good tablet PC with a good/sensitive input device

[LeekClock]

I'm looking into getting a tablet PC, but one of the biggest attractions of them for me is the idea that you can draw directly on the screen, like with a wacom Cintiq tablet (which is not a mobile device).

Anyone have any suggestions for a good tablet PC with a good/sensitive input device (pen thing)? I want to be able to paint in photoshop and stuff.

Or are they all pretty good at this? I have no experience with them.

Anybody have a tablet pc and use photoshop or similar, for creating art?

[wthor]

Almost all tablets have a Wacom digitizer ( excluding the Gateway and some HP's ) so your'e set whichever one you choose.

[WNewquay]

Hi LeekClock,

See
http://mobilepcwiki.com/mpc/index.php?title=Tablet_PC/Artist

for some links to Artists who are using Tablet PCs.

[LeekClock]

Thanks for the speedy response. I was aware that a lot of them use a wacom digitizer, but does that necessarily mean they have the same sensitivity? Isn't it the pen that is important in this?

After having seen some videos on youtube about tablet pcs and drawing on tablet pcs, i'm thinking maybe it would be more practicable to just use a normal laptop in conjunction with a wacom tablet.

Usually when I use photoshop, I need to use keyboard shortcuts to bring up certain menus. If the keyboard is folded away, then that'd be impossible. And if it were opened out, it would be just like using a laptop in conjunction with a tablet pen, except it would be more difficult because the keyboard would get in the way of my drawing.

[WNewquay]

Hi LeekClock,

There are several ways to look at this.

You have an extremely direct relationship with at Tablet PC. The you are using the stylus directly on the 'media' (the screen).

Tablet PC digitizers do not support 'tilt'.

Desktop digitizers: Pressure sensitivity up to 1024 levels or more?
Table PC digitizers: Pressure sensitivity up to (512 or 256 - I can't find a reference right now).

On those occasions when I need a keyboard and shortcuts, I use a wireless keyboard or on-screen shortcuts.

It is very difficult to use a desktop tablet unless you are seated at a table or desk. You can use a Tablet PC just about anywhere you want. (avoid moisture)

The first and last points make the case for me. That and my lifestyle dictates that I will have some kind of portable computing device with me most of the time. I greatly prefer that it is a Tablet PC.
Just food for thought.

[Steve S]

<<...i'm thinking maybe it would be more practicable to just use a normal laptop in conjunction with a wacom tablet...>>

Leek: Actually, quite the reverse. Having experimented with this myself early on, I can tell you that separating the input site (the peripheral tablet) from the viewing site (your monitor) makes for a very poor inking experience! This is why Wacom makes the Cintiq tablet.

The tablet (or the Cintiq) provides a far superior experience...

[bmhome1]

Why not buy a very inexpensive older slate tablet to get a feel without huge investment, there's a Motion M1300 at classifieds gottabemobile.com right now for $350 or $500 fully outfitted.

A few years ago it was $3,000 state-of-art and very capable pro artists loved it. The tablet experience hasn't changed, just more horsepower. Going top end can total $4-5,000, serious commitment. Late 07/08 promises significant portables hardware breakthroughs for heat and battery life, always tablet major concerns. And Vista badly needs power management current tablets yet offer. So a $4,000 slate struggles lasting two hours.

But my M1300 renders brush strokes lag-free running Art Rage (must have freeware). PS CS2 runs filters on 50MB images only by seconds slower.

Also, there's numerous solutions for keystroke combinations using stylus. Freeware miniscroller alt clicks cloning tool target smoother than keyboard. Workflow via stylus seduces over time, once past the mechanics.

A $40 screen protector can also provide very realistic paper feel and $5 Wacom felt tip nibs can greatly affect line control making for refined input and works just as well on (most) any tablet.

Success with tablets involves the details as much as anything else. Any tablet pegged at 100% CPU cannot provide real-time input response regardless of hardware specs. The experience actually will be useless for painting, a VERY intensive lag-prone task. So a well-maintained OS is yet another key element of the whole package and getting results.

Chad Essley cartoonmonkey.com until very recently had a long review of his insight on stylus artwork and his (then) new Motion 1300 and how it changed his workflow. I'm sure he would provide a copy if asked.

Here's another artist's take on tablets:

http://sewardstreet.com/2005/01/05/tablet-pc-life-drawing/

Resistance is futile.

[matt6]

Wacom digitizers, whether they are drawing tablets or in an actual Tablet PC offer pen sensitivity. That is, the harder you press, the thicker the lines are drawn on the screen. This is application dependent however.