Wacom Cintiq 12WX
Starting at: $947.54
CNET Editors' Review
CNET Editors' Rating
- Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
- Released on:
- Reviewed on:
The good: Fluid operation; useful for many graphics and imaging tasks.
The bad: Bulky breakout box; hard to work near the edges of the screen; relatively expensive.
The bottom line: A great input device if you do a lot of brush-based graphics, the Cintiq 12WX nonetheless has some awkward design aspects and a bit of a high price.
If you work with graphics or images, the concept behind the Wacom Cintiq series seems like a no-brainer: Combine a display with a pressure-sensitive tablet so that you can directly edit vector art, retouch images, paint, produce video special effects, and so on. True, tablets aren't for everyone. If you work with a tablet now, you'll probably find a Cintiq even more fluid and powerful. But unless you're backed by a deep pocket or generous business budget, the price will sting; for example, the Cintiq 12WX costs about 50 percent more than a 6x8-inch Intuous3 plus a ... Expand full review
If you work with graphics or images, the concept behind the Wacom Cintiq series seems like a no-brainer: Combine a display with a pressure-sensitive tablet so that you can directly edit vector art, retouch images, paint, produce video special effects, and so on. True, tablets aren't for everyone. If you work with a tablet now, you'll probably find a Cintiq even more fluid and powerful. But unless you're backed by a deep pocket or generous business budget, the price will sting; for example, the Cintiq 12WX costs about 50 percent more than a 6x8-inch Intuous3 plus a typical 22-inch monitor.
The series comes in three sizes: the 12.1-inch 12WX, the 20.1-inch 20WSX, and the 21.3-inch 21UX. The "W" in the product names indicates "wide screen"; the 12WX and 20WSX both have 16:10 aspect ratios compared with the 21UX's 4:3.
I have to say, I found the initial setup sufficiently frustrating and time-consuming that I was convinced I was going to hate the Cintiq. Granted, I have a cluttered, cable-infested workspace. But behind the 12WX's sleek gray face lies a bulky AC adapter brick plus a relatively large breakout box. There's never a good place for either of these.
The display has a pull-out brace on its lower half that allows you to stand it from near vertical to a 25-degree angle from your desktop (or completely flat, with the stand tucked in). When using it as a second--or perhaps third--passive display, it will likely sit to the side of your primary monitor, and when using it as a tablet, you pull it forward either onto the desk in front of your primary display or onto your lap. There's no cable management, however, so moving it back to its position on the side requires annoying (and in my office, potentially dangerous) cable shoving to keep the stand from resting on it and leaving the display askew.
On one hand, it worked quite nicely perched on the desk in front of my mammoth CRT, though that required pushing the keyboard off to the side, within reach for keyboard shortcuts. It didn't function quite so well on my lap, however. Without the ability to adjust the angle it from the top (to tilt it toward me), I couldn't find a comfortable position in which to work for more than a few minutes.
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Senior Editor Lori Grunin has been covering digital imaging and all types of tech for two decades and photographing for four, but the stat she's proudest of is the approximately 5,000 photos she's taken of cats (and some dogs) for the animal rescue where she volunteers.
User Reviews
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Most Helpful User Review
stars 4 of 4 users found this review helpful
"Pricey, but a great boon to artists/graphic designers." By EvilGenki
Pros Very nice high quality screen
Quality expected of Wacom in almost all aspects
2 year warranty
Cons Bulky, not easily transportable
A LOT of extra clutter
Unable to adjust position while working (read below)
Summary I had been using an Intuos 3 for about 5 years and that had been a great tool for learning digital art, However there was one thing I never could quite get entirely used to which was the draw-down-there-but-look-up-there aspect of using a graphics tablet like the Intuos.
Then came ... Expand full review
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Specifications
See full specsQuick Specs
- Form factor: External
- Compatibility: PC Mac
- Interface required: USB Display / video
