Next Generation of Cintiqs?

**Julio Nicoletti** · February 9th, 2011, 07:00 PM

Hey guys,

Probably a common question but Google seems to be failing me. Do you think the current Cintiqs will stick around for much longer or do you think we'll get an upgrade soon? The reason I ask is I'm interested in getting one but I hear nothing but bad news hardware-wise. Dead pixels are the most common problem, and I just don't want to sink a ton of money on something that isn't quality material.

The other reason I ask is because I don't wanna get one now and find out that in a year there will be a new one.

I'm not professional or a student but like everyone, the thought of the Cintiq gets me drooling. The price is steep, but I dont mind spending that sort of money if I'm pursuing a career in concept art.

Is there a certain time every year when Wacom releases new tablets?
Should I get one now or wait?
I've also noticed having watched some videos, that there is some lag when usinga cintiq which scares the bejeesus out of me..

Thanks!

**AegisKleais** · February 9th, 2011, 07:26 PM

I went through the same fears, and though there are horror stories of people getting stuck/dead pixels or debris under the screen (such things would warrant me contacting Wacom and demanding a resolve), the one thing I came to realize too is:

People only complain when something bad happens (rightly so), but much fewer still will say something good when everything goes right; and I think that by a vast majority the amount of people out there who have a Cintiq all have stated that they love the thing dearly.

Mine came in yesterday (21UX) and I'll be hooking it up over the weekend (checking for screen quality) but I took the plunge simply because of the following points:

1. They just made this hardware revision about 10 months ago; that's nothing in development time, and the first 21UX (DTZ-2100) was out 3+ years earlier than that. So we might have another 2-3+ years that this will remain the flagship product for Wacom.

2. There is next to no competition with Wacom; competition breeds better products, more often and at a better price. Wacom can afford to get lazy here because nobody is really lighting a fire under their ass. As with any business, a monopoly is bad for consumers.

3. Even if a new model comes out relatively soon, this model is MORE than ample to handle what I need it for, and I just don't want to wait any longer for it; besides, Wacom will never tell you what's in the works unless it was going live within a 3-6 month timeframe. (Getting consumer interest peeked TOO early would lead to stopped sales of current products)

I share your sentiment on "I'm no pro or student, but like everyone, the thought of the Cintiq gets me drooling; price is steep, don't mind spending the cash to pursue career/interest in art."

I've taken a personal dedication to get myself into art, and as you can see, I'm diving in head first! (Let's hope the water is deep enough)

**Julio Nicoletti** · February 9th, 2011, 11:31 PM

"
People only complain when something bad happens (rightly so), but much fewer still will say something good when everything goes right; and I think that by a vast majority the amount of people out there who have a Cintiq all have stated that they love the thing dearly."

This is very true and the same can be said about a lot of things, so thanks for bringing me back to reality there for a bit

Another 3 years is a fairly long time to wait too...Hmm. The more I think about it the more I'm thinking I should get one while I'm not in school and have free time (well...I'll have to find some way to get my arse off Minecraft first...)

Now to decide between the 12 and the 21. I like the 12 because I feel like it would be nice and small and I could go from one corner to the other corner of the screen quickly, but the 21 is just so damn fine. It would be nice to have a screen larger than my laptop...but for an extra grand, Ill probably wanna settle with mini-me for now.

Thanks for the quick reply!

**joeparis** · February 10th, 2011, 02:21 AM

I'm a new Cintiq 21UX owner. Because of the expense, I've spent the last two or three years constantly going over the should I/shouldn't I buy one. Having had it for a month I can say with certainty that I should have bought it at the first instance. For an illustrator it will change your life. If it blew up tomorrow I would immediately buy a new one. If your only worry is that it's obscenely expensive (but you have the money) or that there might be an upgrade in the future, then forget those and do yourself a favour.

I have no dead pixels or dust.

**matejkovacic** · February 10th, 2011, 05:51 AM

Cintiq, the way it is now, will be history in a year. There are many competitors with better hardware and prices. The most bothering thing is the bad (no led, no good pixel ratio and matrix), ancient, fat monitor with no finger touch sensitivity. If Wacom is going to keep up
prices and do nothing it's history too.

**ikken** · February 10th, 2011, 06:42 AM

what better hardware are you talking about?

**AegisKleais** · February 10th, 2011, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by matejkovacic

Cintiq, the way it is now, will be history in a year. There are many competitors with better hardware and prices. The most bothering thing is the bad (no led, no good pixel ratio and matrix), ancient, fat monitor with no finger touch sensitivity. If Wacom is going to keep up
prices and do nothing it's history too.

Chances are, Wacom will simply make a tool that is smaller and utilizes the new tech. There simply is NOTHING on the market (nor a hint of things coming) that competes with the 21UX. (Even though it's tech is lower than what it SHOULD be at that price point, it's more than ample).

I honestly wouldn't want my 21UX to be touch-sensitive. It's a professional tool and the stylus is exactly suited to the role the hardware portrays. Who, other than Wacom, has any type of hold in the tablet market? If so, chances are I've never heard of them, their reputation, or the craftsmanship of their products.

**darkmagistric** · February 11th, 2011, 02:52 AM

Originally Posted by matejkovacic

Cintiq, the way it is now, will be history in a year. There are many competitors with better hardware and prices. The most bothering thing is the bad (no led, no good pixel ratio and matrix), ancient, fat monitor with no finger touch sensitivity. If Wacom is going to keep up
prices and do nothing it's history too.

You couldn't be more wrong with that. The core part of the Cintiq experience is the Pen. Yeah there are more and more touch/based monitors coming out, but none have pen input, just touch.

The only competition Wacom even remotely has is N-trig, since alot of companies, (HP, Fujitsu, & Motion Computing) are employing the N-trig digitizer in their windows 7 tablets. But as an owner of the HP Slate 500, with the way N-trig pens work...wacom has nothing to fear from them. The N-trig pen & Drivers are still vastly inferior to a Wacom penabled system.