Wacom alternatives.
polycounter lvl 8
Hello, I've been looking into upgrading my wacom bamboo after several years working with it (Yeah, i know, about time right) into a tablet with a display such as a Cintiq hd or something similar.
Thing is, as we probably all are painfully aware of, these things are steep as hell so I've been looking into the alternative brands to see if I can get something that works as well for me at a lower price. So what I'm asking here is really if someone has first or second hand experience with these brands and if they have some things that I should look out for or if there are any particular recommendations you'd have for me, to me it looks like some of these reviews quite well but I'm always weary how trustworthy professional reviewers and sites are these days. I'm Left handed so if there is some information related to that i should thing about that'd be appreciated as well.
On a somewhat related note, how did you find the transition from basic tablet to screen tablet?
Cheers!
Thing is, as we probably all are painfully aware of, these things are steep as hell so I've been looking into the alternative brands to see if I can get something that works as well for me at a lower price. So what I'm asking here is really if someone has first or second hand experience with these brands and if they have some things that I should look out for or if there are any particular recommendations you'd have for me, to me it looks like some of these reviews quite well but I'm always weary how trustworthy professional reviewers and sites are these days. I'm Left handed so if there is some information related to that i should thing about that'd be appreciated as well.
On a somewhat related note, how did you find the transition from basic tablet to screen tablet?
Cheers!
Replies
It was useable, but it lacked the precision and no nonsense usability of a regular Cintiq.
If it's a price issue, there's always buying a used one. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc.
My cintiq I use at work is a cosmetically damaged one, but it functionally works like it's supposed to. $1000 all in all.
There was this electronic hum that was perceptible even to my ears (and I've been playing drums and bagpipes for several years) when the pen would be in a certain quadrant of the screen.
1/2 of the side buttons were not customizable.
Side buttons would act weird in 3Dcoat. Like I had to click and pull away to add a polygon between 4 painted points in retopo.
Driver software install was not clean. I had to install an older version to open some features up.
The sum of these issues were not insurmountable, but it was enough for me to just continue using my Intuos4 Pro at home.
Its usability overall was not as smooth as my Cintiq 24HD
I've personally tried looking for Cintiq's on Craigslist and I couldn't find anything within miles.... and I live in Cincinnati, Ohio >_>....a
Only potential issue is if you're looking for a tablet that has buttons, not sure if the Monoprice has any, but I mostly just use my keyboard, I find it more comfortable and flexible.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=108&cp_id=10841&cs_id=1084101&p_id=14481&seq=1&format=2
most worked in photoshop, some didnt in zbrush or other apps like substance painter. So I gave up and just buy the Wacoms when they are on sale.
Is it as good as a 22" cintiq? No
Is a 22" cintiq £1000 better? No
Would I buy a 13" cintiq instead? Not a chance in hell
I've had mine running successfully on Win7 with 2 screens and win10 with 3, It's mounted on an arm and hasnt blown up (8months)
Zbrush, photoshop, sculptris, manga studio and sketchbook pro all work with it on current drivers..
Edit: This is sort of where I'm at atm, I realize i will be getting an inferior product but the amount of money I'm saving makes the negative aspects acceptable, either i'll get a used wacom or some cheaper brand.