Comparison Wacom Intuos Draw Small vs Wacom Intuos Pro Small

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).

The number of control keys provided in the design of the tablet.

Each of these keys is responsible for a specific function, while the set of these functions can be configured: in some models they can be selected manually, in others the functionality of the keys changes automatically, depending on the currently active application. Anyway, additional keys allow the user to perform various actions without looking up from the tablet — this can be very convenient in the midst of the work process, when you don’t want to change the pen to the mouse again or reach for the keyboard. And the more control keys — so, respectively, more additional actions can be performed using the tablet. On the other hand, with relatively simple tasks, the abundance of additional buttons can hinder and confuse the user rather than help.

The most modest modern tablets provide up to 5 control keys ; the most popular option is from 6 to 10 keys, and in advanced models this number can reach 15 or even more.

The device has a touch ring for quick control of popular parameters. By simply moving your finger around the ring, you can zoom and scroll in graphics applications, switch between layers, change brush size, rotate the canvas, etc. Note that the touch ring can have several operating modes, and a physical button in the center of the circle is often responsible for switching between them. In advanced devices, the ring can be reprogrammed for certain actions, and even sensitivity (scrolling speed) can be adjusted.

The ability to work on a graphics tablet with your fingers — just like on the touch screen of a smartphone or tablet PC. Touch input can be useful both during "non-working" hours (for example, if the tablet is used as a touchpad for a PC), and when drawing, to implement some specific techniques. At the same time, note that the accuracy of typing with a finger is much lower than when using a pen.

The model of the pen that comes with the device. Allows you to understand which one is used and learn more fully its full characteristics. In this case, in the case of a replacement, you will already be aware of which accessory is needed for the purchase. However, nothing prevents you from replacing the existing one with a more advanced one, of course, if the graphics tablet itself allows you to work with a different pen model.

The number of pressure levels supported by the pen.

The more levels of pressure, the more accurately the pen tracks the force of pressure and the closer the drawing is to the drawing made by real tools like a pencil. The minimum value for a modern tablet is 512 levels, an indicator of 1024 levels is considered relatively small, 2048 is considered average, and in some models 4096 and even 8192 levels are found. At the same time, it is worth noting that the difference between pens with different accuracy becomes noticeable mainly on the thinnest strokes and on lines with a thickness that changes along the stylus; so numerous levels, even a professional artist is not always required. For this reason, this parameter has practically nothing to do with the general class of the device: for example, there are low-cost models on the market with 8192 levels, and professional solutions with only 1024.

The maximum angle of the pen (relative to vertical) at which the tablet continues to perceive it as a working tool and respond to its movements. The larger this angle, the greater the allowable deviation of the pen from the perpendicular position and the higher the degree of freedom when working with the tablet.

The resolution of the graphics tablet's working area, expressed in lines per inch (lpi). The parameter includes the density of sensors on the tactile surface of the device per inch. It is these sensors that recognize the signal upon contact with the pen. The higher the resolution, the more accurately and in detail the movements of the pen across the working area of the tablet are transferred. This ensures the creation of objects with a high degree of detail.

The simplest devices are characterized by an indicator of 2540 lpi. The “golden mean” is 4000 lpi. And in professional graphics tablets the a resolution of 5080 lpi can be found. Moreover, it is important to take into account that higher accuracy significantly affects the cost of the device.

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.