Wacom Intuos2 6x8 Graphics Tablet (USB)

by Wacom

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13.4 x 10.3 x 0.6 inches ; 3.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000060PEV
• Item model number: XD68USB
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 7, 2002

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Pressure Sensitivity and Tilt
Intuos2 features Wacom's unique patented batteryless, cordless technology. With 1,024 levels of pen tip and eraser pressure sensitivity, nothing unlocks the power of Photoshop, Painter, Paint Shop Pro, Flash and other professional graphics applications like Intuos2. All Intuos2 pens also support pen tilt and bearing for completely natural feel and control.

Intuos2 Grip Pen
The Intuos2 Grip Pen features Wacom's patented batteryless, cordless technology with 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. This cushioned pen reduces your grip effort by up to 40% so that you can work comfortably with less stress. Customers tell us that being able to use a pen helps them alleviate mouse and trackball induced repetitive stress injuries*.

Comfort and Ease of Use
Intuos2 comes in 5 sizes for every work style from 4"x5" to 12"x18". The tablet connects to your computer's USB (or Serial) port with an 8 foot cable so you have room to kick back and work comfortably. It's easy to use a pen tablet because every point on the tablet has a matching point on the screen. When you move your pen over the tablet, the cursor moves in precisely the same way on the screen. Where you touch your pen tip to the tablet is where you click.

A Better Mouse
Intuos2 batteryless, cordless mice have no ball to clean so you always have smooth tracking. With 2540 dpi resolution they are also much more accurate than other mice. The 4x5 and 6x8 sizes come with the three-button Intuos2 2D Mouse. The 9x12, 12x12, and 12x18 sizes come with the five-button Intuos2 4D Mouse.

Quick Access to Shortcuts
Each Intuos2 tablet features menu strip buttons above the active area of the tablet for easy access to your favorite shortcuts. The menu strip buttons have default shortcuts and they are fully customizable through Intuos2's software control panel. Pen side-switches can also be customized to generate mouse button clicks, keystrokes, modifier keys, or even to generate a pop-up menu selection of shortcuts.

Tracing
Intuos2 pen tablets feature a thick, durable overlay so that you can easily trace photos and art. Because the Intuos2 pen works up to about a quarter inch above the tablet surface, many customers also tape paper and art directly to the tablet surface to change the feel of the working surface and for convenience. Larger tablets offer more working space to simplify this type of functionality with larger art and copy work.

Intuos2 Accessories
The most notable Intuos2 accessory is the Airbrush. This unique input solution provides all of the same capabilities as a real airbrush when used in conjunction with Adobe Photoshop 7 or procreate Painter 7 by Corel, including pressure (height), tilt angle and bearing, and ink flow control. The Airbrush fingerwheel can also be used to control brush size independent of opacity. This is a very handy benefit when working with tools in Photoshop. An Intuos2 brushed metal Designer Grip Pen is also available.

Bundled Software
Nothing makes a pen tablet come alive like great pressure-sensitive software-- and all Wacom pen tablets come bundled with software from companies like Adobe, Corel, and nik multimedia, some of the greatest software companies in the business.

*Wacom makes no representation, promise or guarantee that Wacom products will cure or prevent, in whole or in part, mouse-induced repetitive stress symptoms, injuries or conditions. Individual results may vary. Always obtain competent medical advice to determine the most appropriate treatment for your specific situation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only choice in graphics tablets, February 10, 2003

By 

Anthony Peak (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wacom Intuos2 6x8 Graphics Tablet (USB) (Personal Computers)

The Wacom Intuos2 6x8 is the tablet I use to create all my Painter sketches. It's actually 13.5" x 10.2" x .6" in size. 6x8 is only the usable area. It has an impressive 1024 pressure levels, though even when using programs without pressure levels such as oekaki boards online, the difference between a tablet and a mouse is outstanding. However, when using programs like Painter that use the pressure, it's so well implemented it's second nature. You'll easily adjust to how hard to push with the stylus.

I'm not 100% sure how the technology works, but the pressure seems to have nothing to do with pushing on the tablet itself. Instead, the pressure seems to be done in the stylus, based on how hard the tip of the stylus is being pushed. This is great, and extends the life of the tablet dramatically. It feels very solid and durable. I honestly believe it will last for years and years.

Not only does it respond to the slightest touch, but it also responds to hovering above the tablet. Many people ask "how will I know where the cursor will appear when I press on the tablet?" Well, there's an easy answer to that. When you hover the stylus above the tablet, up to a good inch or so, the cursor still fully responds without actually marking. This makes it effortless to move around the screen and have the greatest of accuracy.

I myself am I die hard mouse user, I still prefer to use my mouse for work in Photoshop, simply for greater control. Most tablet users I know do the same; they use the mouse for some tasks and the tablet for others. Many, including myself, use both at once. Don't expect to throw your mouse out the window.

A lot of people get their first tablet and reject it quickly because it's not exactly how they expect. However, stick with it. Soon enough you'll be using it without any effort at all. And I know the sticker price is high, but I believe one good tablet like the Intuos2 will not only physically last for years, but will stay somewhat current and up to date for many years as well. Although I'm sure bigger and better will come, I don't see older tablets becoming worthless any time soon.

The Wacom name is flawless. Wacom is without question the leader of graphic tablets. A little competition wouldn't hurt; prices are quite high at the moment. However, the qualities of the tablets are wonderful.

The last issue to consider is what size to get. As I said at the start, 6x8 is only the active size. The tablet itself is quite larger. I personally use my tablet on a pullout keyboard tray, and the 6x8 tablet fits perfectly. Also, some people actually prefer the smaller tablets because a smaller movement gives them larger control. There are stories of people paying upwards of $600 for huge tablets, then being highly disappointed because it's too large. Remember, the longer the stroke you must make the more chance your lines will end up wiggly. It's really a personal matter, but for me 6x8 was a perfect fit of size and price.

All in all, I have nothing bad to say about the Intuos2 except just maybe the price. It's spiffy, it's accurate, and it's exactly what it should be.

- Rirath_com

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intuos2 is a very classy product, August 2, 2002

By 

Mary-Ann A. (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wacom Intuos2 6x8 Graphics Tablet (USB) (Personal Computers)

I never used a tablet before, so I had a few reservations about dropping so much money and going straight to the 6x8 size. In the end, I was more concerned about not feeling cramped and not having to upgrade from a 4x5 or 4x6 later on. On all counts, I have no regrets and I am extremely happy with the Intuos2. Not only is it sleekly beautiful and feels well-made, it also sets up easily. In a very short time, the indicator light at the top was glowing amber, and I had the free software programs loaded and opened Corel Painter Classic. I pressed the very comfortable and sturdy pen to the tablet and the light changed to green. Then I was off and running, trying colored chalks and watercolors and getting used to the strange, new act of using a tablet to draw, and I have to say it became "natural" very quickly. I made a watercolor painting of a wolf within 2 hours of carrying the box through the door! I can't say enough about how comfortable to use and responsive in operation the Intuos2 is. It is very accurate, and there's no skipping, lags, or non-registering pen strokes, or any type of responsiveness issue. The mouse works for any ordinary task in other programs (as long as it's on the tablet), but I'm keeping my trackball mouse connected to use for programs other than Painter and Photoshop. Although I have no previous tablet experience to compare it to, I feel this product is excellent quality and I'm very happy with it. I recommend it highly, with no reservations at all.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great tablet, unsatisfied with the mouse, March 20, 2003

By 

mcoopers (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wacom Intuos2 6x8 Graphics Tablet (USB) (Personal Computers)

I was so excited when I received the tablet. Although it is quite expensive,it is a must-have tool for any digital artist. I used the graphire(512 levels of pressure) before, however I don't feel much difference with Intuos2 (1024 levels).

The included software is great. The driver setup is also excellent. It allows you to set the button to perform different functions in different program.

The pen is also very comfortable to use. It came with few spare pen tips too. But the mouse is disappointing. The hard side edges is not comfortable to use. It is not as smooth as using an ordinary mouse.

I will give 5 stars if it have a better mouse and ... cheaper.