Best Samsung tablets for drawing; Top 10 Picks

If you are a graphic designer or digital artist, the best Samsung tablets for drawing will provide a great user experience for your creative work. Their tablets deliver powerful performance, colorful and vibrant displays, plus advanced S Pen features at no added cost.

Their tablets are ideal for many tasks, including gaming, digital art, and sketching. Larger and more powerful tablets will offer compatibility with premium drawing and graphic design applications like Adobe Illustrator or Clip Studio Paint.

The new Samsung S8 Ultra, S9 Ultra, and S10 Ultra are some of the most powerful options available.

The main reasons I prefer Samsung for my creative workflow are the large, vivid, and colorful OLED screens, powerful performance, long battery life, availability of free S Pen on purchase, and expandable storage Space. Below, I have compiled my favorite top Samsung drawing tablets for art. At the end of the article, I have explained the factors you can consider when choosing the very best and why.

Top Samsung Tablets Drawing

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is our best overall pick. It comes with a large 14.6 inch 2X AMOLED screen that provides a comfortable working area. It has a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip processor and 8 to 16 GB RAM.

If you are looking for the most affordable option, we recommend the Samsung TAB A7 Lite. This small tablet features a small 8.7-inch screen with a 1340 x 800 Pixels resolution. It features a slim and light weight design that makes it easy to carry around. Its small size and sturdy metallic build make it a perfect tablet for Kids.

1. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra: Best Overall
2. Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultra: Best for Animation
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+: Best for Sketches
4. SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S7: Best for artists
5. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Best tablet with S pen
6. Samsung TAB A7 Lite: Affordable Samsung Tablet
7. Samsung Galaxy Tab A7: Best Budget
8. Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Cheap tablet
9. SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S9 FE+: Best for Beginners
10. SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S9 FE: Long-Lasting Battery

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra: Best Overall

• Screen: AMOLED 2X screen 14.6 inches
• Resolution: 2960×1848 Pixels
• Aspect Ratio: 16:10 ratio 
• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip
• RAM: 8 GB or 16 GB
• Storage: 512 GB
• Pen: S pen Available
• Camera: 13 MP Rear and Front
• Battery life: 24 Hours
• Operating System: Android 13

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra is the best overall large-screen Android tablet. The body is made of sturdy Aluminum with thin bezels in the front to give it a sleek and modern look. The metallic build means that it will not easily break even if it accidentally falls.

Although the large size will limit portability, the long 24-hour battery life makes it possible to use it away from a power source or during your travel. The 16:10 ratio aspect ratio makes it seem even bigger than it is. Most tablets feature a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra has an awesome 2X AMOLED screen 14.6 inches in size. This is a comfortable size for many tasks but you might need to get a stand for the best experience. The screen will display your work in rich and vivid colors thanks to the 2960×1848 Pixels resolution.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultra: Best Samsung tablet for Animation

• Screen Size: 14.6-inch
• Resolution: 2960 x 1848 pixels
• Storage: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
• Ports: 1x USB-C, microSD
• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 octa-core CPU

If you are looking for a tablet that can easily replace your iPad Pro or drawing laptop, the Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultra is your best pick. It is a premium tablet and features a nice 14.6-inch OLED screen that is slightly larger than an iPad Pro.

Additionally, the screen is clear and will display vivid, detailed colors thanks to a 2960 x 1848 pixel resolution. Although it targets replacing the iPad Pro, the screen resolution falls short but is still good for many other tasks.

Some stand-out features on this tablet include the 4K resolution camera that is ergonomically positioned and the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 octa-core CPU processor that will easily run any drawing application.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+: Best tablet for Sketches

• Screen Size: 12.4 inches
• Display Resolution: 2560 x 1600 Pixels
• Processor: Octa Core
• RAM: 6/8GB
• Battery Life: 14 hours
• Memory: 128 GB Up to 512 GB
• Pen: Samsung S Pen

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is our choice for Samsung’s best overall tablet for drawing. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus is 1 of the most powerful Android tablets in the market with an amazing display and the power to handle multi-tasking with ease.

The back is made of aluminum and measures 11.25 by 7.3 by 0.2 inches. 1.3 pounds well-distributed weight makes it feel lighter than it actually is and therefore easily portable.

The front has a stunning 12.4 inch 2800 x 1752 pixel super ammo led display with a 120-hertz variable refresh rate. Color accuracy is spot on with vivid colors and inky deep blacks that give images a rich clear color quality. The screen is also bright enough to use in direct sunlight without any problems.

A Qualcomm snapdragon 865 plus chipset powers the tab S7 plus with 6 gigabytes of RAM and 128 gigabytes of storage which can be expanded to 1 terabyte with a micro SD card.

You can get through just about any task with ease or even handle over a dozen apps without slowing down. The tablet can handle any drawing app I tried, and even gaming is possible with lightning-fast load times and with no lags.

The battery in the tab S7 plus is not long at 8 hours depending on usage. Included in the box is the sensitive Samsung S pen that works amazingly. Although it is a great tablet, as an artist, you can find the features you need on other cheaper options.

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S7: Best for artists

• Screen Size: 11.0-inch display
• Resolution: 1600 x 2560 pixels
• Aspect Ratio: 16:10 ratio IPS screen
• Pen: S Pen included
• Processor: Octa-core
• RAM: 6 GB
• Memory: 128 GB
• Dimensions: 9.99 x 6.51 x 0.25 in
• Weight: 500 g

If you are on a budget, you can go for the Samsung Tab S7. However, you will get a less vibrant screen and shorter battery life than the Tab 7 Plus. The 4 AKG tuned speakers are among the best in any tablet, with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for wireless audio.

The audio is great and loud enough for conference calls and also sounds good when you’re watching videos and movies. One downside, however, is that you can not plug in headphones because it does not come with an audio jack.

The 2560 x 1600 Pixel screen resolution is perfect for artists. Unfortunately, the screen size is a little smaller at 11 inches compared to the S7 + at 12.4 inches. 11 inches for artists is okay, however. The Tab S7 is one of the top tablets from the Samsung brand with an amazing screen and wireless charging S Pen stylus.

6 GB RAM and an octa-core processor make it fast and seamless when using multiple tasks. Storage space is enough to save your files at 128 GB expandable up to 1 TB. The light build of the tablet and up to 15 hours of battery life make the S7 a great portable tablet.

Overall this tablet is a great pick at a good affordable price for features available on the S7+ which is more expensive.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: Best with Stylus Pen

• Display: 10.4 inch
• Resolution: 2000 by 1200 pixels
• RAM: 4 GB
• Internal Storage: 64 GB
• Processor: Exynos 9611

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 lite has a large display screen plus a sleek stylish design. It also comes with an S pen and book cover to give you the best value for your money in this price range. The 10.4-inch screen with 2000 by 1200 pixel resolution, plus 9.6 by 6.1 by 0.27-inch tablet has a great screen-to-body ratio making it perfect for drawing.

It weighs 16.4 ounces making it easy to hold for extended periods and the included S pen is great for drawing, taking notes, or using to navigate through apps. Additionally, the pen also connects to the Essex light magnetically which I think is a nice touch to prevent it from getting lost.

The pen is highly pressured sensitive, making writing and drawing accurate and smooth without visible stylus lag. The S Pen sensitivity works smoothly with a wide range of applications.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S. 6 lite comes with a 2.3 gigahertz Samsung Exynos 9611 processor and 4 GB RAM which allows easy running of any drawing apps. 128 gigabytes of onboard storage plus a micro SD card slot for up to 1 terabyte of additional storage allows you to save your work even if you deal with large files.

The battery life is excellent and will last all day with up to 13 hours while browsing online over WIFI or up to about 8 00 hours watching videos with the screen at full brightness.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 lite is our best-value tablet with amazing battery life and an S pen included. The Galaxy Tab S6 lite is a great choice for students to take notes or creatives to carry as a portable cheap drawing tablet.

Samsung TAB A7 Lite: Affordable Drawing Tablet

1. Screen Size: 8.7-inch
2. Resolution:1340 x 800 pixels
3. Processor: 2.2 GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 5 G
4. RAM: 4 GB
5. Storage: 32 GB expandable to 1 TB

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Lite is one of the most affordable Samsung Galaxy tablets with an S Pen. For artists, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Lite comes with a large 8.7-inch touchscreen display and 1340 x 800 pixels (WXGA+) pixels that is great for viewing your art.

It comes equipped with a 2.2 GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 5 G processor that we found easily runs graphic design applications and can be used for many tasks at a time.

Additionally, 4 GB RAM ensures the Tablet is fast and not affected by unnecessary lags when drawing. However, it is not the best when playing most CPU-intense games.

Storage space is enough at 128 GB of internal storage expandable to 1 TB using a microSD card which is twice as much as the previous model only expandable to 500 GB.  If you are looking for a cheap Tablet, this is the one for you. It balances great features at a great price that will not dent your pocket too much.

The screen sometimes is a little unresponsive and you might need to shop for a good launcher to work seamlessly. Although a great pick, if you a professional artist or take you’re drawing seriously, it is better to choose the more expensive S7 or S6 Lite.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE: Best Value tablet

1. Screen Size: 12.4-inch
2. Resolution: ‎2560 x 1600 Pixel
3. Processor: Octa Processor
4. RAM: 4 GB
5. Storage: 32 GB expandable to 1 TB
6. Pen: S Pen Available

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE is one of the best Android drawing tablets from Samsung. First of all the large 12.4-inch size screen and ‎2560 x 1600 Pixels resolution is perfect for drawing and artists. This is slightly larger than S7 at 11 inches.

Just like the S7 Plus and S6 lite, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE comes with the Samsung S Pen that offers a feel like a real physical natural pen. Similarly, an Octa Processor makes the Galaxy Tab S7 FE work equally fast as the other high-end Tablets.

4GB RAM also adds to the fast seamless running of the tablet and makes it easy to multitask. To save your files, storage space is 64 GB which is enough for artists but is also expandable up to 1 TB using an external SD card.

Although slightly heavier, it is still light and you can easily carry it from place to place. Additionally, the 14 hours of Battery life depends on the tasks making it a portable Tablet.

The tablet is does not need a computer connected to draw so you can install many different apps. For digital artists, however, the Samsung tab S7 FE comes with a preinstalled Clip Studio trial version.

For artists you might need to buy a drawing glove separately because of the very sensitive screen and palm touches may be interpreted as paint on the screen. The speakers are great and loud enough whether you are listening to music or watching movies on your tablet.

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S9 FE+: Best for Beginners

1. Screen Size: 12.4 inches
2. Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels
3. RAM: 8 GB to 12 GB
4. Processor: Samsung Exynos
5. Storage: 128 GB / 256 GB
6. S Pen Compatible
7. IP68 water and dust-resistant
8. Battery Life: 18 to 20 hours

If you are a beginner, then the SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ is perfect for you. It comes with a large touch-sensitive screen at 12.4 inches in size and with a clear 2560 x 1600 pixels resolution. The screen will display rich vivid and accurate colors.

This feature together with perfect S Pen compatibility is perfect for digital art. The high-resolution screen and perfect pen will interact to create a pen-to-paper-like feel as you draw different-sized strokes with ease.

Whether you need a gaming or video editing tablet, the new Samsung Exynos processor and 8 and 12 GB RAM ensure minimal lags on this tablet. Despite its light weight and easy-to-carry body, the is firm, very sturdy, and durable.

It comes with an IP68 water and dust-resistant body that protects the tablet from damage. Like the iPad Pro, it features a fingerprint sensor for security. However, you will notice slight lags as you try to log into your tablet.

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S9 FE: Long-Lasting Battery

1. Screen Size: 10.9 inches
2. Resolution: 2560 x 1600 pixels
3. Processor: Snapdragon 600 Series
4. RAM: 6 GB
5. Storage: 128 GB
6.  IP68 water and dust-resistant
7. Battery Life: 18 to 20 hours

The SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S9 FE is the older SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ tablet version. It is slightly smaller at 10.9 inches and lower 6 GB RAM. Additionally, it has a weaker Snapdragon 600 Series and only 128 GB storage.

Most other features such as the resolution and battery life match up to the SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ at 2560 x 1600 pixels and 18 to 20 hours respectively. Its fast charging capability and lightweight build make it highly portable.

For drawing, this tablet is also compatible with the standard Samsung S Pen which is perfect. If you want to use the tablet outdoors, the IP68 water and dust-resistant similar to its predecessor helps protect the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, making it more durable.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Cheapest tablet

1. Screen Size: 10.5 Inches
2. Resolution: 1920 x 1200 Pixels
3. Storage: 32 GB / 64 GB /128 GB
4. Processor: Octa-core ARM Cortex A53
5.  RAM: 3 GB
6. Battery Life: 5 hours, 51 minutes

Just like other tablets from the brand, the cheap Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 comes with a large  10.5 Inch screen with 1920 x 1200 Pixels resolution. These will display your artwork in rich and vibrant colors.

The compact and small size will be big enough for drawing and easy to carry around in case you are drawing when traveling. Unfortunately, 5 hours, 51 minutes battery life is low and can limit portability.

To run drawing software, you will have a powerful Octa-core ARM Cortex A53 processor and 3 GB RAM. 3 GB is good for simple drawing applications but will lag if you use it for Photoshop or Photo editing.

For the storage space, I found 32 GB and 64 GB to be small because I like saving files on my tablet. I therefore recommend the 128 GB option or an external storage device for the best experience.

Choosing the Best Android Tablet

Choosing the best tablet will be influenced by the purpose you intend to use the tablet. Drawing tablets for example need a large size and high-resolution screen to view your work.

On the other hand, if you need a simple tablet for streaming, you need a good screen and not necessarily complex processors and RAM. For most tablets, you will need to check the screen size, resolution, processing power, RAM, storage space, and price.

Display

If you are looking for a graphic design or drawing tablet, the screen size and resolution are very important considerations. A larger working area is more comfortable when drawing on your tablet. 12 inches and above is recommended for the best user experience.

Some artists prefer smaller tablets for their portability and ease of carrying around in a backpack. 10 and 8-inch tablets are the best in size for portability.

For the best user experience, we recommend Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution and above. If you are not on a budget 2k resolution will give you the best user experience.

RAM

You need to choose a tablet that can easily run multiple programs without lags. The larger the RAM, the easier it is to multitask. We recommend 4 GB of RAM and above for the best experience. RAM will also affect the type of programs you can install. Very low RAM will limit the programs you can install.

Processor

The processor will also affect your tablet’s speed and functionality. If you are getting into art and design, you need to choose a tablet with a powerful processor. This is because most of the software you will use to draw will be very powerful.

A good processor will also prevent unnecessary lags on your tablet. We recommend choosing a new processor for the best experience.

Battery Life

A long battery life will allow you to use your tablet away from the office. You need a tablet with at least 10 hours of battery life and fast charging. A long battery life will also help in your tablet’s portability. You will be able to use it during your travel away from a power source.

Storage Space

This is the space where you will save your files and install applications on your tablet. Most Samsung tablets have a small storage space between 16 and 256 GB. The storage space on most Android tablets is expandable using a Micro SD up to 1 TB.

Make sure to choose a tablet with expandable storage. You will be able to increase your storage space and host more files and applications. This feature is not available on iPads. If you want to upgrade storage space on an iPad, you will have to buy the next iPad size which can be expensive.

Stylus Pen Availability and Compatibility

A pen is very important for drawing. When choosing a tablet, you need to consider whether the tablet comes with a pen or not. If you buy your pen separately, you need to make sure it is compatible with your tablet.

Most of the reviewed tablets come with a Samsung S-Pen which is free and one of the best for drawing. The stylus is active and interacts with your screen as you draw to create your art.

You need to choose one that has high-pressure sensitivity, Tilt recognition, and palm rejection. The pen should also be light and battery-free to give a paper-to-pen feel when drawing.

Frequently Asked Questions