Graphic tablets, I need advices

I know this question has been asked before, but I tried a search and couldn't find anything for some reason, maybe the search wasn't working well I don't know, but anyway I have a question about graphic tablets.

I would like to buy a graphics tablet to design clothes and other items, but I am still not sure which one I should get. Mainly the best cheap possible lol, in other words I can't afford to pay $500 for a tablet at the moment, but I would still like a decent one of course.

I hope you can help me

The absoulte best way to answer is to have you search the forum's archives. Somebody asks this VERY good question every three or four months, and the answers are always helpful and always the same. Use the box labelled "Search this Forum" and type in the keyword "tablet". You'll find just what you are looking for. As a teaser, try this thread ....

Get a Wacom or don't get a tablet at all. It's that simple. That's not fanboyism talking, or blind brand loyalty, or anything like that, and no, I don't own any stock in the company. The fact is no other brand even comes close to offering the performance level of Wacom, not to mention durability and reliability. Even the cheapest Wacom you can get will beat the pants off the very best of the best of all other brands. I can't stress this point enough. The difference is beyond night and day.

Here's a quick breakdown of the different Wacom lines, just so you know what does what:

Intuos - This is the top of the line. Intuos tablets feature double the resolution and double the pressure sensitivity of the Graphires, Bamboo Funs, and Bamboos. They also sense not just the pressure, but the tilt of the pen as well, which is something none of the others do. Additionally, there are several useful accessories available for Intuos (different types of pens and mice), which are not available for any of the other lines.

Bamboo Fun - This is the midrange line. They're great starter tablets. Eventually, you'll probably want to upgrade to an Intuos, but if you're looking for an inexpensive tablet to start out with, Bamboo Fun is the way to go.

Graphire - Most of the Graphire line was discontinued when the Bamboo Fun came out. The only one to survive was the wireless version. In my opinion, getting a Graphire Wireless is not the best idea. Wired tablets are more reliable, and less expensive.

Bamboo - Bottom of the line. I don't recommend the Bamboo because its eraser is not pressure sensitive. You'd be surprised how useful a pressure sensitive eraser really is. Also, the Bamboo doesn't come with a mouse. (Not that tablet-mice are really all that useful anyway, especially on small tablets.)


Whichever one you get, be prepared for the fact that it will take you a few days to get used to using a tablet for the first time. It will feel a little awkward in the beginning. But after you've had a little practice with it, you'll never go back to painting with a mouse. Ask anyone who's got one, and they'll agree. Once you start using a Wacom, you won't know how you ever existed without it.

People often ask for advice on sizing. It's really a matter of personal preference. I usually recommend getting the biggest one you can afford. You can always subdivide a big tablet into a small drawing area, but you can never make a small tablet bigger. I find that the closer in size a tablet is to the screen, the more natural it feels to use it. Some people do prefer a small drawing surface, though. To help you decide, print out a few images of tablets from the Wacom website at full size, and then draw on them, to see how it feels to operate within the various size constraints.


I've got two Intuos 3's currently. My main one is a 12x19", which I'd sooner sell my first born into slavery than do without. It's arguably the most important device I own. It's exactly the same size as my 24" monitors, so it's perfect for me. I also have a 6x8", which I use with my laptop.

Before I got the big Intuos 3, I used a little 4x5" Graphire 3 (not made anymore) for several years, so I've had 3 Wacoms in total. They've all been wonderful. I gave the Graphire to a friend when I got my second Intuos 3. He ended up replacing it with a 6x11" Intuos 3, and he then passed the Graphire on to his brother. The damned things last forever.

Thanks a lot for the help, I really appreciate. I will certainly get a Wacom, you totally convinced me, not sure which one yet, but I can probably get the 6" x 8" to start with.