For over thirty years, Wacom has been the industry standard when it comes to pen and graphics tablets. Their tablets serve as an integral piece of gear in the kits of the world's best photographers, designers, and amateurs alike. Earlier this week, Wacom unveiled the two newest additions to their already impressive line of tablets: the Cintiq 27QHD and the Cintiq Companion 2, two blazing-fast graphic tablets that are sure to boost any creative’s workflow, from post-processing to graphics and design.
Cintiq 27QHD
The Cintiq 27QHD is the next generation of the highly regarded Cintiq 24HD and Wacom’s largest creative pen display to date. The tablet takes up the exact same footprint at its predecessor, but packs in several new features including a larger 27 inch, 2.5K display that is able to show a very impressive 97 percent of the AdobeRGB color space. The sleek, no-frill form factor of the 27QHD is designed to give artists and creatives the space they need to work with none of the distractions. The graphic tablet can now stand on its own using the built-in front legs (more customizable orientation can be gained using the optional Ergo stand priced at $399). The built-in buttons of the 24HD have now been replaced in the 27QHD with a standalone ExpressKey remote which features a three-mode touch ring and 16 customizable buttons, and the tablet itself features five USB 3.0 ports for the addition of more peripherals.
Wacom's most powerful pen display to date, the Cintiq 27QHD
The Cintiq 27QHD will be available in two models later this month, the Cintiq 27QHD Pen will retail for $2,299.99 and the Cintiq 27QHD Pen and Touch will retail for $2,799.99.
Cintiq Companion 2
Wacom’s Cintiq Companion 2 is the result of customer feedback and a complete overhaul of the already stunning Cintiq Companion. The new 13.3 inch graphic tablet has received significant upgrades in the areas of weight, thickness, and in most models, speed. In addition, the tablet boasts the same 2.5K resolution as its older brother, three USB 3.0 ports, SD and Micro SD card slots, a Mini-DisplayPort out, and six built-in ExpressKeys. Perhaps the most important upgrade from its predecessor comes in the ability to connect the Companion 2 to any system that can output an HDMI signal. This gives the Companion 2 the ability to work as a standalone system as well as an accessory to your PC or Mac computer like 27QHD. You can even connect the two tablets and control the 27QHD from the Companion 2 just to rub it in a little.
The "Mobile Master" - Wacom's upgraded Cintiq Companion 2
The Cintiq Companion 2 will be available in five models priced from $1,299.99 - $2,699.99 and is expected to start shipping early spring 2015, with preorders beginning in February through Wacom’s online store.
- Value - $1,299.99
- 64GB SSD, Intel Core i3-4005U, 1.7GHz
- Standard - $1,599.99
- 128GB SSD, Intel Core i5-4258U, 2.9GHz
- Premium - $1,999.99
- 256GB SSD, Intel Core i7-4558U, 3.2GHz
- The Enhanced - $2,499.99
- 512GB SSD, Intel Core i7-5557U, 3.1GHz
- Enterprise - $2,699.99
- Customizable, Intel Core i7 GHz, vPro Technology
Personally, I’m very excited for these two new pen tablets. I received an Intuos Pro over the holidays and absolutely fell in love it, and I can’t wait to see what these new additions to the Cintiq line can do. What do you all think? Will a 27QHD or Companion 2 be the next addition to your bag (or desk)? Let us know with a comment below!
For more information on the two new additions to Wacom's tablet lineup, check out the official press release.
![[Review] An In-Depth Look At The Brand New Wacom Intuos5](https://cdn.fstoppers.com/styles/small-16-9/s3/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Main-Picture.jpg)
"Each model features the ability to act as a standalone Windows 8 PC"
I'm not seeing on Wacom's site a reference to the 27 being a standalone windows computer. Is this accurate?
You're right, I misread that. Only the Companion has the ability to function as a standalone PC.
The 27QHD and 27 QHD Touch are just screens and only connect to PC's or MAC's. The Companion 2, now that will be and is a standalone PC that is also able to be connected to another PC or MAC and used as tablet screen.
I think he got just a little bit excited about the new products.
Now let's see how long they stay out of stock since Wacom has a long history of releasing new gear and having very long delivery times on the new gear (i.e the Cintiq 13HD) and taking a long time to finally having a sufficent stock to ship to consumers and other dealer like Amazon and BH.
I wish that Wacom would provide more support for their Intuos Creative Stylus 2. If that could pair with an iPad via Bluetooth through any application, it would be a game changer.
I currently have my iPad Air as a sort of hacked-Cintiq by utilizing the app Duet to turn my iPad into a second display for my Mac. It works well, but the stylus doesn't pair perfectly.
I can certainly see why Wacom limits it to just specific apps. If people could pay $80 for a Cintiq-like experience on their existing tablets, it would gut a lot of Wacom's earnings.
The bluetooth solutions are some kind of a workaround for ipads who don't have a digitizer, but can't be as good as a real one because there is always the delay. Some Windows tablets or the Samsung Note line have a build-in digitizer which gets closer to a decent solution, but it's still the best when Wacom can control both parts - the screen/digitizer combination and the pen.
Hmmm ont the video it looks a little the action is a little bit postponed behind the pen movement...hmmmm.
Or maybe it is in mine head ?
Do we have info about the Companion stand ? Is it the same as the previous version? (hope not!)