22hd vs. 24hd vs. 24hd Touch - Comparisons

**Featherbeard** · October 25th, 2012, 02:38 PM

Hey there everyone! I'm currently on a 12wx and looking to step up to something larger after the beginning of the year. I've been doing a lot of research about the newer Cintiqs and I'd like to get people's observations about the choices. My main point of discussion with myself has been about screen quality. I was thinking about getting a larger IPS panel monitor, but then I thought about just upgrading my Cintiq as well. I'm partially colorblind so having colors pop or be brighter, easier to see is important for me. (See below)

Here are some of the observations I've read about, but please feel free to add your own too!
22hd
Pros:
Less expensive
Less gargantuan
Lighter

Cons:
Slightly smaller screen (compared to 24hd)
Anti-Glare coating I've read is quite awful
Stand isn't as flexible as 24hd
Not an IPS panel, though I've read is brighter than the vanilla 24hd?

24hd
Pros:
Bigger screen
No grainy Anti-glare coating
More flexible monitor support

Cons
More expensive than the 22hd
Heavy
Large
Some people say the screen is too large for them and it gets disorienting(?)
Also not an IPS panel (I've read conflicting reports about it having more color gamut-space than the 22hd?)

24hd Touch
Pros:
Touch capabilities
Bigger screen (compared to 22hd)
IPS Panel
Wider color gamut
No grainy Anti-glare coating

Cons
Ridonkulously Pricey
Heavy
Large
Some people say the screen is too large for them and it gets disorienting(?)

I guess the main question is, how do the screens compare? I think the 12wx has a similar coating to the 22hd; it's grainy and the screen seems a little dim. Is the IPS worth the whopping pricetag that comes with it? Is the 24hd (non touch) worth the extra 500 or so over the 22hd? Is the 22hd's coating bad enough to skip it?

Thank you very much! :0)

**whitetree** · October 26th, 2012, 12:07 AM

where did you read that the touch model is IPS? Pretty sure the pixels are 1,920 x 1,200, and its not using the new catleap stuff

**Featherbeard** · October 26th, 2012, 12:36 AM

Sorry..? What does the resolution have to do with it being an IPS? I'm confused;

I've seen 1920x1200 IPS monitors quite a bit out in the wild. I also have read many reviews mentioning the IPS panel and the fact that the specs for it on the Wacom website mention 1.07 billion colors (With Displayport connection) vs. the others 16.7 million.

**Brun** · October 26th, 2012, 01:58 PM

All the Cintiq screens are Type: a-SI Active Matrix TFT LCD (H-IPS) (according to their website).

I'm in the market of buying a Cintiq and was having the same issue as you have, namely choosing between the different models. I've concluded that the 24HD is the best option here is why (all info is pulled from wacom's website):

DISPLAY Cintiq 22HD:

Native Resolution - 1920 x 1080
Numbers Of Colors - 16,7 Million
Luminance - 230 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio - 1000:1 (typ), 600:1 (min)
Viewing Angle - 178°
Multi-Touch - No
Adobe RGB: 72%

DISPLAY Cintiq 24HD:

Native Resolution - 1920 x 1200
Numbers Of Colors - 16,7 Million
Luminance - 190 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio - 550:1
Viewing Angle - 178°
Multi-Touch - No
Adobe RGB: 92%

DISPLAY Cintiq 24HDTOUCH:

Native Resolution - 1920 x 1200
Numbers Of Colors - 1,07 Billion
Luminance - 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio - 850:1
Viewing Angle - 178°
Multi-Touch - Yes
Adobe RGB: 96%

As you can see the best option would be to go for the 24HD, even though the TOUCH has a better screen it's not justified by its price. The 22HD is perfect for its money but if you value a better color reproduction on your screen I would go with the 24HD who has a wider color gamut. Though the contrast ratio and luminance on the 22HD are triumphing over those of the 24HD and the 24HD TOUCH, I did not notice such a significant difference when comparing the screens next to each other. Another thing I've found to be something to keep in mind is the comfort of the cintiq. This is a personal taste, I definitely prefer the 24HD casing over the 22HD casing. I would suggest testing bother of them before you make your decision, but I would go for the 24HD!

Cheers,

Brun

**Featherbeard** · October 26th, 2012, 04:22 PM

Thanks Brun! I was thinking the same thing; 92% vs 97% probably isn't a huge dealbreaker. It's definitely better than my 12wx and my $300 LED monitor.

My only issue is I'd like the screen to be a little more "punchy" than the 12wx's; the 12wx screen is very grainy and a little dimmer than I'd like. The price of the Touch is a whopper; not sure I want to spend that much, but at the same time I'd like to see the 24hd and the 24hd touch side by side to see the difference in screen quality. I wonder where I can get a demo, hmm...

**Brun** · October 27th, 2012, 05:35 AM

I've only seen the 24HD next to the 22HD, both are very capable of performing the way they are advertised too, + both screens look impressive. I haven't had the opportunity to test the 24HD touch next to the regular 24HD (although I might soon). A friend of mine though has informed me that while there definitely a small noticeable difference between the 2 screens, its nowhere as much as the price would make you believe. However, if I get the opportunity to test the 2 units next to each other for myself, I'll come back here and give my honest opinion.

Also keep in mind that the technology used on the TOUCH is fairly new (as in: it has existed for years but companies only start to integrate it in their products just now). On top of that the tablet market is going to see a tremendous grow in the next coming 5 years which will most definitely influence Wacom's Cintiq Line of products. What I'm trying to say is: If you buy a 22HD or 24HD you get a nice product for a reasonable (though still hefty) price tag. You'll probably end up using the Cintiq for 5-7 years. At which point there will be a new and improved version of the TOUCH which will probably be less expensive then it is today. So My way of seeing it: Invest now in a product that will undoubtedly enhance your experience for a relatively good price ( 22HD / 24HD ) and invest in the 24HD TOUCH (or who knows 27ULTRA-HD TOUCH GAZILLION COLORS) in a few years, when the price tag has come down!

Whatever you end up using, you'll probably be more than satisfied.

Cheers,

Brun

**andya147** · October 27th, 2012, 02:15 PM

i went to see and have a play with the 24hd ,,to me the biggest problem and it would drive me mad is the ag coating on the screen ,its just plain awful what were wacom thinking..ive now ordered a wacom 21ux which is far better screen ,,it uses an nec panel and has none of the grain of the 24hd.....i believe allso the 22hd has the same grain.....before you buy check one out

**Featherbeard** · October 27th, 2012, 10:59 PM

Hey Andya! I've read that the 24hd ag coating is different than the 22hd's coating. How old was the 24hd you were comparing? Many sites have mentioned the differences in screen texture and coating from the 22hd to the 24hd, so I'm curious to see if they possibly have changed it.

**andya147** · October 28th, 2012, 10:20 AM

i cant see wacom changing the coating unless enough people complain about it ,,look at apple with the ipads and horrid yellow tinted screens ..it was a shop that got one in and it was brand new ,,was only around 5 days ago that i went .as soon as i seen the screen i new straight away it wasnt for me ...ii read somewere that it is the same with th 22hd ,,its nearly 2013 and they still cant sort the coating out ,if you have ever seen hp 2710p and lenovo x200 series they has a similar coating thats why when i got one of them i allso got the outdoor screen 400nit which doesnt have the grain

**Qichar** · December 3rd, 2012, 04:23 PM

I recently received my Cintiq 22 HD, and I can confirm that it looks grainy. I really only have 2 complaints about the 22 HD:

1) The 21.5" screen is a little too small. Because of the new aspect ratio, the screen seems much smaller than my older 21 UX.
2) The screen on the 22 HD is really grainy. I didn't notice this kind of problem on the 21 UX. This is unfortunate because in other respects I feel the unit is superior. The grain is really distracting.

Can anyone confirm if the 24 HD really does have a non-grainy screen? If it does I wonder if Amazon will take back my unit and let me order a 24 HD instead.

**sigmadog** · December 3rd, 2012, 07:42 PM

I guess I should feel fortunate to not have used any other previous Cintiqs prior to my 22HD, because I don't have any issue at all with the screen. Yes, it's a bit grainy when I stick my face within 10 inches of it, but with my poor eyesight and Coke-bottle glasses, I can't really see much when I'm that close anyway. My normal distance from the screen is around 16 to 18 inches, and at that distance, the graininess is not an issue at all. If I took my glasses off, I'd never be further than 3 inches from the screen, and I'd be complaining constantly about that, and my sore neck

But really, I love this thing!

My only complaint is the low Adobe RGB color compatibility. I'm still working on a reliable work-around on that (establishing adjustment steps when I transfer the image to my other monitors for pre-print work), but I don't think it's a huge issue, since I'm used to such adjustments anyway.

**Brun** · December 11th, 2012, 10:30 AM

I just got my Cintiq 24HD a few days ago and I'm planing on writing a full review. In short I'm extremely pleased with it, though the screen is a bit blurry at times (probably because I'm used to work on a 27" iMac at a higher-res, resulting in more detail).

**Arshes Nei** · December 11th, 2012, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by Brun

I just got my Cintiq 24HD a few days ago and I'm planing on writing a full review. In short I'm extremely pleased with it, though the screen is a bit blurry at times (probably because I'm used to work on a 27" iMac at a higher-res, resulting in more detail).

Out of curiosity, can you adjust the hertz/refresh rate on the 24HD? I found for example one of my monitors needs a refresh rate of 75hz or the monitor is blurry.

**Featherbeard** · December 20th, 2012, 02:11 PM

Hey there! Has anyone had the opportunity to see a 24hd and a 24hd Touch side by side? I have emailed Wacom asking if there was somewhere in Washington state (They're in Vancouver, WA) I could compare the two, and never got a response.

**Jason Ross** · January 3rd, 2013, 10:59 AM

The Cons on the 22hd I don't think are represented that well. The Stand allows any position of the tablet without much effort at all. It feels like paper or a pad in that sense. The Grainy coating isn't great but its far from awful. Once you lay down some values it's hard to even notice. Though I haven't seen the 24HD's screen so maybe I'm just used to the lesser quality.

**Featherbeard** · January 3rd, 2013, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by Jason Ross

The Cons on the 22hd I don't think are represented that well. The Stand allows any position of the tablet without much effort at all. It feels like paper or a pad in that sense. The Grainy coating isn't great but its far from awful. Once you lay down some values it's hard to even notice. Though I haven't seen the 24HD's screen so maybe I'm just used to the lesser quality.

Darn! I was hoping you would have been able to see both screens to compare them. I have had zero luck getting responses from Wacom sales support team, which is odd considering how good their tech support is!