Best Value Tablet with Stylus: 7 UK Picks Compared
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Compare the best value tablets with a stylus in the UK, from the £189 Lenovo Idea Tab to Samsung models for drawing, study and work.
The best Wacom drawing tablet depends on whether you prioritise the lowest price, a larger working area, wireless connectivity or drawing directly on a screen. The Wacom Intuos S, model CTL-4100K-S, costs £39.98 from Wacom’s UK store and combines a 152 × 95 mm active area with a battery-free pen. The One by Wacom Small costs £35.99 at Currys and is the lowest-priced option in this comparison.
For more drawing space, the Wacom Intuos Medium is listed at £69.98. The Wacom One Medium provides a 216 × 135 mm active area, tilt sensitivity, Bluetooth and programmable buttons. Frequent or professional users can move up to the Wacom Intuos Pro Small or Intuos Pro Medium, both of which include the Wacom Pro Pen 3.
The main distinction is between a screenless pen tablet and a pen display. A screenless Wacom tablet does not show the artwork on its own surface: it translates pen movements to the connected computer screen. A Wacom One 12, One 13 touch or One 14 is instead a display that lets you draw on the image itself.
Choose between the first two models according to your priorities: One by Wacom Small has the lower listed price, while Intuos S has the higher stated resolution and a battery-free pen. Intuos Medium increases the working area without moving into the Pro range. Intuos Pro Small and Medium add the Pro Pen 3 and wireless connectivity options.
These are UK prices checked on 9 September 2026. Sale prices, delivery costs and stock status can differ between the listed stores and retailers.
| Model | Format | Drawing area and features | Verified UK price | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One by Wacom Small CTL-472-N | Screenless | 152 × 95 mm; 2,048 pressure levels; battery-free pen | £35.99 at Currys | Basic drawing and pen input |
| Wacom Intuos S CTL-4100K-S | Screenless | 152 × 95 mm; 2,540 lpi; battery-free pen | £39.98 at Wacom | Beginners and smaller desks |
| Wacom Intuos Medium CTL-6100K-A | Screenless | Medium format; designed for drawing, painting and photo editing | £69.98 at Wacom | Drawing, painting and photo editing |
| Wacom One Small CTC4110WLW1B | Screenless | 152 × 95 mm; 4,096 pressure levels; tilt; two programmable buttons | £99.97 at Currys | Users wanting extra controls and Bluetooth |
| Wacom One Medium CTC6110WLW1B | Screenless | 216 × 135 mm; 4,096 pressure levels; tilt; two programmable buttons | £139.97 at Currys | Users wanting more drawing space |
| Wacom Intuos Pro Small PTK470K0B | Screenless | 187 × 105 mm; Wacom Pro Pen 3 | £194.99 at Wacom | Professional work in a compact setup |
| Wacom Intuos Pro Medium PTK670K0B | Screenless | Medium format; Wacom Pro Pen 3; USB-C; Bluetooth Low Energy | £274.99 at PriceSpy or £289.99 at Wacom | Frequent and professional use |
| Wacom One 14 DTC141W0 | Pen display | 14-inch Full HD IPS display; 309 × 174 mm active area; 98% sRGB; 4,096 pressure levels | £249.98 at Wacom | Beginners and hobbyists wanting on-screen drawing |
All screenless models in the table show the artwork on the connected computer display, while pen movements control the cursor or brush. The Wacom One Small and Medium support Windows, macOS, Android and ChromeOS, use USB-C and Bluetooth 5.1, and include a battery-free pen. One by Wacom supports Windows, macOS and ChromeOS and uses USB-A connectivity.
The Wacom Intuos S is suited to a low-cost computer-based drawing setup. Wacom describes the Intuos range as being designed for drawing, painting and photo editing, and Intuos includes three downloadable creative applications. The S model has a 152 × 95 mm active area, 2,540 lpi resolution and a battery-free pen.
The Wacom Intuos Medium provides more physical space for longer sessions and broader strokes. Its listed special price is £69.98, compared with £39.98 for the Intuos S. That makes it the more suitable Intuos format when the smaller active area feels restrictive, while retaining a lower price than Intuos Pro.
Neither Intuos model displays the artwork on the tablet itself. The tablet translates pen movements to the computer screen, so the computer and its creative software remain central to the setup. This screenless design is also why the Intuos S and Intuos Medium can be considered alongside One by Wacom rather than directly alongside a Wacom One pen display.
The screenless Wacom One Small has a 152 × 95 mm active area, 4,096 pressure levels, tilt sensitivity and two programmable buttons. It is listed at £99.97 at Currys. Its USB-C and Bluetooth 5.1 connections support Windows, macOS, Android and ChromeOS.
The Wacom One Medium increases the active area to 216 × 135 mm while retaining 4,096 pressure levels, tilt sensitivity and two programmable buttons. Currys lists the model at £139.97. Wacom’s eStore lists a CTC6110WLW2B version at £84.98, and the product page shows that version as out of stock.
Compared with Intuos, the Wacom One models provide more pressure levels and modern wireless connectivity. Compared with Intuos Pro, they have a lower price and a simpler specification. The Small is easier to fit into a limited workspace; the Medium gives more room for larger movements.
The Wacom One 12 is an 11.6-inch pen display with a 1,920 × 1,080 IPS screen, a 257 × 145 mm active area, 4,096 pressure levels and a battery-free pen. It is designed for users who want to place the pen directly on the image rather than look at a separate computer monitor.
The Wacom One 13 touch has a 13.3-inch 1,920 × 1,080 IPS display, a 294 × 165 mm active area, 4,096 pressure levels and a battery-free pen. The larger active area gives more room than the One 12, while the touch designation identifies a different interaction format from the screenless Wacom One Small and Medium.
The Wacom One 14 has a 14-inch Full HD IPS display, a 309 × 174 mm active area, 98% sRGB coverage and 4,096 pen-pressure levels. Wacom’s UK store describes it as designed for beginners, students and hobbyists. At £249.98, it is a route into on-screen Wacom drawing without moving to the higher-priced professional ranges listed here.
Wacom says its One pen displays support Windows, Mac, Android and ChromeOS and use a single-cable connection. That makes the One display range relevant for buyers searching for a Wacom drawing tablet with a screen, while the Intuos ranges remain the simpler choice for a separate-monitor setup.
The Wacom Intuos Pro Small has a 187 × 105 mm active area and a 215 × 163 mm body. It includes the battery-free Wacom Pro Pen 3 and is listed at £194.99. Its smaller footprint suits a compact desk or a setup where portability matters more than maximum drawing space.
The Wacom Intuos Pro Medium is listed at £289.99 by Wacom and from £274.99 by PriceSpy before delivery costs. It supports USB-C wired connectivity and Bluetooth Low Energy wireless connectivity. The Pro Pen 3 is battery-free, and the included stand has standard, felt and rubber nibs.
Creative Bloq gave the 2025 Intuos Pro Medium five out of five in testing, highlighting its accurate, smooth and customisable performance, as well as its build quality. The review considers it suitable for professionals and hobbyists but notes that the price may deter beginners. Intuos Pro is therefore differentiated by its pen, construction and connectivity features rather than by being the lowest-cost route into digital drawing.
Yes. Wacom tablets are designed specifically for pen input and digital drawing. Independent testing of the 2025 Wacom Intuos Pro Medium found accurate tracking, smooth pen performance, useful customisation and strong build quality. The practical differences between models are the active-area size, whether a screen is included, connectivity and pen features.
Huion and XPPen generally offer lower prices, so Wacom is not automatically the best value for every buyer. Wacom’s advantages are associated with pen performance, build quality and a mature driver ecosystem. For a buyer who values those factors or expects frequent use, the higher price of an Intuos Pro can be easier to justify than for someone buying a first tablet for occasional drawing.
A Wacom tablet driver is needed for the full functionality of the Intuos Pro. Wacom’s current UK driver page lists Windows and macOS driver 6.4.13-4, both with a last-update date of 28 April 2026. The official Wacom Center is used to manage tablet drivers and device settings.
To connect a Wacom drawing tablet, Wacom’s instructions say to connect the device to the computer with the included USB cable, install the Wacom driver and then start using the tablet. The connection depends on the model: One by Wacom uses USB-A, while Wacom One Small and Medium use USB-C and Bluetooth 5.1. The Wacom One pen displays use a single-cable connection and support Windows, Mac, Android and ChromeOS.
For an Intuos driver download, use Wacom’s official driver page rather than treating the product name as a separate software package. Wacom Center is the relevant software for managing the device after installation.
For a low-cost first purchase, the Wacom Intuos S is the most direct choice at £39.98. Choose Intuos Medium when you need more working space, Wacom One Small or Medium when tilt, Bluetooth and programmable buttons matter, and Intuos Pro Medium for a larger professional setup with the Pro Pen 3. Choose Wacom One 14 when drawing directly on a screen is more important than using a separate monitor.
Neither is universally better. A screenless Wacom tablet requires a computer but is designed for computer-based creative software and a specialised desktop workflow. An iPad is a standalone, portable touchscreen computer. The comparison depends on the iPad model, stylus, software and price; Creative Bloq describes the Intuos Pro as not being an iPad replacement, although it can be used portably in a limited way.
Wacom is not automatically better for every buyer. Comparisons associate Wacom with stronger build quality, pen performance and driver support, while Huion generally competes with lower prices and generous specifications. Huion may therefore be attractive for maximum hardware value, while Wacom may justify its higher price for long-term reliability, established software support and professional use.
“Wacom tablet” is the general category, while Intuos is one Wacom product range. Intuos models in this comparison are screenless tablets for drawing, painting and photo editing. The range includes the compact Intuos S and the larger Intuos Medium, while Intuos Pro adds the Pro Pen 3 and USB-C/Bluetooth connectivity.
