Buying a graphics tablet for my pc

[Yora]

You know, one of these thingies that are way better for digital drawing than a mouse.
I had a cheap one years ago, but it's been broken for years, and now with some money in my pocket, I find myself wanting a new one.

But I really don't have any idea what exactly I need and what is the best deal within a reasonable price range for someone who is just doing it for fun at home (say, about 100 to 150€).
It should be reasonably large to allow for long strokes, but also compact enough so I can put it in my lap, if I want to (though I don't think that'd be an issue in this price range).

[Trazoi]

I'm not a tablet expert, but for that price range you're either looking at a medium sized Wacom Bamboo or trying to get an Intuos big enough for your tastes. The Intuos might be a bit too pricey.

I don't have a Bamboo but I've heard they're decent enough for hobbyist tablet. They're a fair bit cheaper too. The Intuos is pricier but will give you more pressure sensitivity and (I believe) tilt control.

If you can find one it might be worth looking for a second-hand Intuos 3, if it's in decent condition and cheaper than the current Intuos 4. The Intuos tablets are all very nice regardless of make. My A5 sized Intous 3 is still going strong after a few years.

[The Succubus]

I have a Wacom Bamboo gathering dust at home at the moment. I was going to use it for doing avatars with but I found that a combination of better experience with Inkscape and help from other folks on here has it made it obsolete. Too bad you're not in the UK or we could come to some sort of arrangement. :smallsmile:

[Winter_Wolf]

I have an old Wacom Graphire3 that I still use. It's 6"x8" drawing area and still works pretty well despite a few deep scratches that managed to get on the plastic guard. If you can find a cheap Intuos, then that would be mo bettah.

When I get my scads of disposable income, I'm getting one of these (http://www.wacom.com/en/Products/Cintiq.aspx). Probably the 21UX instead of the 24HD though. Lawdy I am smitten by the Cintiq.

[Dr.Epic]

You know, one of these thingies that are way better for digital drawing than a mouse.
I had a cheap one years ago, but it's been broken for years, and now with some money in my pocket, I find myself wanting a new one.

But I really don't have any idea what exactly I need and what is the best deal within a reasonable price range for someone who is just doing it for fun at home (say, about 100 to 150€).
It should be reasonably large to allow for long strokes, but also compact enough so I can put it in my lap, if I want to (though I don't think that'd be an issue in this price range).

Trust me, you don't want a big one. Smaller tablets are better. They occupy less space and you have to travel your hand as far for each stroke. Smaller ones are more convenient and they cost less. I Got one for around $100 that even came with photoshop elements, which is okay. But you can get one for around $70 as well with less drawing software.