Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Review: Art Attack

By Nolan P. Smith and Jason T. Smith

It’s exciting when a new company bursts onto the scene with something simply amazing. Meet Xencelabs and their entry into the drawing tablet market with their Pen Tablet Medium. How does this new entry into the world of art and graphic design do in its first public release? Our Creative Director Jason T. Smith and I aimed to find out.

Measuring in at 12.6 x 9.13 x 0.3, the tablet itself is sturdy and straightforward, excellent news for an artist. Learning how to use a new tool is never the fun part- you want to dive in and start creating art from the get-go, without a million different buttons and options to learn first. Xencelabs’s tablet has three buttons at the top of the tablet, making navigation and ease of use that much better. The tablet can be used wired or wirelessly- we tried both ways, and both ways worked perfectly.

The pens that come with the tablet are super impressive as well. Both pens are battery-free and feature interchangeable nibs (10 extra nibs are included) and a handy nib extractor, which works exceptionally well. The thin pen has two buttons, while the thick pen has three, perfect for artists working on 3D projects. The pens come with an eraser and a whopping 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity, which Jason found out first hand when he tried out the tablet for the first time. The pens had zero lag, which is crucial when drawing on a digital canvas.

Jason took the tablet for a test drive on a Macbook Pro, using Adobe Illustrator 2020. He used the included drawing glove and got to exploring. Jason is an artist who has worked in all types of mediums- from pencils, pens, markers, paint, to sculpting, and more; he is also familiar with digital artistry, having used a few digital art tablets in the past.

“It’s so smooth and responsive,” said Smith as he drew with the tablet. “The pens has the right amount of weight to feel balanced as I draw, I like that.”

Switching brushes, colors, and widths were all simple while using the Xencelabs tablet. The tablet performed exceptionally well in Illustrator, as Jason drew two pieces; the process is shown in the videos included in this review. It is an excellent extension to an artists’ talents and makes creating art digitally that much more enjoyable.

“I love this thing,” said Smith as he got into the zone while working on a piece. “I love drawing in my paper tablet, but this is super easy and a lot of fun- not something you usually say when creating digital art.”

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet includes a medium-sized tablet, pen case with two pens, ten extra nibs and nib extractor, a USB C adaptor, USB dongle and cable, a drawing glove, and an all-in-one carrying sleeve. It’s a very impressive package for a tablet, as most just come in a box with a throwaway tray. This tablet is built with artists in mind and is made to last no matter where your art might take you. A fantastic addition to your artistic arsenal, Xencelabs shows they are here to stay.

Visit https://www.xencelabs.com/ for more information and to pick one up for yourself.

Rating: FIVE Pastrami Nations out of FIVE.

Nolan P. Smith is the Editor in Chief and Co-Founder of Pastrami Nation. For the past ten years, he has worked for various media outlets, from newsprint to the ever-evolving internet platform. Residing in Victorville, CA, writing has always been a significant aspect of his life. A reporter, teacher, public relations specialist, and more, he takes the most joy out of covering the world of pop culture. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @pastramination.