Wacom is known for crafting high quality products, and so both Cintiqs and regular Intuos graphics tablets are well made devices.

Do you want a Wacom tablet but not sure Which one to get? with or without a screen? Does it really matter? is a Cintiq worth it?

Don’t worry! You come to the right place! there are some big differences and external factors you have to consider when comparing them.

What Does a Wacom Cintiq have that Regular Intuos Tablets Don’t have?

A Wacom Cintiq is a type of pen display tablet, and it has several features that set it apart from regular Intuos graphics tablets:

1. Built-in Screen:

Cintiq: A Cintiq has an integrated screen that allows you to draw directly on the display itself, so there’s no disconnect between your hand and what you see.

This mimics traditional drawing tools like paper or canvas, feels much like traditional painting, giving a more natural and intuitive drawing experience than regular screenless tablet.

Regular Tablets: Regular graphics tablets, like the Wacom Intuos, do not have a built-in screen. Instead, you draw on the tablet surface and look at your computer screen to see the results.

Since Regular tablets like the Intuos do not have the direct visual feedback that a Cintiq offers, which may impact the drawing experience for some artists.

You might have problem with coordination using a Intuos. It might take some time, about 1-2 weeks, to get used to.

Based on my experience with a Cintiq 16, I thought it was great for lineart, which is easier to control than Intuos. It makes me able to draw the lines more precisely and faster. Because I can draw while looking where I move the stylus pen.

For polished lineart on the Intuos, even after years, it’s still frustrating and time consuming on Intuos. painting is not a problem on Intuos, it can be fun on both.

2. Professional-Grade Features:

Although Cintiq tablets are substantially more expensive, they also tend to have a lot more features than cheaper Wacom intuos tablets.

Some Cintiq models (like the Cintiq Pro) come with multi-touch capabilities, allowing you to use gestures such as pinching, rotating, and zooming in and out directly on the screen.

Regular tablets like the Intuos are still highly responsive but do not as well as Cintiqs, which often have enhanced 8K levels of pen pressure and tilt sensitivity.

Normal Wacom Intuos only supports 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, and lacks of tilt recognition support and multi-touch feature. If you want these professional features, you need to upgrade to intuos pro line.

Should I get a Cintiq or a regular intuos tablet?

Pricing: Due to the built-in screen and professional-level features, Cintiq tablets are generally more expensive than regular tablets.

Regular graphics Tablets without screens tend to be more affordable, especially for those who don’t need the direct visual feedback that a Cintiq provides.

Bulk: Cintiq can be heavy—depending upon the model. you need enough desk space with it Cintiq, as you’ll be putting a new screen Montior flat on your desk.

Unlike regular tablet that can connect to a computer wireless or only one usb cable, these are effectively a new Screen and you’ll need to connect to the wall power and connect multiple leads to your computer to work.

Portability: Cintiqs are heavy, bulky and much more delicate than regular tablets, which makes tidying and carrying them away more difficult.

Regular tablets are generally smaller and more lightweight, making them highly portable and convenient for artists who are frequently on the go.

Ergonomics: leaning down over a display may cause long-term health problems. Bending your neck down for hours on end daily, for years, can cause long-term damage to your body – real neck strain and pain, which may not manifest until decades down the line.

Ergonomics on a Intuos is way better as there’s nothing to look down at. With a Intuos you can have a straight head and back when you work hours on end, and also never cover parts of the screen with your hand.

Overall, Wacom Cintiq is specifically designed for those who want to draw directly on the screen for a more seamless and realistic experience.

Regular tablets like intuos are better suited for people who don’t mind using a separate monitor for their drawing output and want a more affordable, portable option.

Anything with pressure sensitivity and tilt will give you the full range of capabilities you need to work with drawing apps like Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, and Krita.

So if you like your tool, you can make perfectly fine art on it. It’s all about your own level of proficiency on it and how natural it feels to use it.

Explore More: 7 Best Wacom Drawing Tablets of 2025

Should I buy a Wacom Cintiq or an Apple iPad?

The Cintiq and iPad have very much a near natural drawing feel to it, and I’d suggest either if you really want that feeling and can afford it.

If you want ultimate portability, I recommend an Apple iPad paired with Procreate: my favorite drawing/painting device now because I can easily carry it anywhere and it can include tons of other apps to keep you entertained and connected.

Wacom Cintiq is a monitor, not have a built-in computer, so you can’t use it as a standalone drawing tablet. When it’s attached to your Windows or MacOS computer, yes you can write, draw, watch movies, play games on it, but you need at all times for it to be attached to a computer. This limits its portability.

However, Nothing can beat the usefulness of a Cintiq tablet + a computer since normal consumer tablets are pretty limited in Productivity apps.

For example, if you are going to start drawing in animation apps or sculpting in 3D programs like Zbrush you need a Wacom Cintiq Tablet.

Wacom Cintiq is available in a variety of sizes, whether you need to keep things efficient at the 16” size or need tons of space for major projects at the full 27” size.

Generally your cintiq monitor is bigger than ipad so you will have more screen space to utilize.

Apple Pencil uses active capacitive pen technology, while Wacom uses passive electromagnetic pen technology. I will say the responsiveness of the apple pencil is pretty good, but not as good as the cintiq BUT it feels really nice since its not clicky.

Finally, the iPad has the glossy screen compared to the more matte surface of Wacom’s stuff. if you choose the ipad, you need to get used to drawing plastic-on-glass .

Sliding a plastic nib across a glass surface is NOT like dragging a graphite pencil-tip across a nice drawing paper with a certain grain, The familiar resistance is just not there.

Luckily, you can buy a matte screen protector for the iPad Pro and it’ll mimic the paper surface pretty well.

Are there any good cheap Wacom Cintiq Alternatives?

Wacom still makes the best display tablet’s you can get, especially their cintiq pro series. However, The downside is that they are very expensive.

If wacom cintiq outside of your price range, you can get a display tablet like this for far less.

The entry-level pen display like Wacom One 12 or Wacom one 13 touch is cheaper. And although it has fewer features and a smaller display, it still offers a great on-screen drawing experience.

Cintiq alternatives have come a long way over the last few years, and there are some really good ones out there, such as Huion Kamvas and XPPen Artist. Lots of comparable features for a fraction of the Wacom price.

If you are on a budget, buy Huion Kamvas or XPPen Artist. If you can afford it, buy Cintiq. Preferably a big one.