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I know that a few of you out there are into Graphic Design. If you’re one of those people, you probably own a Graphics Tablet. I have one, but I just don’t use it much. I have a top five list submitted by Majid to help you purchase the right Graphics Table for you.

• Size can seem like a major issue when purchasing a tablet, but I can assure you bigger is not necessarily better. It can depend on what purpose you use the tablet for. For general home users and your usual hobbyist, the most ideal sizes can range from 4″ by 5″ or even 6″ by 8″. But if your an artist, designer or illustrator you may desire a larger surface area to give you more freedom on the tablet. Be aware, the larger your tablet surface is, the more you will need to move your arms. That is why many prefer a smaller size tablet to minimise arm movement. Smaller tablets can also limit your movement. So if you’re a budding artist who paints and performs large sweeping motions, I would recommend a bigger size tablet.
• Graphics tablets can seem quite expensive these days, with the majority of the tablets ranging in the 2-3 hundred pound mark. But… prices are dropping. However, manufacturers are beginning to offer tablets aimed at the home user. These tablets are generally priced around 1 hundred pound mark or less, though they lack some of the professional features of the more expensive tablets. In a general sense, you get what you pay for.
• Most tablets provide pens, which are generally very comfortable to use. Before purchasing your tablet, check if the pen takes batteries, as this can make the pen heavier, making it feel very bulky and you may start to feel it on your wrist.
• I have been using a graphic tablet for 6 months, but have only began getting used to it. To all those who want to buy a tablet, it will not necessarily make you draw better. Yes! You can adjust the tablets’ sensitivity to suit your drawing style. But in fact for me, drawing on a tablet was much harder than drawing on paper. I advise you to learn to draw on paper, then move to digital. If it is for general Photoshop retouching and other media-related actions, you should be just fine. The best tip I can offer is to practice! practice! practice!
• All tablets require drivers, so you’ll want to make sure that your manufacturer provides a driver that is compatible with your operating system. You might also want to look at what kind of features are provided in the driver software for the tablet you are purchasing. The driver controls many aspects of how the tablet functions, for the higher priced tablets you maybe offered many advanced features and capabilities. It’s always worth your tme to look to make sure you get the best out of your money.

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