Format
The paper size that corresponds to the size of the tablet's active surface.
This parameter is specified only for traditional tablets and smart-notebooks (see "Type"). At the same time, the specific size of the device does not always strictly correspond to the specified format. For example, an
A4 tablet can be either a little larger or a little smaller than a standard landscape sheet of 210x297 mm. Nevertheless, according to the specified format, one can easily estimate the dimensions of the tablet as a whole and its general “weight category”.
Nowadays, on the market you can find devices in formats from A3 to A7, and the most popular options are the A4 mentioned above, as well as
A5(148x210 mm) and
A6(105x148 mm). In general, larger tablets are easier to use, but also more expensive.
Workspace
The exact size of the active area of a tablet (or screen in a graphic display) in width and height. In general, it is more of a reference than a practically significant parameter: when choosing a traditional graphics tablet, there is often enough information about the format (see above), and for displays, primarily the diagonal (see above) and aspect ratio (see below) are of practical importance . However, the exact dimensions can also be useful in fact: for example, you can determine the aspect ratio from them (for classic tablets, this parameter is often not indicated).
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of the tablet working area (width to height). This parameter allows you to evaluate the overall proportions of the device: for example, the ratio of 4:3 gives an almost square shape of the work area, and in 16:9 models it is noticeably elongated in width.
Actually, "widescreen" aspect ratios —
16:9 and
16:10 — are now much more common than the classic
4:3. The
3:2 standard is also rare, although it is actually also a widescreen. This situation is due to the fact that, ideally, the aspect ratio of the monitor and tablet should be the same (otherwise, there may be a mismatch in the movement of the pen and the cursor on the screen, or part of the screen or tablet area will be unused). And the most popular nowadays are just monitors in 16:9 and 16:10 formats, the 4:3 standard is much less common, and 3:2 is extremely rare.
Max. reading height
The height within which pen movements above the working surface are recorded by the tablet electronics even in the absence of direct contact.
Many tablets allow you to work in a "non-contact" way — without directly touching the stylus to the work surface. Thanks to this, it is possible, for example, with a raised pen to bring the cursor in the graphics editor to the desired point and turn on the drawing mode by touching the tablet with the stylus. And the greater the maximum reading height, the more convenient it is to use this mode, the less demanding the tablet is for the accuracy of movements. In many modern models, this parameter exceeds 10 mm.
Response
A characteristic of a graphics tablet that determines how many times per second the tablet records the artist’s actions. The response rate is expressed in PPS (Points Per Second).
The higher the PPS value, the more responsive the surface is. If responsiveness is low, there is a possibility of getting jagged lines when working with the pen, and the stylus cursor may lag behind the movement of your hand. Devices with a response of
266 PPS or
more perform best, the “golden mean” is the range of values
230 – 233 PPS and
250 – 260 PPS, and in entry-level models the response can be
220 PPS or
less.
Eraser
The presence of an
eraser function in the pen — that is, the ability to use the pen not only for drawing a picture, but also for erasing it. Directly the role of the eraser is most often played by the second end of the pen, opposite to the “drawing” one; however, in some models, this function is implemented purely in software — by enabling a special pen mode.
