In a world where technology has become an integral part of our lives, it’s no surprise that the art tablet has become an indispensable tool for artists, illustrators, and designers, offering a bridge between traditional and digital mediums.
Today I am reviewing a product that seamlessly bridges that gap, the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle.

First Impressions/ Key Features /Cost

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle comes with almost everything you need to start drawing, (you will need to connect the bundle to a computer.)

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle currently retails at £329.00. The key features include:

● A 16:9 active area size of 10.33 x 5.8 in / 262.4 x 147.4 mm
● 16-hour battery life
● 2 different pens (Thin and 3-Button)
● Quick Keys Module

Unboxing

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle is well-packaged and in an appropriately sized box. Inside the box you get the following:

● Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle
● Quick Keys Module
● Carry case
● Pen Case
● 3 Button Pen
● Thin Pen
● 6 Standard Nibs & 4 Felt Nibs
● Nib Extracting Ring
● USB-A to USB-C Adapter
● Dongle
● 2x USB-A to USB-C cable
● Glove (black; gray)
● Quick Guide / Thank You Card
● Triangle Sticker
● Warranty Card

Design
The tablet itself measures 12.6 x 9.16 x 0.3 in / 320.5 x 232.5 x 8 mm. Its 710.5g weight feels sturdy in the hand, and the overall build quality feels very high. The tablet is built with portability in mind, it has filleted edges on the left and right-hand side allowing it to be picked up and moved very quickly. The bundle also has a carry case to protect your tablet and accessories in transit.

The tablet also has an ergonomically designed curved palm rest to reduce strain on the user’s wrists.

LED lights define the 16:9 active drawing area, giving users an intuitive guide to the pressure-sensitive tablet canvas. The colour and brightness of these lights are adjustable, a lovely touch.

The tablet has 3 customisable buttons above the pressure-sensitive canvas. The top edge of the tablet has a single USB-C port for charging and initial setup.

The Quick Keys Module is a customisable keyboard shortcut remote with 8 buttons and a dial. It also has an OLED display that indicates what each shortcut does, and what mode the Quick Keys module is in. You can even change the angle of the text on the OLED display allowing you to use the module in whatever orientation you prefer.

It also has filleted edges to facilitate being picked up and one edge has a single USB-C port for charging and initial setup. The thin pen has a soft rubber touch, 2 customisable buttons, and an eraser end.

The 3-button pen is fatter, has a soft rubber touch, 3 customisable buttons, and an eraser end.

Interface & Controls

The theme of this product is customisation. Every button or dial on the tablet, Quick Keys Module and pens can be programmed to do whatever you want via the Xencelabs software.

You can also adjust the pressure and tilt sensitivity of the pens using the software, giving you exactly what feel you prefer.

The software also gives you the option to customise settings when using specific applications. So if you want one setup for Photoshop and another for Illustrator, there are no fiddly settings to change, you simply switch from one application to the other and your pen behaves exactly as you would want.

This app-specific customisation extends to the quick keys module. I set up some shortcuts for Photoshop and Premiere Pro. When I switch from one to the other the shortcuts change, as do the shortcut names on the module itself! If you wanted to, you could set up shortcuts for all the applications you use most (web browser, word,
excel, etc.) and really boost your productivity.

Compatibility

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle is compatible with Mac OS, Windows and Linux systems you just need to make sure you install the corresponding driver which is free to download.

Connectivity

The tablet itself and the Quick Keys Module can be connected to your computer via the 2 USB cables provided. Or you can connect the single wireless USB dongle to your computer to connect both the tablet and the Quick Keys Module.

Set-Up

Setting up this device was very straightforward. I followed the quick start guide included in the box.

1) Plug the USB dongle into your computer (a USB-A to USB-C adapter is included in the bundle).

2) Go to the Xencelabs website, download the appropriate driver (Mac Os, Windows or Linux) and install it.

3) If you’re happy with the default setup you’re good to go. If you want to start customising your shortcuts, simply select the device you want to customise (Tablet, Thin Pen, 3-Button Pen, or Quick Keys Module), and define what each button does.

The Quick Keys Module has up to 4 modes that allow you to change what the dial does. The default setting allows you to zoom in and out of your canvas, edit the brush size, rotate the canvas and change the frame. When each of these modes are active the light behind the dial changes to a colour of your choice, telling you which mode you are in at a glance!

Performance

I can’t fault the performance of the bundle. Even when connected wirelessly there was no noticeable lag between the tablet and my computer. The pressure sensitivity worked very well, allowing me to draw thick and thin lines as if using a pencil. The pen tilt sensitivity also felt responsive.

I also tested out the standard and felt nibs for the pens. To do this I used the tip removal tool included in the box, this allows you to grip the nib in the pen and remove it, negating the need for pliers (or using your teeth!). The standard nibs feel more like a traditional pencil. The felt nibs offer more resistance between the pen
and the tablet felt more akin to a felt tip pen.

Overall Experience

Overall I was very impressed with this bundle. The built quality is high, and the product feels durable and pleasingly expensive. The device is plug-and-play, once I’d plugged everything in and installed the software everything just worked.

I was very impressed with the customizability of everything within this bundle. Any specific function that you want the bundle to do, it’ll do it. All you have to do is launch the software, select the device, select the button you want to customise and define its function.

The battery life of the tablet and Quick Keys Module seem more than large enough. I like the fact that they both come partially charged so you can use them straight out the box. And I love the fact that both pens are battery-free, meaning you will NEVER have to charge them.

Each individual product worked seamlessly and effortlessly with each other.

Here are my few points of criticism:

● The price point. If all you want is a very responsive, well-designed, and well-built tablet, definitely consider this bundle. However, there are tablets with displays out there at this price point, so if you want that extra functionality, you
may consider another option.

● The tablet doesn’t come with a stand, if you want to use it at an angle you will have to rig something up yourself.

● The tablet doesn’t include a pen holder.

Verdict

This is a fantastic bundle for amateurs and professionals alike. There is a consistent theme of customizability throughout the entire package, you really can get it to work exactly how you want it to. Setting up the product couldn’t have been any easier, and each individual accessory worked seamlessly and intuitively with one another.

Product Rating   

Design/Build: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0

Connectivity: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0

Performance: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0

Value for Money: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars

 

Overall ranking: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars – 4.75 stars  

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