Product Reviews

The most expensive of Wacom's three latest tablets, the Studio XL has high accuracy levels and some innovative technology that mean it's ideal for regular use in heavyweight graphics work. Once plugged in, it's detected by Windows XP and ready to use as a pointing device. However, if you install the drivers, you get the use of extra features such as 512 levels of pressure sensitivity.

No batteries are needed, as the tablet itself powers the sensors and chip inside the pen. Wacom went to these efforts to banish batteries, since fitting one inside the pen would make it heavy and unbalanced. Also, a wire linking the tablet to the pen would be cumbersome.

Instead, there's a grid of fine wires inside the tablet that switch between receive and broadcast mode every 20 microseconds.

This obsessive attention to detail spills out in the rest of the Graphire3. Advancing from its predecessor, the new tablet has a more ergonomic and sculptured shape. Its transparent work area is also textured and so feels closer to paper than plastic. You can even unclip it and slip a photograph underneath for tracing. It also has a resolution of 2,000dpi - twice that of the Graphire2 models.

All this adds up to an input device that's a dream to use. The pen feels natural and works with ease, comfort and smoothness. There's also an eraser at the top of the pen. Add to this Wacom's excellent pressure-sensitivity system and the Graphire3 is difficult to fault.

Also included is a basic wheel mouse that works on the tablet to make life easier when using Word or Excel. The mouse has no ball, battery or wire and was comfortable in use.

It may sound expensive, but the Studio XL is beautiful to use, and an excellent bundle of software that includes Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 further justifies the price.