What graphics tablet should I buy?

ChickenNugget · Jul 2016

I plan on doing flash animations and maybe some comics, and have a very low budget of about $90 (or that converted into any currency, as long as it includes shipping cost). I was considering an Intuos draw, but if that' somehow not great I'm open to buying something used. I'm also in Denmark, so I'd prefer not to be linked to some guy in Alaska selling a tablet. And finally, I know pretty much nothing about any of this, so any help is appreciated

oglu · Jul 2016

go for a wacom... you wont be happy with a lowbudget one...

PolyHertz · Jul 2016

You essentially have two options; Wacom, and UC-logic.

Wacom tablets are the most commonly used. Their drivers can be a bit finicky, customer support isn't exactly wonderful, and sometimes there is build quality issues with the USB ports for various models, but overall they are considered the best (hence why they are used the most). Their main technology advantages over the competition are battery-less pens, and support for pen tilting.

UC-logic tablets are produced by multiple different manufacturers, such as Monoprice, Yiynova, Huion, etc. . They are MUCH cheaper then Wacom tablets, but vary a lot in quality. Drivers have traditionally been a sore spot for these, and afaik there are no drivers yet designed for Windows10. Depending on who you ask the digitizer is actually better then what Wacom offers, but the downside is that the pens require batteries.

I've used both Wacom and UC-logic based tablets. If someone gives their opinion about which to buy, take it with a grain of salt unless they've actually used both types. A lot of people have ONLY used Wacom and automatically assume everything else is junk.

musashidan · Jul 2016

Second the Wacom. Even an old intuos3 is still probably better than current gen crappy Chinese knock-offs.

Add3r · Jul 2016

Yeah I definitely recommend getting a used Wacom off of Ebay or something, can find them pretty damn cheap these days. I too, have used both sides of the tablet world, and always fall back to my trusty Intuos4 Medium. IMO, the build quality overall seems to be a bit more sturdy on the Wacoms, and the drivers are on a whole different level than the UC-Logic tablets (which for the most part either dont exist or are very poorly supported).

Agreed Wacom customer support and the USB port build quality (specifically on the Intuos4 series) can be a bit shaky if you are constantly unplugging and plugging the tablet back in. The Intuos3 and 4's are pretty much the exact same, aside from a visual design refresh. Both can pretty easily found in a $90 price range, used, and in really good condition (at least in the US, unsure of OP's location).

Bunch of information to be found on tablets around PC via the search function at top right of page. I probably could have just copied and pasted on of my recent previous replies.

rohMizuno · Jul 2016

I have been using my old Wacom bamboo for over 4 years now at home, and if comparing to the cintiq I have at work (I am not saying they are not different), I have to say, there is NOTHING the cintiq does that the bamboo cant do.
What I am trying to say is, buy a wacom, even the cheapest one will make you happy.

Tomiajayi · Jul 2016

get a used wacom on ebay! I know there are offbrands that are just as good as wacom for 10th of the price but it would take some research to figure out which suck and which don't. You KNOW a wacom will be good. even if it is old.
even if you get an intuos 2 from 10 years ago it'll still be good

ChickenNugget · Jul 2016

I ended up getting an Intuos draw brand new, and I love it!

Fullofsith · Jul 2016

You'll never regret owning a Wacom. You always pay more, but the build quality and driver support more than justify the price.

I've been using Wacom tablets since about 1998 with the ArtZ II 6x8. That tablet lasted me for about 7 or 8 years. I finally retired due to the fact that new PCs stopped shipping with serial ports.

My current tablet is an Intuos4, the small (PTK-440) version. I've been using this one for about 6 years now. I've long since worn out the matte paper texture of the surface, but the device still works like a champ. In spite of the abuse I put it through, I've also never had to change nibs. That might be because my stokes aren't that heavy.

I also own a Cintiq 12wx, which I've had since 2009. Unfortunately, I had to retire it 2 years ago. It still works and I absolutely LOVE working on a Cintiq. However, the default ZBrush layout eats up too much screen real estate. Working on the 12wx's meager 1280x800 resolution started to feel ike trying to paint the Last Supper on a postage stamp. Plus, I found that the TFT was generally too dim and had a much lower contrast ratio compared to my purdy Viewsonic. Ah, well. At least I got 5 good years out of it.

That said, I do prefer working on a Cintiq. I still love my Intuos4. However, even after 18 years of using Wacoms, I've always felt that there's a disconnect when you can't see your hand. Once you've worked on a Cintiq, going back to an Intuos is REALLY hard. That's why my Surface Pro 3 has been getting a good workout lately.

I think that I'll be moving to a Cintiq 22HD for my desktop this time next month. It'll set me back by nearly $2k, including the VESA arm, but I think that it'll be worth it.

I've looked at the sub-$800 offerings from Yiynova, Monoprice, Huion, XP-Pen, & Ugee. The build quality isn't quite Wacom, but pretty solid nonetheless. However, the deal beaker for me has always been the terrible driver support, something that has never been an issue for me with Wacom tablets. Those Cintiq knockoffs look great, but the drivers are poo. The hassle of a bad driver isn't worth the $1k savings.

To me, if you're an artist, a Wacom of any type is an investment. The price isn't all that terrible either when you consider how long you'll end up owning it. None of my Wacoms died outright, even after 8 years of use. All of them were retired in favor of newer models. I suspect that's the case with many Wacom users and why you see so few refurbed units in the aftermarket.

That's why I'm more than happy to pay $1,800 for a Cintiq 22HD. I know that, with a Wacom, I'll be getting my money's worth. Some of those alt tablets die the moment the warranty expires. In MY experience, even the worst Wacom is better than the best knockoff. (Yeah. I know that the Intuos knockoffs have caught up. You won't convince me though.)

What graphics tablet should I buy?

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