Portable drawing tablet, that you can use without a computer

With the rising demand in the portable tablets, brands have come up with some quality portable drawing tablets that can suffice the need of the users.

This article is a brief guide that will help you choose the best portable drawing tablet within your price range. All the drawing tablets mentioned in the blog are highly rated and liked by the users. Skim through it and choose the best one according to your need.

But before we escalate to review the portable drawing tablets, let’s take an overview of portable drawing tablets and its key features.

Quick Pick Table

10/08/2022 08:44 am GMT

What is a portable drawing tablet?

To put it simply, portable drawing tablet is a portable electronic device that helps users draw their ideas and vision. It is an amazing tool for illustration, graphic designing and other form of art that can be drawn on the tablet. The USP of portable drawing tablet is its ability to function without being attached to the computer.

Lately, the tablets used to be connected with the computer which was a con for the users as it used to restrict the mobility and portability.  However, it’s no longer a problem now since the leading brands have introduced stand alone tablets that are not just portable but equally efficient as well.

With standalone tablets, one can draw independently without connecting the device to the computer. It allows the user to create art in their own comfort which is the reason, it sells like hot cakes.

1.Portability

Stand-alone tablets are super convenient to use as it alone suffices the needs of the users without any external connectivity. It can be carried anywhere which makes it a portable option for the user.

With a standalone tablet, you can draw anywhere in complete comfort which makes the life of an artist easier.

2.Equipped with a pen enabled screen

The standalone tablet supports stylus pencil that helps the users to draw. With a good stylus pen that has pressure sensitivity, latency and short cut buttons, you can draw conveniently on the standalone tablets.

While looking for a tablet, the users often go for the options that has excellent stylus pen and a supportive screen because it helps the user draw without restriction.

3.Takes less space and gives an organized outlook

Standalone drawing tablets are compact, easy to use and smaller in size. One doesn’t have to worry about a small space while using it. It is convenient for people who like doodling, illustrating and drawing while they are on their way to work. Or perhaps, an ideal option for those who gets stuck in boring parties and has nothing better to do than draw.

Besides that, standalone tablets have a built-in computer, excellent drawing features and a healthy battery life that caters the users to the fullest.

And now that you know what a portable tablet is and what are its key features, without further ado, lets dive into the top standalone drawing tablets that will fulfil your creative desire to the fullest.

Best for professional drawing – Wacom Mobile Studio Pro

A complete package that could be used for drawing, work and studies is Wacom has to offer in its Mobile Studio pro. The tablet is not bulky at all and you can carry it around everywhere.

Wacom Mobile studio pro came out in the market as another hit. Its big bottom bezel allows the users to access the tablet in a more convenient manner. Each button in the tablet gives a shiny, sliver appearance which gives a neat look to the tablet.

Features

The tablet is slimmer than its old version and it has 5mp front camera and 8mp back. With its 14-inch screen, it’s an ideal choice for someone who wants to deal the business on their device.

You may find it a little bigger than other tablets but we can’t deny the fact that they have compacted a whole computer in a mini version. You can use full blown applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator and that too without having to worry about your tablet getting hanged or being unresponsive.

Wacom Pro Pen 2

As far as the pen is concerned, the Mobile Studio 16’s pen is one of the best styluses an android tablet can roll out. With its excellent pressure sensitivity, latency and responsiveness you can easily work on the tablet without being cranky on lagging and hanging.

Seems like the Wacom engineers have worked closely to ensure the pen is bringing comfort and ease to its users. You can use the pen with your index finger and thumb which translate the level of efforts the creators have invested in it.

The pen comes up with an extra nib, pen holder and case which is another reason to buy Wacom. Also, the pen comes in different colors which means you can have any pen of your choice.

Expert Opinion: It is indeed an ideal option for people who are looking for illustrator, drawing and craft. The screen of the tablet is bright, vibrant and gives good accuracy of colors. So far, my experience believes it’s a good option for someone who is looking to invest in a good drawing tablet.

Best budget portable drawing tablet – Simbans Picasso

This Simbans portable table is an all-in-one package tablet that comes with four free bonus items. It is a standalone drawing tablet that needs no computer connection and is compatible with different android devices. 

Display 

This drawing tablet has a clear large screen to draw freely. It has an IPS HD screen resolution that allows you to make crystal clear pictures. 

With this tablet, you can not just only draw, but you can also enjoy your favorite android applications, play your favorite games, and watch your favorite movies and tv shows. Hence, calling this tab an all-in-one device wouldn’t be wrong. 

Palm Rejection Technology

While drawing what frustrates a person more is that the tablet catches a slight touch as a pen stroke. Well, this tablet is free from this too. It has a palm rejection technology that does not register the hand while using this tab. 

Other than this, the tablet comes with drawing gloves that give more precision and an accurate drawing experience than ever before. 

Pressure Sensitive Pen

This tablet comes with a pressure-sensitive pen. It has 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity that give incredible control to the user to use it freely.

Expert Opinion. This is the best cheap portable drawing tablet for begginers ad for kids. It has great features for the price.

Best multifunctional tablet for drawing and more – Apple iPad Pro

Apple has continued to woo its customers with its promising quality and creative liberty. Just like their other products, apple offers quality when it comes to their tablets as well. If you are looking for a powerful device that can help you draw smoothly with its excellent processor, good battery life and great size then you can always opt for Apple Ipad Pro.

Display Features

Standalone tablets are supposed to be handy and compact but it does not mean that one has to compromise on the size of the screen for it. Apple Ipad Pro comes in two different sizes. 11 inch and 12.9 inches respectively. It allows the users to create their art on a bigger canvas that encourages creative freedom and artistic vulnerabilities

The device offers liquid retina screen which in easier words is an ideal option if you are looking for a bright, sharp and responsive screen. The device is highly responsive which means you will not be refreshing the art while drawing it. In fact, it’s going to be smooth, convenient and efficient.

Performance

The tablet has an excellent processor which will help the users to multitask. It will allow the users to login heavy duty websites, games and other art software that can potentially hang with a less competitive software.

iPad offers some excellent built-in drawing apps as well that are not available for any other device but apple.

The tablet has two ports as well which will help the artists to attach any external device of their choice. A magic keyboard can also be attached in real time to the rear side of the tablet which is simply great.

Apple pencil

You can buy a pencil with the tablet for improved experience. The pencil is sold separately but I must say, it’s a mandatory investment if you are interested in doing art on your iPad.

• The response time of Apple pencil is 9ms which is unbeatable by any other pencil. It has amazing pressure, latency and sensitivity that allows the user to focus on the tiny details while drawing.
• The pen can switch into an eraser but just one click which is an amazing feature for artists.
• The pen offers wireless charging as well which means it is highly portable and convenient to carry.

This pencil is however sold separately which is going to add to the cost.

Expert Opinion: All in all, the Apple iPad Pro is an ideal choice for someone who is looking for a standalone portable keyboard. The only problem users face is its unavailability of good 3d modelling and sculpting app. The tablet does not offer external SD card slot as well.

Microsoft Surface Book 2 15”

Who could expect a laptop can become a standalone tablet as well just by detaching its screen? It was not a popular idea until Microsoft decided to create the magic by their creativity and determination to bring the best.

Microsoft Surface Book is detachable which means you can detach the screen and use it as a standalone tablet if you want to draw while being in absolute comfort.

Features

The device can be connected to the keyboard base for extra battery life and graphic powers as well which stems from gamer friendly GPU, Nvidia and GeForce 1060.

The graphic power wont work once you detach the tablet from the laptop however you can still conveniently use the device with the Microsoft Pen Stylus that is sold separately for art, illustration and writing. Stylus hands down has been the best feature of Surface line since its origin.

Since, the mechanism of the device is highly complex and multidimensional, one can’t conclude the true essence of Surface book. Henceforth, calling it a multi-tasking device that serves all the purpose of a user is the right way to address Surface book.

The detachment option in this model is also swift. Unlike other models, it takes a real minute to detach the screen, surface book detaches the screen in just a click. The detachment will disconnect you with the discrete GPU and it was also disconnected you from the larger battery that is there in the keyboard base.

The keyboard of the device is chunky and has a satisfying look. Although, the size of the keyboard as compared to the laptop is small, it does get the work done.

Display

If you are into VR or require a wide screen for your drawing and art work then Surface book offers a 15-inch-wide screen that has vibrancy and power. On it, you can play any heavy-duty game or draw anything as well.

The laptop offers a pop-up screen option as well that will turn into a stand-alone tablet as per your convenient. However, if you are not going to detach the slate, I suggest you to look for other laptop options as it will be less expensive and will serve the purpose rightly so.

The only issue with the screen noticed was its stiffness and less bounce while adjusting the angle. The users reported the screen is not that responsive and takes a little longer time.

Battery life

As far as the battery is concerned, the device has a healthy battery life that will not put you in the hassle of looking for a charger everywhere. It will give you a battery life of solid hours which means there is no need to carry a charger everywhere with you. Just pop up the screen, grab the pen and get to business.

Just as any other laptop, the 15-inch Surface Book 2 is costly but indeed powerful and worth investing. Just as any other hybrid laptop, it has good battery, good design and great adaptability.

The surface stylus

As far as the Surface pen is concerned, it is one of the best window-based stylus that has little or no complaints by the users.

Therefore, if you are into 3D creation, illustration and complex drawing, the stylus will get the job done for you. Surface book is an ideal option for someone who is looking for a two in one device. A laptop that has graphic power and then detachable slate that helps artists draw with its powerful stylus.

Expert Opinion: the surface book tablet is perhaps the best model in the surface family but there is another model as well called Surface Studio that is an all-in-one device. However, Surface book is the first choice for the artists who are looking to invest in a device that can draw, illustrate, edit and create. Besides that, its robust software is giving a challenge out there to MacBook pro and iPad pro. So, if you are looking for a device that can help you with your art, work and let you play games as well then this is a catch for you!

Microsoft Surface Pro 7

Considering customers have high expectation with the Surface Family, it was quite disappointing to see the model not meeting the expectations. The customers were hoping for a number of changes that was promised after the issues found in the Surface Pro 6, however, the company did not really address the glaring problem in its newest model Surface Pro 7 as well.

The Surface Pro 7 comes up with an internal USB C port and that’s about it. Beside that, the laptop has not rolled out some unique features and new updates from its old version. Considering the price of Surface Pro 7 is not quite reasonable, the customers were looking for something more in the newest model.

Considering Microsoft has always surprised the customers with its creative innovations, it is unlike Microsoft to bring no big update or innovation.

With a 128 GB SSD, 4GB RAM and Core i3 processor, the laptop is fast and does the processing quickly and powerfully.

After a long due wait, the laptop has a USB C port internally installed it and there is nothing else besides it in the Surface Pro 7. The device is around 12.3 inches wide which means you will have ample space to draw and create. The tablet comes in two colors, matte black and silver aluminum.

The tablet is sharp, vibrant and has a responsive touch which is quite impressive. Besides that, there has been no changes in the specifications which is a big disappointment.

The surface stylus

The stylus of the tablet is to be bought separately. It is quite good since Surface does offer promising quality as compared to other android tablets.

The stylus helps professional artists, students and hobbyist to draw easily. It has good pressure, good sensitivity and latency. You can always get an extra nib in $99 which will help you in your artistic work.

Expert Opinion: All in all, the model is good but considering there are other options available as well, it will be a wise decision to check out other options and their features.

Samsung Galaxy Tab s7

Safe to say, Samsung never disappoints. Samsung Galaxy Tab s7 comes up with a S Pen Stylus with a slate which means unlike other brands, it won’t expect you to shell out some extra dollars for it. The S Pen with Samsung Galaxy Tab s7 is much more responsive than its latter version with Galaxy Tab S6. The pen has a sleek look and it magnetically gets on the back of the tablet where it consumes charging wirelessly.

Features

The only issue with android devices is their inability to perform in an optimizing manner like iOS. It often seems like as if the android processors are not even designed in a way that could compete with iOS. Most android tablets seem like a large version of a mobile with little or no special feature.

However, Samsung is really going ahead of its time by introducing some features that are the highlight of its new model Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 as well. It has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage variant.

With its 12.9-inch screen, professional artist can have a wide canvas to create their work.

Battery life

As far as the battery is concerned, Samsung always surprises buyers with its strong battery life and great usage of hours. Its interesting to see how android over the years has worked on their battery life meanwhile iOS has not been really great at it.

S pen stylus

The S pen in tab 7 has significantly improved from its former version. It is responsive, accurate and tackles the pressure beautifully. The stylus that comes with a tab has shown phenomenal performance. Its pressure, latency and flexibility allow the users to create freely on the slate.

Moreover, it comes with the tablet and you don’t need pay extra for it. There is an interesting feature of this tablet as well. The S pen magnetically gets on the back of the tablet which means you won’t have to worry about losing it.

Expert Opinion: That being said, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 is a worthy investment if you are looking for a reliable, portable and reasonable standalone tablet. It perhaps will rise few issues during usage but all in all it’s a good investment for students, artists and beginners.

Samsung Galaxy tab S6 Lite

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is an inexpensive version of Samsung’s tablet lineup. Since the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is quite expensive because of its quad speakers, AMOLED display and robust processor, the lite version has almost all features except for the fact the processor is a little slow.  The tab can be found in ALT version and in Wi-Fi version as well.

Over all the processor of Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 lite is powerful because of Qualcomm and Snapdragon 855 SoC.

The tablet has a great battery life considering all android tablets has promising battery life.

S Pen Stylus

The stylus comes with the tablet for free. It is battery free and works fine on the screen. The only issues people raise with the stylus was its less pressure sensitivity and adaptivity.

Expert Opinion: Besides that, it’s a good investment if you are new into art or want to get a tablet for your personal use, the lite version is perhaps the best option. You will get good features in a reasonable price which is a great deal. Isn’t?

Samsung Galaxy Book Flex

Samsung has yet another made an attempt to bring a new tablet that can rise the expectations of the users. Samsung has always been lucky while introducing their 2 in 1 laptop that offers a wide range of feature for most successful results.

Features

With its 15-inch screen and excellent performance processor, Samsung is tempting customers to buy this 2 in 1 laptop that will get Samsung back in the business of PC and computers.

The company has introduced a new feature of Qi-charging which is impressive and the customers are looking forward to see it in other devices as well.

The performance of the tablet is solid and its gives solid battery hours without fail. One thing I love about Samsug is its promising 10 hours battery life. One can’t question their determination to provide health battery life. The keyboard however has some issues that is questionable and the creators should work to mitigate it in the next upgrade.

S Pen stylus

As far as the S pen is concerned, it is not something that was required with the device. The device on its own has built in features however, whenever you detach the S-pen, a pop up of commands will appear on the screen. You can use this pen for notes taking, doodling, drawing and writing.

Expert Opinion: To conclude, it’s a good investment for the price. You will get two in one feature which is a great sign.

Final verdict

I understand buying any product is a big decision considering in this economy and sometimes it can be overwhelming to decide if buying it is even worth investing or not?

Well, to put it simply, if you are into drawing, writing, doodling, taking notes and doing homework online then I would suggest you to invest in this amazing device.

Its not going to only save your time but it is also going to allow you to express your creative self in a more sophisticated manner.

Without exception, drawing is an amazing form of expression. When words fall short, art comes to the rescue. 

Art is not subjected to restriction, it’s a free flow of expression that requires portability, accessibility and surrounding.

With the leap of advancement, now drawings can be created over digital devices. For many years, it was a farfetched idea but thanks to technology that made it possible.

Now with portable drawing tablet, one can draw their vision anywhere without having the hassle to connect the device with the computer.