Drawing tablet recommendations???

[Oyeve]

My son graduates HS soon and he is a very good artist. He has always wanted a drawing tablet and I would like to get him one as a graduation present. He has mentioned the Cintiq 12wx drawing tablet a number of times but has never tried one to my knowledge. Where I work the designers have one and hate it. Me, all I know is that the damn thing is $1000. I have gotten him a tablet in the past but he wants one that you can draw on directly. Me, I was wondering if i should just get him a tablet PC for not much more than the Cintiq 12wx. I already have Adobe CS5.5 so SW is not an issue. What, if any, tablet PCs are good for art or is the cintiq 12wx really the best overall option?

 

[Jodell88]

Galaxy Note 10.1?

 

[Oyeve]

Galaxy Note 10.1?

Sorry, drawing tablet. Not tablet. A tablet as in an eletronic drawing canvas. Damn. I hate cross referenced device names!

 

[Charles Kozierok]

My recommendation, if possible, is to borrow one first for him to try out.

I wanted a tablet for PS work for ages, bought a pretty good one, and found I hated it. Now it just sits there.

 

[Oyeve]

My recommendation, if possible, is to borrow one first for him to try out.

I wanted a tablet for PS work for ages, bought a pretty good one, and found I hated it. Now it just sits there.

yeah, being we have one at my job I would love to borrow it and see if he liked it but that would also kill the surprise. Thats why I was thinking about a tablet PC but the Cintiq has a wireless pen with multi drawing funtions.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Samsung Series 7 is the best one overall, I think. Core i5, so performance won't be a huge issue. Same size as Cintiq 12WX, and you also have a Wacom digitizer in there.

I think that's a better deal than the Cintiq 12WX, which has to be tethered to a powerful computer.

You may be tempted to look at the HP Slate 2 or Fujitsu Q550, and they are actually capable enough, but I think you'll want the higher resolution of the Samsung Series 7.

 

[Oyeve]

Samsung Series 7 is the best one overall, I think. Core i5, so performance won't be a huge issue. Same size as Cintiq 12WX, and you also have a Wacom digitizer in there.

I think that's a better deal than the Cintiq 12WX, which has to be tethered to a powerful computer.

You may be tempted to look at the HP Slate 2 or Fujitsu Q550, and they are actually capable enough, but I think you'll want the higher resolution of the Samsung Series 7.

Holy crap thats a nice win7 tablet. I must check it out in person. Thanks runaway.

 

[Zaap]

If you don't want to spend a lot of money but still want a very Cintiq-like experience (genuine Wacom digitizer is a MUST!) then look into a Motion Computing LE1600 or LE1700.

I have an LE1600 and use it for freelance art projects all the time- drawing with it is very nice. Of course, yes, it has an actual Wacom digitizer- there is no substitute. No one else does true pressure sensistivity like Wacom, and that's truly the key to the feel and performance that mimics real paper/pen.

The LE1600 is no powerhouse, but it does run Sketchbook Pro, Art Rage, Painter 12 and other apps actually made for drawing perfectly. Photoshop CS5 runs a little laggy, but then I personally don't like using PS to draw with.

You can find the LE1600's dirt cheap on eBay from $100 to $250 or so easily. I wouldn't pay much more than that for one, and make certain it's complete with pen and all needed accessories. If it'd be used outdoors, then definitely find one with the 'Go Anywhere' screen.

The LE1700 is much better, but also pricer. These run Photoshop no problem. A steal is one for around $300 like this one on ebay. That's a great tablet he's selling, has the Go Anywhere screen, and the dock is a nice extra.

This lady has one of the best videos I've found of an artist demoing the Motion Tablets- she's actually using the lower-end LS800 and still you can see how well it works vs. an iPad. The LE1x00's are even better with a bigger screen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrA9UvZtRFA

If you go for a more recent TPC that's $1,000+, I'd look at the Asus EP121. A friend of mine who is a comic book artist has one and loves it. It enables him to not be tethered to his main 21" Wacom setup.

Despite any hype, no other type of tablet actually works well for drawing if it has a touch screen, and not a pen with a real Wacom digitizer.