Anyone know where I can buy a cheap Wacom?

Edward_Elric_1308

They're expensive, man! I really want one! Don't they work with desktop PC's? Anyways....should I get the 6x8? Anyone know where to get a cheap one? eBay is excluded 'cuz I don't trust buying anything from there, and I already looked on Amazon. HELP PLEASE!! Shocked

sailorharmony2000 · Very bored Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 143

I'm not sure how 'cheap' you mean...do you have a Office Depot near? At the one in my town, I'm looking at a Wiccom tablet that comes with 3 programs for about $110. Not sure if I'd trust anything cheaper than that. But that's just me...
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Edward_Elric_1308 · Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:47 am Post subject:

No. I have a Wal-Mart, a Radioshack. Plkus various of other stores that don't sell computer stuff.

sailorharmony2000 · Very bored Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 143

Hmmm...then, I don't know where else to look. I know our Walmart and Radioshack don't sell them. Even when I went to Staples, which is usually heavy in computer products, no one even knew what I was talking about when I asked. Wish I could help you more...
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Edward_Elric_1308 · Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 3:12 pm Post subject:

Well, that's okay.... Sad

EMR · Member Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 107

It looks like you're going to have to invest in an expensive one or use ebay. Ebay can be a good source, you just have to make sure that the seller has good approval ratings and is trusted by other buyers. I've heard that they really are worth the money.

Edward_Elric_1308 · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:31 am Post subject:

On Amazon, they have a 6x8 one for like 100-somthing dollars.... Crying or Very sad

EMR · Member Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 107

That actually sounds reasonable.

fallenangel · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:56 am Post subject:

Which version? Wacom is a company, not a particular tablet. The Graphire3 will set you back $80-$120 or a bit more for the bigger ones. Intuos3 6x8 (which is what I have) is $350. To get one new from a retail source, you aren't going to find them for much cheaper than that.

BUT, a couple options--

1. Look for stores that still have some of the older models in stock, they'll be super cheap (though lacking some of the features of the new ones).

or

2. Browse pro digital art forums. Often on places like Eatpoo, conceptart, cgtalk, etc. there will be people getting new tablets and are looking to sell their old ones cheap. Wacoms are pretty indestructable, so even with years of use they're good as new, and on those forums you can usually get a better deal than ebay and a better chance that nothing will be wrong with it.

As for what size, it depends on how you draw. If you use lots of short strokes zoomed in on the picture, 4x5 is plenty. If you use long, sweeping strokes and like being zoomed out a lot, 6x8 may be better.
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jhonenfreak · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:47 pm Post subject:

Cheapest one out there. 50 bucks
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/5ede/

fallenangel · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:41 pm Post subject:

But it's not a wacom. And there's only one company who makes a comparable tablet (name escapes me, but they're the same price as wacom anyway). The rest are prone to breaking or wearing out quickly. The only thing you have to replace with a wacom are the $5 nibs now and then, the tablet itself is indestructable.

(for comparison, every computer lab here has 4x5 graphires, and...being open labs...the poor things are hopelessly abused constantly but not a single one has ever stopped working. Some students who buy the slightly cheaper brands, however...have tons of problems. It's worth the extra money)
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jhonenfreak · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:03 pm Post subject:

My Wacom tablet broke the first day I got it. Sad

The mat keeps coming up. It wasn't glued properly or something. And the tablet driver sometimes isn't recognized, which means I have to reboot my computer a few times before it stops going haywire.

Brianhjh · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:14 pm Post subject:

I don't personally use a tablet... but my sister has used the cheapest wacom for like... 3 years, and it's still working well for her.

I'm looking for a used wacom around 100-150 range... Canadian.

I should shop around for those Christmas sales.
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loveliesbleeding · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:40 am Post subject:

I recently (last night) ordered a wacom Intuos3 6x11 for about $335 (american, that is)
because i needed a new one for my i.s.

but if i were you i'd save up my money for coloring programs becuase that is what really counts.

Stratadrake · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:54 pm Post subject:

The Wacom official site lists Graphires at an estimated $100-200 USD, and the Intuos at an estimated $230-750 USD.

The mai ndifference between the Graphires and Intuos are the extra features such as a separate touch-slide bar, associating different tool options to individual pens, and tilt sensing (in addition to the standard pressure sensitivity).

Maybe I should put one on my Christmas list or something. Wink

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fallenangel · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:21 pm Post subject:

[quote]The mai ndifference between the Graphires and Intuos are the extra features such as a separate touch-slide bar, associating different tool options to individual pens, and tilt sensing (in addition to the standard pressure sensitivity). [/quote]

None of which you will miss if you've never had them.

And the assigning of tools is actually 4 programmable buttons that are most often assigned whatever keystroke combination you want. Comes in handy, but again, you'll never miss it if you don't have it in the first place. Now it drives me crazy to use the graphires at school and not have the undo and alt buttons right there on the tablet, but it wouldn't.

You can get a competent version of any program for around $100 too. Wacom tablets come with photoshop and painter anyway.
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imaprettyrainbow · Newb Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 8

I got mine at Best Buy for around $100. I can't exactly remember, but it was around that much - and, it's the smaller size(3x5 or something). It's great, though, especially for organization freaks, and it has this awesome cover so you can't scratch it up. And make sure to get one with a pen that erases; the other kinds are harder to use. Andand. Yeah. *cough*

chevronlowery · Newb Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Posts: 2

I'd looove to get my hands on one. To those of you who do have them, how do you like them? Are they hard to get used to?

Stratadrake · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 8:31 am Post subject:

They're probably not as hard to get used to as trying to do the same thing with a mouse.

I'm sure there are some calibration issues (just like your mouse movement speed setting) that have to be worked out, but once you have your hand-eye coordination down, you just draw on the pad while watching the results on your screen.

(Or, for the uber professionals Wacom makes a series of on-screen tablets so you can effectively draw right on the screen itself).
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NEVERBENORMAL · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:46 am Post subject:

i have a wacom tablet, it's very nice, i think it was 110, but i am saving up to get a different one. the tablet took me a while to get used to becasue i was forced to look at the computer screen, not what i was drawing, it screwed me up a bit. im saving up to get the kind of tablet that is a screen and you draw directly on it, i think the cheapest was 300. it just was so much easier when i tried the one at acen. so i guess it depends on what kind of wacom tablet yuo want too, cuz i think wacom also has the screen ones.
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