Best graphics tablet for photo editing 2023 - Our top picks

Getting one of the best graphics tablets for photo editing is likely to be a useful purchase if you're wanting to edit photos on the go.

Tablets are versatile devices, whether you're going for a powerful graphics tablet or the best tablet under 100.

On the one hand, they can be used for web browsing and taking photos, and on the other, they can carry out more intensive tasks such as design work and photo editing.

Much like with some of the best laptops for illustrators or best graphic design monitors, to get the best photo editing experience on a tablet, you're likely to have to opt for a more premium device.

These are likely to have some high-resolution displays with bright responsive screens, as well as powerful internal elements with a high quantity of RAM and storage.

This is especially important for storing the photos you need to edit and also the editing programs themselves.

You may even want to opt for a specific drawing tablet for photo editing, as opposed to a standard tablet, which may offer a better experience given they are specially designed for drawing, with pressure-sensitive styluses.

With all this in mind, weā€™ve selected these tablets based on our research into their specs, features, general reviews, and other general points that we think make them worth considering, plus, weā€™ve answered some of your most frequently asked questions so you can pick the best ones for you.

So with that being said, letā€™s get into it ā€“ here are some top picks for the best graphics tablet for photo editing available today.

Best Graphics Tablet For Photo Editing

Best Graphics Tablet For Photo Editing Wacom - Wacom One

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Image Credit: Wacom
Brand: Wacom | Display Size: 13.3 inches | Display Resolution: 1920x1080 | Stylus Support: Yes | Connectivity: Wired (can also be used as a standalone device)

The Wacom One looks like a great all-round choice for photo editing, especially given itā€™s also one of the best drawing tablets out there, too.

What youā€™ll find on offer here is a FHD screen, complete with 72% NTSC colour space coverage that should allow for some decent all-round colours, which are integral for photo editing, as well as a total screen size of 13.3 inches, giving you some good screen real estate to utilise.

NTSC is another example of a key colour gamut, where 72% coverage of that space is equivalent to 99% sRGB.

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In addition, the Wacom One connects up to devices conveniently via a single USB and HDMI cable and is compatible with a vast range of different devices, as well as plenty of software suites including the likes of Adobe Lightroom, which can be quite powerful for photo editing.

Youā€™ll also find a stylus with this drawing tablet that features 4096 pressure levels that can allow you to grab some more precise inputs, as well engage in any sketching you wish for, alongside photo editing, which makes this quite a versatile offering.

Best Graphics Tablet For Photo Editing Apple - iPad Pro (M1, 12.9 inch)

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Image Credit: Apple
Brand: Apple | Display Size: 12.9 inches | Display Resolution: 2732x2048 | Stylus Support: Yes | Processor: Apple M1 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: Up to 2TB

For those wanting all-out power when it comes to photo editing, the 2021 12.9 inch iPad Pro Looks like a fantastic choice.

What youā€™ll be getting here is a device thatā€™s powered by the same M1 chip that powers modern MacBooks, complete with its eight cores that offer some incredible performance for both photo editing, and more general day-to-day work.

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In addition, the 2021 iPad Pro also features a large 12.9 inch display that should give you plenty of real estate to work on. The display itself should also be immensely sharp thanks to being Mini LED-backlit, which offers up 1600 nits of peak brightness to give you a vibrant editing experience.

Mini LED screens also have a vastly increased number of dimming zones, which results in a screen that has impressive contrast capabilities, to make those colours really pop.

If you'd like to keep your iPad Pro protected as you work, it's likely that one of the best screen protectors for apple pencils could help.

You'll also find plenty of storage to store your photos and apps on, ranging from 128GB to up to 2TB. For those also wanting to use this as a companion to your MacBook, then thereā€™s also some handy Thunderbolt connectivity, too.

Best Graphics Tablet For Photo Editing Lenovo - Lenovo Yoga Tab 13

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Credit: Lenovo
Brand: Lenovo | Display Size: 13 inches | Display Resolution: 2160x1350 | Stylus Support: Yes | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: Up to 256GB

Continuing on the theme of larger screens brings us to the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13, which should be a brilliant choice for photo editing and graphic design in general.

With it, you'll be getting the powers of a vibrant 13 inch 2K panel that should offer some excellent vibrancy, which will be great for graphics work, as well as usage in conjunction with the Lenovo Precision Pen 2 stylus for more precise applications.

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Underneath, the Lenovo Yoga Tab 13 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 that should help it to multi-task effectively and offer great levels of power for either basic productivity work or more intense design tasks.

There's also a choice of either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, giving you a fair amount of capacity to play with for loading files on and off and installing important apps to help you with your work

Best Graphics Tablet For Photo Editing Microsoft - Microsoft Surface Book 3

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Image Credit: Microsoft
Brand: Microsoft | Display Size: 15.6 inches | Display Resolution: 3240x2160 | Stylus Support: Yes | Processor: Intel Core i7-1065G7 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: Up to 512GB

The Microsoft Surface Book 3 a brilliant choice for photo editing if youā€™re after an immensely versatile device.

As well as being a tablet, you can also connect the device up to the included keyboard dock, which turns the Microsoft Surface Book 3 into a laptop, so you can use it as either a standalone touchscreen device, or as a laptop, complete with the power of Windows 11 and the vast swathes of photo editing apps on offer.

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When it comes to specs, youā€™ll find an Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor inside, which should offer you some reasonable power, and a GTX 1650 4GB GPU should also provide you with some handy graphical oomph for running intense programs.

As for its display, youā€™ll find the Microsoft Surface Book 3 features a 15.6 inch 4K panel that should provide you with some vibrant colours that are also nicely accurate with 100% sRGB coverage.

Best Graphics Tablet For Photo Editing Samsung - Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

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Image Credit: Samsung
Brand: Samsung | Display Size: 14.6 inches | Display Resolution: 2960x1848 | Stylus Support: Yes | Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 256GB

Samsung makes some of the best tablets out there, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra represents the companyā€™s most premium offering which should be an immense choice for photo editing.Ā 

What youā€™ll find is a large 14.6-inch Super AMOLED display, complete with a 2960x1848 resolution that should be incredibly vibrant and colour accurate, and a 120Hz refresh rate will also ensure output is nicely smooth.

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As for its processor, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra makes use of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which features eight cores, and should be nice and powerful for even the most intensive tasks. Alongside this comes 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM; if you want more storage, thereā€™s also a microSD card slot which supports cards up to 1TB in size.

For editors on the go, battery life is also integral, and handily, Samsungā€™s latest candidate features an 11,200mAh capacity that should be good to last you for a very long time.

Best Graphics Tablet For Photo Editing XP-Pen - XP-Pen Innovator 16

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Image Credit: XP-Pen
Brand: XP-Pen | Display Size: 15.6 inches | Display Resolution: 1920x1080 | Stylus Support: Yes | Connectivity: Wired (can also be used as a standalone device)

If youā€™re after more of a mid-range choice, then the XP-Pen Innovator 16 should certainly serve you well.

It features a sizeable 15.6-inch display which also looks to have a wide colour gamut and space coverage thanks to 88% NTSC and 92% Adobe RGB, as well as 125% sRGB.

In addition, youā€™ll find the XP-Pen Innovator 16 comes bundled with a handy stylus for extra precise work, and with 8192 pressure points, it definitely means you could use this tablet for as much drawing as editing.

There are also some useful shortcut keys on the left-hand side of the tabletā€™s display so any functions you use constantly are kept within easy reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy a graphics tablet for photo editing?

In our humble opinion, we'd say that a graphics tablet for photo editing represents a rather good purchase, given those sorts of tablets are rather powerful and should certainly be up to the task of editing photos, as well as being used for more general applications when you're not involved in Photoshop.

How much should I spend on a graphics tablet for photo editing?

This all depends on the kind of tablet you're going for. Spending up to $500 will get you a good mid-range tablet that you can use for bits of photo editing, as well as accurate drawing.

Spending up to $1500 will get you a high-end tablet that will be a powerful device that can be used for more than just photo editing.

What should I look for in a graphics tablet for photo editing?

There are a few key things to take into account with a graphics tablet for photo editing.

One of the first things to look for is that you've got a bright and sharp display that's also colour accurate so your photos will look rather good.

Moreover. you'll also want to make sure the tablet has enough power inside to run photo editing applications Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop with regards to its processor, as well as RAM.

Having a good amount of storage is also advisable for the purposes of storing the photos you'll be editing, as well as the programs themselves you'll need to edit.

Do I need a graphics tablet for Photoshop?

This is really down to personal preference. If you're going to be using Photoshop on your PC, but you want more accurate inputs, then getting a specialist graphics tablet, complete with a pressure-sensitive stylus, that you can connect up to your PC is arguably going to be a good investment.

However, if you're editing photos on the go, then a more standard tablet with a powerful display and stylus support should get the job done.

Can you use a drawing tablet to edit photos?

You most certainly can. To be truthful, using a drawing tablet is a great way of editing photos given the precision on offer with proper stylus support.

In addition, some drawing tablets can have bright and vibrant displays with good colour space coverage, which is perfect for intense tasks such as photo editing.

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