Jon Canfield

I’ve been a long-time user of Wacom graphic tablets as part of my editing workflow. Making selections, painting a mask, and many other operations are not only more intuitive with a pen, but you have much finer control than you do with a mouse or trackpad. Until now, the Intuos4 Wireless tablet with Bluetooth has been what I considered to be as close to perfect as you could get. Used either left- or right-handed, I can have it plugged in via USB or use with Bluetooth when traveling or when I need to be a bit further from the computer, as when I’m teaching a workshop. When Wacom announced the Intuos5, I was curious as to what could possibly be improved upon from the current model, so I was anxious to take a look.

I've written about the advantages of graphic tablets before, and most recently reviewed the Wacom Bamboo line of inexpensive tablets in these pages (see April 2008 issue). Today, I'm headed in the opposite direction and taking a look at the Cintiq 12WX tablet, also by Wacom.

What makes the Cintiq line different from the entry-level Bamboo...

Wacom has long been a favorite among digital artists and photographers looking for more control than a mouse provides. The recently updated Graphire line of tablets has a number of enhancements that are sure to appeal to many, and all at prices that make them a great choice for the casual user (Wacom also offers a more advanced line of tablets, the Intuos3, intended for artists...

Wacom is probably the best known name and certainly one of the most popular brands around.