Widescreen Slim Media Tablet 4000Lpi

Overall Rating: 7/10

Reviewed by James Novak

Overview:

You’ve probably heard of graphics tablets or the brand “Wacom” at some point, and possibly even drooled over the Wacom Cintiq interactive screens! But unless you’re lucky enough to have a uni with these gadgets, its unlikely you’re going to be forking out thousands of dollars for one to use at home. This is where this basic graphics tablet comes in. Simply plug it into your computer, and with a bit of hand-eye coordination, you can draw directly into programs like Photoshop and Illustrator.

Main Features:

• 12”x7.25” widescreen or 9.5”x7.25” standard (4:3) active area.
• Resolution up to 4000Lpi.
• 1024 pressure levels to allow natural brush control.
• 34 programmable macro keys around the outside (set them to undo, redo, print, etc. at the touch of your pen).
• 2 x Scroll Wheels to allow right or left handed use. These can be set to scroll or zoom.

Relevance to product designers: 5/10

This is quite a subjective category; some people like to get their renders into Photoshop and really work the shading, etc. using a graphics tablet. Other people are quite happy just using a mouse for all their needs. Graphics Tablets are also quite handy for those people who aren’t the greatest at drawing by hand, as you can sketch directly into your preferred program and immediately begin editing and reworking it.

Value for money 8/10

Compared to a similar sized product from the most popular brand, Wacom, these are a great price. You have a large drawing area, meaning you’re free to use broad arm strokes. The only real downside is that they’re not quite as good a quality as Wacom, requiring a bit more pressure to draw with. However, as a product designer, as opposed to a graphic artist, chances are you will only pull out the tablet occasionally, and therefore don’t want to break the bank for the best on the market. Included free software also makes spending the money that little bit easier. (Note: as with all gadgets, do your homework and shop around for the best price).

Is it easy to use? 8/10

Simply ‘plug-n-play!’ Program installation will allow you to easily assign functions to the macro keys, while easy buttons on the tablet and the pen make working very quick. Sure it takes a little bit of practice to get the hand-eye coordination working, but once you do, it’s a lot of fun.

Is it aesthetically pleasing?: 7/10

Slim, lightweight and pretty durable, this tablet can easily be stored while not in use, or carried in your bag or laptop case. It’s a pretty standard colour and style for a piece of technology, so you don’t have to worry too much about ‘what the style or colour choice might say about you as a designer’, or something like that.

Is it a recommended item?: YES

If you’re interested in purchasing a graphics tablet for use at home, then yes, this is a recommended product that I actually have myself. It’s perfect for the occasional user, or someone wanting to try out a graphics tablet without forking out for a high-end model. However, if you’re interested in other design fields like graphic design or digital art, you may want to spend a few extra dollars to get a product that is more comfortable for every-day use like a Wacom.

Comments

[Ajf 6]

Pen can describe a vibrant spring, Pen can as the ancient, A pen to write down my soul of small language!