XP Pen Artist 16 2nd Generation Review | 66 Data compared

The XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) drawing tablet, priced at an MSRP of 599 Euros, delivers an impressive price-to-performance ratio, making it a highly competitive alternative to more expensive brands. Tested on both PC and Mac with popular photo editing and illustration software, the device shines due to its fully laminated, matte, and anti-glare 16-inch display. It offers a sharp 2560 × 1600 pixel resolution (sitting comfortably between 2K and 4K) alongside excellent viewing angles and highly stable, accurate colour reproduction. The ergonomic, battery-free stylus is a standout feature, registering movement, tilt, and an industry-leading 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity with zero lag, providing an incredibly natural, paper-like drawing experience. Additionally, the display's smooth coating prevents the user's hand from sticking while working. Despite its strong performance, the review highlights a few clear limitations regarding ergonomics and software integration. A major hardware drawback is the integrated tablet stand, which only locks into a single angled position, offering no flexibility for varied posture adjustments. While the included wireless Bluetooth controller—featuring a mechanical dial and ten macro keys—is highly practical for...

The XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) is a highly capable pen display, featuring a 16-inch, fully laminated 2.5K screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, providing excellent color accuracy for photo editing and digital art. Key advantages include the lightweight X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus with a pressure-sensitive eraser and the included ACK05 wireless shortcut remote, which greatly enhances workflow efficiency. However, the review notes that the stylus has a somewhat slippery rubberized grip, and the built-in fold-out feet offer only a single fixed working angle, necessitating an external stand for more flexibility. Additionally, the driver installation and calibration process requires meticulous, sometimes demanding, setup to achieve precise pointer accuracy.

The XPPen Artist Pro 16 Gen 2 is a 16-inch drawing display aimed at ambitious hobby artists and semi-professionals, offering a crisp 2560 x 1600 resolution and an updated fully laminated screen that eliminates distracting parallax issues. A major highlight of this tablet is its battery-free X3 Pro Smart Chip stylus, which boasts a highly responsive 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity. The reviewer praises the device for its solid build, high contrast, and pleasant matte glass texture. Furthermore, the inclusion of a wireless shortcut remote with ten customizable buttons and a dial adds notable workflow flexibility.

The Wacom Intuos Pro M is the top-rated drawing tablet without a display, highly praised for its unmatched, feature-rich driver ecosystem and exceptional build quality featuring a robust aluminium back. It delivers outstanding pen accuracy, an incredibly low initial activation pressure, and customizable replacement surfaces ranging from smooth to rough to suit specific professional preferences. Equipped with nine express keys, a fluid touch wheel, reliable lag-free Bluetooth connectivity, and fully configurable multi-finger touch gestures, it serves as an excellent workflow-boosting machine for advanced photo editing and digital drawing. However, it is a premium investment that carries a relatively high price tag and a heavy 700-gram frame. Its most notable drawback is the rapid wear and tear of the included plastic pen nibs, which are notably expensive to replace directly from the manufacturer. For users who prefer drawing directly onto a screen, the XP-Pen Artist Pro 16 Gen 2 is the premier choice among pen displays, distinguished by its upgraded 16:10 aspect ratio and sharp 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. Unlike traditional display tablets that suffer from washed-out visuals, this model features...

The XPPen Artist Ultra 16 is a premium 15.6-inch graphics display designed for digital artists and creative professionals, retailing around €949.05. The tablet's primary highlight is its brilliant 4K UHD AMOLED fully-laminated display, which delivers exceptional sharpness, professional-grade colour accuracy (Calman Verified with 99% Adobe RGB), and deep contrast ratios. It provides a highly responsive drawing experience equipped with a paper-like, anti-glare texture and a rare toggle switch that allows users to quickly deactivate the 10-point touch feature to avoid accidental inputs. Furthermore, the tablet includes a generous accessory bundle featuring a wireless programmable shortcut mini-keyboard, an adjustable stand, a drawing glove, and two unique EMR-powered pens—the X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus and the X3 Pro Slim Stylus—which boast an industry-leading 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity. While the hardware delivers an impressive price-to-performance ratio, the review highlights a few practical drawbacks. The most notable con is the design of the included ACS 16 stand, which relies on adhesive strips to bond onto the back of the tablet rather than being seamlessly integrated into the chassis. Additionally, the Xppen Pentablet driver...