The Wacom One 13 Touch is a digital pen display tablet designed for artists, designers, and professionals who seek a direct, pen-on-screen experience for drawing, sketching, and navigating applications. It positions itself in the market as an entry-level to mid-range option within the digital art and design space, offering a blend of features that cater to both novice users and seasoned professionals looking for a secondary device.

Wacom, as a brand, has a solid reputation in the digital art and design space and is known for its high-quality drawing tablets and pen displays. The Wacom One 13 Touch, for its part, is designed to expand the accessibility of pen display technology to a broader audience. It’s a more affordable entry point, especially when compared to the high-end models like those in the Wacom Cintiq line. Its pricing and features position it an attractive option for beginners who are serious about delving into digital art. Likewise, established professionals seeking a compact and portable addition to their toolkit might also be interested in it.

The device supports connections to macOS, Windows, Chrome OS, and Android, making it versatile for various workflows and software preferences. However, it differentiates itself from purely standalone devices like the iPad by requiring a connection to a computer, positioning it as a dedicated tool for digital art creation rather than a general-purpose tablet.

Design and Features

The Wacom One 13 Touch sports a lightweight design, tipping the scales at just under two pounds, making it rather portable despite its wired connection. It boasts a 13.3-inch display with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, providing ample screen real estate for detailed work.

The screen’s matte, textured finish not only minimizes glare and fingerprints but also offers a tactile drawing experience reminiscent of pen on paper. A notable upgrade in this model is the single USB-C cable, simplifying the connection process and reducing clutter.

The pen, a critical component of tablets like this, operates without a battery, eliminating the need for charging and also contributes to its light weight presence. The nib is removable and replaceable, allowing customization of the drawing experience. The Wacom One’s pen offers immediate responsiveness with over 4,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, ensuring precision and ease of use.

Setup and Performance

Setting up the Wacom One 13 Touch is straightforward, thanks to its USB-C connectivity. However, some may encounter initial hiccups, such as display signal errors, which are often resolved. Between troubleshooting steps like driver reinstallation or switching USB ports, online support, Reddit, and the like, you ought to have no problems getting going.

Once up and running, the tablet delivers an exceptional drawing experience, with its high-resolution display and pressure-sensitive pen offering up smooth and accurate strokes. Touchscreen capabilities add convenience, though they can be disabled to suit user preferences.

Value

At a price point of around $500, the Wacom One 13 Touch is designed to be an affordable choice for digital artists and professionals. Although it doesn’t have all the fancy features of more expensive models like wireless connectivity and extra input options, it strikes a good balance between usefulness and affordability. The touchscreen and customizable pen make it more appealing, but it’s a bummer that it doesn’t have built-in angle adjustment. That, and the stand costs extra.

When you register your device, you unlock a treasure trove of creative and educational software designed to enhance your digital art and learning experience. This exclusive offer includes complimentary access to a suite of professional creative applications, ensuring you have all the tools you need to bring your artistic vision to life.

For the artist and designer:

• Bamboo Paper Pro, Magma Pro Plan, Affinity Photo, Affinity Publisher, and Affinity Designer are all at your disposal, offering a wide range of functionalities from sketching to professional publishing.
• Enjoy a 3-month subscription to Skillshare, where you can expand your creative skills through thousands of online classes.
• Clip Studio Paint Pro further enhances your drawing and painting capabilities, with a 6-month license available for Mac and PC users, and a 3-month license specifically for Chromebook users.

For the student and educator:

• Access the Kami App and Foxit PDF Editor for Education for a full year, enhancing your ability to edit, annotate, and manage documents in a digital environment.
• A 3-month access to Explain Everything, Pear Deck, and Limnu offers interactive teaching and collaboration tools, perfect for enhancing educational engagement and creativity in and out of the classroom.

By registering your device, you not only enhance its functionality but also open up a world of possibilities for both creative expression and educational advancement. This comprehensive software package is designed to support and inspire users at every level, from novice artists to experienced educators, making it easier than ever to explore, create, and learn in a digital age.

General Observations

The tablet integrates well with major art programs and supports multiple operating systems, including macOS, Windows, Chrome, and Android, broadening its usability.

Color reproduction is solid to my untrained and novice eye, but I suspect professionals may still rely on calibrated displays for precise color work.

The lack of an eraser function on the pen and the extra cost for the stand are minor inconveniences compared to the overall benefits offered by the tablet. I’ve become accustomed to having an eraser button on other devices, I feel like it’s almost silly to not have one on a tablet designed for markup and graphics.

Pros

The Wacom One 13 Touch boasts several pros that make it an attractive option for digital artists and professionals, including:

• Ease of Setup: The setup process, and its single USB-C cable, lead to a quick and straightforward connection to computers.
• Responsive Pen: The stylus is highly responsive, offering over 4,000 levels of pressure sensitivity. Plus, the pen’s battery-free design means I never have to worry about charging.
• Comfortable Drawing Experience: The tablet’s 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution display features a matte, textured surface that mimics the feel of drawing on paper, reducing glare and minimizing fingerprints. It feels natural to use this one, and you get used to it pretty quickly
• Portability: Weighing just under two pounds it’s relatively easy to move around, despite its tethered nature.
• Compatibility: The device works seamlessly with a broad range of operating systems, including macOS, Windows, Chrome, and Android, and integrates well with major art applications.
• Affordability: Priced at around $500, the Wacom One 13 Touch presents a cost-effective solution for users seeking a high-quality drawing tablet. Beginners and professionals alike will find compelling reasons to purchase one of these.
• Nib Customization: The ability to replace and customize the pen’s nibs allows users to tailor the drawing feel to their preference, providing a more personalized and comfortable user experience.

Considerations

• Wired Connection: The tablet requires a wired connection to operate, limiting mobility and flexibility. If you’re accustomed to wireless devices, you may find this restrictive. If anything, I would love some offline app support for markups, sketching, or notetaking.
• No Built-in Stand or Angle Adjustment: The Wacom One 13 Touch does not come with a built-in stand or offer angle adjustments.
• Additional Cost for Stand: The stand, designed to support the tablet, is sold separately and adds extra cost to the overall investment. At $45, it’s considered pricey, especially given its limited functionality and lack of adjustability.
• No Eraser on Pen: The stylus does not have an eraser end, a feature found in some digital pens. This omission might slow down the workflow for users who frequently switch between drawing and erasing modes.
• Plastic Construction: The tablet’s build, primarily plastic, might not feel as premium as some of its higher-priced counterparts or compared to devices like the Amazon Fire Max, iPad, or higher-end Android tablets.
• Bezels Around the Screen: The presence of significant bezels around the display might turn some away, especially if they’re used to edge-to-edge screens.
• Initial Setup Challenges: Some users may experience difficulties during the initial setup, such as display signal errors. While these issues are easily resolved with troubleshooting, they might be frustrating and could deter less tech-savvy individuals.
• Touchscreen Can Register Unwanted Touches: Although the touchscreen capability enhances the experience, it can also register unintended touches. While that’s not a big deal in some instances, it could frustrate users working on a detailed project.
• Affordability: While the Wacom One 13 Touch is positioned as an entry-level device, its price point of around $500, plus additional costs for accessories like the stand, may still be considered steep for hobbyists or those on a tight budget. It could either be a great bargain or a lot to ask for, depending on the individual’s needs.

Conclusion

The Wacom One 13 Touch represents a sizable step forward for artists and designers seeking an immersive and intuitive digital drawing experience without breaking the bank. It balances affordability and functionality, and maintain Wacom’s industry-leading quality. It’s all of the things I needed it to be, particularly as a newbie in the field.

I found it has precision, responsiveness, and comfort, and the tactile drawing surface captured each stroke and detail with accuracy. While it might come with its set of limitations, such as the wired connection and the absence of an eraser feature on the pen, these are minor compared to the overall value and performance it delivers.

Once I got beyond the notion of what I thought the tablet would be and how it would work, I came to enjoy it quite a bit. I’ve long been in search of a great note-taking tablet for markup and sharing docs, and hoped this would be that. It’s not, but that’s Wacom’s fault as it was never positioned to be those things.

For beginners, the Wacom One 13 Touch offers a welcoming gateway into the world of digital art, providing a well-rounded platform to explore and develop their skills. For professionals, it serves as a reliable and portable companion, perfectly suited for bringing creative ideas to fruition or as a supplementary tool to a more extensive setup. Whether you are taking your first steps into digital creation or looking to expand your artistic arsenal, the Wacom One 13 Touch is a worthy investment.