Xencelabs Pen Tablet Small Review | 66 Data compared

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Small is an exceptionally accurate drawing tablet featuring a high resolution of 5080 lines per inch and 8,192 pressure levels, directly matching the performance of the premium Wacom Intuos Pro S. Measuring 9.21 x 7.27 inches with a 6.93 x 3.89-inch active drawing area, it is highly portable, well-made, and comfortably designed with a tapered edge and customizable corner LEDs. The tablet operates either via a USB-C wired connection or wirelessly through a dedicated Bluetooth dongle. Standout positive features include its great value for money and a generous accessory bundle that packs in a high-quality travel case and two separate, specialized stylus pens (a standard thick three-button pen and a thin model ideal for sketching). However, the device has a few noticeable drawbacks, most notably its lack of touchpad gesture support, which forces a reliance on physical navigation. It only includes three customizable buttons on the device itself, making the separate purchase of the $89 / £95 Xencelabs Quick Keys accessory almost essential for users who rely heavily on shortcuts and a radial dial. Additionally, its...

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Small is positioned as a high-quality, budget-friendly alternative to the Wacom Intuos Pro, offering excellent performance, exceptional battery life, and a comprehensive bundle featuring two styluses and protective cases. Key advantages include its versatile wireless/wired operation, high-resolution tracking with tilt sensitivity, and extensive, customizable driver software for Windows, Mac, and Linux. DPReview However, the device lacks built-in multi-touch surface controls, which may limit the workflow of users who rely on gestures for zooming or rotating. While offering immense value and high-end build quality, the tablet requires navigating deep menus to fully customize its numerous physical button options.

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Small is highlighted as a highly responsive, portable drawing solution featuring a 6.93 x 3.89-inch active area, two distinct, high-quality styli, and customizable LED markers. It delivers precise, clean lines comparable to larger, more expensive tablets, making it an excellent, professional-grade option for artists requiring a compact workspace. However, the smaller physical, while functional, may feel restricted to users accustomed to larger drawing surfaces. Additionally, accessing the full potential of the device, including remapping the top quick-access buttons, requires downloading the free external software, which is a necessary step for optimal use.

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium is a highly professional, robust drawing peripheral that offers a credible, high-quality alternative to market leader Wacom. It features an active 16:9 drawing area resembling a 13-inch screen, 8,192 industry-standard levels of pressure sensitivity, and a 60-degree pen tilt range. Key advantages include exceptional build quality, seamless wireless connectivity via a USB dongle, and battery-free EMR pens—delivering both a chunky three-button pen and a slimmer two-button option in a dedicated storage case. Users can work wirelessly for up to 16 hours on a 2.5-hour charge, and the tablet's setup software is incredibly intuitive, making application-based shortcut customization simple and efficient. However, the tablet itself lacks a traditional array of on-device physical buttons, sporting only three keys at the top and offloading extensive customizability to the separate Quick Keys remote. While this standalone Quick Keys device is highly useful—featuring an OLED display, a physical dial, and up to 40 shortcuts per application—it introduces a learning curve for users managing the disconnect between the drawing tablet and their workstation monitor. Additionally, the central dial does not yet...