In the Field: Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 Pen Display

For digital artists, few names are as revered as Wacom. By bridging the gap between real-world illustration and digital, the company didn’t just change the game, it essentially invented a new one. Now, 20 years after the release of its first Intuos tablet, Wacom looks poised to shake up the market once again, this time with the newly unveiled Cintiq Pro 24. We happily got our hands on one for an in-the-field review. To see how it fared, read on.

Rated “P” for Professional

Before we dive into the review, it’s worth pointing out the type of user for whom this new pen display is meant. See that “Pro” in the name? That’s not a buzzword or marketing gimmick. That’s “pro” as in “professional” or “prosumer.” Make no mistake about it: The Cintiq Pro 24 was not designed for dabblers or part-time artists. It’s not intended as a hobbyist machine or underutilized add-on for the creative weekend warrior. No, this is arguably the most capable pen display ever created, and as such, its role is clear: to give creative professionals the tools they need to realize their artistic vision, regardless of scope, difficulty, or medium.

The Setup

Similar to previous versions, setting up the new 24-inch Cintiq Pro ranges from straightforward to slightly more involved, depending on your workstation. I have a 2017 iMac, so installing mine was just a matter of plugging in two cables and downloading the new driver. After that, it’s a quick walk-through to calibrate the pen and display settings, and you’re all set. If your setup isn’t wired for USB Type-C, or if you prefer to go another route, that’s OK, you’ll just have to make a few more connections, for which the Cintiq mostly provides cables.

By the Numbers

In terms of specifications, the Cintiq Pro 24 features some eye-catching numbers. For starters, its dimensions are roughly 27 x 16", with a diagonal screen size of 23.6" (hence, the 24). Speaking of the screen, the new display offers 4K graphics with a color accuracy listed at 99% of the Adobe RGB, which is both unprecedented in this series and just kind of ridiculous—in the best possible way.

Now, if you’re wondering how the size and screen specs stack up against previous Cintiq Pro models, check out the table below:

Model	Screen Area	Resolution	Color Gamut	Display Colors	Brightness
Cintiq 13 Pro	11.6 x 6.5"	1920 x 1080	87% Adobe RGB	16.7 million	250 cd/m²
Cintiq 16 Pro	13.6 x 7.6"	3840 x 2160	94% Adobe RGB	16.7 million	250 cd/m²
Cintiq 24 Pro	20.6 x 11.6"	3840 x 2160	99% Adobe RGB	1.07 billion	350 cd/m²

In terms of connectivity, there’s a port to facilitate just about every type of connection you can think of, including four USB 3.0 ports, one USB Type-C, an HDMI 2.0 port, a DisplayPort, two additional USB Type-A ports on the rear, and an audio headphone jack.

Another important spec is the sensitivity levels of the included Pro Pen 2. Wacom lists it as having more than 8,000 levels of pressure sensitivity—that’s literally double the levels of the 2017 Surface Pen, which itself is a very capable stylus. I’ll talk more about what’s it like to draw with the Pro Pen 2 down below, but it’s safe to say the response is about as true to life as you can hope for.

The Performance

Now, as someone who is on record calling the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil the two best tools for digital illustration, I am going to have to eat some crow here: I was wrong. The iPad Pro and Apple Pencil are wonderful tools for digital artists, but the Cintiq Pro 24 is hands-down the best creative tablet I’ve ever used.

For starters, the screen is so vibrant it seems to enhance whatever project you’re working on. The combination of size and near-perfect color accuracy made even the smallest details visible. Plus, the etched-glass material Wacom uses really does provide a much better tactile experience than other displays—it feels like you’re working on paper.

Then there’s the Pro Pen 2 input, which is so precise it feels like you’re really drawing on the display; if there’s any parallax at all, I couldn’t detect it. Nor did I run into any other common side effects, such as rippling or pooling. The touch commands and multi-touch gestures, too, were also incredibly accurate and useful—though there’s a bit of a learning curve.

Then there are all the less glamorous features that can make or break a piece of technology: the connectivity, the ergonomics, the add-on features. From the ease of setup and integration to the small-but-much appreciated details like the magnetic ExpressKey Remote, which not only is a huge time saver but also sticks to the screen so the perpetually absent-minded user (read: me) doesn’t lose it, the Cintiq 24 Pro never misses a step.

The Verdict

Perfection is always going to be an abstract. Nothing is ever going to be 100-percent without flaw or criticism. But with the Cintiq Pro 24, Wacom has gotten darn close. Looking back on my time with the display, my biggest (and really, only) complaint is literally how hard it was to lug this behemoth home through rush-hour subway service. Other than that, I’d be hard pressed to articulate a legitimate criticism. It isn’t cheap, and its wealth of power and features designates it as a pro-level tool, but if you’re looking for the very best creative tablet on the market, look no further.