Wacom Cintiq 12wx

The key difference between the Wacom Cintiq 12WX and Cintiq 21UX is mainly the size. This graphic tablet is 16″ W x 10.5″ H and has an active area of 10.3″ W x 6.4″ H. Screen size is 12.1″ diagonal and it’s pressure levels 1,024 on pen tip and eraser.

The second major difference is the weight. The 12WX only weighs 4.4 lbs. Extremely light compared to the hefty Cintiq 21UX at 22.4 lb (with stand).

Another difference is rotation. The Cintiq 12WX can lay flat and rotate 360 degrees. The 21UX can only rotate 180 degrees.

The resolution is 1280 x 800 pixels and comes with ten programmable ExpressKeys, two finger Touch Strips for zooming, scrolling or changing brush size. The programmable keys and touch strips are the same as the Cintiq 21UX. You just get less (16 keys/4 touch strips on the Cintiq 21UX).

It also includes five replacement pen nibs – 3 standard, 1 stroke, 1 felt which are stored in the pen stand.

The same animator/3D artist friend I mentioned in my Cintiq 21UX review also loaned me her Wacom Cintiq 12WX so I could test it for myself. I also took into account her opinions and included them in overall review.

Pros:
It’s light which makes it easy to use in your lap. Drawing/illustrating felt more natural that way.
Works as a touchpad and monitor. I really liked having a single button to toggle between the Cintiq screen and my monitor. It saved me time since I could have my work on the Cintiq 21UX and then most of my pallets open on the main monitor.
The tilt worked out well for me and I really liked the 360 degree rotation.

Cons:
Too many cables – It is portable, but the Cintiq 12WX connects from an integrated cable to an external box which the monitor cable, usb cable and power brick are attached.
The cursor shakes a little when it’s close to the edge of the screen.
Slight lag when quick sketching.

Overall:
I think this is ideal for a designer who wants to draw directly on the screen, but doesn’t need the power and size of the Cintiq 21UX. I can look past these issues and still recommend the Cintiq 12WX if you prefer the smaller size.

Click here to read more information about this Cintiq on Amazon!