Design tablet?

[shurik]

Hey guys,

What is the best graphic design tablet/etc to use? I want to avoid using the mouse all together, so just the keyboard and the tablet or something else thats recommended.

I don't really do any drawing or illustrating. I use photoshop for editing images (lots of cutting out, cropping), illustrator for creating shapes, logos, etc and InDesign for putting together brochures, books, ads. Also some website design and general documentation work in Office. So far all the reviews that I've seen are about graphic designers who really care about how well it is for drawing, the way the brushes work (I hardly ever use those tools). I am planning to get rid of the mouse all together, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Some of the options I've been looking into are Wacom bamboo and Intuos4. But those 2 seem quite different, priced differently and not sure which one is best to use when no mouse is needed at all.

Thank you!

[racyhall11]

Design tablet is a one type of tool which is used for design. There are so many companies to produce it and many types of it. For example, 5.5" x 4" Graphics Tablet with Adobe Photoshop 7 and ArtRage 2.5. It is also perfect for the home, school, and graphic and digital artists, architects, engineers.

[savantcreative]

I've been using the same 9x12 Wacom tablet for the last 7 years.  I love the pressure control I get with it and it has never needed any repairs.  I primarily use it to retouch photos in Photoshop.   

[savantcreative]

I see your point.  I think it is all a question of what your needs are.  The tablet allows me more flexibility and customization than the settings in trace.

[mikesfweb]

Well I'm fairly new to the Graphic Design business (4 years), and this fall I'm actually going to college to perfect my craft so to speak. I'm getting rid of my old desktop and getting a Laptop. A laptop is much more suitable for campus life and not to mention I travel alot. I have always wanted to have the feeling of being able to design anywhere I wanted. I'm really thinking on getting a Tablet PC (Wacom enabled of course). The model I'm going with is an ASUS R1 Tablet. 13 inch screen. My question is, is it a good idea to use a tablet pc for designing? My main use is Photoshop and Illustrator. I want to draw, make logos, color and shade, etc with the Tablet PC. I figured vectoring, and making logos would be easier with a tablet PC. Should I go ahead and purchase for college errrrr probably just buy just a regular tablet from Wacom.com? Also I will be buying an external monitor cause 13 inches is a lil on the small side.

[scifipi_]

The Wacom Intuos tablet has been industry standard for many years now BUT there is a BIG DIFFERENCE in a Wacom Tablet (USB connection interface) and a Tablet PC. Totally TWO DIFFERENT products that have different purposes. Currently, a Tablet PC (iPad, iPad 2, Android-base) have no pertinent use in the graphic design industry. Adobe just recently released "tablet" APPs but they are not fully functioning "professional" based applications currently used in the graphic design industry.