XP-Pen Deco Pro Review - The best drawing tablet for 2021? | Wacom vs XP-Pen

[@crystalpulseTV]

What do you look for in a drawing tablet? On-pen eyedropper tool combined with great tracking ability is dreams for me!

[@Ndasuunye]

Something that last 5+ years, is EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE, good customer service and has great pressure points for heavy handed. And with usb 2/3 connectivity. I'm a windows man myself

[@crystalpulseTV]

@@Ndasuunye Aha! Time shall tell then in this case. Deco Pro feels really rugged. Wacom does have that going for it, a solid amount of time in the biz, but it's starting to slip maybe, I'm seeing a lot of posts on the Reddit forum about this and that breaking and how they're not like they used to be, customer service was unhelpful - Likely the vocal minority and the tablets are still as indestructible as ever!

[@gangleweed]

@@crystalpulseTV Be aware.......Wacom do not support the older Intuos 3 tablet with drivers for Win 10 pro......don't ask me how I found that out the hard way.....they state that it is too old to keep suppporting......my previous computer ran Win 10 Home and the Intuos 3 worked with that but not with the Pro version.

[@Metal_seer]

Thanks for the thorough review. I just ordered the 11x7 Pro 2 for use with a 12.25 x 7.75 laptop which is touchscreen but does not have pen support. Closest I could get. (I'm not an artist. I just do simple graphic business illustrations.) I envy those with artustic ability.

[@zeno586]

This is a really good in depth review. Also the video quality is great. I loved it!

[@Trid3nt861]

Looks like a good alternative. Also noticed the left side is actually aluminum on the tablet. The way the Wacom is pronounced is Wah Com (Not Way Com). Wah is Japanese for Harmony and Com is short for Computer or Company. So Harmony Computer or Harmony Company. A good key shortcut device I use is the Tourbox Evo, you can map shortcuts and key strokes to the keys on the device.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Haha! Yeah I know, I think I even alternate pronunciation throughout the video. I’ll never drop the Waycom habit it seems! Hopefully it’s not as bad as pluralising Lego though… I hear a Dane dies every time someone says ‘Legos’!!

[@Trid3nt861]

@@crystalpulseTV you can kill that habit of saying Waycom. It takes a few tries but its reachable. Still Im glad alternatives are reaching Wacom in competition.

[@gangleweed]

I prefer the short A as in hat, bat,cat etc etc........so Wackom sounds better as I don't speak Japanese, only English, and for me that is the way it translates.

[@jeffmiller8950]

Nice job reviewing this tablet. I am new to the tablet world and looking to get one for photo editing. As such, I think this will give me everything the Wacom would for a lot less. Additionally, if it doesn't work out, I won't be out a lot of money. Thanks again for the review.

[@crystalpulseTV]

It’s a solid tablet, can’t go wrong!

[@saveriannathan1415]

GOT THIS ELEGANT TABLEt TODAY! But i will unbox it tomorrow, i hope it works well

[@crystalpulseTV]

Exciting! Let me know how you get on, I’d be keen to hear what you think!

[@aymezemouri2942]

is it good ? ( Is it worth buying ???

[@valeriagonzalez7222]

It worth? You had any problem? I'm planning to buy it too

[@lalapapa9357]

This video review is what convinced me to buy the XP-Pen Deco Pro : Medium; Nuff-said!

[@crystalpulseTV]

Score! Be sure to loop back and show me what you create with it! 🤙

[@ashishhembrom3905]

Thank you for the review. I plan on buying this for my college this September.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Very exciting! Straight to the top of class!!

[@arnaeri9290]

Thank you for the video

[@crystalpulseTV]

Direct from the source is always better, I really don’t like Amazon’s practices, but alas sometimes they sell the cheap stuff you need quickly! 🤣

[@robertstuart7109]

Thanks for your review - and the link to XP Pen. I took the plunge and bought a modern graph tablet.

[@johnhunter1653]

Very good review. A bit too fast on the key assignment for me, but I am only just beginning!

[@crystalpulseTV]

Thanks John! appreciate the kind remarks and constructive criticism - shall certainly endeavour to keep the beginner in mind for future reviews ^^

[@ElTejocotetl]

Thank you, i just got it for sale in mexico and i wasn't sure if the deco 01 v2 could have been better since is newer.... but I took the pro anyways just for the features, but I wish it has a cover like the 01 v2 or stuff like different surface like the wacom

[@edgarpy1088]

Excelente, muy satisfactorio cuando el que prueba es exigente y entiende. Me dá una real aproximacion del producto. Gracias. Suscrito.

[@cOcOmOo92]

Thanks for your review. Would you consider it a better option over the Wacom Intuos M?

[@crystalpulseTV]

Depends how much of a price difference. The Intuos is the better option but not by a huge amount, the XP Pen is really really close in my experience. I got an Intuos Pro M second hand for the same price this one retails for, so it was an easy win there. I know there are some places where this Deco Pro is $100, and the Wacom is $300, in that case get the Deco Pro, a Wacom is not 3X better

[@cOcOmOo92]

@@crystalpulseTV Thanks for your quick response. To be a bit more specific, I'm adressing the ‎Wacom ‎CTL-6100WLK-N. I guess against this model the XP-Pen Deco Pro should be the better option?

[@crystalpulseTV]

@@cOcOmOo92 Yep, I would go with the Deco Pro in that case!

[@AntarcticGuitarEnthusiast]

Nice work! Thank you. I just ordered one of these to draw my floor plans, As my CTS has flared up from RSI doing an excessive amount of mouse work over the last 20 years to an overabundance of work with an unknown no end in sight future. Looking forward to a positive change. Maximum Respect ~ LW

[@crystalpulseTV]

Ah yeah, this will almost certainly help out massively with that sort of thing. Good luck!!

[@realmoonknight]

We got max holloway reviewing drawing tablets before GTA6.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Lolllllllll 😂

[@realmoonknight]

@@crystalpulseTV Thanks for the review man !! I just ordered their new deco pro 2 xlw

[@diegodelacruz2992]

Good video, greetings from Peru.¡¡¡I will put her to the test

[@oozly9291]

Convinced me to get it, thanks!

[@laurencegr9978]

11:12 - superb pressure sensor

[@jjglaser]

I wish they made a 21.5 to 27" non display tablet so I can use it with my 240hz (no pen lag at all) monitor.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Show off :P

[@Voidstain]

Great review mate. Subscribed!

[@crystalpulseTV]

Ah awesome! Thank you, much appreciated!

[@kingnibraas3532]

hi bro. at nearly 4:25 minutes in the video i notice you bring up that shortcut to open finder to set up the tablet on illustrator. Can you show us how you did that. thanks !!

[@crystalpulseTV]

Absolutely! SO that's just the program switcher, it's default as CMD+Tab on a mac and there is something very similar on windows with ALT+Spacebar. Hope this helps, thanks for checking out the video!

[@urmoonlitup]

May I know what size is that tablet? Is it small, medium, or large?

[@crystalpulseTV]

This is the medium

[@urmoonlitup]

@@crystalpulseTV thank u so muchhh

[@gdavid9219]

Great video 🥰😄 I tested it in the store and huion s 611 so good I am going again to make final decision but is there is a delay response or that just the recording

[@crystalpulseTV]

That'll be the video by the sounds of thing, there is no perceptible lag with this tablet, it was as accurate and swift as I could want! Around 9:45, from the video stream I'm getting I think it demonstrates it well, you can see my hand move and it moves at the same time on the screen

[@ontune1715]

Hey Chris I have a question about this tablet. Whenever you press the side buttons of the pen does your mouse cursor jump around? Its kind of annoying when you use it for color pick because it will pick the wrong color when the cursor jumps.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Nope! Colour picking was something super important for me so I think probably my top remark of the tablet is that it worked well - I could assign eye dropper to the pen button and it would let me pick the colours accurately without the freeze I used to get from an older Huion, no jolting as you allude to, it didn’t get stuck on that tool etc. I did have a few bugs when I installed it initially, just wanted to see if it worked without a restart. It definitely needed the restart because I was experiencing a few glitches! Thanks for your question, hope this helps!

[@ontune1715]

@@crystalpulseTV I see. Well I was speaking to xppen support earlier and they mentioned that the cursor jump from pressing the pen buttons is a common issue that has something to do with the pen magnetic field that interferes with the actual tablet. Apparently there was no workaround for it due to the technical limit of the pen itself. Maybe you didn't notice it but it only happens once every few presses. The workaround that I found was to just assign the color pick shortcut on my keyboard or the express keys on the tablet. For me it happened quite often so I never use the side buttons for color pick. Other than that I think the whole package itself is very solid and sleek design. I have yet to confirm if the same issue occurs with a wacom intuos. Ill update when ever I can.

[@crystalpulseTV]

@@ontune1715 Aha, yeah you're right actually - just looked into how it performs a lot closer, I was a bit blasé earlier! So, I made myself a finger tripod to stabilise the pen and spammed the buttons and yeah I can actually make it consistently jump. Hadn't noticed this at all, very reduced/un-noticeable when I just go about things normally. I have my eyedropper on average of 3x3 and sort of move around a lot as I colour pick to get what I want - I can see that if you were to just hit the eyedropper in the location you want and have it then jump, that would be a problem! Replicated this test on the Wacom Intuos Pro Medium, this doesn't happen at all no matter how fast I press pen buttons. Something to consider.

[@sammersammer7530]

Hello. I'm an online teacher and I need to write lot's of mathematical signs and details. Based on my budget I'm narrowed down to two model but I really have no idea which to choose. I just want to mention again that I have a lot of fine details like indices and dots in my work. So which do you recommend me to buy: One by Wacom XP Pen Deco 01 V2 Thanks in advance.

[@crystalpulseTV]

I'd go Wacom One I think - XP Pen do have similarly priced options, but I haven't used those. I have used a Wacom One and considering what you are looking to do that would suit you just fine! The Deco Pro is more advanced, bigger and I'm not sure you'd make so much use of those features though. You can assign shortcuts to the buttons which may be handy for particular macros in your work if such programs allow. But in terms of just having a great response rate, levels of pressure and strong mapping, both models would be great.

[@sammersammer7530]

@@crystalpulseTV thank you so much man. It was very informative. 🌸🌸🌸🌸

[@gangleweed]

It would be handy to know what display format we are looking at in the review.....is this the tablet graphics software? I just want to have the pen work the same as a pointer or mouse...........for the graphics display I use MS paint for sketching and doodling designs of things I want to make and Photoshop 7 for photo retouching, but looking at the screen display of the review I find having all the pen options in a scroll down list too tedious as opposed to the MS paint one that has all the shapes and colour options there on the screen along the top of the display.......that's just me, but someone doing art work would have a different preference.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Hopefully I’m understanding you correctly - the software that I’m using in this is Photoshop 2019/2020. You can add or remove the options you want in that list in the settings and even setup workspaces to reflect those deductions; I might have one that only shows the painting options, hides the Type tools etc. There are some occasions where I pull up the various brushes I want to use - again this is up to you how extensive it is, can have just the defaults with hard and soft brushes etc or a whole heap like me! Photoshop has come on leaps and bounds since 7, it’s almost a whole different beast! The tablet works very similar to a trackpad on a laptop except larger and your finger is the pen! Hope this helps but if I’ve misunderstood, comment back and I’ll try again!

[@gangleweed]

@@crystalpulseTV Yes you are right......I was just wondering what the screen shot was as I use MS Paint mainly because I just do simple sketching of ideas etc and 2D line drawings are good for what I do. MS Paint gives me a clear screen whereas the Photoshop one is more congested......I use Photoshop for photo editing and the 7 version is simple for me without having to get too complicated with options I'll never use. Photoshop has a much higher resolution for when I edit photos whereas MS Paint gets pixilated once you go above 4X magnification which is hopeless for editing.

[@mariacamilamejiacepes2349]

Hi, what type of portátil/ computer do you recommend for design and 3d? Pleasee

[@crystalpulseTV]

I use Apple and so really any of their systems with an M1 chip atm are going to perform really well for design and when it comes to 3D work, they still hold up. Everything is pretty much down to your budget on this. An Apple Mini with M1 is really strong, the M2 version is a beast. So for PC, again I'm limited on my knowledge here but with 3D in particular, a GPU is very important, you want to get a good one, lots of options - NVIDIA is great. 6GB or more for graphic card memory. 16GB to 32 GB of RAM is probably what you want to aim for. 16GB is good to start you off but if you can stretch to 32GB, the computer is going to have a lot more longevity for you. Most CPU's are solid these days, i think something like an i7 is plenty. Hope this helps!

[@emanuelachiulli455]

Hi! I've only one question, for photographic use, that is of programs such as photoshop and others, is better thi xp pen deco pro or the gaomon m1220?

[@crystalpulseTV]

Interesting! I don't really know to be honest, very similar specs on both, both would definitely do a great job. I suppose it comes down to whether you like the pen holders more or prefer a pen case! Lots of buttons on the Gaomon so potentially that could be more useful, they're touch though and that could mean some sensitivity quirks, accidental triggers etc. It's definitely a hard decision! I would watch a bunch of reviews and see how you feel. Hope this helps, sorry I can't say one or the other!

[@jjcm3135]

excellent review. thanks.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Thanks JJ, really appreciate that 😊

[@yesyes9698]

For that price I could get the Intuos medium, I’m really not sure, I haven’t tried either. I have a Gaomon and while is okay, the surface is so glassy, I hate it, makes my teeth hurt every time I hear the pen on the plastic surface and the grip feels so loose. Which one would you choose? Intuos vs Deco Pro. Thanks

[@crystalpulseTV]

Having something with a bit of teeth is definitely better, so if you can get an Intuos Pro Medium for the same price second hand or something, I'd say jump and get that, solid device, my daily driver. Over the normal Intuos Medium or this > You're getting more out of the Deco Pro - More pressure levels, more real estate to draw on (I think!?). More buttons, the wheel. It's not bluetooth like the Intuos can be There's some tooth to the surface on both. I like the size and colour of the Intuos though, that pistachio green is lovely! Portability, the Deco Pro is quite big, just fits in my bag, the Intuos will fit in any bag no problem. Software; XP Pen software is a little basic but works, Intuos feels more of a thought out interface. I feel the Intuos would last longer. Wacom is the better experience in the end. Deco Pro delivers 80% of what the Wacom Intuos Pro is at 1/3 the price

[@yesyes9698]

@@crystalpulseTV thanks very much for your time and kindness I appreciate it very much. So after some research and your comment, I just placed the order haha, I ended up buying the wacom Intuos Medium. I’ll see how it goes when I get it.

[@R3dskull1997]

Thanks this help me alot foto makena choise!!!

[@PrateekKumar1692]

hey bro i have one doubt can I connect this tablet wirelessly with android tablet

[@crystalpulseTV]

it’s just wired on this particular model. But there is a wireless model; the Deco Pro SW and MW, looks very similar!

[@jonnyBgood3]

But have you noticed a lost of pressure to zero when you are going from thick to thin lines, try swirls across the page, going from fine to thick and back to fine in a continuous stroke. I get broken lines as the pen(?) drops the pressure suddenly when going to the fine part of a stroke. Its been reported by users on reddit. Anyone else.

[@crystalpulseTV]

I’ll give it a good test on that today and report back but I don’t think I’ve experienced that myself. Done a good amount of drawing with it now and no real complaints so far. A few Reddit users are wondering if it holds up after a year so I’ll be keen to do a video follow up, but so far so good!

[@iSeeEZEkill]

@@crystalpulseTV well is it after 8months? Currently looking into the XP deco pro

[@sebastiangarcia2590]

Is it possible to switch 180° for lefties?

[@crystalpulseTV]

Yes! All done in the settings, and you can 180 it!

[@vrm_ravi]

hip hop kind of reviews. thank you.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Haha! Thank you very much!

[@thedark6559]

Hi bro. Deco pro M is twice the price of xp deco 01 v2 . Is it worth it or should I get the deco 01 v2

[@crystalpulseTV]

I think so yeah. From the reviews of the deco 01 v2, I get the impression that the Pro model, really is Pro with better pen activation, reduced jitter, better more stable connection. Better looking pen. It may be double the price, but the Pro is essentially a $300 Wacom competitor. You could see it as saving $200! Wacom do great entry level tablets though, you could check out the Wacom One if you don’t need the buttons. Buttons are kinda cool though! Check out some reviews of the 01 v2 and see what you think. I’m super impressed by the Deco Pro so I can happily recommend it! Personally I would get it, I think it’s worth the investment to get a solid bit of kit that will really pay itself off very quickly. Do a couple commissions on Upwork, boom! Paid for with extra cash to spend on a Frappuccino!

[@beesnail5757]

unfortunately i from morocco i can't get it for this price because of the shipping and fees it will cost 240$...and I don't any place I can get it from but do you think it deserves 240$?

[@crystalpulseTV]

Hey BeeSnail! That's unfortunate, and makes it very expensive for you - The tablet is certainly worth the normal money but these shipping costs are half the price of the actual tablet for you and so that's probably a bad investment. Do you create art as a hobby or is this a business for you? If you're looking for an up-to-date tablet, and can earn the cost of this back, offset it against your business then absolutely go for it, this will work out for you! But I think if you're doing this as a hobby at the moment or not yet making enough money, then you are better off investing in traditional materials, and really getting yourself to the highest level. Life drawing skills, working with colour, tone and values... Those skills will always transfer over when the world opens up more and you can get affordable shipping! Hope this helps, all the best x

[@beesnail5757]

@@crystalpulseTV yes, you're right,i just learned anatomy and also I work as a freelancer so I was thinking this tablet could help me a lot but right now I can't afford it anyway thank you so much and keep going bro

[@beesnail5757]

@@crystalpulseTV yes, you're right,i just learned anatomy and also I work as a freelancer so I was thinking this tablet could help me a lot but right now I can't afford it anyway thank you so much and keep going bro

[@ashishhembrom3905]

@@beesnail5757 hey, definitely invest in it if you have a real commitment to your art. And never give up.

[@romansarviro52]

Hi, has anyone tested it in windows? Are there any problems? Are there any problems with the drivers?

[@latinosenquebec7578]

Can you recommend me this or another model for photographiy édition ? Im also left Handed and i use 1440p monitor.

[@crystalpulseTV]

Hey Fuke! This one would work well for you, you can change the orientation so it suits your left handed approach and it scales with resolution just fine 👌 I personally started off with the Wacom Intuos 3 and that lasted me about 10 years! Didn't upgrade until it was absolutely destroyed! 🤣 Super impressed with this XP-Pen model, it's competitive - You're getting Wacom results at 1/3 the price!

[@latinosenquebec7578]

@@crystalpulseTV thanks for the great opinion. Im going for that. Probably i dont need the wireless edition. Great video, and your video is very honest and good. But try to smile a litle bro. It helps to the audience lol. Looks like you dont enjoy to have the tablet (y) im suscribed now. Thanks again

[@crystalpulseTV]

@@latinosenquebec7578 super appreciate the honest feedback ☺️ You’re absolutely right on that. This video has been great for me, lots of feedback on it, how to improve and SO gonna be hitting the ground running with my next one… whenever that is 🤣

[@PopoRamos]

Does this work with the M1 Macs?

[@crystalpulseTV]

I don't have an M1 to test on but from what I'm reading there are some technical issues to iron out still. Users reporting no variable pressure from the pen, random disconnects or just not working at all. You can email them and they send a stable driver, again though this has variable results for some. Hope this helps somewhat and thanks for the question!

[@PopoRamos]

@@crystalpulseTV thanks 🙏 I’ll report back on my experience

[@loxzone1]

How do I get my lines to lighten at the end of the stroke like that?

[@crystalpulseTV]

That would be in the brush settings, I have opacity and flow set to pen pressure. Let me know if you need more detail on how to achieve that though ^^

[@loxzone1]

@@crystalpulseTV will do, thank you so much👍

[@loxzone1]

@@crystalpulseTV I'm using Krita and I don't see a pen option in the opacity and flow tabs.

[@crystalpulseTV]

@@loxzone1 ah, I’m not too familiar with Krita but I think ‘TutsByKai’ has a good video on the brushes, just gave that a Google and looks like they are getting the same effect I’m getting - even on default brushes so maybe there is even a particular brush to use.

[@loxzone1]

@@crystalpulseTV Oh shot!, thanks again, my guy.

[@nilucheh]

Thaaaank youuu

[@misaelsilvera4595]

good stuff

i enjoy it

[@vinodkumarsingh1973]

Bro pen tablet help in digital notetaking

[@crystalpulseTV]

Yep, certainly does!

[@lovelybonezz543]

Does this tablet support ios phones?

[@lovelybonezz543]

Like can i use it with my iphone?

[@crystalpulseTV]

@@lovelybonezz543 It's only Android on this one

[@lojongladakh7426]

XP paid this guy for sure. Wacom is way better than any other brands UNDOUBTEDLY

[@crystalpulseTV]

I didn’t get paid but they gave me the tablet. Love Wacom, but as I say in my review, super impressed with the XP Pen, it definitely competes!

[@laos85]

I use both Wacom and XP Pen. Both has good enough drawing performance. And the XP Pen has miles better wheel and button for cheaper price. I see no quality different other than that and price.

[@cassiosculpts]

wacom is waay more expensive than any other brands

[@JamieLycronisMcCutchen]

Oh, there is PLENTY of doubt! Just because Wacom is the most recognized brand doesn't automatically give them a win. Wacom makes some amazing stuff, for sure, but they also produce some mediocre products as well, and all for a MUCH higher price! Features, usability, and performance wise at this price point, Wacom's "brand recognition" just doesn't hold up.

[@crystalpulseTV]

​@@JamieLycronisMcCutchen Haha! Yeah you're bang on there squire! Thanks for swinging by, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts :)

[@gizochelidze4513]

You should improve your speech; it is hard to catch what you are talking about

[@crystalpulseTV]

Thanks for the feedback Gizo, always looking to improve and I certainly need to work on my annunciation and clarity. Onwards and upwards!

[@mahddh7871]

Plz be at least a little bit more energetic

[@crystalpulseTV]

Baby steps, we can’t all be captain extrovert right out the gate can we! Video 1, I was a deer in headlights - I’ve come a long way since then a plenty of journey ahead of me that I’m looking forward to! Thanks for the engagement points though, goes a long way for getting the vid in front of more people! 🙌

[@mahddh7871]

@@crystalpulseTV 😂dude im not a hater i just said what i thought, for the record i Liked ur video before even watchin it cuz i think its the least think that i can do as a watcher to help small or new channels

[@crystalpulseTV]

@@mahddh7871 all good, hard to read people properly via text sometimes! I assumed the worst from it. Appreciate the feedback all the same, good or bad - it’s always helpful 🤘

[@twocoats100]

WOW muMBLE mumble . just read text .

[@crystalpulseTV]

Thank you for the feedback Brian, this is a fairly old video now, we all gotta start somewhere and hopefully i've become more coherent since then. All the best! C