REVIEW – In my years as an artwork director, it amazes me the sheer variety of graphics tablets which are accessible. I maintain questioning, “Are there sufficient customers to assist this area of interest market?” I suppose there are, as a result of the pill market frequently grows and the competitors might be intense. At first, Wacom was the one professional model of notice. They loved little to no competitors—and their merchandise had been priced accordingly.
Issues have modified since then. True, Wacom’s professional merchandise nonetheless value loads, however there’s now stiff competitors. Huion is an organization who started with (a lot) inexpensive tablets, however have frequently upped the ante in high quality and now supply many fashions in all worth ranges. Certainly one of their latest is the Kamvas Professional 13 (2.5K) Pen show pill. Professional is within the identify—however is it a “professional” pill?
What’s it?
A show pill is one you possibly can draw on with a wi-fi stylus (pen)—very like an iPad—with one large distinction. Pen show tablets require a pc connection to work. They’re not pill computer systems just like the iPad. Consider them as a pc monitor you possibly can draw on. The drawback of show tablets is an absence of full portability as a result of they require a pc—laptop computer or desktop (notice that older computer systems sans USB-C require an influence outlet connection).
Nevertheless, the key benefit of show tablets is you possibly can run any program your laptop will run, since it’s a monitor, in spite of everything.
The Huion Kamvas Professional 13 graphics pill has 7 programmable shortcut keys alongside the left facet of the pill. They’re barely indented for simply finding. It has a laminated display with a low-glare floor. Lamination permits the pen tip to the touch precisely the place you need on the display with none visible hole between the display and show beneath—in any other case generally known as parallax.
The anti-glare floor cuts glare on the expense of picture sharpness such as you get with a shiny display. Nevertheless, that is true of all show tablets with matte screens.
The again of the pill is aluminum, making it good for moveable use whenever you want to draw outdoor whereas wired to your laptop computer. The Huion Kamvas Professional 13 graphics pill can also be geared for utilizing with Android gadgets. You possibly can connect the pill to your Android smartphone utilizing a USB-C cable and have a bigger drawing floor to work with. Sadly, this solely works with Android, so Apple folks (like myself) should not invited.
Equipment embody further nibs saved within the Pen holder, drawing glove, cleansing fabric, and a transportable stand. The mandatory cables are included—for computer systems with or with out USB-C ports—however not a USB outlet plug. Possibly Huion figured everybody already has one, in order that they left it out.
Specs
- Panel dimension: 13.3″ (diagonal)
- Decision: 2560 x 1600 QHD
- Distinction ratio: 1200:1
- Brightness: 220nit
- Viewing angle: 178°
- Gamut: 145% sRGB
- Show shade: 16.7M
- Battery-free pen
- Pen stress: 8,192 ranges
- Tilt: 60°
- 7 Programmable shortcut keys
- Foldable stand
- OS Assist: Home windows, macOS, Android
- Etched anti-glare glass
- Full lamination
- Dimension: 12.3 x 9 x .4 inches
- Internet weight: 2.2 lbs
Within the field
- Pen show
- Digital pen
- 3-in-2 cable
- USB extension cable
- USB-C to USB-C cable
- USB energy cable
- Foldable stand
- Pen holder
- Further nibs
- Nib clip
- Glove
- Cleansing fabric
- Fast begin information
Design and options
One of many myths about drawing show tablets is 4K decision. The Huion Kamvas Professional 13 Pen show pill solely has 2.5K decision—roughly a bit over half the standard of 4K. Or is it?
Let me say that 4K decision is nice, no argument there. The person pixel dimension is way smaller than HD (1080p) or QHD (2.5K), so the 4K picture will seem sharper. That pixel dimension distinction issues when a 24 in. or bigger display. A 24 in. pill that’s 1080p will look pixelated. Nevertheless a 13 in. 1080p pill will look higher. Why? As a result of variety of pixels by no means adjustments. In case you have 1080 pixels throughout a 24 in. display vs 1080 pixels throughout a 13 in. display, it is possible for you to to see the pixels on the 24 in. display as a result of they’re bodily bigger. A 2.5K display has many extra pixels occupying the identical space, so they are going to be smaller and more durable to make out. Backside line is that on the Kamvas Professional’s 13-inch display, 2.5K is admittedly good and 4K is nearly overkill.
How about shade? In a phrase—nice. The Huion Kamvas Professional 13 graphics pill has 145% sRGB with a 1200:1 distinction ratio. What does this imply in English? The colour vary is wider permitting many extra shades of shade to be seen. The distinction ratio determines blacker blacks and whiter whites serving to the picture show extra element. Granted the anti-glare glass will reduce among the sharpness, but it surely’s a trade-off price doing.
With the Kamvas Professional 13, Huion consists of their finest PenTech 3 pen. The stylus was re-engineered for a smoother drawing expertise. I should take Huion’s phrase for it, as a result of I’ve not tried Huion’s older Pens. I’ll say, that utilizing the pen on the Kamvas display is nice.
Huion provides a drawing glove, but it surely’s too small for my hand, and my hand isn’t that large. So I take advantage of an older, bigger glove as a substitute. Observe that utilizing a glove on a show pill can enhance drawing consolation fairly a bit. When sporting a glove, the hand simply glides throughout the display—extremely really helpful.
The Huion Kamvas Professional 13 graphics pill weighs 2.2 lbs—not too heavy, however sufficient stability and heft to really feel safe in your lap or desk. I favor utilizing the included stand when on a desk.
Energy is provided both by the USB-C port related on to a pc’s USB-C port. No exterior energy cable wanted, except it’s used with an older laptop that doesn’t have a USB-C port. Then the provided HDMI/USB/energy triple-cord cable is required. My older Apple iMac has no HDMI, co I used to be required to buy an HDMI-mini-DisplayPort dongle. Thanks Apple.
Let’s speak concerning the built-in shortcut keys. I actually like the texture of the keys and the way responsive they’re. There are various shortcuts to select from and are straightforward to activate. The keys have a slight indent that make them straightforward to navigate with out trying on the pill. The keys are sensible—as most shortcut keys are—however I nonetheless flip all of them off. I’m old-school. I realized the best way to navigate a drawing pill utilizing an ordinary keyboard for shortcuts and am nonetheless most snug doing it that method. I flip off shortcut keys on all tablets I’ve ever used—regardless of how good they could be.
Additionally, I’m left-handed and the keys are in the way in which as I take advantage of the pill. My left hand retains activating them because it rests on the pill edge. I can’t work out if the pill might be rotated and used in order that the keys are on the precise. Nevertheless, as a result of I depart the keys off, it doesn’t matter.
Huion’s calls their stylus the PW517 Pen. It has the usual (for professional pens) 8,192 ranges of sensitivity and 60° tilt assist—one thing that is useful for digital painters—which I’m not. The pen is a bit too mild for my tastes, but it surely does really feel good whereas holding and the 2 programmable click on buttons on the barrel have simply sufficient resistance so I don’t by accident press them whereas utilizing.
I’m not an illustrator, however I take advantage of a show pill day by day in my work as a youngsters’s ebook designer. My device is Photoshop and the Huion Kamvas 13 Professional is admittedly good at what it does. It’s straightforward to setup and use. The colours are correct, the pen is snug and the stand—whereas not my favourite—works nicely for what it’s.
What I like
- Inexpensive
- Nice shade and picture high quality
- 2.5K decision is ideal for this pill dimension
What I’d change
- Shortcut keys should not in location for left-handers
- USB outlet plug not included
Ultimate Ideas
That is the primary Huion pill I’ve reviewed, and I’ve to say that I’m impressed. It’s constructed nicely and is sufficiently small to put nearly anyplace on a desk or slip right into a backpack. Nevertheless,13 inches is just too small for my day-to-day use. For that, I require a bigger show pill on a monitor arm. However for a pupil who wants portability, a professional simply moving into digital illustration, or simply somebody who prefers a smaller pill, the Huion Kamvas Professional 13 graphics pill might be nearly excellent. And it’s reasonably priced.
Worth: $399 US.
The place to purchase: Amazon
Supply: The pattern of this product was offered by Huion.
