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Last week I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 from Best Buy. This was a device I researched quite a bit before I decided to purchase it. Originally it wasn’t my intention to purchase an Android tablet. For a while I’ve been in search of a good drawing tablet but I didn’t just want a drawing pad without a screen. Though I understand how many have never had a problem with looking down at a drawing tablet, and then back up at a screen to view what is actually drawn (or becoming accustomed to simply keeping an eye on the screen), I’ve never cared for the process.

Several months ago my search for a drawing device with an integrated screen began. I had already tried to use an iPad as well as an integrated Mac trackpad. None of those options worked well for me. I wanted something with a stylus that had a tip close to the width of the lines I wanted to be able to draw. I’ve tried Pogo Pens, etc and none of them felt right.

After looking at several pieces of hardware I finally came across information on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and soon got to demo one at a Best Buy. After trying out the device I left, did some more research, and eventually purchased it on a later visit to the store.

It was exactly what I’ve been looking for. To begin with I wasn’t that interested in the Android OS. I wasn’t unwilling to use it, it just wasn’t the reason I purchased this tablet.

I’m happy to share that this is a great digital drawing device. The built-in software is very good but there are certainly a number of free and commercial Android apps available via the Google Play store.

If you’re looking for this kind of device then I highly recommend the Note 8. The Note 10 is probably also a good choice for an additional $100. I chose the Note 8 because I wanted a smaller tablet (after all, I’m already hauling around at least one notebook on any given day along with several other small devices).

Perhaps the greatest weakness of the Note 8 is its price. At this time it’s consistently priced around $380. Personally, I think a drop of $100 would make an excellent bargain but, despite the fact that I think it’s somewhat overpriced, I do believe I’ve gotten my money’s worth and I’m hoping this device lives for a very long time. And besides, it’s not just a drawing pad. It’s a full-blown tablet with more features than I even need.

Updated 12/10/2013: I still think the Note 8 is a great device though it’s worth pointing out that the battery life is not exceptional by any means. When I’m not using the device I typically power it down. I frequently disable WiFi if I don’t need Internet access as it can rapidly drains the battery (even in stand-by mode). This is the only characteristic of the Note 8 that I do not like and it’s significant enough to consider before purchasing one.