Fex ArchStone Pro HD Interactive Graphic Drawing Tablet Monitor Panel - Fex-1900

This tablet is an AMAZING deal for anyone looking to get an alternative to Wacom's Cintiq line. It serves the same basic function as a Cintiq, for a fraction of the price. The smallest in Wacom's line of monitor tablets is the 13HD, coming in at a steep $800. This tablet is a full 19'' for less than $400. The pressure sensitivity is 2048 levels, the same as Wacom's products, and the large work space is wonderful for those who (like me) need to have room for brush strokes. It has a full range tilt built right into the back of the monitor, and it comes with two pens, a pen stand, and all the connector cords. The pens don't take batteries, but they need to be recharged once in a while; I charged one completely when I got this back on Christmas, and while I haven't exactly sat and drawn for 8 hours every day since, I have drawn extensively, and have yet to need to recharge it.Now, because it's not a Wacom product, there are SOME drawbacks. There are no express keys on this tablet, so anyone used to the shortcuts they offer will have to adjust to using their keyboard, or buying a separate programmable keypad. The viewing angle is also rather narrow—meaning that while this tablet has a full 40 degree tilt, there is only a small window where you can clearly see the colors. (For instance, if you tilt the tablet all the way down, but you don't have it on your lap/aren't standing over it, the colors are distorted and the glass screen has a reflective glare.) And, because the screen is glass, there is a visible gap between your pen tip and the cursor, but really only from the side; when you're actually drawing, it's seamless (I never even noticed it until my partner, who was sitting beside me, pointed it out). The pen does not come with an eraser, either, as that's a Wacom-exclusive technology, but it's easy enough to work around.My only real complaint is that the resolution of this tablet is lower than my laptop, so there's a noticeable difference in color between the two screens. However, my laptop has retina display, so the colors are already enhanced—and it's not at all a deal breaker for me, more of an inconvenience than anything. The Fex tablet has a standard monitor display, so for those of you who aren't picky about your colors, or have a standard display Windows/Mac (because it IS compatible with the Mac OS!) computer, it likely won't even be noticeable.One of the things I do really love about this product is the ability to rest my hand on the screen. It's not touch-compatible, so it only registers the input of the pen tip, and that's actually a big plus for me. I'm not the kind of person who can draw with my hand hovering above the surface of the paper/tablet, and this tablet makes for an extremely comfortable drawing experience.To sum it up… Is it a Cintiq competitor? Well, that really depends on what you're looking for. If you want all the shortcuts that Wacom offers in their products, then this tablet might fall short of your expectations. But, if you're looking for a monitor tablet that does the job right (and extremely well), and is actually affordable, then the Fex ArchStone is perfect. Really, you can't beat the price for what you get, and I would whole-heartedly recommend this product to any artists out there looking to jump into the digital side of creation, or to digital artists looking to upgrade to a monitor tablet.

I would have given this 5 stars except it often needs me to unplug the usb from monitor to computer, in and otu several times to get it to turn the drawing pens on, when they are on its great, otherwise it can be annoying.