The Best Size of Drawing Tablet for Beginners: Small, Medium, or Large?

For beginners stepping into the world of digital art, one of the first questions they face is: What size of drawing tablet should I get? With options ranging from compact, ultra-portable devices to massive professional-grade displays, it’s not always clear whether small, medium, or large is the right choice.

The size of your drawing tablet matters because it affects your comfort, workflow, portability, and even your learning curve. Choosing the right one can make the difference between feeling frustrated and fully inspired in your creative journey. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of small, medium, and large drawing tablets for beginners—and explain why a medium-sized option like the XPPen Artist 12 3rd strikes the perfect balance for most beginners.

Table of Contents

Why Tablet Size Matters

Unlike traditional sketchbooks, digital drawing tablets offer a range of working areas. The size of the tablet influences:

Comfort and Ergonomics
Larger tablets require more arm movement, while smaller ones rely on wrist precision. Beginners need to find a balance that feels natural.
Level of Detail
A bigger canvas can make detailed work easier, but beginners often don’t need a massive screen to practice fundamentals.
Portability
Will you mostly draw at home, or do you plan to carry your tablet to classes, cafés, or while traveling? Portability is closely tied to size and weight.
Budget
Generally, larger tablets cost more. Beginners often want to start with something affordable yet professional enough to grow with their skills.

Small Drawing Tablets

Typical size: 6–10 inches
Best for: Casual sketching, ultra-portability, or tight budgets

Pros:

Extremely lightweight and portable
Budget-friendly compared to larger models
Easy to carry in backpacks or small bags

Cons:

Limited working area may feel cramped
Harder to handle detailed illustrations
Less immersive drawing experience

Small tablets are great for learners who want to explore digital art casually or those who mainly need a tablet for note-taking and quick sketches. However, for beginners who want to build digital art seriously, the limited workspace may feel restrictive.

Medium Drawing Tablets

Typical size: 11–16 inches
Best for: Beginners and intermediate artists who want a balance between portability and usability

Pros:

Enough workspace for detailed projects
Still light and portable compared to larger models
Affordable middle ground between small and large
Comfortable for long drawing sessions without excessive arm strain

Cons:

Slightly heavier than small tablets
May not offer the same expansive feel as large models

This category is often the sweet spot for beginners. A medium-sized drawing tablet provides a comfortable working area similar to a standard sketchbook while still being light enough to carry around.

Large Drawing Tablets

Typical size: 18–24+ inches
Best for: Professional illustrators, animators, and studios

Pros:

Expansive workspace for highly detailed projects
Great for professional use in animation and design
Provides an immersive drawing experience

Cons:

Heavy and not portable
Requires large desk space
Significantly more expensive

While large tablets are impressive, they’re not always the best choice for beginners. The investment is higher, the setup requires more space, and portability is nearly impossible. Unless you already know you’ll work in a fixed studio, a large tablet can be overwhelming for a first device.

Why Medium Tablets Are Ideal for Beginners

Most beginners will find medium-sized drawing tablets the most practical starting point. They:

Offer a comfortable workspace that feels familiar to sketchbook users
Provide enough room to experiment with details without being overwhelming
Strike a balance between performance, portability, and price
Transition well into professional use as skills grow

And one of the best examples in this category is the XPPen Artist 12 3rd.

XPPen Artist 12 3rd: A Perfect Medium-Sized Tablet for Beginners

The XPPen Artist 12 3rd embodies the strengths of a medium tablet, making it an excellent choice for beginners who want portability and professional features in one device.

1. Comfortable Working Area

With an 11.9-inch display and a working area of 264 x 149 mm, the Artist 12 3rd offers enough space for detailed sketches while remaining compact. For beginners, this size mirrors the feel of a sketchbook, easing the transition from traditional to digital drawing.

2. Lightweight and Portable

Weighing just 719 grams, the tablet is easy to carry in a backpack. Whether you’re heading to art class, a café, or traveling, the slim profile ensures portability without compromising usability.

3. Vivid, Accurate Display

The 1920 x 1080 resolution combined with 99% sRGB, 97% Adobe RGB, and 97% Display P3 coverage provides lifelike color accuracy. Beginners can trust that the colors they see on screen are true to life, which is especially important for learning digital painting fundamentals.

4. Natural Pen Performance

The included X4 Smart Chip Stylus offers 16,384 pressure levels, 60° tilt recognition, and a 2g initial activation force. This means even the lightest stroke registers smoothly, giving beginners a natural pen-on-paper feel and helping them build precision.

5. User-Friendly Features

AG nano-etched glass: Anti-glare and anti-fingerprint, reducing distractions and eye strain
Full lamination: Eliminates parallax for improved accuracy
260-nit brightness & 170° viewing angle: Clear visuals in different lighting environments

These features create a comfortable environment for learning digital art without fatigue.

6. Easy Connectivity

The Artist 12 3rd supports USB-C single-cable connection or a 3-in-1 USB-C option, making setup simple and clutter-free. For beginners, this means less time struggling with wires and more time drawing.

7. Broad Compatibility

Compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS, Linux, and Windows ARM, the tablet works with all major creative software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint, and Krita. Beginners don’t have to worry about switching devices or being locked into one ecosystem.

Final Thoughts

So, what’s the best size of drawing tablet for beginners—small, medium, or large?

Small tablets are good for casual use and extreme portability but can feel cramped for serious art.
Large tablets are excellent for professionals but are often too expensive and bulky for beginners.
Medium tablets strike the perfect balance—enough workspace for creativity, light enough to travel with, and affordable for those just starting out.

The XPPen Artist 12 3rd exemplifies why medium-sized tablets are ideal. With its 11.9-inch full HD display, precise 16K-level stylus, accurate color reproduction, and lightweight portability, it offers everything a beginner needs to start their digital art journey with confidence.

If you’re a beginner looking for a tablet that’s not too small, not too big, but just right—the XPPen Artist 12 3rd is one of the best choices available today.