With more than 40 products, Wacom's offering is indeed overwhelming. If you are looking to buy a graphics tablet, we are here to make it easy for you.
Why Wacom? Because of the quality...
If you search Google for graphics tablets, you'll find that what used to be the preserve of Wacom is now crowded with Chinese brands like XP-Pen, Huion, and Artisul. And they all sell at a lower price than Wacom. So how does Wacom still justify its higher prices compared to the competition? Because of the quality. But do not just trust us, do your own research and you'll find that Wacom undeniably has the best build quality, is the most comfortable to use, and delivers the best results. And that's what counts.
Main types of Drawing devices
All the models you see fall under one of the following device categories.
Stylus alone for a table
A stylus works with your existing touch device. This is the cheapest option to start drawing with if you already own a device like an iPad or Android tablet. The results are never as good as a drawing tablet, but it's a good option to start with. Apple pencil, wacom bamboo stylus are some of the products in this category
Graphics tablets without a display (Tablet, Bamboo, Intuos).
Graphics tablets connect to your PC /MAC and you draw on the surface with the pen instead of the mouse. What you draw is reflected on your screen. There are multitouch tablets that make it easy to zoom, rotate, or reposition your drawing with the multitouch gesture. Wacom Intuos, Intuos Pro, and one from Wacom are all graphics tablets
Graphics tablets with display ( Pen Display, display tablet).
These graphics tablets have an integrated display. So you connect it to your PC /MAC and draw directly on the screen.
The advantage is that since you draw directly on the screen, its as intuitive as a paper and pencil is. Wacom Cintiq and Wacom One are in this category.
Standalone Graphics Tablets with OS
These graphics tablets do not require PC. They have an SSD, CPU, and an OS, so they are truly standalone. Wacom Mobile studio pro falls in this category, it has a graphics card and runs Windows.
Other Features to look for
Now that you know the different types of devices, here are the main features that differentiate one tablet from another (Intuos pro has more pressure levels than Intuos, for example).
Size of the tablet/ Active area :
Pay attention to the active area. The size of the active area determines the area you can draw on. All manufacturers specify either a small/medium/large size or a diagonal size like 13".
Look at the specifications and compare the size to an A4 sheet to see how it compares.
Pressure levels and Tilt Recognition:
Pressure sensitivity is where the pencil detects the pressure you apply and the application and creates the effect accordingly. For example, with a pencil, the shade will be lighter or darker depending on how much pressure you apply.
With Tilt Recognition, you can tilt your pencil and the result mimics what would have happened on a paper with a tilted pencil.
Express Keys
On the side panel are buttons that let you quickly select a function you use most often. Pay special attention to programmable buttons so you can customise your device to fit your workflow. They increase efficiency many times over.
Multi-Touch
With multi-touch and gesture support, you can quickly zoom in on a part to retouch it, for example, and quickly reposition your image.
Ergonomics
Since you'll be working on your tablet for a long time, look for ergonomic features like an adjustable stand, weight, etc.
We hope that after reading this brief guide , it will be easy for you to choose a drawing device. If you still have questions, feel free to ask us and we will answer them.
