Don't assume that screenless graphics tablets are lesser options just because they're cheaper. Fancy tablets with HD screens might be easier to use, but they don't always make them better. Screenless tablets are their own thing altogether.
A screenless tablet gives you precision for a cheaper price and helps build art skills in the process. Whether you already own a visual graphics tablet or are just getting into the digital art game, a screenless tablet may become your favorite digital art tool.
In this article: XPPen Deco mini4 Drawing Tablet, XOPPOX Graphics Tablet and Wacom Intuos Pro Large.
What to look for
First and foremost, you'll want a tablet with a good stylus. A stylus should feel natural in your hand. This increases comfort and makes you less inclined to over-adjust your new gadget.
Manufacturers will advertise thousands of pressure levels. The higher the number, the more you can control your pen and line weight. This allows fine details and massive brush strokes from the same tiny nib.
A screenless tablet doesn't need much to work. However, simplicity isn't the only advantage of screenless models over other types. Make sure you have the proper connection, wireless or wired, and ensure it's compatible with your device.
Connectivity and compatibility
Graphic tablets are fun but expensive. However, screenless tablets have never been cheaper and are just as powerful in a top-notch digital artist's hands. Screenless tablets give you everything you need for a fraction of the cost.
They don't just work for traditional artists, either. Graphics tablets are an underutilized means of editing photos and videos, designing fonts and game creation. It may require practice, but a graphic tablet in the hands of an experienced user acts as the most precise art tool you'll ever use.
Just make sure the one you get is compatible with your device. Furthermore, if it has a cord, ensure that your computer has the necessary ports to take it.
Screenless drawing tablets are portable
Whether you're a freelance artist who prefers to work when inspiration strikes or an art student who wants an easy-to-use tablet on campus, screenless tablets go inside your bag. While they still require care and common sense, they're less prone to cracks and breakage than graphic tablets.
They hardly occupy a backpack, and the smallest ones can fit in large pockets. You can save even more space by purchasing a compatible model on phones or tablets.
Drawing tablets hone fine art skills
Anyone who has tried to draw on a phone or small tablet has likely learned how quickly hands get in the way. However, this problem is nothing new. Art is about following instincts, and by looking at the screen while you control the stylus with your hand, you'll develop the skills you need to work instinctively while your hand is in the way.
Screenless graphic tablets operate like advanced touchpads with more features and precision. It's hard to do much better, once you're comfortable, than zooming in on your subject's eye and filling in the details without covering the rest.
With practice, the same motor skills you use to sketch while looking at the screen help teach you to look at references using pen and paper.
Best screenless graphic tablets
XPPen Deco mini4 Drawing Tablet
This tablet gives you six customizable press keys and a 4-by-3-inch drawing area that fits in small computer bags and backpacks. This one's great for students who want to take their tablets to campus.
Sold by Amazon
Wacom One
Wacom is among the most trusted brands in graphic tablets, and this one shows precisely why. It offers 2,048 degrees of pressure and is compatible with Mac and PC. The plug-and-play design is ready within minutes of opening the box.
Sold by Amazon
XP Pen Deco 01
This wired graphics tablet doesn't just work on your Mac or PC but also on Android tablets and Chromebooks. Its 10-by-6.25-inch drawing area is larger than your average screenless tablet with 8,192 pressure levels in the stylus.
Sold by Amazon
XOPPOX Graphics Tablet
This is another large graphics tablet with 8,192 levels of pressure that works on your Mac, PC or Android device. However, its 12 customizable keys and 10 multimedia keys (only on Windows) give you more range than most.
Sold by Amazon
Wacom Intuos Pro Large
This Bluetooth graphics tablet is among the most comprehensive options on the market. Its wireless design will work with most modern computers and devices. The stylus and onboard productivity boosters let you fine-tune this to your wants and needs.
Sold by Amazon
XP Pen Star06 Wireless Drawing Tablet
An affordable alternative to the Intuos with wired and wireless capabilities, XP-Pen's screenless drawing tablet gives artists a 60-square-inch drawing area with six shortcuts and a tuning dial.
Sold by Amazon
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Bradley Geiser writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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