Review on Wacom DTK1660K0A Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet: A Powerful Screen-based Sketching Tool by Tara Perry

I'm an illustrator and animator (@inkshift) with over 14 years experience at Disney & Cartoon Network here in Portland, Oregon. I've also been a Wacom user for over 20 years so let me start this review by saying they really threw it out of the park with this new Cintiq 22. This is also my 4th Cintiq so judge for yourself whether I have a problem with it or not ;) I have a 27" Pro in my office as well as a new 16" and a very old 12" inch tablet, in addition to some tablets released in the late 90's. This Cintiq 22 is part of the new range of more affordable Cintiqs that Wacom launched this year, and it really seems to be the sweet spot between the smaller 16s and the big pros. Full Disclosure: Wacom provided me with this device for review, but I solemnly swear that all views in this review are complete and 100% my own. that cost twice as much. As you can see in the attached slow-motion illustration I made on this 22, each line came out exactly how I wanted it: smooth tapers, no shaky lines, no smudges, weird unintended textures, or weird ends of my strokes. The included Pro Pen 2 is a durable and comfortable pen that really helps you feel the 8192 levels of pressure. You can also use the new slim Pro Pen if you want a slicker pen, but I prefer the shorter one. Second, the overall build quality and polish is impressive, it's very solid and the design is professional and clean. A small detail, but an important one for me: the power button is easy to press, feels good and responds quickly. The whole machine feels very solid without being overly heavy. I wish they would bring back the side buttons on the 12-inch and 21-inch models, but I can see how ergonomically and aesthetically it makes sense to omit them. It should be noted that this 22" TV does not come with a remote control or bluetooth keyboard which is not a problem for me as my 27" computer comes with a remote control and I never use it. However, it does come with an awesome kickstand pre-installed! The new stand is strong, stable, lightweight, made of solid metal with non-slip rubber feet, easy to use and very flexible. This time Wacom REALLY helped its users with the stand, as I wasn't a fan of the stands of the past: they're either huge, expensive, bulky and awkward to use, or they just have small fold-out legs that just aren't enough for prolonged use and you will need to invest in a retractable mount that can keep your Cintiq suspended/propped. glass display. This means there is a bit of space between the stylus and the screen, and this usually means there is more parallax (offset between the cursor and the stylus), but I didn't notice this after calibrating properly. The screen has an anti-glare surface that's nice to the touch and smooth, not slippery or slippery at all, with just the right amount of texture. Another difference between this 22nd line and the Professional line is the Adobe RGB color palette. This Cintiq has 72% Adobe RGB compared to 97% for the Pro line, but I don't think you'll be disappointed (or honestly really noticed? I haven't) unless you care very for color and color correction or need it the most accurate representation. But at this point you should probably invest in a professional line. As I said, I also have the new 16, which is great too, but felt a little small to me and got unwieldy very quickly when I had to open multiple palettes/windows. With a diagonal of 22 inches (visible area 21.5 inches), this is not a problem at all. Wacom has paid close attention to both the packaging details and the power cords attached: a free UK mains plug is included in the box, as are 2 different power cord orientations: horizontal and vertical. As you can see in my unboxing, at first glance I'm a bit surprised by the amount of power cables, but on closer inspection everything becomes clear. The installation was very easy: 3 cables as shown in the picture. The HDMI cable is a welcome addition compared to 3-in-1 cables that can get a little tangled, bulky and need to be replaced entirely if ONE of them has a problem. What should you pay attention to! I have not adjusted the parameters of the pressure curve. because they worked out of the box, but I changed the click speed and also disabled Windows Ink (I'm using Windows 10). I don't understand what Windows Ink is for, but it seems to me that you just can't drag/select text into input fields. Conclusion: Overall a nice and affordable device. It's technically part of their "budget" line, but there's no budget for the size or quality of this device. The size, design, and build quality all emphasize class and quality, and the pen and pressure sensitivity are best in class. Although the device is not small, it strikes the perfect balance between roominess and compactness. It doesn't take up your entire desk like my larger units, and it won't cost you $1,200. I would definitely recommend this to the professional on a budget or the very lucky/future-minded student or hobbyist. PROS: - Soft, smooth and responsive pressure sensitivity - Smooth but not smooth anti-glare surface - Sturdy build quality and professional looks - Comes with a strong, stable and flexible stand. Large size with room for longer strokes and any palettes/windows you might need to open. Stays cool even when you work all day. 4k of the newer models, but I also have a 4k model and I'm not worried about possible pixelation. All my illustrations are made at 600 dpi and I haven't noticed any problems. - I had 1 dead pixel but I only notice it when I look. Today I streamed a commission on my Inkshift Facebook group and never noticed it.