There’s no definitive answer to which kind of drawing tablet is better, since each artist will have different needs. So, it’s important to understand the difference between each tablet type.
Graphics tablets are the more affordable option, being more hardware-lite. They generally respond with great accuracy – if, of course, you can get used to looking up at a screen while drawing. Since they don’t arrive with a built-in display, they’re more robust, too. As such, graphics tablets are the perfect choice for frequent travellers, so long as you have access to external monitors or laptops to which you can connect them.
Pen displays are significantly pricier and a little more fragile, but learning to use them is easier, and you don’t have to rely so much on configurable buttons and shortcuts to navigate your canvas. Some high-end pen displays come with built-in operating systems, meaning you don’t need to connect them to a PC or laptop; but this comes at a significant cost.
General-use tablets are the more conventional, multipurpose slates from the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Samsung that also double up as drawing tablets. Some devices, such as the Apple iPad Pro, more clearly address the needs of artists through stylus design, display quality and performance. However, if you’re looking for a more professional experience, then they can’t quite deliver Wacom-level results, and unlike pen tablets and displays, general-use tablets won't offer textured work surfaces for a more natural, pen-to-paper drawing experience.