XP-Pen
Artist 13.3 Pro Drawing Tablet with Screen
About the product
We tested the XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro Drawing Tablet and were obsessed with the screen
The XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro Drawing Tablet stands out in its niche. While there are many different screenless drawing tablets on the market, drawing-specific tablets with screens are harder to get right. They’re made by fewer brands and therefore more expensive. Despite that, XP-Pen created a winner in its category, and at a price that won’t break the bank.
It was — by far — one of the best that the BestReviews Testing Lab evaluated. This tablet features a 13.3-inch 1080p screen, eight customizable buttons and a spinning wheel that can be set to zoom in and out, rotate and more. With the included adjustable stand, it’s much more comfortable to use to create a masterpiece compared to other flat tablets, and it’s easy for all skill levels to use.
What is the XP-Pen Drawing Tablet with Screen?
Product Specifications
Keys: 8 express keys, 1 wheel key, 2 pen keys | Pen pressure levels: 8,192 levels | Color gamut: 123% sRGB wide color gamut | Resolution: Full HD 1920 x 1080 | Screen size: 13.3”
The XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro is a medium-size drawing tablet with a 1080p screen. It’s one of five different sizes available in the XP Artist Pro series. It’s possible the series may have been created to compete with the Wacom Cintiq series, drawing tablets with screens used by professional illustrators. The XP-Pen Artist Pro series offers a similar experience without having to spend nearly $1,000.
Setup was slightly more complicated than with other tablets because you need to plug this device into an HDMI port and into an outlet. However, once the cables are in the right places, you’re pretty much good to go. While testing the XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro, we used both Adobe Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint and created drawings in each program that took about four hours each. In that time, all the buttons were functional on the tablet and pen in both programs. In the XP-Pen software (Pentablet), it’s easy to customize the buttons, scroll wheel, pressure sensitivity and screen mapping to suit your specific needs.
The device also comes with a built-in (by that we mean pre-applied) screen protector. This antiglare film helps to make the surface feel more like paper. Without it, the device is slippery and weird to draw on, so you shouldn’t remove it.
See how it compares to other products in its space, check out our reviews for the best drawing tablets.
Price and where to buy
The XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro Drawing Tablet retails for $259.99 on Amazon.
Why we like it
The pen is absolutely perfect
The XP-Pen Artist Pro series comes with a PA2 stylus, and is one of XP-Pen’s better models. This pen has an ergonomic shape that’s comfortable to hold, and the buttons can be customized or turned off. Because we often pressed these buttons by accident, turning them off worked best for us. The included pen stand also doubles as a case, which is nice.
Customization makes work efficient
With some of the other devices we tested, we often had to use both the drawing tablet and our keyboard and mouse in order to do everything we wanted to do. With the XP-Pen, the customizable scroll wheel really makes a huge difference, allowing you to zoom in and out. With eight express buttons, we really didn’t feel the need to reach for our keyboard all that much.
The screen is a standout feature
This is definitely the best drawing tablet with a screen that we tested. We didn’t expect it to make that much of a difference, but it’s huge. Being able to see what you’re drawing connected to your hand is much simpler than the learning curve associated with screenless drawing tablets. Plus, the texture of the screen is nice, and it’s HD while still retaining maximum pressure levels.
Ergonomic to use for long periods of time
With the included stand and ergonomic pen shape, this device was easy to draw with for hours on end. We plugged the device in and put it on a desk where a keyboard and mouse would normally go. In that position, it was comfortable and less of a strain compared to other drawing tablets that lie flat.
What we don’t like
Antiglare film isn’t the best
The antiglare film was likely used because it’s cheaper than using etched glass that competitors (such as the Wacom Cintiq line) use. However, we found that it didn’t really compare. First of all, we accidentally removed it because we thought it was a protective film, and second, it isn’t very textured. It does help a bit to make the drawing experience feel more natural, but it isn’t anywhere close to as good as the etched-glass experience.
Included stand and other accessories lack the drawing tablet’s quality
The drawing tablet itself feels extremely luxurious and nice. It’s heavy and well made. However, the included accessories, such as the glove, stand and pen holder, lack that same charm. The glove and stand especially feel low quality. Instead of a separate stand, it would have been nice for the tablet to have a kickstand of some kind. Even if the stand were adjustable, it would have been better.
XP-Pen Drawing Tablet with Screen setup
There are two different ways to set up the XP-Pen Drawing Tablet with Screen. First (for both methods), you connect the USB-C cord to the tablet. From there, you can either connect the HDMI cable and two USB cords to your computer, or you can plug the HDMI cable and single USB cord into your computer and plug the second USB cord into an extender that connects to an electrical outlet.
Really, this just determines where the power is coming from. It sounds complicated, but the tablet comes with instructions that include clear pictures, so the setup really shouldn’t take too long. When we set it up, it was ready to go in roughly 20 minutes.
Design and build quality
The main device is well built. It feels heavy and sturdy, and we think it would be difficult to damage it just by using it normally. Some of the added accessories, however, aren’t as exciting. The anti-fouling glove, pen container and stand all leave much to be desired. We would have liked a nicer pen stand in addition to the one that doubles as pen storage. The stand works, but it’s just plastic, and we could envision it breaking pretty easily when transporting it.
Display quality
The display is a 13.3-inch 1080p screen with 123% sRGB wide color gamut. Compared to our other monitors, the colors were accurate and rich. Obviously, 1080p is not the highest quality, but we didn’t even notice, and for the price, we couldn’t complain. This is likely only something that would affect illustrations if you’re drawing large, highly detailed pieces.
Pen technology and performance
The included stylus is great. It features 60-degree tilt support for shading, and we didn’t notice any input lag when using the device. The 8,192 pressure levels make it easy to draw lines of different thicknesses by changing the pressure on the pen. On top of that, it also has hover support, so you can use the pen like a mouse if needed.
Connectivity and compatibility
We used the Artist 13.3 Pro with both Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint and had no issues with compatibility. The brand states that the device can also be used with Illustrator, SAI, CDR, GIMP, Krita, Medibang, Fire Alpaca, Blender 3D and more. To use this device, you’ll need Windows 7 or later or Mac OS X 10.10 or later. We used this device on a PC with Windows 11.
Shortcut keys and customization
The shortcut keys and customization of this device make it much better. The stock buttons are OK, but we didn’t use them very often. Once we swapped them out for other actions, we used them much more and stopped using our keyboard alongside the device. The scroll wheel is also fantastic. You can not only use it to zoom in and out and rotate, but you can also switch between scroll wheel presets. For example, you can use it to zoom in and out, click an express key to change the setting and then use the same wheel to rotate.
How does it compare to other drawing tablets we’ve tested?
The XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro Drawing Tablet with Screen is definitely the best drawing tablet with screen that we have tested. Some of the others, for example the Picasso Tab XL, didn’t seem to have artists in mind, while the Artist 13.3 Pro was definitely created for artists.
Every aspect of the tablet can be used easily with illustration software. Obviously, this device does not compare to drawing tablets without screens — it’s in a class of its own. We think it’s definitely a better option to purchase the XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro, a budget drawing tablet with a screen, than a more expensive drawing tablet without a screen.
Testing the XP-Pen Drawing Tablet with Screen
During our testing of the XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro Drawing Tablet, we first made sure that all the items were accounted for inside the box, and we then proceeded with the setup as instructed. We tried both setup methods but eventually stuck with the option that plugs directly into the wall. Then, we tested the device with both Adobe Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint to make sure that all buttons and functions worked on both platforms.
From there, we spent about four hours using each software to create illustrations. We tested the stock button options in both software options and then customized the buttons to our needs and made sure those worked as well. We also changed the pressure sensitivity settings to suit our preferences, which was simple within the Pentablet software.
Should you get the XP-Pen Drawing Tablet with Screen?
Overall, we’re very pleased with the XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro Drawing Tablet with Screen. It’s a great device that would be a good tool for all skill levels. If you’re just starting out and don’t want to worry about the learning curve associated with drawing on a screenless tablet, it’s a great option. It’s also a solid choice if you’re upgrading from a screenless tablet. And if you’re looking for something that compares to the much more expensive Wacom Cintiq or Cintiq Pro, you can’t go wrong with this affordable option.