The New Wacom Cintiq 16: The Perfect Pen Display for Dedicated Beginners

Wacom has really outdone themselves this time around.

When I first started my journey as a digital artist 5 years ago, I remember saving up 100% of my paychecks from my first job at RadioShack for over six months in order to pay for my first drawing tablet, the Cintiq Companion Pro 13 HD.

Thankfully, I still lived with mom at the time (this was right after graduating high school, leave me alone haha), so this was much more achievable. Clocking in at a price tag of $1,200, it was definitely a bit of a doozy when it came to dropping some change on product. Which is still definitely a very real barrier of entry for those looking to get their foot in the door with digital art pen displays.

Which is also exactly why the new Cintiq 16 is such a game changer.

At almost less than half of the cost of my original tablet, an aspiring artist can finally say goodbye to their pen tablets and begin using actual pen displays:

Speaking of the display, that’s what I first noticed about this new tablet.

There’s just something about a product being bigger and sleeker that makes it very much feel like a legitimate upgrade. Although the Cintiq 16 is only 3 inches bigger than my original tablet, it seems so, so much larger, which also allows me to feel more connected to my work. Plus, if you’re the kind of individual who doesn’t exactly have the best posture in the world, that gigantic screen is going to have you less hunched over for hours on end, and therefore feeling less tight and constricted by the end of the day.

The stand!

Oh my goodness, the stand. I could almost go so far as to say that the stand made for the Wacom Cintiq 16 is my favorite thing ever. Most stands tend to fall into one of two categories: Either it is solidly attached, but doesn’t adjust much, or it adjusts a bunch, but feels a bit flimsy. This has the best of both, with none of the bad! This stand goes from a very comfortable slant good for those working on lower tables while seated, to nearly ninety degrees for those who prefer more standing positions. And, like I said, it takes up very little space overall since it’s attached to the tablet itself.

Additionally, I don’t know whether this was intentional or not, but with the stand attached, the cords for the Cintiq attaching to your computer fit perfectly behind it, making it a very efficient, minimalistic design.

As soon as I started playing around with the tablet itself though, what I noticed next was the improved Pro Pen 2. Wacom has taken the time to take what was already a solid, well-made pen and somehow made it feel even more comfortable and smooth. I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to be holding something for over 8 hours a day, I’m going to want it to feel like it was made for my hand. Which is exactly what this feels like. With its weight centered at the tip, you’ll notice how it keeps the fatigue in your hand non-existent, even with hours upon hours of daily art practice.

Literally the only complaint I can give, is that the new Cintiq 16 does not come with any programmable buttons. This is something I’m quite used to having from my original display, but is also something you can easily overcome, especially if you work with a laptop computer. Ctrl+Z, anyone? Anyone? You know what I mean.

Overall, I would say the Cintiq 16 is the perfect option for the highly committed beginner who has a clear vision for how he or she wants to progress.

Its design is with this individual in mind, mainly because you honestly will never truly “outgrow” this product. Pen tablets are great for those who are simply dabbling in the craft, but having the tangible and instantaneous reactiveness of a display is what helps continuously inspire greater and greater aspirations. Once you’ve got this Cintiq in your hands, you will notice right away how having such a high-level tool already gets you itching to make better art.

If you want to see what I mean, why not watch the attached video above?

In it, Assistant Bean and I walk you through many of the features of this tablet, as well as give you an interesting perspective to glean from.

Have you ever wanted to see how a new product compares between a professional and a beginner? That’s what we help you see and understand, as each perspective has its unique value.

I’ve only had it for less than a week already, yet I’m already excited to see how this fresh device accelerates my abilities and production.

Want one for yourself?

Make it yours here:

https://wacom.com/en-us/products/pen-displays/wacom-cintiq

For the same price as a plane ticket across the country, you can start making your digital art career dreams a reality.

Let me know if you need any help.

Until then . . .

Stay strange, strangers.