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[Sonti]

Hi guys,

From other topics I can tell that quite a few of you guys use Wacom tablets. Currently the Wacom tablets are a bit pricy for my budget.

I found these Trust slimline tablets which are below £50 on ebuyer.

Does anyone have any experience with this brand? Is it all right or is it way too crappy that it's not worth it? Will it do the job for a beginner?

I personally don't expect it to be superb but I want it to be able to do the job.

[Sensenmann]

I have one. Works for me. I got mine for £25 in tesco, a TB-5300. They have the pressure sensitivity, but installing can sometimes seem fidgety, when it takes you a while to find out how to get the pen working.

Do of course be careful, as my pen is a pull out, not a twist out, so I almost broke the pen straight away. You will also need good lithium batteries, for the ones which come with the tablet are short-lived.

[Sonti]

Thanks Sensenmann,

The model I'm thinking of is TB-6300. I will probably order one of these on next payday but if anyone have better suggestions for a tablet that is below 50 pounds / 80 dollars, I'd appreciate it.

[ink.inc]

Wacom Bamboo is 70 bucks; at first it seems really small, but you get used to it.

[Xion]

and then you get unused to it - my hand has been starting to cramp seriously lately since I've increased my artput (get it!?).

[Μarkham]

If you have the money to throw at a Tablet PC, you're probably better off buying a Cintiq and a cheapish laptop.  Here is why:

Tablet PC screen hinges aren't very durable.  After a couple years, mine has fractured the plastic bezel that surrounds the screen (held together with epoxy now), as well as damage the motherboard's LAN controller (it only works while I am folding the screen down).

You know how your laptop gets really hot when you have the top closed and it's still running?  A tablet is like holding that on your lap, but the screen is still on, which creates more heat.  You won't want a 100+*F laptop on your lap, especially in the summer.

You have to buy a whole new tablet PC when you need to upgrade/replace your worn out tablet PC.  You can plug the Cintiq into whatever computer you want to use.

Tablet PCs are built with laptop displays, which suck as far as color accuracy goes.  Cintiqs are built with pretty high-end displays.

I have to dismantle my tablet PC's screen every few months to clean out all the dirt and hair that somehow get trapped between the screen and the clear plastic overlay.

[st33d]

Our whole work place uses Wacoms. Even most of the programmers.

I had a Trust tablet but it was scratchy and the pen took batteries.

The Wacom uses no battery - it has some kind of magnet in it (I know because some of my buckyballs stuck to the pen end).

[Inane]

Most knockoff brands have huge amounts of issues. I switched from one (can't remember which brand in particular) to a much smaller Wacom Bamboo, and it was a huge improvement; the wacom tablets have much much better resolutions and pressure sensitivity, so your art will be smoother with a small one than with a larger cheap brand tablet.

[Tumetsu]

Thought I haven't used Trust, I have heard lots of negative things about them so I would recommended Wacom Bamboo instead. I'm using it and completely satisfied in it. If it gets too small for you, you could always upgrade later Even that, 70 bucks isn't bad for what you get in Wacom Bamboo IMO.

[Sonti]

Thanks for the great replies guys. I think I'm gonna go with the Bamboo just to be on the safe side.