Summary
Below are some comparisons of the things I was considering.
- Galaxy considerations: s10, s9, s8
- Ipads
- Microsoft surface
- Rog Flow
Ultimate Contenders:
| Device | Processor | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Tablet S10 Ultra | MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ | High-performance android device. |
| Rog Flow | AMD Ryzen AI Max 395 | Performance for creative work and gaming |
| Microsoft Surface | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor (12 core) | Long battery life and advanced AI tasks |
The Long Version
I have been putting this off for some time. The idea of being able to actually draw on a screen appeals to me. But I am old school. So old school in fact, I remember individually coloring pixels in Paint around 1997 or so. I was in grade school then. I would invade my brother’s room (because he hogged the computer) to use Paint. I have been resistant to justifying the cost of a tablet because I already have other devices.
To prove to myself that I didn’t need a tablet, I sat down with a drawing app that was new to me - Krita (free, recommend) one day and built a whole scene with mouse clicks.
"Mouse-click" art.
It was not efficient to say the least and I remembered why I don’t do much illustration on the computer. The truth here is that by being resistant I have most certainly limited my own personal growth. So, what’s the real cost here? I justify the expense with a more global view of my life.
When tablets first came out, I thought, “what am I possibly gonna do with that?” I saw no need for a glorified smartphone.
I knew I was being resistant to tablet life. But I had a wakeup call when a friend and I talked about building a game together. I needed to be able to make concept art quickly.
After spending a day making full-sure that using a mouse was too frustrating for my needs, I subscribed to a multi-day tablet research project. Being initially repelled by the seemingly high-cost of a new tablet, I tested a Galaxy S 5e that was readily available - woof. Do not recommend. XD
The Galaxy S 5e(very old) does not support S-pen. I figured I was flexible, so I ordered a stylus to see if that was acceptable. The stylus took a few days to arrive. Once it did, the package was nowhere to be found. It was found 3-5 days later in the driveway under the snow. The wind must have blown it away. I tested the Galaxy S 5e right away with the new stylus. I discovered 2 things:
- The screen was too small for my liking.
- The stylus offers no pressure sensitivity. Eww.
I spent the next few days drawing on my smartphone at night with the tiny stylus it came with.
I was trying to convince myself that I was going to commit to digital art to justify a tablet purchase.
The hand cramp was enough evidence.
I wanted to be completely unbiased about my search for a drawing surface, so I investigated multiple possibilities. This included both standalone tablets and dedicated drawing monitors. Keeping my intentions and expectations at the forefront, as much as I knew a drawing monitor is probably the best option for an artist, my desk was already crowded and I wanted the flexibility to draw anywhere. I didn’t want to be forced to be connected to a computer.
This was a pivoting moment in my search. So the first thing you need to do in a drawing surface search is be real about your application for such a device. I knew I wanted something I could be cozy with before bed or casually on the couch. I needed both flexibility and power. So I stopped looking at Kamvas, Huion, XP… whatever. This idea was supported after testing out drawing on an ipad 10th gen, which was bigger and faster than the old Galaxy S 5e.
So we have decided on a standalone tablet. But which one? There is a plethora of brands, abilities, and supported apps. That last one, supported apps, was ultimately a big deciding factor.
- I did not want the restrictions of an ipad. (Only apple stuff…)
- I did not want the restrictions of a galaxy tablet. (Can’t use Illustrator or Photoshop…)
Did I even want a tablet?
I heavily considered the Galaxy S8, S9, and S10. But it just didn’t sit quite well with me after finding out that a lot of the apps I wanted were not supported.
What is a tablet, that is also a computer, but not a laptop? XD Yes I know, very demanding. Since I was entering hefty-price tag land, I figured I might as well look at all available options.
I found 2 contenders with power and speed in mind:
- Microsoft Surface - Supports use of Slim Pen
- Rog Flow - Supports use of Asus Pen (yes, that’s a thing!)
I was heavily leaning into the idea of the Microsoft Surface. But I did one final search. I searched for a surface product with a specific processor in mind. The first search with those terms the answer became clear:
“Look at me!” said the Rog Flow.
Of course. A Rog. A gaming tablet - that makes all kinds of sense! This should be able to support all my needs and then some. The icing on the cake here is really that I found one for half price from a pawn shop on ebay. I got everything I wanted for less than I thought I would have to spend. A win, for sure.
I ordered the Asus Pen 2 after securing my tablet. It has a comfortable weight to it with two buttons and is charged with USB-C. The pen battery will last for at least a few hours, although I have yet to give it a full charge and see how long it lasts in an extended drawing session. The Rog has a detachable keyboard so it’s just like a tablet. It weighs more than a tablet - a consideration for some, but it doesn’t bother me at all. My experience with a used Rog Flow and the Asus Pen 2 has been pretty much seamless after some initial setup. I would definitely recommend it if you are in a similar situation.
First drawing on the Rog Flow:
Experimenting with brushes and getting used to it:
So pretty!
This is fun - I think I'm keeping it.
Top comments (2)
Great post, Anna!
I've been working on a simple cheap Wacom tablet for years and really enjoyed it! Than switched to the latest IPad and now I almost don't draw at all 😭
Devices are never the key, unfortunately 😄
Well, to use a drawing device you must first have access to one, then you need motivation. Haha