Comparison XP-PEN Artist 12 (2nd Gen) vs XP-PEN Deco Pro Medium

— Graphics tablet. Graphic tablets in the traditional sense: devices with a touch surface designed for drawing on a computer. May vary in surface size, overall accuracy (resolution, number of pressure levels), etc.

— Graphic display. In tablets with this feature, the work area is not just a sensitive surface — it is a separate full-fledged display on which you can display an image from a computer. Thanks to this, you can draw almost "like on paper", changing the image directly — which is much more convenient than moving the pen on the tablet while looking at the monitor. And the size of some graphic displays is comparable to full-fledged monitors — there are models of 15.6 "and even more. On the other hand, such devices are not cheap

— Graphics computer. Completely independent devices for creating and editing graphics. Having a traditional tablet form factor or slightly larger, graphic computers are armed with color displays and their own productive hardware that can handle the work of specialized graphics editors and visual modeling applications. Such models do not need to be connected to an external computer, and they are used primarily in a professional environment, which makes such solutions expensive.

— Smart notepad. Devices that allow the user to draw in the classical way, on paper, and digitize these...drawings on the fly, right in the process. It looks like this: a sheet of paper is placed on the touch surface of the smart notebook, the notebook keeps track of all the lines, dots, strokes, etc. applied to the paper, and at the touch of a button transfers the digitized version of the drawing to a smartphone, tablet or other device. Such a device can be a real salvation for those who do not recognize drawing on tablets and at the same time have a need to digitize their work.

— For digital signatures. Tablets designed solely for the purpose of digitizing the owner's signature. With such a device, the user can use their normal signature to authorize various actions, such as entering into a contract or confirming payment. To ensure the required level of security, the design of such devices usually provides for various special solutions — in particular, support for corporate encryption protocols.

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).

Diagonal of the working area — the screen itself — in a graphic display (see "Type").

In general, the larger the diagonal, the more convenient the device is to use: a large working area covers a large area for drawing and at the same time allows you to work effectively with small details. On the other hand, this parameter directly affects the price, and the dimensions cannot be discounted: in some cases, there may simply be no room for a large device.

By the standards of graphic displays, 13.3" or less is considered small, 15.6" is considered medium, and many models have larger screens. And it is customary to evaluate the size of traditional tablets by the format, and not by the diagonal.

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.

The device has a touch ring for quick control of popular parameters. By simply moving your finger around the ring, you can zoom and scroll in graphics applications, switch between layers, change brush size, rotate the canvas, etc. Note that the touch ring can have several operating modes, and a physical button in the center of the circle is often responsible for switching between them. In advanced devices, the ring can be reprogrammed for certain actions, and even sensitivity (scrolling speed) can be adjusted.

- HDMI. A digital video interface found in graphic displays and computers (see Type). Models with an HDMI port are capable of receiving and transmitting video signals to devices connected via an appropriate cable. Moreover, HDMI supports the transmission of digital signals without loss of quality, providing a high-quality picture (and, if necessary, sound). To connect via HDMI, various options can be used, including the use of adapters for USB type C or miniHDMI connectors.

- DisplayPort. A digital interface similar in connection capabilities to HDMI (see above). It supports high-definition video (1080p and above) along with multi-channel audio. Such interfaces are rare in graphics tablets - they remain the prerogative of a small number of advanced professional-class models.

- DVI. Digital input for connecting a video signal from a computer. Found exclusively in graphic displays (see "Type"). Note that DVI outputs are often provided in desktop PCs, but are practically not found in laptops; on the other hand, a tablet with such an input can be connected to a laptop HDMI video output using a simple adapter.

- VGA. Aka 15-pin D-Sub. Another video interface found in graphic displays. It uses an analog signal format and is poorly compatible with resolutions higher than 1280x1024, which is why it is considered ob...solete and is usually provided in modern graphic displays as a “backup” option, in addition to the digital DVI described above.

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.

The number of horizontal and vertical pixels from which an image is formed on the graphic display screen (see “Type”). Higher resolution results in sharper, more detailed images for precise graphics work. However, high resolution affects the cost of the graphics display.

As for specific resolutions, models with Full HD screens predominate in wide use. Less common are models with 2K or even 4K displays.