New line of wacom tablets?

It looks like the latest generation of Intuos Pen & Touch, Intuos Pro were released end of 2013. How often do they release new versions - is a new version expected anytime soon?

At this point I'm not sure what meaningful new model they can make any more. The Intuos 5 (which I use) is almost exactly the same as the Intuos Pro (latest model), with some minute differences in the tablet's button details.

I would love to see Wacom innovate and take another solid step towards more ergonomic excellence, but they're clearly stuck in neutral lately.

If you are interested in one, then I would say jump on it whenever you have the money/see a good deal. The current line is an excellent tool as is, and a new version isn't likely to add a great deal that is going to make you really regret not having it.

At best they're going to have a few more buttons, and maybe a few more swivel or swipe strips for tool adjustment.

Does anyone actually make full use the buttons? I've set up one to switch monitors but that's it, I disable the rest because they are annoying. A quick ask around the studio reveals that a lot of us barely use them at all!

I'd say get one now if you want one. Personally I'm happy with my intuos 3s at home and work and feel no need to upgrade to the latest and greatest. IMO the difference between the last few generations is minor.

StayFrosty wrote in post #17222680
Does anyone actually make full use the buttons? I've set up one to switch monitors but that's it, I disable the rest because they are annoying. A quick ask around the studio reveals that a lot of us barely use them at all!

I'd say get one now if you want one. Personally I'm happy with my intuos 3s at home and work and feel no need to upgrade to the latest and greatest. IMO the difference between the last few generations is minor.

Between the radial menus and buttons, you can pretty much set aside the keyboard in Photoshop, which is nice. But, It takes a lot of time getting things set up and fine-tuned for a fast/smooth UI experience. If you're going to use the keyboard in conjunction with the tablet, then the buttons are pretty useless.

I have all the buttons on my tablet setup to various things, and would not object to having access to even more. There are some functions that in different apps which I end up burying in the radial touch menu interface which I would prefer to be able to put right on an edge button so I could quickly tap it with my left hand.

But I enjoy being able to recline back while sitting cross legged in my chair to process photos, and the more I can do straight from the tablet, without having to reach forward for my mouse and keyboard sitting on the desk, the better in my view.

The Intuos pro has that touch-wheel. Seems nice for things where you do both one way and another - brush size, zooming, rotation, etc.

Is it a really nice feature to have, or easy enough to live without?

I find that I use the wheel a lot, but it seems a tad flaky for some reason on my windows install and Adobe Photoshop. About 1/4 of the time it won't function properly and just make annoying error beeps at me when I try to use it, but I haven't seen other reports of the problem so I would assume it is an issue with my personal system and not a general common thing.

I'm sure it would be easy enough to bind to buttons for up/down and I think this is one of those features that I wouldn't miss if I had not already grown accustomed to that feature. I can't say that I really 'missed' most of the keys when all I had was an old Graphire 3

The Intuos NeXt is going to be so sensitive that you can't leave the room without hurting its feelings!

Luckless wrote in post #17222978
I have all the buttons on my tablet setup to various things, and would not object to having access to even more. There are some functions that in different apps which I end up burying in the radial touch menu interface which I would prefer to be able to put right on an edge button so I could quickly tap it with my left hand.

But I enjoy being able to recline back while sitting cross legged in my chair to process photos, and the more I can do straight from the tablet, without having to reach forward for my mouse and keyboard sitting on the desk, the better in my view.

Yep, more options are always good. It's the usual everyone does things slightly differently and there is no right or wrong as long as it works for you.

I'm the sort of person who carries a mouse around with a laptop because i can't stand the lack of accuracy and inefficiency of a touchpad so that probably gives you an idea where I'm coming from. Same goes for the Wacom buttons, they just seem crap compared to using the keyboard. I suppose that's years of muscle memory built in to me...or I'm just a luditte!

Also, opposite to you, I tend to find myself getting drawn closer and closer to the monitor as I'm working on something, When I get to the edge of my chair with my nose an inch from the screen I wonder what the hell I'm doing and settle back into my chair only to start the process again!

StayFrosty wrote in post #17226582
Also, opposite to you, I tend to find myself getting drawn closer and closer to the monitor as I'm working on something, When I get to the edge of my chair with my nose an inch from the screen I wonder what the hell I'm doing and settle back into my chair only to start the process again!

maybe get an eye exam?

I think I'm looking at the Intuos Pen&Touch Medium - is there any point in instead considering something like the Intuos3/4/5 ?

kaitlyn2004 wrote in post #17232492
I think I'm looking at the Intuos Pen&Touch Medium - is there any point in instead considering something like the Intuos3/4/5 ?

I think the main advantage of the Intuos Pro vs Intuos Pen & Touch is the pressure sensitivity (2048 vs 1024 levels). I don't know (because I always go with the 2048 level models), but I imagine 1024 levels is actually well and good for photo editing. If you were doing digital painting/drawing where you need to maximumize control, then additional pressure sensitivity would be advised. But, for photo-editing I use the pressure sensitivity almost exclusively for brushing in layer masks.