Howlsthunder:
#wacom_intuos4 I have used each generation of the Intuos line of Wacom tablets and this one is quickly becoming my favorite so far. I own an Intuos1 and recently borrowed an Intuos3 for about two years for work until my boss bought a medium sized Intuos4 for me to use. I've been using it constantly for the past two weeks.
WHAT I LIKE:
-- The new side buttons and scroll wheel are my favorite interface so far. I didn't like having two sets of buttons/touch strips on either side of the tablet as on the Intuos3 because I'd constantly bump the set on the same side as my dominant hand. I ended up turning that side off and never used them. Now everything is all on one side and its easy to switch it to left-handedness if you need to. No more accidentally hitting buttons.
--- The scroll wheel is an improvement over the touch strips. Pressing the center button toggles between 4 preset functions (Auto Scroll/Zoom, Cycle Layers, Brush Size, Canvas Rotation) and I'm finding it to be handier than my usual hotkeys.
--- If you use the scroll wheel button a semi-transparent menu pops up to show you what you just set the wheel to do without you having to look at the tablet.
--- The side buttons are fully programmable and the little OLED screens show what's programmed where so you can see, even in the dark. I haven't maximized useage of these yet, though because I tend to use hotkeys for EVERYTHING so I end up with one hand on the keyboard anyhow.
--- The new topsheet is super durable. I had to stop using my old Intuos1 for a long time because the topsheet got all scratched up and was ruining nibs left and right. (They no longer make Intuos1 or 2 topsheets so I improvised with a sheet of acetate).
-- I like the profile of this tablet - thinner and lighter than any version yet and it looks GOOD.
--- You can TELL there are twice the levels of pressure sensitivity on these! Its crazy! Digital painters should really appreciate this.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE
-- The heavy texture of the new topsheet wears out nibs FAST. I tend to use a light hand with my Wacom tablets anyhow because I never wanted to have to buy more nibs (in 10 years I've swapped out 3 nibs!) and in two weeks, with an average of about 4 hours of use a day the first nib is already showing signs of wear.
--- The mouse is not quite there. Better than the Intuos3 mouse (smaller size, better button placement) but I wish it had a scroll ball like the Apple Mighty Mouse - I really like being able to scroll horizontally.
OVERALL I am pleased with this tablet. Wacom makes solid products that last a very long time (my 10 year old Intuos1 still works perfectly - its just not fancy). We bought this one refurbished at a savings of $100, which I recommend. Its hard to go wrong with a Wacom product.
Oct 21, 10
