Username: PainterJames
Post Date: 2024-06-21 01:20:26
As an owner of three Huion tablets (two pen tablets ('small' and a very big "medium") and a pen display) and many Wacom devices, I strongly recommend you to get a Wacom. Huion and Xp-Pen do the work, those are fine. But in my own many tests (serious tests, during weeks), the control with almost any Wacom tablet is superior, less lag, more "finesse". But you won't go super wrong with any of these four brands : XenceLabs, XP-Pen, Huion, or Wacom (not in this order).
But seriously, if you are really comfortable with a pen tablet instead of a pen display (->the pen tip is on the screen), which IMO, is the most important aspect to consider, way more than brands, then I only, in good conscience, can recommend a Wacom Intuos Pro L. This and my super old Wacom XL (end of line since long, Wacom does nto sell these, but still sold on Amazon) do the task amazingly. Specially if you like to draw from the elbow or shoulder, and also if you do a lot of inking, line-art, then a tablet of this size, or a pen display of at least 22" (inches) is by far the best purchase.
Besides all what I could test on my own, Wacom has been reported to have the better pressure sensitivity of the bunch (important for digital painters!). Don't pay attention to the "pressure levels" , as brands do measure things differently, and what really counts is direct experience with tablets in your hands, from two or several brands. Sadly, we can't afford to go buying every tablet in the market, just to test (I'm a bit of a collector, though ;) ).
What is more. If you totally want to go Huion -for whatever the reason...- I'd say: At least avoid their pen tablets. The difference with a Wacom tablet is too remarkable. That's the biggest gap. Now, the HUION (I have not tested XP-Pen pen displays, just watched many reviews) screen tablets, or better said, pen displays, those are quite more decent than their classic tablets. My Kamvas 22 (non Plus) would be fine to make all my work, but I am not willing to lose all the control I get with my classic (super old, and yet better control!) Wacom XL and L, as, anway, I have full hand-screen coordination, meaning, I don't need to paint directly on screen, after many (many) years of training. For me it's the same, if not better with a classic one.
Indeed, "maybe" if I were to get an alternative brand [i]pen tablet[/i], I'd probably take the chance with an XP-Pen one like the [i]Deco Pro Medium[/i] (never the Small, only fine for photo retouch, IMO, any Small from any brand, Wacom included). That one has many useful and well made features, although I [i][b]strongly[/b][/i] doubt it would have the good control of a Wacom pen tablet and the wacom pen technology.
No... touch gestures are [i][b]not[/b] [/i]as smooth and well done as in an iPad. Also because a desktop (or laptop) is typically not really designed for touch, neither the desktop operating systems. But aslo as it is kind of more awkwardly done than in the iPad. Still, those features are useful, of course. I have them disabled, as they get in the way, but that's me. Desktop apps can count a lot more on keyboard shortcuts, tablet buttons, mouse and keyboard customized with free apps like X-Mour Button Control or similar, a bigger screen real state space, etc.
Again, the main point is not gestures, neither the brand, but if you are capable to use a pen-tablet like the intuos Pro L or XP-Pen Deco Pro Medium (or XenceLabs, or etc). For classic pen tablets -not to offend anyone- I'd go [b][i]only[/i][/b] Wacom, XenceLabs, or XP-Pen, though. Maybe in that order.
But definitely, as someone who has zero issues in handling a pen tablet, and just as well a pen display, the difference in control, response and everything between Wacom and anything else is still too big (when a Wacom XL from 2009 gives MUCH better control than a Huion Kamvas 22" which is way more recent, despite the former being a classic pen tablet, and the latter a pen display, that tells quite something) . The other brands would do the job, but I don't see the point even when the price difference is big (ie, comparing a cheap huion one with a Pro Wacom), if one loves painting.
There was a particular very strong point for the alternatives for a while. The pen displays in Wacom have skyrocketed prices. BUT... since the appearance of the "non pro" (not called so) Cintiqs (to compete with the new brands, ofc), it is less of a point. Unless you do high end print projects and need (I do) the full wide gamut of the Adobe RGB or Pro Photo color spaces, my advice would be to get the Cintiq non pro, if really only considering to get a pen display. But yep, those cheaper Cintiqs [b]only support sRGB[/b]. While almost any version of the recent (actually, since a while) XP-Pen and Huion pen displays support much wider gamuts, reaching something like 94 - 98% of the Adobe RGB spectrum, which is a lot (typicall the Pro series, NOT the Plus or regular series). Allegedly, though, as I have seen a number of reviews in which after hardware color calibration with a colorimeter (which is not so crucial with a Wacom pen display but imo quite necessary with other brands, as those come usually with the color more off by default) Wacom ends with better contrast ratio, better black levels, and other settings, after calibrated. So, specs, as always, are only a list in marketing, the tests tell more of the real story.
You can do very well with a Huion or XP-Pen pen display, IMO, if you color calibrate those with a colorimeter (although ipad doesn't really allow full calibration, so, maybe is not a need in your workflow) to ensure no crazy color aberrations. And would serve... kind of fine. I just don't see the point unless the other opnly option would be a Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 or 32, which are crazily expensive.
My best advice would be, in this order of preference: Wacom L pen tablet, Wacom Cintiq 22 (non pro, if you are ok with just 100% sRGB), Huion Kamvas 22 Plus (24 plus is only for a bit more and I like the comfortable canvas size) which can get for lower than 500, but the two Kamvas Plus are not 98?obe RGB, just somewhere between that and a sRGB display. They are 140% sRGB, a way for listing specs that every brand is using now and does not make much sense, but lets say that you will get much richer colors than with a typical sRGB screen. The Pro series in Huion start from 1k $ and above, if you want "full" Adobe RGB support, much wider gamut. It will depend on if you fully need full compliance with Adobe RGB (96-98% is kind of full, in real life). After that (if previous are discarded for price or whatever)...then maybe the XP-Pen Deco Pro Medium. I... wouldn't take the risk to recommend anything else, for someone who wants a good device (and if going for a really good one, super unpopular opinion, but I'd go Wacom (L or Cintiq), always).
All that Wacom praise said, I would certainly avoid [i][b]Wacom One[/b][/i] (I'd have to write an essay to explain why, and some many sources). It would perfectly fine for people starting, very initial in the journey, but that's it. Indeed, I'd prefer an alternative brand product of the mentioned better than the Wacom One (based on certain reviews, tests and other information). That is, would surely prefer a Kamvas 22 Plus over a Wacom One. And a Wacom L over any of the two (if you are really fine with classic pen tablets).
I hope it helps.
Username: PainterJames
Post Date: 2024-06-26 11:16:10
The Deco 01 V2, I'm told that it is quite good, close to a Deco3 in how it feels (which is also kind of worse than a Deco Pro Medium). But I have not tested any of these models, it's from what I have gathered everywhere.
Re: The medium size. Beware, "Medium" is a significantly smaller size (in active area, which is what matters) with Wacom than with XP-Pen or Huion.
I found the Wacom Intuos (pro and regular) Medium size not where the best product is, at all. Maybe yep for photo retouch, and some kind of painting, but for precision in lines, and to get the full fore arm gesture, I'd rather recommend the Wacom L size.
It depends a lot on your type or work, though. If you rarely do any line-art or inking, or at all, maybe the Medium could do.
Indeed, for people who do only photo retouch (image editing), even a Small could do the trick. That goes as well for "pixel art".
For painting... I am always preferring to recommend the Wacom L size.
You're right... 16" (pen display) in both screen and drawing surface, that's way too tiny. And often the software (apps) menus are too small or even hard to handle, as non-wacom pen displays are not that accurate in the tablet borders (increased cursor displace and other issues). But that is much reduced in laminated displays (most of the new models).
22" is the smallest I'd recommend, 19" maybe usable, but being already risky of leaving you later wishing for more real state for everyday work. It's my 22 and I am now convinced if I should have gone for 24 (like my Eizo is ). And also, it will depend on the resolution. Some people (not me!) get really mad if they "see the pixel". As a former pixel artist, I actually like to "see it". And for example, in a 24", if the pen display resolution is 1920x1080 pixels, as you are closer than you would be with a regular monitor (and a pen tablet), you for sure would see the pixel. While surely same resolution at 19" would be no problem at all, or 1440p (typically 2560 × 1440) in 24".
For me, that's unimportant, as I am "immune" to that... For me it is much more important the gamut the screen supports (sRGB only, or 95% of Adobe RGB, etc). How accurate the screen is after calibration (with a colorimeter), how good is its contrast ratio, black levels, uniformity, etc.
[quote]The only 27 inches pen display available is sold by Wacom, but for some reason it costs the price of a used car, and the stand required for it is sold serapately. That's above my budget :) . [/quote]
Actually... Dell has had one 27" pen display for a long time, but only slightly cheaper than Wacom... Not worth it, so.
And Huion just released a 27 one (98?obe RGB color space support (allegedly)), but pricey, closer to Wacom prices territory. Unless one is deep in love with the 27" size, I'd say other of their products (or XP-Pen's) have a better value in terms of what is offered/cost. The new Huion's 27 costs 2.000 $ (still better price than the current Cintiq Pro 27, 3500$). Specs are really good, but what I said about pen control and line control I suspect that still applies... I predict still big differences with Wacom in what is the control, etc; I doubt the situation would change just because the screen is bigger and the product is clearly their top pro thing. But who knows.
For a smart or more budget friendly purchase the Huion 24 Kamvas Plus (800$ . 140% sRGB, so, surely sth more closer to P3, that is good) or the 24 Pro 1300$ (4k) . Both 24 Plus and 24 Pro are same color gamut !!!! Not a 95% of Adobe RGB (apparently that is only in the 27 or smaller sizes like the new 19 pro and the 16 Pro (but only the non 4k version, curiosly)). So... The main difference between 24 Pro and 24 Plus is 4k, which is a bitt too much resolution for a 24" pen display (for many people). That and the 10bits + FRC. The real golden purchase is the 24 Plus. Same contrast ratio, same everything... The Pro version is 10 bits, that's great if you are going to calibrate it by hardware and have advanced needs in color. Most artists would be fine without it. (I mean, I have such thing, and calibration by hardware using the monitor's LUT and all. But a lot of painters don't really know about this and/or don't care).
The pen and its tech is the same in 24 Plus and 24 Pro.
Both with anti glare coating, full laminated, etc.
To be a bit more concise... Good purchases (in my order of preference) : Wacom Intuos Pro L, Huion 24 Plus, XP-Pen Deco Pro Medium (its active area is bigger than Wacom's, quite). With my everlasting recommendation of going for the Wacom L (not the "Paper" version. That feature not really very useful and makes the Wacom L more expensive, without a real need).
Besides the fact of a percentage people having issues (health problems, even: neck, back, arm ache, etc) with a pen display, it's the freedom you have with a pen tablet to choose the best of the best monitor. IE, I have an Eizo, which is the top thing you can get for Illustration or photography (better than Apple monitors for professional color). If one is ready to get as well an EIzo or a pro Benq, well, but in a way one is paying twice, then, instead of asssigning the budget for the best pen tablet (wacom L), and the best monitor (Eizo color edge (CG or CS), or Benq of the SW line). This whole reasoning totally depends on :
a) If ou have had comfort problems or even health issues before with a pen display (so, no need to even continue reading, then it is the pen tablet yes or yes).
b) Having or not having the "pains", this possibility is only doable if you already are just as comfortable with a pen tablet than with a pen display. As in, you don't really "need" to paint on a screen.
All Huion prices from the Huion store (not Amazon, as I guess new products reach there much later).
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