Wacom Intuos 4 review

Verdict:

An excellent device - if you're willing to work in the way it demands.

Review Date: 7 Apr 2009

Price when reviewed: (£183 ex VAT) for small version; extra large £710 (£617 ex VAT)

Reviewed By: Steve Caplin

Our Rating 4 stars out of 5

However, all this extra functionality - the express keys, the OLED display, the touch ring - does rather presuppose that users will be operating the tablet in isolation, with the keyboard well out of the way. You're expected to use one hand on the stylus while the other operates the keys - for example, you need to keep the express key held down when using the tablet in Precision mode, rather than it being an on/off toggle. Used in this way, the Radial Menu becomes not so much an optional extra as an essential tool for accessing keystrokes.

This is the first Intuos tablet not to ship with a mouse. Its omission is notable: when using applications where you need to divide your time between typing and moving items around, a static mouse resting on the tablet is far more convenient than a stylus that needs to be placed back in its holder after each use. Although a mouse is available separately, it's an extra cost on top of a tablet that's already more expensive than its predecessor. The OLED display is also, sadly, missing from the smallest, A6 model. The four-function touch ring is a good idea, but you sometimes have to press the button three times to get back to a desired function, which lowers its usefulness as a shortcut tool.

Minor gripes aside, with increased sensitivity adding to its impressive feature set, there's little doubt that Wacom's latest tablet is a world-beater.

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