Wacom Cintiq 16 display tablet review

REVIEW – Within just a few weeks, I’ve graduated from my old Intuos 3 drawing tablet to the new Intuos Pro tablet and now to this: the Wacom Cintiq 16 display tablet. Reviewing the Cintiq 16 has left me with two differing opinions. It’s a drawing tablet that will either excite you or leave you wanting more. It’s missing some pro level features that may or may not be important, depending on how you work. That’s not surprising since it’s less than half the price of Wacom’s same-sized Cintiq Pro 16 tablet. 

What is it?

The Wacom Cintiq 16 display tablet is Wacom’s least expensive display tablet in the Cintiq line. It is different from the Cintiq Pro 16—a much more expensive tablet with more features. The Cintiq 16 has a built-in 15.6 in. HD display that allows you to draw right on the screen with the Wacom Pro Pen 2, a pen with 1,892 levels of sensitivity (I’ll explain later), tilt-response and virtually lag-free tracking. The pen is extremely customizable and requires no batteries or recharging. Extra pen nibs (tips) are included. It has built-in 19° stand legs for ergonomic drawing (an optional adjustable stand is available). These legs can be collapsed for working flat or in your lap.

Specs

  • Model Number DTK-1660
  • Tablet Size 16.6 x 11.2 x 1.0 in.
  • Active Area 13.6 x 7.6 in.
  • Weight 4.2 lbs
  • Black color
  • Pen: Wacom Pro Pen 2 
  • Pressure-sensitive, cordless, battery-free
  • Pressure Levels 8192, both pen tip and eraser
  • Tilt Recognition ±60 levels
  • Detachable Pen holder with 3 replacement nibs with removal tool
  • Latex-free silicone rubber pen grip
  • Tablet resolution 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
  • Active Matrix TFT LCD
  • Displayable colors: 16.7 million
  • Contrast ratio: 1000:1
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9
  • 3 in 1 cable with HDMI, USB 2.0 and AC adaptor
  • System requirements: HDMI port and standard USB-A port, internet connection for software downloads

What’s in the box

  • Wacom Cintiq 16 display tablet
  • Wacom Pro Pen 2 (battery free)
  • Removable tab (includes 3 standard nibs)
  • 3 in 1 cable
  • Quick start guide

Design and features

The Wacom Cintiq 16 display tablet looks very much like its pro cousin, the Cintiq Pro 16 with key differences. The Pro 16 has 4K resolution vs HD. There are no express keys on the Cintiq 16. However, there is an optional $100 Wacom ExpressKey Remote featuring customizable buttons and a Touch Ring for programming shortcuts. For the record, I never use Wacom’s express keys on any tablet. The reason is simple: my first Wacom tablet—from the stone age—had no express keys. So I learned to use the Mac keyboard for shortcuts and well, habits are hard to break.

The Cintiq 16 display is not laminated. What that means is that the surface you draw on is separated from the LCD screen underneath. On the Pro 16, the drawing surface and LCD are laminated into one piece, which reduces or eliminates parallax—a tiny visual gap where the pen nib doesn’t look like it’s actually touching what is being drawn. Parallax may or may not bother you. On the Cintiq 16, the gap is so small that I have no issue with it, but it’s worth pointing out.

 Let’s talk display color—more specifically, gamut. Gamut describes a range of color within the spectrum of colors that are identifiable by the human eye. Got that? The Cintiq Pro 16 has 94% of Adobe’s RGB color gamut (a standard measurement), which simply means that it can show 94 % of usable colors. That’s a good thing. The Cintiq 16 only supports 72%. Obviously, the Pro version shows a wider range of color and yes, it matters if you’re a pro artist. However, if you never see the pro version, you may not notice this at all.

The Wacom Cintiq 16 display tablet has a 3 in 1 cable: USB, HDMI and power. This cable is way more convenient than the ridiculously thick cable on an older Cintiq Pro 13 I once owned and really disliked.

This cable has one connector at one end that easily connects into a port underneath the top of the tablet. It’s protected by a snap-shut lid. The cable splits into 3 parts. Both the HDMI and USB (A) must be connected to a computer. My iMac has no HDMI (thanks Apple!), so I had to purchase a Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI adapter. It wasn’t expensive, but I wish proper connectors were included. Keep in mind that computers have all kinds of video ports, so make sure you have or can get the proper adaptor, if necessary.

A simple lighted On/off button is all that appears on the top of the tablet. There’s a nifty pen holder on the Cintiq 16 that snaps into either side of the tablet, which benefits both left and right handed people. This pen holder also houses extra nibs—a clever solution for not misplacing the tiny nibs. 

Build quality on the Wacom Cintiq 16 is typical Wacom—as in first-rate. I’ve never had a Wacom tablet break. Any tablet I’ve replaced has been because it just got too old—but it still worked! In fact, when I the Cintiq 16 for review, I was able to give 3 older Wacom tablets to some local college students. 

The Cintiq 16 is made for illustrators, both beginners and pros on a tight budget. Drawing is effortless. The surface has just enough texture for a more natural feel. It’s almost like paper—much better than an iPad with its glossy glass surface. Since you’re looking directly at the tablet screen while drawing, the experience is more natural and intuitive than the Intuos tablet which requires looking at a monitor while your hand is drawing on a desktop. It can take some getting used to. The Cintiq eliminates that hand/eye disconnection.

One feature I miss using the Cintiq 16 is multi-touch gestures, which let you pan, zoom or rotate your work. My Intuos Pro has multi-touch, but I turned it off because it’s hard to use while holding the pen and looking at a separate monitor. But since I’m working directly on the screen of the Cintiq 16, pan and zoom suddenly becomes important. A keyboard will be needed much less when using a Cintiq, but the lack of multi-touch tethers you back to it. For many, that one missing feature may be a deal-breaker.

Despite its “not pro” status, the Cintiq 16 uses the same Pro Pen 2—the best pen Wacom makes. This little wonder has 1,892 levels of pressure, making it way more sensitive than the previous pen with its paltry 2048 levels. This increased sensitivity allows you to be more expressive in drawing because as you vary pressure while drawing, line work becomes thinner or wider—just like a brush. There’s also a 60° tilt range, so the pan acts like a pencil as it’s tilted—again, making the line thicker or thinner. Note that the app you are using must have pressure sensitivity built in for this to work. The better drawing/painting apps will sport this feature.

The Pro pen 2 is perfectly balanced for hours of comfort without hand cramping. Nibs are replaceable—they will wear out with age. The pen is also battery free. Wacom utilizes what they call electromagnetic resonance technology providing power through inductive coupling. So there is no battery weight or charging—ever.

Despite the benefits of the Wacom Cintiq 16, I still prefer the Intuos Pro. Why? Because I learned on the Intuos and it’s now second-nature to me. Plus, I do a LOT of Photoshop work in my day job and freelance. When I’m retouching a photo, my hand can be in the way. That’s not an issue with the Intuos. But that’s me—I am not an illustrator.

Needless to say, if you’re an illustrator or just like to doodle, the decision to go with this tablet or an Intuos Pro becomes much more difficult.

What I like

  • Build quality
  • Pro Pen 2 included
  • Screen quality is good despite that it’s not Wacom’s best
  • Sensible cable management

What needs to be improved

  • Monitor has some parallax
  • Color not as accurate as Pro model
  • Still expensive, even at less than half the price of the Pro model
  • Express keys are an extra-cost option
  • Adjustable stand is an extra-cost option

Final Thoughts

The Wacom Cintiq 16 display tablet has a lot going for it. Other tablet makers have been coming out with cheaper tablets and Wacom has wisely responded with this tablet—an affordable option with Wacom quality included. Yes, there are trade-offs when compared to the Pro version, but if you are on a tight budget or just beginning your career, this is a great tablet to get started. There are enough features included that you won’t feel like you’re missing out. Later, after you become more proficient with it, you can then upgrade to the Pro line.

Price: $649.95 US
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this product was provided by Wacom.

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Wacom Cintiq 16 display tablet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 20, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Huion HS610 graphics drawing tablet review

REVIEW – Creating art on your laptop using a mouse, or on your phone/tablet using a finger is doable, but a specially designed digitizer tablet and pen can take your drawings from doodles to Dali (he’s an artist, google him).

What is it?

The Huion HS610 is a graphics drawing tablet that you can use with your Windows computer, Mac, and even an Android device.

Hardware specs

Active Area: PC mode: 254 x 158.8mm (10 x 6.25in); Phone mode: 158.8 x 99.2mm
Resolution: 5080 LPI
Report Rate: 266PPS
Pen Pressure: 8192 Levels
OS Support: Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.12 or later Android 6.0 or later
Compatible with Photoshop and other art programs

What’s in the box?

  • Huion HS610 Graphics Tablet
  • Battery-free Pen
  • Micro USB Cable
  • Pen Holder
  • Pen Nibs x 8
  • OTG Adapter (Micro USB)
  • OTG Adapter (USB-C)
  • Quick Start Guide

Design and features

The HS610 is a 13.75 x 8.25 inch sized graphics tablet that is thin and light enough that it doesn’t take up too much space or bulk in your gear bag.

It has a black plastic shell with a large drawing surface that has a slightly textured surface to give the feel of pen on paper.

Along the left side of the tablet is a touch ring that helps you easily zoom in or out of your canvas, and adjust your brush and scroll the page. The ring doesn’t rotate, it’s just touch sensitive.

There are also 12 user-defined physical express keys and along the top edge of the drawing area are 16 soft-express keys.

Note that the touch ring and express buttons CAN’T be used with Android which is a bummer.

Also on the left side of the tablet is a micro USB port which is used to both charge the tablet and connect the tablet to your computer or Android device.

The pen features 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity and ±60° tilt support along with a battery-free design so you won’t have to worry about it running out of juice or having to charge it on a regular basis.

The pen has replaceable nibs (extras come with the tablet) and a function button on the barrel that will let you change from brush to eraser.


The drawing tablet and pen come with a handy “ink well” to hold the pen when it’s not being used. The holder also holds the extra nibs.

Let’s draw something!

To get started using the Huion HS610, you have to first charge the drawing tablet using the included micro USB cable. Doing so will cause a tiny status LED to turn on. This LED is so small that it’s hard to see.

Once the tablet is charged, the next step is to install the driver on your Windows or Mac OS device. If you plan to use it with your Android device, you just need to make sure that it’s running Android OS 6.0 or newer and you use the OTG adapter for micro USB or USB-C.

I tested the drawing tablet with my 12inch MacBook and my Huawei P30 Pro Android smartphone.

With my MacBook, I had to install the driver software which gives you the ability to test and customize various features like the pressure sensitivity and function buttons.

I then used the drawing tablet with Photoshop on my Macbook. I really like that you don’t have to worry about your fingers or the palm of your hand getting in the way of your drawings because the HS610 only detects the pen and not your hand/fingers like an iPad might.

If you’ve never used a drawing tablet before, it does take some time to get used to looking at your computer screen while you’re drawing on the tablet instead of the “paper” under the pen tip. That said, it doesn’t take that long to get used to it.

Testing with Android is a little different. First of all, you don’t have to install a special driver. You just plug the HS610 into your phone or tablet with the included cable and OTG adapter. It works like connecting a mouse to your Android device, it shows a cursor on the screen that you can move around.

Of course, you’ll need a drawing app. I tested with Autodesk Sketchbook. Just be aware that you’ll only be able to draw on the left third of the drawing tablet which felt cramped to me. I also noticed that the pressure sensitivity does not work on Android. At least it didn’t in the Autodesk Sketchbook app.

What I like

  • Pen doesn’t need batteries
  • Can be used with Windows, Mac, and Android
  • Android does not require a special driver
  • Lots of function keys

What needs to be improved

  • Not compatible with iOS devices
  • Tablet has to be physically connected to the computer or phone
  • Touch ring and buttons don’t work with Android
  • Can only use the left third of the drawing tablet in Android mode

Final thoughts

The Huion HS610 is an affordable graphics drawing tablet that you can use with your computer, laptop, and even your Android device. It’s a shame that iOS users are left out of the fun, but that’s about the only thing to complain about with this drawing tablet. The HS610 is a fun way for artists to go digital in an inexpensive and easy way.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Huion.

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Huion HS610 graphics drawing tablet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 17, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Chameleon Fineliners will take your drawings to the next level

CROWDFUNDING NEWS – Doodlers and artists will be interested in this new Kickstarter project for Chameleon Fineliners color blending pens that just launched earlier today.

What is it?

Chameleon Fineliners are pens that blend 2 or more colors instantly just by placing the cap from one color on another pen’s tip for a few seconds.

Why do I like it?

First of all, the color blending is quick and easy. The way it works is that there is water-safe ink in the pen AND in the cap. So you take the cap off one color and place that cap over another pen’s tip for 1 – 10 seconds. When you remove the cap, you can start drawing. First, the color will be the color from the cap that was placed over the pen’s tip. But after several strokes (depending on how long you left the cap on) the color will start blending into the original color for a very cool and seamless effect.

If you leave the cap off even for several hours, the pen won’t dry up. And besides being a very cool way to easily add unique color to your journals, artwork, etc, the pens are available in 48 different colors, can write more than 32,000 inches each, and have a Japanese 0.3mm metal clad tip so your doodles and artwork will look sharp and crisp.

Where can I find more info?

The Chameleon Fineliners campaign ends on 6/11/19 they have already surpassed their funding goal of $20,000. You can pre-order a set of 12 Chameleon Fineliners starting at $14. After the Chameleon campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in July 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

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Chameleon Fineliners will take your drawings to the next level originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 7, 2019 at 5:50 pm.

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MAGCON is a drawing tool that fits in your pocket – Notable crowdfunding campaign

CROWDFUNDING NEWS – It’s not often that I find a drawing tool that is this cool in the way that it looks and in the way that it works. MAGCON is that tool. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

MAGCON is a pocket-sized anodized aluminum curved and straight ruler combo that can be used as a compass/protractor and is suitable for US letter-sized (A4) paper sheets.

Why do I like it?

I was sent a pre-production sample and I can say that there are several reasons why I like the MAGCON. First of all, it uses…magnets and I’m a sucker for anything that uses magnets.

The center cylinder doesn’t pierce paper like a traditional compass. Instead, it sticks to the paper with a low tack adhesive and then the ruler attaches to the cylinder with a magnet and smoothly rotates around it. It’s a genius design!

If you like to draw or want to be able to easily draw circles and arcs/curved lines and more, the MAGCON tool will let you do that without taking an art class.

Be sure to check out the video above which shows the MAGCON in action so you can see what you can do with this pocket design tool. The way it can be used to draw mandalas really caught my eye.

Where can I find more info?

The MAGCON campaign ends on 4/26/19 they launched today and have already met their funding goal of $1,019. You can pre-order a MAGCON set starting at $30. After the MAGCON campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in August 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

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MAGCON is a drawing tool that fits in your pocket – Notable crowdfunding campaign originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 12, 2019 at 6:23 am.

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Osmo lets kids become animators of their favorite Disney characters

NEWS – When I was a kid I loved to doodle and draw my own comics. Actually, I still love to do that! But back then and even now I just use a pad of paper and a pen which isn’t very Gadgeteer worthy compared to the cool new Osmo Super Studio that lets kids (and kids at heart) get in on the fun of animating their favorite Disney characters.

Available in Mickey and Friends, Disney Princesses, and the Incredibles games, the Super Studio sets are an add-on to existing Osmo sets which use a base for an iPad and a special clip on reflector that can “see” what is drawn on the included erasable and reusable pad as the Osmo app tells a story. But these aren’t static drawings, kids get to animate the cartoon filled with their favorite Disney characters by drawing objects and even choosing how the story’s plot progresses to exercise the kid’s creativity and imagination. Osmo’s AI automagically takes the drawings and makes them part of the story to bring the child’s drawings to life.

There’s even a section in the game where kids can learn step by step how to draw Disney characters just like real Disney artists do.

The Osmo Super Studio is designed for kids ages 5 and up and is available as an add-on to existing Osmo sets for $19 and Apple Retail Stores will carry an exclusive Super Studio Kit that includes the Osmo iPad Base for $59.

Get your copy of Osmo Super Studio today at PlayOsmo.com and Amazon, and in Target and Best Buy stores starting Sept. 4.

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Osmo lets kids become animators of their favorite Disney characters originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 30, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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