The big plus is that you can see what you’re working on as you’re drawing on the drawing surface – a bit like when you’re drawing with pencil or ink and paper. It has plenty of accessories, functions as a standalone tablet, and has an active stylus with Autodesk Sketchbook and Artflow preinstalled.

inch display inside your drawing tablet is that you don't need to look at your other screen while drawing on a separate surface—you're drawing on the device where your lines and colors appear.

While originally released for Windows and Mac the One by Wacom is now compatible with Android devices and most importantly Chromebooks; just plug it in, download the drivers and you're off. The tablet also gives you a little software-enabled help, using anti-jitter technology to ensure you get smooth lines. Some high-end pen displays come with built-in operating systems, meaning you don’t need to connect them to a PC or laptop; but this comes at a significant cost.

Why it made the cut: The Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet provides creative control and all of the necessary tools for experts. Unlike our top three picks, which all arrive with built-in displays, the Xencelabs Pen Tablet is a conventional graphics tablet that needs to be used in conjunction with an external monitor – which makes it a better option for those concerned about the fragility of pen display screens, or those who want to keep to a tighter budget. For some, however, it may make more sense to go with a smaller, lighter tablet that’s easier to transport. The XP-Pen StarG640 is a compact, low-cost drawing tablet designed for the beatmapping rhythm game OSU! While most tablets work through a simple USB cable, there are some variants that use a Bluetooth wireless connection.However, remember that there's a learning curve associated with using these devices since they work differently from pen and paper.