Wacom Cintiq 13HD

Headnote

The tablet-maker's latest release packs a highresolution screen inside a smaller, lighter display that's lighter on your wallet, too.

Wacom's previous HD interactive pen displays, the Cintiq 22HD ($1,999) and Cintiq 24HD ($2,599), have long been (very expensive) wish list items for many serious digital artists and professional photographers. Now the tablet giant has brought to market the family's new little brother: the Cintiq 13HD ($999.95). While photographers can get away with clicking and pointing with their mouse or trackpad to do their photo retouching, imagine how much more quickly and efficiently (and possibly more precisely) you could do the job by actually drawing directly onto your photos with an interactive pen. That's what the Cintiq 13HD offers.

What's great about this new version of Wacom's high-definition line of interactive displays is the fact that, while it retains many of its larger siblings' features and usability, it arrives at a more affordable price point and it does so in a much more portable form.

Compare the weights of the three models: The Cintiq 22HD (with stand) weighs in at 33.7 pounds, while the 24HD (also with stand) tips the scales at a whopping 63.8 pounds. My arms are tired just thinking about lifting that massive display onto a desk, where it would most certainly stay put.

The new Cintiq 13HD, on the other hand, comes in at a svelte 2.65 pounds. Add 13.5 ounces if you decide to use the optional stand and you're still carrying around an infinitely lighter machine. This lends to one of the display's most impressive selling points: portability.

Photographers and artists are often on...