Drawing tablets?

[Outkin 35]

I got myself a nice new laptop and want to do some art on it. I heard about these drawing tablet thingys...apprently they're essential if you want to do some art on a computer. I asked my art teacher and she said I can expect to pay $800-$1000 dollars for a decent one...are you kidding me? Do I actually need this overpriced paperweight? I don't think I should have to pay as much for a computer accessory as I did for the actual computer, that's bogus...what does this actually give me?

[repsol rave 2,963]

i have a very old tablet.

basically it is a overgrown mousepad. 

the one i have uses a stylus to draw on the tablet, and you can draw like you where sketching on paper, but it'll appear on your computer screen.

 

too bad i'm a terrible drawer tough XD

[Hansel 1,512]

If you're just getting started, I recommend getting a Wacom Bamboo. This was the first tablet I owned, it cost me about £50, and I used it throughout my studies (three years). Most people I know start with something along these lines, many people even go on to use it permanently. In fact, I only upgraded to the Wacom Cintiq 13HD a few months ago, which cost me £750, if I recall correctly. 

[ORIGENES 6]

I got a Trust slimline tablet for christmas 2 years ago I never really used it until I got in to the fandom and started drawing ponies. Its a great tablet I think it was around £60 at the time I am not 100% sure. You can get it on Amazon for £53.04. On some of the reviews people reckon its better than the entry level Wacom tablets such as the Bamboo tablet but I have never used a Wacom so I can't compare them. So maybe its worth having a look here is the link if your interested. Amazon

Edited September 20, 2013 by RyanMac

[Outkin 35]

That's much more reasonable....phew! I'll pick one up next time I pop by the store, they have a few in stock

. I'm content with this, but out of curiosity, what would I get out of a $1000 one?

[FruitRiver 355]

I have a Wacom Bamboo tablet, I really like it! I lost the stylus a long time ago but it works well. I only paid 40 dollars for it on Amazon.

[Astralis 62]

I have Wacom Bamboo Pen, this's a very good tablet, compatible with most software. I draw on it for a year and  I love it! <3 

I don't remember how much I paid for it, but it wasn't expensive. Maybe 40 - 50 $? 

[Hansel 1,512]

  On 2013-09-21 at 12:03 AM, Outkin said:

That's much more reasonable....phew! I'll pick one up next time I pop by the store, they have a few in stock

. I'm content with this, but out of curiosity, what would I get out of a $1000 one?

 

If you're going with Wacom, then your best bet is the same thing I have, the Cintiq 13HD. It's a medium sized HD touch screen monitor. Much easier and more fun to with then a tablet without screen imo. It also has adjustable hotkeys and such, which is very handy, and the pen comes with various different nibs. There's also the 22HD, and the 24HD ones, which are larger. Definitely worth the money. I'm actually surprised how cheap it is considering how expensive the old Cintiq range was.