For an artist looking to get started with digital art, but don’t want to commit to a larger display and price point, the 12-inch pen display monitor may be for you.

They are compact, Lightweight and portable, allowing you have the flexibility to express your ideas more effectively on the go.

But which 12-inch pen display truly stands out for your needs? Let us explore the top 6 contenders together.

6 Best 12 inch Pen Display Monitors of 2025

Here are 6 best 12 inch pen display monitors for artists and creatives in 2025. They are compact, affordable, and come from well known brands in the industry.

My recommendations below do not include mobile standalone drawing tablets such as Apple iPad, Microsoft Surface Pro or Samsung Galaxy tab. Theses options I listed here are all need to be connected to a laptop to work.

1. Wacom One 12

If you’re looking for a reliable, affordable and robust 12-inch display drawing tablet, the Wacom One 12 will be right up your alley.

It feature an IPS LCD display with FHD 1080p resolution and 99% sRGB color coverage, offering accurate colors and crisp visuals for your artwork.

The anti-glare etched glass surface minimizes distractions, and the minimal parallax of fully laminated screen ensures that your cursor aligns perfectly with your pen tip.

It connect with a single USB-C to USB-C cable if your computer supports video, data and power transmission through that port.

The stylus pen supplied with the Wacom One is light and comfortable, it can even be stored in the ribbon on the top of the tablet. Pen pressure sensitivity of 4096 is quite low though precision and accuracy are quite good on the tablet.

Offering a smooth and realistic drawing experience, the Wacom One 12 is ideal for students and newbies to the drawing tablet game. The only issue is the lack of programmable keys.

2. XPPen Artist 12 (3rd gen)

XPPen Artist 12 3rd Gen is a small, affordable but powerful 12-inch display drawing tablet with a solid build, accurate pen, and customizable buttons.

The 11.9-inch IPS display offers FHD 1080p resolution and 97% Adobe RGB color accuracy, ensuring your images are clear and that your images will retain their color vibrancy should you choose to print.

Full lamination lends the tablet a more natural feel when in use, as well as helping to close the parallax gap between where the tip of the pen touches and where the cursor is displayed below it.

The etched glass surface has a slight bit of texture to it, which reduces glare from any surrounding light sources and mimic the feeling of actual pen and paper.

The X4 Smart Chip Stylus is the star of this tablet, which has 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity, low 2g initial activation pressure, and 60° Tilt support.

The pen is capable of capture light taps and micro-pressure changes with impressive precision, no perceptible lag. Its new nib structure, now with reduced wobble, keeps lines steady and natural.

The Artist 12 (3rd Gen) takes advantage of Single USB-C to USB-C Cable connectivity for power and connection, increasing the displays portability as it does not need an additional power source to use.

XPPen has been generous with what’s included. Alongside the drawing display and stylus, you’ll find both a USB-C to USB-C cable and a 3-in-1 cable for connection, ten spare nibs, a drawing glove, a foldable stand, etc.

3. Ugee UE12

If you are looking for a budget-friendly 12-inch pen display with portable design, it will be hard to get any other cheaper than what you get with the UGEE UE12.

Despite the low price of only $169.99, The image on the 11.6-inch ips screen is very sharp and vibrant with a FHD resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels and a wide color gamut of 124% sRGB.

A combination of laminated technology to eliminate parallax and the anti-glare screen film that reduces light bounce back enable a clear and transparent view even in the brightest of conditions.

The included battery-free U-Pencil brings a natural feeling when drawing which is made even better by high pen pressure sensitivity levels of 16K and 60 degrees of tilt recognition.

Enhancing the pencil-like experience, the pen’s eraser is located at the nib’s opposite end giving it a natural feel and eliminating the need for a switch.

The USB-C to USB-C connection also can link up with android devices as well as laptops and other devices.

It also has 8 programmable keys on the left side of tablet that help you customize the keys to ease your normal activities within the tablet.

4. Veikk VK1200 V2

Veikk VK1200 V2 is a highly-regarded, budget-friendly 12-inch pen display, praised for its beginner-friendliness, portability, and excellent value.

The 11.6-inch IPS screen comes with a FHD resolution of 1920×1080 pixels and a 120 sRGB of color space, which offer top-notch quality for colors and images.

When it comes to the pen, the P05 battery-free stylus supports 60 degrees of tilt function and 8192 levels of pressure that offers you control of your artwork and lines are well outlined.

Additionally, the six customizable keys on the left side of tablet offers an easy way to navigate with the user’s settings and designing habits.

Connecting with other devices is made possible by 2 USB-C ports which offer a single USB-C to USB-C cable connection creating room and a less wired desk.

5. Gaomon PD1161

The Gaomon PD1161 is a reliable 12-inch pen display that can help beginners easily practice their digital art skills without messing up the budget

Its 11.6-inch Ips lcd screen with 1920*1080 pixels of screen resolution and 100% sRGB color gamut brings about a nice display quality with abundance in color.

Equipped with a battery-free A50 stylus and with an 8192- pen pressure sensitivity level, the feel is quite comfortable, impressive and the precision is almost accurate.

Gaomon PD1161 offers 8 programmable keys making accessibility and navigation on the tablet fast and user-friendly by customizing to your designing habits.

Connection is enabled by a mini-HDMI port and USB-C port offering a fast link to either Windows or macOS operating systems. Furthermore, 8 additional pen nibs create a wide range of creativity for a digital artist.

6. XPPen Artist 12 Pro

The last product in my segment for the best 12 inch pen display monitor is the XPPen Artist 12 Pro.

The 11.6-inch ips display with a FHD resolution of 1920*1080 pixels and 100% sRGB color gamut allow you to get a great color and image view.

The fully laminated screen offers zero parallaxes, transparency, and a vivid display of colors and images.

Equipped with an anti-glare screen protector further keeps you protected from light bouncing back and enhances transparency for an optimum display even in bright surroundings.

The PA2 battery-free stylus is comfortable to hold and offers +60 degrees of tilt function and with 8192 worth of pen pressure sensitivity; it’s quite an experience to work your designs on since you have control with precise presentation.

The red roller wheel and 8 programmable keys on the left side of tablet allows you to customize your drawing experience and speed up your process.

A 3-in-1 cable reduces wire clog on your desk offering a great working environment and enabling connection to your laptop or desktop computer to work. But it doesnt support single usb-c to usb-c cable connection.