CES 2019: Wacom unveils new entry-level Cintiq

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A Wacom Cintiq Pro is the dream creative tool for many artists and illustrators keen on drawing or sketching directly onto the screen; the only problem is that they don't come cheap. Even if you aim for the bottom-end 13-inch model you're not going to get much change from $800/£800, so if you're a student or just getting started in your creative career, the tool is almost certainly beyond your budget.

However, there's some great news from CES 2019 for anyone who's after a creative pen display without having to cough up a fortune. Wacom has just announced the new Wacom Cintiq 16, and it's an entry-level model aimed at young designers, students and hobbyists, for a price that's much more manageable than anything in the Pro range.

The Cintiq 16 has just enough features to make it a must-have entry-level pen display

Cheap-ish and reasonably cheerful, the Cintiq 16 looks like it could easily become the go-to option for any creative who needs a pen display but balks at the price of a Cintiq Pro; it doesn't have the full range of Pro features, but there's enough there to get the job done.

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It features a decent-sized 15.6-inch HD display with an anti-glare film and reduced parallax so you can always see what you're doing. It's not a touchscreen, but it does come with the Wacom Pro Pen 2, which gives you 8,192 levels of sensitivity, low activation force and tilt recognition. Thanks to the Pro Pen 2's Electro Magnetic Resonance technology, you'll never have to charge it, and it also features two programmable side buttons for instant access to your favourite shortcuts.

Get 8,192 pressure levels with the Pro Pen 2

For setting things up comfortably, it packs foldable legs that provide you with a 19-degree tilt; if you want steeper angles there's an optional stand that'll give you up to 68 degrees. And while the Cintiq 16 doesn't feature any ExpressKeys other than the Pro Pen 2's side buttons, there's ExpressKey Remote available that gives you 17 customisable, app-specific ExpressKeys, as well as a Touch Ring.

If you fancy a bit of an upgrade then the Cintiq 16 is fully compatible with Wacom's complete range of accessory pens, and while if you sit it side-by-side with a Pro model you'll instantly spot the difference – the 16's display isn't as bright or as crisp as the one you'd find in a Pro, and its colour gamut is lacking in comparison, too – it's a cracking piece of kit that's going to be much in demand when it goes on sale later this month for $649/£529.99. 

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