edit digital images using a stylus or pen.
Using a wacom tablet in SAI, especially for tasks like digital painting, and sketching, offers precision and a more intuitive drawing experience compared to a mouse.
They are considered the best because they offer superior accuracy and pressure sensitivity compared to other brands.
Wacom tablets also offer useful features like customizable shortcut buttons and multi-touch gestures, making them an indispensable tool for many digital artists.
Is Paint Tool SAI available on Mac?
PaintTool SAI requires the Windows operating system. It is not available for Apple MacOS, as well as Android, iPad OS, Chrome OS and Linux.
If you’re specifically looking for a similar painting software for Mac, there are alternatives like Clip Studio Paint, Corel Painter, Photoshop, Rebelle 7, Artrage 6, Krita (free), Medibang Paint (free), Mypaint (free), and Firealpaca (free) that offer similar features.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a wacom tablet for SAI?
Wacom tablets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and technical specifications, each catering to different needs and preferences.
Some are compact and portable, designed for artists on the go, while others boast large, high-resolution displays that can be invaluable for detailed work.
But with so many options on the market, it can be challenging to know which one to choose. Here are seven key points to consider when looking for the best tablet for drawing in SAI.
1. Size
Graphics Tablet sizes should be relative to your screen size as it is an absolute positioning device.
For drawing in SAI, a larger active area may be necessary. For most artists, the medium sized models are the sweet spot.
A bigger active area will enable you to comfortably draw on without the need for zooming and panning.
Having a tablet too small, on the other hand, it might be harder to draw on, leads to a jumpy cursor and makes fine selections difficult.
2. Pressure Sensitivity
SAI brushes doesn’t support tilt sensitivity, only pressure sensitivity.
Pressure sensitivity determines how responsive the tablet is to the force of your strokes.
Most Wacom tablets offer between 2,048 and 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Higher pressure sensitivity allows for finer control over line thickness, opacity, and shading.
3. Types of Tablets
One of the biggest decisions you have to make when choosing a wacom tablet is whether you want one with a built-in display like Cintiq, or one without like Intuos.
Display tablets are often easier for beginners because you don’t have to look back and forth between the tablet and a computer screen.
You can draw in the same intuitive way that you would with pencil and paper right on the display.
These tablets are super expensive, which start at a few hundred dollars and can easily exceed $1,000+ for the most advanced models.
The downside to display tablets is they still need a computer to work. Its just a display. it has no processing power or battery.
Non-display drawing tablets, also referred to as graphics tablets, hook up to a computer screen via a USB cable or bluetooth wirelessly.
You draw on the tablet’s surface and the lines appear on the computer screen. There is a little bit of a learning curve to this and even some experts find it challenging.
Non-display tablets are the cheapest type. It’s possible to find a good one for under $100 so this is the way to go if your budget is tight.
These screenless tablets are generally more compact, portable, and are also known for their durability so if you invest in a nice one it could last you many great years.
4. Screen Quality
Opt for a pen display with a high-resolution, as it ensures crisp, detailed visuals. This is vital for drawing precision in SAI, where fine details matter.
Choose a pen display with excellent color accuracy and a wide color gamut to ensure your work displays true-to-life colors, a critical aspect of professional drawing.
5. Compatibility
I don’t think you should worry about compatibility when buy a wacom tablet for SAI, since all wacom tablets on the market support both Windows and MacOS these days.
SAI 1 was developed mostly for Wacom devices and has best compatibility via a WinTab Driver. SAI 2 is newer and thus works with more brands and has more options for tablet settings in the program.
6. Additional Features
Other features that may be important include hotkeys for efficiency, Connectivity, and texture of the tablet surface for a more paper-like feel.
For example, USB connections typically offer reliability, while wireless options offer freedom of movement.
Weighing these factors will guide us to making an informed decision suited to individual needs for SAI usage.
7. Price and Budget
Wacom Tablets range in price from budget-friendly (like entry-level wacom one series) to high-end professional models. Consider your budget and needs when choosing a tablet.
The Best Wacom Tablets for Paint tool SAI
The Wacom tablets have always been loved by professional digital artists. When it comes to reliability and accuracy these drawing tablets remain a premium option.
While Wacom does still sell plenty of pro-spec tools with pro-spec price tags, it has also filled out its range with well-priced tablets that are well-suited to beginners.
I’m suggesting Wacom tablets by range rather than individual tablets – each ‘series’ features a mix of sizes but the same technology, so pick the size that best suits you.
Here are the top ten best wacom tablets for SAI in 2025.
Graphics Tablets Without Screen:
1. One By Wacom: Available in two size, Small (6.0 x 3.7 in), and Medium (8.5 x 5.3 in); 2048 Levels of pressure sensitivity, no tilt recognition support, cheapest.
2. Wacom One Pen Tablet: Available in two size, Small (6.0 x 3.7 in), and Medium (8.5 x 5.3 in); 4096 Levels of pressure sensitivity, has tilt recognition support, Bluettoth Connection, affordable.
3. Wacom Intuos: Available in two size, Small (6.0 x 3.7 in), and Medium (8.5 x 5.3 in); 4096 Levels of pressure sensitivity, no tilt recognition support, optional Bluettoth Connection.
4. Wacom Intuos Pro: Available in three size, Small (6.0 x 3.7 in), Medium (8.5 x 5.3 in), and Large (12.1 x 8.4 inch); 8192 Levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt recognition support, Multi-touch, Bluettoth Connection.
Drawing Tablets With Screen:
5. Wacom One 12: 11.6-inch, LCD Panel, 1080p resolution, 99% sRGB color gamut, Laminated screen, 4096 levels of pressure, has tilt recognition support, Single USB-C Connection, budget-friendly.
6. Wacom One 13 Touch: 13.3-inch, LCD Panel, 1080p resolution, 99% sRGB color gamut, Laminated screen, 4096 levels of pressure, has tilt recognition support, Multi-touch, Single USB-C Connection.
7. Wacom Movink 13: 13.3-inch, OLED Panel, 1080p resolution, 100% DCI-P3 / 95% AdobeRGB color gamut, Laminated screen, pro pen 3 stylus, 8192 levels of pressure, has tilt recognition support, Multi-touch, Single USB-C Connection.
8. Wacom Cintiq 16: 15.6-inch, LCD Panel, 1080p resolution, 96% sRGB color gamut, non-laminated screen, advanced pro pen 2 stylus, 8192 levels of pressure, has tilt recognition support, 3-in-1 Cable Connection (HDMI & 2 USB-A), affordable.
9. Wacom Cintiq 22: 21.5-inch, LCD Panel, 1080p resolution, 96% sRGB color gamut, non-laminated screen, advanced pro pen 2 stylus, 8192 levels of pressure, has tilt recognition support, 3 Cables Connection.
10. Wacom Cintiq Pro: Cintiq Pro comes in multiple sizes: Older Cintiq Pro 16 (16 inch), Cintiq Pro 24 (24 inch), and Cintiq Pro 32 (32 inch), with thick bezel.
Newer modern Cintiq Pro 17 (17.3 inch), Cintiq Pro 22 (21.5 inch) & Cintiq Pro 27 (27 inch) with thin bezel and 120HZ refresh rate.
IPS LCD Panel, Ultra HD-4K resolution at 3840 x 2160, incredible 96%-99% Adobe RGB color accuracy. Multi-touch, etched glass surface, Laminated screen, Most advanced pro pen 3 stylus, 8192 levels of pressure, has tilt recognition support, most expensive.
Explore More: 7 Best Wacom Drawing Tablets of 2025
Worth it to buy Wacom Mobile Studio Pro Standalone Drawing Tablet for SAI?
If you need portability, The Wacom MobileStudio Pro is a versatile mobile Standalone drawing tablet that lets you draw in SAI while on the go.
The MobileStudio Pro is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor, runs on windows 10, available in 13-inch or 16-inch. It can be used with the Wacom Pro Pen 2, which allows precise control for drawing and sketching.
Unfortunately, It is super expensive and Wacom have not come out with a new model since 2019. In other words, the technical specifications are a bit outdated in 2025.
If you want a standalone drawing tablet that runs Windows 11 OS and SAI, consider buying the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 11 or 15.8-inch Huion Kamvas Studio 16.
Any good Cheaper Wacom Alternatives for SAI?
Even though Wacom tablets are very good to have as an artist, but it can be a bit too expensive to own.
Wacom alternatives have come a long way over the last few years. I’ve review some of them and there are some really good ones out there. The two well-known alternatives to Wacom is XPPen and Huion.
You get a similar looking tablet at half the price, plus you get extra accessories than you would with Wacom. This balances cost with quality and is also my main recommendation.
Conclusion
The right tablet can elevate your work, making tasks like sketching, drawing or painting in SAI a breeze.
By considering the factors mentioned above in my buying guide and aligning them with your specific needs, you’ll be well on your way to selecting the best wacom tablet for SAI .
If you have never worked with a graphics tablet before, you can, first of all, buy a cheaper device. Then, you can upgrade to a high-quality screen tablet with a more Intuitive drawing experience.
