Which Wacom Tablet Should I Buy for Drawing

Wacom is a brand known for their high-quality drawing tablets at the upper end of most artists' budget. At the other end of the scale, you have Huion, whose range attempts to fit a more affordable price range.

But should you choose a Wacom tablet or Huion?

This guide compares and explains the differences between the two competitor brands. You'll then learn what to look out for in a tablet to pick one that best fits the way you like to draw.

But first, let's compare some of Wacom's and Huion's most popular drawing tablets.

Contents

• Huion H610 Pro vs Wacom Intuos
  • Size
  • Features
  • Stylus
  • Value For Money
  • Comparison Table
• Huion 1060 Plus vs Wacom Intuos
  • Size
  • Features
  • Stylus
  • Value For Money
  • Comparison Table
• Huion KAMVAS Tablets vs Wacom Cintiq Tablets
• How To Choose A Good Drawing Tablet
  • Size
  • Levels Of Pressure Sensitivity
  • Resolution (LPI)
  • Stylus Pens & Nibs
  • Pen Tilt
  • Multitouch
  • Express Keys
  • Battery & Connectivity
  • Drivers
  • Warranty & Support
  • Price
• Drawing Tablet vs Drawing Monitor
  • What is a drawing tablet and what are its benefits/drawbacks?
    • Benefits
    • Drawbacks
  • What is a drawing monitor and what are its benefits/drawbacks?
    • Advantages
    • Drawbacks
  • What is a Tablet Computer?
• Final verdict: Which is better? Huion or Wacom?

Huion H610 Pro vs Wacom Intuos

Size

Huion H610 Pro: 10 x 6.25 inch.
Wacom Intuos: 6.0 x 3.7 inch (small) or 8.5 x 5.3 (medium).

Features

Huion: 8 express keys, 16 soft keys, rechargeable pen, compatible with Windows and Mac.
Wacom: Bluetooth, flex nibs, Pro Pen 2, software included (Corel Painter Essentials 7, Corel Aftershot Pro 3 and Clip Studio Paint Pro), four express keys, multitouch.

Stylus

Huion: Rechargeable stylus with 2048 levels
Wacom: Battery-free pen with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Value For Money

Huion: Usually under $100, the price of Huion tablets is usually great value for money.
Wacom: Usually double Huion's price, but does have extra features for the extra price.

Comparison Table

Huion 1060 Plus vs Wacom Intuos

Size

Huion 1060 Plus: 10 x 6.25 inch active area.
Wacom Intuos:  6.0 x 3.7 inch (small) or 8.5 x 5.3 (medium).

Features

Huion: Wired only, 8192 pen pressure levels, 5080 LPI, Newly Design Rechargeable Pen, 12 Shortcut Keys and 16 Softkeys.
Wacom: Bluetooth, flex nibs, software included (Corel Painter Essentials 7, Corel Aftershot Pro 3 and Clip Studio Paint Pro), four express keys, multitouch.

Stylus

Huion: Newly Design Rechargeable Pen, with two buttons. 8GB built-in SD Card to help you save your artwork, 8192 Levels of pressure sensitivity.
Wacom: Battery-free pen with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Value For Money

Huion: Excellent value, coming in at under $100 for a good surface area and great features.
Wacom: The small size Intuos does come close price-wise but has a smaller pen display, whilst the medium size is over double the price of the Huion 1060 Plus.

Comparison Table

Huion KAMVAS Tablets vs Wacom Cintiq Tablets

Cintiq is the most desired range from Wacom, featuring full HD displays in a wide variety of substantial sizes, anti-glares, foldable stand and some with multi-touch options.

The Wacom Cintiq range has excellent color accuracy, and can also be upgraded to a Cintiq pro in some sizes. It's most popular product is the Wacom Cintiq 16.

The Huion tablets offering of their KAMVAS range includes a range of features like pen tilt, large surface area, and extremely high levels of resolution. Huion KAMVAS range is often considered the perfect cintiq alternative for those who want to invest in a really good tablet but don't have the budget for a Wacom Cintiq model, such as the Wacom Cintiq 16.

How To Choose A Good Drawing Tablet

Wacom and Huion have an astounding array of different tablets, all with different specifications, sizes and properties, such as sensitivity levels, which can be overwhelming to see. If you attempt to look outside of these tablets, such as with the popular XP Pen brand, there's even more choice.

However, not all of these will factor into an artists decision. Below we take a look at the most important aspects and features to look out for in your drawing tablet.

Size

Surface area is always the defining feature on price, as it's what makes or breaks the user experience. This is why Wacom tablets and Huion have such a large variety of sizes in their available products.

A smaller pen display with a compact surface area may work best for more detailed projects such as photo editing, as it's less likely that you'll need to make broad strokes. However, tablets with a small screen can run into problems with Photoshop. Due to the small size, the software selection tool can be difficult to work with, as it's harder to select a small, detailed area.

However, if you're a beginner, and on a look for a more affordable product, small drawing tablets can be the best way to save money as well as test your interest in digital art.

If you are more experienced, you're going to want to choose from drawing tablets with a bigger active area for drawing. This may feel less confining as you will run out of drawing space a lot less.

Most Wacom and Huion devices connect to another monitor. This means you're also going to want to consider what device you're connecting it to. Matching screen sizes with the monitor will allow for ease of use, unlike a graphics tablet where you can draw right onto the screen.

Both Wacom and Huion offer a wide range of differently sized products, therefore Wacom and Huion are equal here.

Levels Of Pressure Sensitivity

Drawing tablets are pressure-sensitive; just like a real pencil or brush, the pressure you apply on the device with the stylus will determine how your strokes look. However, different tablets will offer different levels of sensitivity in their digital pen which can impact how it feels to draw.

The Wacom vs Huion debate is negligible here, as both Wacom and Huion tablets have at least 2048 levels of pen pressure sensitivity. However, newer tablets have at least 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, and pressure levels are always a good marker of a quality product for artists.

Resolution (LPI)

The resolution on a graphic tablet is different from how we imagine it with tablets like the IPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy, that offer different features besides drawing. Resolution is measured in how many Lines Per Inch (LPI) the pen will pick up, which can be very influential for how you draw as an artist.

Artwork from Mediabang

The LPI tells you how many digital lines fit into 1 inch of the tablet's physical screen. Simply put: the more LPI, the more detailed your drawing will be. For most artists, 1270 LPI will be enough detail to capture your projects accordingly.

Wacom and Huion do differ in this sector, but both of their pen resolutions starting ranges are high enough for the majority of artists. For their price, a huion drawing tablet is particularly good for pen resolution.

Stylus Pens & Nibs

The stylus is often considered one of the most important parts of display tablets for artists, with active, battery-free pens being the most popular style currently. Battery-free pens, common with Wacom tablets, are more durable, reliable and easy-to-use. They use inductive current from the tablet's surface to power the digital pen.

Wacom graphics tablets have a full line of battery-free pens, however, Huion includes them only with their KAMVAS tablets.

Pen Nibs are another component of the stylus feature. Replaceable tips of the pen that wear down over time, pen nibs not being replaced can damage your tablet's drawing surface, so it's worth knowing how to replace them. Both Huion and Wacom throw in additional pen nibs with their tablets which should allow you to comfortably draw for years down the line.

Wacom tablets also offer different styles of nibs, which is unique to their products, offering flex nibs (which are softer plastic) and felt. This was designed by Wacom to make an easy transition for artists used to traditional tools, such as brushes and markers, to Wacom drawing tablets.

A stylus can also feature different ways to erase work, with Wacom tablets offering the Intuos Pro and Cintiq Pro line including a pen that can be used just like a normal pencil eraser for a more intuitive, natural erasing motion.

Other models, including Huion, allow you to program what button on the pen to adapt to an erasing mode, or to choose brush size. It comes down to personal preference which style you would rather use, with both easy to get used to.

Both Wacom and Huion offer a pen holder within their pen display tablet package.

Pen Tilt

This additional feature, seen less in some of the more budget display tablets, can make all the difference if your work involves calligraphy or shading. Tilt support allows the stylus to work even more like traditional tools. This means that when the stylus is tilted, graphics tablets recognise and adapt to the direction and thickness of the line accordingly.

Image Source

Both Wacom and Huion graphics tablets support this feature, but only in specific stylus lines. Wacom's Pro Pens that come with the Intuos Pro and Cintiq model, for example, and Huion's KAMVAS pen line, and so it is worth looking out for.

Multitouch

Multitouch is a feature known to most who use smart technology, as it allows graphics tablets to recognize more than one point of contact.

This allows you to use two fingers to pinch and zoom, or to rotate your canvas. Although these tasks can also be performed with the programmable buttons that most pen tablets offer, or on your keyboard.

Multitouch is offered by Wacom across their Intuos Pro and Cintiq lines, whilst Huion tablets do not offer it. Although this is a nice feature, it's not the most important factor when deciding on a tablet. The price Huion offers may tempt you to leave this feature behind.

Express Keys

Express keys are incredibly common in drawing tablets as the programmable buttons are useful for customizing shortcuts such as Undo, Save and Zoom.

The difference usually comes in how many buttons they provide, with bigger tablets allowing for more buttons which can make workflow easier if you're constantly using your drawing tablet.

All of Wacom models offer these buttons, with Wacom's Intuos Pro adding a Touch Ring which can allow you to zoom in and out by sliding your finger around the wheel. Huion also offers express keys in all but one of their tablets – the Huion 420.

Placement will be another thing to consider, as this will depend on how you like to work as an artist, with some tablets offering ergonomic placement to reduce hand strain.

Battery & Connectivity

Battery and Connectivity is another big thing to consider with drawing tablets. You will have the option of wireless connectivity, using a rechargeable battery for power, or wired to the computer.

If you plan to just work at a desk, a wired model will work fine for you. However, if as an artist you spend a lot of time working away from a desk or reduce the number of cables you have, wireless may be a better option.

The Wacom pen that comes with the Intuos model works with Bluetooth to create a wireless experience, whilst Huion's wireless technique means you will have to plug in a USB adapter.

Drivers

A device driver is a computer program that translates between a piece of hardware and an operating system. If you use your tablet without a driver, the operating system may see it as a mouse, which will reduce its capacity for some of the features.

A driver will differ from different providers, so there's good reason to look at the reviews to see how user-friendly they are.

Warranty & Support

Warranty is something you should be looking out for when investing in a drawing tablet. Wacom's Pro models come with a 2-year warranty, whilst most other tablets, including other Wacom products and Huion, have a 1-year warranty.

Customer service support is another key feature, especially if you're new to being an artist digitally, as you will want to be able to access support if something goes wrong.

Huion offers support via email, Skype or chat, however only operates during working hours in China Standard Time, so you may have to wait a long time to get support depending on where you are in the world.

Wacom, however, has customer service via phone for most countries as well as 24/7 online support.

Price

Price is probably the go-to feature that everyone looks at first. You can notice a difference between Huion and Wacom in this area immediately.

Huion offer very reasonably priced tablets considering their great performance, whilst Wacom offer tablets which are double or even triple Huion's offering.

It all comes down to what features you intend to use and whether it's worth investing more on features that may come in handy to you, such as 24/7 customer support, multitouch, and wireless tablets.

Drawing Tablet vs Drawing Monitor

What is a drawing tablet and what are its benefits/drawbacks?

A drawing tablet, also known as a drawing pad, is a tablet that allows artists to work in a digital form. Most of the tablet will be made up of a sensitive touch or surface where people can draw with a stylus, but it has to be connected to a monitor for it to work. It can also be known as a drawing pad. Other popular brands besides Wacom and Huion include XP Pen.

Benefits

• Accessible: The benefits of this type of pen tablet are that it's very simple and easy to use. There is lots of room for beginners who do not know anything about Photoshop, Illustrator or other graphics software, to adapt and learn with this kind of device. It you are new to digital art, I recommend you check out our list of free drawing programs you can use.
• Transferable: By using a drawing tablet, you are connecting it to your desktop or computer device and therefore software that you already use links to your computer – and is free to use. There is also the option that because you are using your computer, you can share your artwork quickly and easily which is great for the professional artist.
• Similarity: This type of tablet attempts to emulate the feel of drawing on paper, which means that it's easy to adapt and get used to and may feel familiar.
• No restriction: A paper has limited use, which can not only be frustrating for mistakes but can be unfriendly for the environment. With digital art, you are saving on paper waste, as well as giving yourself more freedom to make mistakes.

Drawbacks

• Feels unnatural at first. If you have never used a drawing pad, it might feel weird sketching on your tablet, while looking at the screen. At first, it feels unnatural, but you will quickly develop the hand eye coordination and pick it up quickly.

What is a drawing monitor and what are its benefits/drawbacks?

A drawing monitor allows you to draw directly on to the screen, without being connected to a monitor, and can sometimes be referred to as a pen display tablet, or graphics tablet.

Dependent on the model, some drawing monitors can run the same software as a drawing tablet, but it may not be as advanced due to the smaller processing power of a drawing monitor.

Advantages

• Visibility: A drawing monitor is perfect to see what you are drawing on the screen. There is full visibility, which can make it easier for beginners who may struggle with having to draw whilst looking at another screen. This makes it faster to adapt to.
• Good levels of software: As the drawing monitor has taken the art market by storm, most companies have upgraded their software to match the rising demand. This means that drawing monitors often come with really good software included in their price, which may suit a beginner who's new to digital drawing.

Drawbacks

• Express Keys: Most drawing monitors do not have express keys, as all the work is done on the tablet screen, which can be especially frustrating for those used to brands like Wacom and Huion which feature express keys.
• Expense: These are often much more expensive than a drawing tablet.

What is a Tablet Computer?

Tablet computers are small, flat computers with touch screens that are between a book and a magazine in size. They're like large versions of a smartphone, often with pen displays similar to Samsung products. They aim to combine the features of a desktop with that of tablets.

Image Source

The most popular tablet computers are the Apple iPad Pro and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, who has now expanded to include being able to use their tablets as a drawing monitor, and it is one of the key draws for both companies. These tablet computers often feature full HD resolution which is great for watching movies, or playing games.

Android tablets specifically have a wide range of drawing monitors to choose from. These have similar benefits and drawbacks to the tablet monitor except they, unlike the Wacom drawing tablet or Huion tablets, can also be used to connect to the internet, play games, watch movies. As such, these are often much more expensive, and a beginner  may not want to pay this price.

Final verdict: Which is better? Huion or Wacom?

The Wacom drawing tablet has had longer to refine and hone their drivers within their screen tablet products. This, along with their features and design, mean they have a lot of extra capabilities that Huion's graphics tablet products do not yet offer.

If these features appeal to you, and you're not on a budget, you should look to the Cintiq range, such as the Cintiq 16, or even the Wacom Cintiq Pro. These Wacom upgrades come with a lot of different size options as well as full HD display; Wacom drawing is incredibly popular for good reason.

Huion, however, is the best overall pick when comparing Wacom vs Huion. This is considering  that their higher range products feature similar specs to Wacom products.

Huion also includes some of the desirable features – with tilt function being particularly sought after – and combines this with an affordable price. For artists, Wacom still makes an incredibly pen display tablet, but Huion drawing has the overall edge with its lower price.

If I had to choose my favourite Huion tablet, it would be the Huion KAMVAS Pro 16.

Which Wacom Tablet Should I Buy for Drawing

Source: https://artignition.com/huion-vs-wacom/

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