Wacom has introduced the Wacom Movink, positioning it as the first OLED pen display tailored for creative professionals, digital artists, and design students. The Wacom Movink introduces a new Wacom Pro Pen 3 experience with a 13.3-inch full HD OLED display, and becomes the slimest and lightest pen display in Wacom's lineup.

Weighing just 420g and measuring 4mm at its thinnest point, and with a 13.3" OLED display made in collaboration with Samsung, it is the slimmest and lightest of all Wacom's pen displays, measuring 66% thinner and 55% lighter than Wacom One 13 touch. Designed for creatives seeking a portable solution, the Wacom Movink should be easy to slip into a bag for on the move, with Corning Gorilla glass to minimize scratches. The Movink is also compatible with optional accessories like the Wacom Foldable Stand for a quick setup when transitioning between various locations such as studios, meetings, education, and home setups.

The display has a Full HD resolution and 10-bit color, and Wacom promises exceptional color accuracy and deep blacks. For color-critical work, the display can show 100% DCI-P3 and 95% Adobe RGB coverage, with a Delta E difference of 2 or less, and has also been validated by Pantone and Pantone SkinTone.

Wacom claims the Movink offers the fastest response time of any Wacom pen display, along with increased pen detection height and no visible parallax, thanks to its OLED display. Paired with the dedicated Wacom Pro Pen 3, users can expect impressive pen sensitivity and tilt detection for a wide range of drawing techniques. The new pen features a slim pen tip and narrow carbon shaft nib, and comes with three replacement nibs included. 

The device also supports Wacom's Dual Pen Technology, offering compatibility with various digital pens, including older Wacom pens as well as third-party options such as Staedtler, Lamy, Dr. Grip, and more. The Movink also features advanced touch technology and customizable touch keys for setting up workflows to suit your needs.

It is also compatible with multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, and Android. As long as your device supports 15W power delivery, all you need to connect the Wacom Movink is a single USB-C cable, eliminating the need for any additional adapters or connections.

The Wacom Movink will cost $749.95 / £729.99 / AU$1,299 and is available now from Wacom's store and other select retailers soon. 

Find out more about pen tablets with our guide to the best drawing tablets and the best Wacom tablets.

Drawing tablets like the One by Wacom are a refreshing and surprisingly intuitive alternative to hunching over a trackpad for hours on end. And while they’re traditionally considered a mainstay of digital illustrators, they can enhance the workflow of photographers who regularly work with brushes for tasks such as frequency separation, and dodging and burning.

The best Wacom tablets boast thousands of pressure levels, shortcut buttons and super-slick pens. But the One by Wacom trims the fat in favor of a no-frills approach that’s ideal for drawing tablet newbies or anyone who values robustness and portability in favor of the latest bells and whistles. 

I reviewed the One by Wacom's small variant, but if the compact 8.3 x 5.7in dimensions are simply too small, you can also pick up the exact same model in a larger 10.9 x 7.4in medium variant. If you’re looking for a desktop digital illustration workhorse, this might not be the drawing tablet for you. But if you're a photographer or simply not willing to shell out big bucks on the best drawing tablets on the market, then here’s the lowdown on this nifty little slate… 

One by Wacom: Specifications

Size: (Small) W 210 x L 146 x D 8.7 mm / W 8.3 x L 5.7 x D 0.3 in
(Medium) W 277 x L 189 x D 8.7 mm / W 10.9 x L 7.4 x D 0.3 in
Active drawing area: (Small) W 152 x L 95 mm / W 6 x L 3.7 in
(Medium) W 216 x L 135 mm / W 8.5 x L 5.3 in
Resolution: 2540 LPI
Connections: microUSB to USB-A
Pen pressure levels: 2,048
System requirements: Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.10 or later, Chrome OS 87 or later (Kernel 4.4 + required)

One by Wacom: Key features

There’s a reconstituted chic to the One by Wacom’s simple, cardboard packaging. The width and length aren’t far off the tablet’s own dimensions and the minimalist aesthetic is appealing enough, yet provides reassurance that the bulk of this incredibly affordable tablet’s budget has been spent where it matters most. Inside you’ll find the tablet and pen, a Wacom-branded microUSB-to-USB-A cable, a trio of replacement nibs and a nib-removal tool. 

The quick-start guide is a sparse leaflet with largely pictorial instructions and a link to a page on the official Wacom website, with easy-to-follow setup instructions and links to Windows and macOS drivers. Handy tutorial videos are also available, should you have trouble setting up or installing the device. Once installed, you can use the intuitive Wacom Center to set up the tablet and pen to your personal preferences. 

No drivers or installation wizards are required for compatible Chromebooks, making this tablet an excellent workaround for those using company or school computers that block software downloads.

The tablet itself couldn’t be simpler. There are no shortcut buttons – like the four ExpressKeys you’ll find on the standard Wacom Intuos series tablets – but there is a cloth tab to hold the pen when not in use. You’ll find two buttons on the pen itself, which are mapped to right-click and scroll by default, but can be changed to perform a number of functions including erase and undo.

One by Wacom: Design

Latest Cintiq Pros aside, drawing tablets rarely look as sleek as, say, the best camera phones on the market… But whereas the XP-Pen Deco Pro and Huion Inspiroy Dial 2 look aesthetically dated, the One by Wacom won’t detract from that shiny new Macbook Pro. That’s not to say it’s particularly handsome looking, but in a world where minimalist tech is king, the clutter-free design looks suitably 2023. The only element that goes against the grain is the bright red base, which is neither attractive nor intrusive. 

The simplicity of this little slate does make its already solid build feel notably sturdy. There’s no display to crack or buttons to break. It reminds me a lot of the Amazon Kindle. Just like a well-worn notepad or sketchbook, it’s meant to be shoved into a rucksack or kit bag and used. It's this utilitarian design that makes the One by Wacom so attractive from a content creation standpoint. If you’re an illustrator or professional retoucher, looking for a serious drawing tablet that will never leave your carefully curated desktop setup, you’d be much better off looking at a pen display or a premium tablet like the Wacom Intuos Pro.

But if you’re a photographer who’s keen on introducing a drawing tablet into your workflow for the first time or the type of content creator who travels light and values portability above all, then the One by Wacom’s small and sturdy design is a tantalizing prospect. 

The microUSB-to-USB-A cable does hamper the tablet’s portability slightly if you require a USB-C adapter to connect it to your computer. And the lack of Bluetooth connectivity will make it slightly less enjoyable to use on the go, in airports and coffee houses, but its absence is understandable given the pricing.

Picking up the pen for the first time was surprising due to its extremely lightweight. The plastic also feels cheap, and the two buttons aren’t particularly reassuring. This is clearly where Wacom has decided to cut corners and given the sturdy nature of the tablet itself, it seems a sensible sacrifice. 

One by Wacom: Performance

If you’re new to the world of drawing tablets, expect a learning curve. Traditional drawing tablets aren’t as intuitive as pen displays. Putting pen to screen is always going to better replicate putting pen to paper than drawing on a blank tablet, while you view your progress on an upright screen. That said, with practice, anyone can become proficient with a standard tablet. After all, some truly incredible digital artists have been using them for years.

Once you’ve installed the One by Wacom’s necessary driver – or simply plugged in the tablet if you’re working on a Chromebook – you can begin using the device. While a drawing tablet really comes into its own when you’re using brushes in photo editing or digital illustration software, they can be used to navigate your computer just like a trackpad or mouse. You tap the surface of the tablet to ‘click’ and by hovering the pen up to roughly 2cm above the tablet’s surface, the cursor will track your movements. In Mouse mode, lift the pen any higher and it will cease to move. You can then move the pen anywhere on the active area of the tablet and set it down to continue where you left off (I'll get to Pen mode later).

the Wacom Center’s Pen and Mapping settings allow you to customize the pen and tablet's operation. Here, you can change the height at which the pen will still move the cursor. By default, the slider is set in the middle position. Set it to the lowest end and the pen needs to be almost touching the tablet’s surface to register with the cursor, but at the highest end, it really doesn’t seem much different to the default setting.

You can also adjust the acceleration and speed of the cursor. The higher the acceleration, the more responsive the pen feels, so I set it to its highest setting. The speed of the cursor relates to how far it will move in relation to your gestures. At its highest setting, the cursor will shoot from corner to corner – having only moved the pen a couple of inches – while at the lowest setting, you’ll run out of tablet long before you reach the opposite corner of the screen. 

If you’re working on a portrait-orientation document, would like to digitally flip the display to suit your dominant hand, or need to position the USB port on the opposite side of the tablet, you can alter the orientation or flip the device in the Mapping settings. It really is worth taking the time to experiment with all of the pen and mapping settings to find the right setup for you. This will soften the learning curve and make the entire process much more comfortable and enjoyable in the long run. 

Perhaps the One by Wacom’s most obvious spec shortcoming is that it only offers 2,048 pen pressure levels. That’s nearly half the levels of the Wacom Intuos Small and Medium tablets, while being well beneath the pressure sensitivity of other tablets, such as the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium’s  8,192.

If you’re picking up a drawing tablet predominantly for illustration then the step up to an Intuos tablet might be worthwhile. However, if you simply want to try out a drawing tablet for the first time or are a photographer whose usage won’t go beyond edits such as retouching and dodging and burning, I don’t think this is a dealbreaker.

You can also get more out of those pressure levels by customizing the sensitivity of the pen through the Wacom Center’s Interactive Pressure Profile curve. This allows you to alter how hard of soft you have to press to register the varying levels of sensitivity. While this is a more advanced customization option that most users of this entry-level tablet will likely avoid, the ability to alter the curve and immediately preview the changes by drawing lines in an adjacent box, does make it less complicated than it sounds. 

When it comes to the One by Wacom’s pen itself, too often I found myself activating the easy-to-depress buttons by mistake. This is compounded by the lack of any kind of grip; the plastic makes it too easy for the pen to spin between your fingers and make contact with the buttons. You can at least disable the buttons in the Wacom Center, but it is a shame to lose this functionality. 

When drawing, it’s important to set the Mapping settings Mode to Pen. This means the active area represents your computer screen. If you lift the pen off of the tablet completely and set it down elsewhere in the active area the cursor will jump to that point on the screen. This makes for a much more free-flowing drawing experience. When actually sketching out lines the tablet performs well. Lines drawn at a decent pace sweep nicely across the screen with any kind of jitter only appearing at very slow speeds. The tablet keeps up with even the fastest physical strokes too. Sure, some input lag is to be expected, but it’s barely noticeable and doesn’t impact the drawing experience.  

I use an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil 2 to produce digital drawings and although it’s a fantastic setup, the most noticeable drawback is the lack of that classic pen-and-paper feel. The One by Wacom feels really nice in that regard. The tablet’s surface is suitably papery and when paired with the pen’s nibs, the drawing experience is really enjoyable. Marks will appear on the tablet’s surface extremely quickly, but this is to be expected and they shouldn’t impact performance.

The One by Wacom’s small and medium variants match the active area present on the Wacom Intuos small and medium tablets. The general consensus when purchasing a drawing tablet is that bigger is better and I couldn’t agree more; if this is your only tablet and you’re a digital illustrator. If you’re purchasing a second tablet or are a photographer looking to shake up your editing workflow, then I think the smaller One by Wacom is at least worth considering. Sure, you’ll run out of room and have to reset your hand position frequently. But the diddy size and affordable outlay make this the perfect tablet to stuff into your kit bag and work with on the go.   

One by Wacom: Verdict

The One by Wacom doesn’t boast the best spec list in and around its price range, but it stands out for its pen-and-paper-like quality, raft of customization options, and the main tablet’s robust build. While similarly priced drawing tablets feature more pressure levels, the overall drawing experience is very good. The featherweight plastic pen really is the only notable shortcoming, but something had to give at this price point. The small size won't be for everyone, but you can always pick up the larger ‘medium’ variant. If you’re a photographer or digital artist looking for a portable drawing tablet to throw into a bag and take anywhere, or somebody who’s picking up a drawing tablet for the very first time, the One by Wacom is a great choice.

Read more: Find out about other graphic tablets and pen display options in our guide for the best drawing tablet, or check out the best Wacom tablets

The UK Screen Alliance is an organization that acts as the voice of industry professionals in the fields of post-production, VFX, animation, TV & film studios, and production services. They pride themselves on giving a voice to individual businesses, providing a weight that could not be achieved individually. Wacom has now joined them in order to drive creative innovation and technology in the aforementioned industries. 

• See our guide for the best Wacom tablets

When big industry decisions are made that affect the arts in the UK, the UK Screen Alliance stands for smaller businesses, raising issues, driving debate, and lobbying to influence the UK Government. The UK Screen Alliance's goals align with Wacom’s 'commitment to empowering creative professionals to improve both artistic expression and production efficiency through technological advancement'. 

Peter Sommer, a representative of Wacom says, "Our partnership with the UK Screen Alliance underscores our commitment to the creative community and to provide professionals with the tools and support they need to push the boundaries of what is possible in film and VFX. We are looking forward to playing an active role in the alliance, sharing the latest technology, and gaining insights necessary to develop even better tools to drive the future of storytelling". 

Wacom creates fantastic products used by many creative fields and they also feature several times in our guide to the best drawing tablets for photo editing. In addition to supplying the tools needed for artistic production, Wacom offers educational courses and outreach to art communities, and the partnership with the UK Screen Alliance is further proof of that.   

Neil Hatton, CEO of UK Screen Alliance says, "As a key supplier to our sectors, we warmly welcome our new partnership with Wacom. We admire their ongoing commitment to encouraging new talent into the industry and we look forward to working with them, as we call for universities to join UK Screen Alliance in our newly launched education branch".

This collaboration looks to cultivate and innovate creative industries in the UK, providing a voice for the smaller businesses and individuals, and now with Wacom on board, that voice will have even more weight. 

Wacom just has announced two powerful new additions to its top-of-the-range Cintiq Pro family. These new pen displays, the Wacom Cintiq Pro 17 and Wacom Cintiq Pro 22, now include the revolutionary technology introduced with the Pro 27 making, it easier for photographers, retouchers, animators and designers to create beautiful, color-accurate works of art. 

Once you start using a drawing tablet in your editing or creation workflow, it’s hard to go back – and those with built-in screens make it even easier to see exactly what you’re doing. The Cintiq Pro 22 boasts a generous 21.5-inch display, providing more screen real estate for those who require it, while the Cintiq Pro 17 offers a more compact 17.3-inch screen for people who may need to use it at different locations. 

• Check out the best Wacom tablets, including cheaper models perfect for beginners

Both tablets feature stunning 4K resolution and can display a breathtaking 1.07 billion colors. They offer exceptional color coverage, including 100% Rec. 709 and 99% DCI-P3 coverage – the color gamuts frequently used in video, film, and broadcast production. 

Both products are also Pantone and Pantone SkinTone Validated, ensuring accurate representation of the full spectrum of human skin tones, reducing the necessity for a secondary color reference monitor in color-critical workflows. With HDR Gamma support featuring hybrid log gamma and perceptual quantization, you can display and edit realistic HDR footage. 

The Pro Pen 3 can be configured to suit your needs with customizable weight grip thickness, pen buttons and center of balance. After all, no two designers are the same and what works for one may not work for another. 

It has over eight thousand levels of pressure sensitivity and three side switches where you can allocate shortcuts. The super responsive pen can sense even the smallest of movements and, with improved tilt recognition, you can edit with more fluidity than ever before. Included are ten nibs, five standard and five felt, plus a nib removal tool. 

Each display includes eight ExpressKeys along the back corners, to which users can program quick actions such as pen pressure, panning or zoom. Both the Cintiq Pro 22 and the Cintiq Pro 17 come with an Easy Stand, but you can also attach it to your favorite stand or desk mount thanks to the Vesa 75 mount. For maximum flexibility and versatility, the Cintiq Pro Stand can be purchased separately. 

Widely regarded as the best in the business, Wacom’s dedication to innovation remains steadfast by setting the industry standard in drawing tablets and enhancing the workflow of professional creatives. The Wacom Cintiq Pro 17 is now available in the US and UK for $2499.95 / £2349.98 while the Cintiq Pro 22 will be available in December 2023 for $2999.95 / £2849.99. 

Not all tablets have a screen but the best monitors for photo editing will ensure accurate colours and a sharp image.

The Wacom Intuos Pro Medium tablet is a  true game-changer when it comes to photo editing. As well as being a useful tool for graphic design and illustration, it makes retouching images a lot more efficient so you can get through them faster. The extremely responsive Pro Pen 2 feels like an extension of your hand (once you get to grips with using it) and the texture feel of the nib on the tablet's surface has just the perfect amount of glide. 

Wacom Intuos Pro Medium: Specification

Wacom Intuos Pro Medium: Key Features

The Wacom Intuos Pro Medium has transformed my photo editing workflow, allowing me to achieve subtleties in both digital drawing and beauty retouching.  With customizable buttons on the pen and a set of customizable buttons and menu wheel on the tablet you can quickly and easily change the brush you using, the size, double click, zoom in, undo an action and so much more - all depending on how you have it configured.  

The generous active area of the tablet is perfect for photo editing tasks and drawing. I can work on intricate details without feeling constrained, while still having enough space to make broad strokes and adjustments. Buttons on the tablet itself can also be custom-configured to shortcuts you use the most such as undo or erase and the wheel can be used to zoom in and out of an image or scroll up and down.

One of the huge benefits of the Intuos Pro is that it’s completely wireless (unless of course, you need to charge it, in which case it can be plugged in via USB-C). I can sit back and edit comfortably from a distance, which has greatly improved my overall posture and comfort during longer editing sessions. The battery life is impressive, I still get surprised at how long I can edit without worrying about recharging and is usually around the 10-hour mark (not that I have ever edited for that long in one go).

Wacom Intuos Pro Medium: Build and handling

The Intuos Pro Medium's sleek design and ergonomic build ensure a comfortable and natural feel while working on my photos. The responsive touch surface and customizable ExpressKeys provide a seamless and intuitive editing workflow, allowing me to effortlessly navigate through editing software and access my frequently used tools with a simple touch or press. 

One of the standout features for me is the intuitive Pro Pen 2 that's included. It feels like an extension of my hand and offers incredible accuracy and very little lag which I've found on cheaper tablets.  Straight out of the box with the default settings, I found it to be slightly too sensitive but you can change everything from the tip feel to the tilt sensitivity and the pressure sensitivity which adds another layer of realism and makes using the pen feel very natural.

Wacom Intuos Pro Medium: Performance

The tablet's pressure sensitivity is very useful especially when using the tablet for drawing purposes as it does a good job of replicating traditional art materials. 

You can shade and sketch as if you were using paper - the areas you want darker you simply press harder. This feature is a game-changer for retouching and enhancing images with precision so whether I'm dodging and burning, fine-tuning colors, or working on intricate details, the Intuos Pro Medium responds flawlessly to the pressure I apply, resulting in a level of control that's unmatched by a mouse or trackpad.

Wacom Intuos Pro Medium: Final Verdict

When it comes to streamlining and speeding up your photo editing, the Wacom Intuos Pro is the perfect accomplice. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just getting started, the Intuos Pro offers a range of tools and versatile custom options that make it a solid choice - especially for the price.

Its exceptional build quality, intuitive touch controls, pressure-sensitive pen, and wireless capabilities combine to offer an unparalleled editing experience. If you're serious about enhancing your photos and taking your editing skills to the next level, this tablet is an absolute must-have. It has transformed the way I approach editing, and I couldn't be happier with the results I'm able to achieve.

Editing images with a pen and tablet is one of the easiest and fastest ways to edit, and is a setup used across a lot of professional studios around the world. 

Wacom is a company that pioneered drawing tablets and digital pen technology and is today announcing a brand new lineup of pen tablets in its new Wacom One product lineup. The lineup will consist of four new tablets, as well as a brand new customizable pen that will be available in 7 color combinations to suit your style. The new pen features a total of two customizable side switches, and the shared Wacom UD pen technology allows the pen to be used across the entire Wacom series.

The Wacom One product line is comprised of the Wacom One S and Wacom One M pen tablets, these are both more traditional pen tablets that connect to a separate display and work as an input device. 

The other two tablets are the Wacom One 12 and Wacom One 13 touch pen displays, these tablets both have built-in displays that can be drawn directly on. The Wacom One 13 Touch is also Wacom's first display in its class with 10-finger multi-point touch, which offers an entirely new way to interact with the display.

The Wacom One 12 and Wacom One 13 Touch displays feature 11.6” and 13.3” glass screens respectively, these screens both have a 1920x1080 Full HD resolution with 99% sRGB for accurate color reproduction. The screens also feature a low parallax through the optical bonding of the displays for more control and precision. The Wacom One S and M are the first entry-level pen tablets with 4K pressure sensitivity that supports tilt for calligraphy effects. 

The Wacom One pen tablets are not held back by your choice of hardware, with wide compatibility, the tablets and pens can be used with Windows, macOS, Android, and ChromeOS. There is also no complicated setup with the tablets offering simple plug-and-play via a single USB-C cable connection. The new tablets will also ensure compatibility with Wacom-enabled pens from third-party brands including Staedtler (Wacom One displays only), LAMY, or Dr. Grip.

Check out the best Wacom tablets to see the company's impressive range of drawing tablets for photo editing

The Wacom One product family will be available this August. The Wacom One prices will start from $499.95 / £484.99 for the Wacom One 13 touch pen display, the Wacom One 12 pen display from $299.95 / £293.99, the Wacom One M pen tablet from $109.95 / £106.99, and the Wacom One S pen tablet from $59.95 / £55.99.

Find out more about the best drawing tablets for photo editing or the best tablet for photo editing.

Xencelabs is known for its lineup of professional design tools for digital creatives including its Pen Tablet Medium, Pen Tablet Small, and the Quick Keys customizable remote. Today Xencelabs is launching its brand new Pen Display 24 Studio Series, which aims to rival the well-established Wacom Cintiq range.

The 24-inch display features edge-to-edge tempered glass and comes equipped with Xencelabs’ Super-AG Etching, which offers advanced glare and reflection reduction, making the screen more usable in bright rooms with overhead lighting. An anti-fingerprint coating helps reduces streaking and smudges. When drawing with the included pen, the etched glass screen offers a natural feeling of friction to mimic drawing on traditional paper surfaces.

The Pen Display offers up to 1.07 billion colors for accurate color reproduction and supports six industry-standard color spaces. Its 4K Ultra-high-definition resolution ensures that images can be enlarged while not losing clarity and sharpness. The Pen Display 24 is Pantone Validated and Pantone SkinTone Validated, faithfully recreating the full range of Pantone Colors and accurate and diverse skin tones in images.

Pen Display 24 Studio Series offers an accurate pen experience. There are two provided pen sizes suitable for different-sized hands and drawing preferences. The larger pen has an additional customizable button, and each pen has an eraser. Pens can be adjusted to a user's preferred sensitivity as low as 3g, which works alongside the display’s pressure curve.

The included Xencelabs Quick Keys can be attached to the side of the Pen Display 24 and allows artists to add customizable shortcut keys, with each key able to be labeled using the integrated OLED display. There can be up to 40 shortcuts per application with button settings automatically switching between applications. The physical dial offers four function modes for zoom, rotation, brush size, and other functions. Users can quickly access settings via three programmable LED buttons on the top of the Pen Display.

The Xencelabs Pen Display 24 can be tilted at any angle between 16 and 72 degrees and can be adjusted with one hand. The Pen Display 24 is lightweight (5.8 kg / 12.8 lbs) and can be mounted using a standard VESA mount (100x100mm) opening it up to a number of stand and arm options.

The Pen Display 24 comes bundled with all key accessories a budding artist will need, including the Display, two Pens, Quick Keys, and Tilt Stand mentioned above. The display works with all common operating systems, with drivers available for Mac, PC or Linux.

The Pen Display 24 will be available in the second quarter of 2023, and will cost $1,899 / £1,850 (roughly AU$2800) but is available to preorder right away on a first come first served basis.

Read More:

• Best drawing tablets for photographers
• Best Wacom tablets
• Best photo editing tools and accessories

The MobileStudio Pro is a multi-tasker’s dream. The pen computer lets you take your work on the go, and has the processing power to enable you to run multiple 2D, 3D and video-editing software at the same time. Available in 13in and 16in options, it’s the perfect choice for professional artists, photographers, and designers – but with prices starting at $2,599.95, you had better make sure it’s the workstation for you.

Inside the box, you’ll receive a power pack and cable, a quick start guide, a cleaning cloth, and one of its biggest selling points – the top-of-its-class Pro Pen 2, with case, nibs, and color rings. 

The Pro Pen 2 really makes the drawing experience feel natural on the MobileStudio Pro, as there is virtually no lag and no parallax. The matte screen of the tablet adds to the authentic drawing experience as well as boasting an Ultra HD display from a powerful 4GB GDDR5 graphics card.

Specifications

Display size: 15.6in (39.6cm) display 

Resolution: Ultra HD (3,840px x 2,160px)

Processor: Intel® CoreTM i7  

Memory: 512GB SSD and 16GB RAM

As a tablet computer, it’s incredibly lightweight with a sturdy, sleek design and a silicone grip. The forward-facing 5MP camera sits on the opposite side and the Intel® RealDenseTM 3D capture camera sits on the rear, making it a perfect tool to find assets and inspiration wherever you are. 

On the front, you’ll find the multi-touch ExpressKeys, which are fully customizable and application-specific, although the set-up interface could be more intuitive. Once set up though, it means you don’t need to also have a wireless keyboard with you to work effectively. However, the onboard buttons aren’t really a substitute for a keyboard’s worth of shortcuts, especially in Photoshop.

Wacom has plenty of accessories on offer as extras, but one of the biggest bugbears of the MobileStudio Pro is that it does not come with a case or a stand. Another drawback might be that, apart from one audio input, the device only uses USB-C. There are three of these ports on the side and these are also used for charging. The Wacom link is sold separately but does enable you to convert to your preferred cable and also link with a Mac if desired.

Verdict

On the whole, the Wacom MobileStudio Pro is a very impressive device with only minor surmountable drawbacks. The price is high and on a busy day the battery might scrape 2.5 hours, but if you are someone who enjoys working on the go without switching between several devices and requires the reliability, multi-functionality and processing speed of a quality computer, then this could definitely be for you.

Read also our guide to the best drawing tablets for photo editing, and our rundown of the best Wacom tablets

The phrase 'best drawing tablets for photo editing' might sound like a contradiction in terms. But actually, plenty of people use drawing tablets for photo editing in Photoshop, Lightroom and Affinity Photo, and for video editing too.

Why? Quite simply, because drawing tablets, aka graphics tablets, are very sensitive, registering anything up to 8,192 distinct levels of pressure from your pen. And that makes for very precise photo editing. Using a digital stylus (similar to an Apple Pencil) on a drawing tablet makes editing much more natural than using a mouse or a touchpad, and allows you to work faster and with greater accuracy too.

Below, you'll find a list of the best drawing tablets available today – as well as pen displays, where the screen is integrated into the tablet. Plug a pen display into your Windows PC or Mac, and it’s like drawing on your monitor screen. You’ll notice there are a lot of entries from Wacom, which is still the leading brand, but we've also included rivals like XPPen and Xencelabs.

The alternative to using a drawing tablet or pen display is a tablet computer, like an iPad, Surface or Android tablet. Here too you can draw on the screen with a stylus. It depends on whether you are happy to use tablet-based apps and small screens, or whether you would prefer to use Windows or macOS apps on a larger screen. For more on tablet computers, check out our guide to the best tablets for photo editing.

The Quick List

Best drawing tablets for photo editing in 2026

Best drawing tablet overall

We think that when it comes to the fastest and most streamlined setup for your photo editing, the Wacom Intuos Pro is the perfect tool. It doesn't matter if you are a professional photographer or you are just getting started, the Intuos Pro offers a range of tools and versatile custom options that make it a solid choice for all users, as well as a price that doesn't put it out of reach for those who don't have a large budget.

We found the build quality to be exceptional, and the experience top-notch, with intuitive touch controls, a responsive pen and wireless capabilities combining to offer one of the best sets of editing tools out there. If you're serious about taking your photo-editing skills to the next level, this tablet is a must-have.

Read more: Wacom Intuos Pro Medium review

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Best premium drawing tablet

Founded by former Wacom employees, Xencelabs is out to steal some of the premium drawing tablet market for itself. And its first tablet is well worth a look. It's very user-friendly, and unusually comes with two styluses, along with a case, a Quick Key remote, and a drawing glove.

This tablet connects up to your Windows, Mac or Linux computer via wired or wireless connection. The design of the tablet itself is beautifully ergonomic, with a curved front edge that makes long hours of photo editing that little bit more comfortable. The active area is divided into four, with matching LEDs whose colors you can customise. And there are three small customizable buttons at the top of the tablet, for switching programs or changing pen settings.

It all adds up to a well-thought-through design. And any photo editor who likes to tweak their tools for extra comfort and productivity will find a lot to like here.

Read more: Xencelabs Medium Pen Tablet review

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Best budget drawing tablet

This no-frills drawing tablet is a terrific option if you move from location to location often with your laptop, or if you just want a simple editing aide you can set up and put away really quickly. Its design is basic but pleasing, and initial installation for Windows or macOS is straightforward. If you own a Chromebook, no setup is required: just plug it in and it’s ready to use.

When we had the Small version of One by Wacom on for testing (a Medium version is also available, we were delighted by its ease of use. There are plenty of customization options to adjust the performance to your needs. You won’t find the shortcut buttons often seen on larger drawing tablets, but there are a couple on the pen.

The pen is our main complaint: it works well enough, but we thought it felt too light and plasticky in our hand, without the pleasing heft of other Wacom pens. That aside, this is a super-convenient editing tool you can slip away in the supplied pouch once you’re done.

One by Wacom is not to be confused with the similarly named Wacom One pen display, which we cover later in this guide.

Read more: One by Wacom review

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Best pen displays for photo editing in 2026

Best pen display overall

Xencelabs is owned by the same parent company as XPPen and occupies the more premium end of the drawing tablet market. The Xencelabs Pen Display 16 doesn’t come cheap, but it’s a pro-grade offering that boasts a fantastic drawing experience, a 4K OLED screen, all the accessories you could possibly need (if you opt for the Bundle package), and crucially for photographers, very good color accuracy. I’m talking 1.07 billion colors, 98% Adobe RGB, 98% P3-D65, and 99% SRGB.

If you’re used to touch-sensitive devices, you may find this tablet’s non-touch-sensitive surface jarring at first, but the upside is that you never have to worry about rogue inputs while drawing again. The more expensive Bundle package (there’s also an Essentials package) comes with Xencelabs’ proprietary Quick Keys remote, which I consider essential. The many tactile controls on this free-standing device can be assigned to a huge variety of ‘hot keys’ and can be customised on an application-by-application basis, so you can assign the remote to perform different functions in, say, Adobe Photoshop to Affinity Photo.

As for the 16-inch display size, if you’re unsure as to what size pen display to go for, I’d always recommend opting for a 16-inch screen. It’s big enough not to feel overly restrictive when drawing, but small enough to carry to and from the office, coffee shop or client. Pair the usable screen real estate with the wealth of accessories, top-notch color accuracy, and premium drawing experience, and you’ve got the best pen display in my list, overall.

Read more: Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review

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Best premium pen display

The big brother of the excellent Xencelabs Pen Display 16 does pretty much everything the same and more. At the time of writing, it’s the only Calman Ready pen display on the market. Calman allows for Hollywood-grade color calibration, but you’ll have to invest in third-party software and a compatible colorimeter to calibrate the Pen Display 24+ to this standard. Calman isn’t compatible with Apple silicon Macs, either, and it doesn’t come cheap, so this really is a professional, studio-grade feature that won’t be required by most users. And besides, the color accuracy is top-notch from the get-go.

The vast majority of Pen Display 24+ owners will be coming for that giant 24-inch screen and Xencelabs’ exemplary pen display experience. While a 16-inch display is more portable, there’s nothing quite like working on a huge 24-inch display. If you’re looking for a pen display to permanently set up in your home office, then the extra real estate will be welcome. Especially as the pen display’s included Tilt Stand can be set upright for use as a second monitor.

On the subject of accessories, it would be easier to list what the Pen Display 24+ doesn’t come with. Such delights include the proprietary Quick Keys remote, two styluses, and all the cables you could possibly need to connect the device accordingly. The Xencelabs Pen Display 24+ might be a significant outlay, but it’s quite simply one of the best pen displays on the market.

Read more: Xencelabs Pen Display 24+ review

Best 16-inch pen display

A 16-inch pen display tends to be the sweet spot for those looking for a decent amount of screen real estate, yet something that’s portable enough to take into the office or move onto the sofa with. The XPPen Artist Ultra 16 is one of the best 16-inch devices on the market, thanks to its 4K OLED display and Calman Verified status, meaning it’s not only crisp and vibrant, but it boasts a high level of color accuracy fresh from the box.

You can expect a great drawing experience, too. The pen display features 16,384 pen-pressure levels and is also touch sensitive. Whether you prefer a touch-sensitive pen display or not is down to personal preference, with the latter catered for by XPPen sister brand, Xencelabs. However, you can enjoy a little of both worlds with the Artist Ultra 16 by customizing the touch-sensitive area to help mitigate accidental palm inputs.

Beyond the premium technical specs, you get a modern-looking device with a clean bezel. Shortcuts are performed via the included ACK05 Shortcut Remote, the dial and buttons are blank, so you will need to memorize your custom inputs, but this provides better ergonomics than on-board controls. You also get two styluses, one thicker and one thinner, so you can choose which one is more comfortable or swap and change depending on the task at hand.

Read more: XPPen Artist Ultra 16 review

Best large drawing tablet

The XPPen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 4K is a big, beautiful pen display that doesn’t quite match the premium experience delivered by the Xencelabs Pen Display 24+, but then again, it costs roughly $600 less. And while the aforementioned Xencelabs might be Calman Ready, the XPPen’s Calman Verified status is arguably more useful to the vast majority of users.

Rather than requiring expensive third-party software for Calman color calibration, the Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) is factory calibrated to Calman standards out of the box. Sure, it’s not going to be as color-accurate as a device that’s been Calman color-calibrated in situ, but it’s a middle ground that I’m sure will better suit your average creative. What's more, the tablet comes with XPPen's proprietary ColorMaster, color calibration software, so you can further calibrate your pen display, provided you have a compatible colorimeter.

What you get, then, is 99% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, 98% Display P3, making this a great choice for photographers looking to add a pen display to their workflow. Like the Xencelabs tablet, you get two styluses, a wireless shortcut remote, a stand, and a wealth of cables. The device is easy to set up, features great pen sensitivity levels, and reliable colors mean you can confidently edit photographs. If you’re torn between the XPPen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 4K and Xencelabs Pen Display 24+, and you want to save yourself some money, I’d plump for the former.

Read more: XPPen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 4K review

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Best budget pen display

A very good cover-all-bases tablet, the XPPen Artist 16 pen display gives you all you really need to start editing your images, at a great price to boot. While it doesn’t quite have that tactile Wacom feel when you’re drawing on its screen, for photo adjustments and edits, it does the job admirably.

The ultra-sensitive stylus has 8,192 levels of sensitivity, and the eminently portable design of the tablet itself means it’s easy to pack up and take anywhere with you for editing on the go. For a terrific balance between pricing and features, XPPen’s tablet is tough to beat.

Read more: XPPen Artist 16 review

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Best standalone pen display

This little 12.2-inch pen display differs from anything else on my list because it’s a standalone pen display. That means it operates under its own steam. It’s essentially your standard consumer Android tablet, complete with Google Play access so you can download a variety of apps, but with specialist pen display design features. Namely, it comes with XPPen’s X3 Pro Pencil stylus, features a matte, paper-like display, and comes with ibis Paint X built in.

The processor lacks the grunt required for more intensive editing regimes, and although vibrant, the screen isn’t accurate enough for serious photo editing. However, if you’re looking for a highly portable pen display for quick on-location edits or more casual appointments, or if you primarily want a consumer tablet, but one that can double as a capable pen display, the XPPen Magic Drawing Pad will certainly meet those criteria. It also won’t break the bank and is small enough, slim enough, and light enough to live in your camera bag.

Read more: XPPen Magic Drawing Pad

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How to choose the best drawing tablet

How do you choose between the different drawing tablets on the list above? First, think about which size works best for you: a big tablet with a large drawing area, one that's small and portable, or something in-between? Also, consider whether you want a drawing tablet, where you draw on the tablet and view your computer’s display, or a pen display with its own screen that you can draw on. Finally, think about how much you wish to spend: on the whole, the more you spend, the better all-round experience you'll get.

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How we test drawing tablets

Testing the best drawing tablets involves testing its pressure sensitivity, resolution, and responsiveness. We also evaluate build quality and design, considering factors such as ergonomics, portability and durability, and assess how user-friendly the user interface and customization options are.

Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World

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Wacom tablets have a strong reputation for serious content creation. Most commonly used by digital artists, they’re also popular amongst photographers and designers for graphics, image and video editing due to their high build quality, great ergonomics, vivid color and paper-like stylus experience.

There’s one main problem: as our guide to the best Wacom tablets shows, there are so many different models, and it can all get a little confusing. Especially when Wacom releases a new version of an existing tablet but keeps the same name. 

And that’s just happened again. Earlier this year, the Cintiq Pro 16 – not to be confused with the Cintiq 16 – was quietly discontinued by Wacom. Now, it’s been replaced by... the new Cintiq Pro 16 2021. 

This tablet is at the upper end of Wacom’s range, both in terms of price and performance, and aimed squarely at creative professionals. Like the previous iteration, it boasts 4K (3840 x 2160px) resolution, an active drawing area of 344 x 194 mm (13.6 x 7.6 in) and overall dimensions of 410 x 266 x 22 mm (16.1 x 10.5 x 0.9 in). As before, it comes with a pen offering 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity. So what, exactly, is new?

See also: Best drawing tablets for photo editing

Improved ergonomics

Wacom says it’s taken customer feedback into account when redesigning the Cintiq Pro 16, and that seems to ring true. Because the changes in the new tablet are less about whizz-bang new internal specs, and more about practical changes that make it easier to use in day-to-day workflow. 

Firstly, Wacom has given thought to enabling good posture and preventing us all for future back pain. With this in mind, the Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 2021 has a new VESA mount that can be combined with its adjustable stand (or any VESA-compatible third-party arm or stand), giving you extra flexibility to make sure you’re sitting healthily and comfortably.

Wacom has also placed eight new ExpressKeys – for integrating and customizing keyboard shortcuts and modifiers into your workflow – on the rear edge sides of the display, with four on each side. This is better ergonomically, and also provides more screen real estate for drawing.

“Moving the ExpressKeys to the rear of the device is more intuitive and improves ergonomics and haptic feedback as the keys are located in an area where most user’s hands will naturally gravitate to when working,” says Faik Karaoglu, executive vice president of marketing for Wacom’s Creative Business Unit.

Finally, Wacom has also made connecting your Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 2021 to a PC or Mac easier. As you can see above, all cables are now connected to the top of the device, keeping them out of the way of your daily work. 

In addition, the display’s cables contain no PVC, which meets recent SDG requirements aimed at cleaning up the environment.

New physical switch

One of the most annoying things that can happen when doing detail work with a pen is accidentally brushing the touch display with your fingers. So Wacom has added a physical switch on the top of the Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 2021 to turn the multi-touch function on and off. 

If you want to use the pen in combination with your fingers, then great: switch it on. If, though, you only want to use the pen and want to avoid hitting the display with fingers accidentally, switch it off.

Price and availability

Compatible with both Macs and PCs, the Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 2021 and will be priced at $1499.95 / £1,349.99 / AU$2,199. It’s expected to be available at select retail locations in November.

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The Photography Show and Video Show 2021 is in full swing and we're having a blast exploring the talks, demos and kit previews on the show floor. One of the great things about TPS is the chance to chat to both pro shooters and brand experts, to gain insider tips and advice for how to improve your photography and get the most from your kit. 

We got to the show early this morning and headed straight to the Wacom stand to have a chat with Ian Sayers, Wacom Ambassador and photo editing expert about choosing a graphics tablet. These are the accessories which which new photographers can view as shrouded in mystery - the pros all use them and say they can't live without them, yet it's unclear exactly why!

Ian was kind enough to go into detail about all of the key features to look for and all of the major considerations to make when looking to purchase your first editing tablet. Let's demystify these invaluable tools.

First considerations

Looking at the choice of graphics tablets available can be quite an intimidating experience in the first instance. Just where should you begin? Before anything else Ian recommends looking at your available work space and using this as a metric for focussing your search criteria. 

"Ask yourself what your desk and screen size is" advises Ian. "There's no point having a huge display, which takes up all of your desk space. I always look at it this way, rather than looking at features first."

By considering your space limitations first, it makes sure you don't invest in a tablet which slows down your workflow instead of speeding it up and making a more comfortable and streamlined - the main reasons for buying a graphics tablet in the first place. "Obviously budget is very important, but put that to the side for a while. Comfort and convenience is critical" says Ian.

Top tablet features 

As with many aspects of technology in the photographic and creative industry there are a plethora of features and tools to choose from when buying a graphics tablet. For this reason it can be a challenge to narrow down exactly what you need for your common area of work and regular creative endeavours. Much of the choice of tablet type comes down to personal preference, though it is important to make some informed decisions - the functionality of your tablet is going to impact the way you work going forward. 

"There are a few types available" Ian explains. "Ask yourself if you prefer a display or a tablet. With a display you work directly on-screen, whereas with a tablet you are drawing on a separate surface. It's a different experience. Even with a tablet you have to choose between a touch or non-touch. If you are used to the iPhone, for example and Apple touch features, then you might prefer to have touch on all the time." 

When it comes to touch interaction Ian points out that if your tablet is not sensitive you can't turn the feature on should you decide you need it in future, but you can turn it off when you don't require it. For this reason, even at an entry-level, it may be a better idea to invest in a touch-enabled model, which could prove more future proof.

Don't make these mistakes!

When starting out with a graphics tablet Ian points out some key mistakes photographers can make. These mainly centre around user appreciation of all their tablet has to offer and failing to delve into the custom functions. 

"Many people don't take the time to fully customise their tablet or display. You can plug and play, to get started right away, but you're not going to get the full experience. Also, throw away your mouse! It takes time to get used to using a tablet - it's a different experience . But if you leave your mouse on your desk muscle memory kicks in and if you can't do something with your new tablet, you'll just use what's familiar. You may as well put the stylus away in that case!"

Many tablets and displays allow you to change the pressure sensitivity, the functions of the hotkeys on the units itself, or the device preferences, and the behaviour of brushes. Incorrectly setting these up will slow you down and create a disconnect between you and the image you are working on, in software. 

Not giving the experience time to become familiar is another common mistake. When using a tablet or touch display for the first time it can be a bit disorientating, especially when working on a horizontal surface for the first time, while looking at a screen in front of you. Start with simple operations to begin with and then work in the tablet to more complex operations, such as selections, as you get more experienced.

Top reasons to buy a graphics tablet

As Ian points out, once you start using a tablet and become accustomed to the way it works, there's no looking back. Coming over from using a mouse or laptop track pad, it can be hard to know who you ever managed to perform certain operations with any accuracy!

"There are some things you just can't repeat with a mouse, pressure sensitivity for example. You do a brush stroke with a tablet and pen and it's impossible to copy it with a mouse. There's also the comfort of using a pen - it feels natural. The interactivity sucks you in. You just need to time to get used to it."

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The best Wacom tablets in 2021

If you like the ideas of using a pen display to produce hand-drawn illustrations, but have been put off by the price of some models, industry-leader Wacom may have the answer. The new Wacom One Creative Pen Display tablet launched at CES 2020 has been designed as a cost-effective 13" pen tablet for aspiring digital artists and content creators wanting to create fresh graphics, or to enhance photos and video with a more natural, ergonomic method of digital input.

• Read more: Best graphics tablets | Best Wacom tablets

The Wacom One Creative Pen Display’s pressure-sensitive pen incorporates EMR (Electro Magnetic Resonance) technology, meaning it doesn't require a battery or any recharging. The 1920 x 1080 Full HD color display offers 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, 72 per-cent coverage of the NTSC color space and is finished with an anti-glare film. There are also foldable legs built into the chassis, helping you to set a more comfortable working position.

Wacom One Creative Pen Display is compatible with Windows and Mac, along with Android devices, enabling you to use your phone as the host device instead of a computer. It can be used with several third-party pens from manufacturers such as Lamy, Samsung and Staedtler.

Bundled with each Wacom One Creative Pen Display tablet is a six-month free trail of Clip Studio Paint Pro from Celsys; a powerful, easy-to-use drawing application for comic and manga creation. You also get Wacom’s own Bamboo Paper app for note-taking and sketching. The Wacom One also opens up all the pen-enabled features in Windows 10 and Mac OSX.

Wacom One is available now in the US from B&H, priced at $399.95 and can be purchased from Wex Photo Video in the UK for £359.

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Wacom has released a new tablet, the Wacom MobileStudio Pro16. This graphic tablet computer hybrid will have a 15.6" display, Wacom Pro Pen 2 compatibility, a fingerprint sensor and a 4K screen. Running Windows 10 Pro and powered by Intel, this tablet is squarely targeted at on-the-go professionals and digital content designers.  

An update to the MobileStudio Pro 16 that Wacom released two years ago, the tablet's processor has been updated from dual core to quad core and has been given Thunderbolt 3 connections for a speedier user experience. Thunderbolt 3 has a maximum throughput of 40 Gb/s when used with compatible devices. 

• Read more: Best graphics tablets | Best Wacom tablets

The display also has an etched glass surface that's designed to simulate the resistance of pen on paper. Interestingly, you'll also be able to use touch gestures to navigate through menus. 

With an ultra high-resolution 3840 x 2160 UHD display and 85% Adobe RGB coverage, Wacom have stuffed this MobileStudio Pro 16 update with as many tantalizing features as possible. 

The new MobileStudio Pro 16 will come with the Wacom Pro Pen 2, which is four times more pressure sensitive and accurate than its predecessor. In addition, it doesn't require any batteries or recharging - which will be a welcome feature for busy professionals. 

The MobileStudio Pro 16 will also have a USB Type-C port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and an SD card reader. In addition, it has a 5MP front camera and an 8MP rear camera, which is perfect for snapping quick photos on-the-go. 

The tablet will have a 5.5 hour operating battery life, which is a slight improvement on the previous version's 5 hours. 

If you're interested in investing in the MobileStudio Pro 16, you can pre-order the tablet for around £3,200 ($3,500). However, just be aware that because Wacom haven't updated the actual name of the product, if you see the tablet on sale for less than £3,000 ($3,000), you're likely looking at the old version. Hopefully, this will be resolved once the latest update has been fully released.

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The Samsung Galaxy Note-series is the do-it-all phone line combining an S Pen with power and a big-screen experience, year-on-year. A quick glance over the Note 10 Plus’ spec sheet and you won’t be disappointed. The phone outclasses the Huawei P30 Pro when it comes to RAM and storage, outguns the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G when it comes to power and according to DxO Mark, outperforms every other smartphone on the scene from an imaging point of view. With a virtually identical camera array to the S10-line though, is it really that different? 

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus: price, specs and features:

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus costs $1,099/£999, comes with 256GB storage and 12GB RAM, making it the most expensive 4G Android smartphone around, but also amongst the most powerful. Its 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED QHD+ screen is sharp, bright and notch-free, protected by Gorilla Glass, and the phone is IP68 water and dust resistant.

Samsung’s decision to scrap the headphone jack on the Note 10-series made headlines; there’s also no adapter in the box, just a pair of USB-C AKG headphones which will irk some. On the plus, they’re decent headphones, and the Note 10 features Dolby-tuned stereo speakers, as well as plenty of EQ settings under the hood for audiophiles to play about with. 

With its 4,300mAh battery, Exynos 9825 processor and 12GB RAM combo, power inside is ample and power management is very well handled indeed, with the Note 10 easily making it through a full day without breaking a sweat.

The phone runs Android 9 with Samsung’s One UI over the top, and this is customised a step further than on other Galaxy phones to take advantage of the Note’s S Pen. This stylus slots into the phone’s base, and delivers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity thanks to the Wacom digitizer under the display of the Note.

Pull out the pen and you’re presented with options to take notes or engage in smart actions like translate text you hover the pen over. There are also new gesture commands you can fire-up with the S Pen - wave it about to control elements on the phone. 

Most of these, we could have done without, but one feature we love using is the Note’s remote shutter button on the S Pen. Pop-out the pen, long-press the small button on its top-side and you can fire up the camera. Frame up your shot, whether on a tripod or a surface and you can use the pen as a shutter release - ideal for long exposures.

If you like handwriting, then no phone can stack-up to the Note-series, with the optical character recognition (OCR) being second to none. The Note 10 Plus even indexes your handwritten notes to make them searchable, which is incredibly handy for lecture notes or meeting minutes. 

It’s also the most precise way to apply spot corrections in Lightroom for mobile or draw using Autodesk Sketchbook Pro on a smartphone. You can see an example illustration created on the Note 10 Plus in our week with it below.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus: Camera specs

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus’ rear quad camera is comprised of a 12MP primary camera (f/1.5/2.4 variable aperture, 26mm) with a 1/2.55-inch sensor, and 1.4µm pixels, complete with Dual Pixel phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and optical image stabilization (OIS). The telephoto 12 MP camera (f/2.4, 52mm) features a 1/3.6-inch sensor, 1.0µm pixels and OIS, which equates to a 2x optical zoom. The ultrawide 16 MP (f/2.2, 12mm) is the least specced-out module, with no autofocus or OIS, and finally, there’s that Time of Flight camera for 3D depth detection. 

As for the selfie camera, it’s the same 10MP sensor as found on the Galaxy S10 Plus, with a 26mm wide-angle and unlike most front cameras, it sports autofocus. Unlike the S10 5G though, it isn’t accompanied by a ToF 3D camera. 

The Note 10-Plus packs shooting modes aplenty: Automatic, Video, Live Focus, Live Focus Video, Pro, Food, Night, Instagram, Slow Motion, Super Slow-mo, and Hyperlapse. Across most of these, you can choose whether to shoot with the ultrawide, wide or telephoto cameras.

Photos are captured at full 12MP resolution by default, and videos can be recorded at up to 60fps in 4K resolution. The front camera can also record 4K 30fps too, which is impressive. As for the ultrawide camera, it delivers heavy barrel distortion, but if you dive into ‘Save options’, in the settings, then tap ‘Ultra wide shape correction’, if corrects it, slightly reducing the wide angle.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus: Camera performance

The Note 10’s automatic mode, called ‘Photo’, delivers a fantastic point-and-shoot experience. You can leave it in this mode, snap away, and you’re likely to get a decent shot time after time. Samsung’s Auto HDR feature is on by default, and captures plenty of tonal detail across a scene, tapering blown-out areas like a pro, even in challenging conditions. 

Photos also deliver plenty of clarity, too. While the phone’s pixel-count doesn’t rival that of the Honor 20 Pro, for example, it’s still able to produce images that can easily be printed off and blown up, provided the lighting is right. As with the S10 5G, saturation is a bit on the boosted side, especially prevalent in scenes with a lot of green when the smart scene optimizer is turned on. Turn this off and it mutes things a touch, making pictures look less poppy, but more realistic.

When the lights drop, the Note 10 Plus features a wide aperture, f/1.5 lens to help keep things clear in automatic mode, and there’s a ‘Night’ mode too. The reality is, while it brightens things up quite a bit, shots in low light look mottled and lower on detail than the best out there. Even Night mode isn’t quite class-leading, so while it’s better than the iPhone Xs, with phones like the P30 Pro, Pixel 3 and Pixel 3A producing long-exposure night shots that can literally see in the dark, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus still hasn’t taken that crown.

It does, however, feature an excellent Pro mode that unlocks variable ISO sensitivity, lens aperture (which you can set at either f/1.5 or 2.4), white balance, manual focus, etc. Grabbing a low ISO shot with a long exposure time is one way of overcoming any low-light limitations, but you’ll need a steady surface or a tripod to really get P30 Pro-quality low-light photos on the S10-series. The maximum ISO in Pro mode is 800, and the maximum shutter speed is 10 seconds, with a nearest focal-range of about 15cm. 

As for the ToF sensor, this turbo-charges the Live Focus mode, which senses the depth of a scene and blurs out the background. For clearly defined foregrounds and backgrounds, it works to great effect unless there’s a huge amount of intricacy - capturing videos or photos of foliage and branches, for example.

As for video, it looks exceptional across the front and rear cameras - almost gimbal-esque when standing still. Walking while shooting with heavy footsteps creates an unnatural stabilised judder though, but light, gliding footsteps don’t tend to come through as handshake, which is impressive. The Live Focus Video mode is also a bit of fun, blurring out the background in video in realtime, using the information from the ToF camera to show the effect live, though we wouldn’t use it for anything serious. Meanwhile, the selfie camera captures sharp, good looking images with decent dynamic range, even if it can’t stack up to the rear camera array.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus: Verdict

The Galaxy Note 10 Plus is an excellent phone, there’s no getting around that fact. Compared to an iPhone, it’s actually reasonably priced, given its impressive specs and performance in the real world. This is especially true in the UK, with the 256GB Note 10 Plus costing £999/$1,099 and the 256GB iPhone Xs Max costing £1,249/$1,249 - Apple products offer better comparative value in the US.

If you don’t need the pen though, it’s a tough sell given the Android competition on the scene. The Galaxy S10 Plus, which comes in at £799/$999 is virtually identical from an imaging point of view. Meanwhile, the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom delivers a more versatile stills camera, and the P30 Pro sports comparable across the board features, with a periscope zoom and a lower price. So while the Note 10 Plus is the best Android phone you can buy right now, it might not be the right one for you, and more importantly, for your wallet.

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