Before we jump in, I would like to thank the team over at Xencelabs Technologies for supplying a tablet for this review. As always... my opinions are my own. When this package arrived from Xencelabs, I was both curious + excited so... before we jump in I want to share the unboxing action with you, enjoy!
So here you have the Xencelabs Pen Tablet, and this is the medium one... which is the first on the market (congrats to the team for making it this far). As far as releasing this size first, it makes... Xence as the most commonly used pen tablet size. Rather than just create the next cheap generic tablet that's not a Wacom, Xencelabs stepped it up for the purpose of making a professional drawing tablet... with professional quality and value wrapped into one.
Build: As far as the body of this tablet goes, you have a nice metal underbelly with a durable plastic surface.
I literally had to feel this thing numerous times just to make sure that the top and the underbelly were different materials... and the pen tablet's case utilizes the same durable plastic. It's heavy and could definitely double as personal security if needed. I'm just kidding, or... am I?
Seriously though, I really like the quality put into this case... because it's not exactly the main product and didn't have to be included at all.
Going back to the tablet, the body has rubber feet on the underbelly for desktop drawing, and these areas to the side of the underbelly for you to hold during wireless drawing (thank you for that). I probably would've added some pen grip material to this area... to ensure that the tablet doesn't slip. It hasn't slipped out of my hands yet, but that would increase the chance of it not slipping (x 2).
The buttons of the tablet are also located in an area that just makes Xence in the north location of the surface. You don't have to worry about your grip on the tablet activating a shortcut or something. You have to intentionally press a button... which is just around the corner from the power button located on the top (which is next door to the USB-C port and down the hall from the Kensington lock port).
One thing I appreciate about this tablet is that it doesn't have that... drop-off near the bottom of the tablet which allows you to be able to flow without a potential bump affecting your artwork.
As far as the pens go, the build quality feels as good as my Wacom pen... just to give you an idea of feel. This isn't a plus or a minus but the Xencelabs Pens (6.25") are shorter in size when compared side by side to my Wacom Cintiq pen (just shy of 7").
The thin pen gives you the standard feel of your everyday pen, except... it's digital, and the 3 button pen gives you that pro digital pen feel with one noticeable difference when compared to my Wacom pen.
These digital pens have grip that extend further, which allow you to hold them as close to the nib as possible... if you fancy drawing that way.
The 3-button pen's grip is up to a comfortable degree to where you're gripping beyond the thick of it, and the thin pen's grip literally runs all the way down to the nib. Love it.
The erasers aren't stuck out further than necessary either, which prevents them from loosening over time as quickly as other digital pens I've used (even the Wacom pen I currently have).
The buttons are nice and clicky too, not to a degree where you have to manhandle them to get a response, but you will know that you've clicked them.
The pens are just as important as the tablet, so I appreciate the quality build of both pens, the case that protects them, and the tablet.
Before getting to the extras, I want to highlight one more thing about the case.
Outside of housing the pens... which gives you access to them anytime you want to switch up, the case also houses the nibs + nib replacer + USB-C adapter + wireless dongle. I know this is the "Duh of the day", but this is great for portability... keeps everything in one place for immediate access.
The pen tablet also includes 3 programmable buttons, the Thin Pen also includes the same number of programmable buttons, while the 3 button pen includes... 4 (didn't see that one coming did ya?). Here's a small vid showcasing the Tablet + Pen UI:
Extras: Check out this recap of the live preview!
The Pen Tablet Medium bundle includes everything above in addition to a tablet sleeve with a really soft interior that protects the device. The sleeve also has an additional section for your cord with two pockets for your pen case + the Xencelabs Quick Keys. By the way, the quick keys remote is included in the bundle. Stay tuned for a review of the remote, but for now, I will focus on the package I received.
Price: Pricewise the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium comes in at $279.99. This is $100 less than the Wacom Intuos Pro - Medium ($99.95 less if you want to be technical), and it comes with more. This isn't to sway your buying decision, but with a new product on the market like this pro tablet... I hope it helps you make a more informed decision.
