There are but a few days ahead of Christmas, and one of the few people remaining on your shopping list is a digital artist of sorts.Your best friend, or close relative, is a digital artist. The best present you’ve ever managed to think of for them was a graphic novel, or perhaps a framed print.Or socks.Now is the time to right these previous wrongs and find some incredible gifts that the digital artist in your life will really appreciate and be able to use. Want to stand out? This is how you do it — and they’ll love you for it, guaranteed.

How does your digital artist want to express themselves? Do they first draw on paper, scan, and import into their favorite package? Or do they want to be able to draw directly into the software? Graphics tablets come in all shapes and sizes, and they make great gifts for digital artists. For instance, the good quality but low budget XP-Pen graphics tablet makes a good gift.

Or perhaps you decide that the interactive displays of the high-end tools, such as the Wacom Cintiq 13HD Interactive Pen Display, are more suited to the person you’re buying for (like a standard tablet, it plugs into your computer as a stylus-sensitive touch display).

As the one of largest consumer digital graphics tablet brand in the world, XP-Pen has received a lot of support from their customers since founded. It can be said that XP-Pen's achievements cannot be separated from the support and love of customers. So, XP-Pen have attached great importance to customers’ opinions and feedback which are conducive to optimize XP-Pen products.

In order to thank customers for their valuable advice and love for XP-Pen , XP-Pen would like to express their thanks to dearest customers by giving some special offers in the upcoming Christmas Day. you can get a coupon code from $5 off ~ $30 off and use it in the XP-Pen offical Store . you can get the code in this page : https://www.storexppen.com/coupon/index . the christmas Promotion day : from December 07 to December 31, 2018 .

In earlier times when there were no drawing tablets or graphics tablets, artists used to draw an art with a piece of paper and a brush. They had to keep a variety of brushes with different thickness to show off their drawing skills. If something goes wrong with the art there wasn’t any solution for erasing it and hence, artists were facing hard times with painting.

However, things were made simpler after the launch of software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and Autodesk Sketchbook on computers. Most of the artists then switched to digital painting as these software were offering tons of useful tools including some advanced features which revolutionized the way of composing an art.

Still, mouse and keyboard inputs failed to deliver accuracy. To resolve this complication, Wacom came up with a tool which could replicate hand-drawn art on the computer screen, technically known as Graphics Tablet. The Wacom Intuos Pro & Intuos Draw are popular examples of it as they are considered as best drawing tablets in the market.

You're probably aware of Wacom’s popular Cintiq models by now, which are favoured by many artists, illustrators and designers. Although this is exciting, and Wacom is usually the preferred tablet manufacturers for artists, it will cost US$ 1,000 and more for the standard version and even more for the Touch version.

many of digital artists have already expressed how you would love to use a Wacom Cintiq, but the price is just out of the question. Financial restrictions should never be a reason to stop you from creating art. Luckily there are more affordable tablet options that exist for artists.

The decision in choosing Wacom isn’t difficult. Wacom is clearly one of the most popular brands in drawing tablets. But it does make me wonder, are there alternatives? because wacom is so expensive And if there are tablets worthy of even being compared to Wacom, are they even worth a try?

XP-Pen is an artist specific company which only makes artist supplies such as tablets and display monitors. They are the only Wacom alternative that I have come across which offers battery-free pens consistently for all their graphic tablets. Not all of their drawing monitors (Artist 16 Pro / Artist 22 Pro / Artist 22E Pro ) use battery-free pens though.

Personal Notes

-XP-Pen is fairly established company in year 2005 , so they are quite trustworthy.
-Their graphic tablets are all quite good and the “age” of each tablet is fairly easy to figure out as they are named in order from oldest to newest (ex. Star 03 is older than Star 04).
-Their drawing monitors are all quite respectable, but I have heard that the monitor colours are not very well calibrated out-of-the-box.
-XP-Pen is currently the only company which offers company-developed Linux drivers (still in beta testing). Wacom’s Linux drivers are community-developed, and are not actually official drivers, so XP-Pen is the first to do this.

Is XP-Pen worth looking at for graphic tablets?
-Yes.

Their offical Site: http://www.xp-pen.com

Their offical Store: http://www.storexppen.com

Well, if you’re a digital artist and planning to buy the best drawing tablet, then pressure sensitivity, size and accuracy are the key specifications to look for and it’s probably not an easy task to figure out what fits in your requirements.

Most of the graphics tablets work as a connected device, means you will need a separate monitor. While some high-end graphics tablets even include a display, means you can draw your art on the same surface where it appears. Generally, these high-end graphics tablets fall into the expensive category and are mostly used by professionals.

Below are the features you should consider while buying a graphics tablet for drawing.

• Size – While buying a graphics tablet for drawing, the size makes a big difference. The greater surface area will give you plenty of space to draw, and they often come with higher input qualities and more shortcut keys, hence efficient working.

• Pressure Sensitivity – Graphic tablets capture the motion of your pen as well as your pressure information. Many of these tablets come with pressure sensitivity which tracks the amount of pressure, meaning when you apply pressure on the pen while drawing, it will render a thicker line. Note that the tablets with 2048 pressure levels capture more information than those with 1024 pressure levels. On a simple note, the more pressure sensitivity will give you more variety in thickness of line.

• Controls / Shortcut Keys – Many graphics tablets come with functional keys which can be programmed according to your needs. Some models include keys around the drawing area while some models include keys on the pen. Functional keys on pen can save your time, allowing you to reach shortcuts and your favorite settings directly without navigating on the tablet.

• Resolution (of the screen) (Only applies to drawing monitors)

HD (High Definition) is 1280x720p or above, FHD (Full High Definition) is 1920x1080p or above, QHD (Quad High Definition) is 2560x1440p or above, and UHD (Ultra High Definition) is 3840x2160p resolution aka 4K resolution.

• Display Type (of the screen) (Only applies to drawing monitors)

I simplify display types into two types of TFT LCDs (Thin-Film-Transistor Liquid-Crystal Displays) for drawing monitors: TN and IPS.

TN displays have faster response times, but have very bad viewing angles causing screen colours to look different from different angles. However, TN displays are much easier to manufacture, causing them to be much cheaper than IPS displays. TN displays are more meant for gaming where fast screen response times are key and colour reproduction is not as important.
IPS displays have slower response times than a TN display, but allows you to view the same colours from basically all angles. An IPS display is the better choice for a drawing monitor because of the importance of proper colour reproduction in art.

I see the XP-Pen coupon page , now about ten products participated in this deals event . below is the list of them .please notice that all of xp-pen drawing monitors already have a matte screen protection so you don't need to buy it alone. all of xp-pen drawing tablets that with or without screen have a drawing glove .

1. Up to $30 off XP-Pen Artist 16 Pro 15.6" IPS Drawing Monitor( 92% of Adobe RGB Wide Color Gamut)

15.6″ Full HD dust-free display with 1920x1080 full HD resolution and wide viewing angle, enhanced visual experience is what XP-Pen Artist 16 Pro offers you on its first sight. A well protected high strength toughened glass and rubber covers, anti-scratch and shockproof outer structure would simply make you fall for it and its convenient utilization which allows you to naturally and intuitively sketch paint, design, and edits on the screen is also a treat for the artists.

Precise and natural pen pressure control and speed up the boost to your drawing efficiency would definitely interest you as this tablet has an 8192-level pressure sensitive rechargeable pen to do so. A simple set-up with your PC or Mac which is compatible with most of the graphics software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator CC, Corel Painter and Autodesk Sketchbook etc., ergonomically makes it more comfortable and provides you with a distinguished drawing experience. Overall, the XP-Pen Artist 16 Pro is a complete package and best value for money tablet for artists.

the difference between Artist 16 Pro and Artist 15.6 is that : The Artist 16 Pro has 92% Adobe RGB, the Artist 15.6 has 75%. you can use artist15.6 without display stand . but artist 16 pro was come with a display Stand . the input connect is also not same , the artist 16 pro / artist 22 pro / artist 22e pro was connect by HDMI , VGA ,USB , the artist 12/ artist 13.3/ artist 15.6 was connect to computer by 3-1 cable .this three are portable display monitors .

XP-Pen Artist 16 Pro customers review

AMAZING product! I'll admit I was a bit worried before ordering because of some bad reviews but I honestly couldn't be happier with it. Arrived on time and was packaged well, everything came a-okay.

I had been wanting a Wacom cintiq for a long while but of course can't afford it, and heard about xp-pen through a YouTube artist I watch. Definitely money well spent! Been drawing non stop on this thing!

Shipping was fast and package arrive perfectly. I was planning on the 10s but the screen size look to small for me so I went and got the artist 16 pro and it's perfect. Installing it wasn't too bad, it was my first display tablet so I had a few trouble starting to set it up but once I did a few google searches I was set.

 

Overall it's a very affordable and a nice drawing tablet for beginners like me and would recommend to anyone that wants a display drawing tablet that are on a budget!

So I had everything calibrating and spent about 4-5 hours drawing and coloring on paint sai and so far it's good! Loving it so far! I was messing around with bright/contrast and rubbing it with my glove all over the place lol .

2. Up to $30 off XP-Pen Artist 22 Pro 21.5" IPS Pen Display Monitor

the XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro enables you to draw direct onto its screen. It's generously sized so you can go large with your brush strokes, but the stylus is sensitive enough to cope with your most subtle expressions, too. The stand takes some getting used to, but enables you to switch between a near-flat configuration for drawing and an upright position for when you want to use the Artist 22E Pro as a regular monitor.

the difference between Artist 22 Pro and Artist 22 Pro is that Artist22 Pro doesn't have 16 hotkeys .

XP-Pen Artist 22 Pro customers review

I took a serious chance on this tablet. I'm a professional sculptor and digital painter, so this is how I make my money and dropping $600 on anything isn't something I'd do lightly. I also don't have an overabundance of free time. Also, I'm trying to make a move away from WACOM products because of how overpriced their goods are compared to the recent decline in build quality.

The XP-Pen Artist 22 is a fantastic tablet. Hands down. If you're in the market for a Cintiq, get this instead. It's far less expensive and from what I can see, really, really well made. I've had mine since the beginning of May and it's drastically sped up my work. 
**Pros:**

* Amazing. I'm not even going to say "amazing for the price" because this thing is pretty damn awesome.
* Extremely responsive, very slight parallax and super easy to get used to drawing on.
* Colours are extremely true.
* Calibration is just fine out of the box but you can mess with it if you want.
* Doubles really nicely as a second monitor
* HD really is HD. Stuff looks great on here. Being able to work at full resolution is nice too.
* Comfy, solid pens that feel nice in the hand and are nice to draw with. (When you are at this thing for 8 hours a day, you begin to appreciate the small things!)
* Puts off a tiny, tiny amount of heat. Less than my "actual" monitor next to it!
* VESA conversion was super easy. Just pop off the stand on the back and throw the VESA mount bracket on and you're good to go.

**Cons / really should be called "minor annoyances."**

These are in no particular order. Just as they come to me. I'm also being super specific so people know what they are getting into, but none of this wall of text outweighs how good this tablet is.

* Pen charging. I mean. It's not a big deal, you get two pens and a bajillionty replacement nibs in a nifty holder. A charge has lasted me the better part of a month. I think there's a passive pen floating around but I'm really not bothered by it.
* You will have to futz with this thing a bit to get it to talk to Windows 10.This is, as I understand it, not XPPEN's fault and a result of Windows' s***ty tablet PC protocols. What you need to do: **DO NOT PLUG IN THE TABLET BEFORE INSTALLING THE DRIVERS OFF OF THE XPPEN WEBSITE.** Get the most recent ones. Install them. THEN plug the unit in. If you're using it as a second monitor, make sure the driver recognizes where you've got the tablet set up.
* Drivers are a little barebones, but I have the feeling they'll get better with time.
* If you have a light touch like I do with tablets, you will need to turn the pressure sensitivity in the drivers all the way down. Still a little firm for my tastes but I got used to it. Wish I could make it a little more sensitive, but tbh messing with brush settings in Photoshop appears to have helped a bit.
* Screen cover is kind of a pain to put on, but what giant sticky plastic sheet wouldn't be. Put it on, btw. Scratches are no bueno.
* No side buttons / hotkeys. Not at all a big deal for me.
* You're absolutely gonna need a VESA mount. Good thing this thing is VESA compatible. Anyway, if you're using one of these you should just have one anyway. Maybe it's just my desk setup, but I prefer having the thing on a swingy arm.
* Bottom-mounted cables. Sort of annoying. Not really a big deal with a VESA mount.

Shipping was great, tablet arrived with absolutely no dead pixels and was securely, neatly packed in its own little box. You get a bunch of free stuff with it too; it includes all of the cables you could possibly need as far as I know, a neato anti-fouling glove, two tablet pens, a dust brushy thing and a screen cover. Some other stuff too. The company was very friendly and lovely to work with. I didn't need to use their customer service but word is they're very helpful.

3. Up to $30 off XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro 21.5" IPS Drawing Tablet Monitor

Upgraded Firmware – Provides a more accurate and responsive cursor positioning experience for drawing; It fulfills users the efficiency needed for greater productivity.

21.5” IPS Monitor – With 16.7 million colors and 1920×1080 resolution, the new Artist 22 Pro gives you the most colorful screen display. The aspect ratio of is 16:9, the contrast ratio 1000:1, brightness 250 cd/m2, and 14ms response time.

Newly Designed Pen – Comes with the same stylus as Artist 22E Pro that recognizes 8192 pressure levels; It is lightweight and fully covered by very fine rubber.

Viewing Angle: Vertical 178° Horizontal 178°, 5080LPI, 266PPS, VGA/DVI/HDMI ports available; OS compatibility: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and Mac 10.10.0 or above; 1 year warranty.

XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro customers review

Living in Australia, we pretty much only have 1 visual tablet choice: Wacom. I couldn't justify the insane price in AUD so went looking for other options. After doing a hell of a lot of research on the previous model of XP-Pen (Artist 22 Pro) and seeing the 22E Pro was about to come out, I decided to jump in and purchase one based on the otherwise great reviews of the Artist22 Pro. I'll try and keep this short.

PRO'S:
- Product shipped to Australia in perfect condition 5 days after making payment (Inc 3 days for AUD to clear to USD).
- All express buttons work, are responsive and are able to be remapped.
- No dead pixels.
- Easy to set up, install & configure. No driver issues .
- Great pixel quality, contrast, depth of color & response time.
- Great level of pen sensitivity and accuracy.
- Pens charge quite fast and seem to last 50 hours+ (time used, so far...)
- Heaps of additional chords and accessories.
- Chord connections on the side, unlike the previous model meaning there is no bending and stressing on the chords or connections when angle is changed.
- Doubles perfectly as a second or third monitor for other general use.
- Sturdy build quality, easy to adjust stand, solid and responsive buttons.

CON'S
- No DVI cable included. VGA is so outdated, I don't know why they include one of those in preference to DVI.

- Going from max horizontal to max vertical seating, I'd recommend a pen tracking re-calibration due to the angle change. This is literally a 15 second process though, so once again, a very minor complaint.

Overall this is an amazing tablet for the price - The pro's vastly outweigh the con's as the con's are only minor quality of life annoyances. I'm so glad I did my research on the previous model in order to cement risking giving this a go. I do not regret it at all .

4. Up to $20 off XP-Pen Artist 15.6 15.6" IPS Display Tablet Monitor

The XP-Pen Artist 15.6 is the best seller of xp-pen drawing tablets with screen . Featuring a sharp 15.6 inch IPS display, the Artist 15.6 is really very comfortable to work with, the size of texts and palettes didn’t felt too small when our experts at Tablet Under Budget tested out. With 16.7 million colors, the Artist 15.6 gives you probably the most color-rich experience while drawing on its Full HD screen.

Along with the new design and display, the firmware has also been upgraded which provides responsive and accurate cursor positioning to make drawing experience sharper. Talking about Pen, the generation ergonomically designed Pen P05 has the ability to sense 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity which will enable you to draw a variety of lines depending on the amount of pressure you apply. Its compatibility with Windows and Mac operating system makes this one of the most widely used devices by artists and graphic designers for their work as it provides Wacom Cintiq level of features at an affordable price of $430.

XP-Pen Artist 15.6 customers review

Just unboxed earlier today, it's so smooth and nice but it did take forever to get the drivers and everything calibrated. I love the fact that it's only 0.4 inches smaller than the Xp-pen Artist 16 but it's like $140 bucks less??

Calibation of color and pen to screen is a must out of the box. Express keys feel solid. Matte finish screen protector is applied to screen already. Matte protector Dilutes colors a bit but adds a feel of grip you get when drawing on paper. Small offset between pen and cursor. Light weight but sturdy. 15.6 is huge for me even though i upgraded from a medium intous pro 5. Easy to set up. Works great in Clip Studio, mischeif, sketchbook(some strokes wobble), and medibang. The 8000 lvl of pressure sense is nice but if you want an even pressure on the low end that feels evenly distributed youll never get to use all 8000 unless you press so hard you break the screen i imagine. Im sure drivers in the future will fix this. Love mine.

If you're a student, hobbyist, amateur artist, or just looking to get your first graphics display tablet, I would definitely recommend considering this product. For the price, this tablet works great and its size and quality is quite nice. I've had this tablet for roughly a month and so far I haven't had any issues. I run Windows 10 and mainly use Paint Tool SAI, Clip Studio Paint, and Photoshop CC. Just make sure that you uninstall any tablet drivers on your PC before setup and that you download the latest drivers from XP-Pen's website.

Setting up the tablet is very easy. Just follow the instructions and you should have no issue. Calibration and color configuration is also pretty simple.

Pros:
Installation and setup is simple
Good size and quality for price
Nice resolution
Comes with accessories such as pen charger, extra nibs, artist glove, cloth to clean screen, and extra cables
Express keys
Parallax is minimal for a cintiq alternative
Good build quality

Not a pro for the tablet, but XP-Pen has a pretty in-depth FAQ on their website for troubleshooting. Look here for getting the tablet to work with SAI.

Cons:
Pressure level needed to activate the pen is higher than I'm used to
No pen tilt functionality
Wires to connect tablet to PC can be kinda annoying
Colors could be better

5. Up to $20 off XP-Pen Artist 13.3 13.3" IPS Drawing Tablet Monitor

Whether you're right or left-handed, you can comfortably draw directly onto the screen of this XP-Pen tablet with the Stylus P05 , which has 8192 levels pressure sensitivity. The pen responds to the slightest touch, and you can have complete control over brush width and opacity. 6 Customisable keys, The 1920x1080 HD screen features Adobe RGB colour quality.

There’s also lag-free tracking, and you can connect the Artist 13.3 straight to your Mac or PC with the included USB-C cable. It's compatible with the versions of Windows 7/8/10 (32bit / 64 bit ) and Mac OS 10.10.0 and above , not to mention its lightweight and small design, making it compact to carry with you.

XP-Pen Artist 13.3 customers review

Honestly, if I could give 4.5 stars, I would. If you're looking for an affordable 13" cintiq off-brand alternative, this is basically it.

Pros:
+ Lovely packaging--very minimalistic
+ Provides a number of chargers for different regional power outlets
+ Medium size at 1920x1080
+ Easy installation; comes in a USB instead of CD (I decided to be safe and download the driver on their website though). Fair warning though! Your PC/laptop might reset when trying to install--this is normal. Don't panic and remember to uninstall any previous tablet drivers beforehand!
+ The pen stand also acts as a nib remover!
+ Very good sensitivity even at 2048 levels; your brush strokes will have noticeable difference with a light touch
+ Easy customization and settings

Cons:
- The one major thing I noticed while drawing was that when I tried drawing circles or any curved lines, the lines themselves would be slightly jagged/blocky
- The display WILL be different from your monitor--you're going to have to adjust the settings until it is similar to your main monitor
- Split display is a bit finicky--could be a NVIDIA thing
- No stand for the tablet itself--you would need to buy one if you want it at a certain angle
- NEEDS to be calibrated
- Be careful with the nib remover on the bottom of the pen stand; I tested it out and it created a very noticeable cut on my current nib. This can lead to scratches on the screen.

All in all, it's an incredibly affordable alternative medium display tablet with some minor hiccups that can be overlooked.

6. Up to $20 off XP-Pen Artist 12 11.6" IPS Pen Tablet Monitor holiday version

XP-Pen Artist 12 is one of the most affordable Wacom Cintiq alternatives for those who want to draw directly & naturally on the screen. How? Its IPS LCD panels, applies the new mirror design with smooth and ease of movement, bringing in high definition and high brightness visual experience. 8192 levels Pressure Sensitivity, Control line thickness, color and transparency conveniently provide the value for money experience an artist expects from a drawing tablet. Moreover, the XP-Pen Artist 12 HD is ultra thin and light so that you can carry it anywhere easily. it easily fits in your backpack or briefcase so that you can carry it to School or Work without having to look at an extra case.

It has Full HD resolution and 6 express keys on-board and 1 touch-bar with which you can work without placing the keyboard near you and especially with this kind of Full HD screen size, pressure sensitivity of the display and viewing angle of the screen which is high enough, are also the best part of this tablet to make it a great option for an artist’s hand. Its compatibility with the most common operating systems makes this a good device for artists. Depending on your needs, you can make it your device of choice for creating artworks or use it temporarily until you can afford Wacom Cintiq.

you can also get $15 off for normal version . this is the smallest drawing monitors of xp-pen artist series .the P06 Stylus have digital eraser function .

XP-Pen Artist 12 customers review

Being that the Artist 12 is only $250, I was a little skeptical before trying it out myself. However this tablet is amazing! I love this tablet! It works so well and is a great price!

- Setup was quick and easy, I had no problems.
- The Artist 12 is very responsive. There was no lag while drawing.
- The express keys are easy to customize and also work very well.
- The display is also excellent, it's very vibrant and crisp.

I really enjoy drawing on the Artist 12. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a t

Hello! Last Month I finally decided to splurge on an XP-Pen Artist 12 display drawing tablet Monitor . I had purchased a XP-Pen Star 03 ages ago and continued using that for years (over three years to be precise). The Star 03 served me well and I used it on both my Mac and the PC successfully for quite some time with relatively good results. Of course, I didn't know what I was missing. Those $49 definitely went a long way.

I did quite a bit of research before settling on the XP-Pen Artist 12 . the Artist 12 Pen Display offered unparalleled freedom and flawless hand/eye coordination (you draw directly on the screen) .Today I'll take a closer look at the XP-Pen Artist 12 display tablet, It was both fun and challenging, Hope you'll enjoy the Article .

The XP-Pen Artist 12 is XP-Pen's newest tablet with a fully-laminated textured screen, 72% NTSC colour gamut, battery-free pen . From just looking at the specs, this tablet is quite appealing with top of the line features across the board and a competitive price.

While the small form factor makes it easy to carry the drawing monitor around in a normal size laptop bag, there are a lot more awesome features too which makes the and undeniable deal.

A 22-inch monitor like the XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro takes up a lot of desk space. If you don't have much desk space in the first place, you might need to buy a mount or arm to hold up the monitor in a comfortable position to draw on. If you have an L-shaped table layout, then you could put the drawing monitor on the side table, and the main keyboard and computer on the main table, but for a single table it's hard to imagine where you can put a 22-inch monitor without it getting in the way.

On the other hand, a 12-inch tablet like the XP-Pen Artist 12 will be much easier to make desk space for. You'll probably just need to put the Star 03 away and that should be almost enough space for the Artist 12 , plus you will be able to comfortably reach other a 12-inch monitor to type on the keyboard behind it.

It feels nice having a big 22-inch monitor, but unless you've figured out a space for it, it's really hard to include it in your workspace .because I personally never really needed drawing monitors larger than 15.6-inch, especially while they still only offer 1920x1080p resolution which can look pixellated on larger monitors when viewed up close to draw.

Other 13-inch Wacom alternative tablets actually do come a bit cheaper at ~460 USD (tablet stand price included) compared to the XP-Pen Artist 12's 250 USD price However, I believe the Artist 12 completely justifies its higher price with its quality and features.If you're looking for a good drawing monitor, I think the Artist 12 is a very compelling option , you can get it from Amazon USA : https://www.amazon.com/XP-PEN-Artist12-Battry-Free-Multi-Function-Sensitivity/dp/B07GNK18VJ .

Since its conception in 2005, XP-Pen has been dedicated to research, design, production, and marketing of digital tablets. Their team is committed to endless innovation with the goal of bringing every artist into the digital age with tools and technology to suit their individual needs. They believe that their products should adapt to the needs of our clients—not the other way around.

XP-Pen utilizes proprietary electromagnetic handwriting input technology as a core technology and it has developed application products in various fields such as digital panels, digital screens, copy boards, electronic school bags and electronic endorsements. They already a long running sales network and with Shenzhen at the core.

First impression

Starting off with the sleek design, the tablet is really thin which makes it easy to use and carry. It has a sturdy build which screams quality. Also, the display is laminated and has good colors which is necessary for a drawing monitor. It comes with multiple programmable keys so you can always program a particular button to perform a specific function. On the tablet, there is only one single USB Type-C port for connection which is awesome. Kudos to XP-Pen for following the latest USB Type-C standard.

The pen which the tablet comes with is battery free so there is no hassle to charge the pen up before using it. There is a pen holder in the box which also houses 8 extra pen tips and a tip replacement mechanism. The drawing pen works really well and the pressure sensitivity is amazing which I will discuss late in the review. All the necessary stuff comes right in the package which means you don't have to spend extra buck for cables or stuff.

Specifications:

Dimension- 364*218*10mm

Active Area- 256 × 144mm 11.6 inch diagonal

Screen Resolution- 1920x1080

Display Type- IPS LCD

NTSC Color Gamut- 72% (roughly 100% sRGB)

Contrast- 700:1

Video Interface- Type-C

Viewing Angle- 178°

Response Time- 14ms

Resolution- 5080 LPI

Pen Type- Battery-less Pen

Pen Buttons: 2 side buttons, have eraser

Pen Pressure- 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity

Reading Height- 12mm

Multi-touch: No

Pen Tilt Sensitivity: No

OS Compatibility- MacOS 10.8 or above, Windows 7 or above

Unboxing

Artist 12 Pen Display Drawing Monitor comes in a wide White color box. On the front, there is an image of the drawing tablet itself along with branding and stuff. The box is made out of good quality material and the overall package weighs around 2.36KG. Removing the upper lid of the box reveals the tablet covered in a transparent sheet which gives a sense of quality.

Talking out the tablet and opening up the dividing lid reveals the accessories which comes with the tablet. Take a look at the list of accessories

Digital Pen P06 , 3-in-1 Cable ,HDMI to Mac Adapter Cable ,Adjustable Tablet Stand,Pen Holder, Pen Nibs x 8 (inside the holder) ,Nib Clip (inside the holder) ,Cleaning Cloth ,Drawing Glove ,Quick Start Guide .

All the stuff inside the box from cable to stand screams quality. XP-Pen took extra efforts to design all accessories with high quality material. The drawing tablet come with a screen protector pre-installed which you need to remove before you start using the tablet.

The tablet feels decently sturdy when twisting it between my hands, and I do not think it will break easily from normal use. It should be noted that I do not see any scratches or worn out areas on the screen despite drawing on it intensively for almost 2 weeks. The pen nib also has not worn down at all despite the screen being textured.

Also, the extra tips for the pen (8 to be specific) can be used when the one of the pen wears out. Artist 12 comes with all the useful stuff right in the box so you don't have to buy anything separately. Overall, the unboxing experience is pretty decent for the price.

Design and Build

XP-Pen Artist 12 is no doubt a sleek and stylish drawing monitor. It has the perfect displays size and dimensions to be carried around easily in a regular laptop bag. The tablet is quite slim considering that it doesn't comes with a stand built in, rather it has one in the box. To be exact, the dimensions of the are 14.3 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches and the weight of the tablet is around 0.8KG.

Artist 12 is made out of smooth plastic on the front, the rear panel is the same . The plastic panel provides more durability to the tablet in case of accidental fall. There is only a single color option available. Talking about the front of the drawing tablet, it has a Full HD screen on the front along with six keys and 1 touch bar.

On the back are four round rubber feet on both sides of the tablet. If you are using this tablet without the tablet stand, those rubber feet will keep the tablet in place on your desk.

the six keys are programmable which means you can assign them to perform a particular function. All the buttons are click and have nice tactile feedback to them. The touch bar isn't actually programmable but has various mode like pen size, zoom in or out etc.

Display Quality

Having a screen on a drawing tablet really helps to draw better since you can actually see the place you are going to draw. This provides an experience like drawing on a notebook. XP-Pen Artist 12 comes with a 13 inch IPS LCD display which look pretty great.

Talking about the resolution, the display on the Artist 12 has a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080. While there are other big tablets with similar resolution too, the screen of the is much sharper because of the compact display which means higher pixel density. Viewing angles are great, however, sometimes the display appears dark when looked from some extreme angles. This is a non-issue though because you won't be looking at it from any extreme angles while drawing. Overall, the IPS screen is very good. One thing to remember is that the display doesn't support touch input.

According to XP-Pen, the display on the Artist 12 covers 72% NTSC color gamut which when tested turns out to be true. This means that the drawing tablet can be used for color accurate works. The color setting out of the box look good, although, if you are not happy with the settings you can always manually tweak the colors by going through the OSD options.

Features

XP-Pen Artist 12 comes with plenty of useful features which makes drawing really fun. While some of the functions are really helpful, other are there to be used when felt necessary. While using the tablet, we never felt that any major or necessary feature was missing. Let's take a look at some of the key features of the drawing tablet.

Battery Free Pen

The Artist 12 comes with a battery-less pen P06. Since there is no battery, the pen doesn't need recharging or battery replacement. What's really impressing is that the pen works really well and is on the same level as the other high quality battery powered drawing pens. The pen have a plastic body but still provides smooth grip.

Also, the tablet comes with a doughnut shaped pen holder P06 which hold the pen in a vertical position.There are 8 extra nibs in the pen stand along with a nib remover in the middle.

Surprisingly, the rubber which they used for the grip did not become slippery despite me using it after applying hand cream. It also does not collect dust and can easily be cleaned off.

The top of the pen have a digital eraser. you can use this function by rotate the pen . Same applies here its really hard to estimate whether or not somebody preference is actually useful or not. Personally i do not use the eraser much in PS. But I do use it quite much in sketchbook pro.

Highest Product Configuration

8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 266PPS report rate, 5080 LPI handwriting resolution, 72% NTSC color gamut, a brightness of 250cd/m2, 10mm sensor height, 178°full viewing angles, 14ms response time and 14g initial activation force are all the highest configurations in the industry. You can make all your creations come alive on the canvas like drawing on real paper.

Customizable Keys

XP-Pen Artist 12 comes with 6 Keys on the front are reprogrammable. With the desktop app you can configure the particular keys to perform the desired function when pressed

Compatibility

XP-Pen Artist 12 supports almost all the latest and old operating systems. It supports Windows 7 or above and Mac OS 10.12 or above. The connection interface on the Tablet is Type-C.

Tablet drivers

The tablet drivers are extremely easy to install. You don't even need to have your tablet plugged in to install them! Just go download the latest version from XP-Pen.com and remove all other tablet drivers you have on your computer before installing it.

Once you've installed the driver, the icon shows up in your taskbar, and the driver also creates a shortcut on your desktop so you don't have to go searching for it in your apps.

Although the installer doesn't prompt you to restart your computer after it finishes, I wholeheartedly suggesting restarting your computer anyways to allow Windows to properly update the files necessary for the driver to run smoothly.

In the driver, you can configure your tablet expresskeys, pen buttons, pen pressure curve, and work area.

There's also an option to save different profiles manually using the import and export buttons in the “About” section.
Currently, the XP-Pen drivers do not have a feature for automatically switching profiles based on your currently open application, so you can only change your profiles manually when switching between programs.

The Press Keys tab allows you to customize the functions mapped to your expresskeys. As you can see above, the hotkeys menu has keyboard shortcuts, pen clicks, and some “switch” functions available. The drop down menu for the keyboard shortcuts has every keyboard key that I can think of.
The only thing that I notice is missing is the double click function, but I guess it's pretty easy to just double tap your pen instead so that can't even be considered a problem. However, it would be a nice addition either way.

The touch bar is non-customizable, and according to the user manual it has 3 preset functions (brush size +/-, zoom in/out, and scroll up/down) which can be toggled using the bottom shortcut key.
I have suggested making the touch bar customizable to XP-Pen though, so future driver updates may make the touch bar more flexible. However, I believe you should be buying this tablet expecting to use a keyboard for your shortcuts.
I personally need at least 8 shortcut keys to do my full drawing process on the tablet, so the 6 shortcut keys and 1 touch bar on the XP-Pen Artist 12 were not even close to enough for me. With this tablet, I opted to use my keyboard for all my shortcuts instead.

It is important to note that the ‘Enable Touch' option is referring to the touchbar, not finger touch functions. This tablet does not have finger touch capabilities.

The Digital Pen tab allows you to customize the pen buttons and the pen pressure curve. The pen buttons have the same amount of configuration as the expresskeys.

Usually you will need to uncheck the “Enable Windows Ink” option to prevent Windows Ink from messing with your drawing. That said, some programs such as Photoshop usually do not work if it is not turned on, so play with that option as you see fit.

The Work Area tab allows you to customize the monitor your tablet is mapped to, the pen calibration, and the orientation of your pen inputs.

To use this tablet in left-handed mode, right-click on your desktop and select ‘Display settings', then scroll down and change the Orientation to “landscape (flipped)'. Then go into the XP-Pen driver and go to the Work Area tab, and select 180 degrees under the Rotate settings.

As a note for Windows 10 users, the default scaling in the Windows Display Settings is set to 150%, so you should go and change that to 72%. With Windows 8.1, the default was 72%. I'm not sure why Windows 10 defaults to 150%.

Setting up

XP-Pen Artist 12 Pen Tablet Monitor Digital Tablet has a 3-in-1 port to connect with laptop, and power. 2 for laptop, HDMI port and USB port, and the rest one is for power.

The tablet has a single USB type-C connection port on it. This is a great design choice because this means that the L-shaped cable can be flipped for left-handed use. This is because USB type-C ports are symmetrical and can be plugged in either direction.

The included cable is a combined cable which goes from the USB type-C on the tablet to USB type-A and HDMI on the computer, and a longer cable to a power outlet. The cable must be connected to a power outlet or else the tablet will not power on.After that turn on the tablet, then you'll see the desktop of your laptop. The display quality is very good.

Drawing Experience

With all the high value features, the drawing experience on the XP-Pen Artist 12 was really great. The pressure sensitivity of the pen can be felt immediately when the pen touched the surface. This helps on making the desired pressure strokes like on an actual paper.

It is easy to say that the drawing tablet is compatible with almost all the well-known drawing software like Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint etc. Although, if you still have any doubt regarding the software compatibility, you can contact the XP-Pen customer support.

Looking at the slow diagonal line test ( I only truly test my tablets on Clip Studio Paint ) , While drawing straight, no wobble in the lines can be seen that's pretty good. Which ensure the accuracy of each movement you make on the screen.

If you don't like the color calibration on the screen, you can always calibrate the colors by going in the OSD settings. After using the tablet continuously for quite some time, the temperature remains in the normal limit thus making it easy to complete your drawing projects ASAP. It can be easily said that the Artist 12 provides one of the best drawing experience in its segment.

The temperature on the tablet stayed quite consistently cool despite drawing on it for hours on end. The only part that gets warm is the top middle part above the screen where it shouldn't affect anyone, even left-handed people.

I noticed that the pen calibration is pretty good everywhere else even on the edges of the screen.There's really nothing else I can say about the drawing experience aside from, “it felt really good drawing on it!”

Parallax:

As you know, the XP-Pen has some parallax, while the Cintiq Pro is advertised to have basically none. I experienced "no parallax" with a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 in the past, and I honestly disliked not having any parallax because I couldn't see the cursor under the pen when using very small brush sizes. I am someone who wasn't ever much of a traditional artist, so I've become extremely used to watching the cursor instead of the pen while drawing, so not being able to see the cursor is unfortunately a problem for me. I've found that I actually depend on parallax to be able to see the cursor under the pen. 
This obviously may not apply to you, but I figured I would mention it as a personal opinion.

What's Good:

Good color definition on the monitor and good viewing angles, a pleasure to draw on.

Very portable to carry which makes it easy to take from one workplace to another.

One of the few non Wacom pens to offer 8000 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Solid build feels higher quality than mast Cintiq alternatives out there.

What's Not:

Very small drawing area.

Slight wobble to the pen, the pen is little short .

has no tablet stand ( need Extra purchase ) .

No tilt functionality on the pen .

Conclusion

Yeah, XP-Pen Artist 12 Pen Tablet Monitor is one of the finest tablet you can find at under $300 price tag. There are so many great things about this drawing monitor like portable and compact design, anti-glare 11.6 inch display, battery-less pen, 8000+ level of pressure sensitivity, pen tilt functionality, programmable keys, and Type-C interface. Does it a lot of good stuff right? But wait there are more awesome things too like negligible parallax,pen stand with extra tips, and the ability to be used by either left-handed or right-handed function without any issue.

All these features combined makes the Artist 12 one of the most compelling option for those who are looking for a high value for money drawing tablet.

XP-Pen Artist 12HD Official Site ：https://www.xp-pen.com/product/64.html

I‘ve been a Wacom user for many many years and they make some of the best pen tablets/displays on the market today. In my entire design/development career, Wacom is my go to brand when it comes to the “design” part of my job. Started using their bamboo tablets when I was just starting out and immediately upgraded to their Intuos line after a year. After another year of working with their pen tablets, I decided to invest on their Cintiq pen display lineup which is one of the best decisions I've ever made (and also one of the most expensive ) Right now, I currently own their Cintiq 13 HD and their latest Cintiq Pro 16 (which costed me an arm and a leg .

My “always Wacom” mindset towards pen tablets/displays began to change when the amazing people at XP-PEN sent over one of their latest products for me to test out. I've been hearing a lot about these 3rd party pen displays since last year (via ads and youtube videos) and honestly, I'm really skeptical if it'll be on par with the experience I had with Wacom over the years. XP-PEN's pen display took roughly 3 weeks to arrive and used it for roughly a month in my professional and personal projects. Does it stack up with Wacom? Let's find out!

Please note that I will not be showing the unboxing part of this review nor will I showcase what's inside the box. This review will focus on the actual Drawing Tablet itself, how it performs in real world situations, and if it's something that's viable for professional work.

purchase it via Amazon

Get XP-PEN Artist 16 PRO 1080P IPS Graphics Drawing Monitor 15.6 inch 8192 Pressure Sensitivity / 8 Shortcuts,2pcs rechargeable pen,8 nibs / Display Resolution: 1920 * 1080 Pixel / Digital Pen Display / Adjustable Stand for $459.99,flash sale,free shipping, You can also purchase it via Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Artist16-Drawing-Shortcut-Adjustable-pressure/dp/B07B1RPVLY .

Build

The overall build of the device is actually pretty good. It's made out of high quality materials that doesn't feel cheap. The overall dimension is also small for a 16” pen display. They made it possible by reducing the bezel thickness around the display. This is a good design choice as it doesn't eat a lot of space in your desk. Also, upon unboxing it for the very first time, I did notice the screen has some kind of a screen protector installed. Aside from protecting the glass panel, this thin film adds texture to the drawing surface of the pen display which is pretty subjective depending on who's going to use it. Some users want their pen display to have a smooth surface while others (like me) likes it to have some kind of texture for that pen and paper feel. Shortcut buttons installed on the left side of the display are also “clicky” and not squishy (I'm looking at you Wacom Cintiq 13 HD). It would be better though if they included another set of shortcut buttons on the right side for left handed users.

The built in stand is a bit wobbly at times depending on the angle but it's pretty stable when you're actually working on it.
The Artist Display 16 Pro also comes with a stand which is already pre-installed out of the box. The built in stand is flexible enough to support different angles depending on how you intend to work. It has an easy to use lever that you can pull whenever you want to change the angle of the display. The stand also has rubber feet and so far it does its job preventing the device from sliding on your desk when working.

The built in stand is a bit wobbly at times depending on the angle but it's pretty stable when you're actually working on it. Try to experiment with the different angles as I find some angles are much more stable compared to others. Also, it looks like the display supports the VESA mounting standard since you can unscrew the stand at the back. I haven't tested it yet though.

Connections

Powering up this device is pretty straightforward. It comes with 3 cables that you need to “cable manage” to get the cleanest setup possible. There's one cable for power, one HDMI cable for display, and one USB-A for data. I was actually expecting this device to have a single usb-c cable that will handle power, display, and data but maybe in the next version? (right XP-PEN?)

Screen

Let's now talk about the screen which is the main selling point of this particular model. XP-PEN's Artist Display 16 Pro has a full 1080p display with 92% Adobe RGB. Now, I'm not a color guy and the only way for me to check this out is by comparing the screen of the pen displays I currently own. Based on my tests, the screen of the Artist Display 16 Pro is much much better compared to my Wacom's Cintiq 13 HD (which if I'm not mistaken, only has 72% Adobe RGB and is much more expensive to boot). Comparing it to my Wacom Cintiq 16 Pro… well… It's not there yet but I'm not surprised since the Cintiq 16 Pro screen is 4k and costs three times the price of XP-Pen's Artist 16 Pro.

Viewing angles are pretty good too. I tried working with some of my UI design projects using this pen display and didn't notice any major color shifts when looking at different angles. I also love how the textured film that covers the entire display makes the screen “matte”. It does diffuse the colors quite a bit, but I'd rather have a matte screen than a reflective one since I use multiple monitors and glossy screens tend to reflect everything (including my face ).

…the screen of the Artist Display 16 Pro is much much better compared to my Wacom's Cintiq 13 HD.

One thing I noticed when I turned it on for the first time is the screen looks already calibrated. It means you won't have to tinker with the display settings and you can already start using the device for work out of the box. In case you're not happy with the ones you have, the Artist Display 16 Pro has configuration buttons hidden on the right hand side of the display. From there, you can adjust the usual parameters like the brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color temps. My only comment is the configuration UI looks dated and sometimes a bit confusing to to use.
You can also adjust additional display parameters via installing the driver/software that you can download on XP-PEN's official support page. Please don't use the installer included on the package because there's a chance that it's already outdated.

Parallax

Not really good at explaining stuff but a parallax is the distance between the pen tip and your mouse cursor which is basically being separated by a glass panel that covers your pen display. The thicker the glass, the larger the space between your pen tip and cursor. This creates an annoying effect where the strokes you generate are not matching with your pen's position and is somewhat “offset”. Parallax are sometimes a normal thing when it comes to pen displays and it all comes down to how small that spacing is between your pen tip and your mouse cursor. My Wacom Cintiq 13 HD has a mild parallax while my Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 has virtually zero parallax because the glass is as close as possible to the actual drawing surface – but it's also much more expensive.

XP-PEN's Artist Display 16 Pro does have parallax and it's not that bad in my opinion. You will only see it if you try to look for it.
XP-PEN's Artist Display 16 Pro does have parallax and it's not that bad in my opinion. You will only see it if you try to look for it. It's more obvious if you check it at certain angles, but if you're actively working and have consistent strokes, you won't really notice it. I'm used to my Wacom Cintiq 16 Pro which have virtually zero parallax and though I immediately noticed some parallax when I switched to XP-PEN's Artist Display 16 Pro, it didn't really affected my overall drawing experience. For the price your paying for this device, a bit of parallax is something I can live with.

Pen

XP-PEN's Artist Display 16 Pro includes 2 pens which is not very common for pen displays. The second pen is marked as a “gift” so I'm not really sure if it's the same for other people. The pen is also battery powered (yeah you have to charge it). So far, I've been using it for like a month now and I haven't charge the pen yet. The pen is also very comfortable to hold because of the soft rubbery grip. It's very similar to Wacom's pen design in terms of overall looks :P I sometimes get confused when picking up the pen on my desk because they look almost the same. Unfortunately, the pen lacks tilt support and it can be a deal breaker for some.

It has 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity (same with Cintiq 16 Pro). My Wacom Cintiq 13 HD has 2048. Could you tell the difference? In my opinion, yes you can.

 

I've been using the pen for a month now and I haven't charge it yet.

It has 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity (same with Cintiq 16 Pro). My Wacom Cintiq 13 HD has 2048. Could you tell the difference? In my opinion, yes you can. The pressure sensivity is evident specially if you're a light sketcher like me. It's easy to get thin controlled lines and pen activation requires the least amount of force on the display's drawing surface. The increased pen sensitivity allows you to create more controlled strokes without having to mess with the pen pressure settings using the the software.

There's some slight “wobble” in my diagonal lines specially if I draw it slowly. It disappears if you do it quickly though.

I tested the pen further by drawing diagonal lines (using a ruler) and I did notice some slight wobble. The wobble will only appear if you try to draw your diagonal lines slowly and disappears when you try to do it quickly. I think this is one of the drawbacks of battery powered pens compared to the non-powered ones. I draw fast so this isn't really an issue for me.

XP-PEN included a very nice cylindrical carying case for your pen which also contains your extra pen nibs. The left part of the case is where your pen is located. The cap that covers it also functions as a pen stand. On the far right side is where your extra pen nibs are being kept. There are 8 extra pen nibs and the cap that covers it also has a pen nib remover built in. I haven't changed pen nibs even with my old pen displays, but extra pen nibs are always welcome.

Drawing Experience

Using the pen display on actual work is not really that different compared to my Wacom pen displays. It works wonderful on both Windows and macOS. I was able to churn out and finish the same type of work I do with my Wacom. The textured drawing surface also makes sketching much more enjoyable because it feels like real paper. Be careful though as the film gets easily scratched by sharp objects – and nope, it doesn't get scratched when using the pen. For the best possible experience, make sure to to calibrate your pen using the driver/software before using the device. The calibration is straightforward and very similar to Wacom where you need to click (via pen) crosshairs that appears on the screen.

It works wonderful on both Windows and macOS.
There's one minor issue I experienced when I'm using the device. Sometimes the cursor “jumps” if you try to hover/point it to one of the display's four corners. This usually happens when I have to click something that is located on the bottom left or bottom right of the screen or if a window is maximized and i have to close it. Doesn't really happen every time but I just thought I'd mention.

Verdict

XP-PEN's Artist 16 Pro Pen Display is a great alternative if you're looking to improve your current drawing work flow. The build is great and the display's not-so-thick bezels improves the pen display's overall aesthetics. It has a small footprint for a 16” pen display so you won't have any problems making it fit in your work desk. The drawing experience is almost identical to the more expensive Wacom though it has a few shortcomings like the pen's lack of tilt support which might be a deal breaker for some people.

Overall, if you're looking for a great pen display but is on a budget, I highly recommend XP-PEN. I was really skeptical at first with these 3rd party brands since I've been using Wacom for many years. Turns out, they deliver the same experience for like a third of Wacom's price! Yes, it does not have the same premium feel and 4k screen like Wacom's latest offering, but if you're goal is create amazing artworks without breaking the bank, then the Artist 16 pro Drawing Monitor will not disappoint you. Deadpool approves!

For more information about this particular model, you can visit Artist 16 Pro official website - https://www.xp-pen.com/product/61.html

In the retouching world, graphics tablets are pretty much a standard for everyone from students to professional artists. I don't know of many retouchers that only use their mouse to get the job done. Graphics tablets allow for a more precise, and thus refined, work. They also used to cost a fair amount of money, but that was until XP-Pen came along. Here are seven things you didn't know a graphic tablet could do:
Replace your mouse. Combine the flat surface of your tablet with your pen tool to completely take over the job of your mouse.
Reduce your chance of repetitive strain injury. Use the better ergonomics of your tablets stylus (compared to your mouse) to reduce your risk of injury and find wrist pain relief.
Draw with no lag. Todays graphic tablets perfectly simulate the experience of drawing with a pen and paper, with no delay between the movement of your hand and the results on the screen.
Provide incredible artistic versatility. The combination of a tablets digital platform and good pressure sensitivity lets you control enhancements such as brush size, opacity, flow, hue and texture.
Write on documents. You can use your tablet to draw on Word documents and make handwritten edits in different color ink!
Use touch capabilities. With a tablets touch features, you can move your cursor, and use gestures to rotate your canvas or make it bigger or smaller.
Create almost anything. With your tablet, you can make annotations, edit photos, illustrate comic books, draw animations, and render 3D models.

Recently, XP-Pen updated their Deco tablet line with a new version of the Deco 02. With many tweaks, the new version is definitely a step apart from the old. Find out if it's worth the upgrade!

If you're not editing with a tablet, you should really consider it. A mouse is great, but the act of drawing is so natural to photo editing that tablets are the perfect extension - the modern canonical tool, if you will.The XP-Pen Deco 02 Pen Tablet is a flexible graphical tablet that can be used to digitize your work, and by flexible, we don't mean bendable. By itself, the Deco 02 is a standard drawing tablet that connects to your system via USB . It has eight customizable ExpressKeys and a Touch Ring to assist you with your workflow, and comes with the XP-Pen Advanced P06 passive pen, which has 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity.

Specifications

The large versions XP-Pen Deco 02 come with eight customizable ExpressKeys and feature 8,192 levels of pressure, 5,080 lines/in resolution, 266 points/second reporting, USB connectivity, and a multi-function touch ring. What's impressive is that at 1.54 pounds and with an overall footprint of 35,6 x 20,3 x 0,9 cm, it's barely bigger than the older small version, making it highly portable and great for tossing in your laptop bag to edit on the go. Also included are 8 replacement nibs , a texture sheet sample card, color identification rings, a 1.5m USB cable , a Multi-function Pen Holder, a drawing glove,and documents.

Availability

Online shopping for XP-Pen Deco 02 at Amazon United States Of America : https://www.amazon.com/XP-PEN-Graphics-Battery-free-Shortcut-pressure/dp/B07DCS9D9Q .

Build Quality

Tablet

The tablet is really gorgeous to look at. It's sleek and sophisticated and a testament to the fact that black is always in style. It's pleasingly light, enough so that I often grab it off my desk and curl up in my chair with it to edit. The ExpressKeys and touch ring button provide excellent tactile feedback with predictable travel, much like a good mechanical keyboard, which helps to keep you in the flow when working. The touch ring is responsive and smooth and forms a pleasingly deep indent: it guides your thumb through the ring very well, making it easier to keep your eyes on the screen. In addition, the USB connection point is solid and secure.

Most important, however, is the pen-to-surface interaction, which I'm pleased to report is excellent. The surface is a bit coarse, almost like resume paper, and I found in practice that the slight uptick in friction made my strokes more accurate. The best way to describe it would be moving from a gel pen to a good fountain pen. Keep in mind that you can swap out the texture sheet for one with a different feel should you so desire. The drawback to this is that the nibs do tend to wear down a bit more quickly.

The tablet did a perfect job of ignoring my palm, but was impressively responsive and accurate both with pen and multi-finger gestures, of which it can recognize up to 10 fingers (this can be turned off with the side switch), allowing me to also use it like a MacBook trackpad. The rubber feet that run the length of the tablet keep it secure when it's on a desk. I found the active area of the medium to be perfect for editing photos: enough room to travel as needed, but contained enough to minimize unnecessary movement, increasing efficiency and decreasing fatigue. On a side note, you'll be pleased to note that the tablet is vertically symmetrical, so left-handed users are not at any sort of disadvantage.

XP-Pen Deco 02 Graphics Drawing Tablet - P06 Pen Stylus

The battery free pen stylus is another big plus for me. It is not as ‘clunky' as a lot of graphics drawing pens I have reviewed are and has a nice thin profile with ergonomic shaping to the barrel. XP-PEN new advanced P06 passive pen was made for a traditional pencil-like feel! Specially designed for the Deco 02, it delivers a fashionable and technical sense. Comfortable grip and high efficiency! A unique hexagonal design, non-slip & tack-free flexible glue grip, partial transparent pen tip, and an eraser at the end.

The P06 passive pen is stellar. It's ever so slightly less tapered and the center of mass is just below halfway up the pen, allowing it to naturally sit against your knuckle comfortably without feeling top-heavy and while gripping the surface well. Over the course of a long editing session, you'll definitely come to appreciate the improved ergonomics. The buttons on the pen have good tactile feedback without being difficult to press. In particular, the top button sits a bit lower now, making it easier to access. I particularly appreciated that the side buttons are now much more flush with the body of the pen. This means you just have to slide your thumb up to use them as opposed to slightly lifting it. While that may seem minor, you can easily make this motion a couple thousand times in an editing session and keeping your grip consistent as opposed to constantly re-gripping the pen is significant when it comes to fatigue prevention.

I use LAMY Calligraphy pens for pen and ink drawing and they have a very similar design this makes the drawing experience much more comfortable. Round pens tend to make your hands hurt and often cramp up after prolonged use.The pen itself can stand vertically or lay flat on the base.

The pen stylus draws beautifully and is one of the best graphics drawing tablet pens that I have used. Due in part to the ergonomically shaped barrel and also to the excellent responsiveness.

The stylus has 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity which is a big step up from the general standards of 2048 LPS. As technology advances the drawing experience gets much closer to the real thing. On saying that a graphics drawing tablet can in some ways be better than the real thing!

XP-Pen Deco 02 Digital Drawing Tablet – Pen Stand and Spare Nib Store
With the pen is another great feature the pen stand. It has a nice weight so it's not going to be rattling around the table and doesn't take up much room.

XP-Pen.com have got it just about right with awaiting stylish pen on the holder.XP-Pen multi-function pen holder is included to keep your pen and pen nibs safe. You can use it as a pen stand or a pen holder, taking it wherever you go.

The stand is approx.1.5 inch square with a domed top. It has a neat feature as XP-Pen have designed this to store the 8 spare nibs. With a simple twist action the pen stand separated into two pieces with the bottom half securely containing the nibs. The base of the pen holder has a small slot to extract nibs and replace them in the pen stylus.

Interface

The software interface is quite good, offering a great balance of usability and customizability. Pressing the settings key brings up the Express View Display, which offers a quick rundown of all your parameters and the ability to click over to more advanced settings.

In the full interface, you can adjust most any setting globally or in application-specific styles. You can change the feel and sensitivity of the pen and eraser, create one-to-five-finger gestures, create multi-key macros to be assigned to ExpressKeys, and essentially customize the Deco 02 exactly as you please to match your workflow. In practice, I never had problems with it properly switching command sets between applications, and there was never any lag in doing so, allowing me to quickly jump back and forth between Photoshop and Lightroom while working.

Efficiency at your fingertips

The customizable ExpressKeys™ and Touch Ring on Deco 02 give you quick access to your favorite software shortcuts. The pen tablet recognizes application-specific shortcuts that you define. The on-screen Radial menu and Express View heads-up display help you stay focused on your work.

Since it's a mid-range tablet aimed at those who draw digitally, it has a pretty good variety of hotkeys. 8 of them: undo, change brush size, pan, zoom and erase. The middle two that are set in a yin-yang pattern are for zooming. I'm not a fan of buttons for zoom because it makes photoshop either zoom in really fast or out all the way with no control for in between. It does kind of work better when your canvas area is really big though, like in the thousands of pixels. Still not the same feeling of control as a scroll-wheel. I zoom in and out very quickly to check my composition and rough values, so it was a big hassle taking my hands off the tablet to reach for the keyboard hotkeys. This is probably the #1 thing I dislike the most about this tablet. If they had just changed it out for a scroll-wheel or sliding control strip, something with incremental zoom, it would have been perfect.

XP-Pen Deco 02 Digital Drawing Tablet – Installing the Tablet Driver

Things that really bug me about any gadget, that requires some form of installation is the lack of information on how to install / program the device.

Thankfully the instructions for the Deco 02 were easy to follow and worked first time I downloaded the driver from the XP-Pen.com web site. It placed the Pen Tablet Setting application in my applications folder (program files in Windows) and a shortcut on the desktop (optional).

The Pen Tablet Setting App allows you to tailor the shortcut keys to different software that you may use. I find it off putting when any gadgets get so complicated that you end up being overdosed with technical capability. However, xp-pen.com have got it cracked.

As you can see this is pretty straightforward with 5 tab menus:

Pen , Monitor , Table Area,Express Keys,About.

Compatibility
The XP-Pen Deco 02 is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10; Mac OS 10.8 and Mac OS 10.10. or higher.The XP-Pen works with most graphics software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Painter, Autodesk Sketchbook, Manga Studio, Clip Studio, Zbrush.

As with other electronics, forget about the driver CD and get it straight off the website Here, under the download tab.

A versatile size, Large Active Drawing Area ,without compromise

large size surface - This popular-sized pen tablet provides ample workspace, yet it still fits conveniently inside most laptop bags. Perfect for image editing, graphic design, and art interests, the Deco 02 medium is our most popular model.

On the top surface of the tablet are four white right angled markers which light up to indicate the active area thus defining your drawing space. These ‘landing lights' are a nice feature as it allows you to see exactly where the active area is when drawing in lower lighting and even in pitch dark conditions. It also adds to the stylish look of the tablet.

The drawing area on this is 10 in x 5.63 in, which is very, very good at the same price point as a Wacom bamboo, which only has a 5.8 in x 3.6 in drawing area. This size active area is good for monitors around 15″-17″. It has 8192 levels of sensitivity and I have not noticed any difference between the sensitivity of this and my XP-Pen. The tablet is wired and hooked up to your computer by a USB-C connector .The cable is 1.5m in length which is a decent size to work with.

Drawing Performance

The default level of sensitivity works very well. It's no different from any Wacom tablets I've used.

You can get the tapered strokes at the start, thick strokes, and tapered ends easily. The stylus is able to detect the slightest of contact on the surface. It supports 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity but not tilt.These are some hatching lines drawn very quickly with the stylus.A close up on those hatching lines shows that they are smooth. No jitter at all.The strokes also come out without any lag.

Graphics Tablet Anti Fouling Glove Included

One thing I really liked was the inclusion of the tablet glove in this set. For those on the tight budget it is one less item to buy amounts another tick in the box for XP-Pen.com.

For those who have never used a graphics tablet glove they are a fantastic asset to have as they keep your hand gliding smoothly with the pen (particularly when your hands get clammy in hot weather) and also keep the tablet surface dust free.

Price
At almost $100 it is very affordable. More than affordable actually, but I don't want to say that too much, or I am afraid XP-Pen might raise their prices. You may have noticed, I compared the Wacom Intuos Pro Medium to my XP-Pen Deco 02 a fair bit. But the reason behind this comparison is very simple. I wanted to emphasize the fact that this product is available at a price lower than the Wacom Intuos Pro while offering a quality and size close to that of a Wacom Intuos Pro Medium! For some people the XP-Pen might actually be even better, depending on the pen and surfacing you like best.

What I Liked
Extremely low price. It's hard to overpraise the affordability of this tablet. If your budget is extra tight and you're looking for a good entry-level tablet, look no further than XP-Pen Deco 02.
Excellent pen. An advanced number of pressure levels, good performance, and eight extra nibs. so you can create with the accuracy and precision of traditional brushes and pens. Control line width and opacity based on how lightly you touch the pen to the tablet surface.
Great set of shortcut buttons. Modern tablets are all about providing that extra value when you're using a specialized software, and XP-Pen Deco 02 takes things even further. 1 Touch Ring + 6 more function keys = a dream-tier beginner's tablet.
Solid build quality. I wasn't expecting much from such a cheap tablet, but XP-Pen Deco 02 managed to surprise me – in a good way. The tablet looks and feels very solid, and its large active area is a huge advantage over other low-price tablets.

What Could Be Improved

Nibs wear out fairly quickly.
Overall, the new Digital Graphics Drawing Tablet XP-Pen Deco 02 is an absolute joy to use and saves me tremendous time in my work, which is why I highly suggest anyone add a tablet to their workflow, as it'll pay for itself in the time you save. Interested in picking up your own? Grab it here.

Conclusion

The drawing functionality is more than satisfactory, very good.Not a perfect tablet by far, but probably the best you're going to get for this price. Great performance that rivals the Wacom Intuos Pro , In many regards, this tablet is comparable to Wacom Intuos Pro, and I would like to pick the Deco 02, XP-Pen Deco 02 is an excellent pick for everyone. it is a good choice if you're on a budget and looking for a cheap solution.

This pen tablet combines XP-Pen's finest pen capabilities . Gain precision and control, speed your workflow, and take advantage of all the pressure-sensitive capabilities in your favorite creative software, thanks to the innovations built into the XP-Pen.

XP-Pen Deco 02 Official Site : https://www.xp-pen.com/product/88.html

Do you want to improve your artistry as a professional artist? I think the XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro Interactive Pen Display is your perfect tablet.

Manually drawing characters require a lot of time, money and energy. You need an art paper, various pencil sizes, erasers, canvas, and colors. You have to draw the background, the foreground, and every character.

Technology is dynamic. As an artist or designer, you need a device that you can directly work on screen. With a great color resolution, which has comfort as a number one priority and a sensitive pressure control optimization? The XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro Interactive Pen Display Tablet is just the device for you. It has the aforementioned features and even more.

This increases your creativity. It even allows you to make additions you may have in mind about the artwork. An example if you're looking to come up with underwater art. You may need to add mermaids and sea horses. This device allows you to do that.

About XP-Pen

XP-Pen is a company started in Japan in 2005 and was only recently incorporated in USA in 2015. They have been producing the technology for making digital tablets since 2005.XP-Pen is an professional and reliable supplier of graphics tablets,pen display monitors,light pads,stylus pens and more digital graphical products. The release of the Artist 22E Pro represents a significant shift in Artist design, which previously mimicked a sketchpad or canvas. The larger 22E Pro is more like a drawing table or workbench than a sketchpad.

The Artist range from XP-Pen is their highest model type, designed for professional animators and digital artists.You might see someone from Pixar using something like this, or someone who does digital images and artwork for a living. Put simply, the XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro is the best graphics tablet you will ever use – if you can afford it and have a strong enough workstation to support it!

The Artist 22E Pro is composed of a vast display and bezel work area and an immense stand. Functionally, it's a second monitor that acts like a tablet that you can draw on using the P02S Pen2.The display and bezel measure 20.5 inches wide by 12.7 inches high and 1.2 inches deep. Together, they weigh just under 11 pounds,For all practical purposes, the 22E Pro really is a digital workbench.

The benefits of the XP-Pen Artist range of monitor tablets are obvious as soon as you see them. Compared to a normal graphics tablet, which is disconnected from the screen, forcing you to draw with one hand whilst looking up at the monitor (which some people find very odd), the Artist allows you to draw directly onto a screen and see the image appear directly under your pen. This is just like drawing or painting directly onto paper, albeit a piece of digital paper. Drawing in this way allows perfect 1:1 interaction with your chosen software and will produce better quality work overall.

Availability

You can buy it from amazon U.S : https://www.amazon.com/XP-PEN-Artist22E-Drawing-Pressure-Adjustable/dp/B01M9EURM1 .

High Definition Display

The Artist 22E Pro Creative Pen Display from XP-Pen features an AHVA LCD panel, which is XP-Pen's proprietary IPS technology. The panel allows for a 178° wide viewing angle, which allows you and anyone in your vicinity to fully appreciate the beauty of your work without the colors being washed out.

The XP-Pen 22E Pro has a high-definition display . The 21.5 inch display has 1920 x 1080 native pixel resolution and 5080 lpi resolution. the colours were bright and full, It also has an amount of 165 pixels per inch and 75% of Adobe's RGB complete range of color. The panel that comes with it sorts up to 16.7 million of colors and offers 250cd/m2 brightness.the display in the 22E Pro is bright, has better contrast, and covers more of the Adobe RGB color gamut. This means sharper and truer color representations illustrations, photographs, and video.

The semi-gloss surface provides the right amount of radiance without too many reflections for outside lighting. The viewing angles are also spectacular. You don't get to strain as you use them from whatever angle you work from. The sharpness of this display improves detailed design work and exceptional photo editing.

The quality of the IPS-based screen panel—the same technology used on the iPad—is really gorgeous. It gave me consistent color independently of the angle I was looking at it, which is something that is not true in the other XP-Pen graphic tablet displays. XP-Pen says that the Artist 22E Pro can be color-calibrated with any professional color management solution.

The screen is an anti-glare matte surface,the 21.5-inch XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro has a stunning 4K display. Its IPS display is colour accurate, with good contrast levels, and the pixel density is such that you don't ever feel you're working with a screen. This is in part due to the thickness of the screen between surface and pixels, which is minimal on both models.

There's very little parallax – XP-Pen has reduced the depth of the glass on the screen so the parallax effect (when it feels like the pen's not actually touching the ‘paper') has been reduced. and the beautifully glass, makes for a more natural-feeling experience.

Often a hard nib and glass won't have quite the right amount of friction, but the Artist Pros both are a joy to work with, be it for sculpting 3D models in ZBrush or spending time doing concept work in Corel Painter or Adobe Photoshop.

How does it look?

The XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro looks like a 21.5 inch monitor, mounted on a very sturdy frame that allows it to be placed at any angle on a desk. You get a full 21.5 inch screen to draw directly on to and 2 panels either side, filled with an array of “ExpressKeys” and quick selection buttons .

The XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro is comfortable for both left and right-hand users. You can sketch without worrying about smudge your hand may cause especially if you're clumsy. Your hand can easily rest on the device as you work.

Software and Drivers

Installation of the drivers and software from XP-Pen.com were the easiest I have ever encountered. I currently am running Windows 10 with the latest updates. This tablet is also compatible with Windows XP/7/8/8.1/Mac OS x 10.7.0 or later. I also tested this unit using Adobe Photoshop and Manga Studio Pro and had no issues at all. After the restart, I was getting ready to do the 9 point configuration tool, like I have done with other products, but realized that the configuration was already spot on. It was a very nice surprise from having so many issues from other products before. All of the other configurable areas of the software are ready from the start, with only one suggestion to turn the pen sensitivity all the way down. I felt like I had a much more consistent pressure control with the slider at the zero position.

Set Of Express Keys

The XP-Pen make configuring the device nice and simple by having the settings tools accessible from a series of buttons on the front of the Artist.

Features 16 customizable Express keys. Compared with Artist 22E, 16 express keys have 16 different functions for convenience and efficiency. It is designed for both left and right handed users. The driver allows the express keys to be attuned to many different software

I think the key with anything like this is spending the time needed to set it up to suit your own personal needs. This may seem like a pain, but it's worth it, and XP-Pen make configuring the device nice and simple by having the settings tools accessible from a series of buttons on the front of the Artist.

PC Compatible

It comes with a 3-in-1 cable (All the models have the same video ports: HDMI, USB 2.0, DVI-I ) you can use to connect to any PC, either Windows or Mac. The USB port lets you transfer photos and designs or access files. This is important if you need to view them in other computer programs. It's not limiting. You can access programs like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator or any CS6 applications.
This allows you to come up with pieces you require efficiently. Especially if you want to merge some pieces. Or edit some.

XP-Pen P02S Pen Inclusive

This version has the tilt from previous incarnations but the sensitivity has been increased to over 8000 levels. While this may sound overkill, in use it makes a lot of sense, as the more sensitive, the more like traditional media it feels.

The 8192 degrees of pressure mean you can apply both light and hard strokes, which can dictate brush size or opacity depending on the application, plus the Artist detects when the pen is tilted, which is ideal for use with virtual paint brushes or pencils.

The pen is a little larger than we expected, but you get used to it pretty quickly. We found that it was comfortable to hold in the handthat allows you to work for long hours without hurting your fingers., and allowed us to make more precise movements.

It also performs like the traditional brushes, pencils, and markers. This doesn't limit your creativity in any way. You can create something simple or complicated.

You can also easily control the width and opacity of the pen. It will not veer of the screen as the device comes with a pressure sensitive screen. It also responds to the slightest touch especially when you press it to the screen.

The XP-Pen P02S Pen comes with a carrying case that contains space for extra nibs. The pens have color rings at the front which help you distinguish between different color brushes.

The stylus is comfortable to hold, although after a long period of use I do find my thumb starts to ache due to being pressed against it. It has a decent weight, although it could be slightly heavier, and when moved across the screen there is a nice, subtle degree of feedback.

I now use the 22E Pro every day. This is mainly for drawing in Photoshop or Krita, texture painting in 3DCoat and sculpting in ZBrush, but I am also attempting to use it for more 3D work in Maya via the Marking Menus, which helps to streamline this process.

Drawing performance

I used Photoshop CC and Illustrator CC and both look great. The menus and buttons are large enough and easy to click with the stylus. Individual pixels are not discernible and such high resolution (220PPI), graphic files, photos, vector art all look sharp.

Parallax is minimal as the glass screen is quite close to the display. The cursor will always be beneath the pen tip but when you look at it from the side, it may not. So to get the best performance, it's best to calibrate the screen to remove the parallax error totally. Next is to customise your own pressure sensitivity curve — default settings work fine for me.

Drawing on the matte screen with the plastic tip provides a nice tactile feeling. It has just the right amount of friction that's close to that of pen on paper.

The stylus is accurate, responsive and has no glitches.I've tried Photoshop CC and the strokes are smooth, tapers nicely and pressure sensitivity works as expected.Same applies to Medibang Paint Pro and Adobe Illustrator.

Pros:

High Definition – If creating and viewing HD imagery is part of your daily workflow, you will appreciate the 21.5-inch HD (1920×1080) display .

Color Performance – Featuring a 77%-82% Adobe RGB color gamut, the Artist 22E Pro is an ideal display for color-critical workflows, such as animation, photography, and video editing.

Wide-Screen Dynamics – With a generous 21.5-inch display, a 16:9 aspect ratio, and an ultra-wide viewing angle, the Artist 22E Pro is perfect for developing wide-screen content.

Working Under Pressure – With 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity and 40 degrees of tilt recognition, you'll feel just like you're working with a traditional paintbrush, marker, pen, or pencil.

Exceptional Comfort – The ergonomically designed counter-weighted stand lets users quickly adjust the Artist for multiple working postures, allowing the display to extend over the edge of the desk and float just above the user's lap.

Intuitive Controls – 16 programmable ExpressKeys (eight on either side) put convenient keyboard shortcuts and modifiers right at your fingertips, while the Touch Rings provide a natural way to zoom, scroll and change brush size.

Compatibility – XP-PEN Artist22E Pro Supports Windows 7/8/10 and Mac Os x 10.8.x or later. Compatible with popular digital art software such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, Comic Studio, SAI, Zbrush, Medibang Paint, Toonboom Harmony etc

True Value – The Artist 22E Pro combines two powerful tools in one: an extra-large, professional pen tablet and a high definition, color-accurate graphics monitor.

Disadvantages

At $599.99 it's incredibly expensive, probably only justifiable for professional digital illustrators.

It was just too bulky to transport.The display takes up a lot of space, even more with the stand.

There is a slight lag on the pen as you move it, but it's so small that when you are in full working mode you don`t notice it.

Unlike a mouse the pen is transmitting vast amounts of data in real time to the processors. When the data transmitted exceeds the processor's capability, lag occurs. Lag can be reduced or avoided by increasing RAM and working with a good graphics card.

While lag is a processing issue, having to calibrate for viewing angle and parallax are physical issues. Because the display on Artists can be positioned at varying angles, the viewing perspective changes, resulting in the illusion that the pen tip does not match the on-screen cursor. On the other hand, parallax is caused by the physical distance (a few millimeters) between the display and the pen tip that results from the glass screen between them. To correct for viewing angle and parallax, it's essential to calibrate the Artist as needed.

The Artist 22E Pro is cutting edge in almost every way. USB-C, 4K display, a high end pen input. This causes two problems. First, if you're using a computer that's not on USB-C, you'll have quite a few cables to attach. This can get a little cumbersome, and the requirements are pretty specific. If you don't have a display port adapter, you won't be able to use this tablet. Another issue, for some, will be the price. If you want the 4K resolution, you'll have to pay a bit of a premium for it.

Recommended For:

Serious artists/ Professional Artist/ Art Students looking to go pro
realistic painting
people who need HD print ready resolution
people looking for an intuitive experience
people with a lot of money to blow

Conclusion:

Overall, the XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro is pretty much the perfect graphics tablet setup for your computer. Weighing at over 11 pounds, due to the heavy base that allows you to angle and position the display where you want it.

The XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro IPS Drawing Pen Display Graphic Monitor are incredible machines that will aid artists and designers in a way that is effective, comfortable and in some cases inspiring. The experience is fantastic and, while the price is higher than other options, the investment is a one-time cost that's well worth making. the 22E Pro may not be ideal for everyone, but it is certainly well worth the money.

XP-Pen Artist 22E Pro Official Site: https://www.xp-pen.com/product/63.html

The XP-Pen Deco 03 is XP-Pen's latest addition to their Deco series of screen-less tablets. It is made to compete with Wacom's Intuos Pro line while costing only as much as the low-end Intuos tablets.

The main reason why I decided to buy the XP-Pen Deco 03 instead of the previous XP-Pen Deco 01 is because the Deco 03 uses a newer more premium looking pen than the Deco 01 which just uses a simple plastic pen.
How good is this tablet?
Design and build quality: Really solid!
Tablet drivers: Very good!
Drawing experience: Quite superb!

Overall: A very worthwhile buy for 100 USD.

My verdict:

-If you are a beginner, I can wholeheartedly recommend this over the XP-Pen Deco 03 . It has a drawing experience on par tablets, and I would certainly recommend spending your 100 USD on this tablet.
-If you are an experienced tablet user, the choice will depend on what you need for your art. If you know you need pen tilt/rotation, then the Wacom Intuos Pro is really your only option, but if you don't care about those features, this tablet is a completely worthy alternative which feels fantastic to use. I would even go so far as to say this is the closest any company has gotten to Wacom so far.
Important specifications
Price: 99.99 USD (when this review was written) Amazon US : https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Graphics-Battery-free-Shortcut-pressure/dp/B07BF9GNFD .
Active Area: 10 x 5.62 inches
Pen Type: Battery-free
Pen Buttons: 2 side buttons, no eraser
Pen Pressure: 8192
Pen Tilt Sensitivity: None
Expresskeys: 6 buttons, 1 spin wheel
Multi-touch: None
Other features: Wireless

What's in the box?

The things that come in the box:

Deco 03 tablet
Battery-free pen
Pen case
Tablet cable (USB type-A to USB type-C)
Wireless receiver (USB type-A)
Pen nib replacement x8
4GB USB drive (with tablet drivers and other info on it)
Anti-fouling art glove
User manual
“Thank you” card

There is no driver installation CD. Instead, there is a 4GB USB drive with the drivers and manual on it. However, it is always recommended to get the most current drivers directly from XP-Pen's site instead of using the included ones because the included ones may be outdated.

The tablet has a fairly simple design with just a flat surface and nothing special going on around it. The only special flair is the red dial in the corner of the tablet.

The tablet feels quite durable when doing a simple twist test by gripping both ends of the tablet and twisting.The surface of the tablet is fairly rough and gives drawing on the tablet a nice amount of resistance.

Since I mainly use XP-Pen Artist 22E screen-less tablets which are much smoother, the rough texture felt a bit coarse to me at first, but it started feeling nice fairly quickly and I found it quite enjoyable to draw on.

The tablet surface is certainly wearing and I can clearly see the marks where I have been drawing. I am completely certain that it will end up smoothing out really quickly from normal use.

I have to question XP-Pen and why they say the surface is “durable and resistant to scratches” on the XP-Pen Deco 03 product page because the surface shows clear signs of wear from normal use. this is not a cause for concern whatsoever as wearing off the texture does not affect the tablets drawing capabilities whatsoever.

The back of the tablet has the usual information sticker and rubber feet. The rubber feet do a good job of keeping the tablet in place while drawing.

Also on the back of the tablet is the wireless on/off switch. Make sure you read the manual to know exactly how to set up and use the wireless mode if you intend to use that.

The edge of the tablet is not rounded like most other tablets. This means that if your table is higher than your elbow, it is possible that the tablet will feel uncomfortable against your wrist because of the edge.

I would have very much preferred a rounded edge to give artists a more comfortable experience while drawing for long periods of time. This is one of my few nitpicks about this tablet.

The tablet has 6 expresskeys and the rotating red dial in one corner of the tablet.

The 6 expresskeys have fairly good feedback when clicking them, but I would have preferred them to be slightly easier to click. They require a bit more force than I would like to click them, and they're actually pretty loud when you click them. They're certainly use-able, but I believe they could be better.

The main selling point of this tablet is apparently the red dial. It spins really smoothly and clicks nicely every ~15 degrees of rotation. I have no complaints about its quality, but I was never a fan of wheel-type expresskeys so it only acts as an accessory for me.
The other reviews of the Deco 03 I have seen so far praise the red dial for being the main reason they like the tablet, but I really cannot see it as a plus. In my opinion, the quality rubber grip pen is the real advantage here.

Personally, I need at least 12 expresskeys to do all my art on my tablet without touching the keyboard, so the 6 expresskeys plus red dial are not enough for me. Also, to use multiple functions on the dial, you need to assign a KL/KR Switch function to one of the 6 expresskeys, reducing the number of expresskeys you can actually use to 5.
One other thing about the red dial is that the middle of the dial is a button, but pressing it does nothing and there's no way to program it in the drivers. I wish they had made the button on the dial programmable, or at least made it the KL/KR Switch function so that I can make use of multiple functions on the dial without committing 1 of the 6 expresskeys to the KL/KR Switch function.

Although I tested the expresskeys for a bit, I decided to mainly use my keyboard for my shortcuts.

The cable port is on the expresskeys side of the tablet. This tablet has a USB type-C port so it is capable of using the L-shaped cable in the opposite direction which makes the tablet completely use-able in left-handed mode.

Many people seem to have a misconception that the buttons are right-hand oriented, but in left-handed mode, you can use your thumb for the red dial and other fingers for the buttons. It is certainly use-able, but it's a slightly different experience than what right-handed people would deal with.
Of course, this is under the assumption that you're going to use the expresskeys in the first place.

This pen is XP-Pen's newest P05 battery-free pen. It mimics the ergonomic design of the Wacom Pro Pen and has a fairly large rubber grip with a bulge near the end to catch your fingers.

Holding the pen is very comfortable and it feels like I am using my old comfortable Wacom Intuos Pro pen again. It has a decent weight to it and is quite pleasing to hold. I'm glad XP-Pen finally decided to create this type of premium pen instead of continuing to use their thinner plastic pens.

The top of the pen has nothing. No eraser or charging port.
For the people who do not know if a pen eraser is useful or not, here is a fun fact. I did a little poll on the DeviantArt forums regarding the Wacom pen eraser. Only 3 out of 24 people who own a Wacom with a pen eraser said that they actually use it. The most common reason was that using shortcut buttons to switch to eraser is much faster than physically flipping the pen.

The pen nib does wear down on the XP-Pen Deco 03. However, the difference between the Intuos and the Deco 03 is that having a flat nib does not change the drawing experience at all on the Deco 03, so you don't even need to change the flat nib in the first place.
On the Wacom Intuos 2018, it feels worse drawing with a flat nib than with a new nib because of the rubbery new texture they use, but with the XP-Pen Deco 03 having a flat nib does not change how much the pen grips the tablet at all because the surface is purely plastic.
The only thing you may notice is that the pen nib rolls over the flat side sometimes, but the same thing happens with Wacom's tablets so it's not really something you can complain about.

Also, the XP-Pen Deco 03 comes with 8 replacement nibs, and the Wacom Intuos only comes with 3 replacement nibs. That means you don't have to worry about the nib wear as much on the XP-Pen Deco 03.

Now let's talk about the pen case. It's a pleasant surprise that this tablet comes with a pen case since it holds all your essentials when taking your tablet out with you.

One side of the pen case holds the pen. The lid is also quite heavy and is designed to become the pen stand which is a really useful design.

The other side of the pen case holds the pen nibs and wireless USB dongle. The pen nib remover hole is also built into the middle of the circle of nibs. It's nice that you have everything you need for your pen in the case itself, and you're way less likely to lose the small wireless USB receiver because there's a spot for it in your pen case.

The one small problem I have with this design is that it is actually quite hard to pull out the pen nibs with your fingers. The best way to do it is by wedging your nail between the rubber and the pen nib, but I think they could have thought of a slightly better design to make it easier.

Overall, the pen case is a really nice bonus to go alongside an already really satisfactory Computer Drawing Pad for just 100 USD.

Tablet drivers

The XP-Pen Deco 03 uses the newest XP-Pen tablet drivers and they are extremely easy to install. You don't even need to have your tablet plugged in to install them! Just go download the latest version directly from XP-Pen's site and remove all other tablet drivers you have on your computer before installing it.

Once you've installed the driver, it should create a desktop shortcut for you to easily access the tablet settings. When your tablet is plugged in, the XP-Pen driver icon should appear in the system tray in the bottom right. You can also access the tablet settings by clicking on that.
Correction: The desktop icon only starts the XP-Pen driver software (if it doesn't run automatically on startup) and clicking it doesn't actually open the settings screen. To open the settings screen, you will need to click the XP-Pen icon in the system tray (the bottom right portion of your screen). 
If you don't see the XP-Pen icon in the system tray, it could be automatically hidden by Windows. If so, click on the small white arrow to show all the system tray icons.

If the installer doesn't prompt you to restart your computer after it finishes, I wholeheartedly suggesting restarting your computer anyways to allow Windows to properly update the files necessary for the driver to run smoothly.

The new XP-Pen driver is a simple one page driver with all the important settings in just one window. Here you can set the pen buttons and pen pressure, and choose which monitor the tablet maps to.

For the monitor mapping, you will want to choose your main display and select the Display Ratio button to make the mapping 1:1 with both horizontal and vertical motions.

You may need to check the Windows Ink checkbox at the bottom left for certain programs such as Photoshop which make use of it, but most programs will work better with Windows Ink turned off. If you are having problems with a program, try toggling the Windows Ink option.

One thing to note is that you can connect multiple XP-Pen tablets to the same computer and they will work! You will notice that at the top of the drivers, it has a drop-down menu that says “Deco 03”. If you connect other XP-Pen tablets that use the same drivers, they will all be modifiable and useable through that drop-down menu. I can connect my XP-Pen G640, XP-Pen Star 05, and XP-Pen AC19 Shortcut Remote at the same time as the XP-Pen Deco 03 and they all work and are completely programmable.
Of course, the only catch here is that only the XP-Pen devices which use the new drivers can do this. I believe the current compatible products are the Star 05, Star 06, Star G430, Star G430S, Star G540, Star G640, Deco 01, Deco 03, Artist13.3, Artist15.6, Artist16 Pro, and AC 19 Shortcut Remote.

In the Barrel Button Settings section, you can change the functions assigned to the pen buttons.

You can set basically all keyboard or mouse shortcuts that you can think of using the function key option, but you cannot combine mouse clicks with keyboard keys in the same function.

The Click Sensitivity section controls the pen pressure curve of the pen directly. This is the most important section in the tablet settings as you will need to adjust this to reduce how hard you have to press for higher pen pressures to reduce pen nib wear.

The default setting of the graph is a straight diagonal line, but to get a lighter pen pressure setting which is more common, you should move the top dot to around the middle, and move the middle dot somewhere near the top middle as I show in the above pictures. This will give you the feel closest to what you get from most other tablets, and it will also help to drastically reduce pen nib wear, but you should play around with it yourself to find out what suits you best.

One concern I have regarding the default pen pressure is the fact that beginners will not know to adjust the graph if they haven't seen or read a review like mine which talks about it. If they could implement the more common “Light to Heavy” control bar alongside the graph, it could be easier on new users who may not understand how to make use of a pen pressure graph.

One cool thing to note is that the only other tablet drivers with this custom pen pressure graph is Wacom's Intuos Pro and Cintiq drivers. Wacom's low-end Intuos tablets do not offer you the pen pressure graph, and none of the other Wacom alternatives offer it either!

The Current Screen section controls which monitor your tablet is mapped to, and what area of your tablet is used. For the best results, pick the monitor you are going to draw on using the drop-down menu at the top, then click the Display Ratio button to match the drawing area of your tablet with the aspect ratio of your monitor.

Left-handed people will want to click the Left Hand Mode option and physically turn the tablet 180 degrees. As I mentioned before, the port is a USB type-C port so you will be able to reverse the cable direction 180 degrees as well to work in left-handed mode.

If you noticed earlier, there was a function called Switch Monitor among the functions you could assign to your pen buttons. That function cycles through all the available monitors in the drop-down list at the top of the Current Screen section when used.
If you click the Express Keys button in the bottom right, a new window will open up with the options for changing the functions assigned to the shortcut keys.
You can click the Dial tab to change the functions assigned to the red dial as well.

All the buttons can be assigned mouse clicks, keyboard functions, or the extra functions, just like the pen buttons.

The bar along the top of this window allows you to make program specific profiles which will only be active when the program you assigned is your current active window. It is a useful feature for people who want different functions for different programs.

One unfortunate thing about this driver is that you cannot export your settings. This means that if you ever need to uninstall and reinstall the drivers, all your settings will be reset to default and you will have to reconfigure all of them. I personally recommend copying down your shortcuts and settings onto a separate notepad file so that you can always reconfigure everything properly.

The drawing experience!

This tablet gave me a fantastic drawing experience that I really haven't felt in quite a while. If we are just talking about the drawing experience itself, then I honestly think this tablet felt the best out of every screen-less tablet I have tested so far.

I only truly test my tablets on Clip Studio Paint because that's all I use. You should contact XP-Pen support directly if you want to know if the tablet is compatible with the drawing program you use, but most major drawing programs should be compatible. Their customer support is also very kind so there's no need to be afraid of contacting them directly.

Just like with the XP-Pen G640 which I reviewed previously, I was a bit taken aback by how hard I had to press the pen to get darker lines at first, but I simply adjusted the pen pressure curve and the stroke control felt extremely good after that. When doing gradual increases and decreases in pressure, the lines come out perfectly as expected and there are no skips or jumps in the pressure at all.

I really like these new XP-Pen drivers because the pen pressure behaves exactly as you would expect it to. The XP-Pen pen pressure is more linear than the Wacom and Huion tablets I have reviewed, and the fact that you can adjust the pen pressure curve directly is a massive plus.

If you look at the slow diagonal lines I did with a ruler on my testing page, you can certainly see some wobble, but it is small enough that you will not notice it, especially if you use the line stabilizers which are built into most art programs.

The roughness of the tablet may be slightly worrying, but it is nothing to worry about. It's not as rough as Wacom, and since you have 8 replacement nibs it's not a big problem. It feels no different drawing with a new nib and a flat nib, so you can just keep using the nib until it's worn out so much that you can barely pull it out (but I recommend changing the nib before it gets so worn out that you can't pull it out anymore).
You will eventually rub the texture of the tablet smooth like with Wacom's tablets, but just like with Wacom, it's nothing to worry about as you will still be able to draw on it.

Personally, I had a bit of discomfort with the non-rounded edge of the tablet because my table and tablet are higher than my elbow, but if I sit with my back straight, my elbow is high enough that the edge doesn't really dig into my wrist. Of course, I wish XP-Pen had made the edge rounded instead but it shouldn't particularly be a problem for most people.

One more thing to note is that, although the reading height is written as 10mm in the product specifications, the actual reading height is only ~5mm. However, it's not a problem at all and doesn't affect your drawing at all, but if you have previous tablet experience, you may notice that you can't hover as high before the pen stops being sensed by the tablet.

Regarding the wireless mode of the tablet, it works, but it's not perfect. If you look at the photo above, you can see that there are times when the cursor does not keep up with my motion and causes abrupt corners in what should be a smooth curve. As you can see, the jagged lines do not happen at all when using the cable connection. This is the same on both my Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 computers.

It is important to note that the above test is done with really fast motions. The jagged curves happen less frequently at my normal drawing speed, but it does happen nonetheless. Be warned that the wireless may not be “perfect” on this tablet, but it is certainly tolerable.

Another important thing to note is that I have the exact same problems with wireless on my XP-Pen Star 05. This most likely means that the quality of XP-Pen's wireless technology is not ideal and you should look to Wacom and Huion instead if “perfect” wireless is an important feature for you.
Correction: The wireless started cutting out completely when I moved my tablet to around 60-70cm away from the receiver and plugged in a USB drive in the USB port beside the receiver. My only conclusion from this is that the XP-Pen receiver is extremely susceptible to interference and is not capable of more than 50cm wireless before becoming extremely unstable. I recommend that you pretend that this tablet does not come with wireless.

Conclusion

I really recommend this Digital Drawing Tablet to any beginner who is considering a 100 USD XP-Pen Star 06 . I think your 100 USD are better spent on the XP-Pen Deco 03 instead. If you're wondering about drawing software, give the free programs FireAlpaca, Medibang Paint, and Krita a go. They are fantastic free programs which are more than enough for beginners. There is no need to get paid programs until you get the hang of digital art and know you need the special niche features they offer.

Even for an experienced user, I can recommend this wholeheartedly if you want an experience similar to that of the Wacom Intuos Pro. However, if you know that you need pen tilt/rotation for your art, then the Wacom Intuos Pro is your only option even if it's more costly. With your experience, you should know whether pen tilt/rotation is worth the extra money for you or not and you should make your decision based on that, but this is certainly a tablet worth your consideration.

About XP-Pen pen compatibility

There is something that I have noticed since I have all the XP-Pen battery-free pens (P01, P03S, P05), and that is the fact that all of XP-Pen's battery-free pens seem to use the same frequencies! This means that you can use any of XP-Pen's P01, P03S, or P05 battery-free pens on any XP-Pen tablet which uses one of those three pens.

This conclusion comes from testing all the pens on my XP-Pen G640 (uses P01 pen), XP-Pen Star05 (uses P03S pen), and XP-Pen Deco 03 (uses P05 pen). They're all able to sense and draw with any of those three pens!

This is quite exciting because it means that you should theoretically be able to buy the most comfortable P05 pen for any other XP-Pen screen-less tablet (I cannot confirm that this same cross compatibility applies for the Artist13.3 and Artist15.6 drawing monitors). For instance, you could upgrade your Deco 01 (60 USD) with a P05 pen (30 USD), and the total cost will be 90 USD which is actually less than buying the Deco 03 for 100 USD!

Of course, you should not just take my word for it. Make sure you ask XP-Pen directly about the compatibility of the pen with the tablet you're interested in matching it with.

XP-Pen Deco 03 Official Site: https://www.xp-pen.com/product/89.html

Whether you are an artist, graphic designer, or architect, a drawing tablet is an essential tool in this digital age. Allowing you to quickly transfer digital drawings into articulated masterpieces, they are a must for any creative professional and can allow hobbyists to take their digital art to the next level.

Figuring out the best tablets for drawing isn't always easy, so we've taken some of the guesswork out of the equation. What you'll end up with depends both on your needs, and your budget, but the good news is that with such a wide variety of graphics tablets on the market, there's something for everyone.

Before moving on to our list, it's important to understand types of tablets available. A graphics tablet hooks into your computer, allowing you to draw on it with a stylus and see the results on your monitor. If you prefer the look and feel of drawing directly on the screen, then you'll want to consider a tablet monitor. There's an added expense, but some people find drawing on the screen more intuitive. Here, you'll want to pay close attention to screen quality in order to get accurate color results.

If you are looking for something that can double as a personal entertainment device (letting you read emails or watch movies when you aren't getting creative), a tablet computer is your best bet. From Apple to Microsoft and beyond, more and more companies are balancing the perks of a regular tablet with the high-quality screen resolution and drawing applications of a graphic tablet. Scroll down to explore the options!

Best Graphic Monitor for Professionals Beginners Artists Animation

This Artist 22E tablet comes with a stand built into the back that you can unfold to varying degrees. It uses strong rubber legs spread horizontally so it covers a wider base. This limits shaking or any mobility while in use.

The screen itself is brilliant with LED lights and a strong 1920×1080 resolution. This can both mirror your PC or it can work as a secondary monitor.

When you make a mark on the screen it loads fast. The response time is incredible for this model and it's much better than other XP-Pen devices.

You can draw from any angle and still keep a strong view of the screen. There's no major glare but there is a thin coating that makes the surface super smooth. Opinions vary on screen textures but I think this smooth screen works great.

XP-Pen ships this unit with an optional screen protector which can add some texture if you need it. You'll also get a free artist glove along with two stylus pens that both include a toggle button to switch between pen & eraser mode.

Both pens do use batteries and they'll need to be charged every so often. But XP-Pen is nice enough to include 2 so if a pen dies you can always swap to the other while charging the first.

This tablet does not have any hotkeys or express keys on the display. You do have a button on the stylus but it's not for running actions in your painting software. The only buttons on the display are towards the bottom for adjusting brightness, resolution, and other display settings.

But for the price and for all the extras this is a sweet deal. It's plenty large enough for concept art and it'll last a long time even with daily use.

Bottom Line: Grab the Artist 22E if you like the design and can live without any express keys. This tablet is huge and it's a little smaller/lighter than the UG-2150. They're both very comparable models so if you have a brand preference then go with this one.

My Review experience about the Display Graphics Drawing Tablet XP-Pen Artist 22E

I waited a long time after receiving my Artist 22E before writing this review, because after using, and loving, my Artist 10S, I wanted to really put the 22E through its paces.

I knew that it was going to be useful, if only for the workflow of sitting at a desk, retouching and drawing with a pen directly on a screen at a high resolution and large size.

 

Although the screen is only 1920 x 1080, which is beginning to be on the low end of monitor resolution for editing, I can't imagine needing any more when working in a tactile way. Potentially, a professional photographer might want to use a 4K monitor in addition, to check and view photos, but the actual process of working on images is well suited to the HD resolution and doesn't leave me wanting any more.

I will go into it further, but I will say one thing: the Artist 22E has revolutionalised my workflow. I have ceased to use my laptop for anything but a keyboard when working on photo or video editing, and I regularly use it for regular tasks as well. When I don't want to use the pen, I use it as my main monitor and my previous 22" monitor has been sitting on the floor since the 22E arrived.

I don't want to repeat myself too much, so if you want to see a little more of the workflow with both the Artist 10S and the Artist 22E , go check out my review of the Artist 10S.

Now, the reasons for wanting a graphics pen are very obvious, but a pen display is another beast. A pen display is amazing for retouching photos, because you see the changes you are making, underneath the pen you are using. It makes retouching so much more intuitive. Things that I would ordinarily be changing and altering and erasing can be done in a few quick strokes because I get it right the first time.

The same can be said for drawing. Seeing the image appear underneath the pen, as it would on paper, speeds up your workflow and gives a natural feel to the work.

Getting away from pressure sensitivity, one of the main sales points of any graphics tablet, using a pen to do simple mouse work is also much quicker. Working in Adobe Lightroom, which is full of sliders and toggles, is much faster because I don't have to drag the cursor across the screen. The buttons on the side of the Artist 22E (being right handed, I only use the ones of the left side, but it's a nice addition that they are repeated on both sides for those who are left handed or ambidextrous) helps with the process too.

Mostly, my button configuration is as follows - Increase Brush Size, Decrease Brush Size, Zoom in, Zoom out. Those four buttons save so much time when airbrushing.

Oh, and speaking of VESA mounts, the XP-Pen Artist 22E comes with a stand but there was just no way I could have used it. I don't want to constantly have to put something this large away. And I have no desk space to leave it permanently on the desk. More room would be great but I'm having to work with the space I have right now. So, I have nothing to say about the stand that comes with it. It seemed well built and sturdy enough, but the first thing I did was remove it! I'm using an AmazonBasics ergonomic arm mount that has two benefits for me. One I can swing the whole thing away from my desk when I'm not using it. Otherwise, it would block my keyboard. And when I am using it, I can basically have the display closer to me and move it around as I work. This keeps me from getting a stiff neck or from having to squint at the monitor. Remember those aging eyes that set me down this path in the first place!

By the way, I have two other arm mounts at my desk – one for my main screen and one for a laptop stand. After using this AmazonBasics one, I'd love to have the spare change to replace the rest. It just moves around and adjusts so much easier! I don't move the others as much but maybe I would if they moved this easy!

What's Good:

Good color definition on the monitor and good viewing angles
Very large drawing area, a pleasure to draw on
Pen works really well, good range of pressure though it does blow out a little on the medium to high end a little bit

A nice alternative for those not ready to invest in a Wacom Cintiq, as they have a lot of similar features. Includes a rechargeable pen with 2,048 levels of pressure and 8 express buttons, but is not capable of multitouch (meaning you can't draw with your fingers).

XP-Pen is also the safest brand for non-techies who don't want to risk dealing with a messy setup process. Most other tablets work fine as long as you have the newest version of Windows or OS X. But there have even been tablets that had issues with Windows 10 in the past.When you go with XP-Pen you know your money is going to a trustworthy brand.

Recommendation

Software and Driver installation was really smooth ,All of the outputs you could want. And all cables included ,Screen size, Resolution, and Color reproduction quality ,Priced at $550 USD currently on Amazon US : https://www.amazon.com/Artist22E-22-Inch-Display-Graphic-Monitor/dp/B01M9EURM1 .With the pros definitely outweighing the minor cons of this product, I can't help but have to recommend this to anyone considering this unit. well exactly like it, this product has an outstanding value that can't be beat. Stop thinking about, just buy this now.

XP-Pen Artist 22E Official Site : https://www.xp-pen.com/product/57.html

The Deco 01 has a classy matt black finish. The downside is you can have any color as long as it’s black! On saying that I don’t think this tablet would look as good in any other color as the matt black really does look cool!

Retro Backplate and Secure Tablet Feet
The back of the tablet is described as ‘Retro’ on the XP-Pen.com web page for the Deco 01. To be honest the back of a tablet really doesn’t really interest me much – however that’s just my opinion. What I am interested in on the reverse side of any tablet is how it sits on a worksurface. It needs to be secure on whatever surface it is placed on. In my case I usually work at a desk or inclined flat easel stand.

I was pleased to find that the reverse of the Deco 01 has rubber padded feet in each corner with a neoprene feel to them – slightly tactile for grip. They are not just stuck onto the back of the tablet and liable to peel off.

They are secured in small depressions in the back plastic casing. This is thoughtful design as it adds a lot of strength and durability to the pads. As a result the tablet sits rock solid on any surface letting me draw without a hint of tablet movement.
Express Key Positioning
There are 8 customizable express keys which are right at your fingertips without being obtrusive. Some tablets are rammed with ‘on surface features’ that just get in the way.

The express keys are lined up in two groups of four on one side (reversible depending on left or right hand use of the tablet).

This is far enough from the active area but near enough for instant use. The keys are also large enough and separated from each other to make them easy to use.

Again this has been well thought out at design stage to make optimum use of the express keys.

I have tried other tablet brands where the express keys are in such an awkward place that it is often quicker to switch tools on screen – taking the ‘express’ out of the express keys!

XP-Pen Deco 01 Digital Drawing Tablet – Installing the Tablet Driver
Things that really bug me about any gadget, that requires some form of installation is the lack of information on how to install / program the device. I was recently asked to review another digital drawing tablet but due to a total lack of logical information I could not get it to work. I contacted the supplier who wanted the review but they failed to respond – the result as you can imagine was no review!

Thankfully the instructions for the Deco 01 were easy to follow and worked first time I downloaded the driver from the XP-Pen.com web site. It placed the Pen Tablet Setting application in my applications folder (program files in Windows) and a shortcut on the desktop (optional).

The Pen Tablet Setting App allows you to tailor the shortcut keys to different software that you may use. I find it off putting when any gadgets get so complicated that you end up being overdosed with technical capability. However, XP-Pen.com have got it cracked.
That’s a huge tick in the box for me! I hate it when tyou have to borrow Einstein’s brain to be able to understand, program and use the features!!!

It is simple to recallibrate the tablet from right to left hand use (or vice versa). This is easy in the Pen Tablet Settings.

To reprogram the customizable express keys was also very straightforward. The whole setting up process was smooth as silk and I believe that most people would be able to navigate the Pen tablet Setting control interface easily.

There is also have the newest XP-Pen Deco 03 Wireless Graphics Drawing Tablet !

Like most of the latest tablets coming out it has a C-USB connection. The power lead supply has a male C-USB connector which attaches to the tablet and a standard USB connected to the computer. The cable is 1.5m in length which is a decent size to work with.
XP-Pen Deco 01 Graphics Drawing Tablet – Active Drawing Area
On the top surface of the tablet are four white right angled markers which light up to indicate the active area thus defining your drawing space. These ‘landing lights’ are a nice feature as it allows you to see exactly where the active area is when drawing in lower lighting and even in pitch dark conditions. It also adds to the stylish look of the tablet.
XP-Pen Deco 01 Graphics Drawing Tablet – Pen Stylus
The battery free pen stylus is another big plus for me. It is not as ‘clunky’ as a lot of graphics drawing pens I have reviewed are and has a nice thin profile with ergonomic shaping to the barrel. The profile of the pen is triangular with rounded corners – far easier to grip and doesn’t kill your fingers after you have been drawing for a long time without a break.

I use LAMY Calligraphy pens for pen and ink drawing and they have a very similar design this makes the drawing experience much more comfortable. Round pens tend to make your hands hurt and often cramp up after prolonged use.

The pen stylus draws beautifully and is one of the best graphics drawing tablet pens that I have used. Due in part to the ergonomically shaped barrel and also to the excellent responsiveness.

The stylus has 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity which is a big step up from the general standards of 2048 LPS. As technology advances the drawing experience gets much closer to the real thing. On saying that a graphics drawing tablet can in some ways be better than the real thing!
XP-Pen Deco 01 Digital Drawing Tablet – Pen Stand and Spare Nib Store
With the pen is another great feature the pen stand. It has a nice weight so it’s not going to be rattling around the table and doesn’t take up much room.

On the downside (and this is a very minor blip) the pen is stored horizontally on the top of the pen stand – but this is just my personal preference. I would love it to stand upright in a secure slot as would a quill pen in an ink pen stand.

The stand is approx.1.5 inch square with a domed top. It has a neat feature as XP-Pen have designed this to store the 8 spare nibs. With a simple twist action the pen stand separated into two pieces with the bottom half securely containing the nibs. The base of the pen holder has a small slot to extract nibs and replace them in the pen stylus.

XP-Pen.com have got it just about right with awaiting stylish pen on the holder. Just a pity about resting the pen horizontally.

XP-Pen Deco 01 Digital Drawing Tablet – Other Features and Freebies
Graphics Tablet Anti Fouling Glove Included
One thing I really liked was the inclusion of the tablet glove in this set. For those on the tight budget it is one less item to buy amounts another tick in the box for XP-Pen.com.

For those who have never used a graphics tablet glove they are a fantastic asset to have as they keep your hand gliding smoothly with the pen (particularly when your hands get clammy in hot weather) and also keep the tablet surface dust free.

Compatability with Operating Systems and Graphics Software
The deco 01 tablet is compatible with Windows 10/ 8/ 7 Mac OS version 10.8 and higher. It is stated as running with Photoshop, SA 1, painter, illustrator, trip station plus more in other words it works with all the major graphics software that you are likely to use.

I sent the Deco 01 up on my Mac book Pro. After removing an existing tablet driver (as you need to remove previous drivers for this to work) the installation of the driver from the XP pen.com website was easy to follow and use.

There is a hardcopy manual that comes with the set or you can download a Pdf from the XP-pen.com website. I found it easier to read a Pdf – being of an age when the eyes don’t like small print!.

The beauty of the downloadable Pdf is that it is always to hand on my Mac and I don’t have to go rummaging around to find it (and I can see it to read it!).

Another enhanced feature that XP-Pen.com have put into the Deco 01 is the report rate. In other words the speed at which the interaction between the stylus nib on tablet surface is reported to the software to appear on the screen.

The report rates of the deco 01 is now 266 PS which is very fast and in conjunction with with the 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity gives a great performance and one experience. 
Another enhanced feature that XP-Pen.com have put into the Deco 01 is the report rate. In other words the speed at which the interaction between the stylus nib on tablet surface is reported to the software to appear on the screen.

The report rates of the deco 01 is now 266 PS which is very fast and in conjunction with with the 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity gives a great performance and one experience. 
Conclusion – How did I rate the XP-Pen Deco 01 Digital Drawing Tablet?

Only one very minor nit picky things for me and it’s just my personal preference. That was the pen holder i.e pen placement, which I mentioned earlier (pen lies flat on the pen holder and I would have liked to see it more secure in a slot in the upright position).

In the big scheme of things does not detract from the overall standard. As you can see from my verdict this is a great all round tablet.

It has actually made me rethink which is the best tablet in this class and I have to say this is as good or maybe even better than other similar tablets. My previous front runner was the Wacom Intuos Range (Art, Comic, Photo and Draw) but the XP-Pen Deco 01 has really given that particular range of Wacom Intuos tablets a really good run for its money.

The differences between the two brands are cost and software (included graphics software as a package). Wacom do offer included software. However, there is such a price difference between the Deco 01 and the equivalent Wacom Tablet that the XP-Pen Deco 01 gets the edge.

I always tell anyone that wants Procartoon to review a product that I will always give an honest review. in this case it was a pleasure to put the Deco 01 through it’s paces and discover that it passed with flying colors in every aspect.

Who is the XP-Pen Deco 01 Digital Drawing Tablet for?

This will suit any level of drawing skill from absolute beginners to professional artists.

If you’re on a tight budget but want quality a lot of great features this fits the bill.

If you are looking for second more mobile tablet, this is just the right size with lots of valuable features. Plus it is very strong and durable to be carried around.

This could also be perfect for getting kids into digital drawing. The Deco 01 is very reasonable in cost and not too overcomplicated for young artists. Possibly a good bulk buy for schools and colleges.

If you would like more information on the XP-Pen Deco 01 Digital Drawing Tablet visit the amazon US : https://www.amazon.com/10x6-25-Graphics-Battery-free-shortcut-pressure/dp/B077P6BQP7

XP-Pen Deco 01 official site : https://www.xp-pen.com/product/84.html

When it comes to buying a tablet for artists, there are lot of things to check like pressure sensitivity, size and accuracy and we don't want you to get puzzled in this. Since, some of you may want a drawing tablet for basic artworks just to satisfy your hobby or maybe for professional works. Getting a tablet with right specifications can really change the game.

If you're looking for a drawing tablet without screen, then we recommend you to refer our guide to buy the best graphics tablets without screen, because this buying guide refers to pen display tablets for artists.
Moreover, readers should note that these pen-display tablets also need to get hooked up with a laptop or desktop. So, if you're on a hunt of a capable laptop alongside which can handle programs like Photoshop and Illustrator with ease, then you can check out our buying guide for laptops for Photoshop at this article.

Now the question here is that which tablet would be the best preferred and most recommended to all those artistic hands which would love to show off their art on-the-go, on a digital sketchbook with the help of a stylus pen which is as good as to maintaining their love for traditional brushes intact.

Then, here are our top picks of best tablets for artists which includes some of the best pen-display tablets for artists as well as portable and would interest all the minds of an artist for their drawing needs.

+ PRICE
At the time of writing this review, the price is $359.98 USD- this is definitely a great price for a tablet. I can honestly say I was a little bit skeptical of this device, as the XP-Pen Artist16 15.6" IPS Drawing Monitor is $489.89 USD, but does not have as many features as the Artist 15.6 ( Amazon US : https://www.amazon.com/Artist15-6-Drawing-Graphics-Battery-free-pressure/dp/B077PCCC7R )- while it does have more Express Keys, it is lacking the 8,192 levels of pen pressure, the battery-free pen, and the 4K display (just to name a few). So, I'm still not sure on that one- but, I can say, it is a wonderful deal for a Graphics monitor- one that I wish I would have discovered sooner!

+ IMAGE QUALITY
The XP PEN 15.6HD is my go-to graphics monitor prior to this review- I thought that the screen resolution was amazing and was not quite sure how it could be improved upon- well, enter 4K. Sharp, crisp, clean, and vivid are words that now enter my mind.

+ PEN
Battery free and with an eraser!!! Definitely an upgrade from some of XP PEN's earlier models (which needed to be charged and lacked the eraser!)! The eraser (plus the two express buttons) makes the workflow process so much easier! It fits well in your hand and does not feel cheap!

+ SIZE
Honestly, this is one of my favorite parts! It's big enough to be able to get work done and view your entire screen without any problems, but it is incredibly portable and sits comfortably on my lap while either in bed or on the couch (rather than being confined to a desk). It is super light-weight (only 11mm thick) and very portable- something I can actually take with me when I go on trips.It's as comfortable as a large sketchbook!

+ ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS
But like?!?! This is awesome?! I wouldn't have thought that this addition could make so much of a difference. This is just so much of an improvement- I love how you can adjust the brightness to an ideal level to fit the situation and light you are working in.

+ COMPATIBILITY
Worked well with my Windows 7! I have not been able to try it on any other computers, however!

+ ASSEMBLY
Comes assembled- just have to plug in and download the drivers (from either the included disk or the XP PEN website)! Came packaged neatly in a padded little box

+ SHIPPING
Shipping was incredibly fast and arrived ahead of time!

+ NO HEAT
The graphics monitor did not get warm at all while I was drawing on it for several hours!

+ PEN PRESSURE (8,192 LEVELS)
This threw me off quite a bit in the beginning- coming from a tablet with way less pressure sensitivity, I kept forgetting that it was so sensitive and questioning why my lines were so thin! As I used the tablet more, however, I became much more comfortable with the pressure sensitivity.

+ PARALAX
Very tiny, slight parallax (I honestly think it's how I am holding my pen!), but not bad at all.

+ EXPRESSION KEYS
Thank goodness for expression keys. Works in Paint Tool SAI, SAI2, Photoshop CS6, Photoshop CC, Fire Alpaca, ect. *I have heard rumors that the Express Keys do not work in Photoshop CS6 if it is not a legit, purchased copy. I have been unable to confirm this

+ ACCESSORIES
This monitor came with several accessories, including several different universal power adapters, a pen nib changing stand, and an artist glove!
Functions such as sketch, paint, design and edit are expected to work out naturally and intuitively on a tablet and XP-Pen Artist 15.6 is something added up to the tablet revolution. 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS Full HD display with 178° visual angle delivering, even more, life like colors in greater contrast with sharper and vivid images is what gives it an artist's interest and feel. The custom-designed anti-reflective coating reduces glare by 56 percent making it more bright and beautiful, even if it's bright outside.

The latest battery-free pen technology with 8192 levels of instant Pen Pressure Sensitivity- providing you with groundbreaking control and fluidity to expand your creative output which does not require charging is designed to have a big impact on user's creativity. On a simple note, XP-Pen Artist 15.6 is the best inexpensive tablet for artists.

Enhancing the creative streak of an artist and supporting it is what this Drawing Tablet xp-pen artist 15.6 offers to its users and also is successful in doing so.

As an upcoming children's book publisher, art hardware is so extremely important. Overall, I am so extremely satisfied with this device! A wonderful tablet for the price- works as well as all of the other tablets that I own. if not significantly better. The only cons that the device have are all based on personal preference (so, they aren't really cons) and are things I knew coming into this adventure (such as lack of stand and lack of screen protector)! I would recommend this device to every single one of my friends, online or in person, and all of my colleagues! A great device that may have just become my favorite . The combination of the size/weight, portability, responsiveness, expression keys, and the price make this a wonderful tablet to own without any real flaws!

XP-Pen Artist 15.6 official site: https://www.xp-pen.com/product/60.html

The XP-Pen Star G640 Sketch is XP-Pen's newest screen-less tablet made to compete directly with Wacom's low-end Intuos series tablets (aka Intuos Draw/Art/Photo/Comic). It is extremely minimalistic and makes you feel certain that you are not paying for anything aside from the features you asked for.

The XP-Pen G640 caught my eye because it offers basically the exact same capabilities as a Wacom Intuos for only 40 USD. (It's 30 USD on Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/StarG640-Ultrathin-Graphics-Battery-free-pressure/dp/B078YR2MTF , but I bought it for 40 USD off the XP-Pen Store.)
What this means is that if it's as good as its specifications show, it will be the lowest priced tablet with a battery-free pen and an acceptable drawing area size. It will be the perfect “go-to” tablet for any beginner who just wants to give digital art a test run but doesn't want to pay Wacom's 80 USD entry price, or even experienced users who want to replace their Wacom Intuos!
How good is this tablet?
Design and build quality: Pretty good.
Tablet drivers: Quite good!
Drawing experience: Quite satisfactory!

Overall: A really good buy for 40 USD!

My verdict:

However! If you can spare a bit more money for your first tablet, then I would still recommend going with a tablet that has a larger drawing area. My opinion is that this tablet is best considered when you aren't sure whether you will continue digital art or not, and you don't want to make a bigger investment when it may end up going to waste.
-If you are experienced with tablets, you probably only want to buy the XP-Pen Star G640 if it is the size you are used to.

Important specifications
Active Area: 6 x 4 inches
Pen Type: Battery-free
Pen Buttons: 2 side buttons, no eraser
Pen Pressure: 8192
Pen Tilt Sensitivity: None
Expresskeys: None
Multi-touch: None

What's in the box?
The tablet is literally just a drawing surface with nothing else to it. The top section of the tablet is thicker than the drawing area, but I assume this is necessary to fit the electronics inside.
The surface of the tablet has a fairly rough texture which grip your pen nib a fair bit. Because it's very rough, your pen nib can wear quite quickly if you leave the pen pressure at the default setting. If you change the pen pressure settings, then the nib wear will decrease drastically. I will cover that in the Tablet Drivers section.

Although the surface of the tablet is quite rough, it is made of a very tough plastic so it does not scratch easily at all. There are no worn out areas even after spending two whole days drawing on it, and I was even being quite heavy-handed with my pen pressure.

The texture of the surface is quite close to the paper-like feeling of the Wacom Intuos, but it is not quite the same as it has a slightly more plastic-y feel to it. However, it does not feel bad to draw on at all.
The back of the tablet has four rubber feet and the usual information sticker. The rubber feet do a good enough job of holding the tablet in place.
The edges aren't rounded like other tablets, but the tablet is so flat with its advertised 2mm thickness that you can actually use it comfortably even with your hand half off of the tablet!

The edges don't look like the cleanest edges you can find, but they don't affect your drawing experience at all.
When you hear about the 2mm thickness of the tablet, you'll most likely wonder “won't it break easily if it's that thin?”
But not to worry! The tablet is actually extremely sturdy, and when doing a twist test (where you hold both sides and twist), it actually feels even tougher and more solid than the Wacom Intuos Draw, which is quite a big surprise considering how much thicker the Wacom is in comparison.
This tablet is extremely minimalistic and does not have any shortcut buttons. This is a good sign because it means you're not paying extra for some shortcut buttons you're most likely not going to use.
The cable port is at the top right of the tablet. There is no special groove around the cable port unlike with the Wacom Intuos, so you can use any Micro-USB cable you have if you lose the included one, but I suggest at least using a good one if you're going to do that.

One thing I noticed is that the port itself can wiggle a bit. If you treat the tablet badly, it's quite possible that the port will break before the cable itself.
The pen is called the XP-Pen PN01 and is made of a simple matte plastic with a bulge near the end to catch your fingers. It is a fairly light battery-free pen but it feels quite durable and dependable.
Holding the pen is very comfortable despite the pen being made of all plastic, and it does not feel imbalanced in any way. The buttons protrude from the surface of the pen making it easy to identify and use them without having to glance at your hand.
Many people have this misconception that all of Wacom's tablets have a high quality pen like the Wacom Intuos Pro or Cintiq, so I would like to point out here that the Wacom Intuos (CTL-490) pen is just a plastic stick, just like the pen that comes with the XP-Pen Star G640.
I mentioned before that the nib does wear quite a bit, but that shouldn't be much of a worry at all because this tablet comes with TWENTY replacement nibs. Yes, you heard me right. Twenty.

The XP-Pen Star G640 Drawing Tablet uses the newest XP-Pen tablet drivers and they are extremely easy to install! You don't even need to have your tablet plugged in to install them! Just go download the latest version directly from XP-Pen's site and remove all other tablet drivers you have on your computer before installing it.
Once you've installed the driver, it should create a desktop shortcut for you to easily access the tablet settings. When your tablet is plugged in, the XP-Pen icon driver icon should appear in the system tray in the bottom right. You can also access the tablet settings by clicking on that.

If the installer doesn't prompt you to restart your computer after it finishes, I wholeheartedly suggesting restarting your computer anyways to allow Windows to properly update the files necessary for the driver to run smoothly.
The new XP-Pen driver is a simple one page driver with all the important settings on just the one window. Here you can set the pen buttons and pen pressure, and choose which monitor the tablet maps to.

You may need to check the Windows Ink checkbox at the bottom left for certain programs such as Photoshop, but most programs will work better with Windows Ink turned off. If you are having problems with a program, try toggling the Windows Ink option.

Another thing to note is that you can connect multiple XP-Pen tablets to the same computer and they will work! You will notice that at the top of the drivers, it has a drop-down menu that says “Star G640”. If you connect other XP-Pen tablets that use the same drivers, they will all be modifiable and useable through that drop-down menu. I can connect my XP-Pen Star 05 and XP-Pen AC19 Shortcut Remote at the same time as the XP-Pen G640 and they all work and are completely programmable.

Of course, the only catch here is that only the XP-Pen devices which use the new drivers can do this. I believe the current compatible products are the Graphics Tablet XP-Pen Star 05 , Star 06, Star G430, Star G430S, Star G540, Star G640, Deco 01, Artist13.3, Artist15.6, Artist16 Pro, and AC 19 Shortcut Remote.

Starting from the top left, the Barrel Button Settings section controls the functions set to the pen buttons.

 

You can set basically all keyboard or mouse shortcuts that you can think of using the function key option, but you cannot combine mouse clicks with keyboard keys in the same function.

The Click Sensitivity section controls the pen pressure curve of the pen directly. This is the most important section in the tablet settings as you will need to adjust this to reduce how hard you have to press for higher pen pressures to reduce pen nib wear.

The default setting of the graph is a straight diagonal line, but to get a lighter pen pressure setting which is more common, you should move the top dot to around the middle, and move the middle dot somewhere near the top middle as I show in the above pictures. This will give you the feel closest to what you get from most other tablets, and it will also help to drastically reduce pen nib wear, but you should play around with it yourself to find out what suits you best.

The Current Screen section controls which monitor your tablet is mapped to, and what area of your tablet is used. For the best results, pick the monitor you are going to draw on using the drop-down menu at the top, then click the Display Ratio button to match the drawing area of your tablet with the aspect ratio of your monitor.

Left-handed people do not need to click the Left Hand Mode option as the XP-Pen Star G640 is already useable for both left and right-handed people in Right Hand Mode.

If you noticed earlier, there was a function called Switch Monitor among the functions you could assign to your pen buttons. That function cycles through all the available monitors in the drop-down list at the top of the Current Screen section when used.
The drawing experience!

At first, I was a bit taken aback by how hard I had to press the pen to get darker lines, but once I adjusted the pen pressure curve, the stroke control felt extremely good. When doing gradual increases and decreases in pressure, the lines come out completely as expected and there are no skips or jumps in the pressure at all.

The slow diagonal lines I did with a ruler have some small blips which I assume happens between the rows of sensors, but they don't appear at all if you use stabilizers and/or quicker strokes. I never ran into them while I was drawing, but you may be different if you do not use stabilizers and/or quicker strokes to draw.

The roughness of the tablet was worrying at first, but the fact that they give you 20 replacement nibs really puts your mind at ease when drawing.

Like I mentioned before, because the tablet itself is so thin, you can still draw comfortably even if your hand moves off the tablet, so there should be no problem with the size of the tablet even for people with larger hands.

Conclusion

I can really recommend this tablet for any beginners who want to try out digital art with a really low starting price, or just don't have the budget to afford anything bigger. However, if you can spare more money for your tablet, I would suggest that you try to get something with a bigger 8×5 to 10×6 inch drawing area like the XP-Pen Deco 01 Graphics Tablet for the slightly more comfortable and controlled experience of a larger tablet.

Personally, I believe that the 6×4 inch drawing area of the XP-Pen Star G640 is the bare minimum size that anyone should get, so if you can get the bigger size, I would suggest you do so.

XP-Pen Star G640 Official Site : https://www.xp-pen.com/product/51.html