Wacom is expanding its range of affordable drawing tablets with four new additions to the Wacom One family of products. Designed as an entry-level platform for students, educators and those new to creative drawing hardware, the new Wacom One range has aiming to provide “choice and customization” to meet different needs.
The four tablets come in two varieties: Wacom One 12 ($399.99) and Wacom One 13 touch ($599.99) “pen display” tablets with integrated screens or traditional Wacom One S ($99.99) and Wacom One M ($149.99). pen tablets”, which do not have a screen.
The Wacom One 12 and Wacom One 13 touchscreen tablets are equipped with 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch glass displays, respectively, that are specially bonded to reduce parallax—that gap between the tip of the stylus and the cursor. ). These tablets feature a 1920 x 1080p resolution with 99 percent sRGB coverage. The Wacom One 13 touch also supports Wacom’s 10-finger multi-touch gestures, which allow users to navigate with familiar gestures like pinching and swiping, just like an iPad. A button located along the side of the Wacom One 13 touch will disable touch sensitivity if it gets in the way.
Wacom One S and M are the company’s first entry-level pen tablets with 4K pressure sensitivity and tilt support. The customizable stylus that comes with all four versions of the Wacom One is available in a variety of colors and features two side buttons for assigning keyboard shortcuts. A selection of third-party pens from Staedtler (display tablets only), Lamy, Kaweco and Dr. Grip are also supported.
The four new Wacom One drawing tablets are compatible with Windows, macOS, Android and ChromeOS and can be used with a USB-C cable instead of the HDMI/USB-C/Power splitter cable typically used by display tablets. A secondary USB-C cable can be connected to the drawing tablet if additional power is required. HDMI support is also available for Wacom One display tablets for those who can’t rely on USB-C, and Bluetooth support is available for Wacom One S and M models.
Wacom claims the new One line is the most sustainable product range it has ever provided. Post-consumer recycled plastics make up about 30 to 65 percent of the materials in each tablet, and petroleum-based plastics have been reduced or replaced with bioplastics. Wacom is also offering cheaper tablet-only versions of the “eStore” product to reduce e-waste for customers who already own compatible cables and styli.
“The Wacom One line of products is a gateway to the world of digital art, creativity and productivity. It builds on the company’s 40 years of experience building high-end creative pen displays,” said Faik Karaoglu, executive vice president of Wacom’s brand business unit, in a press release. “Our goal is to make it easier than ever for artists and new users to start their journey.”
This is a nice addition to Wacom’s product portfolio. The company’s premium offerings like the Wacom Cintiq remain the products of choice for most creative professionals, but more affordable competitors like Huion and XP-Pen have emerged in recent years to target consumers on a budget. The features and pricing of the Wacom One line put it in a good position to be competitive at a variety of price levels.
I have a complaint… why the hell would you reuse the name “One”? again? Wacom already has a tablet with a Wacom One display (which the company says won’t be discontinued) and to Pen tablet “One by Wacom”. You’d think a company with roots in creativity could do better.
