XP-Pen Deco 01 V2 Graphics Tablet 10x6.25 Inch Drawing Pen Tablet 8192 Levels Pressure Battery-Free Pen with Tilt Function Android Supported and 8

A revisit of my previous review: Conclusion: Fantastic tablet for the price but some usability issues.Pros: -8192 pressure levels are on par with the best wacom tablet available. there's plenty of depth for high res retouching and graded shading.-Pen to tablet pressure response is very accurate and smooth. -Express Keys can be customized to any programs.-Driver support is very good and updates are frequent.-LED lit corner markers useful when working in dim environment/dark.-Solidly build and elegant design, it doesn't look cheap. the tablet says it was designed in California. I guess that speaks for it.-USB C connector is solid and the cable is adequately lengthy.-Comes with a pen holder which holds 8 extra nibs.-Also comes with a protective film which you can ... MoreA revisit of my previous review: Conclusion: Fantastic tablet for the price but some usability issues.Pros: -8192 pressure levels are on par with the best wacom tablet available. there's plenty of depth for high res retouching and graded shading.-Pen to tablet pressure response is very accurate and smooth. -Express Keys can be customized to any programs.-Driver support is very good and updates are frequent.-LED lit corner markers useful when working in dim environment/dark.-Solidly build and elegant design, it doesn't look cheap. the tablet says it was designed in California. I guess that speaks for it.-USB C connector is solid and the cable is adequately lengthy.-Comes with a pen holder which holds 8 extra nibs.-Also comes with a protective film which you can install on top of the tablet. but my advise is to just not use it as it attracts dusts.Cons: - Sharp corners, you might have to use the bundled gloves not because your hand would get sweaty, but because the tablet's corners are shaped way too sharp that it can cause wrist injury with repetitive use. I have my workstation sitting on a 180x60cm L-shaped table. I notice this problem after several months of heavy use, i was forced to buy a rubber cushion and adjust my table-chair angle to compensate for it. Working with this tablet for a long time with your wrist exposed to the constant rubbing with the tablet's edges is very uncomfortable.- The pen is light and plastic-y, be careful not to drop it. as the internal parts are somewhat fragile, And the replacement pen is a bit expensive.-Pen holder does not hold the pen quite rigidly. older models have a better designed pen holder.- mild input click lag - unnoticeable at first but once you start using your tablet as your mouse you'll notice some unresponsiveness with the default settings. - Pen nibs not as durable as once thought, I've already worn a nib out despite minipal pressures when drawing. why so? because I use the old XP-05 model whose nibs lasted for two straight years despite having worked on 20 full color artworks, and hundreds of photos retouched.

(Almost) too good to be true

I'm going to preface this by saying that I only got my XP-PEN Deco 01 v2 today, so, what I'm going to say is based on a total of around three hours of use so far. If my experience with the tablet or company changes in the coming months, I'll update the review, so, here goes.I use GIMP 2.10.22, and it's been my experience over the past decade I've been using GIMP, that it's usually either really fiddly to set up a tablet with GIMP (unless it's a Wacom, of course), or a tablet straight up just isn't compatible with the software. But with the Deco 01 v2, it was so incredibly easy. All I really had to do was was set the tablet up as normal, and then go into GIMP's input device settings and enable the Eraser function, choose a Brush Dynamics profile, and that was it. I ... MoreI'm going to preface this by saying that I only got my XP-PEN Deco 01 v2 today, so, what I'm going to say is based on a total of around three hours of use so far. If my experience with the tablet or company changes in the coming months, I'll update the review, so, here goes.I use GIMP 2.10.22, and it's been my experience over the past decade I've been using GIMP, that it's usually either really fiddly to set up a tablet with GIMP (unless it's a Wacom, of course), or a tablet straight up just isn't compatible with the software. But with the Deco 01 v2, it was so incredibly easy. All I really had to do was was set the tablet up as normal, and then go into GIMP's input device settings and enable the Eraser function, choose a Brush Dynamics profile, and that was it. I was off and scribbling in about five minutes, when all was said and done. So, I'm super happy with my purchase of their product.This is technically my third tablet, but the first one I've been able to actually get to work with GIMP without any real hassle. First tablet was a Genius MousePen 608, and that KINDA worked with GIMP, but not really (it kept losing cursor position and I'd have to restart GIMP what seemed like every 10 minutes or so to get the cursor tracking back). The next one was a Turcom TS-6580B, and I couldn't get that one to work with GIMP no matter what I did. It's actually still sitting on the chair where I left it almost five years ago. Can't find the pen, though, so it's not really useful, anyway, and it was an active stylus and thus required 1xAAA battery. This drawing tablet is amazing so far.But yeah, the construction seems solid enough, the lit corners for the working area are a nice touch, especially if you're gonna be using it any at night, and having the little shortcut keys on the side is convenient. And I'm not gonna lie; the extras that are included with it certainly make it what I'd consider a decent value (other brands, you should be taking notes from these guys), and it comes at a decent price too, which, of course, is something to consider.The only thing I could mildly complain about is that I wish the PN05 stylus that comes with the Deco 01 v2 had the eraser end, and that could potentially be alleviated by swapping it out for another stylus, but I don't know if any other styluses from XP-PEN (or from anyone else, for that matter) are compatible with the tablet. So, maybe if anyone knows, one way or another, you could let me know in a comment to this review.

Get the correct OS download

I had a very reliable, nothing wrong with XP-Pen star3 tablet (pen). The only problem was it would not function properly in Windows 11. (Nothing works in windows 11) Likewise it would not work with Apple latest OS version (Now 13.1). I use two monitors, so being able to pan between the two is essential, as well as all the features. The issue was finding the correct website to get the correct OS download, as all the pen instructions, programming information can only be obtained from the tablet driver. Wonderful! Once downloaded onto my Mac it sprang into life, and I was good to go. Why does OS software have become so complicated that it can't operate big brand devices. None of my Apple keyboards work because they are too old!! So much for saving the planet! The pen ... MoreI had a very reliable, nothing wrong with XP-Pen star3 tablet (pen). The only problem was it would not function properly in Windows 11. (Nothing works in windows 11) Likewise it would not work with Apple latest OS version (Now 13.1). I use two monitors, so being able to pan between the two is essential, as well as all the features. The issue was finding the correct website to get the correct OS download, as all the pen instructions, programming information can only be obtained from the tablet driver. Wonderful! Once downloaded onto my Mac it sprang into life, and I was good to go. Why does OS software have become so complicated that it can't operate big brand devices. None of my Apple keyboards work because they are too old!! So much for saving the planet! The pen tablet works perfectly, but why shouldn't it, the old tablet did before being rejected as being too old!

Great functionality and large writing surface

I bought the Deco 01 v2 because it was the not only the latest model that fit my needs, but also the had the largest writing surface offered by EX-PEN, has good reviews and the price was right. Installation was extremely easy...download and install the driver from the website and connect the pad with the provided USB cable. Done. I played around with it, and it was working perfectly.My application is remote teaching settings when I would normally use a whiteboard in a classroom. When I first tried it, I was a bit disappointed that I could not even draw a straight line or write a legible word! It was not as easy as it looked, but I was able to adapt to it pretty quickly.I was glad to learn that the writing pad works with the Zoom whiteboard feature, Microsoft Ink ... MoreI bought the Deco 01 v2 because it was the not only the latest model that fit my needs, but also the had the largest writing surface offered by EX-PEN, has good reviews and the price was right. Installation was extremely easy...download and install the driver from the website and connect the pad with the provided USB cable. Done. I played around with it, and it was working perfectly.My application is remote teaching settings when I would normally use a whiteboard in a classroom. When I first tried it, I was a bit disappointed that I could not even draw a straight line or write a legible word! It was not as easy as it looked, but I was able to adapt to it pretty quickly.I was glad to learn that the writing pad works with the Zoom whiteboard feature, Microsoft Ink and, in fact, any application that has a graphic drawing feature. Different apps have different built-in features like different color and grid backgrounds, pre-drawn objects, and some even allow preloading existing images or documentsThe writing surface itself is black with 4 tiny light-up corner angles showing the writing boundaries. I found it difficult to know when I was drawing or writing straight or at an angle...remember, the writing hand is on the pad, but your eyes are on the screen. But, also included was a sheet of translucent plastic that overlays the pad. It is to hold down a piece of paper that has lines, grid, pictures, or images you wish to use as a guide. As you can see in the attached photo, I placed a sheet of graph paper under it to guide the writing and pictures I would normally draw on a whiteboard in a classroom.

Great pressure sensitivity!

(I included a picture of the fourth drawing I made with this tablet!)So, I splurged on a tablet. I had done research on tablets for hours, but the pink color drew me in. A lot.I got mine discounted, so I paid? 59? on it if I remember.I was very excited when it came in. Setting it up was very easy and the instructions come in several languages. I did, however, did have to buy an adapter/cord extender to work with my tablet. This is probably because I am not using a computer but a tablet. Even with two adapters, the connection hardly wavers. Much of connection struggle I experience is probably due to the two adapters and my tablet being six years old and is probably on its last two legs.So, when first using it, I struggled a lot. I had never used a drawing tablet ... More(I included a picture of the fourth drawing I made with this tablet!)So, I splurged on a tablet. I had done research on tablets for hours, but the pink color drew me in. A lot.I got mine discounted, so I paid? 59? on it if I remember.I was very excited when it came in. Setting it up was very easy and the instructions come in several languages. I did, however, did have to buy an adapter/cord extender to work with my tablet. This is probably because I am not using a computer but a tablet. Even with two adapters, the connection hardly wavers. Much of connection struggle I experience is probably due to the two adapters and my tablet being six years old and is probably on its last two legs.So, when first using it, I struggled a lot. I had never used a drawing tablet before. Ever. There was a learning curve when using a stylus. But, after two hours or so, I got the hang of it. I had to play around with the pressure sensitivity a few times, but I got the hang of it.It connects right away when plugging it in and the stylus works wonderfully! I struggle with pressing the buttons on it (which can do right click on the lower button and toggles between brush and eraser on the top button), but it may be due to the way I hold my pen. When I get into the zone I hardly press the buttons by accident.The buttons on the side of the tablet work wonderfully too and I use them frequently! You can change what the buttons press in the settings for the tablet, which I have yet to do.All in all, this is an amazing tablet. I love the pink color and I love how easy it is to use. As someone who has never used a drawing tablet until buying this, I would recommend to beginners! It makes drawing so much easier than the little phone stylus I had be using before. I finished a drawing in an hour and 30 minutes when before, the same drawing would take 3+ hours. I can sit at my desk and draw without hunching over like a shrimp! I'm excited about drawing again!