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Wacom debuts futuristic Cintiq interactive pen tablet

The company's latest interactive pen tablet shows the same design savvy that elevated its pro pen tablet line from simply must-have to want-to-have.

Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories
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Lori Grunin
2 min read
Wacom

I have just one word for Wacom's new interactive pen display, the Cintiq 24HD: WANT. "Expensive" would be my alternative selection. Given its $2,499 price tag, it's out of reach for all but serious artists and designers. For those unfamiliar with the Cintiq line, they're displays with integrated pen tablets; in other words, they're the pen tablet equivalent of touch screens, so you can draw right on them.

Wacom Cintiq 24HD photos

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Wacom's previous Cintiq products, the 21UX and 12WX, which remain in the product line, are certainly no slouches, but this model shows the attention to design that elevated the Intuos4 pen tablet line above its predecessors.

The base looks especially clever. It's counterweighted so that you can not only tilt the display to multiple angles, but you can pull it forward to rest over the keyboard. And it uses the same ambidextrous ExpressKeys and Touch Rings that greatly improved the usability of the Intuos4 over earlier models.

As you might guess, with its 16:10 aspect ratio and 1920 x 1200 resolution, the 24-inch 24HD targets video editors and animators. Like its pen tablet kin, the display supports 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity, but it offers a greater range of tilt--40 degrees, compared to 20 for the Intuos4 line. Color gamut is 92 percent of Adobe RGB, which is pretty standard for a midrange pro graphics or video display, but unfortunately not wide gamut.

Some specs:

  • Dimensions: 30.3 x 18.3 x 2.5 inches
  • Active/Display area: 20.4 x 12.8 inches
  • Connectors: USB, DVI-I, DisplayPort, Analog RGB
  • Weight: 64 pounds
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:10
  • Brightness: 190 cd/m2
  • Color Management Control: DDC 2B, DDC/CI
  • Contrast Ratio: 550:1
  • Native Resolution: 1920 x 1200
  • Pixel Pitch: 0.27 (H) x 0.27 (V) mm
  • Viewing Angle: 178 degrees H and V
  • ExpressKeys: 10 user-assignable
  • Resolution: 5080 lines per inch
  • Touch Strips: 2, finger sensitive, front mounted
  • Pen tilt range: 40 degrees

It's slated to ship in October.