Customer Reviews

Wacom Cintiq 12WX 12-Inch Pen Display

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are good things, many people have listed them. But for $1000, it should be much better. Here are a list of the shortcomings that are not excusable for this price:

-Poor viewing angles. Wacom says you should use the color profiles that come with the display as it has been properly calibrated at the factory. And yes, color is perfect. At least Hue and Saturation. Verified with ColorSync advanced setup. But if the brightness and contrast changes if you move your head, well, it isn't accurate, is it? I assumed that this 12.1" display was going to be higher quality than the crappy displays you get in a MacBook or thin Windows Laptop. Wrong. Same horrible viewing angles and hot spots. Basically a cheep laptop monitor in a Wacom case.

-Poor tracking. Wacom is the standard. Supposedly this is based on an Intuos pad. But Wacom gives 2 points of calibration. That's right, 2 points. Upper left, lower right. That means that if you move the pen along the line drawn between those points, it's calibrated. But not in the lower left of upper right. Not at all. Any professional product should have at minimum 5 points of calibration. 4 corners and center. 2 is what my GameBoy DS has, and frankly, it tracks better and faster. Wacom needs to improve their driver and they could accomplish this. And of course since you can't touch the bottom 5 pixels of the screen, good luck if you had your dock hidden down there (Mac only). I have to have the dock squished to the side, which makes it harder to use, especially with a dual monitor setup.

-Lots of cables and the brick. It works well, but still. With all that cabling and hardware, you'd think they could provide a DVI/VGA passthrough port.

-1st grader pen. The grip pen is just not logical. No artists tools I use have that shape. Pencils, pens, brushes, all are thinner. I am used to sketching with Colorase and drafting pencils, so I won't be using this grip pen. Can I get used to it? Sure, probably, but then it will be more awkward to switch back and forth between the Cintiq and real paper and pencil. I ordered the classic pen, which should arrive in a few days. But that's another $50 to spend, when it should have either been the default pen provided, or BOTH pens should have been provided.

-Software. They have been downgrading the bundles over time with their tablets, but at $1000, we should get more than Painter Light and Photoshop Light, since the vast, vast VAST majority of Cintiq customers already own Photoshop. I mean, you don't spend $1000 on a Cintiq without already owning a full version of Photoshop, so what value is Elements to anyone? Dump it and provide more brush plugins and the Classic pen instead. And a full version of Painter would be nice.

Everything I list is fixable after the fact except for the LCD quality. Bundle can be improved, driver can be upgraded to fix the tracking issues, classic pen can be included. And a "rev B" could include a higher quality LCD screen with a professional viewing angle, at least vertically. Or, if they don't want to fix these problems, cut the price by $400 and it's less offensive... ;)

All that said, there's still nothing like drawing directly on the screen with a pressure sensitive, high resolution pen. It's a great concept and a decent product that could be great.

At first glance, it's an amazing product. It's a great size, it's thin, bright, with nice buttons and a nice pen.
I just got mine and am using it to work with as a normal tablet (to control the cursor on my main screen), and also to work directly on and draw/paint.
I use a 21" Cintiq at work and also have a 6x8 Intuos 3 tablet that I used before getting this new 12" Cintiq.

The 12" Cintiq has a lot of flaws - so much so that I think I may have to return it, which is really disappointing.
First. Though it's a "12-inch" screen, I'd say it's more like a 10". Why? Because when you move the cursor to the edges of the screen - a little over an inch away from each border, the cursor starts to shake tremendously. This simply doesn't fly when you're trying to keep a steady hand and get a good line while drawing or painting. It's also very annoying when you're just trying to click on something in the menu bar at the top of the screen. The cursor looks like it's spazzing out and it's really hard to live with.
I think part of the reason for this may be because of the limited 2-point calibration, as someone else who reviewed on here talked about. The calibration is just nowhere near refined enough.
Like I said, I also have a 21" Cintiq and I don't have this problem with that. They just didn't do a good job with the 12".

Second. The excessive cables. They really need to figure out how to slim this down and simply it - and I think they could. Before you buy look at the manual online and see all that you have to do to get this thing working. If you're thinking about taking it with you on the go with your laptop, forget it. There's so much to have to deal with. I don't see why they can't just make a simple cable like Apple's Cinema displays - it plugs into the DVI port, a usb port for the pen to work, and then a power brick, which then plugs into the wall. That'd be so much simpler. The cintiq itself is very thin - so it lends itself to portability, but when you have to consider all the extra cables and connections you have to make, it doesn't work out so well.

Third. The quality of the screen. It is cheap. When I first plugged it in I wasn't disappointed - I saw my desktop background on this small 12" screen and it looked nice and bright. But then I started working with it. When you're actually drawing in Photoshop the line doesn't look nearly as crisp as on my Apple Cinema display. Text also suffers. Just reading through web pages it's quite noticeable. I think another review said that they just used a cheap laptop screen, and after working with it for a couple days, I think that person was right.

There are nice things about it. The design is nice and like I said before, it's nice and thin so it sits nicely on my desk (a problem I have with the bigger ones is that they are SO bulky).
It's easy to pick up and put in your lap. And the stand is nice too.
I really wish that it didn't have the problems that it does because I'd love it to work well.
My main problem has to be the cursor jumping around and shaking - it's really awful and I don't think I can stand it. It's worst at the edges of the screen, but you can't even click and drag to scroll down a web page without the cursor shaking. It's not only annoying, it's almost unusable. I'm used to using my Intous 3 and my goodness - what a difference. That one is SO much better at tracking your pin movement.

Worth $1000? Not at all. Hopefully they'll come out with a better updated one sometime soon - then it may be worth the price.

I believe that most of us got this product because we are heavily into animation or other digital arts. Anyone who tried this can tell you; nothing beats drawing directly on the screen.
However, when the CINTIQ 12WX costs as much as a loaded Tablet PC (at least it was at the time of this writing), and when you use this professionally all day for a couple of months the "WOW" effect fades out and reality sinks it...
It's HOT
The biggest problem I have with this product, the lower portion of the tablet (where you rest your hand) gets REALLY hot in only a couple of hours (I mean annoyingly hot, not lukewarm). I place a microfiber cloth under my hand when I have to work longer hours.
I know that the heat comes from the back lights for the screen, yet this seems like a design flaw, since the top of the tablet doesn't get hot, nor does my brighter, larger, LCD display.

This brings me to the screen :

The Monitor is very low res. compared to my DELL laptop's screen, this is soo unsharp, soo unbright, it is annoying, especially after working for longer hours. You also have to deal with Annoying reflections. And the screen smudges very easily (this happens with all LCD's and should be expected).
This means you will definitely need another screen to inspect your work.

Accuracy and calibration:

With only 2 calibration points, the tablet is only accurate in the middle part of the screen, and with the limited real estate, you are really limiting yourself. So if you think you are actually painting where the pen is, you are wrong except in the middle part of the screen.

Sensor bars: sometimes they are so sensitive, on other occasions they are not responsive. ( some drivers issues I presume!)

Portability??

"The Cintiq 12WX enables you to work wherever you feel inspired. It fits into everyday laptop bags ..."

Are they kidding? Nowhere in any of WACOM's advertisement for the CINTIQ do you see any cables, and although you know that this is not wireless, and you know that there must be communications between graphic card and screen, and computer and tablet portion, you will NEVER imagine the cable jungle this device creates! It is a big hassle just to take it from room to room!

The Grip Pen.

Although I have used the Grip Pen with Intuous3 and really liked the feel, working with the CINTIQ 12 WX you realize how BULKY it really is. It is like drawing on a regular paper using a very large dry eraser pen. You can't see what's under your pen tip. Drawing small details becomes a hassle, you constantly zoom in and out to make sure your are drawing details correctly.

As a WACOM fan, I believe they can make a great product out of this, they said they will release an update driver soon, we hope that should fix the inaccuracy issues.
The Heat issue, will probably be fixed in future releases, so, wait a bit before taking the plunge.

As someone who has been using WACOM tablets for the last 10+ years. This is a product I would expect MICROSOFT to introduce to the market not WACOM.

Verdict:
Definitely try it before you buy it as it is a love it hate it type of product. However, my recommendation is *not* to buy it at $900 and wait for it to drop further in price to the mid-high $700s for new. Though it does intuitively eliminate the visual disconnect for seasoned wacom artists, and therefore speeds up their art, there is a definite learning curve for those not used to drawing on tablets. Also, this product has been around for about 2 years and justifies a more significant discount than what is shown. At a lower price point yes it does indeed shine but it's not revolutionary for artists who know how to draw with an intuos and is not something you need unless your business turns out art on the hour every hour. On that latter note, for another grand your business would be better off getting the cintiq 21ux. In other words, the 12wx is NOT a little brother of the cintiq 21ux. The 21ux is a much better product and this one cannot fairly compare to it. Therefore buy this one only when it becomes a good deal. Opinions do vary on what a good deal is, but even though I can use this product to its full extent and somewhat need it, I don't believe it should be worth it's current cost due to the fact a much better alternative is currently available.


Who this is for:
Professional Digital Illustrators used to traditional wacom tablets who want to bridge the visual disconnect
Professional Digital illustrators who want to increase their productivity by 30-40%
Rich or Self - sufficient web comic artists bothered by the visual disconnect who wants to draw faster and better


Who this is NOT for:
Cintiq 21ux users who want a portable and calibrated mini version (stick to your current cintiq)
Real Media illustrators who want to illustrate digitally with no learning curve
Hobbyists who expect this tablet to revolutionize their artistry
Designers or other creative pros who don't draw nor illustrate


Pros:
Eliminates hand to eye disconnects for most seasoned wacom artists
Excellent and responsive
Intuitive, natural and very easy to draw especially for seasoned digital illustrators
Useful configurable zoom strips and buttons on the sides that allow for keyboard-less drawing
Solid and well built overall with a sturdy and secure back stand
Increases productivity, reduces mental strain and makes drawing on screen similar (though not identical) to drawing on paper.


Cons:
Definitely overpriced
Zoom strip is at times overly sensitive
Not as accurate as the 21ux
Smallish drawing area that is sometimes blocked by your hand
Lots of wires and a bulky breakbox
Time consuming set up
Calibration off on the sides, will change if you move your head.
Surface scratches quite easily (screen protector DEFINITELY recommended)


Potential concerns
Warm on the center bottom
Made in China (not sure if this matters to most anymore)
May need to zoom in for better inking accuracy
About as heavy as some laptops
Dual Monitor setup is wonky
Won't make you an Insta-Michaelangelo (lower your expectations on how awesome this can make your art)


Review
After looking at Cosmo Kramer's excellent review, I delayed trying the Cintiq mainly due to cost but also fears of a poorly made, over-priced product. Due to need and also the absolute desire to ink better I tried it. My first impressions are, this is really difficult to set up. As a wacom user I've been spoiled by the virtual plug and play functionality of their traditional tablet line. Therefore this tablet requiring one to not only wire, but access the OSD menu, and switch to VGA or leave at DVI, then configure the monitor drivers is NOT intuitive. If you find it easy, good on you, but for some, especially those wanting a dual monitor setup, this is not intuitive at all.

When it is set up, drawing is a natural, closest to perfect experience for wacom users you can get for $900. I must emphasize the wacom user and "perfect" part. First, I use the term "perfect" loosely as the way I draw has already been adapted for the unnatural tablet drawing style. This adaptation is so far removed from traditional means that it really isn't intuitive at all and can at first feel like you're using claw crane vending machine arm to draw. So when drawing digitally I focus more on general sketching and more on the cursor than the pen tip. Therefore for real media uses, yes any wacom tablet including this one, will screw up your technique. Though this is easier than doing it via traditional wacoms, using this tablet is definitely not without a learning curve.

Also for a grand, if you are looking for absolute accuracy I don't blame you for being disappointed. First, you must sit in the same spot you calibrated in as moving just a little bit will alter the calibration. Second you must not draw on the screen margins as not only is the calibration not accurate but also for some reason it twitches slightly. This tablet is therefore best suited to those of us who trained ourselves to look at the cursor.

If you are like me and feel that any improvement is good, then this is definitely an improvement above the drawing you've done on a tablet. And if you're "good" enough this is essentially the same as if you drew on paper. However, if you are expecting this to replace drawing on paper, then do what the others have recommended and wait. There's no sense in getting a tablet that WILL be replaced by better technology if you are disappointed by what it can't do. And as close as this is, this won't replace the real life calibration of pencil on paper drawing.



Conclusion
Looking at function alone this deserves 3.5- 4 stars. It is everything I was personally expecting based on reviews on how it increases productivity. Therefore this is a product worth getting if you will use it every day, all day for your business that depends on fast art. Why this receives 3 stars are based on the cons above as well as value. The value of the tablet warrants only a 1.5-2 star rating as it is $900, 2 years of age and will be replaced soon by better technology. This is not a perfect product, is not a mini version of the 21ux, is not nearly as portable as it sounds, and the calibration is off. It makes absolutely no sense to pay a grand for this smallish tablet when you can get a much more superior product for $900 more.

So unless you have the money, you trained yourself to look at the cursor, or you're working on a crucial project, get this used, open box with most of the warranty intact for a good deal. The only reason to get this now at full price is if you are seriously time crunched and need to work on this for a business immediately. Even though I am time crunched and I need this product, I simply cannot justify the price tag and am therefore buying one used.

If there were no sales and I had to pay a grand+ for this product I would prefer saving more money and getting the 21ux instead.

I've had my 12WX for a month. I had also worked with 21UX for much longer period.

What I really like about 12WX:

Light (can put it on your lap)
Better than any intuous3 tablet( for those who need to see the screen and the pen at the same time as they draw)
Does everything the 21UX does (for 1/3 of the price), but not as accurate

What I don't like about 12WX:

Screen not as bright or colourful as a typical monitor.

Screen is small and widescreen, so it is really tight area to draw.

About 20% of the screen is unusable because of jitter and inaccuracy of pan calibration; this occurs on the 21UX too, but for only about 10% of the screen area, and nowhere near as bad. The bottom 5% of the 12WX seems to have the worst distortion effect, rendering lines predictably wobbly. To avoid this, one could stick to the middle area (A6).

It is not portable, the number of wires one needs to carry around, the converter box, power supply and when all cables are plugged the 12WX becomes an octopus requiring a big table.

I think the 12WX, being cheaper, has attracted more, new people to the Cintiq range, and they are discovering it is not what they expected from the glittering ads. Cintiqs are not as accurate as a piece of paper and a mechanical pencil. That said, the 21UX is much much more accurate than the 12WX. But perhaps the 12WX is less able by consequence of cramming everything into such a slim piece of kit? The 21UX is a behemoth in comparison.

The bottom line is, if you can only have one Cintiq, and you're really serious about it, buy the 21UX, wait until Wacom resolves numerous technical issues with the first generation of "portable" version of 21UX.

This is the fourth Wacom tablet I've had over past 10 years. The first three sat in the corner of my studio and rarely got used. I'm just one of those people who couldn't look at the screen and draw on a tablet. I spent hours trying to get comfortable with it and every time I gave up. I kept telling myself that with each new model that this would be the one. Well, I can finally say, THIS IS THE ONE! I've had this for a little over a week and I've drawn on it every day. I've worked with it on my Macintosh Desktop as well as my Mac Book Pro. I can lean back, set it in my lap and draw on it like a sketch book. It truly feels like a non-digital experience. I even noticed myself attempting to wipe away eraser dust after removing a line! This is the tablet I've dreamed of.

For anyone whose had the same problems that I've had trying to get used to the standard tablet, this is the way to go. The only thing that could replace this for me would be a true Macintosh Tablet PC. This one gets a bit cumbersome with the connector box and multiple cables, but that's a small issue to endure to get such great results.

I have used an Intuos for ages (Intous2,3 and 4). I've had the small, medium, and large. I've used the Bamboo as well in addition to now the 12wx and the 21ux.

I was debating for months on buying the 12wx or the 21ux. I use the 21ux at work and yes it's amazing... but it is incredibly expensive. The 21ux offers a huge screen and making sweeping strokes with your arm and not your wrist is important in painting and drawing. I was worried the 12wx would not offer this freedom and thought I'd might be drawing with my wrist only... as I did with the non-Cintiq models.

I've yet to find a review on the pros and cons of using either based on actual real world usage of both models. I decided to go with the smaller Cintiq to save money as I crossed my fingers. The Cintiqs are based on older Intuos3 technology and not on the Intuous4 technology offered in their latest Intuos models. I did not see a difference in pressure sensitivity so if you think the Intuos4 technology is better based on specs, you'll likely not detect a difference... meaning waiting for the Intuos4 technology to be embedded into future Cintiq models before buying shouldn't be a concern. The Intous4 tablets are better than the Intuos3 tablet mostly because the drawing area is softer and is easier to move your hand smoothly across the surface. The Cintiq has a nice smooth monitor surface comparable to the surface of the Intous4. I use a SmudgeGuard glove (cheap) as well and the combination is amazing.

I highly recommend not considering reviews from people who've not used a tablet at all... people who use the Cintiq as their first tablet experience. It's like learning how to play guitar on a high-end guitar model instead of learning on a cheaper model and then upgrading once you've upped your skills. Appreciating the Cintiq will be based on using a tablet for years in my opinion.

Using a non-Cintiq tablet has it's cons for sure. You're unable to connect directly with the canvas is the most critical downside. Also these non-Cintiq tablets have an inability to create a nice sweeping line, you'll always need to undo and try again until you get this line... not a problem with drawing on paper or the Cintiq. The bigger Cintiq is nice because you'll be able to draw along with your reference on one screen, you'll not need to rely on a second monitor. You'll possibly need to rely on a second monitor with the smaller model.

The downside of my 12" Cintiq is that I was unable to get it to work with a secondary monitor... that being my laptop monitor. Also, I've disabled my laptop's monitor... so I have to open my laptop every time to turn it on and then close the lid (monitor disabled) so whenever I open the laptop lid my Cintiq screen's pixel dimension will be out of wack until I close the lid and the Cintiq recognizes it's the only monitor. This may be because I have an older Dell laptop. I could have both screens on, but they wouldn't work together, and I had to turn it off so the pixel dimensions I chose was relevant to the Cintiq (if I kept my second laptop monitor on, the Cintiq would think it was my laptop monitor and not inherent the correct pixel dimensions).

The upside of this smaller Cintiq is the long cord that accompanies it. I can sit on my couch in my office and maneuver to a better sitting position, something I wasn't able to do with the larger Cintiq. It feels more like paper than the bigger monitor because I can pick it up and move it as needed. The smaller Cintiq is pretty thin (I was worried about the thickness since I was unable to find anyone with the model - person or store - to actually touch and hold the model). I don't use the rotation-nub (on the back) feature and I never use the tablet in varying up positions, I only use it flat and in the firmest up position. The elevation at its firmest position is exactly the same angle as my animation drawing table. I also put it on my lap as I draw on my couch. When on my lap I slightly rotate as needed, but when drawing I'll usually use the rotate canvas feature in the software of Photoshop and Sketchbook.

I suppose you could have more freedom of movement if you bought an arm for the 21ux, but a good arm costs a lot, and if you buy a cheap one it'll wear out in a few months. Having an arm for your 21ux or having a 12wx at work would be great because you could change how you sit and where you sit... especially if you back is turned to a high-traffic area. Being able to put the smaller Cintiq on your lap and changing your seating position is a definite plus. Most artists love privacy and the smaller one gives you this privacy. Also, productivity will increase so much you'll wonder why any company wouldn't furbish their employees with this device.

Because I use the smaller Cintiq as my only monitor I cannot have a reference side-by-side on screen when drawing or painting and have to resort to switching between apps or using a smaller section of the monitor to put side-by-side which gives my very limited space.

I'm able to make strokes with my arm instead of wrist drawing which was my number 1 concern. I envisioned this device to be much smaller than it is, but it's the right size considering how much money I spent.

The only design flaw technologically speaking is the lower-right portion of the screen, and it's only this tiny area. I never use this area and the only problem I had was the task icon area where the clock sits with the icons shown for the various apps I have populated here (like volume, Google Talk, virus software, etc). I put the start menu bar on the top of my screen and I have never seen a problem beyond that one gripe. It's literally just a tiny spot in the lower right... and recalibrating has no effect. Again, I've never used this area outside of activating the icons on the far-right of my Start menu bar. You can leave your bar there and activate these icons, but you'll have to have the pen go off the canvas to click them (as your mouse will not hover correctly and be off in calibration). So I'll have to click the black non-screen area to make my mouse hover these icons (again putting your bar on the top of your screen or side alleviates this). I didn't see this problem with the bigger model, but the bigger model was slightly off in this area (barely noticeable).

The monitor is solid and portable. The wires where they enter the screen are solid as well. The only cheap part that seems off is the on/off switch. It seems a likely chance with years of using it'll become loose, it just feels delicate and somewhat cheap. I never really use it because of this worry, and I simply put my computer into hibernation and the monitor successfully goes into sleep mode immediately.

If you're a tablet user and want a better experience for an affordable price, I highly recommend this model. It's not perfect and you might expect more, but because Wacom's the only company that I'd buy a tablet from and the only other alternative is using a bigger Cintiq that costs a fortune... this is what we got.

Many reviews point out more issues, and I'm not sure if Wacom made a more recent hardware update to this smaller model. I bought in 2010 during December. There is no jittering-mouse as described in negative reviews. The brightness is perfectly fine whereas some negative reviews stated horrible contrast and brightness. The bigger Cintiq I have at work shows glare and reflections because I have a fluorescent lights above me and I can see where some people would say this is poor screen quality, but if I put it upright it no longer has this problem. I assume this is equivalent with any monitor you face upwards towards above lighting but not noticeable to most because the Cintiq is the only monitor you'd face upwards.

With any Wacom tablet the software installation can be a pain. Sometimes you'll have to uninstall, remove preferences... and restart before reinstalling. It's finicky software... but they've updated their software with a "remove preferences" option that works wonders so as to not uninstall and go through those motions. I've never heard of this problem at work from people using a Apple, only PCs. Also on a PC, sometimes you'll need to Start->Run->Services.msc and stop/start your tablet driver. I see this a lot in the bigger Cintiq and non-Cintiq models,,, I have yet to need to do this with my smaller Cintiq model. Sometimes with the bigger Cintiq I'll need to restart my computer because the pen just won't work anymore. I probably do this about once every 3 days. I have yet to do this with my smaller Cintiq.

I hope this review helps you in your decision.

I'm not going to go into tremendous detail about my purchase, but as a to-be graduate hailing from the Academy of Art University, buying the Cintiq 12wx was the best thing I could have done for myself this year.

Weeks before my decision to blow my money, I'd been reading so many reviews and weighing the decisions of the pro's and con's of it all-- things like the tablet's ease of use, other things such as its jittery behavior. But after taking everything into consideration, I finally bought it as a personal birthday present-- and I'm certainly glad I did.

From unpacking in early January up until my first week of a new semester, I'd been testing the Cintiq's true quality. It's actually much bigger than what I expected it to be (especially the screen size), as plenty of other consumers complained that it was too small and was not portable. [On that note, I could never dream of having a 21UX, now-- definitely a purchase for people who own a home).

Frankly, yes, the wiring for the 12wx might be a bit at first, but seeing as how I travel often with plenty of much more complicated things, this honestly wasn't that hard to handle. Smaller trips, such as moving from one room to the other, are definitely not possible (lol), but I haven't had to move my Cintiq from my desk since I've moved into my apartment.

The first setup made me a little nervous, because I couldn't quite read the directions too well, so I had a friend help me for the first time; now it's a breeze.

The tablet itself started with two points of calibration for the pen, but since I update it frequently from the user settings, I've found that it does indeed have four points of calibration after the initial installation. I'm not sure if it's the right thing to do, but I've found that it really helps to calibrate the pen every day. I've never had a problem with jittering (which I've found you can fix with the little adapter the 12wx comes with), and the pen stays pinpoint with everything I do. Though I've discovered links that help you create your own pen sensitivity by delving into the computer settings, I honestly have a light hand, so I've never had to use this method. (I'll probably try it later on if the need arises.)

While the Cintiq 12wx does work like a dream, there are indeed two things I wish were better. The first is the color calibration-- from setup, I noticed a drastic difference in color, which I expected. Still, I found myself frustrated when I sat down and played with the settings to match the screen to my computer's. It took about 30 minutes with my friend's help, included. I'm honestly still questioning the color calibration to this day, and find myself double-checking my work from both screens to see if I'm pleased.

The second thing I find myself huffing about is the Cintiq's stand, which I use very often as to not upset my back. Having the tablet propped up is such a nice thing to have, but I find myself having to adjust continuously if it is not completely pulled back. This would have easily been solved by having little ridges or stoppers to click into place for every angle the tablet needs to be adjusted to.

To this day, these are the only problems that I am experiencing. Regardless of their presence, I still love my 12wx VERY much. I'd recommend it to anyone who's having their own doubts due to the risk of money and the fear of not having enough screen estate. (And if you're a drafts person like myself, you'll pat yourself on the back for no longer wasting money and trees on millions of sketchbooks. ;D)

[If there are any artists reading this for insight, the programs I use most with the Cintiq are now Corel Painter 11 and Painter Tool SAI.]

I hope this review benefits some out there, even if it's a little bit. :) Happy days, people.

Let me start by saying that i'm not surprised by the some of the negative reviews this tablet has received. I am very well aware that this tablet is not perfect. I went in knowing that but decided to take the plunge anyway. Do I regret it? Not a single bit.

A tale of an artist's sorrow.

As an artist I have struggled for the past 6 or so years trying to find a balance between traditional and digital artwork. During college I had a chance to work in both mediums, and when I started making money I decided to take it another level buy hardware and software to meet my needs. It wasn't a tough decision. It was either that or a $1000 set of copic markers. So Two and a half years ago I bought an Imac and a Wacom 6x8 bluetooth tablet shortly thereafter. I was happy with my Mac(and still am) but hardly ever used the tablet. I just couldn't get used to it. I knew the size was small but I couldn't afford anything better. So the tablet just sat there only to be used every couple of months. A couple months ago when I decided to tough it out and struggle with the tablet....until I tried to turn it and couldn't. I had to cancel a project I was working on because of this. What was the point of doing art if you can't keep up with the digital era or can't afford an abundant amount of cumbersome art supplies.

Then came the cintiq and I thought to myself, this is great! This could be the end of my struggle. But wait. 1000 dollars?! I may as well wait for the macbook touch thats been rumored for the past few years. However, time will not stand still for me. I mean, it's a thousand bucks but hey, you have to invest in bettering yourself sometimes. So I did the research , checked various prices and finally decided it was time to get one. And with that being said, my 6 year drout has officially ended.

I have a large drawing table and an 11x17 scanner which I might never have to use again. The Wacom Cintiq is my canvas. You can listen to the reviewers here talk about all the minor technical issues, hotspots and preference in digital pens. As an artist and not a computer nerd, I can tell you that the cintiq is worth the money if you keep in mind that that it's not perfect just like any computer or device. And thats the reason i'm giving it 4 starts instead of 5.

And for those thinking of getting a tablet PC, make sure that it is what you truly want. If you travel a lot I would recommend one because the cintiq is not as portable as one might think. But keep in mind that your making an investment in you as an artist and not on a computer. Most tablet PCs are known to have lag and generally aren't built specifically for digital art. Also, keep in mind the advancements in hardware. You can take the cintiq and connect it to any PC or Mac. You can't yank the screen out of your tablet PC and attach it elsewhere once the hardware becomes obsolete. At least not without the expertise.

So before you think of the money you spend, the things that it can do in comparison to a tablet PC, or very minor technical issues, think of yourself as an artist. And if your one of those like me who had no canvas, rest assured that there is one waiting for you.

As a graphic artist, longtime Wacom user, and Cintiq 21x early-adopter, I was waiting anxiously for the portable version of the Cintiq and bought it immediately.

Well it is portable and usable, so they get points for that. But you can forget about using this on the plane. Not only does it require an AC plug-in (a big thick cord with a large-ish power supply), there's also an additional brick about the size of a thick paperback book for the video card. And the instructions emphatically warn against connecting or disconnecting while the computer is on, so it's not hot-swapable either. The screen size is a bit small given the tablet size. Also, like the Wacom tablet, they are still using a hardwired cord which can tend to get bent when you're packing it in luggage. I've never had one break, but it's a design flaw.

So it is a functional, portable Cintiq. Check. But if you're not in a hurry, it feels like this will be a little better in a year or two.