Think of how much you can accomplish when you have a laptop integrated into the iPad, yet the whole unit remains compact and light.
That’s exactly what the best standalone drawing tablet offers you. It forms a critical tool when going to a meeting or fieldwork as a graphic designer.
When you need to make some sketches and present a vivid illustration to your audience, it becomes effortless. You don’t have to carry a heavy laptop with you always.
And you get to choose a model that runs on Windows 10, Android, or iOS according to your need.
Find below our top selections;
Best Standalone Drawing Tablets
New Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, Wi-Fi, 256GB) – Space Gray (2nd Generation)
One of the top admirable features of the New Apple iPad Pro is the ProMotion technology. That gives it a high refresh rate of 120HZ. Accordingly, it delivers a smooth scrolling and drawing on its screen that simulates the real experience on paper.
Its 11-inch edge to edge screen that employs liquid retina display and promotion technology presents a spacious working surface that doesn’t overcrowd your sketches.
The display delivers wide color accuracy and true tone hence presenting a dazzling display. For that reason, you can effortlessly visualize your work even in the outdoor environment.
At the same time, it easily blends with the Apple pencil 2nd generation to support smooth sketching. Furthermore, to make your work even easier and fulfill more of your wishes, it allows you to connect to a smart keyboard folio and magic keyboard.
At the core of the tablet is the powerful A12Z Bionic chip with Neural Engine. The chip enables the tablet to process large chunks of data and multitasks without registering a lag in performance. In other words, it boosts the speed of the tablet significantly compared to the previous models.
From a single charge, its high capacity battery powers the device for 10 straight working hours while browsing the internet through Wi-Fi.
And when the battery juice runs down, plug it into a power outlet via the USB-C charging port. Besides you can also connect other compatible accessories like a headphone through the same port.
The New Apple iPad Pro measures about 9.74 mm H x 7.02mm W x 0.23 mm D and weighs approximately 1.04lbs. Therefore it has a compact and portable size. Besides, it has a significant storage capacity of 256GB.
Pros:
- Compact size
- Reliable 10 hours battery life
- Improved speed performance
- Great stylus
Cons:
- Apple pen bought separately
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 – 12.3″ Touch-Screen – 10th Gen Intel Core i5 – 8GB Memory – 128GB SSD (Latest Model) – Platinum (VDV-00001)
Talk of one of the top-performing tablets that run on Windows 10 home and the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is one of the contenders. Its 12.3-inch touch screen conveniently strikes the right balance between portability and spaciousness. For that reason, you can happily make out your graphics without any fear of congestion.
Besides screen size, it doesn’t disappoint in the resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels. Moreover, it has all the versatility of a tablet and studio. For instance, when you incorporate the built-in kickstand and signature type cover, it provides you the performance of a laptop.
On the other hand, when you lower the kickstand, it offers a comfortable 15-degree drawing or writing angle using its surface pen. Otherwise, when you are done with sketching, close back the kickstand, fold back the cover at it assumes a stylish standalone tablet once more.
Since it features Windows 10 support, you can enjoy all your favorite desktop applications that enhance your drawing performance. And when you need to multitask, the Intel Core i5 tenth generation chip and 8GB RAM delivers while steel excelling in speed. For average work, the 128GB hard disk provides more than enough storage capacity.
The surface pen that boasts a rubber tip offers an improved grip of the glass screen and therefore provides a trouble-free drawing experience. And to cut down on interference the Microsoft Surface Pro 7 features an outstanding palm rejection feature. After complete charging, it gives you 10.5 hours of use.
That means it can last you a whole day when out in the field. When you plug it into the socket for an hour through the USB-C port, the battery attains an 80percent charge state. Concerning portability, it measures 12.74 x 9.09 x 1.91 and weighs 1.7lbs. Depending on your work requirement, the tablet is available in diverse RAM and hard disk configurations.
Pros:
- Spacious display screen
- Appreciable battery hours
- Has an integrated stand
- Runs on Windows 10 operating system
- Available in diverse RAM and hard disk capacities
Cons:
- Surface pen not part of the package
Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ Wi-Fi, Mystic Black – 128 GB
In simple times, the Samsung Galaxy gives you the power of a PC and the portability of a tablet. The Tab S7+ compared to its predecessor has an improved stylus response latency of 9ms. So the minimization of the time lag between each stroke makes drawing on the tablet or managing presentations more convenient than before.
Its edge-to-edge display size is 12.4 inches though an 11inch screen also exists. It employs the Super AMOLEDTM screen technology, resolution of 2800 x 1752 (WQXGA+), and therefore gives accurate and enhanced picture contrast that’s visible even outdoors.
In terms of specifications, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is available in diverse RAM and hard disk configurations. Therefore you can effortlessly secure a model that resonates with your graphic demands.
You can also boost its convenience by using an expandable keyboard. But if the internal storage of 512GB is insufficient, then it permits up to one TB external memory device.
Unlike many standalone tablet packages that force you to buy the pen separately, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ is complete with its Surface pen.
Keeping track of the surface pen may not be easy for everyone. For that reason, Samsung designs it such that it magnetically attaches to the back of the tablet. And once attached, it charges wirelessly.
An enhanced response time wouldn’t be of use without reliable power. Accordingly, the device has an equally 8hour high capacity battery that supports all day long working schedule.
Pros:
- Convenient palm rejection feature
- Reliable all-day-long battery
- Surface pen part of the package
- The surface pen has a minimal lag of 9ms
- Android 10 operating software
Cons:
- Only a handful of apps support the tilt function
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6- 10.5″ 128GB, Wifi Tablet – SM-T860NZAAXAR, Mountain Gray
When on a budget and searching for standalone with standardized performance then have a look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6. The Android-powered tablet is easy to transform into a personal computer. All you have to do is attach a keyboard and make use of the built-in trackpad too.
Although it’s affordable it offers you a 10.5-inch display that stretches from one edge to the next. The screen features Super AMOLED with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.
And on top of it, the device employs the high-speed processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chip. Furthermore, it also boasts a 6GB PC equivalent RAM.
Therefore the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 supports graphic demanding applications, multitasking, and swapping between apps without slowing in performance.
When you order the Samsung Tab 6, the package is inclusive of a surface pen. Thus you won’t have to incur additional expenses to use the tablet.
The innate surface pen makes creating sketches, erasing, and work on the tablet effortless. And since it’s easy to misplace, Samsung provides an easy way of keeping the pen in place. It uses magnetic technology to attach to the tablet and also recharge wirelessly.
And once the battery stores a complete charge, it powers the tab for 10 to 15 hours depending on the applications you are running. Owing to its size of 0.22 x 6.28 x 9.63 inches and weight of 1.65lbs, you can easily hold it in one hand and while drawing with the remaining hand.
Pros:
- Long battery hours
- Stunning AMOLED display
- Stylus complete with the iPad
- Very slim and light; 0.92lbs
Cons:
- No headphone jack, except USB-c port
Wacom DTHW1320H Mobile Studio Pro 13 Windows 10, Intel Core i7, 512GB SSD
If you need a standalone tablet that can handle 2D, 3D, and CAD graphic applications efficiently without connecting to another computer, then give Wacom DTHW1320H a chance. It uses the Windows 10 operating system and therefore makes it easy to use the same applications you have been using on your PC desktop.
Its 13-inch screen boasts a high resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and enhanced color quality, thus bringing out a vivid graphic display. Compared to other pens, Pro Pen 2 is 4 times accurate. Added to its high pressure and tilt sensitivity, it provides fast performance.
Some top standalone tablets require you to buy a stand separately. Wacom DTHW1320H tablet, however, is complete with its convenient stand. Besides, when you use it alongside the tablet, you can position it in 5 various drawing angles.
Even when your work forces you to draw for an extended period, you have nothing to worry about. The combination of the Wacom DTHW1320H and an easy to hold ergonomic Pro Pen 2’s design gives a comfortable hold of the pen for long hours. Besides, it also makes controlling it to be effortless.
When put to intense work, the Tablet has plenty of creative features. Hence you can easily customize shortcut keys and multi-touch controls.
Pros:
- Plenty of short cut keys
- Runs on Windows 10 OS thus compatible with many Apps
- Has a matching stand that angles it at various positions
- Ergonomic Pro pen 2
Cons:
- Has a significant weight of about 3.13lbs
Microsoft Surface Studio 2 (Intel Core i7, 32GB RAM, 1TB) – Newest Version
When you need the best standalone iPad with an impressive stylus and internal processors, then the Microsoft Surface Studio 2 fits the description.
At the top feature, it has a 28inch widescreen. Such a display presents you with a spacious jostled free drawing.
Besides the large screen, it also boasts a 13.5 million pixel display that gives true to life rich color. Therefore it supports lively sketches. When drawing, at times, you might need to position your drawing surface at an angle.
For that reason, the Microsoft Surface Studio 2 easily tilts to a 20 degrees angle in studio mode. However, when you desire an upright position, then switch to desktop mode. Besides, it has office 365 and other numerous intuitive programs supported by Windows 10 Pro to support you in every way.
The Microsoft Surface Studio 2 employs the powerful Intel Core i7 processor with a speed of 1.3GHZ, RAM of 32GB using the windows 10 pro. For that reason, it supports pro-demanding applications such as Adobe creative cloud, auto desk, and Solid Works.
Thus whether you want to work on 3D graphics, or edit photographs, its light-speed processing comes to your aid. When you want to push on your creative skills to the highest limit, its surface pen and Surface dial deliver innate shortcuts.
Pros:
- High processing speed
- Ergonomic surface keyboard
- 28inch screen of 13.5 million pixels
- 32GB RAM and 1TB hard
Cons:
- High price tag
Apple iPad Mini (Wi-Fi, 64GB) – Space Gray (Latest Model)
Most people prefer the Apple iPad Mini for two reasons; it’s highly portable and pocket friendly too. Its overall size measures 8 inches in height, 5.3 inches wide, and 0.24 inches thick.
Besides the compact size, it’s also 0.66lbs light. So you can conveniently keep it in your backpack or handbag when going to fieldwork.
Although it’s a mini iPad it’s equally powerful as a full tablet. Its lighting processing speed stems from the A12 Bionic processor chip combined to 64RAM capacity. That combination gives it the ability to handle large data or online games without slowing.
Owing to its 7.9-inch screen it’s one of the most portable standalone tablets. But even at that size, it features the retina display technology with true tone. When its battery is fully charged, it drives the mini iPad for about 10 hours.
The Apple iPad mini is compatible with Apple Pencil, Smart keyboard folio, and even Bluetooth keyboard. Therefore as you can see, though it has only a 7.9-inch screen its performance is impressive especially for day-to-day drawing and huge data processing.
Pros:
- Employs iconic A12 Bionic processor chip
- Compatible with Smart keyboard folio
- Highly portable
- Pocket friendly
Cons:
- It has bezel rings surrounding the screen
What Makes a Good Standalone Drawing Tablet that Doesn’t Need a Screen?
If you are a graphic designer and want a good standalone tablet that for your work, then focus on the following core features;
Program Compatibility
Identify key programs that you usually use in your graphic and digital designing work. The standalone tablet you invest in should have the right RAM capacity to support even the demanding graphic applications smoothly.
Therefore settle for at least 8GB RAM configuration. Besides, ensure that its processor can handle large data effortlessly.
Portability
One of the key reasons for choosing standalone tabs is due to their portability. Thus its screen size, weight, and tablet thickness should make it easy to carry on a day to day basis. Ideally, it should fit in your bag and also trouble-free to carry with one hand.
Battery Life
Closely connected to portability is the battery life. At the time your work may take you to places where it isn’t easy to access electricity. However, when you have a standalone tablet with at least 10hours of battery life, it will make your work run smoothly.
The Sensitivity of the Screen
The screen’s sensitivity is of significance importance especially when drawing. It’s only high sensitivity and a matching pen that will enable you to draw, erase, or sketch and reflect even the minor details in your work.
Besides, other important functions like tilt and pressure recognition make your work even smoother than before. For instance, the palm rejection recognition feature for a tablet is of high importance.
Screen Size and Resolution
If you need a professional image and a tablet that you can happily use outdoors and still make out the illustrations, then screen resolution and contrast comes into the picture.
Know the Essential Features You Need
Depending on your profession, only you understand the kind of work you want to subject the standalone tablet to regularly. For that reason, it’s best to list down essential features to settle on.
That ranges from the screen size, processor speed, RAM size, resolution, and any other specifications you deem important. Having done that, it’s easier to land the tablet that has the highest number of features you want.
Conclusion
When you need to capture data in the field as a graphic designer or CAD, then a standalone tablet is the way to go. Besides, its portability, high performance, and ease of use give it an added advantage over laptops.
Whether you are a beginner or a proficient digital artist, the standalone Tablets listed above serves your interest. It doesn’t matter whether you are used to Android, Apple, or Windows operation systems; the review is all-inclusive.
