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Best Tablet Under 100$: Top Picks for Budget-Friendly Devices

Your choice of the best tablet under 100$ will depend on your needs and requirements. Additionally, you will have to consider the operating system, screen size, processor, and RAM. Under this price range, it is possible to get both screen less and cheap drawing tablets with screens. Make sure to have this in mind as you choose.

Despite having a screen, both drawing tablets need to be connected to a computer to be used. They do not need a computer to install applications. These two options are recommended for a simple writing or drawing tablet.

Wacom Intuos Small and HUION HS611 Graphics Drawing Tablet are perfect examples of screenless tablets with sensitive working areas. Finding a drawing tablet under $100 with an inbuilt screen is not easy. Most options available range between $100 and $200. For the best experience at an affordable price, we recommend the GAOMON PD1161.

If you need a general-purpose tablet for this price range, then the Lenovo Tab M8 HD, Amazon Fire HD 8, and Samsung Galaxy Tab A7. These budget-level tablets have their screen and computer to install software.

The Best Budget Drawing Tablet Under 100$

  1. Wacom Intuos Small: Best Overall
  2. One by Wacom: Best Runner-Up
  3. Huion HS611: Best Budget
  4. XP-pen Star G640: Cheapest drawing tablet
  5. X-pen Deco Pro Best Budget drawing tablet under 100$
  6. XP-Pen Magic Drawing Pad: Best Pen Computer Tablet
  7. GAOMON PD1161: cheap drawing tablet with a screen
  8. Lenovo Tab M8 HD: Best Android Tablet Under 100$
  9. Samsung Galaxy Tab A7

Wacom Intuos Small: Best Overall

  1. 6 by 3.7 inches active area
  2. No screen
  3. 4 Customizable Express Keys
  4. Pen Pressure: 4096 levels
  5. Compatible With Chromebook Mac Android & Windows
  6. Wireless connectivity
  7.  4 Customizable Express Keys

Wacom Intuos Drawing tablet is a small tablet ideal for small working spaces and can be used by both amateurs and experts. It is the smallest compared to Wacom Intuos Medium and Large versions.

You will have a choice between the small wired and non-wired options. The wired Wacom Intuos Small includes Wacom Intuos with Bluetooth, a Small Wacom Pen 4K 6.6 ft USB cable, and 3 replacement nibs,

The wired non-Bluetooth Wacom Intuos Small comes with Wacom Intuos, a Small Wacom Pen 4K 6.6 ft that has only 2048 pressure levels compared to 4096, and a USB cable plus 3 replacement nibs.

Although both are small and cheap, the wireless Wacom Intuos Small will give better value for money.

Wacom is a big and reliable brand when it comes to drawing tablets. They did what they do best; presenting a tablet that experts and beginners can use without any hitches.

This Wacom Intuos Drawing Tablet has incredible intuitive features that make navigating the tablet easy. We aren’t going to dwell on our physical appearance. Let’s go down to the specs. This Wacom drawing tablet has a 6 by 3.7 inches active area offering enough room to work on.

It also has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, making it easier for you to make thin and thick strokes and even edit your projects.

Wacom CTL4100WLKO Intuos drawing tablet also has four keys that you can customize and create your preferred shortcuts. Another plus for this tablet is that it comes with a three-month free trial of EdTech software.

Wacom Intuos Small:

Pros

  • Long-life battery (15 hours when fully charged)
  • Has 4 shortcut keys
  • The pen is battery-free, so you can start working right away when you receive your tablet
  • 4096 pressure levels on the best one
  • It comes with pre-installed software

Cons

  • The screen can get scratched after some time of use

One by Wacom – Best Runner-up

Best Budget tablets
image Credits Wacom
  1. Size: 8.3 x 5.7 Inches
  2. Small Portable Versatile
  3. Ergonomic
  4. Battery-free Pen Included
  5. 2048 Pressure Sensitive
  6. Pen Included
  7. Compatible with Chromebook Mac and Windows

For most cheap drawing tablets, compatibility with different devices is a big problem. One by Wacom stands out for overcoming this problem with an easy and seamless connection with Windows, Android, and Mac OS systems.

When drawing, you need a pen that has high-pressure levels and sensitivity to allow you to draw different strokes and lines. The 2K lines per inch resolution and 2048 Levels of pressure on your pen are just perfect.

The pen quality will ensure a unique pen-to-paper feeling when drawing that will result in a natural drawing experience.

If you like carrying your tablet around, this tablet’s small size and compact nature will make it easy to carry it on the go. It is only 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.3 Inches in size and only weighs ‎15.5 ounces.

One by Wacom

Pros

  • Affordable Price
  • Easy compatibility across platforms
  • Good high-resolution Pen
  • Small size and portable

Cons

  • Small size may limit the user experience
  • No shortcut keys

Huion H610 Pro: best affordable drawing tablet

  1. 8192 Pressure Sensitivity
  2. Battery-Free Stylus
  3. 12 Customized Hot Keys
  4. 10 x 6.25 inches
  5. Digital Art Tablet
  6. Compatible with Mac, Windows PC, and Android

Huion H610 Pro comes at an affordable cost, and the specifications exceed that price by far.  For this price range, the Huion H610 Pro is the best Huion drawing tablet you can buy.

The best thing we noted is its very large drawing area of 10×6.25 inches on PC mode. Compared to the Wacom Intuos Small, this tablet is larger and features better pen pressure levels at 8192 and a large number of shortcut keys.

It packs very many improvements for an additional 20$ price at around 59$ from Wacom Intuos’s Small 39$ price range.

The tablet also has 12 programmable keys that you can set to your convenience such as zoom and change brush size and speed up your workflow.

Huion H610 Pro is a great tablet with superb features and is easy to set up and use. The tablet comes with a pressure sensitivity of 8192 levels and an active drawing area of 10 inches by 6.5 inches.

We fell in love with this Huion H610 Pro tablet because of its compatibility. The tablet works pretty well with Chromebook, Windows 7, and later versions plus Mac 10.11 and other versions. 

However, the tablets only work with mobile phones and tablets powered by Android 6.0 or above. iPhone and iPad are also NOT supported.

Wacom Intuos vs Huion H610 Pro V2-01 (1)

Pros

  • Large drawing area
  • Has an excellent pressure sensitivity
  • Worth the price
  • Features left-handed support

Cons

  • Does not support a wireless connection

XP-Pen Star G960S Plus: best budget drawing tablet

  1. 6×4 Inch Ultrathin Tablet
  2. 8192 Levels
  3. Battery-Free Stylus
  4. Compatible with Chromebook0
  5. Free medium Artist Glove

And here comes another drawing tablet with a spacious working area of 10 inches×6.5 inches. XP-PEN drawing tablets are often pricey, but this time around, the brand has unveiled an affordable model that you can purchase with a budget of less than $100.

Let’s not dwell on the price. The specifications of this drawing tablet are superb for a low price. The screen of this tablet has a paper-like texture that smoothes your drawing experience because there are no lags when sketching or painting on the surface of XP-PEN.

The tablet comes with a passive pen with a pressure sensitivity of 8192 levels. You don’t have to worry about charging or replacing the batteries because the stylus is battery-free.

This tablet is excellent for those who want something portable because it is light and thin, hence comfortable to work with.

That’s not all. XP-PEN Deco 01 V2 has eight customizable express keys that you can set to erase, zoom in/out, and even scroll. This drawing tablet is compatible with Windows 7/8/10 and Mac OS 10.10 and above.

Pros

  • Compatible with most OS
  • Large drawing area
  • Paper-like texture drawing area enables you to sketch seamlessly
  • Ideal for both right-handed and left-handed users
  • It comes with extra accessories

Cons

    XP-Pen Magic Drawing Pad: Best Budget Pen Computer Tablet

    1. Screen Size: 12.2-inch
    2. Resolution: 2160 x 1440 Pixels
    3. Processor:  8-core MT8771
    4. GPU: ARM G57 MC2
    5. RAM: 8 GB
    6. Storage: 256 GB
    7. Expandable using a MicroSD to 512 GB
    8. OS: Android
    9. Pen pressure: 16,384 levels
    10. Battery-free Pen

    If you are looking for an affordable Pen computer tablet the new XP-Pen Magic Drawing Pad is a perfect option for you. It has been produced by the respected XP Pen brand as their first standalone tablet.

    Like iPads and Android tablets, you can use it as a dedicated drawing tablet or for any other professional purpose of your choice without having to connect to a computer.

    Although it is not as cheap as many tablets in this review, it packs great features for a price south of 500$. It comes with a battery-free stylus with EMR tech charging, so you do not need cables to connect. It auto-charges as you use it. For drawing, it has high-pressure levels, up to 16,384 levels.

    Many pro drawing tablets only feature 4096 or 8192 pressure levels, which is lower. For processing power, it comes with an 8-core MT8771 processor and 8 GB RAM capable of gaming and video editing.

    The XP-Pen Magic Drawing Pad is more similar to Samsung tablets than iPads thanks to its Android OS. Like most Samsung tablets, this means that you can upgrade its relatively low 256 GB space to 512 GB using a MicroSD card.

    The display is large and clear at 12.2 inches and 2160 x 1440 pixels resolution. The 16.77 million colors and the 16 k Pen pressure combine with a high color Gamut or accuracy at 109% sRGB. This allows you to view your work or stream in bright and rich vivid colors.

    For those who like teleconferencing and Photography the features a camera almost as good as an iPad Pro. It comes with a 13 MP rear camera & 8 MP front camera. You can capture your web conference on the front camera or document your videos and Photos in high resolution on the rear camera.

    Pros

    • Battery-free stylus with EMR charging
    • Double pen pressure at 16,384 levels on its pen compared to 8192 on most tablets.
    • Large screen with 2160 x 1440 pixels resolution

    Cons

    • Pricey

    GAOMON PD1161: Best cheap drawing tablet with a screen

    • Screen size: 11.6 inches
    • Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
    • Color Accuracy: 72% NTSC/ 100% RGB
    • Viewing Angle: 178 degrees
    • Pen Pressure sensitivity: 8192
    • Pen tilt support: yes
    • Buttons: 8 customizable keys
    • Pen Pressure: 8192

    GAOMON PD1161 is a mid-sized budget tablet that you can buy. It is a pen display tablet and must be connected to a computer to use. Unlike most budget tablets, the GAOMON PD1161 has an inbuilt screen where you will view your work as you draw. It depends on the computer and software installed in it since it has no computer.

    The screen is medium-sized at 11.6 inches in size with 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution. Although this look is bright and high resolution, color accuracy is not the best especially compared to premium tablets like the Apple iPad Pro.

    It features a significantly low color gamut at 72% NTSC/ 100% RGB compared to 120 SRGB. Despite this, the GAOMON PD1161 is still a good drawing tablet part thanks to its AP50 battery-free stylus pen. The pen charges as you use it using EMR technology without the need to connect with cables.

    We cannot emphasize enough the importance of having many customizable shortcut keys on drawing tablets. They help speed up your work by setting them to your quick go-to functions when drawing. It has keys arranged ergonomically along the bottom of the tablet body for quick and easy access.

    If these are not enough, you will have 2 additional keys on the AP50 pen making a total of 8 free keys. For its affordable price range, this tablet is a perfect bargain. You will get far more value than you pay for. Check out our full GAOMON PD1161 review.

    One notable shortcoming is the fact that it is only compatible with MAC and Windows. Finally, the GAOMON PD1161 is perfect for both professionals and beginners.

    Pros

    • 1. Full HD resolution screen
    • Comes with a freeAP50 battery-free stylus pen
    • Up to 8 well ergonomically arranged keys on the tablet body.

    Cons

    • Must connect to a computer to use
    • Not compatible with iPads and Android devices

    How to Choose the Best Cheap Tablet for under 100$

    How to Choose the Best Cheap Tablet for under 100$
    1. Screen Size
    2. Resolution if available
    3. Active Drawing Area
    4. Pressure Sensitivity
    5. Type of tablet
    6. User preference
    7. Wired or Wireless Connectivity
    8. Price

    Tablets have become a crucial requirement for different professional fields and leisure. They add a digital touch to your workflow and allow you to work fast and efficiently with fewer struggles.

    So, you have a budget of $100, and you need a good tablet that works without a mouse, but you aren’t sure what exactly you want. This section has combined some points that you might want to consider before buying your budget tablet.

    Screen Size and resolution

    The working area or screen size plays a crucial part because it determines the user experience and comfort. Pick a tablet with a large working area because it will enable you to watch or draw without straining to fit in a tiny space.

    Stylus Pressure Levels and Sensitivity

    Pressure sensitivity allows the tablet to detect the amount of pressure when making strokes. Most tablets nowadays come with the standard pressure sensitivity of 8k levels.

    The higher the pressure sensitivity levels, the more the tablet allows you to distinguish the strokes you make.

    Shortcut Keys and Accessories

    Some tablets have shortcut keys around them, while some don’t. Bing a tablet with the control keys will save a lot of time because you’ll have your shortcuts at your fingertips.

    Some tablets come with extra accessories; thus, they reduce the stress of buying them separately. Although this is not the main thing to consider, it will save you money if you get a tablet with extra accessories like pen nibs and gloves.

    Responsiveness

    Responsiveness refers to the time needed for the strokes you’ve made to be recorded on the screen. A good tablet will display the strokes immediately, but it all goes down to the specifications.

    Price

    Now that you have gone through the tablets, and gone through the essential things to check out, you have to determine how much money you’re willing to part with to purchase your ideal tablet. Don’t go for a highly cheap tablet because you want something that will work perfectly.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    1. How did we test the tablets under $100?

      All tablets are tested on the same universal test of features for the best user experience. The most important features we consider include screen availability and size if available, resolution in pixels, tablet battery life, price range, and processing power. We have considered different tablet specifications such as the tablet processor and RAM to determine the overall power.

    2. Are cheap tablets any good for students?

      Yes, cheap tablets under 100$ are easy to carry and feature long battery life. You can easily move around your college with them.