Drawing tablet thing for digital artwork

[yuanque]

Hello, Anyone use a cheap / good quality usb graphics tablet thing I can plug into the laptop .

Im going to use it for drawing, making animations, Photo editing and occasionally video editing.

I've already did heavy research and looks like XP-PEN ( https://www.xp-pen.com ) are the Best tablets for very reasonable price.

Did anyone ever have the experience of this brand? Thank you for your help!

[alanthebox]

I had an XP-Pen (I think the Artist 22e?) and had several problems with it. The pen would frequently not charge, the drivers would need to be re-installed almost every time I restarted my computer, and eventually, the port on the back of the tablet that connected to my computer became loose and would only maintain a connection if held in position a certain way. It's possible that all of these issues have been ironed out with newer releases, but I ended up buying a Huion Kamvas Pro 16 (with a stand) and it's been a much better experience. No charging is required on the pen and the build quality feels pretty good! Not quite as nice as a Wacom, but still really good. I've been very happy with it. The 16 is a good size for resting on my lap while I work.

[SimplSam]

A bit of a late reply - but I have a XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro display tablet. I am a beginner artist, but I have been very happy with it.

The Pen is battery-free so no power probs. It also works with its screen off (inc. function buttons), so can be used as a regular pen-tablet. It can also be programmed to switch between target-screens - so I can quickly switch to use the pen on a particular desktop display and draw in the relevant app.

The only issue I have with it is the power/connector cable comes straight out the right hand side and can sometimes interfere with my mouse usage. A right-angled connector would be better.

[Greenlaw]

I have an XP-Pen Artist 13.3 Pro display too. I originally got it because I thought I might be able to use it as a portable device for a laptop, and it was relatively inexpensive compared to a genuine Wacom. I thought the XP-Pen was fine, and it actually is 'portable' compared to the Wacom Cintiq or Wacom One, because the Artist 13.3 Pro can be powered entirely by USB. Naturally, this drains a laptop's battery pretty quickly, but that's why I carry a spare battery. In the end, I felt it it really wasn't practical to lug this around with my laptop, so I stopped using it. But as far as performance goes, I thought it was a decent tablet for the price.

I agree with SimpleSam about the cable placement. A little awkward.

After a while, I bit the bullet and got a Wacom Cintiq 16 Pro because I needed the wider color gamut in my work, and I just really like Wacom products. But Wacom is expensive, and for most 'non-industry' users, it's arguable that you get what you pay for. If I had to, I think could go for another XP-Pen device.

One thing I missed when I used the XP-Pen was that its version of 'ExpressKeys' didn't have the level of support and flexibility as Wacom's on-board ExpressKeys or remote. However, since then, XP-Pen came out with a knockoff of the EK remote called the AC 19, which has a nice price of about $35. (I think Wacom's EK remote is around $100). Compared to the Wacom remote, the AC 19 is made of lightweight plastic and feels a little 'cheap', but it does the job! Even better, the remote works with any tablet, not just XP-Pen tablets. I got one for my daughter to use with her Wacom One, and after sticking some labels on the buttons, it's been perfect for her.