The world of digital art has blossomed over the past decade, leading to a surge in the popularity of drawing tablets.
If you are looking for a graphics tablet, you must have come across Wacom and the XPPen tablets. These tablets are quite popular amongst artists.
Wacom tablets are known for their great drawing experience whereas XPPen is popular for providing a lot of features at very pocket-friendly prices.
Are you torn between them? which is a better for artists, designers, and hobbyists? Which device should you choose as your next drawing tablet?
In this article, I will explore the XPPen vs Wacom debate, dissecting the strengths and weaknesses of each brand’s graphics tablet.
I’ll shed light on the features, performance, and user experience offered by both manufacturers, allowing you to decide when to choose the perfect tool to amplify your artistic prowess.
Brand perception
Founded in 1983, Wacom is a Japan-based digital company that manufactures superfine graphic or art pens and tablets.
Wacom provides the best quality and high-tech pen computers, pen displays, pen tablets, smart pads, Stylus, and more that every designer, artist, or professional might need while working with its products.
Wacom tablets have always been considered the industry standard for digital artists and designers. They are known for their high-quality pressure sensitivity, natural feel, and a range of sizes and models to suit different needs and budgets.
XPPen is a well-known company in the field of digital graphic tablets. It was founded in 2005 in Japan and started developing digital graphic tablets as a research and development project.
In 2015, XPPen Technology Co. was incorporated in the USA, and in the same year, they launched a branch in Shenzhen, China. The Hanvon Ugee Group of China has owned XPPen as a holding company since 2019.
XPPen Tablets are a popular choice among digital artists and designers looking for an affordable alternative to Wacom.
These tablets come in a range of sizes and types, from small portable options, like their star or deco to larger, more professional models, like the Artist Pro.
It sold its most popular deco and artist series in more than 100 countries and has gained much popularity amongst artists and creators in the digital market.
Active Area
When searching for a non-screen graphics tablet, the active area is very crucial. When you’re just starting out, a working area that’s too small might be frustrating.
Wacom tablets like entry-level wacom intuos and wacom one typically come in two sizes: small (6 x 4″), and medium (8 x 5″). If you want the large version, the only choice is to get the Intuos Pro Large – 12 x 8″, which is super expensive.
In addition, The price of the medium-sized Wacom Intuos or Wacom One is about twice that of the smaller one, and you don’t receive any additional functionality.
On the other hand, XPPen offer a variety of models with varying sizes of active regions, measuring anywhere from 4 x 3 inches, with the size going up to 15×9 inches. You can easily get the size you want from a wide range of models.
The most common and best seller size of active area is 10 × 6 inches -large version, for example, XPPen Deco 01 V3, Deco 02, Deco 03, Star 03 V2, Deco Fun L, Deco LW Bluetooth, etc. fairy affordable at the price under $100.
If you want to do traditional sketching and gesture drawing, a large pen tablet is great for that. Bigger drawing tablets offer more space for detailed work and can enhance your drawing experience, especially you have a large screen or works with multiple display.
When comparing XPPen Vs Wacom, it’s clear that XP Pen offers greater customization possibilities, a larger working surface and better value.
Surface Texture
The surface of the screenless graphics tablet is made of plastic. When a pen with a plastic tip is used to write on these surfaces – the stylus glides a bit too much, to the point that it became difficult to control it.
To fix this, the surface of the tablets has small bumps called micro-textures. These textures provide slight resistance to the pen and stop them from slipping around. Which results in you having more control over the stylus.
Both the Wacom and XPPen graphics tablets have micro-textures on their surfaces, and both provide adequate resistance to draw.
But after using the tablets from two brands for a while, I found the texture on wacom tablet is slightly rougher than XPPen, which feels better to draw on.
Display Size and Quality
If you opt for a pen display, The screen size, and quality of the tablet can significantly influence your drawing experience.
Wacom offers a variety of screen sizes ranging from compact models (12-inch) for portability to larger screens (27-inch, or even 32-inch) that mimic traditional drawing surfaces.
The high-resolution 4K displays on the Cintiq pro series, for example, provide stunning color accuracy and detail enjoyment, allowing artists to work on complex projects without losing focus.
However, some users might find that less expensive entry-level models (Wacom One 12 & Cintiq 16) have slightly lower features – non-laminated screen, narrow color gamut coverage, lack of multi-touch feature, etc.
XPPen similarly offers various sizes (from 10.1-inch to 24-inch), but its options are generally more affordable. Most Entry-level XPPen artist display features a decent FHD resolution with color performance, fully laminated screen, and anti-glare screen protector.
Many premium XPPen artist pro (Gen 2) tablets also feature higher-resolution 2.5K or 4K displays with professional color accuracy – more than 95% Adobe RGB a, and etched glass surface, providing excellent visual quality for a budget price. These professional-grade tablets are equipped to challenge Wacom’s comparable offerings.
Stylus Pen
One of the most important reasons why professional artists love to use Wacom devices is its Stylus.
Although has expired, EMR tech is first patented by Wacom. The EMR based stylus is battery-free, works by wireless transfer, conversion, and detection of electromagnetic waves.
The Wacom Pro Pen 2 or Pro pen 3 is one of the most regarded styluses. Its performance, how it handles pressure, how it responds to light touches – you don’t get that in other brand.
Although not as good as wacom, the XPPen styluses have good drawing performance, allowing for precise and natural strokes, and they also features the EMR tech, eliminating the frustration of constantly replacing batteries.
Drawing Performance
In terms of levels of pressure sensitivity, XPPen beats Wacom. For example, The Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) has 16K pressure levels compared to 8,192 levels for the Wacom Cintiq Pro 16. That’s the general trend.
Even for the cheapest XPPen models, You’ll almost always get a stylus with 8192 pressure levels. At the same price level, you’re most likely to get a Wacom stylus with just 2048 or 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity.
Theoretically, it does sound like a major difference, but the difference is barely noticeable in practice. Unless you have the most sensitive hands in the world.
The standard pressure sensitivity on a tablet is 4096, but there are not many people who can see the difference between tablets of higher or lower levels.
In addition, more critical parameters when discussing drawing tablets are the pressure range and Initial Activation Force (IAF). Wacom is ahead of XPPen in both. It has low IAF of 1g and offers a wider pressure range.
The latest XPPen X3 Smart Chip Stylus is an exception, with IAF as low as 3g, Users report that the pen’s responsiveness is quite similar to that of Wacom, allowing for fine control in drawing.
All newer models of Wacom and XPPen tablets support tilt recognition functionality, but performance-wise, Wacom beats not just XPPen but even other players in the market. The pointer doesn’t shift off-center (offset) when used at an angle.
Shortcut Buttons
Shortcut buttons are the most crucial for any graphic tablet or pen display. More shortcut buttons mean more fast and more handy work.
XPPen tablets outclass any Wacom tablet when it comes to the number and variety of shortcut buttons it offers.
They contain between six and eight shortcut buttons, and many models feature dials, whereas Wacom tablets are notorious for offering fewer buttons – usually have an all-screen front.
XPPen tablets are the better option if you wish to be able to draw without constantly reaching for the keyboard.
Multi-Touch
Multi-touch is the finger touch feature where you can pan/zoom/rotate/etc with finger touches. This allows you to use gestures to speed up your workflow.
Both Intuos Pro and Cintiq Pro series have multi-touch, while XPPen has only have few display tablets with multi-touch, and works not as good as Wacom.
Durability
The durability of a tablet and the quality of customer support are essential to consider if you’re looking for a long-term investment.
Wacom tablets are known for their longevity and robust construction, with many models lasting for several years with proper care.
I once owned a Wacom intuos 4 tablet for almost 10 years, and it still work very well.
The premium materials used in their making contribute to their rugged reputation, making them ideal for professional environments.
XPPen tablets, while generally solid, may not always match the durability of high-end Wacom models.
However, they have improved significantly in build quality over recent years. Depending on the XPPen tablet you get (pricier models tend to have superior build quality), you may get something that lasts a little longer.
Warranty and Support
In terms of Warranty and support, Both companies stand behind their tablets for at least a year.
Users report that XPPen’s support services are better than Wacom’s for the help it provides to customers regarding warranty and tech support services. Many users reporting positive experiences when seeking assistance.
That said, given the more established nature of Wacom, tech support is more widespread, and help is easier to find online, thanks to the large community of Wacom users.
Accessories
Despite being a much cheaper alternative to Wacom, it does not mean XPPen tablets are inferior to its rival brand in almost everything.
XPPen has been gaining recognition over the past years for its wide selection of optional items in addition to its drawing tablets.
These include helpful tools like tablet stand, wireless Remote Control, extra pen nibs, pen case or holder, drawing gloves, and protective films. Other accessories can also be purchased as an addition for a much lower price.
Wacom is quite stingy in this regard, only providing essential accessories such as digital pen and cables, and everything else like tablet stand or remote control needs to be purchased separately and is quite expensive.
Driver Software
Driver software is one of the most crucial things when working on a drawing tablet, letting your tablet communicate with the computer.
You can only use it after the drivers are installed properly. Without them your drawing tablet will not work.
Wacom tablets have a clear win over XPPen regarding driver software and are known to be handy, More features and settings, and easy to update and install.
Luckily, XPPen has made strides in improving the driver quality over the years. The tablet drivers are generally user-friendly, allowing for seamless installation and setup. There are only a few crashes.
Compatibility
Any Windows and MacOS can be used with drawing tablets from both companies. If needed, They also offers Compatibility with Android devices and Chromebooks. Just avoid get fairly old models.
Both Wacom and XPPen drawing tablets are compatible with a wide range of software applications, including popular programs like Adobe Creative Suite, Clip Studio Paint, Corel Painter, and various 3D modeling programs.
However, Wacom typically has native support for more professional-grade software and often bundles their tablets with artist-friendly programs, providing a seamless experience for users. This compatibility can be particularly beneficial for professional artists who rely on specific tools for their workflows.
Conversely, XP-Pen supports well with the most major drawing software, making it a versatile choice for many users. However, there may be occasional driver issues or limitations with less commonly used software.
For casual users or those just starting, XPPen still provides sufficient compatibility for most drawing applications, giving you the flexibility to explore various artistic styles.
Standalone Drawing Tablet
If you need a portable standalone drawing tablet for drawing on the go , wacom offers the MobileStudio Pro, available in 13-inch and 16-inch, features an Intel Core i7 processor, runs on Windows 11, paired with pro pen 2 stylus.
On the other hand, XPPen provides the Magic drawing pad, available in 12.2-inch, features a Octa-core MT8771 processor, runs on Android 12, paired with X3 Pro pencil.
XPPen magic drawing pad has longer battery life and decent drawing experience, while Wacom MobileStudio Pro allows you to use the Windows desktop creative programs.
Price
The Wacom is far more expensive than the XPPen, sometimes as much as twice as expensive for comparable products. This reflects their status as an industry leader with more advanced features and build quality.
One of the key features of XPPen tablets is their affordability without compromising too much on the quality, making them an attractive option for those who are just starting out or for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles of a more expensive tablet.
So clearly, here, XPPen is more cost-effective as compared to Wacom.
Conclusion
Wacom is known for its premium quality tablets, while XPPen offers affordable yet reliable options for beginners and intermediate artists.
Choosing between the two brands will ultimately depend on your needs and budget.
If you are a professional, have the money and want better quality and precision, go for a Wacom, but if you want the same features at a lower price, the XPPen is ideal.
Regardless of which brand you choose, both offer excellent drawing tablets to help take your art to the next level.
With the right tablet and some practice, you’ll be well on your way to creating stunning digital masterpieces.
