My wife's getting back into drawing and loves her wacom, but I'm thinking a tablet would be swell for drawing on the go/in the park. I don't want to spend ipad pro money, what are my options? I'm not really big on windows 10/surface and find my limited experience with my prior boss' surface pro (top of the line, wouldn't shutdown properly and had various bugs that took 2 replacements to work out, and I hated the interface). Are the samsung tablets of that caliber? Good enough for an artist, or really meant for notes/quick sketches?
iPad pro alternative?
- Thread starter slackerinabox
- Start date
Commodus
Diamond Member
- Oct 9, 2004
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I'd look at the Galaxy Note tablet line, but Samsung hasn't updated that in a while. Honestly? I'd seriously consider the iPad Pro with a Pencil. That means you're dropping $700 before getting a case or cover, but it's one of the few modern, truly high-end mobile tablets with good pen support.
luv2liv
Diamond Member
- Dec 27, 2001
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Wacom makes an android tablet too, although i cant seem to find it.
heres a windows tablet from wacom http://www.wacom.com/en-us/products/pen-displays/cintiq-companion-2
heres a windows tablet from wacom http://www.wacom.com/en-us/products/pen-displays/cintiq-companion-2
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I don't think the s-pen is intended for creative use - it's too thin to hold comfortably for a long time. It's a note taking, quick sketch tool that fits into the device itself - necessitating some usability trade-offs.
Oyeve
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- Oct 18, 1999
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As much as I dislike apple the 9.7 Ipad pro I ordered thru work is actually a decent sketcher. My son is a graphic artist and uses a 12 Wacom hd tablet on his pc to draw amazing art tries my pro and likes it. The only limiting factor is apples crippled filing system. But it was free from my job so there's that.
I saw that -but it's more expensive than the ipad pro. The Samsung's tempting at $350 refurb (the 12.2" note pro). Still weighing my options, the carrier has a decent deal on the ipad pro, tempted!
cronos
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- Nov 7, 2001
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I know a few people who actually use their Galaxy Note Pro for drawing/art work, and loving it. Of course they don't use the pen that comes with the tablet, but it's a Wacom digitizer so they can use any Wacom compatible pen that they already have a few anyway.
It does look like Samsung has given up on this line, as it's been more than two years now without any new Note tablet.
Cool part is all the wacom pens and features work across all devices. My note 3 pen works on my note 4 and vice versa, my thinkpad tablet pens work on my note phones and vice versa.
Fair point - I've only used the stock spen on the Note 2 to 5. Great for notes and such but it's narrow enough that it gets tiring to hold for a while and it's hard to get fine grained control.
It's an acceptable trade-off for me since carrying a separate accessory is out of the question for me - I want something I can use all the time.
Artdeco
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Just buy an iPad Pro, she'll love it.
I don't hear artists gushing over their note tablet, I do read about very happy artists using an iPad Pro.
Just keep an eye out for sales, or consider used from Swappa.
https://swappa.com/search?q=iPad+pro
I don't hear artists gushing over their note tablet, I do read about very happy artists using an iPad Pro.
Just keep an eye out for sales, or consider used from Swappa.
https://swappa.com/search?q=iPad+pro
There were a couple of decent deals on iPad Pros recently. Trying to remember what they were exactly though.
http://slickdeals.net/f/8745311-128...ee-shipping?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1
And yeah there's options for pens other than the standard one that comes with the Note devices.
There is a new Samsung tablet that's aimed at the Surface Pro line, has an AMOLED display and I believe S Pen support.
You might also consider 2 'n 1s like the HP Spectre x360 or Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga X1, both should be getting AMOLED displays soon, and have good features. And they both can be used in tent mode or have more flexibility in display positioning (at the expense of overall weight) which might suit an artist. Of course both of those are expensive, but if you could use a decent new laptop as well it might be worth it. You can get good condition refurb x360s with decent specs for like $750 now and then too.
http://slickdeals.net/f/8745311-128...ee-shipping?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1
And yeah there's options for pens other than the standard one that comes with the Note devices.
There is a new Samsung tablet that's aimed at the Surface Pro line, has an AMOLED display and I believe S Pen support.
You might also consider 2 'n 1s like the HP Spectre x360 or Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga X1, both should be getting AMOLED displays soon, and have good features. And they both can be used in tent mode or have more flexibility in display positioning (at the expense of overall weight) which might suit an artist. Of course both of those are expensive, but if you could use a decent new laptop as well it might be worth it. You can get good condition refurb x360s with decent specs for like $750 now and then too.
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Artdeco
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Commodus
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That's a very thorough and considered comparison. From the description, it sounds like Slackerinabox's wife would like the iPad Pro -- it's simply good at the actual drawing part. I'd just make sure to set up a cloud storage service (iCloud, Dropbox or similar) so that grabbing those drawings on a computer is relatively easy.
Argh, my wife and I sat through some youtube videos confirming what I feared and what you guys suggested - the note series is more for note taking and not drawing, there's a noticeable lag and the latency would frustrate her.
Ipad pro it is - I called my local carrier shop and asked them to keep me in the loop re: specials - sometimes they knock off a few hundred bucks and credit a portion of the monthly payment, and lte might be nice (I believe we could drop lte after 3 months, the guys at the shop are very pro-customer and share all the little tricks, saved a bundle on s7 edges).
Ipad pro it is - I called my local carrier shop and asked them to keep me in the loop re: specials - sometimes they knock off a few hundred bucks and credit a portion of the monthly payment, and lte might be nice (I believe we could drop lte after 3 months, the guys at the shop are very pro-customer and share all the little tricks, saved a bundle on s7 edges).
Artdeco
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I'm so sucked into the ecosystem I couldn't leave if I wanted to... I really wish they'd get their stuff together better. First party apps are getting embarrassingly long in the tooth. But things like being able to answer the phone on my iPad & MacBook is just too handy. Plus the 3rd party apps are just a little better on iOS, but Android isn't too far behind anymore.
Tried to jump ship to a nexus 6, and I just can't quite take it, went back to the iPhone 6s Plus after about a week.
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Midwayman
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I like android phones better, but the tablets are way better on the iOS side. Maintaining two ecosystems just isn't worth the difference though. Too bad jailbreaking is such a PITA. (Have to be on the exact right version, etc)
Zaap
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- Jun 12, 2008
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eehh... kinda-sorta.
First of all, it's of course only Wacom pens designed to be used on screens, not actual non-screen Wacom tablets. (Just clarifying this lest anyone misunderstand).
And sadly, I'd say MOST Wacom pens actually don't work correctly on the Galaxy Note Pro tablets. (I have the Note Pro 12.2 which is actually a damn fine drawing tool, but I wouldn't recommend it today over an iPad pro/pencil.
Many of the pens suffer from an offset of a few pixels. Sure, they technically work- the pixel offset can be overlooked for just writing notes, but for accurate drawing the offset is a total deal killer.
There are a rare few Wacom pens that work as well as the S-Pen that's meant for the device, but it's a minefield of finding JUST the right ones that work right without that deal-killing offset.
My solution to drawing on my Note 12.2 was to make a holder for an S-Pen out of a Pilot pen.
Also, it should be noted that the S-pen that comes with the Note Pro (at least the 12.2) is quite a bit larger than the S-pen for the Galaxy Note phones. (The white S-pen inside my Pilot pen holder is a Note 4 pen, the black pen is the 12.2 pen.)
Anyway... today? I'd just bite the bullet and get an iPad Pro/Pencil. I've drawn with one, and they are just freakin' great. One has to put up with the file system disadvantages of iOS, but it's not too hard to work around.
poofyhairguy
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- Nov 20, 2005
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When I got an iPhone 6S Plus recently I took almost all the default Apple apps and dumped them in a folder labeled "shit" after using them once. So much of their ecosystem is so far behind the competition it isn't even funny. People bitch about bloatware on Android phones, but all that crap like Apple Music and their shitty podcast app took up a whole screen on whatever the iOS launcher is called.
Uh....Airdroid3.
It is certainly a mixed bag in 2016. A few years ago the iOS version was always better, but now that isn't the case. I prefer the Spotify Android app to the iOS one (the iOS one doesn't play as nice with the Control Center as it should) and overall I prefer modern Android's Material Design look more than the classic iOS bubble look.
The apps that are surprisingly way better on iOS are many of Google's apps like Hangouts and Google Maps. Hangouts on Android is a laggy crappy piece of crap compared to the iOS version. Some of the appeal of these apps is they keep the Android look even on iOS, so you get a little bit of the superior material interface built on a more solid app foundation. Best of both worlds for sure.
Artdeco
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Agreed, Google has really polished the hell out of their iOS apps for years now, frankly Apple should be ashamed. Just imagine what Google could do if they had better access to the OS.
That's the funny thing, we're the exact opposite which is why I was egging her towards a galaxy note. We've been iOS loyal until the 6s and traded it in for an s7 edge and love it, but I've already gone through the annoying task of going all in on Android (retired lightning docks and airplay devices with bluetooth, carplay deck to Android auto, inductive chargers around the house, etc) and she's just come around to loving her new ecosystem, now I have to partially jump ship.
It's a silly, minor thing but getting her used to the new way took a while. There's also Android tabs being like half the price. But I'll bite the bullet, she uses her wacom every day and an iPad pro would free her from her home office. Doodling every day is making her better and better, maybe she picks up some extra cash doing logo design and a tablet would be great for drafting, I'll think of it as an investment. My carrier said there's a significant deal coming up so don't make any moves yet - something like $200 off msrp and a bill credit on top of that
drbrock
Golden Member
- Feb 8, 2008
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Ipad Pro 12 inch was the best tech purchase I have made since my old asus chromebook.
It can't replace a full laptop but I never needed to carry one. I use it for my CPA business all the time. Great for taking notes, pulling docs off google drive, and email response. Waiting for the 2nd gen keyboard before picking up one. I think Apple is going to do a big upgrade to it.
Pencil is excellent.
It can't replace a full laptop but I never needed to carry one. I use it for my CPA business all the time. Great for taking notes, pulling docs off google drive, and email response. Waiting for the 2nd gen keyboard before picking up one. I think Apple is going to do a big upgrade to it.
Pencil is excellent.
OK guys, you've collectively convinced me, and my timing was right - the carrier has a deal that means 2 years of lte service (3gb, more than she needs) plus finance charge works out to less than $100 over msrp for the 128gb. Honestly, carrier insurance is a nice piece of mind for theft/damage as well. Going to cost 3 times what the note would have, but she teaches autistic inner city kids, she could use something to unwind with doodling, at a minimu
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