- Hello and welcome back to another design tech review.
Here, I have a new product I'd like to share with you,
which I have been using on a recent project.
Today, I'll be reviewing the all new Deco LW pen tablet
by XP-Pen.
Now in a previous video,
I review the Artist 12 second gen pen display.
Now, unlike the 12 Artist second gen display,
the Deco LW is a pen tablet.
So no screen display here.
However, it does benefit from the same sleek design,
build quality, button features and stylist technology
at a much cheaper price point
and comes complete with added Bluetooth functionality.
The XP-Pen Deco LW is not just great for illustrators
and artists, but for designers and even office staff looking
for stylist functionality.
So if you are someone looking for a good quality pen tablet
with accurate stylist technology on a super low budget,
I think you're really going to like
this new product by XP-Pen.
Join me as I introduce you to one of the top 10 tablets
on the market right now.
So let's get into it.
So here I have the Deco LW pen tablet by XP-Pen.
Now, before we get into the details,
it's worth mentioning that XP-Pen has released two models
of this pen tablet, the Deco L and the Deco LW.
The only difference being that one is Bluetooth.
and the other requires a physical connection.
As of making this video,
the L is retailing for 69.99 American dollars
and the LW is retailing for 89.99.
So not a lot in it for the added Bluetooth functionality,
which when you compare it
to the Artist 12 second gen display,
which as of making this video is retailing for 249.99.
It's a substantial difference.
For what you get in the box, it's really good value.
So let's take a look at a quick unboxing.
So the packaging for this product is really nice
with a premium feel.
The packaging for the L is the same as the LW,
but without the Bluetooth badger.
Inside the box, you are presented with the tablet
in the protective case, which when removed,
reveals the stylus and accessories,
containing the manual, additional nibs,
and a cleaning cloth.
Included in the box, you have a USB-A to USB-C cable,
one USB-A to USB-C adapter,
one USB-A to micro-USB adapter, and the Bluetooth receiver.
Now with the Deco L and LW,
you get the all new X3 Elite stylus, which is battery free,
lightweight, and feels really nice in the hand.
Now, like the Artist 12 second gen,
the Deco L and LW are available in full vibrant colors,
black, green, blue, pink.
Here, I went with the black version,
which I think is really slick.
So with the wrapping removed,
my first impression is that the tablet feels well-made,
incredibly lightweight.
The buttons have a nice press to them
and the tablet has a nice rubber coating,
which sits nicely on most surfaces.
Overall, a good build quality.
So let's take a look at this in action.
So this product works much like
any other traditional pen tablet.
Compared to the Artist 12 second gen,
the tablets total size is slightly smaller,
31 by 18 centimeters to be exact
with an eight millimeter depth.
However, the work area is the same,
with the 12 inch 16 by 9 work area.
Like with the Artist 12 second gen,
this tablet features the eight buttons on the side.
These can be programmed inside the XP-Pen software
to initiate a range of commands
from assigning most controls, launching applications,
to assigning your own keyboard commands and actions,
which is really handy.
You can even add different profiles.
So you can program the buttons for specific commands
within specific programs, which is pretty handy.
Now, unlike the Artist 12 display second gen
and other pen tablets,
which can require a constant physical connection,
the Deco LW is completely wireless.
Yes, it has a small battery inside,
which makes it really easy to move around your desk
and even tuck away when you're not using it
to save you desk space.
Now, it's important to mention here
that the tablet will switch off.
If you don't use the tablet,
you'll notice the little blue LED here will turn off,
which is great to conserve your battery life.
To activate the tablet, simply press the small button
on the side and you're back in business.
So if you're someone who is not really interested
in a pen tablet,
however you do need to get hands-on occasionally
for your work, then this is a great go-to tablet.
Perfect for quick jobs.
You can literally pop this out of the way
and just grab it when you need to do some quick retouching
or use it to sign documents.
Also, the tablet is super light,
which makes it easy to chuck into your backpack
and commute with, so perfect for on-the-go.
Now you will need to connect the physical cable
to charge up the battery,
which on the box states two hours for full charge.
But once charged,
you will have hours of wireless capability,
10 hours to be exact.
Now like the Artist 12 second gen,
this tablet has this nice rubber edge
and full grips on the underside,
which enables it to stay in place nicely
so there is no slippage.
This makes the display versatile and comfortable to use,
especially when propping it up and moving it around.
So no damage to the tablet itself or your desk.
Overall, the tablet itself feels pretty sturdy,
not too cheap,
and there is a nice matte coating on the surface,
which is easy to clean and feels smooth on the stylus nib.
So what about the stylus?
So with the Deco L and LW,
you get the all new X3 Elite stylus,
which is said to dramatically enhance
your sensory experience,
allowing for hours of uninterrupted drawing,
which is also the same stylus you get
with the Artist 12 second gen.
The X3 features digital signal transmission,
a three gram IAF,
and a .6 retraction distance with a faster response time.
The steady nib insures stable performance
and powered by the X3 smart chip.
Without the spring mechanism,
the stylus performs better and last twice as long
than any other existing XP-Pen stylus.
With it's 8,192 pressure sensitivity levels
and a 60 degree tilt function,
you will have easy, intuitive control
while creating artwork.
Now, I like to draw a lot on paper
using pencils and markers,
so I'm used to precise and comfortable tools.
When comparing the X3 stylus to the Apple pencil,
for example, which more closely resembles
the natural feel of drawing tools,
the X3 Elite stylus is a little more chunky.
However, it's not too chunky.
Using the X3 Elite is actually pretty comfortable
and comes with the standard two buttons,
which can be programmed easily.
Now drawing tablets like these
are actually quite popular with designers.
A lot of designers like to use pen tablets,
not only for their work but to just operate their computer.
This tablet has a nice reading height
of at least one centimeter, which acts like a mouse.
So you don't have to touch the pen on the surface
to move the cursor around.
It's really smooth and you can just hover
and move the stylus around to move your cursor,
and tap to click or click and drag like a mouse.
So let's take a quick look at some line tests here.
So first, I'll start in Photoshop with some fast lines
without pressure sensitivity on.
As you can see, this looks pretty smooth.
(soft upbeat music)
Let's try some fast lines.
Again, pretty smooth.
Okay, real fast.
That's looking pretty smooth too.
From my experience, there was almost no lag at all.
Next, let's try some slow lines.
Here, I'll try a variety of stroke sizes.
That's not looking too bad, no obvious waves there.
Now let's try with a ruler.
That looks quite smooth.
Now this time, let's turn pressure sensitivity on
and try some fast lines with a soft touch.
I'll start with a thin brusher.
First, with the light touch.
Next, with a harder touch.
Now let's try a thicker brush with a light touch
and with a harder touch.
Now it's important to mention here
that if we want to tweak this a little,
we can jump into the XP-Pen software
and tweak the pen pressure.
If I drag this down to the corner
and hop back into Photoshop,
we can tweak the taper effect on our strokes.
So overall, it feels pretty smooth drawing with this tablet.
The X3 tech seems to be working quite well here.
So to use the pen tablet is pretty straightforward.
To connect the tablet,
you can use the provided USB-A to USB-C cable.
Or if you're using a computer with only USB-C ports,
you could use the USB-A to USB-C adapter.
This tablet supports Windows, Linux, Mac, and even Android.
It's compatible with all industry standard
creative software tools.
Installing the software drivers from the XP-Pen website
was pretty easy.
Once installed, you can calibrate the stylus
and tweak the properties of the stylus to your preference.
Calibrating the stylus is quite easy
and programming the eight buttons is also simple
where you can choose a range of functions.
Now, this tablet is particularly versatile.
In that, if you are left-handed,
you can simply rotate the settings to 180 degrees
and even rotate to 90 degrees
if you find yourself using this tablet
with an Android mobile phone,
Yes, you can actually use this pen tablet
on your Android phone.
Now, here I have a demonstration of it working
on an Android tablet,
because I don't actually have an Android phone.
What you see here is the Sketchbook app running
on my Android tablet, which would work exactly the same
as this on an Android phone.
Pretty neat, right?
Okay, so now onto the important bits.
So I've been using this display
for the past couple of weeks.
I have to say, for me, it's really smooth.
Personally, when developing my artwork,
I like to draw a lot on paper first.
I always start on paper to develop my initial sketches
and compositions.
For me, I find this as maximum precision
and it's comfortable for me especially when tracing
using tools like a compass and a ruler.
However, when I went to convert my sketches
to digital artwork and apply a range of brushstroke
and color effects, I'll use a pen tablet.
Tracing sketches on a computer can be done
using the brush tool in Adobe Photoshop, for example,
using the mouse.
But I find the whole experience far more comfortable
using a pen tablet.
Here, I can get far more natural lines and curves,
maintaining a more natural hands-on process.
Drawing on this pen tablet is really smooth.
It has a bit of resistance
so the pen does not slide around too much,
which I have to say made for a comfortable joint experience.
Like the Artist 12 second gen,
I found the Deco LW to be a perfect fit for the desk.
With just enough work area to feel comfortable to use,
the tablet is super lightweight,
making it easy to move around,
which works really well as part of a seamless workflow.
With the added Bluetooth functionality,
it's really easy to pop away.
For me, I must say the Bluetooth functionality
was a game changer.
I really dislike having cables everywhere
and constantly managing my ports.
The fact there is no cable here
means I could slide it under my laptop,
or just prop it up to the side in a moment's notice.
Now having said that,
the tablet is going to be moving around your desk a lot.
It would have been nice to have had
some sort of magnetic strip on the side of the tablet
to stick the stylus to or some sort of rubber ring.
The pen is loose and there is no way to put it
when you're not using it.
Or if you tuck the tablet away,
it just loses itself on the desk.
So some sort of holder would have been nice
to keep the stylus with a tablet at all times.
Now for this review,
I found the tablet crucial to trace my hand drawing sketch
in Photoshop using the brush tool
to digitize my artwork and get natural strokes.
This is just something I would have not been able
to achieve so smoothly with a mouse.
To make this efficient,
I assigned some crucial shortcuts to the buttons,
which meant I could focus on tracing my sketch in Photoshop
without having to press the keyboard too much.
Using the stylus, there is a heightened sense of control
and connection to the work.
You can get nice natural stroke lines
as opposed to using a mouse.
Once I had my sketch traced with my new brush strokes,
it was easy to apply color to my layers
and add color to the background, completing my illustration.
Overall, I found it to be a much more natural experience.
So in conclusion,
I'd say the Deco L and LW tablet is perfect for designers
who may not be full time digital artists,
retouchers or illustrators.
Now pen displays and graphic tablets, like the iPad,
are serious pieces of kit.
Can be expensive, a big commitment,
take up lots of space on your desk
and not everyone requires such features,
but would like that human touch.
Also pen tablets are very popular with designers
who prefer using a pen stylus over a mouse.
So you may not be getting the screen here,
but you are getting XP-Pen's most advanced
X3 stylus technology at a super accessible price.
This tablet has a good build quality.
It's nimble, lightweight, and highly maneuverable.
You can tuck it away in a drawer
or to the side of your computer
and pull it out at a moment's notice.
Perfect for quick jobs, students, freelancers
and creatives on-the-go.
If you don't have a drawing tablet or maybe you do
and want to upgrade to get extra button functionality
and improved stylus performance on a super low budget,
I'd recommend this one as it's amazing for a first starter,
the entry specs are good and it's amazing value.
So those are my thoughts on the Deco LW XP-Pen tablet.
So what do you think?
Would you see yourself using a tablet like this?
Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below.
If you want to learn more about the display,
you can check for links in the description.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this video.
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Also, if you have any other design product reviews
you'd like to see me discuss,
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Until then, have fun guys and I'll see you next time.
(upbeat music)