Apple iPad vs. Wacom Cintiq

As most of my friends know, I got an iPad.

Upon announcement of the device, I thought it was a pretty stupid product–simply an oversized iPod Touch with no excuse for omitting Java or Flash Player. Then I began to consider the possibility of it being a portable drawing tablet. I figured I’d get a Pogo Sketch stylus, try it out, and if it didn’t meet expectations I could sell it on eBay at a profit to someone in some foreign country still waiting for it.

After a week or so of using it, I must say I love the iPad. It’s replaced my iPhone in cases where I want to casually search online, and typing is much easier than I expected (though I miss the tab key), which has yielded the device to being an adequate and lightweight replacement for my laptop. I still think Apple’s blockade of Flash is childish, but you can’t win all the time. Onto the comparison!

Before I get into the pros and cons of the iPad, let’s look at the current options available for artists interested in illustrating digitally:

• PC tablets. Expect to drop a good $1,500 for a full-fledged computer here, not including software (I’m talking about stuff like the Dell XT2).
• Wacom tablets. I use mine every day, but there’s a slight disconnect between drawing on the tablet and following what’s on-screen.
• Wacom Cintiq. Yes, I’m spoiled, as I happen to have one of these. They are incredible, but not mobile–and not cheap ($2,000).
• Modbook. Turn your Mac into a Cintiq. Reviews have mentioned the performance to be slightly buggy, and again, it’s not cheap ($1000+ on top of the laptop cost).
• Mobile phones. A little too small of a screen for serious consideration, if you ask me.
• HP’s upcoming Slate or Microsoft’s upcoming Courier tablet. the key word here is “upcoming”. Sadly, these products might as well be vaporware until official release dates and prices are announced (I should probably mention that I’m skeptical of hardware in which the operating system wasn’t built from the ground up with touch and gestures in mind).

Screen comparison

For starters, the Cintiq is a resistive screen, whereas the iPad is a capacitive screen. Resistive screens recognize pressure, while capacitive screens register touch (unfortunately for us artists, capacitive is what’s “in” so our options will remain limited).

The winner? Cintiq by a mile. While using the iPad, I was easily frustrated with the bottom of my hand creating marks while I wanted to draw. I also found myself intuitively attempting to apply pressure as I drew, which, of course, didn’t matter with the iPad. Granted, the workaround is to continually modify stroke weights in conjunction with brush opacity, but it’s simply not on par with the Cintiq.

To the iPad’s defense, I will say that Apple typically chooses the best screens on the market (Samsung?) and is known for having some of the best capacitive screens.

Price

No brainer here. The iPad is much cheaper.

Stylus

You can draw with your finger on the iPad (but not the Cintiq), but regardless, drawing just feels more natural with a stylus. I went out and purchased the Pogo Sketch (slightly longer than the regular Pogo Stylus, since it’s for prolonged use) for use with the iPad. The tip of the stylus is much bigger than Wacom’s pen, and I believe this is due to the fact that the iPad requires a bigger imprint to register input.

I really didn’t like that Sketch on the iPhone, but it’s much better on the iPad (this may be due to the faster processor). Drawing requires more pressure than what feels natural, and I still don’t like how pressure can force the nub around (I’m always worried the aluminum will end up scratching the glass, though it never does). Unfortunately, unlike a Wacom pen, the Pogo cant have another tip on the opposite side that can be programmed as an eraser. In the end, it’s a workable device, though not as natural as the Wacom pen due to the thick tip.

Software

I’d actually call this a tie. The iPad doesn’t have Photoshop or Painter, but I’ve found Autodesk’s Sketchbook Pro ($8.99) to be a perfect substitute that can export layered PSDs. Of course, there’s also Brushes, as well as several other drawing apps available. I hope Adobe Ideas works in new features in the future, as it currently is the only iPad entry to allow for Flash-like vector drawing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I’d disclaim to artists to not fool themselves into thinking that the iPad is a replacement for a Cintiq, but I’d definitely recommend the iPad as a drawing tool. Its portability paired with its affordable price eclipse its shortcomings, and despite some minor usability issues, the iPad has really impressed me as a drawing tool.