Intuos 4: Wacom Wireless Medium or Wacom Wired Large

The price for both of these devices are almost the same and was wondering what you would purchase?

I'm torn as to which I should purchase? Can someone help based on experience with one or the other?

I had read a lot of bad reviews about the wireless and heard of many people unhappy with it. Then when looking at the sizes and dimensions the large was going to be too big for my workspace.

So I went with a wired Medium.

Probably not the answer you were after but I am very happy with my choice.

rekahs wrote in post #11179770
I had read a lot of bad reviews about the wireless and heard of many people unhappy with it. Then when looking at the sizes and dimensions the large was going to be too big for my workspace.

So I went with a wired Medium.

Probably not the answer you were after but I am very happy with my choice.

rekahs no you provided a good experience with what you encountered.

I too have heard many bad reviews regarding the wireless but also read that it has "new" technologies that comes along with it.

Right now the only justification I have going with the Medium Wireless is the simple fact that if I experience issues with the wireless, then I can always go wired. It's like having both options (although the wireless may be a bust).

As far as size is concerned, it seems like usual response is the amount of space you have on your desktop which isn't really a concern of mine if I have to make more room.

I guess what I'm looking for here is people who has experience with both the medium and/or large size doing their post processing. Is one or the other more convenient. I know you can say the larger the better but I have heard people even say that there is usually too much arm movement because of the large pad. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say.

Anyone else?

I'd go for the large for more versatility. I have the medium wireless but have never used it wireless. I still wish it was larger sometimes for drawing. Its really only usefull for serious brush editing.

I use the wired medium. I tried a large and found it tiring to use that big tablet due to the large area your hand needs to traverse, whereas the medium is comfortable. I don't have any experience with the wireless.

I have a Graphire wireless that I just replaced with a Medium Intuous. After using the bluetooth tablet for over a year I was tired of the thing not being able to connect consistently until Windows desktop finished loading. Every once in awhile it would also lose connection, always at a bad time, which was a pain.

With the wired version I now have a working mouse right at the point where I'm entering my password to login.

Unless you need to walk around doodling on the thing while watching the result on a projection screen or unless you need to pass the tablet around to other people the wireless feature isn't much of an advantage.

I have a medium. I have two 24" monitors. I have it configured to span both monitors. I can tell you that I wish I had the large!!

Just a quick update:

I recently attended the PDN Photo Expo in NY and there was a Wacom booth that demo'd all the wacom products. (at least the Cintiq and Intuos4).

I got to actually feel the medium and the large Intuos 4 and based on what I experienced. Spanning 3 monitors (Macbook pro, 24" Cinema Display and a 24" Dell Monitor), the medium actually was perfect.

Speaking and working/demo'ng the product with a wacom "specialist" he educated me the following:

1. The wired and wireless is exactly the same thing but one is wireless. What I mean about the same thing is specifically that there is nothing new within the internals of the wireless vs the wired other than you have the ability to go wireless. No new technology to make it really special.

In addition, he mentioned that unless you are teaching and want to walk around the room with the device, the wireless is a perfect match. Other than that you can always extend the USB connection further if you really want to work further out from your computer but realistically and practicality it doesn't make any sense to pay the extra for wireless.

2. Large versus Medium (Wired), the specialist mentioned that they get a lot of people who get the large for people who actually do art and draw using the pad where the schooling or drawing/art is long strokes and drawing from the shoulders which would need larger surface area to replicate. Otherwise, if you're touching up photos and what not photography related, the medium is perfect where it doesn't require exaggerated "shoulder" strokes.

In addition, the majority of people who has the large tend to reduce the size of the large pad to work and match the size of their screen so that they don't have to much arm/hand movement. (hard to explain) but essentially, why have a large when the medium fits the bill for my purpose and that is not for drawing but for photography touchups and so forth.

3. Multiple screens:
Essentially, the wacom despite it's size can be configured to work one screen at a time, somewhere in the settings as opposed to dividing the pad into 2 or 3 spots replicating which screen you are working on, essentially, reducing the working size of the pad.

So in the end, with the special that they were running at the show.

$330 for tutorial CD and a case to compliment the Medium Intuos 4 Wired, it was a steal and went with that.

I hope this information helps future buyers in the decision making process.

You're gonna love it. Here's how I have my "Radial Menu" set up for Photoshop (using upper button on the pen toggle switch). It would be great to see what other people have done

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Attended the Graphic Authority 2010 Traveling Road Show in OKC yesterday, where both instructors insisted and said they "could not live" without their Intuos4 tablets, which has convinced me that I need one now. Especially seing how easy and fast they are able to maneuver in PS. I'm not planning on being a big time pixel pusher, but using it to do photo touchups and using their templates, it only makes sense to own one. So I'm looking at both wired and wireless.

I'm pretty picky when it comes to how my desk looks, so the less wires the better, so I think the wireless one is in my near future. I can't figure out the difference in the Academic version and regular one though, is it just like software, where its how the tablet is used? In school vs. in professional work? I plan to be learning how to use this tablet, and I'm not making money on my stuff yet, so does that qualify me?

There was no difference between the academic and the standard when I bought my academic (Intuous4 medium) about a year or so ago. The only difference was academic pricing, although Amazon did not ask for documentation of student status.

I had a large Intuos 3 for use with two 24" monitors. I found it took up way too much desk space and was tiring to use. It requires a lot of arm movement from one side to the other. When I decided to upgrade to the Intuos 4, I went with a medium. It easily fits on my desk and I find the arm movement much more comfortable. The Intuos 4 can also be mapped to either display or to both at the same time. When working on a photo or design you can zoom in for more detailed work, so I don't feel like I've lost any precision.

I would go with the medium. I don't have any experience with the wireless version though.

I'm using a medium 4 with a 30" monitor and don't currently find is limiting. I don't do any real drawing though.

icassell wrote in post #11416201
There was no difference between the academic and the standard when I bought my academic (Intuous4 medium) about a year or so ago. The only difference was academic pricing, although Amazon did not ask for documentation of student status.

Thanks Ian. I didn't think there was. So why not save some $...?

ChrisMc73 wrote in post #11418077
Thanks Ian. I didn't think there was. So why not save some $...?

I couldn't think of a good reason, so I got the academic one . It's $20 cheaper.

http://www.amazon.com …d=1291845196&sr​=8-1-spell