Interested in trying out digital drawing, but want to invest in the best kit?
Then keep reading!
Gathered have meticulously selected and tested four top-tier drawing tablets for beginners, taking into account factors like sensitivity, portability, and value for money.
Today, we focus on the Ugee M808, evaluating its pros and cons to determine its suitability for beginners. Our resident tester, Maddi Lane, recreated a YouTube tutorial image across all the tablets. Stay tuned for her in-depth review!
Summary
The Ugee M808 is an affordable and efficient tablet for beginner digital artists, lacking a display screen but featuring impressive sensitivity and great user-friendliness. Use our link for a 20% discount!
- Buy now from Amazon (£29.99| $39.99)
How we tested
We put the tablets to the test on a MacBook Pro using the latest drivers. This involved examining everything from sensitivity and responsiveness of the stylus, to button functionality. We also assessed how easy they were for beginners to use, and considered factors like portability, compatibility, and value for money.
To bring a real-world perspective, our beginner tester spent hours drawing in Krita 5.2, following a tutorial on YouTube. This hands-on experience allowed us to gain genuine insight into how these tablets perform for those just starting out.
The finished drawing
Ugee M808 review
Key features
- Wired/ wireless: Wired only
- Ports: USB-C x 1
- Compatibility: Windows 7 or later, Mac OS 10.10 or later, Chrome OS 88 or later, Android 6.0 or later, Harmony 2 or later, and Linux
- Applications: Compatible with at least 16 popular apps
- Dimensions: 330.1 x 210.1 x 9.3 mm
- Weight: 493g
- Drawing area: 254 x 158.8 mm
- Display tablet: No
- Sensitivity of pen (min. of 2048; 4096 or more preferred): Up to 16,384 with firmware upgrade
- LPI pen resolution: 5080
- Tilt recognition: ±60°
- RRP: £32 | $39
Sensitivity - 5/5
Screen
The Ugee M80 is not a display tablet, which means you plug it into your device and draw on its surface while looking at your computer monitor. This means the quality of the colour and resolution is dependent on the quality of your monitor screen.
Pressure sensitivity
In terms of pressure, there's a whopping 16,384 levels up for grabs with the available firmware upgrade. Pair that with 5080 LPI pen resolution, and ±60° tilt recognition, and this drawing tablet's up there with some of the really big budget tablets on test.
Functionality - 3/5
Tablet buttons and customizability
With 8 customizable navigation buttons, there are plenty of options when it comes to shortcuts. The pen also had two buttons, for accessing a quick menu and switching between pen and eraser.
Ease of use for beginners
I found the set up to be extremely easy - simply install your desired drawing software, download the driver onto your device, use the cable to plug the tablet in, and you're ready to go.
There were no power cables to faff around with, just the single USB-C to USB-A lead. This did mean I had to use an adapter to plug into my mac, but it didn't appear to cause any lag.
I found the tablet very user-friendly, and the buttons were a pleasant addition although non-essential. Drawing in one place while looking at another took a bit of getting used to, but was manageable.
The pen was quite narrow and no holder or glove was included, and I could sense my hand was going to cramp or slip after a while. The borders of the tablet were quite narrow and not very clear, so sometimes I would run off the end of the tablet without realising.
Feeling confident? If you're ready to move on from your beginner tablet or already have prior experience, check out 5 of the best drawing tablets to take your digital art to the next level.
Portability - 4/5
Size and portability
Weighing in at just under 500g, the Ugee M808 is an excellent option for transporting between drawing stations, or taking to class. However, I wouldn't say it's the most portable as you do need to use it with a monitor, so sufficient desk space is required.
It's just over the width of a ruler, meaning it'll fit nicely in most rucksacks or work bags alongside your laptop. Minimal cables also means you're lugging around less kit.
Battery life
The Ugee M808 doesn't require charging - it takes power from the device it's plugged into. As long as your laptop is plugged into a power source, it'll last forever!
You can plug the Ugee M808 into your Android phone with the USB-C OTG adapter
Compatibility - 3/5
Connectivity
This tablet only has one USB-C port, which is a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you only ever need to worry about one cable or port, but on the other, it means you may need an adapter handy depending on the device you're connecting to.
I used the included USB-C to USB-A cable plugged into an adapter with my Mac, and there was no noticeable lag.
Compatibility
The Ugee M808 is compatible with Windows, macOs, and Android, and at least 16 popular drawing apps. We used Krita 5.2, but some other popular apps include Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, Gimp, and Sketchbook.
Value for money - 5/5
What's in the box
- Ugee M808 Pen Tablet
- Battery-free Stylus
- 10 x Replacement Nibs
- Nib Extractor
- USB A to C Cable
- Quick Guide
- Warranty Card
Overall value for money
I scored the Ugee M808 full marks for value for money - I couldn't quite get my head around how inexpensive it was! For a top-notch quality product, with a huge ratio of pressure sensitivity and everything you need to get started, it's a bargain.
Make sure to use our link for a 20% discount!
Got a bigger budget? Check out 5 of the best drawing tablets to take your art to the next level.
Where to buy the Ugee M808
- Buy now from Amazon (£29.99| $39.99)
Our verdict: should you buy the Ugee M808?
Overall the Ugee M808 scored 4/5 points, impressing with sensitivity and value for money, but falling short on connectivity and lacking a display screen.
Despite the Ugee's low price, it's impressively efficient, making it ideal for artists of any age. While it doesn't have a display screen, this wasn't an issue for us. It's lightweight, easy to use, and perfect for beginners in digital art.
Looking for more drawing tablets?
If you're on the hunt for the perfect drawing tablet and want to check out a few more models before trying, don't miss our roundup of the best drawing tablets for beginners!
