PROS
- Etched glass surface with tactile feel offering right amount of resistance for most natural drawing feel
- Vibrant colors and excellent color gamut coverage of 82% Adobe RGB
- Precise pixel-level positioning with virtually lag-free tracking and no parallax
- Super-responsive Wacom Pro Pen 2 and compatibility with Pro Pen 3D
- MicroSD slot for additional storage and easy image import
- Compact dimensions, portable weight and Wi-Fi connectivity for creative editing on the go
CONS
- Battery life is only about 4 hours
- Brightness of 250cd/m2 is not top standard
- Stand only included with Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 2nd generation
Is the Mobile Studio Pro worth it?
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 is without doubt the most professional tablet pen display on the market. It’s made for professional artists and all those designers and illustrators who use the tablet enough to justify its price tag.
→ Learn More About The Best Hardware For Digital Artists
If you’re a digital artist, 3D illustrator, designer, photographer, video editor or up-and-coming creator with great ambitions, the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13” Creative Pen All-in-One PC is for you.
The top-notch features of Wacom’s mobile station are its tactile 13.3-inch QHD screen, excellent color accuracy, multi-touch functionality, and industry-leading pen technology for highest pressure sensitivity and precise pixel-level positioning. In fact, the included Pro Pen 2 boasts 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity. Combined with around 60 degrees of tilt recognition, the MobileStudio Pro offers the most natural drawing experience with virtually lag-free tracking and no parallax.
The high-end tablet device supports touch capabilities, allowing you to use your fingers to perform actions like zooming, rotating, scrolling, layer cycling, etc.
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 pen computer is a stand-alone graphics tablet, running Windows 10. The first generation models come in two versions: with a 13-inch screen and 16-inch screen, the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 16.
The four most-expensive models run Windows 10 Professional, while the two least-expensive tablets use Windows 10 Home Edition.
The MobileStudio Pro 13 offers the most natural drawing experience with virtually lag-free tracking and no parallax.
Apart from that, you can choose between Intel i5 and i7 processors, 4 to 16 GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. Other selectable options include Intel Iris Graphics 550, Nvidia Quadro M600M 2GB or M1000M 4GB.
Besides, some of the more expensive models also feature a 3D camera, while the less pricey ones have a regular 8 Megapixel camera.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro Gen 1 vs MobileStudio Pro Gen 2
The first generation Wacom Studio Pro models come with a 13-inch or 16-inch display and the following specifications:
MobileStudio Pro 13:
- i5 chip, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage (around USD 1,500)
- i5 chip, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage (around USD 1,800)
- i7 chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage (around USD 2,000)
- i7 chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage (around USD 2,500)
MobileStudio Pro 16:
- i5 chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage (around USD 2,400)
- i7 chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage (around USD 3,000)
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Review
Unboxing
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 creative pen computer is solid build quality. It measures 14.4 by 9 inches and weighs around 3 pounds.
With these dimensions and weight, it’s highly portable to carry the device along for occasional editing on the go. Plus, it features Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can download or upload photos directly from or to any of your online platforms.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 vs 16
Both the MobileStudio Pro 13 and MobileStudio Pro 16 come with silver-rimmed hotkey buttons. The smaller Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 features 6 Express Keys, while the larger 16-inch screen model has 8 Express Keys.
There’s always a Touch Ring in the center of each set of keys. All these buttons are highly customizable to perform anything you want them to do on a per-app basis. Pure comfort.
All buttons provide you with tactile feedback. On the Mobile Studio Pro 13, for example, the center button within each row of three Express Keys has a small nub, letting you distinguish easily between the keys without even having to look at them.
MobileStudio Pro 13 Side Buttons & Connections
You’ll find several buttons along the side of the ExpressKeys. One of them is the power switch. Then there’s a volume toggle at the top edge, and a button to switch the rotation lock on and off.
Down at the same edge, you’ll see an audio port and a SD card slot. Having a full-sized SD card slot on the editing tablet is absolutely great because it allows you to import photos and videos directly from your cam, without needing additional adapters.
On the opposite side, there are 3 USB-C ports – which is more than you would find on a MacBook Air. This gives you enough possibilities to connect peripherals or charge the tablet’s battery.
The USB ports can also be used to connect an external monitor or to hook up the MobileStudio Pro to a computer, as you would do with a regular Cintiq tablet, such as the Wacom Cintiq 16 and Cintiq 22, or one of the Cintiq Pro series (Cintiq Pro 13, Cintiq Pro 16, Cintiq Pro 24, Cintiq Pro 32). However, with the Cintiq Pro Engine, it’s possible to turn the Cintiq Pro 24 and Pro 32 into standalone devices, too.
For peripherals that still work with USB-A, you’ll need to get an additional USB-A to USB-C adapter for your MobileStudio Pro.
There’s also a Kensington Security slot at the side that receives the pen holder during editing sessions.
The pen holder has an extremely smart design: while you can clip in the pen horizontally, parallel to the tablet, you can also tuck it in on its tip for easy access (think ‘pen and quill’ style).
Moving around to the back of the tablet, you’ll see two big rubber feet on both sides. Those make sure that your MobileStudio doesn’t slip, even on a smooth surface. They also hide some of the vents for the fans.
There are more ventilation holes along the edge, which all work together nicely to keep the tablet cool, even during long hours of digital editing.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Front Camera
On the front, opposite the Express Keys and right below the Wacom logo, there’s a built-in 5 Megapixel HD camera.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Review – Pen Technology
The MobileStudio Pro 13 Creative Pen Computer comes with the best stylus that is currently available on the market: Wacom’s top-end Pro Pen 2.
The stylus offers all the responsiveness you can imagine. It features 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, as well as around 60 degrees of tilt recognition. There’s an eraser at the opposite end of the pen, with the exact same responsiveness.
Like most of Wacom’s styluses, the Pro Pen 2 is cord- and battery-free. It works via Wacom’s patented electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology that allows the pen to draw its energy over the tablet display.
The Pro Pen 2 has two side buttons that are easily customizable to whatever function you want within the Wacom Desktop Center.
The Pro Pen 2 comes with a solid, protective pen case – instead of a round pen holder as you know it from other Wacom tablets.
The pen case includes three replacement nibs (2 standard and 1 felt nib) as well as the nib removal tool. It also holds four color rings, in case you want to give your pen a personal touch.
Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 13 Pen Alternatives
The MobileStudio Pro 13 is a 3D ready pen computer. Therefore, it’s also compatible with Wacom’s Pro Pen 3D.
The Pro Pen 3D is great to give you some extra control if you like to do 3D modeling, using Corel Painter, Paintshop Pro X9, Mosketch, or Autodesk 3ds Max.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Review – Touchscreen Technology
The 13.3-inch WQHD screen on the Wacom MobileStudio 13 has a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9. Its color reproduction is excellent, supporting a color gamut of 80% of Adobe RGB and a color depth of 16.7 million colors. With 11.6 by 6.5 inches, the active area is slightly smaller than the display.
The screen is coated with a matte, anti-glare texture. This does not only help reduce distractive light reflections, but it also makes the display less prone to attract fingerprints and dust.
Nevertheless, the matte surface texture tends to reduce screen brightness and color vibrancy slightly. The brightness of the screen is 250cd/m2. This is unfortunately not the highest possible, but it shouldn’t be too much of an issue under normal working conditions.
What actually more than makes up for the lack of brightness is the tablet’s tactile surface. The screen flexes subtly when you apply pressure on it. This makes working with a pen on a screen feel like you’re drawing with a brush on a canvas. The most natural drawing feel you can get from a graphics tablet!
If you look down at the display from the side, you might notice a very slight parallax effect. As the glass screen is quite close to the LCD display, there’s usually no noticeable gap between the pen tip and the drawing surface when you look straight down. In most cases, the parallax can be removed completely by recalibrating the screen.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Review – Creative Experience
Pixel-Level Drawing Accuracy
If you’re upgrading from a Wacom Intuos Pro or similar graphics tablet, you can expect the same A1 drawing experience, plus the added comfort of working directly onscreen.
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro Creative Pen Computer offers the best drawing precision you can find on the market.
While most tablets will have a jiggle to the line when moving the pen slowly, the MobileStudio Pro brings pixel-level positioning accuracy that you’ll hardly find on any other display tablet.
Touch Functionality
Are you one of the many artists that switch off touch functionality because it always gets in your way whenever you don’t need it? If so, don’t worry. Wacom brings up a great solution to fix that problem, too.
Once you move the pen tip about an inch near the tablet surface, the pointer appears on the screen and touch is disabled. That means, you can comfortably rest your hand on the display while painting with the pen, there will be absolutely no interference!
Move the pen away from the tablet, and touch functionality is automatically enabled again. That way it’s very unlikely to create accidental strokes with your fingers.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro Stand
With the second generation of Wacom MobileStudio Pro tablets, the stand is included in the package. It’s solid build quality and offers you three angles to tilt the tablet, plus a little indent at the front to lay down the pen when you don’t use it.
If you wish to have another stand, or you got a first-generation MobileStudio Pro where the tablet is not included, you can either get the Wacom stand or the Artisul Freestyle stand, which is very practical.
Wacom Mobile Studio Pro Operating System
By default, the MobileStudio Pro runs Windows 10 desktop mode. This can be useful if you have a keyboard or a mouse attached to the display tablet.
For actual digital painting and editing, however, it’s much better to switch into Windows 10 tablet mode. This makes using the tablet much more touch-friendly. You can also hide the bottom taskbar to make some more space for your image editing applications.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 is for all professionals who demand top-level performance and maximum mobility.
Battery Life
With a fully charged battery, you’ll be able to work on the MobileStudio Pro for around 3 to 4 hours. Admittedly, this is not too much and it’s definitely a weak point of the high-end tablet. To avoid losing any of your work due to battery failure, make sure to always have a charger handy!
Customizing the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Creative Pen Computer
Customizing the Wacom MobileStudio Pro works like for any other Wacom tablet. The Wacom Desktop Center is pre-installed on the MobileStudio Pro, as well as the Wacom control panel, and a first-run wizard that introduces you to everything.
In the Desktop Center, you can customize Express Keys, Touch Ring, pen buttons, and touch gestures. All are programmable on a per-app basis, meaning you can assign them one function in Photoshop and another in Paint Studio Pro. Here, you can also calibrate the screen and adjust pen sensitivity and tilt to your personal preferences.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Key Specs
- Screen: 13.3 in, 2560 x 1440 px, WQHD
- Color gamut & brightness: 80% Adobe RGB, 253 cd/m2
- Active area: 11.6 x 6.5 in (294 x 166 mm)
- Pen technology: 8,192 pressure levels, ±60 levels tilt recognition, 5080 lpi resolution
- Touch features: 6 ExpressKeys, Touch Ring, Multi-touch functionality
- Size: 14.4 x 9 x 0.6 in (367 x 229 x 16 mm)
- Weight: 3 lb (1.4 kg)
Compatibility & Accessories
Compatibility
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Creative Pen Computer comes with Windows 10, so from the OS side you don’t need to do anything. You can connect any peripherals to the tablet that are compatible with Windows. So hooking up a mouse or keyboard via Bluetooth or USB is no problem at all.
You might be delighted to hear that you can use the MobileStudio Pro like a regular pen tablet as well. Once you’ve installed the Wacom software drivers on the computer, all you need is the Wacom Link to make things work.
Accessories
There are some accessories that Wacom offer for the MobileStudio Pro 13. The first one is the Wacom Link adapter that allows you to connect the MobileStudio Pro to a PC or Mac and use it like a regular pen tablet. The Wacom Link also allows you to connect the tablet to an external monitor, or to use the tablet itself as an external monitor to another computer.
Another accessory is the Wacom keyboard that you can obtain additionally if you’re used to working with keyboard shortcuts.
The last accessory is the Wacom stand. It’s only included with the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 2 Gen tablets, though. In case you have a MobileStudio Pro of the first generation, you can obtain it optionally.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Creative Pen Computer
Overall rating
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 Pen Computer is the most advanced display pen tablet on the market. Outstanding performance and portable dimensions offer the greatest creative freedom for all professional artists and designers who want to excel in their work wherever they are.
The MobileStudio Pro is both graphics tablet and computer. It comes with a full version of Windows 10 desktop software and can run all industry-standard digital editing applications. As a stand-alone device, you can connect any peripherals to it, such as a mouse or keyboard. Plugged into a computer, you can use like a regular pen tablet.
PROS
- Etched glass surface with tactile feel offering right amount of resistance for most natural drawing feel
- Vibrant colors and excellent color gamut coverage of 80% Adobe RGB
- Precise pixel-level positioning with virtually lag-free tracking and no parallax
- Super-responsive Wacom Pro Pen 2 and compatibility with Pro Pen 3D
- MicroSD slot for additional storage and easy image import
- Compact dimensions, portable weight and Wi-Fi connectivity for creative editing on the go
CONS
- Battery life is only about 4 hours
- Brightness of 250cd/m2 is not top standard
- Stand only included with Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 2nd generation
Frequently Asked Questions
The MobileStudio Pro does not need a computer to function properly. It's a full-fledged Windows PC that runs its own operating system. You can install software on it and use it like your regular computer.
However, with the optional Wacom Link adapter, you can hook it up to your desktop computer and use it like a regular pen tablet.
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 Pros 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.
→ Wacom Pen Compatibility & Replacement Pens
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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!
