Comparison XP-PEN Deco Pro Small vs XP-PEN Deco Pro Medium

The paper size that corresponds to the size of the tablet's active surface.

This parameter is specified only for traditional tablets and smart-notebooks (see "Type"). At the same time, the specific size of the device does not always strictly correspond to the specified format. For example, an A4 tablet can be either a little larger or a little smaller than a standard landscape sheet of 210x297 mm. Nevertheless, according to the specified format, one can easily estimate the dimensions of the tablet as a whole and its general “weight category”.

Nowadays, on the market you can find devices in formats from A3 to A7, and the most popular options are the A4 mentioned above, as well as A5(148x210 mm) and A6(105x148 mm). In general, larger tablets are easier to use, but also more expensive.

The exact size of the active area of a tablet (or screen in a graphic display) in width and height. In general, it is more of a reference than a practically significant parameter: when choosing a traditional graphics tablet, there is often enough information about the format (see above), and for displays, primarily the diagonal (see above) and aspect ratio (see below) are of practical importance . However, the exact dimensions can also be useful in fact: for example, you can determine the aspect ratio from them (for classic tablets, this parameter is often not indicated).

The aspect ratio of the tablet working area (width to height). This parameter allows you to evaluate the overall proportions of the device: for example, the ratio of 4:3 gives an almost square shape of the work area, and in 16:9 models it is noticeably elongated in width.

Actually, "widescreen" aspect ratios — 16:9 and 16:10 — are now much more common than the classic 4:3. The 3:2 standard is also rare, although it is actually also a widescreen. This situation is due to the fact that, ideally, the aspect ratio of the monitor and tablet should be the same (otherwise, there may be a mismatch in the movement of the pen and the cursor on the screen, or part of the screen or tablet area will be unused). And the most popular nowadays are just monitors in 16:9 and 16:10 formats, the 4:3 standard is much less common, and 3:2 is extremely rare.

Full-fledged and mobile operating systems with which the device can interact normally. Specific compatibility options may be:

-Windows. The vast majority of graphics tablets are designed to work together with desktop computers and laptops running Windows. At the same time, it is important to clarify the supported OS versions - in modern realities, these are Windows 10 and Windows 11.

— MacOS. The ability of the device to work with Apple computer equipment that uses the proprietary desktop operating system macOS. First of all, these are iMac desktops and MacBook laptops. This technique has software and hardware features that significantly distinguish it from other types of PCs and laptops, so such compatibility for graphics tablets is specified separately.

- ChromeOS. ChromeOS is a software product from Google originally created for laptops. The key feature of Chromebooks is their close integration with web services, and in general they are positioned as the most inexpensive and accessible laptops.

- Linux. Initially, the Linux platform was designed mainly for professional programmers and IT enthusiasts. For the average user, such a system can be quite difficult to learn and use. However, a number of graphics tablet models are compatible with this OS.

- Android. Compatibility of the device with...portable gadgets running Android OS (primarily smartphones and tablets). This involves using mobile versions of applications to create and process graphics.

- iOS. The ability to work with mobile applications for creating and processing graphics, implemented when using Apple smartphones running the iOS operating system.

A characteristic of a graphics tablet that determines how many times per second the tablet records the artist’s actions. The response rate is expressed in PPS (Points Per Second).

The higher the PPS value, the more responsive the surface is. If responsiveness is low, there is a possibility of getting jagged lines when working with the pen, and the stylus cursor may lag behind the movement of your hand. Devices with a response of 266 PPS or more perform best, the “golden mean” is the range of values 230 – 233 PPS and 250 – 260 PPS, and in entry-level models the response can be 220 PPS or less.