PROS
- Built-in 13.3′′ HD display with AHVA technology
- Real-feel responsive pen + compatibility with other pen brands
- Integrated foldout legs to raise the display to 19 degrees
- Compatible with Windows, Mac and Android devices
- Affordable alternative to the Cintiq 16
- Free software bundle (Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom & Fresco, Clip Studio Paint Pro, Bamboo Paper Pro)
CONS
- Multi-cord setup requiring 4 cables, no Bluetooth connectivity
- No hotkey buttons on the tablet
- Display brightness can be an issue under strong light
The Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet with Stylus is Wacom’s new kid on the block of display pen tablets.
The Wacom One Creative Pen Tablet was launched at the beginning of 2020, and is Wacom’s best all-round entry-level drawing tablet with screen. It’s a great graphics tablet for artists on a budget who don’t want to do without the comfort of drawing on a display.
Because just like the Bamboo that came in handy as an affordable alternative to the Wacom Intuos, the Wacom One now is a more reasonably priced option for all artists who don’t want to commit to the higher-end Cintiq 16.
Wacom One – Best Drawing Tablet with Screen as an Affordable Alternative to the Higher-End Cintiq 16
With its HDMI-based display and a 13-inch surface area, the Wacom One is a step up for digital artists who are looking to experience the joy of a graphics tablet without paying Cintiq-prices.
Hopefully no one is confused by the naming, as Wacom also have a non-display tablet called the ‘One by Wacom‘. The One by Wacom is also an entry-level graphics tablet, but contrary to the Wacom One, it’s without screen.
In this review, however, we’re going to take a look at the Wacom One display tablet. So let’s get started!
First impressions
When taking the Wacom One out of its box, you’re holding a 2.2 pound (about 1 kg) heavy tablet in your hands, measuring 0.6 by 14.1 by 8.9 inches (225 x 357 x 14.6 mm).
In terms of size, the 14-inch footprint of the Wacom One is ideal to fit it on a small workspace or tuck it in your bag. It’s easy to store and can be slipped in a desk drawer when not needed.
There’s a USB-C port on the top edge of the tablet. The black loop holder for the pen on the top center reminds of the Wacom Intuos pen tablet.
The bottom color of the Wacom One is white, with two black flip-out legs that allow raising the device to a 19-degree angle. An additional three nibs for the Wacom One’s pen are included beneath one of the legs. Next to them is the nib removal tool.
The Wacom One Pen itself is slim, half black and half white. It works without a battery and has excellent features, first and foremost its natural feel.
Fully compatible with Windows and Mac on plug & play, the Wacom One can also be linked up with certain Android devices so you can edit photos on the go.
With all that said, it’s about time to put the Wacom One to the test!
There’s probably one big question that’s on every artist’s mind now: Selling at a fraction of the price of the Wacom Cintiq, how much can you really expect from the Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet with Stylus?
Let’s find that out and take a good look at all its features, one by one!
Wacom One Screen
The Wacom One comes with a build-in antiglare screen in full HD with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. It uses advanced hyper-viewing angle (AHVA) technology that guarantees color accuracy when viewed off center.
The Wacom One tablet has a laminated display. That means there’s no gap or parallax between the drawing surface and the LCD beneath. In this respect, the Wacom One display tablet outscores even some of its higher-end competitors that do have a parallax effect due to their non-laminated displays.
If you look at the display from the side though, you will still see a little gap because the drawing surface has some thickness. When drawing as you normally would, however, the lines will appear directly beneath the pen tip. Calibration is available to further increase the accuracy of the line and pen tip if there’s a need to do so.
If so far you’ve been doing your editing on an iPad or other tablet device, you won’t find it hard to adjust to the Wacom One pen tablet. Its 13-inch screen lets you make your edits conveniently – in top-level applications like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop or free software like Krita and Gimp.
If there’s a downside to the Wacom One screen, it’s some issues with accurate color representation and screen brightness. The screen can only manage 72% of NTSC color gamut coverage and isn’t too bright. The matte surface tends to diffuse reflections. This can be problematic under strong overhead lighting.
But all in all, the Wacom One screen boasts undeniably great specs for an entry-level digital drawing tablet!
Wacom One pen
The Wacom One Pen is a lightweight stylus working with Wacom’s electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology. The stylus draws its power from the display and doesn’t need any batteries or charging.
Just like most other Wacom pens, you can use the Wacom One Pen right from the moment you install the driver on your computer. There’s nothing else you need to do to get it work!
The Wacom One Pen is not as thick as other styluses of the Wacom family. It’s relatively long, and reminds more of a crayon than a typical graphics pen. As it is considerably lighter than other drawing pens, it feels very natural in your hand and doesn’t risk fatiguing your wrists, even during long editing sessions.
Even though the Wacom One Pen is a more basic solution than the Wacom Pen Pro, it comes with an amazing 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and up to 60 degrees of tilt recognition.
Admittedly, it’s not as sensitive as the Wacom Pro Pen 2 that comes with the Cintiq 16, Cintiq 22, and Intuos Pro Medium and Intuos Pro Small.
But with these levels of responsiveness, the One Pen should more than measure up to the needs of every beginner artist. Drawing feels as precise as with any higher-end Wacom tablet.
#WacomOnePen – Highly Sensitive Stylus that guarantees Precision and a Natural Drawing Feel.
Alternative pens for the Wacom One
So, what if you don’t like that Wacom One Pen?
The good news is there’s a whole lot of other pen options that are compatible with the Wacom One.
These include the Staedtler Noris Digital Pencil, Lamy AL-star black EMR, Samsung Galaxy Note and Tab S Pen, Hi-uni Digital for Wacom, and Mitsubishi Pencil 9800 Digitizer pen for Raytrektab.
Simply pick your favorite stylus and use that one for drawing on the Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet!
Drawing experience
First things first: the drawing experience on the Wacom One is outstanding. The matte surface is smooth and paper-like, accounting for natural drawing feel and precision.
In terms of Wacom One vs. Intuos drawing feel, the Wacom One lags in no way behind its Intuos relatives!
The tablet comes with two foldout legs to raise the display to a 19-degree angle to make editing more comfortable.
There are quite big bezels all around the Wacom One screen, so you can comfortably rest your palm on them while drawing.
With the pressure- and tilt-sensitive Wacom One Pen, the overall drawing experience on the Wacom One absolutely compares to the Intuos line, with the added benefit of drawing directly on-screen.
Wacom One buttons
Unfortunately, there are no hotkey buttons on the 13″ Wacom One graphics tablet.
If you’re coming from an Intuos or other drawing tablet, you might enjoy the ease of clicking on-tablet buttons to perform certain functions. Unfortunately this convenience is not available with the Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet with Stylus.
Wacom ExpressKey Remote
However, there’s an easy solution to fix that problem!
For less than $100, you can get a Wacom ExpressKey Remote. The multi-button device can be mapped to perform all sorts of functions, such as undo, redo, changing the brush size, zooming, layer cycling, etc.
ExpressKey Remote
The Wacom ExpressKey Remote with 17 customizable buttons puts your favorite shortcuts right at your fingertips.
Setting up the Wacom One
Setting up a Wacom One display tablet is pretty much as easy as a walk in the park.
The tablet has a USB-C port on the top left and comes with the Wacom One X-Shape Cable, a four-way adapter designed by Wacom themselves.
To use your Wacom One, you’ll need to connect four individual cables. There’s an HDMI cable to feed video data, a USB-C cable to power the tablet, a USB-A cable to transmit input data, and finally the power cable.
If you’re on a laptop and don’t have an HDMI or a free USB port, you can get a 7-in-1 dock that will make it easy for you to connect everything.
You’re right: four cables can be a lot to handle, especially if you have only a small workspace. The number of cords can make things feel cluttered, and you need to be careful to not run the risk of cable tangle.
However, USB-C adaptors are included for both the HDMI and the USB connectors. That means everything is ready to make your Wacom One work with your desktop computer here and now.
From the moment the Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet with Stylus is connected to your PC or Mac via the USB cable, everything is just plug & play!
Wacom One Compatibility
One absolutely great thing about the Wacom One: you can also use it with your smartphone! The tablet works with a select group of Android phones, mostly in the Samsung Galaxy and Galaxy Note lines as well as in the Huawei Honor and Mate series.
Visit Wacom’s website for a list of compatible Android devices.
To hook up the digital drawing tablet with your Android device, you need the Wacom One android adapter, the OTG adapter, and then you’re ready to go!
Unfortunately, you currently cannot use the Wacom One with an iPhone or iPad.
Wacom One Free Software
What’s absolutely great is the free software pack that you get with the purchase of a Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet with Stylus.
Once you register your Wacom One, you get free access to Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom (2 months), a 3-month free trial of Clip Studio Paint Pro, a software for character creation, plus six free months of Adobe Fresco, a drawing and painting app.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the software bundle also includes the Bamboo Paper Pro Pack for sketching, journaling, and note-taking!! Whooo!
Wacom One 13 Key Specs
- Screen: 13.3 in, 1920 x 1080 px, AHVA
- Color gamut & brightness: NTSC 72%, 200 cd/m2
- Active area: 11.6 x 6.5 in (294 x 166 mm)
- Pen technology: 4,096 pressure levels, ±60 levels tilt recognition, 2540 lpi resolution
- Buttons & Touch: No
- Size: 8.9 x 14.1 x 0.6 in (225 x 357 x 14.6 mm)
- Weight: 2.2 lb (1 kg)
Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet with Stylus – Overall rating
The Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet with Stylus is the best drawing tablet with screen for digital art beginners. As a Wacom premium product, it’s available at a relatively low price, while offering many of the features of the higher-end Cintiq line.
The Wacom One has a slightly smaller screen than the Cintiq 16. However, the natural drawing feel provided by the battery-free pen puts it high on the list of graphic display tablets for digital artists and creators.
The Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet with Stylus connects easily to PCs and MACs, while also offering Android compatibility. If you’re looking to edit photos on the go, you can connect the Wacom One to your Android smartphone or tablet.
PROS
- Built-in 13.3′′ HD display with AHVA technology
- Real-feel responsive pen + compatibility with other pen brands
- Integrated foldout legs to raise the display to 19 degrees
- Compatible with Windows, Mac and Android devices
- Affordable alternative to the Cintiq 16
- Free software bundle (Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom & Fresco, Clip Studio Paint Pro, Bamboo Paper Pro)
CONS
- Multi-cord setup requiring 4 cables, no Bluetooth connectivity
- No hotkey buttons on the tablet
- Display brightness can be an issue under strong light
Frequently Asked Questions
Wacom pens can work with different Wacom tablets. As a rule of thumb, the Wacom pens are forwards compatible. The most recent pens are cross-compatible within their generation.
As an example, the older Pro Pen 1 works with the Intuos 4 and 5, Cintiq 22HD, and Cintiq Pro. The newer Pro Pen 2, on the other hand, can’t work on the Intuos 4 and 5, but it can be used with the Cintiq Pro and Intuos Pro lines, such as the Intuos Pro Medium and Intuos Pro Small.
Typically, the non-pro Intuos tablets come with specific pens that don’t work with other tablets.
Similarly, the Wacom One Pen is only compatible with the Wacom One tablet. Besides, the Wacom One tablet is only compatible with the Wacom One Pen, and no other of the Wacom pens.
Unfortunately, Wacom pens are incompatible with drawing tablets of other brands as well. Not only is the hardware different, but also Wacom’s technology is completely different from the software used by other brands.
The Wacom One screen is really easy to set up. It all works plug and play. Once you’ve installed the Wacom drivers on your computer, connected and powered on the Wacom One tablet device, all you need to do is hover the Wacom One Pen over the screen and you’ll see the pointer appear on the display.
If you like to use the Wacom One screen as a second monitor, you can do that under Display settings in your System Preferences. Here you can choose to duplicate or extend your computer screen, or to set up a second screen.
Wacom has actually published a quick video on their YouTube channel showing you how quick and easy it is to set up your Wacom One screen.
Yes, you can! Zoom is not only a great app for online meetings and conferences, it’s also an excellent resource for artists and designers.
Thanks to Zoom’s Share Screen feature, it’s possible to show what you have on your screen – or tablet display for that matter. That way, you can go with your clients through the design process in real-time.
If your client wants to have something changed in the artwork, they can tell you via Zoom and you can make all the modifications immediately on your drawing tablet. Can it be any more convenient?
The best drawing tablet with screen for you will most likely depend (a) on your current skillset and experience, and (b) on the budget you’re willing to invest.
The Wacom One 13 Graphic Tablet With Stylus is the best drawing tablet with screen for you, if you’re a newbie to digital art or if you’re upgrading from any non-display drawing tablet.
If you’re a professional designer or a serious hobbyist with a budget to spend, you might want to take a look at the higher-end Cintiq and Cintiq Pros.
→ What Is The Difference Between Cintiq And Cintiq Pro?
Both products have a larger screen than the Wacom One. The Cintiq is available in two sizes: the Cintiq 16 with a 15.6-inch screen, and the Cintiq 22 with a 21.5-inch screen. There's also the Cintiq 22HD. All models comes with anti-glare glass and a Pro Pen 2 with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and ±60 degrees of tilt recognition. The displays are Full HD and feature 5080 LPI of resolution.
If you want to up your game even more, then the Cintiq Pro is what you want to go for. It’s available in four sizes, with a 13-inch, 16-inch, and more recently the 24-inch and 32-inch screen. The Cintiq Pro has a premium 4K
resolution display with superior color performance (up to 99% Adobe RGB color gamut) and no virtual parallax.
For all those who want to jazz up their creative expression even more, there’s the Wacom MobileStudio Pro. The MobileStudio Pro is Wacom’s flagship among the best drawing tablets with screen. It’s a stand-alone pen display tablet that has everything an artist could dream of. If you don’t mind the four-figure price tag, the MobileStudio Pro definitely delivers what you pay for.
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My name is Angie and I’m a self-taught digital artist. On this blog, I am sharing my knowledge and discussing the best software and hardware for different artistic needs. My desire is to offer options for all creative stages and budgets so that everyone can follow their dream and create art!
