The Artist Pro 22 (Gen2) is the first 21.5-inch, 2K QHD graphics display from XPPen.
I’ve had this large display tablet for about a month and a half, during that time I’ve used it for art, work and media consumption as a secondary monitor.
In this review, I’ll tell the key features, performance, and overall value of the XPPen Artist Pro 22 (Gen2) to help you determine if it’s the right tool for your needs.
Unboxing
The box is nicely packaged and protected, and the full compliment of contents includes: the display itself, one stylus in a case with spare nibs and a WiFi receiver, USB-C to USB-A Cable, HDMI cable, USB-C to USB-C cable, Wireless Shortcut Remote, drawing glove, cleaning cloth and a plug and adapters (swappable for pieces for every global region).
Out of the box, the tablet looks great and well built, even though it’s mostly plastic there wasn’t any creaking when handled.
It measures 21.6″ diagonal. The display is large and demands some permanent space on a desktop.
It comes with a metal stand attached that allows the display to be adjusted at set angles from 15° (almost upright) to 88° (almost flat), so you could use it at various angles.
Even though it comes with a built-in stand, you can also mount the tablet on any other external mount, as long as it fits the universal 100 x 100 mm VESA hole on the back.
Setup Process
The Artist Pro 22 (Gen2) offers one HDMI, One USB-C, and a 3.5 mm jack for headphone out, as well as the power input on the back of the unit.
Setting up the XPPen Artist Pro 22 (Gen2) is quite straightforward. It has a plug-and-play feature via USB Type-C, which is a great fit for modern laptops.
Also, the presence of an HDMI port also offers flexibility, especially if your desktop lacks a Type-C port with support for display output.
After connecting all the cables, go to XPPen official site, download the driver, and install it. Ensure any pen tablet drivers from other tablet brand is uninstalled (such as Wacom).
Installing the driver software went quite smoothly and I had a try of both the main driver and the beta driver, I ended up using the main driver as the calibration was more accurate and was less buggy.
The driver software allows you to adjust the settings of the tablet, pen controls and functions, monitor configuration, express key setup, calibration, and other general features. I’ve found it very easy to use with no hassle!
Screen Size and Quality
Turning it on, the thing that stuck out to me was how bright the screen was and everything looked nice and crisp, you might have to make some colour adjustments based on your preference but I find that I didn’t really need to do much apart from adjusting the colour temperature.
The higher resolution of 2.5 QHD (2560 x 1440 Pixels) is great for 21.6-inch IPS display. Having such high resolution is nice and sharp, and matched with an impressive 99% Adobe RGB/94% Display P3 colour reproduction. It offers an exciting display for drawing, in more than enough detail.
Once in photoshop and clip studio paint, the high resolution made all the UI take up less screen space and that was a great thing, it means you get to have more UI elements on the screen without compromising your drawing area, making the use of references much more comfortable.
The screen is fully laminated, so parallax is almost non-existent. The screen is also anti-glare via Nano Etched and AF Coating glass surface, so you can comfortably draw without unwanted reflections.
Having a large 22-inch drawing area allows you to draw more freely, effectively and bolsters productivity. Even for those who are getting started now, drawing on a larger surface makes the whole process more comfortable and fun.
The larger the drawing area, the least you will have to use the zoom tool to take care of details. This saves time and patience while allowing you to work better and consequently create more interesting artwork.
It’s important to note that the screen is not touch sensitive, has only 60Hz refresh rate and a max brightness of 250 nits. This brightness is typical of graphics displays, and in an appropriate studio setting this shouldn’t be a big deal, but it’s definitely noticeable.
If you want a bigger drawing area of 24-inch and higher 165Hz refresh rate with same 2.5K resolution, I recommend the XPPen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 165HZ, Which is a huge technological innovation.
ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote
There are no shortcut buttons on the Artist Pro 22 (Gen2) tablet itself, but it has a ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote included.
It is a great addition, I can fit all of the shortcuts I need on it, the challenge is just trying to remember which is which for each app you use.
This wireless remote has 10 shortcut buttons plus a rotating dial. However, through XPPen’s driver software, you can customize up to 4 different sets of shortcuts. That means there are 40 shortcuts and actions in one small device!
It’s very easy and quick to pair this device to your computer through bluetooth. Even if your computer does not have Bluetooth integrated into the hardware, you can use the dongle that comes with your new Wireless Shortcut Remote!
When low on battery, the USB-A to USB-C cable can recharge the device, while connected to the computer. This way, you can still use it while charging.
Speaking of battery, the Wireless Shortcut Remote has a built-in 1000mAh battery that lasts up to 300 hours. On standby, the battery can last up to 10 months!
Compatibility
The XPPen Artist Pro 22 Gen 2 is compatible with most operative systems, Including Windows (7 or later), macOS (10.10 or later), Chrome OS (88 or later), Android, Linux, etc.
That means that you can connect this drawing tablet not only to a computer but also to a smartphone or Android tablet!
It’s also compatible with most drawing software, such as Clip Studio Paint, Photoshop, illustrator, Corel Painter, Rebelle 7, Artrage 6, Medibang Paint, Krita, GIMP, Inkscape, and many others.
In short, you can use the Artist Pro 22 Gen 2 for almost anything. Not just drawing but other creative work or even hobbies!
Stylus Pen
The stylus model is the X3 Pro Smart Chip, with Highest 16k Pressure Levels in the industry, lower 3g IAF, and 60º tilt support.
Higher levels of pressure sensitivity gives us a broader range of line thickness and opaqueness, providing a more nuanced drawing experience.
Tilt support allows for better pressure detection and accurate positioning of the cursor at different angles to deliver the true feeling of the painting.
The X3 Pro smart chip stylus looks really nice. Its clean design complements the Pen Display very well. I found that it has a balanced weight and is well-built to allow easy gripping.
The 2 stylus buttons are easily accessible and responsive. The stylus also includes an eraser at the top, a convenient feature for those who like simulating erasing with a pencil eraser.
Drawing Experience
Drawing experience is great, pen is super super accurate and sensitive. The best thing is the initial activation force, which was minimal, only 3g. if the pen is touching the screen it will make a stroke, so far every time.
Default pressure curve feels good, However, the 16K pressure sensitivity is a bit overrated. I honestly can’t tell the difference between the previous 8K levels and the newer 16K.
Tilt recognition works good, and works right up to the edge, accuracy is even good right up to the edge, making the little buttons in Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint easy to click.
Using the felt pen nibs adds quite a bit more friction for a more controlled and toothy feel. I prefer the smoother pen movement with the standard nibs though.
There is little difference between where you place the pen, and where the drawing or lines show up on the screen.
Screen surface is lightly textured to give you some resistance so it’s not like drawing on smooth glass.
XPPen Artist Pro 22 gen 2 vs XPPen Artist 22 Plus: What’s the difference?
You can’t tell the difference from the outside between these two tablets because they look exactly the same.
But the XPPen Artist 22 Plus is much cheaper because it doesn’t include the ACK05 Wireless Shortcut Remote, and the screen resolution is only 1920 x 1080 pixels.
On a screen this size (21.5 inches) that FHD resolution is stretched to its limit, and on close inspection individual pixels are visible.
Conclusion
All in all the Tablet is well worth the price and more than capable to produce the professional quality work that I do.
The drawing experience certainly has been an enjoyable one, and the tablet earns the Pro in it’s title while still remaining affordable at $699. Based on my time painting with this, I have no reservations about recommending it.
I have used a Wacom Cintiq 16 for a while and got an IPad Pro (120HZ refreh rate) and while it isn’t as accurate as Apple’s proprietary hardware, it definitely is close to or on par with Wacom in terms of drawing experience.
For an intermediate-level artist, I would say that the XPPEN Artist Pro 22 Gen 2 is a great choice. If you are a professional looking for something a little more premium-felling, check out the Wacom Cintiq Pro 22.
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