Five Reasons You Should Buy the Wacom Intuos5 tablet

Two weeks later, I’m incredibly satisfied with my decision to purchase the Wacom Intuos5 tablet. If you’re still on the fence, whether you own a Bamboo or an earlier model Wacom Intuos tablet, I’ll give you five reasons why you should seriously consider upgrading to the latest model.

1. The drawing surface: The biggest gripe most people have about the earlier model Intuos tablet models was the tendency of its plastic surface wearing down after prolonged usage. The Intuos5’s tablet surface is made out of a dense, rubberized material that holds up really well against stylus scuff marks.
2. The touch sensitive HUD display: The Intuos5’s touch-sensitive buttons are a vast improvement over the illuminated buttons because I no longer need to look at the tablet to make use of the button controls on the tablet. As a result, I use the buttons on a regular basis. I have custom keyboard shortcuts mapped to my Intuos5’s buttons, including one to create a new layer. Two of the buttons on the top and bottom of the tablet have grooves, making it easy to know where you’re hovering over. As a keyboard shortcut junkie, using the Wacom’s buttons took some getting used to, but now it’s firmly mapped to my muscle memory.
3. Gestures: Simply put, there’s no need to purchase a Magic Trackpad if you have the Intuos5. Gesture responsiveness is smooth and every bit as good as the Magic Trackpad. (I have both.) I only use a handful of gestures (pun intended), but the ones I use work well. Something else to note: If you run a dual display setup and you’ve mapped the tablet’s stylus to one display, the gestures (moving the mouse, etc.) will still work across both displays. This is really awesome and shows that Wacom’s put a lot of thought into the touch capabilities of the Intuos5. My Intuos5 tablet has replaced my Magic Trackpad.
4. The wireless capabilities: Although I haven’t purchased the wireless accessory (it comes separate from the tablet), it’s nice to have the option to make the tablet fully wireless. I have enough wires on my desk, so it’s only a matter of time before I spring for the wireless module. If you’re buying a new Intuos5 tablet, factor the extra $39 in your purchase price.
5. The responsiveness: While there is no difference in terms of the pressure sensitivity compared to the Intuos4 line, the tablet’s surface makes for a much more responsive (and pleasurable) drawing experience. Drawing long lines, circles, etc. used to require multiple attempts, but with the Intuos5, I’m able to quickly realize my vision without having to repeatedly hit Command-Z.

Questions about the Intuos5? Hit me up in the comments and I’ll do my best to respond.

-Krishna