How Would You Like A Graphics Tablet For Christmas?

[Ornery]

I'd like to get one for my oldest son, but they're mucho expensive. Over $350.00 for an INTUOS2 9x12. Is Wacom the only game in town? I want the pressure sensitivity, and 9"x12" minimum. He's already got an older 4"x5" Wacom Tablet, but it's not used much due to the size.

Any other ones to check out? Any hot deals or rebates available? I've got plenty of time, so I should be able to snag a pretty good deal by Christmas... I hope!

Thanks

 

[yobarman]

I'd love one.. I have a graphire2 but the bigger models are so much more better, but they get so expensive once you pass the graphire 2 mark. Kinda sucks, and prices are always the same.

 

[iwearnosox]

You could get a 6x8 to save some $..

 

[Turkish]

I would like one too but as you said, they are really expensive.

How old is your oldest son? Is he artistically talented? Good for him that his dad is thinking of such a great present.

 

[Jhill]

Do you upload images on them and then edit them with a pen? I've never heard much about them.

 

[RossMAN]

Maybe in a year but not now.

I would however like a Dell 300m laptop sub 3 pounds weight

 

[Ornery]

He's 17 and hell bent on going to an art school. We're trying like crazy to steer him toward a business education as well. He does original art usually. He can fly through PhotoShop to edit images. Painter is at his disposal, but he rarely touches it... I don't know why.

We'll see if that much is available for Christmas. He won't be getting much else, if he gets that!

 

[EyeMWing]

FS/FT the smaller pad. Or better yet, eBay. Those eBay people will pay MAD CASH - perhaps even into the 2-3x the replacement cost range.

 

[NTB]

Aiptek Hyperpen 12000U

Only reason I know about these is because I've seen them (smaller versions) for sale at local CompUSA stores. From the specs, it looks like it only offers half the pressure sensitivity of the Wacom Intuos tablets - 512 levels versus 1024 - but other than that they're pretty close. A closer look at the website shows that they are only offering refurbs for sale ($119); I wonder if they've discontinued this model?

Nate

 

[Ornery]

• Thanks Nate, I'm sold!

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: Ornery
He's 17 and hell bent on going to an art school. We're trying like crazy to steer him toward a business education as well. He does original art usually. He can fly through PhotoShop to edit images. Painter is at his disposal, but he rarely touches it... I don't know why.

We'll see if that much is available for Christmas. He won't be getting much else, if he gets that!

Steer him towards animation if he hasnt already turned towards that.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: Ornery

• Thanks Nate, I'm sold!

No problem. Glad I could help!

Nate

 

[FoBoT]

no thanks, i can't draw a stick man decent

 

[amnesiac]

Originally posted by: Ornery

• Thanks Nate, I'm sold!

If he has a Wacom, he'll be taking a huge step down by going to an Aiptek, at least that's what it seems from the graphics guys I know.

Wacom may not be the only game in town but it's definitely the best. I'd seriously consider ebaying the older one and getting a 6x8 Wacom. Otherwise, you may find him tossing the brand new Aiptek in the closet and using the Wacom 4x5 isntead.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: amnesiac

Originally posted by: Ornery

• Thanks Nate, I'm sold!

If he has a Wacom, he'll be taking a huge step down by going to an Aiptek, at least that's what it seems from the graphics guys I know.

Wacom may not be the only game in town but it's definitely the best. I'd seriously consider ebaying the older one and getting a 6x8 Wacom. Otherwise, you may find him tossing the brand new Aiptek in the closet and using the Wacom 4x5 isntead.

I'll agree. I purchased that 9x12" Aiptek from CompUSA and it was utter garbage. The Wacom quality is much, much better. I ended up getting a Graphire2 for $50 (open box item at Circuit City) and was much better than the 9x12 Aiptek.

I wish there was a better way to suggest another brand that is less than $350 like the Intuos, but it's going to be tough.

 

[Ornery]

If I can buy it locally, at Target, or CompUSA, I can easily return it if it sucks.

• Good Tablet, Cheap Price. May 12, 2003
  
  Reviewer: Jonathan Decelles from North Chelmsford, MA United States
  
  I have been going to school for Graphic Design and Fine Art for the last 3 years or so. I nearly have my bachelors and will soon be moving onto my masters of Graphic Design.
  
  With this in mind its obvious that I have been looking into graphics tablets for quite a while. Wacom's Intuos 6x8 tablet is what I had been looking at, longingly for a few years. Unfortunately the price was too far outside what I could possibly afford (and still pay for school, car, bills, etc). I had used the less expensive "Graphire" 4x5 tablets from Wacom and I was not too impressed. The build quality was good but the size was too small to do anything detailed.
  
  A friend who also does a lot of artwork on the computer turned me onto the Aiptek Hyperpen 12000U, which he had just bought for $ from CompUSA. A tablet of this size (9x12) for only $ definitely caught my attention, so when my birthday came around and my mom asked what I wanted I emailed her a link to this page here so she could buy it for me .
  
  The build quality of the Hyperpen is good. Its a solid unit over-all. The pen feels a little flimsy and the mouse is almost a negative buying point due to its odd and uncomfortable shape, but it is useable. Who buy a graphics tablet with the intention to use the mouse anyway? I have a very nice optical that I wouldn't give up even if the Hyperpens mouse were more comfortable to my hand.
  
  I have been using it for a few weeks and I am impressed with the quality and value for the money. The pen is very accurate and the pressure sensitiveity works well with Adobe Photshop and Illustrator. The setup and control programs are both intuitive and easy to use.
  
  I have used the Wacom Intuos 2 6x8 and this tablet and I can tell you that there is no noticeable difference between using the two except for the shape of the pen and the size of the tablets (the Hyperpen is 9x12). The Hyperpen has a slightly thicker pen because it needs a AAA battery (included) to work.
  
  The only downside to the Hyperpen is that its mouse and pen need a AAA battery to work, but the need for a battery is a small trade off to saving $340.

For that price difference, it's certainly worth a shot!

 

[isaacmacdonald]

I recently purchased a new graphire2 6x8 ($150). For me, it's just a little larger than my perfect work area. I work mostly from the wrist but sometimes use bigger gestures from the shoulder. In any case, it's a really great tablet (I transitioned from an older 4x5 wacom).

 

[SSP]

Originally posted by: Ornery
He's 17 and hell bent on going to an art school. We're trying like crazy to steer him toward a business education as well. He does original art usually. He can fly through PhotoShop to edit images. Painter is at his disposal, but he rarely touches it... I don't know why.

We'll see if that much is available for Christmas. He won't be getting much else, if he gets that!

Wow... if my parents bought me that, I'd be soooooo happy!

But I am too used to the 12x18 we had in school. Now that was a real tablet. Too bad I had little access to it, I only started couple of sketches.

 

[GoingUp]

Yea, but id rather have the 20" LCD screen that we have at work that I can write directly on