Product type
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.Aspect ratio
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.
Control keys
The number of control keys provided in the design of the tablet.
Each of these keys is responsible for a specific function, while the set of these functions can be configured: in some models they can be selected manually, in others the functionality of the keys changes automatically, depending on the currently active application. Anyway, additional keys allow the user to perform various actions without looking up from the tablet — this can be very convenient in the midst of the work process, when you don’t want to change the pen to the mouse again or reach for the keyboard. And the more control keys — so, respectively, more additional actions can be performed using the tablet. On the other hand, with relatively simple tasks, the abundance of additional buttons can hinder and confuse the user rather than help.
The most modest modern tablets provide
up to 5 control keys ; the most popular option is
from 6 to 10 keys, and in advanced models this number can reach
15 or even
more.
Connector on device
- microUSB. A smaller version of the USB connector designed for portable devices. Currently it is losing ground to the USB type C interface with a more convenient symmetrical contact group.
- miniUSB. Almost the same interface as described above, which differs only in the size and shape of the connector.
— USB A. Standard (full-size) USB connector used to connect the device to a computer and other external devices.
— USB C. A miniature version of the USB connector, gaining popularity and in the future capable of displacing microUSB. The interface has a high data transfer rate, and most importantly, it is symmetrical, so the plug can be connected to either side.
- Branded. A connection connector that does not belong to generally accepted standards and is used to a limited extent - in models of one or several manufacturers. However, due to general standardization, this option has practically disappeared from the scene.
Compatibility
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.Eraser
The presence of an
eraser function in the pen — that is, the ability to use the pen not only for drawing a picture, but also for erasing it. Directly the role of the eraser is most often played by the second end of the pen, opposite to the “drawing” one; however, in some models, this function is implemented purely in software — by enabling a special pen mode.