The Wacom One Display tablet is a 13-inch device that is specifically aimed at beginners or hobbyists who want a display drawing tablet but cannot justify spending thousands of dollars for the Premium Wacom devices.
Other than reducing the size of the tablet, Wacom One does make some careful compromises, trimming off features that you don’t necessarily need while introducing some brand new features.
So the question is – Is Wacom One the right tablet for you? And should you get it as your next drawing device?
In this Wacom One display tablet review, we will go through each and every feature in detail and give you an unbiased opinion on whether you should buy this tablet or look for other budget devices.
So let’s get started.
Features and Specifications
Here is the list of all the main features of the Wacom One Display Tablet.
| Wacom One Pen Display | |
|---|---|
  |
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| Tablet Dimensions | 8.9 x 14.1 x 0.6 in |
| Display Size | 13.3 Inches |
| Active Drawing Area | 11.6 x 6.5 in |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 p (16:9) |
| Color Accuracy | 72% NTSC (93% sRGB) |
| Brightness | 200 cd/m2 |
| Pen Pressure | 4096 Levels |
| Tilt Support | YES (60 degrees) |
| Shortcut Buttons | 1 (on stylus) |
| Tablet Stand | Inbuilt Foldable stand |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs (1 kg) |
Weight and Dimension
Wacom One is a good choice for those who are looking for a compact drawing tablet that they can take anywhere with them.
The dimensions of the tablet are 8.9 x 14.1 x 0.6 inches. Meaning it has a smaller footprint than a generic 15-inch laptop and can easily fit inside your backpack. Enabling you to easily carry your tablet from home to office/classroom.
With that said, Wacom One is not a standalone drawing tablet, which means it needs to be connected to a computer.
In addition to being compact, the Wacom One is also very lightweight and weighs around 2.2 lbs or 1 kg which is fairly light compared to other tablets offered by Wacom.
Design and Build quality
Wacom has gone with a very modern and clean design. The front part of the tablet is fully dedicated to the drawing area with very subtle Wacom branding at the bottom.
The tablet has white accents on the back which can also be seen on the stylus making the tablet stand out from the rest.
This minimalist design and beautiful color combination along with the compact and slim form factor make it feel really special.
The Wacom One tablet is made of high-quality plastic with minimal flexing and overall sturdy feel. The plastic body also helps with lowering the overall weight of the tablet.
The corners and the side edges of the tablet are rounded off plus the lower corners of the tablet, as well as the foldable stand, have rubber pads for better grip on the surface.
Wacom One – Screen
The Wacom One comes with a 13.3-inch screen with an aspect ratio of 16:9. This 13-inch drawing area is sufficiently large to be able to draw comfortably without the in-apps menus and buttons covering a large portion of your screen.
Resolution and Color Accuracy
The tablet comes with a 1080p FullHD resolution. A 1080 p resolution on a 13-inch screen results in sharp and clear images.
Colors are an important part of photo editing and digital art. That is why it is important that the screen that you work on show accurate colors.
The Wacom One has the color accuracy of 72% NTSC or 93% sRGB. The Wacom One may not have one of the most color-accurate displays but 72% NTSC color coverage is still good enough.
Surface Texture
The drawing surface of the tablet comes with an anti-glare film which reduces reflections and glares on the screen.
The film has a slight texture that provides resistance to the stylus and stops it from slipping too much on the screen. It results in a better grip and you having more control over the stylus. The texture also gives a paperlike feel to the screen.
Brightness
The Wacom One has a brightness of 200 cd/m2 which is quite normal for drawing tablets. Even the Premium Wacom drawing tablets like Wacom Cintiq Pro comes with a brightness of 210-230 cd/m2.
Stylus – The Wacom One Pen
Every single display drawing tablet made by Wacom comes with the Wacom Pro Pen 2 but not this one. The Wacom One comes with a newer “Wacom One Pen” and yes that is the official name of the Stylus.
The Wacom One pen has a very different shape and feel compared to the Wacom Pro Pen 2 and it is kind of similar to the stylus that comes with the Wacom Intuos pen tablets.
Pressure and Tilt recognition
The Wacom One Pen has a pressure range of 4096 levels along with the tilt sensitivity of ±60°.
The 4096 levels of the pressure sensitivity is a definite downgrade from the 8192 pen pressure levels that you would find in most of the drawing tables nowadays but this is not really a big deal. Here is why…
Pressure sensitivity measures are one of those things that look big on paper. Like, Wacom One Pen has 4096 pressure levels but it does not mean that it is only half as good as the stylus with 8192 pressure range. Not at all!
After using and comparing the stylus with 2048, 4096 and 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. It can be concluded that 8192 pressure levels are better than 4096 but there is not that big of a difference in the practical uses.
Most people won’t even notice the difference unless you are actively looking for it.
Moreover, how the stylus performs in real that matters much more than these numbers on paper, with that said, let talk about pen performance.
Wacom One Pen Performace
The Wacom One pen may not share its design with the Wacom’s Pro Pen 2 but it definitely got its drawing capabilities.
Starting off with the initial activation force. Activation force is the minimum force required on the pen tip for it to start drawing. Many non-Wacom Stylus struggles with this.
As you would expect, the Wacom One Pen responds to the slightest touch on the screen and has very well balanced pressure sensitivity. The same goes for the tilt recognition – it works flawlessly.
The strokes drawn by the Wacom One Pen have no wobble or line jitter issues and you would also not encounter any unexpected Pressure bumps or inconsistent strokes.
In a nutshell – Wacom One Pen stylus may have a lower pressure range but it compensates that with its outstanding drawing performance. Overall giving you a great drawing experience.
Respons Rate
The Wacom One display tablet has a response time of 26 milliseconds. For comparison, the Wacom Cintiq 16 has a response time of 24 milliseconds.
Button on the stylus
The Wacom One Pen has a single button which is located on the side of the stylus. There is no Eraser at the back of the pen.
Pen holder and Nib Storage
Other than making a good drawing tablet, Wacom is also an expert at eliminating unnecessary accessories.
Instead of a dedicated pen stand, the Wacom One comes with a simple fabric loop that attaches to the top edge of the tablet.
You can simply slide in your stylus inside the loop and that is how you store the Stylus when you are not using them.
The tablet comes with some extra pen tips and a nib remover tool.
These pen tips are stored under the folding legs at the back of the tablet. They are easy to replace and last a long time before you need to change them.
Tablet Stand
Wacom One is a very functional tablet and comes with a foldable stand that gives you an elevated angle of about 19° degrees. It is much comfortable to use the tablet at this angle compared to drawing on a flat surface.
The tablet does not have mounting holes for the VESA supported stands but you can still use elevated drawing tablet stands if you want more flexibility.
Android Support
This one is a very special feature which can be great for artists who use their mobile phones for drawing and sketching.
The Wacom One can connect to Android smartphones allowing you to draw stuff without needing any computer.
Here is a video from Aaron Rutten, who has tested and used the Wacom One with Android devices.
Click here for the list of all the supported Android devices and Apps for the Wacom One display tablet.
Connecting the Wacom One to the computer and Android devices
To connect the tablet to the computer the Wacom One comes with a 3 in 1 cable. The HDMI and the USB type A connector connects to your computer and the third cable connects to the included power adapter.
The other end of the cable has a single USB type C connector which plugs to the top left side of the drawing tablet.
For connecting the tablet to the Android smartphone you need a compatible android adapter (USB Hub – Amazon).
This adapter does not come in the box and needs to be purchased separately. The same USB hub can also be used to connect the tablet to your laptop when your laptop does not have the USB-A port.
Driver and tablet settings
A driver is a software that helps the computer to communicate with the tablet and help it understand the pen and pressure data.
It also allows the artists to make additional settings like customizing the pressure sensitivity of the stylus and programming the pen button to the shortcut of your choice. Other settings include adjusting the brightness and the color of the display and customizing radial menus.
The driver is free to download and available for both Mac and Windows devices. The tablet won’t work properly without installing the driver.
*Note* You don’t need to install any driver for using the tablet with Android devices.
Unboxing – What is included in the Box
Here is a list of everything that you get in the box.
- Wacom One tablet
- Wacom One Pen
- 3 replacement nibs
- Wacom One 3 in 1 Cable
- AC adapter (10W)
- AC plug head
- Quick Start Guide
Summary – Is Wacom One the right drawing tablet for you?
If you are an artist and looking to buy a drawing tablet you can either buy a graphics tablet or get a display tablet.
The problem is – Graphics tablets cannot give you that hands-on feel that you get with display tablets and the display tablets are way too expensive. Wacom One tries to bridge that gap by providing an affordable pen display tablet.
Wacom one comes with a good display, great stylus, and even support Android devices. It is compact and got an inbuilt tablet stand for a more ergonomic drawing position.
So, Is Wacom One a good drawing tablet for beginners and the answer is – absolutely, it is.
Related Topic: Wacom One vs Wacom Cintiq 16 Comparison
Rutten is a Wacom shill. His review of the Wacom One will make it sound a lot better than it actually is.
I’ve been sketching and using my Wacom Intuos for about three years now with good results. I will soon be in the market for a drawing display (not sure the exact name) and was thinking of the XP-Pen Artist 12 Pro. However, I am a little skeptical about the long term reliability and offset between the pen and screen. I was recommended a Wacom one display 13. Which one is better?
My major is accounting with a minor in digital illustration. At the moment I am more of a hobbyist; I do intend to create illustrations, comics and use Z-Brush down the road. I currently use Photoshop CC, Clip Studio Paint EX, and Live2D.
thank you in advance.
First of all, both Wacom One and XP Pen artist 12 Pro can easily handle all the drawing and sculpting Softwares that you mentioned.
With that out of the way, Let’s talk about concerns one by one.
Offset between the Pen and Screen (ie. Parallax)
The XP Pen Artist 12 comes with a laminated display whereas the Wacom One has a non-laminated display. Meaning the Xp pen Artist 12 pro has less parallax compared to Wacom One.
Next, coming to long term reliability
Wacom tablets are known to last for years, but that does not mean non-Wacom tablets cannot last that long. If reliability is your concern, a few years ago I would have recommended you to go with Wacom. But in the last few years, a lot has changed. Non-Wacom tablets are getting better every year. And now if you ask me, my answer would be – Non-Wacom tables are just as reliable as Wacom ones.
So the question is which tablet should you pick?
As I already mentioned, both tablets can handle your work equally well. If you can see yourself using the shortcut buttons present on the Xp Pen Artist 12 Pro, Get it.
But if you are still skeptical about Artist 12 and don’t care about the shortcut buttons, Wacom One will serve you well.
Sir, between XP pen artist 13.3 pro and Wacom one 13.3 inch pen display which one is better for online teaching Engineering science and maths. I am not interested in art or paint. I need only for teaching Engineering science and maths, so which one you suggest to go for?
Thank you
Wacom One would be a better choice as it has more stable and consistent performance especially while writing text. Its driver has a number of shortcut features such as radial menus and precision mode which would be very handy during explaining science and math stuff.
The Foldable legs at the back will also be helpful in propping up the tablet to a comfortable writing position.
We have talked about it in our dedicated tablet for online teaching guide – https://essentialpicks.com/pen-tablet-for-online-teaching/
Thank you sir for your reply.
Hi, Is the Wacom one screen mate?
Yes, as shown above – Wacom One comes with a screen…
We think you may be referring to “One by Wacom”, an entry-level beginner graphics tablet which has no screen.