Which is the best graphics tablet to buy to use with a Mac?

These days, most graphics tablets are cross compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux, although, there was a time where this was not the case even though most digital artists used Mac's for their day jobs. Buying the best tablet for your iMac or Macbook is important for several reasons. You need to ensure that the tablet you buy is going to work and also be capable of allowing your total creative freedom without restriction. Sometimes, buying a cheap graphics tablet can be a great way to test the water and get into digital art and photo manipulation - but is buying cheaper a good idea or not? In this article we will discuss the current best selling graphics tablet for use with a Mac - the perfect partner to your existing computer.

What points do I need to think about when buying a graphics tablet for Mac?

The great thing about Mac computers is that they often "just work", letting you plug in peripherals and use them without struggling to find the driver disk. The main thing you have to be aware of when choosing your product is that it works with your particular version of OS X. Another main consideration will be price - how much are you prepared to spend? It is a good idea to look at your intended use for the tablet and match it to the price. Don't buy the best on the market if you are only going to let your children use it for doodling. Do you want a product that is portable to use with your MacBook or one for an iMac at home?

Our picks of the best graphics tablet for Mac:

1. Wacom Bamboo Create Pen Tablet

This larger version of the popular tablet will give you the space and capability to design, draw, edit and work with any kind of digital file on your Mac. Wacom are the world leader when it comes to graphics tablets, so this is almost a no brainer. People buy the Wacom Bamboo Create Pen Tablet because it works seamlessly with their Mac and it works out of the box. The pen is easy to use and is cable-free, leaving you free to work with programs such as Photoshop, Corel Painter and more. Mac users will benefit from a CD of programs and tools to help you get the most from your Wacom Bamboo tablet, adding extra apps, functions and uses for this excellent tablet. The price of this model is also very low for such a large, full featured product.

2. VT PenPad 7.7-Inch Graphic Pen Tablet

The VT PenPad is a very different tablet to our previous choice. Price is an obvious difference but the main selling feature of this product is that it is designed to be portable, flexible, lightweight yet still effective. Many people are choosing this entry level graphics tablet due to the excellent price and the fact that it is a perfect product for the first time user. Students will love the fact that it can be put into a rucksack or bag and taken to college to use for note taking and business professionals can tuck it into their laptop bag to take with them to meetings. The VT PenPad is perfect for kids and those who are not wanting to spend too much money.

Our pick of the best graphics tablet for Mac:

Out of the 2 we have chosen, which are both at different ends of the spectrum, our pick would be the Wacom Bamboo Create Pen Tablet. This is due to the fact that Wacom are not the industry leaders in these products for no reason. The quality of their tablets is second to none and they are the choice of professionals. The Bamboo range is ideal for beginners or experienced digital artists alike and reviewers have even commented that it is "better than you'd expect for a fun tablet" and to "Give a tablet a try, you'll be amazed once you do!".

Our recommendation: Wacom Bamboo Create Pen Tablet

Incoming search terms:

VT PenPad 7.7-Inch Graphic Pen Tablet (Black) List Price: $39.99 Sale Price: $36.91 You save: $3.08 (8%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days

The manufacturers have touted this as the "newest, most affordable and lowest priced graphic tablet on the market". It has been designed for people who want to test out what using a graphics tablet is like, without hurting their pockets too much. Made to work with Mac and Windows computers, the VT PenPad is a great tablet if you want your kids to get into digital art, work with marking up documents or draw, paint and design.

VT PenPad 77 Inch Graphic Pen Tablet Black $32.00

The VT PenPad is also designed to be portable and light. The material it is made from allows it to bend and ply like a heavy duty mousemat, all without damaging the product itself. It could be the perfect tool for the "road warrior" businessman type who needs to be able to sign digital documents when out of the office. It is also perfect for students who can take it with them between classes or lectures. With 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, the pen and tablet are great for doing drawings, sketches and notes.

• Learning Tool: Great tool for children and adults alike who are new to the graphics tablet world.
• Everyday use: Virtual tool for everyday use, are slimmest and most flexible tablet ever
• Drawing Tool: VT PenPad is designed for beginning and advanced artist alike.
• Great for Travelers: The most ideal tablet for travelers, no need to sacrifice for performance for versatility.
• Ideal Gift: Is a gift that is sure to be on the list of any traveler, professional, student, artist, or any one that uses a computer.

Pros:
The VT PenPad is lightweight and portable and easy to set up and use.
The pen uses AAA batteries and the usage life is good.
Cheap to buy - will not put a massive dent in your wallet for a first time user.
Works with PC and Mac - compatible with all of the software you use today and more.
Great for children to use - not too expensive to worry about but good enough to use every day.
Comes with a driver disk that also allows you to download graphics software to turn you into a digital artist.

Cons:
Cheaply manufacturered - could have been better produced - may lead people to consider a more expensive model.
The pen feels a little light and cheap - you may want to invest in another Vistablet version.
The USB cable between the tablet and the computer is quite short - you may need to buy an extension cable.
Some users have found the tablet to be slow and unresponsive to input.
The pen may be too large or chunky for very small hands.

VW PenPad Review Conclusion:
This product is a great entry level graphics tablet and is priced as such. The reason why people buy this product is that they are confused or curious about if they will use a graphics tablet and they want to test the water. We don't expect that a digital artist will buy this product, but it is certainly ideal for your grandmother who wants to experiement or for your children to play with. It would also suit students who are on a budget too.

From a technical perspective, the tablet offers many features of more expensive models at a fraction of the price. Many users of the VT PenPad are very happy with it and have recommended it to others. Sometimes, cheap and cheerful is perfect!

Incoming search terms:

Wacom Bamboo Create Pen and Touch Tablet (CTH670) List Price: $199.95 Sale Price: Too low to display   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

The new Bamboo models are thinner than the previous versions and have been redesigned to allow digital artists to work with maximum comfort whilst also allowing them to be creative at the same time. There are 4 buttons on the Bamboo Pen and Touch that allow you to turn the touch facility on or off, right click the mouse to bring up the contextual menu in which ever application you are using and bring up the "Bamboo Dock" application. The buttons all work well - after all, they just need to "click" and they have been textured slightly so you can easily determine where they are when drawing or holding the tablet.

Bamboo Pen and Touch Wacom CTH460 $59.99

Wacom Bamboo Create Pen and Touch Graphics Tablet CTH670 $73.00

Wacom CTH460 Bamboo Pen and Touch Small Tablet NEW $74.99

Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch CTH 460 $45.00

Bamboo Pen and Touch Wacom CTH460 $89.95

Wacom Bamboo Pen And Touch $59.99

Installation

Installation is no problem. In fact, when I plugged this into my Mac, it worked straight away with no need to add additional software! I did install the application from the CD though as I thought it would most likely add extra stuff for Adobe products. On a Windows PC, I would expect that you would need to install the drivers before anything could happen. The provided USB cable is nice and thin too, which cuts down on the bulk of the device. Next to the USB connection on the tablet is a small cover than can be removed to add a wireless (bluetooth) connector if you want to be totally portable from your Mac or PC. This would only be for comfort really.

Software

The Bamboo Dock application allows you to install small "apps" to use with your Bamboo tablet. These can range from simple games to full blown painting and drawing apps, such as SumoPaint, which is free on the Mac. I guess this is Wacom's idea of their own "App Store" and I expect they make some cash from it somehow. To be honest, I usually have this turned off when drawing, but I can see the appeal for some users. As with other graphics tablets, you can turn it around to be a left handed version if you want. When you install the drivers and software, it will ask for your handedness and assign itself accordingly.

Pen And Touch

The pen itself is the usual Wacom design and is light, easy to use and features 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity. Flip the pen over and Photoshop turns the selected tool to the eraser for you - very clever stuff. You also get some replacement nibs too, as I will expect that they will wear down over time. The tablet surface has a slight texture to it too, probably to allow some kind of feedback whilst drawing. My only complaint would be that the pen has to be very close to the surface to be detected. I am sure this was not the case with an older Wacom model I had back in 1998. When you are not using the pen, it slides snugly into the small ribbon tab at the end of the tablet - perfect if you are using it at home with little children around who like to play!

The touch feature is very handy and was not something that I would have thought I would have used, but I am glad I opted to buy the model with touch added. When working with Photoshop, for example, you can draw, then use 2 fingers on the tablet to pinch (resize) or pan around the document. Very handy indeed! Saves you fro reaching for the mouse all the time. You can also use the panel as a touch interface for all other operating system commands on a Mac, so you can flick through photos with your finger and stuff like that. If you are thinking of buying one of these tablets, then I suggest you spend that little extra and choose the touch version if you can. It all feels very natural if you have used an iPad before.

Should I buy the Wacom Bamboo Pen And Touch graphics tablet?

To conclude, the newer models of the Wacom Bamboo range are excellent, cheap, funky graphics tablets that deliver 100% of what you would expect from the leading manufacturer in this area. Although not as good as the Wacom Intuous range, or as "professional" as the interactive pen display models, this tablet is perfect for the home user who is interested in photo editing or digital art. The quality is solid, the design is perfect and you will find yourself creating digital masterpieces in no time at all. If you don't mind spending a little more money, the Wacom Bamboo Pen And Touch graphics tablet is the perfect choice.

Incoming search terms:

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td><img src="http://www.graphicstabletreviews.com/images/B000GLQZJI/http://www.graphicstabletreviews.com/images/B000GLQZJI/31dvQxjKqqL._SL75_.jpg" /><td></tr><tr><td>The DigiPro WP5540 is an excellent budget graphics tablet for the casual user who does not want to spend more money to get a Wacom Bamboo or Intuos. Because it is also compatible with older operating systems, it would be perfect for someone who has an older PC and would like to try out a graphics tablet. Sure, it isn't a Wacom, but does match up against a similar model admirably. A WP5540 is not going to make you draw or paint any better than a Wacom will, but the overall experience and quality of the more expensive models wins (in my opinion).<td></tr></table>

Incoming search terms:

The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book: Creative Techniques in Digital Painting List Price: $59.99 Sale Price: $24.98 You save: $35.01 (58%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book: Creative Techniques in Digital Painting

Coming from a being a traditional artist or complete novice to using a graphics tablet can be a very steep learning curve. Artists who are used to paint, pencil or charcoal will miss the tactile interaction with paper and canvas and the new user may be baffled by exactly how to obtain the right colors and effects they want. Luckily, there is help at hand! Apart from trawling YouTube for videos of speed painting or techniques, this book offers real examples for learning to paint digitally in Photoshop or Corel Painter.
The author takes you through many different examples with tasks for you to complete with exercises for the different types of image you might want to make or effect you want to produce.
From Amazon.com:
Despite its fame as an image-editing tool, Photoshop has never been about painting—that is, not until recently. With a new paint engine, however, Photoshop 7 is now about editing, compositing, effects, and painting—and award-winning artist and author Cher Threinen-Pendarvis is here to show you how you can use both Photoshop and Painter with pressure-sensitive tablets to improve your drawing skills and open your mind to new artistic possibilities.

In this volume—which is as much art book as guide—the author of the Painter Wow! series steps you through a variety of real-life projects designed to improve your drawing, composition, and conceptual skills while exploring different digital tools. Along the way, you'll learn how to set up a pressure-sensitive tablet and stylus; use mark-making tools in Photoshop and Painter; create tonal, gestural, and contour drawings; and more. Best of all, in addition to helpful screen shots, you'll find beautiful, full-color, progressive views of the art being produced. Anyone who wants to use these tools to improve their drawing skills and enhance creativity will find all the instruction and inspiration they need in these pages.

The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book by Cher Threinen Pendarvis $34.95

The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book Creative Techniques in Digital Pa $9.86

The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book by Cher Threinen Pendarvis 2005 $35.00

The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book Creative $55.10

Incoming search terms:

As you can see from the following list of the top 10, best selling graphics tablets at the time this post was published, that Wacom feature heavily and there is no sign of them being challenged any time soon.  The top selling models are the cheaper versions of the Wacom range, with one of their higher end models at number 9.

Incoming search terms:

This is what the graphics tablet landscape would look like if there were no products made by them. The smaller, less well known products (that are equally as good in our opinion) would be all that is left on the shelves and high end graphics professionals would be forced to use these models to do their work.

It is not all doom and gloom though. A simple USB graphics tablet will perform very adequately for the majority of the work that people do. The greater levels of pressure sensitivity or higher DPI do make a difference if you are a digital artist, but otherwise and simple product from someone like Genius will suffice.

Here is a list of the current best selling graphics tablets, without Wacom included.

Incoming search terms:

Just taking a quick glance at the best sellers without Wacom included, we can see other manufacturers such as Genius, Adesso and DigiPro coming up fast, but selling no where near as many items. With the iPad just being launched today we can expect that some people may begin to create more digital artwork which may, in turn lead to more graphics tablet sales overall. We shall see.

Incoming search terms:

Wacom Techno Cintiq 21UX 21-Inch Interactive Pen Display PC Tablet With Pen and Software List Price: $2,299.00 Sale Price: $1,999.00 You save: $300.00 (13%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

The new Cintiq 21UX from Wacom is another triumph in their excellent line of pen tablets. This new model brings all of the latest technological advances in tablet innovation and delivers it all in a solid package that will let digital artists, designers and creatives draw, paint and write without restriction.

The 21UX features 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity and allows you to rotate the display by 180 degrees in each direction too. The LCD display area is bright and responds well to the stroke of the wireless grip-pen, which has also been refined and is very comfortable to hold and use for long periods of time. To rub something out, simply flip the pen over and begin to erase - the same as a normal pencil. This erase function also allows the use of the 2048 levels of pressure, so making minute or subtle changes is easy.

The tablet stand is totally adjustable too allowing you to incline it between 10-65 degrees. The stand also allows you to quickly unhinge the panel section totally and use it on your lap, or how ever you feel comfortable. The panel did get a little hot during our (brief) test, so I am not sure that having it resting on your legs for long periods of time would be a good idea.

As with the other Cintiq models, the 21UX has an array of quick-access keys and selectors around the edge of the bezel. This makes them very easy to access with your spare hand and they are fully customisable too. If you need to scroll around a document, you can hold the relevant button and then move the page with your pen. After a while, this gets very intuative and natural. You can also use the touch sensitive touch strips for quick zooming, scrolling or adjusting the size of your brush or tool. Unless you are used to using a tablet that has these kinds of additions, they may seem a little gimicky, but they will soon become essential to your productivity. Each strip has an LED that lights up to tell you what mode it is operating in and they are very easy to use.

Wacom supply the usual excellent drivers and software and this interactive pen display is compatible with PC and MAC too, so there are no issues to report there. Once you have registered the tablet online, you are able to download lots of software demos for the major products from Adobe or Corel. Although this cuts down on the items in the box, it may be a pain if you are not connected to the internet.

Wacom CINTIQ 21UX 21in Graphics Monitor Digital Pen $1,865.00

Wacom cintiq 21UX $1,250.00

Wacom Cintiq 21UX 213 213 Inch Interactive Pen Display Graphics Tablet $2,067.56

WACOM CINTIQ 21UX 21 LCD GRAPHIC TABLET DTK2100 CINTIQ21UX $1,945.00

Wacom Cintiq 21UX 2G 2nd Gen Graphics Interactive Pen Display Tablet DTK 2100 K0 $2,450.22

Wacom CINTIQ 21UX $1,100.00

ACK 40001 WACOM INTUOS4 Cintiq 21UX Accesory kit $38.00

Screen Protector Wacom Cintiq 21ux 2nd Gen $29.95

Wacom CINTIQ 21UX 21in Graphics Monitor Digital Pen $1,899.00

Incoming search terms:

Incoming search terms: