Nowadays, nearly every drawing tablet in the market works perfectly well on Mac computers. You shouldn’t worry about what is the best drawing tablet for a Mac, but instead think about what is the best overall drawing tablet. In order to save you some time, I will tell objectively what’s the best graphics tablet available right now regardless of whether you own a Mac or any other computer: it’s the Huion KAMVAS GT-191.
This drawing tablet is the most balanced option as of today and it has been receiving raving reviews since its release. As months go by, the popularity of this device only increases proving that this is, without a doubt, the best option. You may read the reviews and check out the price by yourself in order to fully understand what I’m saying.
I have written quite a few posts about this drawing tablet because it’s simply a superior product. I still haven’t found a better alternative to this one and I believe it may take a while before another brand or even Huion is able to come up with something better at this price range.
Since you’re looking for a drawing tablet that works on a Mac, you should know that the KAMVAS GT-191 is compatible with the MAC OS X10.11.0 and all of the versions above it.
Why is the Huion KAMVAS GT-191 the best drawing tablet for a Mac?
Because it has all the features that a professional drawing tablet needs while it costs as little as what you would expect for a rather amateur device. The combination: feature-rich, professional and affordable rarely comes by and that’s why I consider this particular drawing tablet to be a gem.
Besides being fully compatible with Mac computers, this Huion has the most critical characteristics that you should look for in any graphics tablet, such as:
It has its own screen
The drawing area is large
It has two of the best digital pens (stylus) available in the world
It’s compatible with all the relevant software
It comes with an adjustable stand
I will dive into each one of these topics in order to show you how important they are:
It has its own screen
Very cheap drawing tablets don’t have a screen, they’re simply plastic boards that you draw on and that are capable of tracking movement in order to turn them into lines on a screen of a computer. Even those graphics tablets that are not particularly cheap tend to not have a screen.
This means that having a screen is a luxury.
As a professional artist I can assure you that this is one of the most desirable traits of a graphics tablet. Being able to draw directly on the screen allows you to be much more accurate and to have a much better experience while working on your projects.
If I had to pick the most important aspect of a drawing tablet, I believe that having a screen would probably be it. Even if someone with great arguments could convince me otherwise, I’m sure that the presence of a screen would still be on the top 3 of the most important characteristics.
I still haven’t come across an artist that thinks differently.
The bottom line is, if you’re making an investment on your future as an artist, designer, 3D modeler, photographer or any other profession on the visual industry, it’s better to start right.
Important Observation
The fact that this drawing tablet has its own screen does not mean that it doesn’t need to be connected to a computer.
You still need a computer to use the Huion KAMVAS GT-191. All the software you’re going to use, whether it’s Adobe Photoshop, Adobe illustrator, Corel Painter, Manga Studio, Maya, 3D Max, ZBrush or any others are not going to be installed on the drawing tablet itself, but on the computer that you will connect the tablet to.
The drawing area is large
Having a large drawing area allows you to draw more freely, effectively and bolsters productivity. Even for those who are getting started now, drawing on a larger surface makes the whole process more comfortable and fun.
The larger the drawing area, the least you will have to use the zoom tool to take care of details. This saves time and patience while allowing you to work better and consequently create more interesting artwork.
Don’t get me wrong, a larger drawing area will not automatically make you a better artist, but it surely helps keeping you on the right mindset to create better pieces.
It has two of the best digital pens (stylus) available in the world
Most graphics tablets come with a single stylus (digital pen), which has a certain amount of pressure levels. Any given pen may have: 1024, 2048, 4096 or 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity.
The higher the level, the better the pen because it’s able to track subtle differences on the way you draw.
A pen with 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity isn’t necessarily bad, but it doesn’t come even close to it counterparts.
The best possible pen you could ask for is one that has 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. This means that the pen is highly responsive and translates very accurately the movements of the user to the screen.
The Huion KAMVAS GT-191 comes with two pens that have 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. Not only you get the best possible pen, but you get an extra one in case you lose the first.
It’s compatible with all the relevant software
Of course you need a drawing tablet that is compatible with a Mac, but what good would that be if said tablet was not compatible with the software you will use on a daily basis, like Photoshop, Illustrator, Painter, Maya, 3D Studio, ZBrush and so on?
The KAMVAS GT-191 works with all of them and I still haven’t found an image based software that does not work properly with it.
Of course that if you pick an extremely obscure software that nobody uses, there will be a chance of it not being fully compatible with your drawing tablet, but this is definitely an exception.
It comes with an adjustable stand
I’m relatively young, but my back is absolutely ruined from all the years I’ve hunched while drawing. I’m trying to get things fixed now, but it’s hard and I honestly do not believe that I’ll ever restore the healthy spine that I once had.
I can’t stress this enough: you need to use a stand while drawing! Do not hunch! It takes time before your posture deteriorates, but once you’re there, it’s a hellish torment to heal. Not to mention all the pain that I feel if I sit for too long.
The Huion KAMVAS-GT 191 already comes with an adjustable stand that will allow you to maintain a decent posture while drawing and I honestly believe that this is one of the greatest things about this drawing tablet.
As artists, all we want to do is draw, paint and create. Our health and posture tend to be sidelined. Do not let this happen to you, it’s just not worth it.
Important observation
Even if you decide to get another drawing tablet, make sure to order a stand as all. Never ever draw on a tablet that is resting flat against a table. You need to have a comfortable angle in order to use your graphics tablet is a manner that preserves your back.
Conclusion
There’s a number of great drawing tablets out there, but it all depends on what you’re looking for.
If the lowest possible price is what most interests you, then it would be a good idea to read this post: 10 cheapest drawing tablets.
If what you’re looking for is a graphics tablet that doesn’t require a computer, reading a post about the best standalone drawing tablets will make your choice much easier.
But if what you truly want is a graphics tablet that is affordable, feature-rich, reliable and that will work exceptionally well on a Mac, then the Huion KAMVAS GT-191 is precisely what you need.
Do you have any questions? Make sure to leave a question below. I’ll get back to you right away.
Remember to practice your drawing skills and to keep on creating!
Bruno Santos
