How Wacom Tablets Function

To clear things up: Unlike devices like the iPad, Kindle Fire, or Nook, Wacom tablets are not just regular tablets. They’re graphics tablets, or pen tablets, designed primarily for use by digital artists and graphic designers. These tools allow users to create artwork by hand, which is then captured digitally. The resulting image is displayed on a connected PC or Mac monitor.

It may sound complex, but picture this: You’re at your computer when you get the urge to sketch a cartoon chicken munching on broccoli. (Doodles are meant to be random.) You grab the pen and paper on your desk, sketch for a bit, then toss it aside, only for it to be forgotten and eventually rot away in a landfill, with your artistic brilliance left unappreciated.

Wacom tablets, which come in various models that we’ll explore in this article, are designed to let you create digital doodles directly on your computer (among many other essential tasks). Think of them as a fusion of a computer mouse and a pencil, with a monitor acting as your digital notebook.

Not the perfect comparison, but graphic designers, artists, illustrators, and numerous other professionals and hobbyists need a device that can translate their hand-drawn creations into digital form or manipulate digital images with the precision of a traditional hand. The technology behind Wacom tablets offers several advantages over simple point-and-click navigation. The pen (or stylus) that comes with the tablet communicates far more effectively. Its pressure-sensitive design allows users to adjust the thickness of lines and instantly capture handwritten notes. The tablet tracks the pen’s movements in microseconds, making real-time on-screen adjustments.

Graphic designers may appreciate the simplicity of turning concepts into digital designs. A photographer might enjoy the finer control of manipulating an image with their hand. And, everyone will think it’s impressive to see their handwritten notes or doodles appear on their computer as quickly as they can put pen to paper.

Wacom Tablet Specs

Unlike iPad-like tablets, Wacom presents multiple models and series. First, let's examine the core technology and hardware common across all Wacom tablets to understand how they operate.

We begin with the pen itself; Wacom calls this technology Penabled Technology. While it resembles a regular pen, it houses a digital chip, modulator, and transmitter. These components work together intricately, but in simple terms: The pen’s tip sends signals to the tablet. And it does so through magnets! Well, more precisely, the tablet's sensor board generates a magnetic field, which the pen interacts with, creating its own energy—no batteries or power adapter required.

The magnetic field from the pen is detected by the sensor board, which tracks the pen's position, pressure, and speed. The sensor board is made up of tiny antenna coils, which are monitored by a control board to pinpoint the pen’s location. This system lets your computer know when you're, say, adding a mustache to your sister's photoshopped image. Wacom calls this patented technology EMR, or electromagnetic resonance technology.

Things work a bit differently with an LCD screen, like those found in the Cintiq tablets. Here, backlighting or other components emitting their own fields can interfere with the pen’s magnetic field. To resolve this, metal parts and potential interference sources must be carefully shielded. The metal frame around the LCD screen, which impacts magnetic fields, is managed by the control board, ensuring any weak signals from the pen are corrected and predicted for accurate tracking.

Wacom Tablet Features

Now that we understand their functionality, let's dive into the variety of tablet models that Wacom offers—13 in total. These tablets are categorized into three main lines, each designed with unique features for specific user needs.

First, let's explore two of the tablet lines that Wacom markets as ideal for 'creative professionals.' These tablets cater to individuals with a solid foundation in digital art or graphics, and who require a tablet for professional work rather than casual use.

First up is the Intuos Tablet. The Intuos5 is available in small (12.5 inches, or 31.7 centimeters), medium (15 inches, or 31.1 centimeters), and large (19 inches, or 48.2 centimeters), with prices ranging from $229 to $469. (There's also an extra-large Intuos4, but it lacks some features.) The Intuos has the classic design of a traditional drawing tablet, with a matte surface where you draw while viewing your work on the computer screen (all devices connect via USB and require a simple software download). It's multi-touch enabled, allowing navigation with your fingers and access to tablet settings with a simple touch. With customizable ExpressKeys and applications like SketchBook Express, Wacom positions the Intuos as an excellent choice for design professionals.

Another tablet aimed at professionals is the Cintiq line. This series includes a 12-inch (30.4-centimeter) model, a 22-inch (55.8-centimeter) model, and two 24-inch (60.9-centimeter) models ($999-$3699). What sets them apart is their built-in LCD screens, allowing you to draw, write, or design directly on the display. It's the same pen technology, but with the added advantage of an LCD screen. As the pricing suggests, these are high-end tablets primarily designed for professionals who require the precision of traditional art tools, but in a digital format. Applications like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom are included with the package.

But maybe you're just starting to explore graphic tablets or looking for one for personal use? Let’s take a look at a line that might be perfect for you.

Bamboo for Beginners

This is the tablet for your average design geek or burgeoning artist. The Bamboo line is designed (and priced, from $79-$200) for someone who is just starting out with digital design or a hobbyist. The line has four different models, and while Intuos and Cintiq were designed to be used in many ways, the Bamboo tablets are fairly tailored to specific areas of interest.

For those who are a bit more interested in capturing their art or design digitally, both the Splash and the Connect would be a simple, bare-bones tablet. The Bamboo Connect is as basic as you can get: It lets you sketch, write and generally work with what Wacom refers to as "visual communication" tools. The Bamboo Splash is nearly the same; in fact, apart from a different application that comes with it -- the painting and drawing software AirRage -- it's identical. Having an extra application probably makes the Splash a better deal, as the price point of the Connect and Splash is exactly the same.

The Bamboo Capture is attempting to, well, capture the photography audience. With Adobe Photoshop and multi-touch capability, this tablet is designed to easily zoom, airbrush, correct or modify digital images. While it does have features like Nik Color Filters that are helpful for photography and digital images as well as SketchBook, it doesn't include the painting and drawing software that the Splash is more focused on.

The Bamboo Create is like the wise leader of the Bamboo team. With an active area of almost 9 inches (compared to the 6 inches the other models offer), it's physically larger. It combines most of the features in the other Bamboo applications (Adobe Photoshop and Sketchbook Express) with some extras of its own (Corel Painter). With multi-touch capability, it's the tablet for someone who knows their digital stuff but maybe doesn't need some of the more professional features of the Intuos. (Or the added cost.)

Who’s using Wacom tablets and for what purposes?

As mentioned earlier, Wacom tablets cater to a wide range of audiences. Naturally, one major group is creative professionals. From graphic designers to product developers, there is a Wacom tablet tailored to enhance their workflow.

Wacom highlights the Cintiq system as an indispensable tool for animators, offering a pressure-sensitive pen for adjusting line thickness and the immediacy of drawing directly on screen. (They also emphasize that traditional, hand-drawn storyboards no longer require scanning, as they are now right at your fingertips.)

For graphic designers, the Intuos and Cintiq tablets offer a pen-on-paper sensation, which is notably different from using a mouse. The time-saving features, like ExpressKeys and the efficiency of drawing instead of clicking, enhance the creative process. Any professional work involving sketching, digital manipulation, or artistic endeavors will likely find a Wacom tablet a valuable asset for improving their workflow.

That makes sense, but what about those who aren’t professionals? A tablet might still be a great tool for hobbies. Artists can easily convert their artwork into a digital format, and apps like Corel Painter allow you to create realistic paintings with your pen functioning as a brush. Additionally, if you want to fine-tune your photos, Wacom tablets and pens enable precise adjustments that a mouse simply can't match.

Wacom tablets are also being used in specialized fields. For example, CAD/CAE lens cursors, often used in architecture and engineering design, are compatible with certain Intuos models. GIS professionals, who work with geographic and spatial data, benefit greatly from the pen-and-tablet approach for easier design and implementation. Additionally, Wacom tablets have applications in healthcare, where doctors can digitally chart patient information, making their often illegible notes easier to store and access.

While many Wacom tablet models require a USB connection to your PC or Mac, models like the Intuos, Bamboo Capture, and Bamboo Create offer wireless functionality. These models cost around $40 for the components and battery, which lasts anywhere from 6 hours (for larger tablets) to 15 hours (for smaller models).