Yes to Graphics, Maybe to Sketchup, No to Autocad.
I decided that I needed to purchase a graphics tablet during the last week of December while I was working on my portfolio. The deadline for submission was the Jan 3 and I was creating diagrams and graphics for my submission. The realization occurred after I spent 5 hours trying to diagram a site plan with a mouse when the same graphic could have been accomplished under an hour using a graphics tablet. Thus, I began my search for a graphics tablet. The first brand I went to was Wacom. I recently saw some of these fancy LCD and I noticed that they just released a new line of tablets so I decided to take the plunge.
I initially decided to purchase the larger version (Wacom Bamboo Create) with the bigger equals better mentality; however, I was quick to realize that it was way too big. For a size comparison, it was approximately the same size as my 13 inch Macbook Pro, maybe even wider. I sent it back to Amazon and got the smaller version.
I've been using the tablet for a few days and the Wacom Capture is great. I am running a late-2009 13 inch Macbook Pro with 8 gigs of ram. The OS I am using is Windows 7 via Bootcamp. The size of the tablet is approximately the size of a sheet of 8.5x11 inch paper with a drawing area of something like a small Moleskin book. The finish and feel is kind of luxurious and it really took me by surprise. When I unboxed it, I was in awe of how nice it felt from a piece of hardware. Very impressive.
The first thing I did after unboxing it was go to the Wacom website and download the latest software and drivers for the Create. I didn't even bother opening up the included CDs since I never use the free software with any of the things I buy. I installed both of the available downloads from the site and then proceeded to restart the computer. Everything went smoothly and then I plugged in the tablet. It registered and off I went. I adjusted some of the settings in the Windows' Control Panel and including settings that another reviewer mentioned regarding the response. I restarted again so everything is registered and working fine.
The first 15 to 20 minutes of using it, I was completely thrown off. I was just shifting the pen over the tablet and it kept selecting things. If the pen is touching the tablet, it selects things. If it is hovering over the active area on the tablet, it moves the pointer. Tapping on the pen would signify a click and holding it down for a while will active the `right-click' menu. The initial setup of the tablet is aligned to the screen of the computer. Click the top corner of the active tablet area will cause the point on the screen to jump to the respective location on the screen. This was immensely annoying because I was not accustomed to it. I recommend switching the tablet to "Mouse" mode instead of "Pen" for the initial use to get acquainted to the new tablet. The option can be found at the "Bamboo Preferences" via "Pop Up Menu."
After getting a taste of the tablet, I opened up Photoshop and started making lines and marks on a blank piece of paper. It's pretty responsive and it worked really well. I then proceeded to test it on Illustrator. It was fantastic. I was able to create diagrams and draw things very accurately. Both CS4 Photoshop and Illustrator worked flawlessly with no noticeable lag. I then opened up a blank Word document and started drawing on it. There was a good chunk of lag probably because it was not meant to handle drawing data efficiently. For graphics, this tablet is effective and works efficiently.
Being a student and intern architect, I spend a ton of my time using AutoCAD, Sketchup and Revit when I am not creating or editing graphics. I started off by testing out AutoCAD with it, and then Revit. I find the tablet struggling with it. I didn't seem to find any additional lag while I was using the tablet in both of these performance intensive software; however, I did end up spending way too more time doing the simplest things on the tablet. The biggest issue/nightmare in CAD drafting or building a model is not having the 3rd mouse button with a scroll wheel. Zooming in and out of areas and objects takes forever. It's like drafting with a touchpad for those who have tried it - It's not fun at all. In the end, I spent more time zooming in and out of the drawings/model than I did creating content. I haven't figured out a good way to navigate in these two programs, but with practice I can see how this is tolerated if the tablet was to be used. For Sketchup, I think this tablet works significantly better than compared to AutoCAD and Revit. The reason for this is due how Sketchup operates. I've set one of my keys on the Wacom pen as the "Middle" button, allowing me to pan across the screen relatively easily. Despite this, however, the tablet still suffers the limitations of zooming in and out. All these programs work, but not that well compared to a 3-Button mouse with a scroll wheel. Also, use "Mouse" model for these software will make your life significantly easier.
Summary:
If you're working in the building design profession and produce a lot of graphics work, you should get this tablet. It will save a ton of time. If you only do technical drawings and don't do graphics often, stick with the 3 button scrolling mouse be completed faster.
Notes:
- As the other reviewers mentioned, the cord for the tablet is short. It's about 5 feet long I think. If this is a problem, you can always buy a longer cable or reuse an old one. It uses a micro USB cable and a longer cable is pretty cheap.
- I am right handed and 95% of my typing is done with my left hand. I feel very awkward and out of place when I the tablet is next to the right side of my mac. It creates a gap between my laptop keyboard, the cables from the tablet, and tablet that is fairly wide. Since I need access to my keyboard 90% of the time, I decided to make this gap between the tablet and my keyboard as small as possible. I decided that the most ergonomic and efficient position is to flip the orientation of the tablet. In other words, change the settings to "Left Handed". This way, the gap between keyboard and tablet is very minimal.
- There is no eraser on the opposite end of the pen and there is no need for it. I find it easier to just set a button as "Eraser" and clicking on the button when the need arises. It's much faster than flipping the pen around to erase.
- Some people use this as a touchpad. I'm on a laptop so I will never use the tablet as a touchpad. I keep the option of using it as a touchpad off at all times. This allows me to lay my hand on the tablet while I'm drawing.
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This Item  Wacom Bamboo Capture Pen and Touch Tablet (CTH470) |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $137.97 | $19.99 | -40% $59.95 List: $99.95 | -50% $99.95 List: $199.95 | -40% $59.95 List: $99.95 | -50% $99.95 List: $199.95 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 21 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 | Get it as soon as Sunday, May 19 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| For beginners | ||||||
| Easy to use | ||||||
| Tech Support | ||||||
| Light weight | ||||||
| Battery life | ||||||
| Sold By | toys texas | Andu US | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| active surface area | 5.8x3.6 | 4.17 x 2.6inch | 6 inches x 3.7 inches | 8.50" x 5.31" | 5.98" x 3.74" | 8.50" x 5.31" |
| operating system | Windows, Mac OS | Windows 7 or later, MAC OS 10.12 or later, Android 6.0 or later, Linux Ubuntu | Android,Os,Windows | Android,Os,Windows | Android,Os,Windows | Android,Os,Windows |
| connector type | usb | — | usb,wireless | usb,wireless | usb,wireless | usb,wireless |
| connectivity tech | USB | USB | USB-A, Bluetooth | USB-A, Bluetooth | Bluetooth, USB-A | USB-A, Bluetooth |
| pressure sensitivity | — | 8192 levels | 4096 levels | 4096 levels | 4096 levels | 4096 levels |
| model name | — | Inspiroy | Intuos S | Intuos M | Intuos S | Intuos M |
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Reviews with images
Great for beginners on a budget
I ordered this years ago, but I still have it with me. Works great and still functions well. Some downsides is that because it is pressure sensitive, there is high chance that you'll scratch up the surface as your draw with the pen overtime. Another issue I've found is that because of the wires original form, with it winding and all, it will occasionally disconnect itself from the attached computer with even slight usage. Take my criticisms with a grain of salt, it's already 6 years old but I have found it to be an amazing gateway to digital art. It comes with an official version of Photoshop and a cute mini disc that lets you play around with the tablet, definitely a nice bonus. I also used this to play League of Legends at one point because I didn't have a mouse, so it's extremely versatile given that you can reassign the keys and the pen itself to do whatever you like in combination with your laptop. Definitely recommend to a kid who wants to start digital art given the price point compared to other tablets available.
