Paint.net on graphic tablets or tablet computers? Need some advice

[Japhasca]

First of all, please forgive me if I'm wrong on any information or assumptions I've made, as I'm a noob to tablets. I've been researching this issue and I can't seem to find the answers I need.

The short of it is I'm working on an indie game and I draw better when I have immediate visual feedback--that is, on the thing I'm drawing on (so, a graphics tablet with no image would be useless to me.)
My preferred program is Paint.net, it does exactly what I need it to do, (which is mostly zoomed-in pixel manipulation and freehand drawing.) I am aware of the lack of pressure support, but I'm not concerned by that.

It seems I would need either a tablet computer that actually allows loading regular software (like a Surface Pro) or a graphic tablet I can connect to my desktop, that has an actual screen to draw on.

I also can't afford to spend an arm and a leg, and a lot of these are EXPENSIVE.

 

Anyone have any ideas for me? Any particular product that fits these descriptions that you've used and enjoyed? Any deals? Any products to stay away from?

 

Thanks in advance!

[timdunn]

With the Surface Pro 3 out, you can probably find some people who like to be on the (b)leading edge willing to part with their Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2 tablets.  A quick search of eBay shows a functioning 64GB Surface Pro (1) for $330.  It's lacking a charger, which will set you back $20 on Amazon, so we're talking $350 for a 1920 x 1080 graphics tablet.

 

If you prefer new kit, Amazon has a listing for a 19" 1440 x 900 Turcom Interactive Pen Display Graphics Touch Screen Monitor that reports at 220 rps. (It also does 2K levels of pressure, but that's not germane here.)  This costs $500 and ships free with Prime.

 

Hope that helps, one newbie to another!