Top 10 Best Graphics Tablets for Drawing, Art & Design in 2018

As a graphic designer, there are many times when the project you’re working on may require you to flex your artistic muscles and pulling out sheets of paper and pencils is unlikely to satisfy the clients’ needs and unless you get it right the first time, is not going to make editing easy.

These days, many artists, illustrators, and graphic designers have started to turn towards using tablets to complete their art projects. A good tablet offers an artist a light, handy, responsive and electronic option to get projects done, even when they aren’t at the office.

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While tablets have been around on the marketplace for more than a decade, for professional graphic designers, many of the tablets that would be considered professional grade won’t be available at your local electronics store.

With all of the tablet choices available, today we’re going to narrow it down and take a look at the best graphics tablet for graphic designers. If you’re ready, we’d like to get started by letting you know what you should be on the lookout for when you start shopping so you can make sure that you’re choosing the tablet that’s right for you.

How to choose the right tablet for graphic design

Before purchasing a drawing tablet for your drawing, art, illustrating or graphic design needs, you must consider the tablet’s:

• active area
• features
• hot keys
• stylus
• model type
• pressure sensitivity
• resolution
• scrollers
• wireless or corded

Active Area

The active area can sometimes be referred to as your tablet’s work area. Simply put, it is the area where you stylus reacts and draws on the tablet. Many graphics tablets will come with a plastic edge or bezel which will come between the screen and the casing. Now, you don’t necessarily need a really large area in which to do your work depending on the interface that you are using, but it should be big enough so that it fits your personal style without the problems caused by running out of room.

The active area on most tablets you can purchase is clearly indicated, but it’s a good idea to double check the size of the screen before you buy the tablet. In fact, check the specifications for the tablet and the words ‘active area’ because the last thing you want to have happen is to end up with disappointment when you realize that it doesn’t have enough room to handle the work you are doing.

Additional Features

With a graphics tablet, anytime you see the term additional features, they aren’t necessarily must-have items, but they can be something you may want to consider when you might be on the fence and struggling to choose between two similar tablets. There are some additional features that can be useful such as HotKeys or even a multi-touch capability. If anything, these additional features are designed to help make operating the tablet easier and overall, a more enjoyable experience.

HotKeys

Also known as a shortcut key, it’s becoming more and more common, with the evolution of tablets, to see ones that come with HotKeys built right into the tablet. These keys are designed to help you save time and streamline your work process so you can focus more on getting things done instead of searching for the apps you use the most. Many tablets will allow you to customize as well as program the keys for your favorite shortcuts, while others will pull the shortcuts you use the most into the hotkeys automatically.

Stylus

For a lot of people, a stylus is a little plastic stick that comes with their child’s Nintendo 3DS or that if you’ve seen one stylus, you’ve seen them not. This isn’t the case if you’re a graphic designer or illustrator. For professionals, the best stylus comes in two forms: battery-operated and electromagnetic resonance (EMR). Although there are differences between them, they are designed specifically to mimic the feel of drawing with a regular pen or pencil.

EMR styluses use low energy levels that are generated by the pen’s circuits which reacts with the active area on the tablet. They tend to be thinner that battery-operated styluses and have a thicker point. On the other hand, a battery-operated stylus is designed with a finer point and made to be used for pen-to-tablet drawing.

On-screen or Flat Models

When you’re looking to buy a tablet to use for your projects, you’re going to run into one of two basic tablet designs. Flat and on-screen models. Now, obviously there can be a price difference between the two of them, but which one is better for you generally comes down to personal preference. The LPI (lines per inch) for an on-screen table will generally be the same the LPI for a flat model tablet.

For some though, using a flat model can take some getting used to. Drawing on a tablet while looking at your monitor or laptop screen can be discombobulating at first, while those who prefer drawing on an on-screen tablet are comfortable drawing right on the screen as they do not have any other option.

Pressure Sensitivity

A drawing tablet typically isn’t something that someone would buy unless they need it for a specific purpose such as drawing, illustrating, or graphic design work. The one that is ultimately chosen has many things considered, but one of the most important is the table sensitivity. Everyone has a different drawing or illustration style. Depending on yours, you may want to choose a tablet with an ultra-sensitive and responsive surface.

Another major factor is the pressure sensitivity, although this is a hardware issue for the tablet. Pressure levels on tables start at about 300 levels of pressure and go up to around 3000. In this case, the higher the number, the more responsive the tablet will be for you. For illustrations and design work, the optimal pressure level to look for on a tablet is in the 1024 range.

Resolution

If you work in a field where you need to make very high-resolution images that also have very sharp graphics, picking a tablet with a high LPI would be best suited for you. Think of LPI the same way that people think of 4K resolution found on televisions and computer monitors. with 4K resolution, the image on the screen is as bright and sharp as it can be, a higher LPI can provide the same effect on a tablet.

Scrollers

Moving around the screen on your tablet using the stylus to get around or even your finger could cause mistakes to be made on your project, meaning you’d have to spend more time fixing errors and not meeting your deadline. Thankfully, many tablets have a scroller built into the tablet already. This will help you move around the project quickly without unforeseen errors occurring.

Wireless or Wired

Like the tablet you choose, whether you decide to use a tablet that is wireless or wired is a personal choice. While a wired tablet keeps you at your desk and doesn’t give you the freedom of movement that a wireless tablet may, it will give you a direct connection to your workspace or monitor.

Wireless tablets have become a default choice for a lot of graphic designers. The freedom that it gives you to move around without accidentally pulling on the cord and possibly damaging the tablet is beneficial. However, with a wireless tablet, you’re reliant on having a good connection to your monitor or workspace, which may not be as secure.

Top 10 Best Drawing Tablets for Graphic Designers in 2018

Although everyone will have different requirements, these are the top drawing tablets for designers in 2018 and most likely, 2019.

1. Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet
2. Huion Inspiroy Q11K Wireless Graphic Drawing Tablet
3. Parblo Coast10 10.1″ Digital Pen Tablet Display Drawing Monitor
4. Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet
5. Wacom Cintiq 13HD Interactive Pen Display
6. Apple iPad Pro 128GB
7. Wacom DTH1620K0 Cintiq Pro 16 Graphic Tablet
8. Huion H420 USB Graphics Drawing Tablet Board Kit
9. UGEE XP-PEN Star03 Pro Graphics Tablet
10. XP-PEN Star06C Graphics Tablet

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Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet

Available in small, medium, and large sizes, the Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet also allows you to customize the tablet even further by being able to choose one of three different editions: Regular, paper, and the pro bundle.

Revamped pen technology helps to give you pinpoint accuracy and up to 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity each time you use the tablet. A battery-free, tilt support built-in pen keeps you having to worry about charging it. The included stand as well as its sleek design always keeps your pen within arm’s reach.

Able to support Windows 7 and beyond as well as Mac OS 10.10 and newer. the tablet comes equipped with a USB port. Bluetooth connectivity is supported in paper mode helping you connect to mobile devices as well as a larger active area than some others on the market.

The Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet has many features that any illustrator will love including multi-touch gestures, customizable hotkeys, Radical Menus and a pen that comes with easy side switches. It is a quality choice for a graphic designer.

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($299)

Huion Inspiroy Q11K Wireless Graphic Drawing Tablet

An ergonomically designed tablet can be a good selling point for someone to look for. A tablet with ergonomic design features, like the Huion Inspiroy Q11K Wireless Graphic Drawing Tablet can provide maximum comfort for the person using it The tablet’s design and very large 11-inch active area allow you to get work done quickly and easily, but also allows you to rest your wrist comfortably along the edge of the tablet to help reduce fatigue.

Huion recently upgraded the pen that comes with the tablet with features that include 8192 levels of pressure which can give you the perfect level of accuracy and performance. The strokes you make with the pen ranging from thick lines to hairline designs can be as precise as you need them to be. With its balance and lightweight design as well a rechargeable battery the experience you have with the pen can help you with any project.

The wire-free design allows you to work just about anywhere without the fear of getting cords tangled or causing damage by pulling something off your workspace. While the wireless connectivity will make it easy to connect to the network at work while you’re working away from your desk

The Huion Inspiroy Q11K Wireless Graphic Drawing Tablet can easily become your favourite tablet very quickly. With up to 40 hours of battery life on a single charge and a pen with a built-in nb extractor, you can work all night long without having to worry about your tech failing you.

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($119)

Parblo Coast10 10.1″ Digital Pen Tablet Display Drawing Monitor

For some, holding a tablet while you work really isn’t best for them to get work done and a tablet that lays flat doesn’t give them the best viewing angle. With the Parblo Coast10 10.1″ Digital Pen Tablet Display Drawing Monitor, you can have a high viewing angle in both horizontal and vertical of 170 degrees so that you can view the tablet’s screen in different ways for optimal comfort. The design is also ergonomic so you can use the screen comfortably whether in your lap, with a desktop or on your workspace.

The pen closely mimics an actual drawing pen and is battery-free to make it more lightweight. Able to operate on the Windows operating system between XP and Vista. The large, 10.1 -inch is bright enough to provide you with an excellent way to complete any design or project you’re working on.

A major bonus that comes with the Parblo Coast10 10.1″ Digital Pen Tablet Display Drawing Monitor is its compatibility with many drawing programs that include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Fireworks as well as CorelDraw, Infinite Stratos and many more. This can make it very easy to use right out of the box which also comes with a multi-plugin USB cable as well as an artist’s glove.

The Parblo Coast10 10.1″ Digital Pen Tablet Display Drawing Monitor gives any artist a large and vivid tablet that’s easy to work with and with the different viewing angle, it makes getting whatever project you’re working on a breeze.

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($198)

Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet

With a very large active area measuring 10 by 6.25 inches, the Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet can make working on even the largest projects easier. The surface of the tablet has been redesigned to give it a paper-like feel that enhances the experience while you are designing. That redesigned feel also helps keep the pen from slipping while in use, keeping your work as accurate as you need it to be. Rechargeable, the pen comes with 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity and also has two programmable buttons which you can use for drawing capabilities and precise line work.

Eight customizable buttons and 16 hotkeys adorn the tablet at the top and sides giving you options such as zooming in and out, scrolling as well as mapping them to your own preference. Being able to use this comfortably with either hand adds the level of customization that the Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet provides you with.

The lightweight and thin design of the tablet makes it very easy to carry around, keeping you from being restricted by only working at your desk. An included artist’s glove helps to reduce hand-to-tablet friction and improves the overall drawing experience. To help protect the table from getting nicked or scratched, you can transport the table in the carrying bag that comes along with it,

The Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet is the epitome of customization combined with a large, bright active area. For the price, it is easily a top drawing tablet on our list.

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($49)

Wacom Cintiq 13HD Interactive Pen Display

Many professionals choose Wacom tablets over other options on the market and its great to see why the Cintiq 13HD Interactive Pen Display is one of them. The tablet is built for customization before you buy it and Wacom offers several different models including a new 13-inch model, a 13-inch pro bundle. and a 16-inch version.

A wide viewing angle and high resolution provide you with an amazing viewing experience while you work directly on the tablet’s screen that gives you a fast and interactive drawing experience. With an HDMI cable included with its purchase, you can connect the table to a monitor if you prefer being able to see what you’re drawing.

A display stand with three different positions allows you to easily adjust the viewing angle so it is easier to view and work on at a comfortable height. A compact. lightweight design allows the table to be carried with you easily. A Rocker Ring, as well as four Express Keys give you even more customization options as well as features multi-touch gestures allowing you to scroll, zoom in and out, pan, and even rotate your project with the simplest touch of the screen.

With its many different model options and focus on not only a lightweight design but high-end display technology, it’s not hard at all to see why the Wacom Cintiq 13HD Interactive Pen Display is a favorite of illustrators and graphic designers alike.

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($799)

Apple iPad Pro 128GB

The products from Apple need no introduction as they have always provided consumers and professionals high-quality products on the cusp of the best technology available and the iPad Pro 128BG is not different. Touting a lot of benefits already because of its portability and versatility, the iPad Pro has many upgrades over previous versions including HDR video, a TrueTone display, and the new Apple A10X processor.

While it’s not as light as some of the other options that appear on our list, the screen is as crisp and as beautiful as you might expect from an Apple product. Multitasking is a nice feature, allowing you to run two apps side-by-side, giving you the option to draw on one side, while doing research or watching video on the other.

The stylus, known as the Apple Pencil ($95), is arguably the best drawing tool that you can find with a drawing tablet. The response rate of the Pencil will make you feel like you’re using the real thing on a tablet. The hardware is capable of a level of fluidity and naturalness that you cannot find in another stylus. The only downside is that it only works with the iPad Pro, meaning you cannot bring the benefits to a different tablet.

The Apple iPad Pro is a more than capable tablet for your graphic design needs. Between its beautiful TrueTone display and innovative Apple Pencil, if you’re not already using an Apple product for your work, you may consider switching.

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($999)

Wacom DTH1620K0 Cintiq Pro 16 Graphic Tablet

With any tablet from Wacom, including the DTH1620K0 Cintiq Pro 16 Graphic Tablet, the manufacturer has designed them to give you as many options and choices as possible and that’s no different here. Available in four different varieties, the tablet comes with a gorgeous. high-resolution display, which when you are using the USB-C to USB-C connector to hook it up to a computer monitor that displays in 4K, you can have a next-level viewing experience.

The pen is lightweight and versatile provided higher levels of pressure sensitivity that can prevent lag and offer pinpoint accuracy that is up to four times greater than other pens. An etched glass screen gives you a smooth surface to work on and comes with a stand that has been integrated into the tablet so you can use the tablet at a greater angle for maximum comfort.

Express Keys, one-touch shortcuts, and radial menus make your work experience smooth and effortless. Multi-touch gestures that include scrolling, zoom in and out as well as panning help you get your project completed. Compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems giving it greater flexibility no matter what you work with.

With so many customizable and model options the 15.6 inches of active area found on the Wacom DTH1620K0 Cintiq Pro 16 Graphic Tablet make this more than a suitable choice for your workstation.

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($1499)

Huion H420 USB Graphics Drawing Tablet Board Kit

Packaged and sold as a bundle to make it even easier to use right out of the box, the Huion H420 USB Graphics Drawing Tablet Board Kit is compatible with many different programs including CorelDraw, Corel Painter, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Fireworks, Macromedia Flash, and many more. With a cleaning kit, two -finger artist glove. as well as an anti-fouling glove and durable carrying case, you can easily be up and running with this tablet in an afternoon.

A dual function and a drawing tool and a cursor give the pen versatility to be a great stylus to use drawing as well as scroll web pages as well while you’re doing research. You can easily streamline the experience you have with the tablet as three express keys give you the ability to close the current page or save it with a simple click. The very user-friendly design comes with a USB port which can use plug and play technology that much easier.

With 2048 levels of sensitivity, the pen lets you draw thick lines or wispy strokes quickly and easily. A high-resolution screen provides your with a bright and clear display with a screen that is 4 by 2.23 inches, which may be smaller than some others, but the compact design is nice.

The Huion H420 USB Graphics Drawing Tablet Board Kit is ready right out of the box. With the multitude of accessories as well as compact design, those looking for an easy to use tablet will feel right at home.

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($29)

UGEE XP-PEN Star03 Pro Graphics Tablet

The first thing that you will notice with this tablet is its large 10.6-inch active area that can you can have a smooth user experience and brilliant screen with the tablet’s high resolution and high response rate. At 230 RPS, the refresh rate helps improve the accuracy of your work as well as reduce any lag that could occur while using the lightweight and battery-free pen.

The feel and look of the pen will remind you of what it’s like drawing with a traditional pen. 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity let you draw thick, bold lines or thin, wispy lines quickly and easily. Eight customizable HotKeys help improve your user experience while at the same time adapting to the most frequently used shortcuts that you can use whether you’re right or left-handed without any problems.

A major selling point for the tablet is the compatibility that it has with a variety of operating systems in order to improve its flexibility such as Mac OS and Windows 10, 8, and 7. The tablet also works well with several of the more popular creative software applications including Photoshop, Comic Studio, and Macromedia Flash. This makes it a very good choice for professional designers, illustrators, as well as beginners.

The UGEE XP-PEN Star03 Pro Graphics Tablet provides an extra-large screen and amazing compatibility in a comfortable package. Along with a very realistic-feeling pen, whether it’s day one or your 10th year, your experience will always be a good one.

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($369)

XP-PEN Star06C Graphics Tablet

For those that have experience doing so, there is nothing like the feeling of drawing on paper. With the textured surface and large drawing surface, the XP-PEN Star06C Graphics Tablet is designed to mimic that paper feel when you use it. The highly sensitive active area helps to improve your experience while drawing. The stylus pen has /8192 pressure levels and along with a highly sensitive drawing surface means you end up with a very interactive and responsive work surface

A battery-free pen is lightweight and can easily mimic the feeling you may get when holding a real pen in your hand. Without the hassle of worrying to recharge the pen, projects get done much easier and quicker, in turn making clients happy. Six shortcut keys as well as a dial that will allow you to easily and quickly customize several shortcuts so ihe tablet can fit your needs.

Drivers in the tablet help several popular creative software compatible with the tablet and well as different operating systems including Mac OS 10.6.0 or above and Windows 10,8, or 7. This ease of compatibility makes getting all of your projects done that much easier.

The XP-PEN Star06C Graphics Tablet gives any graphic designer or illustrator an easily compatible tablet that has a great and textured surface that will make you think your drawing on paper.

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($49)

Choosing the best tablet for your needs

Choosing the best graphics tablet for your project should provide you with a way to not only get your work done but give you an overall enjoyable experience. While each tablet may have some of the same features, not every table is the same. Even small differences can be a big deal. Making sure to know what’s important to you before you start to go shopping will keep you from buying one you’re not happy with.

Best Graphics Tablets Summary:

1. Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet
2. Huion Inspiroy Q11K Wireless Graphic Drawing Tablet
3. Parblo Coast10 10.1″ Digital Pen Tablet Display Drawing Monitor
4. Huion H610 Pro Graphic Drawing Tablet
5. Wacom Cintiq 13HD Interactive Pen Display
6. Apple iPad Pro 128GB
7. Wacom DTH1620K0 Cintiq Pro 16 Graphic Tablet
8. Huion H420 USB Graphics Drawing Tablet Board Kit
9. UGEE XP-PEN Star03 Pro Graphics Tablet
10. XP-PEN Star06C Graphics Tablet

What do you consider the best tablet for graphic design?

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11 Ways to Improve Your Website’s User Experience Design

This article was contributed by Les Kollegian.

In today’s digital market, customers have more options than ever when it comes to buying online. Nearly every product or service imaginable is available at their fingertips, which means that every online business must find a way to convince consumers to choose them over the other guys.

One of the best ways to do this is by offering an intuitive and positive user experience (UX). In fact, 71% of successful businesses believe that their superior UX is their top competitive differentiator that attracts customers.

What is even more incredible to note is the fact that customers are incredibly influenced by even the smallest of details, just one of the many UX challenges that web designers face.

With these facts in mind, you’ve probably understood why you need a kickass UX design for your website. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1) Perform A/B Testing Frequently

The key to creating a better UX is constant improvement, and that kind of innovation can only be supported by thorough testing and experimentation. A/B testing tactics are the best way to determine which adjustments are best for your website specifically. Even the smallest of changes can have a heavy impact on conversion rates, so be sure that your design team is constantly experimenting and comparing new concepts and ideas.

2) Reduce the Number of Website Pages

Efficiency and convenience are the two factors that customers value the most in a website’s UX – beating out service, technology, and even personalization. A website with dozens of pages for each and every bit of content is certainly not efficient, especially when someone is in the initial stages of the customer journey and is simply researching your organization. Simplify things by eliminating unnecessary tabs and always be sure that they never lead your customers to a dead end with no CTA.

3) Include Attractive CTAs

CTA buttons are fussy creatures. A few little tweaks here and there can boost or impact the click-through rate significantly. One case study found that when a website made their CTA button a contrasting color from the rest of the webpage, it had 122% higher click rates.

The placement is also very important to keep in mind. In general, the closer to the top of the page, the better the button will perform. Of course, your team should do some experimentation here to see what design changes perform best with your visitors, but keep in mind that even a little change (i.e. font, color, moving graphics, etc.) can have a big impact.

4) Pay Attention to Website Security

One of the main reasons that a customer will abandon their cart or leave a webpage is because something scared them off. And for good reason; the number of data breaches continues to rise every year, so consumers are especially skeptical and concerned with the safety of their personal information.

Obviously, the safety and security of your website should be a top concern to your business as well. If you don’t have a security system in place yet, get one. Then be sure to clearly display your security features with trust badges throughout your website – especially on the checkout page. When customers see a security badge on an ecommerce site, they are more likely to buy.

5) Beware of 404 Errors

Want to know the best way to get rid of your customers? Lead them to an error page. 74% of customers who run into a 404 error will immediately leave your website without a second thought. There are plenty of monitoring tools out there, but just a simple check with Google Analytics data can show which internal and external links are broken.

6) Use Adequate Images and Videos, but Provide Ample Whitespace

There is no debate when it comes to visuals on your webpage. Including a video on a landing page can increase conversions by 80%. Product images have been statistically proven to increase engagement and conversion rates, but balance is definitely key when it comes to a smooth UX.

A little bit of whitespace goes a long way, and remember it doesn’t necessarily have to be white. Business and text-heavy landing pages can be overwhelming to a visitor’s eye and they don’t know where to focus their attention. Instead, cleverly-used whitespace can be very powerful in guiding eyes along the page right to the CTA button for better conversions, as you can see from this heatmap study. The page on the left has far more whitespace usage, and as a result, customers are naturally drawn to the contrasting black CTA button.

7) Focus on the Flow

Your website is there to take your customers through the buyer’s journey, hopefully ending in a conversion. Therefore, every piece of it must have a flow that makes sense. Interestingly, one study found that 46% of customers found it incredibly annoying when a website “lacked a message” – and this was the most common reason that they exited the platform altogether.

Again, proper usage and placement of CTA buttons is incredibly important here. Take the homepage for this San Diego website design company as a perfect example. It literally spells out how to interact with the website, and each tab offers responsive animation when the mouse hovers over the CTA.

Your customers shouldn’t land on a page and wonder what to do next; create clear steps towards their next move and include content that supports each stage of the customer journey for a smoother UX.

8) Colors Matter

Colors carry a whole lot of meaning when it comes to branding. A recognizable color scheme can increase brand recognition by up to 80%. According to psychological studies, customers associate various meanings to colors when they are used by a brand. For example, lots of blue evokes confidence and honesty while orange is viewed as innovative and creative. Be sure to use the colors that support the type of branding message you want to communicate to your audience.

9) Make It Responsive and Easy to Navigate

Over half of your website traffic is most likely from a mobile device these days, so smartphone compatibility is critical. An unresponsive website design will turn away as much as 80% of organic searches if it doesn’t adjust to their screen size or support mobile-friendly navigation. The key here is to simplify and enlarge.

While your website may have a lot of navigational options clearly displayed at the top of the page, this design is not so great on a small phone screen. Instead, opt for larger CTAs, fold down navigation, and be aware of the natural use patterns for phone screens for optimized placement.

10) Faster Loading Times Are a Must

According to findings by the Nielsen Norman Group, website visitors typically leave it within 10 to 20 seconds.

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If Statisticbrain.com is to be believed, the average person’s attention span is just 8 seconds and only 28 percent of words are read on an average web page. Therefore, quick loading speeds are a necessity. Every single second that it takes to load your site matters, and anything over 3 seconds could be enough to send them searching elsewhere. Stay on top of your website’s loading speeds and optimize the graphics and pages that could be slowing it down.

11) Conduct Site and Usability Audits

Your business’s website will never truly be “finished.” There will always be room for improvement, especially as new trends emerge. There are several ways that your team can conduct UX audits regularly to ensure that your customers are constantly satisfied with their experience. Be sure to stay on top of your customer reviews and look for patterns regarding the UX of your website, or send out surveys to customers asking them to rate the usability. For a more technical approach, you can try a UX auditing tool that will gather analytical data to identify the areas that need improvement.

Conclusion

According to PwC’s research, nearly one-third of customers will abandon a brand after a single bad experience. Furthermore, 54% of consumers are unsatisfied with the UX from the majority of online brands.

Your customer’s happiness should be a top priority, especially once you realize how much rides on their online experience. Keep these tips in mind and see what areas of your website could use a little improvement.

(Image credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10)

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Les Kollegian is CEO of Jacob Tyler, San Diego’s Top Web Design & Branding Agency specialized in Web design, user experience, brand development, marketing strategy, and digital marketing.

Top 10 Best Monitors for Graphic Design in 2018

In order to provide your clients, the best possible work that you can produce, making sure that the technology you are using meets those standards as well is important. Especially the monitor you’re using in your design work.

Professional graphic designers should look for monitors that can give them the best combination of extreme performance, the highest resolution available, and has the latest options available when it comes to connectivity with the other equipment you use.

Related: See here for the best printers for designers and the best laptops for designers.

With such a specialized set of needs, many of the best monitors on the market for graphic designers are not available at your local electronics store sitting on a shelf. Products such as these are typically referred to as professional quality and the combination of features and price point sets them apart from standard monitors you can buy anywhere else.

While improvements in technology have made monitors better than ever, the change in resolution to 4k has risen to the forefront, making them the most often choice of monitors for creative use. The improved resolution helps provide graphic designers wirh a better idea of the work process, while larger screens are much easier to use.

While there may be a litany of choices out there, today we’re going to look at the top monitors for graphic design. If you’re ready, let’s get started with what you should be on the lookout for so you can make sure you choose the monitor that’s best for you.

How to choose the right monitor for graphic design

Before purchasing a monitor for your graphic design needs, you must consider resolution, screen size, color accuracy, connections, ergonomics and price.

Resolution

It seems as though every few years, a new resolution for computer monitors comes onto the market, further blurring the line between what’s on your screen and reality. With pixel resolution, more is obviously better. This is especially true if the kind of work you are doing has a lot of high details you need to pay attention to. The best resolution available at the moment is Ultra-High-Definition (UHD), also known as 4K. These monitors offer the highest available resolution at 3,840 by 2,160 pixels which is twice the pixels found in a 1080P monitor. From there, the highest resolution available is Wide-Quad HD (WQHD) which has a pixel ratio of 2,560 by 1,440 pixels, otherwise known as 1440p. A point to keep in mind is that as the resolution of the monitor gets better, the cost of the monitor will relatively increase as well. A 4K monitor will cost a significant amount more than a typical Full HD (1,920 by 1,080 pixels), 1080p monitor.

Screen size

Yes, size matters. Especially when you are working with images that are highly detailed and have an ultra-high resolution. Unfortunately, we’re all limited by the size of our workspace when it comes to the size of the monitor that we ultimately buy. The goal is to maximize the real estate that you have for your monitor as much as possible so you can view multiple projects on a single screen. If you choose to go with a monitor that is either UHD or WQHD, you will want to try and find a monitor in the 27 to 32 inches range but if you work in an office where you may use two or more monitors, you may want to consider buying a 29-inch, ultra-wide WQHD monitor that can provide you with a screen with an aspect ratio of 21:9.

Gray-Scale and Color Accuracy

Before a graphic designer sends their project to the printer, they want to be sure that what comes out will look the same on the screen first. This means that they need the colors to be displayed extremely accurate on the monitor they’re using. Monitors with high-end technology including an Advanced High-Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS) panel. The monitor that you choose should have a look-up table (LUT) of either 10-, 13-, or 14-bit which will allow you to make frequent calibrations and should also cover at least 99 percent of the Adobe RGB color space.

On the market today, there are many professional-grade monitors allow you to maintain the color consistency by using the monitor’s hardware and software tools or through the use of a third-party calibration which you can buy separately. Any PS panel that is worth the money shouldn’t have any trouble displaying shades of dark gray and light, which help to determine the level of shadow and highlight detail that you’ll be able to see on the screen. PS technology also helps to provide you with wide viewing angles on your monitor. PS panels can deliver solid color fidelity as well as luminosity when you are viewing them from the top, bottom, or sides unlike twisted nematic or vertical alignment panels.

I/O Connections

For those who may not know, I/O connections are the ports on the monitor that allow you to hook it up to your computer tower. To give yourself the best options for connectivity, the monitor you choose should come with HDMI, dual-link DVI ports, and DisplayPort 1.2. However, if the work you do will benefit from having multiple monitors and linking them together to give yourself one continuous display, you’ll want to consider a model that comes with either Thunderbolt-in and -out ports or a DisplayPort 1.2 in order to make it much easier.

If you have to have the very best monitor out there, which would come with UHD (4K) resolution, in order to achieve the best resolution that the monitor can display, be sure that the graphics card supports Multi-Stream Transfer along with a DisplayPort 1.2 input and/or two HDMI ports. This way you will give your shiny brand new monitor the best chance to achieve the maximum resolution and 60Hz refresh rate you are looking for.

Ergonomics

People come in all different shapes and sizes and having a monitor on a stand that doesn’t give you the option of adjusting either the height of the monitor or being able to swivel the monitor to move it into the most comfortable viewing position can become a major problem, especially if you’re spending hours and hours in front of it daily. For some designers, the mobility of a monitor that allows you to pivot the screen 90 degrees into a portrait mode can be very handy and can make working on long documents or even websites much easier.

A monitor with multiple USB ports can be great for plugging in your phone or inserting thumb drives. These are typically located on the side of the monitor to keep them out of the way and easy to reach. For graphic designers who may use photos they’ve taken, a card reader slot may be a good option to look for. It’s not a necessity by any means, but it can make it much easier to upload and download pictures, especially if the computer tower is under your desk.

Price

The part that everyone waits for and at the same time dreads. While the cost of whatever monitor you choose has to be a consideration, the truth is those high-end monitors aren’t the cheapest option out there for a reason. For a UHD (4k) monitor around 32 inches, you can end up spending around $3,000. A 27-inch WQHD monitor may hot your wallet for anywhere between $800 and $1,200 while a 24-inch monitor may cost you $500 or more. Obviously, if you do some research and shopping around, you may be able to find some good deals so that these figures don’t give you sticker shock. There is an old saying that the quality of the work is based on the tools of the craftsman. If your graphic design projects require you to use accurate color and gray-scale performance, settling for a monitor just to save some money won’t help you further your career.

The Top 10 Best Monitors for Graphic Design in 2018

Although everyone will have different requirements, these are the top monitors for designers in 2018 and most likely, 2019.

1. Eizo ColorEdge CG318-4K
2. Dell UltraSharp UP3216Q
3. Philips Brilliance BDM4065UC
4. Acer S277HK
5. Asus ProArt PA329Q
6. BenQ PD3200U
7. Samsung U28E590D
8. Iiyama B2888UHSU
9. Acer B276HK
10. LG 27UD68-W
11. Worth Mentioning: Apple iMac Pro (Technically a computer and monitor)

1. Eizo ColorEdge CG318-4K

As one of the most preferred monitors by graphic designers, the Eizo ColorEdge CG318-4K, the recently released, monitor projects your work using a resolution of 4096 x 2160, more than four times the resolution of a monitor with a Full HD display while its enhanced pixel density improves clarity with 149 PPI.

A self-calibration sensor lets you automate the calibration of the colors displayed by the monitor and also works well the ColorNavigator 5 and ColorNavigator software within the monitor.

With a contrast ratio of 1,500:1, nine millisecond response time and a brightness rating of 350 cd/m2, it’s easy to see why it’s a favorite of professionals.

The monitor from Eizo is equipped with HDMI and DisplayPort inputs allowing you to easily plug into different computer configurations while the Rec. 709, EBU, and SMPTE-C standards are met 100% and covers 99% of Adobe RGB color space.

Being at such a high price point, the Eizo ColorEdge CG318–4K monitor is an excellent machine for those professionals whose work requires the very best technology.

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($4663)

2. Dell UltraSharp UP3216Q

While many people may remember the Dell commercials from the 90s, the company has continued to put out high-quality products for consumers and professionals alike. For the latter, the Dell Ultrasharp UP3216Q is one of the best 4k display monitors on the market.

With one HDMI, one DisplayPort, and one Mini DisplayPort offers you a monitor with 31.5 inches of In-Plane Switching that can provide you with comfortable viewing no matter where you decide to put it. When you do, Dell ensures a quality display image with 99% Adobe RGB coverage plus 100% RGB, REC, and 87% of the DCI-PS color spaces will make any image stand out.

The monitor comes with the standard inputs on its back including HDMI, DisplayPort, mini DisplayPort, audio jack, and USB 3.0 ports. A hidden treasure is the 6-in- card reader positioned on the left side of the monitor. On the right side, another USB port is located for charging your phone or other use you may have for it.

With prices starting around $850, the Dell UltraSharp UP3216Q is more affordably priced than a lot of other options out there. If you’re looking for a powerful monitor but you’re on a budget, this may be right for you.

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($1350)

3. Philips Brilliance BDM4065UC

A close rival of the monitor from Dell, the Philips Brilliance BDM4065UC has sRGB color coverage up to 99% and comes with a 40 inch LED panel displaying 4K UHD (3840×2160) resolution which will make every pixel of your project stand out.

Phillips’ own VA LED screen technology makes for more vibrant images by using advanced vertical alignment technology to not only improve the contrast quality of your images but also the richness and can improve the viewing angle, making it visible from wider angles.

All of the usual suspects are there in regards to the types of connections you’ll find on the monitor. From HDMI, DisplayPort, and D-Sub are the ones most will find on a high-end monitor. Philips gives its customer a bonus with the addition of a mini DisplayPort input and an MHL HDMI port, which allows you to connect a tablet or smartphone and mirror the screen without lag. The only downside is that with MHL active, the monitor only supports a 1080 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate.

A rival, not only in performance but in price to the monitor from Dell, the Philips Brilliance BDM4065UC is an affordable monitor that performs like one that costs three times as much.

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($561)

4. Acer S277HK

For some graphic designers, the aesthetics of how the monitor looks is just as important as the performance that it delivers. For those looking for the former, the Acer S277HK might fit the bill. With a resolution up to 4K UHD, the monitor has a brightness level of up to 300 cd/m2 as well as a dynamic contrast ratio of 100 million:1

The 27-inch monitor uses IPS panel technology to deliver excellent gray-scale and accurate color performance as well as providing you with a sharp, highly detailed image. Positioning is an issue as you can tilt the monitor forward and backward, but you can’t adjust the height of the monitor or pivot or swivel the monitor either, which could be a turn off for some.

Like many monitors, the I/o ports appear on the back of the monitor with the usual suspects all being here. The Acer S277HK is built with conservative energy consumption in mind, the monitor uses only 49.87W while in use, and 470W while in standby mode.

Not everyone has a lot of space for a big monitor, with the 27-inch Acer S277HK, you can get the performance and the aesthetic appeal that you may be looking for.

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($1,097)

5. Asus ProArt PA329Q

Putting their hat into the 4K ring, the Asus ProArt PA329Q is a quality 32-inch monitor that features coverage up to 95% of the color space for Adobe RGB as well as 100% Rec.709 color space coverage providing you with more vibrant colors on the monitor.

Designed to meet the specific needs of photographers, designers, and especially graphic designers, the Asus ProArt is equipped with a 10-bit IPS panel, which also supports 16-bit color look-up table.

Putting the monitor into a position for optimal viewing is easy with the available tilt, swivel, and pivot that you can do to the monitor to get it just right. Once you do, four HDMI, a DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, five USB slots, as well as a USB upstream port and Memory Card reader gives you just about all of the I/O connections that you could need at work.

While the price can be viewed as a bit steep depending on your needs, Asus does market the ProArt as their top of the line monitor. If you do a lot of photography along with your graphic design work, this could be the monitor you’re looking for.

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($1,097)

6. BenQ PD3200U

Featuring a widescreen display, the PD3200U from BenQ makes working with images in 4K and in 3D much easier than it would be on other monitors. The 32-inch display has a PS screen equipped with a contrast ratio of 1,000:1 and has full, 100% support for sRGB color space.

See Jacob’s review of the PD3200U here.

With a resolution of 3840×2160, the PD3200U is a 4K monitor which features 100% support for Rec 709, which also includes a darkroom, dedicated animation, and CAD/CAM modes. Sporting a KVM (Keyboard Video Mouse( switch, the PD3200U allows you to plug in a second PC to the monitor and switch between the two while using one screen, keyboard, and mouse. This can be a great option and space saver, especially if you use separate computers and have a smaller workspace.

Fully adjustable, giving you the option to tilt and swivel the monitor into your preferred position, the monitor also rotates 90 degrees into portrait mode, giving you more flexibility for your projects. On the right-hand side, BenQ provides you with two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort 1.2, as well as a mini DisplayPort, SD card slot, and two USB 3.0 ports so you can connect any peripheral to the monitor that you need to.

With features that can make it a perfect option to be the only monitor you need, the cost of the PD3200U from BenQ is modestly priced when compared to other monitors on the market today.

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($699)

7. Samsung U28E590D

As one of the biggest electronics manufacturers in the world, products from Samsung, including their U28E590D monitor provides you with a high-quality product that with its sleek design, cannot only appeal to graphic designers but photographers as well.

With one of the lowest response times on the market of 1 millisecond, providing you with better picture quality and virtually no ghosting on the screen. With support for 8.3 billion pixels, the monitor, with 4K resolution come with a static contrast ratio of 1,000:1

While tilting the panel should be done with two hands to keep the monitor from tipping, changing the height, swivel or pivot are not available with Samsung monitor. While it does house two HDMI ports, and a DisplayPort 1.2, there are no USB 3.0 or DVI ports on the monitor. While for some, this may not be a deal breaker, for others, it could be a deciding factor.

For a reasonable price, the Samsung U28E590D 28-inch monitor can provide you with an impressive Ultra High-Definition (UHD) picture and good performance overall. The lack of inputs and position adjustment are the only things keeping this from being one of the best ones on our list.

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($249)

8. Iiyama B2888UHSU

While considered by most to be a budget option for those looking for a 4K monitor, the Iiyama B2888UHSU the response rate of 1-millisecond matches that of the high-quality Samsung U28E590D, but at a lower price may be enticing to someone on a budget.

However, a cause for concern to some buyers should be the viewing angles that the monitor provides. IPS panels typically provide a consistently accurate color displayed no matter the viewing angle, the monitor from liyama does not provide this and does not the same power that some of the other monitors we’ve discussed have. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its own perks though.

With its 4K resolution, the monitor comes with all of the standard ports you would expect so you can hook up to the monitor but also features a picture-in-picture mode which is easy to use on this monitor and is quite reliable.

While it is an option for those with a budget, the Iiyama B2888UHSU can give you a good monitor with many of the same features found in some more expensive models without breaking the bank.

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($497)

9. Acer B276HK

Profession color support, the Acer B276HK is a great example of how 4K monitors can be beneficial to anyone who works in graphic design, video or photo editing. The 27-inch monitor displays your work in Ultra HD with a resolution of 3840×2160.

The IPS display can provide you with vibrant colors while still providing you with a good range if a viewing angle which retains both its contrast and clarity when viewing the screen a bit off center. This can help the 1.07 billion colors 10-bit display, which for the price of this monitor is better than average compared to what you would normally get.

While the connectivity options are pretty standard, a four-port USB hub stands out because this feature isn’t very common in many 4K displays as well as an MHL port. MHL stands for Mobile High-definition Link and can offer support for a single cable and allows you to connect your smartphone or tablet to the monitor.

While the Acer B276HK has its limitations, the combination of the price and the features it does have make this a monitor worth considering for your business.

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($398)

10. LG 27UD68-W

The competition for the best monitor for graphic designers can get pretty crowded, but we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the LG 27UD68-W, a 4K monitor can deliver a highly detailed picture for whatever work you’re doing.

Using an IPS panel, along with AMD’s FreeSync anti-tearing technology, the Ultra-High Definition monitor has a wealth of features contained behind its 27-inch screen. One of these is a USB-C cable which can be utilized to deliver audio, 4K video, and data over a single cable. The image on the screen comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio along with a 60Hz refresh rate and 5-millisecond pixel response.

While it can be marketed to the gaming crowd, the LG 27UD68-W can provide a quality monitor that should be able to help you with any project you bring up on its screen.

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($419)

11. BONUS: Apple iMac  (Computer+Monitor)

Apple is a company that needs no introduction. Throughout their history, they have continuously been at the forefront of technological change and innovation and the same can easily be said for the monitor that comes with the iMac Pro. The most powerful desktop computer offered by the company, you need a powerful monitor to match and it does not disappoint.

With a sleek, gorgeous 27-inch 5k retina display, the iMac Pro display uses Radeon Pro Vega graphics to help provide you with an almost life-like presentation of the project you’re working on. With all the muscle behind this machine, it may leave many curious how many ports they can use to connect to the gorgeous display. A total of four Thunderbolt 3 ports allow you to connect two displays at once, which can give you a maximum of 44 million pixels ready to display your work.

While all that hardware is certainly impressive, so is the price. Starting at $4,699, this machine may not be suitable for everyone’s needs, but hey, we can dream right?

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($4,699)

Best Monitors for Graphic Designers Summary

Choosing the right monitor can make any project that much easier to handle with access to the brightest colors and the sharpest images. While the size and features may be different from monitor to monitor, if you are looking for a monitor for your graphic design business, make sure you know what’s important to you before you start shopping.