Has XP-Pen just solved accidental touch inputs? Artist Ultra 16 pen display launches with advanced touch controls

XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 lifestyle image showing person sat at computer using the pen display

The XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 is Calman Verified, so you can expect top-notch color accuracy (Image credit: XP-Pen)

The XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 pen display, which won a Red Dot Award for its design, has officially launched today. This flagship 15.6-inch tablet boasts XP-Pen’s proprietary next-gen touch technology, a 4K OLED screen, and is Calman Verified. The Artist Ultra 16 debuts the brand’s new Ultra series, and according to the Shenzhen-based outfit, “sets a new industry benchmark by combining professional-grade performance with versatile portability”.

Despite the midrange price tag, XP-Pen is firmly targeting professional creators with the Artist Ultra 16. The manufacturer touts headline features such as “ultra-responsive touch interaction”, a 4K OLED display with “exceptional color accuracy”, and 16K-pressure sensitivity. The “revolutionary” touch system, said to deliver “unprecedented creative freedom”, is called X-Touch. It supports 10-finger multi-touch for both Windows and macOS, and here’s the exciting bit, it’s designed to mitigate accidental inputs.

XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 product image showing front and rear of pen display, as well as ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote and stylus — The XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 features a 15.6-inch, 4K OLED screen (Image credit: XP-Pen)

Anyone who’s used a touch-sensitive pen display before will know that, while they offer intuitive operation when zooming in/out or moving around the canvas, the user’s palm can occasionally conflict with stylus inputs. A drawing glove is a popular, but not infallible, workaround, and some tablets, such as the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 have combated this by omitting non-stylus touch inputs altogether. The XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16, then, is said to use customizable touch zones, so users are able to “effortlessly define their workspace by simply drawing on screen”. If it works, it could be a fantastic solution to an age-old frustration.

Elsewhere, the Artist Ultra 16’s 15.6-inch 4K OLED screen is powered by AMOLED technology, features a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, and 1-ms response time for “smooth, accurate strokes”. And of course, the display’s Calman Verified status means it will ship with a high level of color accuracy and that’s before you consider the 10-bit native color depth, a Delta E <1.1 rating, so you can expect almost no difference in color between input and display, and a wide gamut coverage of 99% Adobe RGB, 99% sRGB, and 98% Display P3.

XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 product image showing everything that comes in the box, including the pen display and box as well as a range of cables, the two styluses and ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote — Inside the box, you’ll find everything you need to get started, including two styluses and the XP-Pen ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote (Image credit: XP-Pen)

As has become the norm with higher-end XP-Pen products, the Artist Ultra 16 comes with a pair of X3 styluses and a case for them to reside in: the thicker X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus and X3 Pro Slim Stylus, both providing 16K pressure sensitivity and 60-degree tilt. The device also comes with the ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote, which features ten customizable shortcut buttons and a dial.

The XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 has an aluminum casing and a slim profile, so it can slip into an appropriately sized rucksack. Shortcut keys and integrated palm rests have been ergonomically implemented to enhance comfort and precision.

XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 lifestyle image showing two people collaborating while using the pen display — XP-Pen is calling its new X-Touch technology “revolutionary” (Image credit: XP-Pen)

Pen displays are a great solution for photographers whose work revolves around skin retouching, compositing, and/or dodging and burning. XP-Pen is one of the market leaders in the drawing tablet/pen display sphere, covering mid-range peripherals as part of the Hanvon Ugee Group, which is also the parent company of premium drawing tablet brand, Xencelabs. The XP-Pen Artist Ultra 16 is available now and retails for $899.99 / £899 (AU$TBC).

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Thinking of adding a pen display to your workflow? Here's how I edit photos with an Apple Pencil and my iPad Pro. If a 16-inch pen display isn't big enough, check out the Xencelabs Pen Display 24+. If you'd like a more traditional drawing pad, take a look at the Wacom Intuos Pro.

Mike studied photography at college, honing his Adobe Photoshop skills and learning to work in the studio and darkroom. After a few years writing for various publications, he headed to the ‘Big Smoke’ to work on Wex Photo Video’s award-winning content team, before transitioning back to print as Technique Editor (later Deputy Editor) on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine.

With bylines in Digital Camera, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Practical Photography, Digital Photographer, iMore, and TechRadar, he’s a fountain of photography and consumer tech knowledge, making him a top tutor for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters, and more. His expertise extends to everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...

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