Total cost of ownership (TCO)
How much it really costs to own a drawing tablet
Overview
The cost of the drawing tablet is often the only cost people consider. However, that is only the most obvious cost, and I suggest everyone get familiar with all the other costs. The sum of all these other costs is the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
All costs below are rough estimates.
Tablets
Costs of tablets vary significantly based on brand, audience (pro vs non-pro), quality, size, etc.
Pen tablets - from about $50 to $250
Pen displays - $250 to $3500
Pen computers - $2500 to $3500
Mobile computers with pen support - $250 to $1200
Cables
New tablets usually come with the cables they need. However, you may need to purchase cables if you bought your tablet used, lose your cables, or damage your cables.
Pen tablet cabling - costs not much to replace. $5 to $10
Pen display cabling - these cabling options are more complex because they have to account for a decent amount of power and bandwidth for the display signal. $30 to $50.
Drawing gloves
These are useful when you want to prevent skin oil from collecting on your tablet. They are also very useful if your tablet supports touch because they can help with palm rejection. $5 to $10 per glove.
Pens
Pens are a big contributor to TCO. Even though pens come with a tablet, you still have to consider their cost. Pens are very easily lost and damaged. Replacement costs vary significantly. At the high end, Wacom's professional pens cost more than some tablets. $30 to $140.
Stands
These are popular for keeping tablets, usually pen displays, at an angle. $30 to $100.
Monitor arms
Instead of a stand, some people prefer keeping their pen displays on a monitor arm so that they can switch between using them like a monitor and using them like a tablet. $50 to $400.
Surface protectors
TBD
Carrying cases
$50 to $200
Cleaning solution for pen displays
$1 per 30ml
Nibs
$1/nib to $3/nib. $1 is the typical cost. Wacom nibs for their professional pens can cost $3.
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