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This seriously cheered me up,I've been down and staying up overthinking about how disappointed I was when I brought a 2048 pressure levels instead of 8192 pressure levels,because someone pointed it out and really disappointed me,I've been waiting forr a drawing tablet for 3 years and hearing disappointing news from someone really broke my heart, my family is very poor so I'm the only one who saved up for this tablet. Thank you very much!
@@aaronrutten I have been searching for data for two days about will the pressure sensitivity really effect that much on drawing.And thanks you for making this video, i finally get my answer....
It is just an RF (Radio signal), broadcasting up through the digitizer-board, captured by the pen, and the altered signal from the pen pressure, is captured again by the board, as a "tone". Similar concept to the RF tags that they use on store security. The signal boradcasts out, to the RF-tag. The tag generates a small voltage-spike, and echoes back to the same antenna that sent the signal out. (Unless it has been "turned-off", which is simply a process of magnetizing a physical plate or digitally setting a singular "bit", to be "off", so the tag knows not to reply when it gets the signal.) That is also why you get wavy lines... Each antenna line has a gap. That "hump", is the pen antenna getting closer and further away from each line or group of lines. The more lines you have (trace-antennas), the less "waves" or smaller waves you see in a line, as they stroke across the surface. The next gen pens will be dual-frequency and dual-plane antennas. Instead of using just horizontal antennas, they will be able to use criss-crossing antennas and be able to pick-up full pen orientation, without altering the "guess", as to where the tip is located. That is also why the tip drifts from under the pen as you tilt the pen. You are angling the antenna and making the signal distorted and stronger. Looks like the pen is shifting under your thumb, as the antenna gets closer to the digitizer. The software, in some cases, compensates for that, a little. But that has limits too.
The tablet just interprets what you are doing in proportion of the active area and monitor (sort of) Btw, you CAN'T use a pro pen 2 with intuos creative or a 2K pen with an intuos pro 6 Every tablet is designed for certain pens so you MUST check the pen compatibility before buying or using a stylus
I know tablets today have variations of pressure level but I always asking myself how to do so because nobody before you ever tell about it with details. Very much thanks man!
DISCLAIMER: This is not a sponsored video. I reached out to Wacom and they sent me the Intuos P&T, Intuos 2018 and Cintiq 27 QHD for unrelated reviews. Wacom did not provide the MobileStudio Pro 16. All opinions in this review are my own.
I feel that these comparisons are somewhat invalidated when you hold up the tablet.. That creates so much variance in the pressure that will be read, as there is no consistent surface pressure from the tablet, so because there isn't consistent pressure it will be harder to make a smooth gradient.
thank you this was really helpful i bought a wacom intuos pro old model and when i saw it had only 2048 pressure levels i got scared im an aspiring artist and this help me feel more comfortable with my purchase great art by the way
The maximum level is 1024, for any singular program, using 64-bit color. The purpose of having more pressure-levels is so that you can tune the pressure to a more comfortable range, within the range of the values. You honestly have to adjust each pens curve. The pen with 8000+ pressure levels, has to move only 1/8th the distance or 1/8th the pressure, to obtain the same 256 levels that most programs actually use. (256 for color and 1000 for pixel-sizes, which calculates into 0.001 pixel precision, or a pixel range from 0 pixels to 999 pixels. You need a brush that is at-least 1000x1000 to see that actual range.) Also, there is accuracy in the stroke. Where 1024 pressure-levels, you can actually see "jumps", as you can hit any specific value, but the values are nearly impossible to "hit", or sustain, with constant or variable pressure. For the record, you have to turn off all software-smoothing, in order to see any of this. Or, use a program that does not assist "pen drawing", as those all often have code which smooths-out the stroke-line input, as well as the pressure-input. You are not seeing the "raw data", which the pens output. The biggest gain from having a pen with more pressure-levels, is simply the fact that you no longer have to push hard to get to 100%. Thus, your surface and tips last longer, as well as your hand muscles. You don't get as fatigued, from constantly pushing down hard and also fighting that added friction in the pen strokes. Ultimately, when the pen starts to fail, or the digitizer starts to fail, you have more wiggle-room to push the sensitivity into an area past the parts which ultimately just fail to respond. (You lose the initial starting or ending strokes, or you can no longer get 100% pushing hard. You just modify the curve start and end values, so they are within the part of the sensor that still works. The decay of sensitivity is from the thin wires resistance changing, or moisture seeping into the digitizer PCB, interfering with the RF signals between the two devices. Also the #1 reason most digitizers ultimately fail, at the end of life. The wire coils can also "spread", from moisture, and salts, just from your hand-moisture. Causing the coated wires to cross and crack and short-out, becoming a smaller antenna that fails to function or respond correctly.)
Nice test. You should do this for all tablet parameters! :) I used (very) old and more recent Wacoms tablets and to me, going from 256 levels to 1024 was the only noticeable step. Especially true with aggressive curve settings where most of the curve is set to use only a much smaller range of the entire "scale". So with 256 levels you really end up using around 50 and you can see the steps. To me, with numbers over 1K the difference is much more about the quality of the sensor in the pen than the actual number of pressure levels. It's internal response curve, how it can differentiate extremely low pressures, how sensitive/fast it 'starts', how fast it reacts to changes, how 'noisy' it is, how good it is at different tilt angles (if you think about it, drawing at the max 60 degree angle changes the mechanics of how the pressure is applied on the sensor internally). To me, the number of levels is only an indication of the generation of the sensor technology (like a version number) which would be specific to one brand. Not something you can really compare across brands in terms of quality. Would be nice to construct some sort of test jig to measure all that. To me, this is very similar to megapixels in camera sensors. A high quality sensor will get a really cleaner image even if it is has way less megapixels. To me, super-high pressure levels like 4K or 8K is pure hype. This is similar to the LPI resolution too. The limitation here is really your hand. Human hands do not "get better" with technology. It's never going to draw at micron precision (!) Just a comment about the test: Is it just me or holding the tablet in the air to measure pressure sounds really non-scientific? Isn't your other hand wobbling directly affects the pressure? It's like trying to weight something and holding the scale in your hand instead of resting it on a table... Anyways, your points are still valid and you still got nice drawings from some of the "floating tablets" tests.
Hi Aaron... an excellent review.... I'm only at the 2048 level with my 21UX, but I've been wondering what the higher pressure levels were like. You've answered that, thanks.
Thanks! That so helpful. I finally realised why I prefer smaller and more affordable tablets. I don't need the huge range of transitions and prefer smaller hand movement with very light pressure. Also, lightness and feel of the pen are very important. Thanks for taking the time to make this comparison!
Thanks a lot for this very interesting video. Pressure level was one of my first criteria when I bought my drawing Tablets. I choose a 8192 (XP-PEN Deco1) and appreciate, but I have no experience with lower pressure level.
Man, what a great video. Seriously, I was about to choose one out of two old versions of Intuos (Pen and Touch vs Art) and the conclusion I came across was that the only thing that really was differing those two was pressure sensivity. I really thought that there was a huge difference between these pressure levels but there isn't '-' In fact I got disappointed with the 8K levels and my preference was the 4K so I got the closest to it (2K) I can't say it saved me money but it really changed my preception about pressure sensivity and will problally make the difference the next time I buy a graphic tablet when I get a larger budget ; )
i'm currently using a drawing tablet with 8k pressure and it's the best because of the smooth transitions and best for digital sketches and digital painting.
Great video man! My Huion with 8k has been causing connectivity problems and I was worried about switching to a Wacom that only had 4k But this really shows me how little it differs, at least for my style!
I have a tablet, but I have no idea how many pressure levels it has, I bought it around 7 years ago and it still works perfectly even with it's daily use, it's a Wacom Intuos5 touch, and I'm too lazy to search for the box it came in or Wacom's webpage to see the details
I never thought about pen pressure until i realized that I was using so many tablets. I did notice a difference in the 3 I was using, but it's like you said, anything above 1,000 levels is comfortable to use. Thanks for the informational video.
I keep seeing people who say pen pressure does not matter.Especially after the 1k.Now,working with my intuos 4 with the 2k pressure for over 5 years,and working with a unknown brand with 1k pressure 2y before,and between the intuos and the 1k tablet,I worked with a pen tablet with 0 pen pressure for some months,and the conclusion is YES...you really would not notice anything special above 1k if all you are doing is sketching and painting(basic brush opacity and size variation).However when doing lineart pressure sensitivity becomes really important.And important mainly because you want to spend less time fighting the hardware's limitations.I kept being unhappy with how my lines were coming from my 2k pressure when I started doing more linework than just sketching and painting.Thank god for Lazy Nezumi,but still there was that exact issue about the jaggines\inconsistency with the pressure.Like I could not get a smooth transition between thick to thin 100% of the time.After all the software uses the input from the tablet and then uses some kind of algorithm to transfer that to the screen and document.Having more data to work with,helps with the calculations being more precise. Overall I think it's like the bit depth of images. We have 8,16 and 32 but in the end every image is viewed in 8 bit.The question one might rise is why do we even have 16 and 32 bit images and only a guy who does that works with these can come to you and say "What?!Are you mad? We need those because of x,y,z". So higher pressure levels is more of a pro perk than something that you will really need to make good art.As I mentioned,I was commissioned and paid for works that I used a pen with 0 pressure sensitivity on it. But the video above is really great at giving us a good explanation on the effects of a high pen pressure.
Are you using 4-8k pressure? I think most here are not long time digital artist so do not need such high level but it helps with accuracy and transitioning as you post said.
I'm probably the only one to have a Wacom Intuos 3 since 2008... Only 1024 levels of pressure and It work perfectly like a brand new tablet with 8000 levels!!!! XD
I am really confused now, again So I am about to buy a graphics tablet and I had to chose between one Wacom clt 472 (2048 pressure levels) And Huion h540p (8192 pressure levels) I was really confused, but then I read somewhere(and decided to get Wacom) that once pressure sensitivity is above 1000 it doesn't really make a difference. But I can clearly see the difference here. I know Wacom's are durabile and all... Damn it, what should i get?
It can make a difference somewhat depending on what you're doing. It is also worth noting that huion pressure levels are not identical to wacom's. You might find the huion's pressure is not as smooth even at 8000 levels. I've heard reviewers say it's a lot more jumpy compared to wacom pressure even with custom curves.
I've read that some people think that the huion tablets are only 2k, because it's a bit springy like 2k, but huion write 8k,. What's right? 2k instead of 8k or just a springy 8k. According to this blog post there is a firmware error with the hs610 but not with the 1060p. Is it that what people call springy? digitalarttabletguides.wordpress.com/2019/04/05/why-i-do-not-recommend-the-huion-hs610/ I wonder if there was this error in the h1161 which I had bought, if I buy one which indicates 8k, then I would like to have the 8k and not 2k.
Does the pressure level come from the stylus or the tablet? If it is the stylus, can I use the same stylus in any other tablet or even smartphone and obtain the same level of detail?
I'm wanting to get the 22hd, but I was a little scared that it might not work well do to the pressure. This is a great video and I'm starting to feel better now! I might even get it.
What matters most Aaron? The pen or the pad? If I have state of the art pen with a budget pad, or vice versa, how will my drawing be affected? From your video, I am assuming the pad does not matter much. Thank you!
The pad (and the software) is where most of the "magic" happens. The pen is important for the pressure. Also the way the pen "antenna" is built can make a difference for interacting with the pen when tilt for example. (or how tilt affects the parallax and pressure). Again, this could be compensated in drivers. In my experience, high end tablets will not mix easily with other pens because the tech tend to be changing. Mind you, I do not have experience with most recent models, possibly it's stabilized more now.
Ppl always made it sound like 8192 PL was the way to go and I was always picky about that. Thanks to you, I feel more confident in choosing the lower spectrum of drawing tablets.
Hi. I am a professional painter but I want to explore and try out digital art. When it comes to digital art I am a beginner. I can't decide between Wacom one medium ctl 672 and small intouse. Is ctl 672 good enough for a beginning and some more serious work? Thanks.
I do drawings in hairline art.. mainly for laser cutting.. I was considering an all in one laptop replacement like the surface book 3, and i use coreldraw 2019.. what would you suggest i do for say like line tracing an image and smoothing nodes etc.or drawing something from scratch. the end result would be hairline drawings to convert to dxf for laser or cnc plasma cutting. I liked your video on the different pen pressures. but if most of my drawing are hairline and not a paint brush, then I am assuming pressure points are not that important. and a surface book 3 at around 4k pressure points is sufficient vs 8k pressure points from a wacom tablet. appreciate your input.
Soo...I have a wacom bamboo tablet and the pen that only has 1024 levels. If I buy the Wacom pro pen 2 can I use it with that old tablet on mine or do I need to buy a newer tablet aswell?
How do you go from using the stylus as a mouse cursor to leaving an actual trace with the pen tool? Do you need to hold a button on the stylus that is programed as the left click mouse or is all pressure based?
Do you recommend the one by Wacom medium? I already have a Samsung note 10 for when im travelling but want something that I can use at home when I feel like doing some proper artwork?
I'm calculating which one i should buy between an old wacom with 2k PRESSURE LEVELS pen or a new wacom with a 8k PRESSURE LEVELS pen and i know what i must to after i watch this video, thank you so much, Aaron :D
hi my tablet has 2040 pressure levels at the beggining of your video you have "uncheck" the option of the panel wich say "presion compatibility" ...so should I uncheck the box ? by default is check...I think that is the reason my drawing are a little nostalgic and blurry.
@@Bernard-Poulin , as you said, not much difference , I am using this model , unchecked the software is the wacom 6.3.37-3... also check the pen setting... I never had to change the nibs, I think this model is eternal for nibs...I used for ps, subsace painter, blender .
This is wonderful. Im sitting debating on whether I should stick with wacom or try a huion with higher pressure levels. I own the 1,024 pressure lvl tablet. This answered my question with pressure lvls.
Excellent video Aaron....My question revolves on selecting a pen tablet for photo editing..photoshop...First, what is a good pressure sensitivity pen tablet and second is a small size adequate?..thank u.
hello Aaron, I've been working with digital art for a while and I would like to update my equipment but I'm having trouble deciding what to buy... I have a Wacom Intuos Ctl480l like the one in your video and I was wondering if it is worth exchanging it for a Wacom Intuos CTL4100 or if it would be better to add more money and buy an Intuos pro. I would appreciate it very much if you could give me your opinion... thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.
Aaron Rutten Thanks for the review. I have the opportunity to buy used Cintiq 22hd, what do you think about this device or Huion GT221 is better? And GT221 has 4x more huge pressure level, what do you think about that? And 22hd costs (used) like new Huion but I can buy that from my friend in installments. I'm definitely the noob in this and I'd like to use that for a little of drawing, motion graphics and 3D. What can you advise?
As a beginner...I wanted to buy Wacom Intuos Pro (for touch & eraser feature) but according to my budget...i can't afford it... so i planned on start with either One (CTL-672, medium, 2k pressure level) or Intuos S (CTL-4100, small, 4k pressure level) i'm confused whether should i go with the size or pressure level? I'm good at usual sketch but i never used a drawing tab before...i've seen a lot of reviews but the more i watch, the more it gets confusing. Please help me choosing the right one (TIA)
Buy the medium sized One. Larger active area is more important than a more sensitive pen pressure assuming you intend to use it for drawing/design. Also for beginner with limited budget, you may need to think thrice if someday you want to buy chinese tablet that usually are cheaper than Wacom. Chinese tablets can be good, but the cheaper price also reflect the quality of the tablet and its software. Alternatively, I recommend to search for used Wacom Intuos Pro instead. I just bought a used Pro PTH-651 (Medium size) for like USD 120 lol. Used Intuos 3 & 5 are also still good and can be found much cheaper than a used Intuos Pro.
i'm thinking to buy a tablets but im very confused which one to buy, is XP pen deco 1 is better or wacom intuos or huion inspiroy H950P?? can someone help
@@gastonalejandrovaldez9121 yup.. Bro i have purchased wacom one medium.... Its the best option.. Bcaus.. Only the size matters... There is no much use of shortcuts buttons.. If you are having a keyboard Go for wacom one.. Its ths best option in that price range.. And don't go behind other fancy brands.
Hey Aaron, you were talking a lot of low compare to high.. Well, but there was word on whether or not there is really a difference between 4K and 8K especially in a subjective level. Yes, analog on pen/paper there is an infinite number - but eyes at some point do not really see any difference. :) (if this makes sense?)
Should I buy the XP-Pen G640 6 x 4 inch with (8000) pressure or Wacom One by CTL-472 with (2000) pressure ? they both are exactly of same Price . Please help?
The 8k pen could not be use on fist serials of tablet but the 1st pen could work well on the latest products . So you should buy a latest tablet and use any pen you like. For me is the cintq 24 with 2k (added) and 8k (included) for the best of creative of mind!
Thanks for this. I have never been able to figure out how to use pressures, so I am going to try to do what you showed in the pen properties. I also never knew different pens can have different number of pressures.
I want to buy $70 one have around 8000 pressure with circly wheels. but there's a $50 one with no circly thing. I want the circle but I just wanna make a 2D animation, do I really have to spend 20extra for that circly thing? Hmmm..
No, it wouldn't work, the pen from the tablet you mention would work with the newer Intuos Pro, but not the other way around. I tell you from wacom's site.
Hey Aaron, thanks for all the great videos. Here's a question on the subject of making great videos. I've noticed, and taken an increased interest in, with hopes of replicating for my own UA-cam videos, that in some of your video tutorials, you are speaking to the camera while being superimposed in front of a background of some of your digital art creations. How'd u do that?
Thank you for your reply. I've owned an intuos 4 for about 10 years now. I can't even draw a stick figure, but I do sculpt quite a bit. What I meant was, is the increase from 1024/2048 to 8192 noticeable and worth the upgrade for someone who sculpts?
I'd say the most important specification would be whether it has a screen or not. Other than that the most important specification would probably be the brand name, as a no-name drawing tablet with bad drivers won't do you any good, but a well known brand should have better drivers, but obviously you should read/watch multiple reviews of any tablet you consider to see if there are any functionality breaking glitches or if it is flat out unusable.
The pen to screen to eye performance is the most important aspect. Minimal cursor to pen nib offset [parallax] and pen responsiveness and accuracy are key features which depend on the tablet and the pen technology in order to get the most out of the drawing/painting software. The second most important parameters are the tablet dimensions and characteristics such as size and graphic quality. The third is the overall functionality of the tablet/pen. Abscence or inclusion of features such as short-cut keys; the feel of the pen on the screen, current technology in the pen and screen as well as the quality of the stand as well as the peripheral wires and connectors organization.
I'm no artist but I'm very eager to dive in the world of digital art. Came by to get some idea what pressure levels even are, to begin with, and to be able to pick the right pen for me. So, thank you so much! 🥰
1024 ~ 8192 thinner > smoother > good transition 1024~2048 would be fine for drawing since the line can be thin but not quite as smooth as 8192 (but thick) n also not good for transition i thot that the higher the level, the more powerful it is 8192 : good for smooth line, transition 4k: not as good for line smoothness, but transition is more good than 8192 from the vid
When I tried 8k pressure level and went back to 1k, when drawing solid color into corners, I realized I need an upgrade... but didn't because I found a software with the best fill feature ever. XD
With my ability, about 1000 level is more than enough (I use wacom bamboo fun which have 1024 level for a very long time), so 2000 level is already overkill. I don't think my ability can even use all 8000 pressure level to the optimum (I may not even notice the differences). More than pressure level, tilt is much more needed than more pressure level. Wacom cintiq pen and more expensive cintiq alternative already have it, but the lower end models don't have it at all. So I hope tilt can be available on more cheaper models in the future. As for rotate, I don't know... since there aren't many brushes use rotation.
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This seriously cheered me up,I've been down and staying up overthinking about how disappointed I was when I brought a 2048 pressure levels instead of 8192 pressure levels,because someone pointed it out and really disappointed me,I've been waiting forr a drawing tablet for 3 years and hearing disappointing news from someone really broke my heart, my family is very poor so I'm the only one who saved up for this tablet. Thank you very much!
Glad to help!
I own a Hurion Plus and love it, and it's very affordable, it has very good sensitivity.
@@aaronrutten I have been searching for data for two days about will the pressure sensitivity really effect that much on drawing.And thanks you for making this video, i finally get my answer....
❤️❤️❤️
Same
I always assumed the levels came from the tablet. That's amazing considering they have no batteries.
It is just an RF (Radio signal), broadcasting up through the digitizer-board, captured by the pen, and the altered signal from the pen pressure, is captured again by the board, as a "tone". Similar concept to the RF tags that they use on store security. The signal boradcasts out, to the RF-tag. The tag generates a small voltage-spike, and echoes back to the same antenna that sent the signal out. (Unless it has been "turned-off", which is simply a process of magnetizing a physical plate or digitally setting a singular "bit", to be "off", so the tag knows not to reply when it gets the signal.)
That is also why you get wavy lines... Each antenna line has a gap. That "hump", is the pen antenna getting closer and further away from each line or group of lines. The more lines you have (trace-antennas), the less "waves" or smaller waves you see in a line, as they stroke across the surface.
The next gen pens will be dual-frequency and dual-plane antennas. Instead of using just horizontal antennas, they will be able to use criss-crossing antennas and be able to pick-up full pen orientation, without altering the "guess", as to where the tip is located. That is also why the tip drifts from under the pen as you tilt the pen. You are angling the antenna and making the signal distorted and stronger. Looks like the pen is shifting under your thumb, as the antenna gets closer to the digitizer. The software, in some cases, compensates for that, a little. But that has limits too.
@@JD_Mortal Good info , i saved this comment , good to have this random but interesting bits of knowledge.
The tablet just interprets what you are doing in proportion of the active area and monitor (sort of)
Btw, you CAN'T use a pro pen 2 with intuos creative or a 2K pen with an intuos pro 6
Every tablet is designed for certain pens so you MUST check the pen compatibility before buying or using a stylus
NoesisAndNoema I never thought to look that far into it in almost 20 years of using pen tablets, that’s crazy smart
I know tablets today have variations of pressure level but I always asking myself how to do so because nobody before you ever tell about it with details. Very much thanks man!
Yeah, there's not much info out there. I would have liked to have found more info about what the maximum pressure levels supported are in each app.
@@aaronrutten
You are the only one utuber who made a video on this topic
Thanks
I also have the 21UX 2nd gen and even the 24 pro. I still go from time to time and use the old one just for the heck of it.
DISCLAIMER: This is not a sponsored video. I reached out to Wacom and they sent me the Intuos P&T, Intuos 2018 and Cintiq 27 QHD for unrelated reviews. Wacom did not provide the MobileStudio Pro 16. All opinions in this review are my own.
I feel that these comparisons are somewhat invalidated when you hold up the tablet.. That creates so much variance in the pressure that will be read, as there is no consistent surface pressure from the tablet, so because there isn't consistent pressure it will be harder to make a smooth gradient.
thank you this was really helpful i bought a wacom intuos pro old model and when i saw it had only 2048 pressure levels i got scared im an aspiring artist and this help me feel more comfortable with my purchase
great art by the way
The maximum level is 1024, for any singular program, using 64-bit color. The purpose of having more pressure-levels is so that you can tune the pressure to a more comfortable range, within the range of the values. You honestly have to adjust each pens curve. The pen with 8000+ pressure levels, has to move only 1/8th the distance or 1/8th the pressure, to obtain the same 256 levels that most programs actually use. (256 for color and 1000 for pixel-sizes, which calculates into 0.001 pixel precision, or a pixel range from 0 pixels to 999 pixels. You need a brush that is at-least 1000x1000 to see that actual range.)
Also, there is accuracy in the stroke. Where 1024 pressure-levels, you can actually see "jumps", as you can hit any specific value, but the values are nearly impossible to "hit", or sustain, with constant or variable pressure.
For the record, you have to turn off all software-smoothing, in order to see any of this. Or, use a program that does not assist "pen drawing", as those all often have code which smooths-out the stroke-line input, as well as the pressure-input. You are not seeing the "raw data", which the pens output.
The biggest gain from having a pen with more pressure-levels, is simply the fact that you no longer have to push hard to get to 100%. Thus, your surface and tips last longer, as well as your hand muscles. You don't get as fatigued, from constantly pushing down hard and also fighting that added friction in the pen strokes. Ultimately, when the pen starts to fail, or the digitizer starts to fail, you have more wiggle-room to push the sensitivity into an area past the parts which ultimately just fail to respond. (You lose the initial starting or ending strokes, or you can no longer get 100% pushing hard. You just modify the curve start and end values, so they are within the part of the sensor that still works. The decay of sensitivity is from the thin wires resistance changing, or moisture seeping into the digitizer PCB, interfering with the RF signals between the two devices. Also the #1 reason most digitizers ultimately fail, at the end of life. The wire coils can also "spread", from moisture, and salts, just from your hand-moisture. Causing the coated wires to cross and crack and short-out, becoming a smaller antenna that fails to function or respond correctly.)
having the tablets holded in the air obviously affected the pressure on them because they moved tho
Why wont' he remove the keyboard or just staight up place the tablet over it
It introduces some error, but I still think the "experiment" has valid results. For me it was an useful video.
Nice test. You should do this for all tablet parameters! :)
I used (very) old and more recent Wacoms tablets and to me, going from 256 levels to 1024 was the only noticeable step. Especially true with aggressive curve settings where most of the curve is set to use only a much smaller range of the entire "scale". So with 256 levels you really end up using around 50 and you can see the steps. To me, with numbers over 1K the difference is much more about the quality of the sensor in the pen than the actual number of pressure levels. It's internal response curve, how it can differentiate extremely low pressures, how sensitive/fast it 'starts', how fast it reacts to changes, how 'noisy' it is, how good it is at different tilt angles (if you think about it, drawing at the max 60 degree angle changes the mechanics of how the pressure is applied on the sensor internally). To me, the number of levels is only an indication of the generation of the sensor technology (like a version number) which would be specific to one brand. Not something you can really compare across brands in terms of quality.
Would be nice to construct some sort of test jig to measure all that.
To me, this is very similar to megapixels in camera sensors. A high quality sensor will get a really cleaner image even if it is has way less megapixels.
To me, super-high pressure levels like 4K or 8K is pure hype.
This is similar to the LPI resolution too. The limitation here is really your hand. Human hands do not "get better" with technology. It's never going to draw at micron precision (!)
Just a comment about the test: Is it just me or holding the tablet in the air to measure pressure sounds really non-scientific? Isn't your other hand wobbling directly affects the pressure? It's like trying to weight something and holding the scale in your hand instead of resting it on a table... Anyways, your points are still valid and you still got nice drawings from some of the "floating tablets" tests.
Hi Aaron... an excellent review.... I'm only at the 2048 level with my 21UX, but I've been wondering what the higher pressure levels were like. You've answered that, thanks.
Glad you found it informative, John.
Thanks! That so helpful. I finally realised why I prefer smaller and more affordable tablets. I don't need the huge range of transitions and prefer smaller hand movement with very light pressure. Also, lightness and feel of the pen are very important. Thanks for taking the time to make this comparison!
Same
Supply and demand - he saw a lack of information available and dealt with it perfeclty - thank you my good man!
Thanks a lot for this very interesting video.
Pressure level was one of my first criteria when I bought my drawing Tablets. I choose a 8192 (XP-PEN Deco1) and appreciate, but I have no experience with lower pressure level.
Hey does tilt function really important?
This really helps. Thanks. But for someone just starting, I don't think I need to worry about all this. I'm just curious
Man, what a great video.
Seriously, I was about to choose one out of two old versions of Intuos (Pen and Touch vs Art) and the conclusion I came across was that the only thing that really was differing those two was pressure sensivity.
I really thought that there was a huge difference between these pressure levels but there isn't '-'
In fact I got disappointed with the 8K levels and my preference was the 4K so I got the closest to it (2K)
I can't say it saved me money but it really changed my preception about pressure sensivity and will problally make the difference the next time I buy a graphic tablet when I get a larger budget ; )
i'm currently using a drawing tablet with 8k pressure and it's the best because of the smooth transitions and best for digital sketches and digital painting.
I am learning so much with ur videos and will subscribe for more, because other youtubers don't go in so much detail as you. Thanks
Great video man!
My Huion with 8k has been causing connectivity problems and I was worried about switching to a Wacom that only had 4k
But this really shows me how little it differs, at least for my style!
What Huion model do you use?
I love to watch an informative video in which I do not feel by the end that I always need to buy more! Thank you!
same^^
I have a tablet, but I have no idea how many pressure levels it has, I bought it around 7 years ago and it still works perfectly even with it's daily use, it's a Wacom Intuos5 touch, and I'm too lazy to search for the box it came in or Wacom's webpage to see the details
xD
@@kazc99 Oh, thanks! Now I finally know :b
I never thought about pen pressure until i realized that I was using so many tablets. I did notice a difference in the 3 I was using, but it's like you said, anything above 1,000 levels is comfortable to use. Thanks for the informational video.
I keep seeing people who say pen pressure does not matter.Especially after the 1k.Now,working with my intuos 4 with the 2k pressure for over 5 years,and working with a unknown brand with 1k pressure 2y before,and between the intuos and the 1k tablet,I worked with a pen tablet with 0 pen pressure for some months,and the conclusion is YES...you really would not notice anything special above 1k if all you are doing is sketching and painting(basic brush opacity and size variation).However when doing lineart pressure sensitivity becomes really important.And important mainly because you want to spend less time fighting the hardware's limitations.I kept being unhappy with how my lines were coming from my 2k pressure when I started doing more linework than just sketching and painting.Thank god for Lazy Nezumi,but still there was that exact issue about the jaggines\inconsistency with the pressure.Like I could not get a smooth transition between thick to thin 100% of the time.After all the software uses the input from the tablet and then uses some kind of algorithm to transfer that to the screen and document.Having more data to work with,helps with the calculations being more precise.
Overall I think it's like the bit depth of images. We have 8,16 and 32 but in the end every image is viewed in 8 bit.The question one might rise is why do we even have 16 and 32 bit images and only a guy who does that works with these can come to you and say "What?!Are you mad? We need those because of x,y,z".
So higher pressure levels is more of a pro perk than something that you will really need to make good art.As I mentioned,I was commissioned and paid for works that I used a pen with 0 pressure sensitivity on it.
But the video above is really great at giving us a good explanation on the effects of a high pen pressure.
Are you using 4-8k pressure? I think most here are not long time digital artist so do not need such high level but it helps with accuracy and transitioning as you post said.
I'm probably the only one to have a Wacom Intuos 3 since 2008... Only 1024 levels of pressure and It work perfectly like a brand new tablet with 8000 levels!!!! XD
I still have mine too. No reason to change if it works.
I still have that version as well!
I am really confused now, again
So I am about to buy a graphics tablet and I had to chose between one
Wacom clt 472 (2048 pressure levels)
And
Huion h540p (8192 pressure levels)
I was really confused, but then I read somewhere(and decided to get Wacom) that once pressure sensitivity is above 1000 it doesn't really make a difference. But I can clearly see the difference here.
I know Wacom's are durabile and all...
Damn it, what should i get?
It can make a difference somewhat depending on what you're doing. It is also worth noting that huion pressure levels are not identical to wacom's. You might find the huion's pressure is not as smooth even at 8000 levels. I've heard reviewers say it's a lot more jumpy compared to wacom pressure even with custom curves.
Aaron Rutten thank you, that helped... I'll go for Wacom then
Aaron Rutten it was an issue in the previous drivers it has been fixed now
I recommend xp pen's tablet
Even it is not in the choice
I've read that some people think that the huion tablets are only 2k, because it's a bit springy like 2k, but huion write 8k,.
What's right? 2k instead of 8k or just a springy 8k. According to this blog post there is a firmware error with the hs610 but not with the 1060p.
Is it that what people call springy?
digitalarttabletguides.wordpress.com/2019/04/05/why-i-do-not-recommend-the-huion-hs610/
I wonder if there was this error in the h1161 which I had bought, if I buy one which indicates 8k, then I would like to have the 8k and not 2k.
Does the pressure level come from the stylus or the tablet? If it is the stylus, can I use the same stylus in any other tablet or even smartphone and obtain the same level of detail?
I'm wanting to get the 22hd, but I was a little scared that it might not work well do to the pressure. This is a great video and I'm starting to feel better now! I might even get it.
What matters most Aaron? The pen or the pad? If I have state of the art pen with a budget pad, or vice versa, how will my drawing be affected? From your video, I am assuming the pad does not matter much. Thank you!
The pad (and the software) is where most of the "magic" happens. The pen is important for the pressure. Also the way the pen "antenna" is built can make a difference for interacting with the pen when tilt for example. (or how tilt affects the parallax and pressure). Again, this could be compensated in drivers.
In my experience, high end tablets will not mix easily with other pens because the tech tend to be changing. Mind you, I do not have experience with most recent models, possibly it's stabilized more now.
I could notice a considerable difference between 1024 and 2048 pressure levels, especially in the 2:27 test. But above 2048, the impact is minimal.
Ppl always made it sound like 8192 PL was the way to go and I was always picky about that.
Thanks to you, I feel more confident in choosing the lower spectrum of drawing tablets.
What pressure level should I use as a beginner. Also whether to choose Wacom or huion?
Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks and Namaste.
thanks for honest comparison.
Hi. I am a professional painter but I want to explore and try out digital art. When it comes to digital art I am a beginner. I can't decide between Wacom one medium ctl 672 and small intouse. Is ctl 672 good enough for a beginning and some more serious work? Thanks.
Id go with a medium, that should last you quite awhile, small is doable but medium is alot more comfortable.
Id even argue either size would be good enough for professional work its just about the comfort.
Сиви Соко I have the same question , so what did you choose then ? Ctl 672 or small intuos? Thks before🙏🏻
Great video Aaron :)
Glad you enjoyed the video!
I do drawings in hairline art.. mainly for laser cutting.. I was considering an all in one laptop replacement like the surface book 3, and i use coreldraw 2019.. what would you suggest i do for say like line tracing an image and smoothing nodes etc.or drawing something from scratch. the end result would be hairline drawings to convert to dxf for laser or cnc plasma cutting. I liked your video on the different pen pressures. but if most of my drawing are hairline and not a paint brush, then I am assuming pressure points are not that important. and a surface book 3 at around 4k pressure points is sufficient vs 8k pressure points from a wacom tablet. appreciate your input.
Thank you so much for the excellent comparison!
Soo...I have a wacom bamboo tablet and the pen that only has 1024 levels. If I buy the Wacom pro pen 2 can I use it with that old tablet on mine or do I need to buy a newer tablet aswell?
How do you go from using the stylus as a mouse cursor to leaving an actual trace with the pen tool?
Do you need to hold a button on the stylus that is programed as the left click mouse or is all pressure based?
You touch the tablet. It acts as a moving cursor only when you hover the stylus tip over the tablet.
Question. I have intous pro, the one before paper edition. But would wacom's pen pro 2 work for a pen pro 1 tablet? the 2048 levels
No. Pens are not backwards compatible. But a pro pen 1 would likely work on a newer intuos pro.
Hi! I'm a new artist and new to the digital art,do you think buying an 8k pressure tablet as my first can alter my improvement speed?
Should I use mouse mode(relative mapping) or pen mode(absolute mapping) for digital art ?
Do you recommend the one by Wacom medium? I already have a Samsung note 10 for when im travelling but want something that I can use at home when I feel like doing some proper artwork?
I'm calculating which one i should buy between an old wacom with 2k PRESSURE LEVELS pen or a new wacom with a 8k PRESSURE LEVELS pen and i know what i must to after i watch this video, thank you so much, Aaron :D
hi my tablet has 2040 pressure levels at the beggining of your video you have "uncheck" the option of the panel wich say "presion compatibility" ...so should I uncheck the box ? by default is check...I think that is the reason my drawing are a little nostalgic and blurry.
Try it, but I doubt it will make much difference. Report here if you see a difference! :) (and with which software you tried)
@@Bernard-Poulin , as you said, not much difference , I am using this model , unchecked the software is the wacom 6.3.37-3... also check the pen setting... I never had to change the nibs, I think this model is eternal for nibs...I used for ps, subsace painter, blender .
This is wonderful. Im sitting debating on whether I should stick with wacom or try a huion with higher pressure levels. I own the 1,024 pressure lvl tablet. This answered my question with pressure lvls.
have you tried tablets fron the xp-pen brand, if so how was it ;; i’m deciding on buying a xp-pen deco 01 sometime
what is better pen pressure when it comes in hand writing ?
Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.
So 4k and 8k aren't too different. 8k is definitely slightly more dynamic though
Excellent video Aaron....My question revolves on selecting a pen tablet for photo editing..photoshop...First, what is a good pressure sensitivity pen tablet and second is a small size adequate?..thank u.
hello Aaron, I've been working with digital art for a while and I would like to update my equipment but I'm having trouble deciding what to buy... I have a Wacom Intuos Ctl480l like the one in your video and I was wondering if it is worth exchanging it for a Wacom Intuos CTL4100 or if it would be better to add more money and buy an Intuos pro. I would appreciate it very much if you could give me your opinion... thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.
Im using wacom pen 2, why is it my pen suddenly becomes thick when im using brush tool, is it no calibrated or needs an update? Thank you
has anyone try if the 8k pen pressure benefits inside of zbrush as well? Or is 2k the cap off for the program too.
Just curious but will there ever be any pens with 16k levels of pressure anytime soon?
I sure hope not. 1000-2000 is plenty.
Aaron Rutten
Thanks for the review. I have the opportunity to buy used Cintiq 22hd, what do you think about this device or Huion GT221 is better? And GT221 has 4x more huge pressure level, what do you think about that? And 22hd costs (used) like new Huion but I can buy that from my friend in installments. I'm definitely the noob in this and I'd like to use that for a little of drawing, motion graphics and 3D. What can you advise?
Wacom is much better quality in my opinion and will last longer. The Cintiq would be a better investment.
I agree!
can you try Huion and to vs wacom?
Yes!! I have a huion xD
cool but you have a more modern video? or does this still hold?
Thanksss... Your video is so helpful.
As a beginner...I wanted to buy Wacom Intuos Pro (for touch & eraser feature) but according to my budget...i can't afford it...
so i planned on start with either One (CTL-672, medium, 2k pressure level) or Intuos S (CTL-4100, small, 4k pressure level)
i'm confused whether should i go with the size or pressure level? I'm good at usual sketch but i never used a drawing tab before...i've seen a lot of reviews but the more i watch, the more it gets confusing. Please help me choosing the right one (TIA)
Buy the medium sized One. Larger active area is more important than a more sensitive pen pressure assuming you intend to use it for drawing/design. Also for beginner with limited budget, you may need to think thrice if someday you want to buy chinese tablet that usually are cheaper than Wacom. Chinese tablets can be good, but the cheaper price also reflect the quality of the tablet and its software.
Alternatively, I recommend to search for used Wacom Intuos Pro instead. I just bought a used Pro PTH-651 (Medium size) for like USD 120 lol. Used Intuos 3 & 5 are also still good and can be found much cheaper than a used Intuos Pro.
so, is it the pen that has different pressure rate or the tablet?
The pen because some tablets can use multiple pens with different levels.
This was very helpful, so I thank you! I appreciate it.
That swan drawing was amazing, too! I thought it was real at first. =)
so whats best?
2k & 8k both wacom best.but huion waste
Watching here, the 4k pressure level is the perfect level for me
Sooo helpful vedio !
Thankyou so much
i'm thinking to buy a tablets but im very confused which one to buy, is XP pen deco 1 is better or wacom intuos or huion inspiroy H950P??
can someone help
Pls can You tell me which is best to Buy XP deco pro medium or Wacom Intuos Small . I am new and I have 150$ to Buy One
Finally i bought a Wacom intuos 2018 . Im very happy about that product .
That's great! Enjoy,
Is it good? my wacom is very old with only 1024 pressure level.
I wonder if it's worth the price
@@seekerandthinker If u are searching for good and cheep tablet i recommending u XP-Pen Deco 01
I am Brazilian and did not understand very well what he said. Can someone tell me, what is the best pressure level?
8k
ou 2k pra quem está começando, e não liga tanto pra precisão
@@cassiosculpts ah, krl mt obrigada kkkkkk
Guys.. Please recommend one..
Wacom CTL-4100/K0-CX Intuos Small or
WACOM One by CTL-672/K0-CX Mediu
Hi! have you already decided on one? I'm asking the same question.
@@gastonalejandrovaldez9121 yup.. Bro i have purchased wacom one medium.... Its the best option.. Bcaus..
Only the size matters... There is no much use of shortcuts buttons.. If you are having a keyboard
Go for wacom one.. Its ths best option in that price range..
And don't go behind other fancy brands.
Thx its helped me a lot
How important is tilt and pen rotation in a tablet?
Quest for me pen tilt isn’t important. But I don’t know about pen rotation.
Hey Aaron, you were talking a lot of low compare to high.. Well, but there was word on whether or not there is really a difference between 4K and 8K especially in a subjective level. Yes, analog on pen/paper there is an infinite number - but eyes at some point do not really see any difference. :) (if this makes sense?)
I'm a bigener and I want to buy tablet with 2064 pen pressure do you recommend it for me?
Thanks for the info
Should I buy the XP-Pen G640 6 x 4 inch with (8000) pressure
or Wacom One by CTL-472 with (2000) pressure ?
they both are exactly of same Price . Please help?
If it is your first tablet, then go for the smaller pen pressure and return it if you don’t like the smaller pen pressure.
@@lisabarnes924 I would not buy the XP Pen due to issue as sticking with wacom is better for you and long term
so damn good review. now I have a decision for my tablet.
The 8k pen could not be use on fist serials of tablet but the 1st pen could work well on the latest products . So you should buy a latest tablet and use any pen you like. For me is the cintq 24 with 2k (added) and 8k (included) for the best of creative of mind!
Great information. Thank you.
hey, i have a question, i have one by wacom medium than the pressure is 2k i, if i buy a 4k pen can i use it for that tablet ?
Probably not
Thanks for this. I have never been able to figure out how to use pressures, so I am going to try to do what you showed in the pen properties. I also never knew different pens can have different number of pressures.
The more you know 🌈
I want to buy $70 one have around 8000 pressure with circly wheels.
but there's a $50 one with no circly thing.
I want the circle but I just wanna make a 2D animation, do I really have to spend 20extra for that circly thing? Hmmm..
Mr. 2 minutes I think xp pen star 6 does
Hi Aaron! i wonder is it possible for me to buy the Intuos Pro Small (old version with 2k pen), and buy seperate 8k pens and use it on them?
No, it wouldn't work, the pen from the tablet you mention would work with the newer Intuos Pro, but not the other way around. I tell you from wacom's site.
Bro... Perfect. Thank you so much.
Hey Aaron, thanks for all the great videos. Here's a question on the subject of making great videos. I've noticed, and taken an increased interest in, with hopes of replicating for my own UA-cam videos, that in some of your video tutorials, you are speaking to the camera while being superimposed in front of a background of some of your digital art creations. How'd u do that?
what about sculpting? does it affect much?
It affects push and pull pressure modulation the same as it would with brush size and opacity.
Thank you for your reply. I've owned an intuos 4 for about 10 years now. I can't even draw a stick figure, but I do sculpt quite a bit. What I meant was, is the increase from 1024/2048 to 8192 noticeable and worth the upgrade for someone who sculpts?
For sculpting it less matters. So 2k is pretty good.
@@FormJune thank you for the info!
Funny that my xppen g640s has 8x as much pressure levels as the wacom intous cth 480 xd
I heard that the pressure sensitivity of xp pens are fake.
Great video
What is the most important specification of a tablet?
Edit:please answer it
I'd say the most important specification would be whether it has a screen or not. Other than that the most important specification would probably be the brand name, as a no-name drawing tablet with bad drivers won't do you any good, but a well known brand should have better drivers, but obviously you should read/watch multiple reviews of any tablet you consider to see if there are any functionality breaking glitches or if it is flat out unusable.
The pen to screen to eye performance is the most important aspect. Minimal cursor to pen nib offset [parallax] and pen responsiveness and accuracy are key features which depend on the tablet and the pen technology in order to get the most out of the drawing/painting software. The second most important parameters are the tablet dimensions and characteristics such as size and graphic quality. The third is the overall functionality of the tablet/pen. Abscence or inclusion of features such as short-cut keys; the feel of the pen on the screen, current technology in the pen and screen as well as the quality of the stand as well as the peripheral wires and connectors organization.
can you please analyze stylus tilt support on varios angles like 45 & 60 & its importance?
I'm no artist but I'm very eager to dive in the world of digital art. Came by to get some idea what pressure levels even are, to begin with, and to be able to pick the right pen for me. So, thank you so much! 🥰
Will computer draw on screen tables like a galaxy have this functionality?
1024 ~ 8192
thinner > smoother > good transition
1024~2048 would be fine for drawing since the line can be thin but not quite as smooth as 8192 (but thick) n also not good for transition
i thot that the higher the level, the more powerful it is
8192 : good for smooth line, transition
4k: not as good for line smoothness, but transition is more good than 8192 from the vid
is tilt support important???
the contiq 27 only has 2000 levels but its was\is the industry stadart.
I think if pro use it, then it will be enough for most people
So overall verdict is that more is better, but not too much better.
When I tried 8k pressure level and went back to 1k, when drawing solid color into corners, I realized I need an upgrade... but didn't because I found a software with the best fill feature ever. XD
thanks for the information.
With my ability, about 1000 level is more than enough (I use wacom bamboo fun which have 1024 level for a very long time), so 2000 level is already overkill. I don't think my ability can even use all 8000 pressure level to the optimum (I may not even notice the differences).
More than pressure level, tilt is much more needed than more pressure level. Wacom cintiq pen and more expensive cintiq alternative already have it, but the lower end models don't have it at all. So I hope tilt can be available on more cheaper models in the future. As for rotate, I don't know... since there aren't many brushes use rotation.
Wacom One just came out and it has pen tilt for under $400. Check out the review on my channel.
Please suggest me which one to buy?
One by wacom CTL471 OR CTL472? :-/
CTL472 is 2048 pressure level
And
CTL471 is 1024 !!
GamingNonstopTuber Same question 😂
If you can afford it, definitely the one with more!
For lineart, i like higher pen pressure.