When it comes to PC user interfaces, there are a wide variety of usability and preferences even when looking only at the mouse and keyboard, but when it comes to pen tablets, which require a more analog-like feel, long-term workability, responsiveness, and follow-up are important. Of course, sensuous aspects such as drawing comfort are also important points. There are so many things you can’t tell just by looking at the spec sheet, and if you’re new to pen tablets, it’s hard to judge whether it’s good or bad by actually touching it. When considering purchasing a product, I would like to hear the opinions of people who are used to using pen tablets on a regular basis.
That’s why the high-performance liquid crystal pen tablet (hereinafter referred to as liquid tablet) that appeared from XPPen.Artist Pro 16(Gen2)We asked manga artist Zara-sensei to review “. Artist Pro 16 (Gen2) is a liquid tablet equipped with a 16-inch LCD monitor, a stylus pen equipped with the “X3 Pro smart chip” that supports 16,384 levels of high-definition pen pressure detection, the industry’s first, and wired and Bluetooth support. Shortcut key device compatible with both wirelessACK05” and a pencil case containing a set of extra refills are also included as standard.
In addition to the main body and stylus pen, there is also a shortcut key device.ACK05is included as standard. Various USB cables are also included, but please note that a separately sold 3in1 HDMI cable is required when connecting to a PC that does not have a USB Type-C port that can be used as a display output.ACK05The pencil case that can store the USB receiver for the pen comes with 8 extra nibs as standard (4 standard nibs + 4 felt nibs).
The LCD display also covers a wide color gamut of 99% sRGB, 99% DCI-P3, and 97% Adobe RGB, and uses a non-glossy panel that supports 2,560 x 1,600 dot display (16:10 aspect ratio). In addition to being able to connect to a PC with a single USB Type-C cable, it also supports HDMI connection with a separately sold cable, making it possible to use it as a pen tablet (so-called board tablet) without using an LCD screen.
The company’s “Artist Pro 16” series includes the “Artist Pro 16TP,” which comes with a 4K LCD and a pen that can detect 8,192 levels, and the “Artist Pro 16,” which is the previous generation Gen1, but this “Gen2” No matter how you look at it, it can be said to be a complete model change.
However, the most interesting point for users is that even with these specs and equipment, it comes at an unprecedented price of 76,980 yen (5% off until December 25, 2023, at 70,000 yen). 3,130 yen). As the name suggests, this product is a model for professionals, and it is natural for other companies’ products in this class to cost more than twice as much, so it is natural to be skeptical about its performance.
I asked Mr. Zara, who used it for about a month to create a manga manuscript, how it actually works.
[Zara Sensei demonstrates illustration production with Artist Pro 16 (Gen2)! I’ll show you in the video]
Is the 16-inch liquid tub big or small?
――Zara-sensei is usually a fan of tablet tablets, but what was your experience using the latest liquid tablets?
Zara: Several years ago, I reviewed the Artist 22E Pro with a 21.5-inch LCD screen for XPPen, but the Artist Pro 16 (Gen2) is already sophisticated from the casing. I felt like… Although the metal body is quite thin, it has a sturdy feel, and the stand can be stored inside the main body, so it’s great that it doesn’t take up much space when you put it away. I can’t adjust the angle of the stand, but I don’t have any problems with this angle.
Currently, my work environment is connected to a home-built PC with 27-inch and 24-inch monitors, but when I connect my recently purchased notebook PC and Artist Pro 16 (Gen2) with a single USB Type-C cable, This alone completes the work environment (lol)
It’s heavier and bulkier than the board tab, but I think this is the best for my practical minimal work environment.
Adopts a metal body with high rigidity and a rich appearance. The folding stand does not protrude when carrying or storing. However, it seems that fingerprints are more noticeable on the back of the metal body than on the LCD surface.It has a built-in folding stand, and there are two angles when using it: open or closed. Although the angle cannot be finely adjusted, it has a stable structure (the optional stand “ACS05” that can be adjusted in 6 steps is also available).If you use a PC with USB Type-C that supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode , can be connected with one cable. If your PC does not support USB Type-C, you can use two USB Type-C ports, one for power supply and the other for video input (if your PC does not support USB Type-C, use a 3in1 cable sold separately) (HDMI connection possible)
–How convenient is the 16-inch size?
Zara: I think the 16-inch size, 2,560 x 1,600 dot resolution, and 16:10 aspect ratio match. With “SAI” and “CLIP STUDIO PAINT”, which I use as my main drawing software, the tools I usually use are arranged vertically on the left side of the screen, but the aspect ratio is 16:10 and the height is 1,600 dots. It’s easy to place and move.
In my desktop PC environment, I use a 24-inch 1,920 x 1,200 dot monitor, which is also 16:10. Considering the balance between resolution and drawing area, I think this size is perfect for a liquid tab.
With an aspect ratio of 16:10, there is plenty of vertical space, making it easy to display software tools.There is also a way to use the tablet in portrait orientation, but the important drawing area becomes narrower, so Zara-sensei recommends horizontal orientation.
–What do you think of the LCD display?
Zara: The LCD screen on LCD tablets has gotten really clean. Visually, I don’t notice a big difference from the non-glare LCD I usually use on my desktop. I usually lower the brightness of my monitor when working on line drawings, but Artist Pro 16 (Gen2) feels kind of easy on the eyes even with the default setting. Even when drawing, you won’t notice any misalignment (parallax) between the pen tip and the screen, and it’s intuitive to use. If the deviation is large, there will be more mistakes when drawing fine lines or selecting narrow areas, but as long as there are fewer mistakes, it is definitely excellent.
It says it has 99% sRGB coverage, but it also has a Display P3 mode, which I’ve been using as a standard when coloring lately, so when I tried using it, I didn’t notice much of a difference from the Display P3 mode of the 4K monitor I usually use. . Even if you work with Artist Pro 16 (Gen2) and deliver the product, at least you won’t have to worry about the skin color being brown when you print it, like in the past. It’s a good time….
Mr. Zara never experienced the misalignment between the area touched by the pen tip and the area actually drawn, so-called parallax.Using the color space settings of the utility software, it is possible to switch the color mode and adjust the brightness.By the way, this product has also received “TÜV SUD” certification, which is said to be easy on the eyes.
The stylus pen is now different from before!
–It is claimed to be the first in the industry to detect 16,384 levels of pen pressure, but can you tell the difference?
Zara: At first, I didn’t feel like it was much different than the 8,192 level board tab that I usually use. However, as I used it, I realized that even with the slightest amount of pressure, just by lightly placing the tip of the pen, the lines would not break. Ah, I understood that this means double the detection function!
I’m a manga artist who uses screen tones to express gradations, so I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to get the best out of it, but I was able to do detailed work such as masking a small area without enlarging the image or drawing small thin lines. There is no doubt that even if you do it quickly, you will be able to do it without any mistakes. In reality, it may be a small amount, but I feel like erasers are being used less and less.
Also… this new Staras pen has a different shape and front/rear weight distribution than the previous one, and I feel better about it this time. I won’t know about the durability of the pen tip until I use it more, but I was able to use it without any discomfort, such as the comfort of drawing and the sinking feeling of the pen tip.
A stylus pen that has changed from the traditional cylindrical shape to a slightly angled conical shape. In addition to its 16,384-level detection function, its shape and weight balance have also been improved.It is also possible to assign keys to each button and adjust the pen pressure sensitivity, so it seems like new ways to use it will be created when used in combination with ACK05.
The shortcut device makes you want to buy it alone!
Zara: Also, this shortcut device ACK05! It’s really easy to use. It’s a simple thing with a dial and 10 buttons, but it feels like “this is what it’s all about”. Personally, I would have liked a few more buttons, but this is the first device in a while that has a proper number of buttons. Why hasn’t something like this come out easily?
You can set it to either landscape or portrait orientation, but the portrait orientation, where my index finger is on the dial, was the best fit for me. I will definitely buy this.
Some tablets have shortcut keys on the side of the tablet itself, but depending on the angle of the stand you use them, they can be difficult to use, so I think your preferences will vary. On the other hand, this is convenient because it can also be used wirelessly. The battery is said to last 300 hours on a single charge, and I never ran out of power even after not charging it for about a week.
Personally, this is the best left-handed device in the last 10 years. The ACK05 is sold for around 6,000 yen on its own, and there is also a driver that allows it to be used in conjunction with tablets other than XPPen, so I would recommend it to those who want to try out a shortcut device.
ACK05 with dial and 10 shortcut keys. It can be set horizontally or vertically, and there is a high degree of freedom in button settings. The button at the center of the dial is used to switch functions such as zoom and rotation, and Zara-sensei’s settings for ACK05 do not allow arbitrary key assignments such as Shift and Ctrl. According to the teacher, the “pencil” button on K5 is disgusting.Also, in SAI, image scaling is assigned to the wheel, so clockwise rotation is set to Page Up and counterclockwise rotation is set to Page Down.
Long-term workability that you can understand by using it
――This time, I used it for a month, but what did you notice?
Zara: After using it for a while, I noticed that the surface of the LCD panel was smooth and not sticky. You can continue working comfortably. After using it a little more, I noticed that the screen hardly gets hot. This is important. When you use a tablet PC for a long time, you become concerned about the heat of the main unit, but this Artist Pro 16 (Gen2) hardly gets hot even if you use it for a long time.
When I noticed this and touched the main unit, only the top of the screen was getting hot. This is an area that I don’t touch much, or rather, it’s not an area that my palm touches, so I didn’t notice it at all when I was using it. I was impressed with how well it was designed, with a good understanding of how users use it.
The semi-gloss LCD screen has a paper-like smooth feel. The surface is strong enough to be used as an area to place your hands and move a pen, but the bottom left bezel feels slightly dented when pressed hard.The temperature distribution after using it continuously for over an hour. You can see that only the top of the device gets hotter than your hands.The other parts of the body are also slightly warm, but the temperature is lower than the hand, so it feels cool.
Zara: Another thing to consider in terms of workability is that you can quickly switch to “board tab mode” by simply holding down the power button. Well, you may be wondering what the tablet mode is like after reviewing the liquid tablet, but recently, when I get tired, my presbyopia kicks in…I can’t focus on the liquid tablet screen at hand. is.
Once that happens, I’m starting to lose my concentration, so it’s time to call it a day, but when I want to do a little more and finish it off, I start fresh. You can quickly switch to board tab mode and continue working. Thanks in part to the effects of ACK05, I’m more familiar with Artist Pro 16 (Gen2) than with the board tab I’ve been using.
By pressing and holding the power button on the top left of the main unit for 3 seconds, the liquid tab screen will turn off and you can immediately use it as a board tab. To return to liquid tab mode, you only need to press the power mode once, but this not only allows you to work on a large monitor, which takes several seconds to switch, but also allows you to switch from one monitor to another without leaving the screen you are working on. Since it can be displayed, it is also convenient for checking colors. It’s also great for older people like Mr. Zara, whose eyes tend to get tired easily.In addition to setting up multiple monitors on the utility software, you can also set the work area for the liquid tab.When using board tab mode, many people may find it easier to use the smaller work area.
General review
–You seem to like it a lot, but are you going to switch to liquid tablets soon?
The Zara 16-inch liquid tab has a perfect writing feel, the colors are beautiful, and when you include the extremely easy-to-use shortcut device, it becomes a perfect substitute for the familiar board tab. I may not be able to escape this anymore.
According to Zara-sensei, the main unit, pen, and shortcut device all receive high praise. It’s also highly cost-effective, so if you’re interested, why not give it a try?
Zara Sensei’s lively work environment consists of two LCD monitors, a laptop, and an LCD tablet, creating a four-screen configuration.It’s not too big or too small, and if you want to use a liquid tab, this 16-inch is the best fit ever.
We will give you an illustration drawn with Artist Pro 16 (Gen2) in its original size!
Click on the illustration and download the displayed image by selecting “Save image as” from the right-click menu.Please check the professional writing and delicate touch using the latest liquid tab with 4,299 x 3,066 dot data.
Zara: Manga artist
I once posted a video of my arms as a review of a liquid tablet, and people I met afterwards kept saying, “You’re thinner than I thought!” because my arms looked thick. According to him, he has a slightly selfish body.
It has been serialized in Houbunsha’s Manga Time Kirara and Kodansha’s Good! Afternoon. His representative works include “Fuon Connect!”, “Futari de Hitori Gurashi,” and “Shikukui Shikaku.” He is currently serializing his own PC manga “Wagamama DIY” on Impress DOS/V POWER REPORT.Future developments will be announced soon.
