There are tons of dedicated drawing tablets used by artists that let you doodle, take notes, or draw digital graphics. But such tablets are often designed for just drawing and nothing else. What more casual and amateur artists may want instead is an Android tablet with a stylus that works for drawing, as well as other tasks like streaming, gaming, and homework.
You can check our guide on the best drawing tablets if you don't need a proper operating system and apps. But different tablet makers have improved their offerings to the point where you can ditch the idea of a traditional drawing tablet in favor of the best Android tablets for drawing, instead.
Andrew Myrick is a senior editor at Android Central. In between figuring out ways to put retro emulators on everything, Andrew thoroughly enjoys exploring what's possible with Android tablets. He's constantly looking for new and different ways to use tablets, such as replacing his laptop or turning tablets into smart home dashboards.
At a glance
Best overall
The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra from Samsung is an Android tablet that holds nothing back. Its massive 14.6-inch AMOLED display gives you plenty of room to draw or write. It has oodles of power as well, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC under the hood.
Best mid-range
The Galaxy Tab S8 Plus isn't the latest model from Samsung, but it's still quick with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and a bright display. Speaking of displays, this one is a beautiful 12.4-inch 120Hz AMOLED panel.
Best budget
The Amazon Fire Max 11 is one of the cheapest large tablets you can buy, but it still has a solid 2000x1200 screen resolution and microSD card expansion. Its USI 2.0 stylus has plenty of pressure sensitivity for drawing or writing.
Best E Ink Display
The Onyx Boox Note Air 3 is an excellent e-reader, but even better for taking notes and drawing. It's based on Android, so you can download your favorite Play Store apps too.
Best S Pen value
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is a cheaper alternative to the pricier S9 tablets with a lower-quality screen, but plenty of power for drawing. It comes with an S Pen in the box so you can start drawing right away.
Best add-on display
The Wacom One can be used with a compatible Android phone or tablet, using USB-C and a desktop mode like Samsung Dex. With legs to keep it propped up and an excellent stylus, you may not need a new tablet at all.
Best overall
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra lives up to every bit of its name with some of the most powerful hardware ever packed into an Android tablet. It has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on the storage you pick. In our Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review, we found this to be one of the fastest Android tablets you can buy. It has a massive 14.6-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which allows for plenty of space for an 11,200mAh battery that can be charged at up to 45W.
There's no question that this is an expensive tablet, but you end up with a device that can just about replace a laptop in functionality. If you travel a lot, the massive TV-like screen can be great for catching up on YouTube videos or even watching movies. And you'll have plenty of Wi-Fi speed for high-quality video thanks to Wi-Fi 6E support.
Naturally, an S Pen is included in the box, so you can start drawing just as soon as the tablet is set up. The stylus is also IP68-rated and has enhanced sensitivity for less accidental clicks. It can be magnetically attached to the tablet for charging. If this tablet sounds like it will be too big for you, the smaller Galaxy Tab S9 is still a great pick with its 11-inch screen and is one of the Best Android Tablets you can get.
Best mid-range
What makes the Galaxy Tab S8 Plus stand out amongst the best Android tablets is its versatility. Since the Galaxy Tab S4, Samsung has continued to include an S Pen in the box, which removes the need for you to try and find a compatible stylus if you just want to get down to business.
Thanks to the 12.4-inch display, the Tab S8 Plus is more portable than the iPad Pro or Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. You'll still enjoy the same great power under the hood, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 paired with up to 12GB RAM and even a microSD card slot for great processing power and storage for all your artwork.
The biggest reason why the Tab S8 Plus is our pick if you're looking at the best Android tablet for drawing is because of the display and price. Samsung is using its beautiful Super AMOLED panel, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2800 x 1752 resolution. Plus, the S Pen is the newer version, sporting just 2.8ms of latency, as opposed to the 9ms found with the smaller Tab S8.
In practice, our Galaxy Tab S8 Plus reviewer found that the "S Pen and software felt much more responsive than on the iPad Pro" with its popular Apple Pencil.
Best budget
Amazon has a distinct advantage when it comes to pricing hardware since the company makes up much of the cost in in-app sales, subscriptions, and of course, lock screen ads. As a result, the Fire Max 11 punches well above its weight with a large 11-inch display running at a 2000x1200 resolution.
It comes with 4GB of RAM and a MediaTek MTK8188J SoC, so it's not going max Genshin Impact, but our Fire Max 11 review notes that it has some of the best performance of any Amazon tablet. The display has a 60Hz refresh rate, which won't feel quite as smooth under a stylus, but it's an IPS panel, so it's bright with vibrant colors.
This bundle includes a stylus made for the tablet, but you can also use another USI 2.0 stylus if you've already invested or want something with different ergonomics. Amazon includes ads on your lock screen, but if you want them removed, you can pay a bit more for the same tablet. You can also choose to remove lock-screen ads later by paying the difference if you're on a budget.
Best E Ink display
The market for E Ink tablets has exploded over the past couple of years, thanks in large part to the Onyx Boox lineup. Our current favorite pick for those who want the best Android tablet for drawing, but prefer an E Ink screen is the Onyx Boox Note Air 3.
The metal build makes it feel premium and sturdy, while the massive E Ink Carta 1200 display worked beautifully in the two months we used it for, both, reading and sketching. There are some limitations for the latter aspect, like a slight delay when creating strokes, and you can't duplicate a layer or copy large drawings. But we didn't find any issues for good ol' note taking. It ships with a protective case and the Pen Plus, which can attach to the tablet after you're done with it.
While Onyx has its own built-in note-taking application, the fact that this is powered by Android 12 and has the Play Store pre-installed means that you can download any drawing app of your liking. Your results may vary though as not all apps are optimized for E Ink displays. If you need a color display, there's a Note Air 3 C model for $100 more, which comes with a Kaleido 3 color ePaper screen which can display mellow hues.
Overall, the Note Air 3 is a fantastic e-reader that works just as well for taking notes or doodling. It can last a week on a single charge, and it's lightweight and portable.
Best S Pen value
If you don't want to spend a ton of money but still want access to Samsung's excellent S Pen features, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE is a good starting point. This tablet has a 10.9-inch display that runs at 90Hz, so it feels reasonably responsive under the stylus. Unlike a lot of other cheap tablets or discounted older models, it was released with Android 13 but has already been updated to Android 14.
You can get this tablet with Wi-Fi 6 only or get a version with 5G that can be activated on just about any carrier. It's powered by Exynos 1380 SoC from Samsung, which can keep up with everyday tasks like reading, browsing, or drawing just fine, but will struggle with 3D gaming.
One thing to note is that the display uses a TFT LCD panel. This older LCD tech is known for having poor viewing angles and color distortion when viewing it off-axis. If you are planning on using your tablet for watching movies, it will be worth the extra money for you to upgrade to the proper Galaxy Tab S9 series with AMOLED displays. However, if you're looking for something cheap with an S Pen in the box, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE still hits the mark.
Best add-on display
We've come to our second "cheating" addition to the list, and that's the Wacom One. This dedicated drawing tablet provides a plug-and-play experience across pretty much any device you can think of. It's even possible to use with many of the best Android phones, let alone Windows, macOS, Android tablets, and Chromebooks.
With the Wacom One, you can choose from a 11-inch or 13.3-inch display. The latter makes it feel like you're actually writing or drawing on paper. It's one of the reasons why many opt for a screen protector with a matte finish on tablets like the Tab S9 or iPad Pro. The pressure-sensitive pen is included in the box and is designed in such a way that you shouldn't get fatigued as easily as using other stylus options.
It's easy to understand why the Wacom One is our pick for the best drawing tablet overall, especially since the brand has been making some of the best in that market for years. With support for a multitude of devices across various platforms, the Wacom One may not run Android, but it's an extremely compelling option if you're serious about drawing and have other Android devices at home or at work.
How to choose
These are the best Android tablets for drawing
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While the list of best Android tablets for drawing is dominated by Samsung's tablets, it's for a good reason. With tablets like the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus and Tab S9 Ultra, you not only have a stylus in the box, but Samsung continues innovating. Having a latency as low as 2.8ms is absolutely incredible, and when paired with the best drawing apps, these tablets are just second to none. They also have some of the best displays out there with AMOLED panels and 120Hz refresh rates.
But the truth is that outside of the stylus-specific features, the gap between Samsung and other Android tablets is getting slightly smaller. The Amazon Fire Max 11, for example, has some incredible hardware for the price. While its Fire OS software won't be to everyone's taste, you can still side-load the Play Store if you want. You can bundle it with a pen, or buy it alone and grab a USI 2.0 stylus down the line.
What is USI 2.0?
While Samsung's S Pen is impressive, it's a bit disappointing it can't be used with more devices. USI 2.0 is a standard that looks to address the problem of proprietary styli with a single standard that companies like Google can use to add high-end stylus capabilities to their products. The Google Pixel Tablet, for example, supports USI 2.0, so you can use a stylus like the Penoval USI 2.0 Pen with 4,096 pressure points.
This standard has also made its way to a number of other devices, including some of the best Chromebooks, like the Acer Chromebook Spin 714. Just be sure you pick one of the best styli with USI 2.0 support to get the full feature set.
