Wasted $180 on a drawing tablet that barely worked out of the box

Back in 2018 I bought a no-name drawing tablet off Amazon for $180 because I was trying to save money over a Wacom. It arrived with driver issues that took me 3 days to figure out, and even then the pen pressure was all over the place. I spent maybe 10 hours trying to calibrate it and messing with settings before I gave up. The screen had this weird lag where my strokes showed up half a second late, which made line art impossible. I finally tossed it in a drawer and bought a used Intuos off Facebook Marketplace for $150 that worked perfectly from day one. Has anyone else lost money on a cheap tablet that just wasn't worth the headache?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wyatt1mo ago

$180 isn't that much in the grand scheme of things, you lived and learned. Is it really worth getting worked up over a drawer tablet three years later?

jason_stone121mo agoMost Upvoted

Oh wow, I have to admit I used to be on the other side of this argument. I used to think $180 was just a drop in the bucket too, especially compared to bigger life expenses. But this thread actually opened my eyes a bit. For some people that's a full week of groceries or a utility bill, and getting burned on something like a tablet can really sting. Plus it's not just the money, it's the principle of someone selling you a defective item and not making it right. I can see now why someone would still feel frustrated years later.

the_jana1mo ago

Are you kidding me, $180 is not that much? Honestly, I've got a greasy drawer at my shop full of burnt-out car parts that cost more than that, and I still curse myself for buying the wrong blinker fluid like five years ago. Ngl, it's not just about the cash, it's about feeling like someone pulled one over on you, you know? Like, I've spent more on a bad haircut and still hate the reflection in the mirror, same kind of sting. Plus, for me, $180 is like a weekend of pizza and beer, and I'd be pissed if that disappeared for a busted tablet. So yeah, I get holding a grudge over that drawer full of disappointment.