Asus EP121 Vs. the Wacom Cintiq
A friend recently asked my opinion on whether she should plunk dow the cash for a Cintiq or get a Tablet PC instead (which is cheaper). I figured some might make use of the info so I have reposted in below.
I guess it all depends on what you want to do with the device digitally. The transformer is an Android device if I’m not mistaken so I don’t think it would do you much good since you can’t use a stylus. If you need to use ToonBoom software (IE.: Storyboard Pro) and don’t want to spend the $2000 for a Cintiq your best bet is still Asus but it’s the Asus EP121 which I have and it works very well. It’s also touchscreen which you an toggle on and off depending on what you need it for. The only caveat to it is that the screen is only 12″ but it will run Storyboard Pro very well and it’s probably worth buying for that reason alone. The EP 121 has an i5 processor which is fast as hell and works nicely with Photoshop, Maya, Flash, Toonboom Animate and Storyboard Pro and of course Sketchbook Pro which is the smallest fingerprint of them all. IF you don’t necessarily NEED Storyboard Pro there is another option in the form of the Motion Computing LE1600 which you can get for about $300 on eBay. Nice huh? It works very well with Sketchbook Pro which is a decent alternative to Photoshop for storyboards. If you just want to go ‘digital’ then I would say get one of those. The only thing you need to remember with the LE1600 is that you need to make sure you get a Centrino processor and NOT a Celeron. For $500 you could even get the LE1700 which is faster and takes up to 4gb of memory. Some of them are even touch screen.
The Cintiq is honestly the best way to go for doing storyboards simply because of the size of the screen but a smaller device is completely useable and I have done dozens of boards on a 12″ screen. You also sacrifice performance with a tablet vs the Cintiq but even then it’s really about what software you need to use to get the job done. Some studios like WB and Nick use Photoshop which Sketchbook Pro will fill in for as a lightweight substitute (and also is able to save in .psd format) but then other studios like Disney requires Toonboom and because it uses vectors it needs a decent graphics card and processors to do the math and calculate the strokes you’re creating.
So there, I’ve just complicated it for you further! :-)
But really it’s kinda simple.. to recap:
If you are going to only use Photoshop then you can easily get an LE1600 or and LE1700 but if you need to use Storyboard Pro then your options are either a CIntiq or an Asus EP121.
I hope this helps!
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This is some great info. I had not heard of the Asus device. I have a cintique 12″ (the smallest version) and it works just fine for me!
I agree.
Can’t really compare the 21UX to something as small as the EP121. I’ve got all three, the 21 is still the best thing I’ve ever bought, pleasure of work on for 18 hours a day (yes, really) except in summer when surface can get hot and then you need cotton gloves. If you can buy 21UX – do it. I also got the 12wx for portability reasons – I’m sometimes required to work on-site and it really is beautiful piece of hardware, but bundled with a laptop, it can get heavy to carry (I commute on a bicycle and motorbike) and the need for power source made me buy the asus which, while not as good as the other two, is great for doing storyboards etc from a coffee shop and its portability cannot be beaten.
Hmmm well you’re right in that the Cintiq is bigger but how big do you need to draw? I have both and I use each for different things. I do not like Storyboard Pro on the Asus because the screen is small for all the palettes but it’s still very useable. I prefer it to draw designs because the pen slides on straight glass better. there is more resistance which for me is similar to drawing on paper. On the Cintiq I find it is a bit too slick and slidey. I do not draw as well on the Cintiq as I do on the Asus. I also much prefer the flatness of the Asus instead of the raised quality the Cintiq has. that’s probably because I tend to draw with the Cintiq and the Asus both flat. I do not tilt either up like an easel but more like true paper would sit on the table. For me before things were digital I drew on 8×11 paper which is standard letter paper here. The Asus is the same size. Yes the Cintiq is great and yes it’s bigger but if you do not have the money the Asus is a strong alternative.
Yeah that’s a good one too but it has parallax issues whereby as you move the pen to the edge it gets more and more offset from the screen. Or at least the ones I’ve used did. Maybe they fixed it with a software update?