Catwell
07-15-2009, 10:55 AM
Hi there im Catwell and I've been perusing these forums for a solid week looking for the answer to this question . (which is the best tablet pc for art) Hmm let me explain the journey I've been on over the last few weeks of tablet research. i use a bamboo fun graphics tablet , but I've almost worn it out through use. Plus i started noticing that i was off put to draw using it, more and more so. When i studied how i drew, i figured out why i was getting frustrated, it was taking multiple attempts just to get 1 line the way i wanted it. this cost time and made the experience frustrating as hell (not what you want). i then tried a ds picto chat screen, even though it was pixelated and tiny, the fun of drawing returned as well as the accuracy. So instantly i decided to get a cintiq! I went to a computer warehouse and tried a cintiq 12wx first hand, after a few teething problems (we couldn't get the pen to work), when trying the cintiq, it's arrow was floating away when you moved the pen nearer the screen edge, pressure sensitivity wasn't working either, and the pen point wasn't in line with the cursor. now i dont know if these issues were just because of a bad calibration, but the whole experience made me think twice about cintiqs. so i looked for online reviews and found a lot of forum posts about issues with cintiqs, from serious magnetic interference making the tablet unusable, scratching issues especially with the 21ux(and no use of screen protectors as it voids the warranty), a scathing you tube video of the 12wx (which really put me off)also having a go at its inaccuracy, and finally the you tube vid of a cintiq 21ux vs a tablet pc with barely any difference. (plus the huge price of a cintiq) So i switched, and started looking for tablet pc's instead. Unfortunately most reviews and threads i found on tablet pcs were old, 2005-2007. plus looking on this forum i see that there are differing camps of the art tablet user. From people wanting the latest tablet uber machine, to others still saying that older pcs are the best. so question 1 is are the new tablets out there really better for art/ art programs, are the screens much better and does the extra processing power add more accuracy/refresh ratio to the pen stroke? when thinking about what a art tablet needs to be, a few things crop up; A; the pen needs to be accurate as possible to the cursor, no lag , no deviation. B; no one likes drawing on glass, the tablets got to have a pen on paper feel/sufficient friction. C; the pen cant be floating too high above the screen (eg glass thickness). D; the things got to be durable, no scratches, no cracks, no flexing. E; a large usable screen size question 2 is are there any tablets that match up to this long list? or partially match up? Tablets I've looked at ; ive looked at the modbook, its very attractive, but quite expensive (especially the pro). ive looked at the ls1600, and the ls1700, the m1400, ive tried to look for gateway tablet reviews(like the idea of the big screen) the ibm tablet, the hp tz series(though no photoshop support and wary comments put me off that). Ill spend whats necessary to get the desired results, whether it be old or new, pc or mac. at the end of the day i just want to be able to draw on the screen with accuracy. Thanks to those who've read through all this , and my future thanks to anyone who responds. sorry that the text has all scrunched up, i put breaks and returns into it but the forum removed them all....