CintiqCompanionHybrid
Latest
Wacom Cintiq Companion Hybrid review: a pen display that doubles as an Android tablet
After months of rumblings about a standalone slate, Wacom finally unveiled not one, but two tablets back in September. On paper, the Cintiq Companion may be the more compelling mobile workstation, just because it runs Windows, but first, we're taking a long, hard look at the Cintiq Companion Hybrid. Whereas the other runs Windows, this one is powered by Android and packs a top-of-the-line Tegra 4 chip to help you get work done on the go. Of course, when tethered to a laptop or desktop machine back in the studio, the unit also serves as a traditional pen display like the Cintiq 13HD -- but with multitouch gestures. Creative types are already familiar with Wacom's prices, but the real question is whether the ability to use it as a mobile device is worth an even higher premium. With a stablemate that's capable of running a full version of Photoshop, is the Hybrid worth the added investment over the similarly sized 13HD pen tablet? Or are you better off paying more for the Cintiq Companion with Windows instead?
Wacom's Cintiq Companion tablets offer mobile pen display chops for Android and Windows 8 starting at $1499
Back in March, Wacom teased a standalone tablet for the graphics-minded set. In the meantime, the outfit released the Cintiq 13HD: a slate-size pen display that nailed down the compact end of its Cintiq line, but must remain tethered to a desktop or laptop for use. Now, the peripheral company has officially taken the wraps off of the Cintiq Companion and Cintiq Companion Hybrid. Both units wield similar aesthetics to the 13HD and house a 13.3-inch TFT LCD display with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution serving up a 700:1 contrast ratio and 16.7 million colors -- that's 75% of the Adobe RGB gamut. As you might expect, the trusty ExpressKeys, Rocker Ring, customizable controls and multitouch gestures are all here alongside the Pro Pen, its 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity and an adjustable stand. The main difference between the two? The Companion sports either Windows 8 or Window 8 Pro while the Companion Hybrid runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The Cintiq Companion packs a third-gen Intel Core i-7 processor, 8GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU and SSD storage. Selecting Windows 8 will nab you 256GB of space while opting for Windows 8 Pro bumps that capacity up to 512GB with price tags of $1,999 and $2,499 respectively. As for the Android version, it features both a NVIDIA GPU and quad-core Tegra 4 processor, 2GB RAM and HDMI input with 16GB and 32GB options. The former will dock your wallet for $1,499 while the latter clocks in at $1,599. MicroSD slots are included on the entire lot, should the need arise to wrangle a memory card or two. Across the board you'll also encounter a 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front-facing shooter, WiFi and Bluetooth. Cintiq Companion Hybrid units will arrive mid-September and Cintiq Companion models will hit shelves in October, but the whole family is up for pre-order now. In the meantime, you can catch all of the details on both in the PR that resides after the break,
