By Brady Betzel

After 10 years of happily using a Wacom pen tablet, I recently discovered there are other options out there in the world. Who would have thought? Enter the Xencelabs pen tablet, specifically the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle with Quick Keys.

The tablet itself retails for $279.99, but the bundle (which you really should get) retails for $359.99. In comparison, the Wacom retails for $379.95. There are other alternatives, like XP-Pen and Huion, but I’ve never used them, so I don’t feel comfortable comparing them. That said, the Wacom Intuos Pro is an amazing tablet, but the Xencelabs pen tablet combined with the Quick Keys remote is a game-changer for me.

The Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle with Quick Keys includes the medium-sized tablet (12.61 inches x 9.16 inches x 0.3 inches), a separate Quick Keys module, a three-button pen, a thin pen, a pen case, a wireless USB-A dongle; a USB-A to USB-C cable; a 90-degree USB-C to USB-A cable; six standard nibs; four felt nibs; a medium-sized glove; a USB-A to USB-C adapter; a tablet sleeve, and nib extractor. It is compatible with Windows, MacOS and Linux.

You can begin configuring your tablet here. If you just want to order the tablet or the $89.99 Quick Keys module,  you can find them separately, which might be a nice move if you already have a pen tablet.

Digging In
So what’s it like? The Xencelabs pen tablet is a top-quality wireless pen tablet with an external dial/button accessory. I really like that the Quick Keys are a separate module rather than attached to the tablet itself. I always feel a little too cramped when the dials and quick keys are on the same tablet I’m writing on. I like to have my tablet off to the side of my keyboard, more like a mouse/keyboard setup. With a separate Quick Keys module, I can put that to the left of my keyboard or right under it. It’s a really slick setup. I love it, and it really helps my workflow to be as efficient as possible. Technically, the batteries should last 16 hours, but I had been using the Xencelabs bundle for over a week without recharging, and I can always plug it right into the computer while charging and not skip a beat.

The Xencelabs pen tablet and Quick Keys can be programmed to work with any software. It can be programmed with keystrokes to your favorite programs, including the dial. The drivers support Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom straight away.

I immediately jumped into Photoshop and began rotating the canvas, zooming around and drawing. At first, the dial wasn’t rotating smoothly, but I was stupid and didn’t restart after installation. Once I restarted, everything worked like a dream, whether working wirelessly with the USB-A dongle or wired. I then found the medium-sized glove and put that on. I think that glove might have been one of the biggest game-changers for me when using a tablet. It allows you to move around smoothly, even if you have sweaty hands, while still being fully capable of drawing.

Once I was done in Photoshop, I jumped into After Effects. This is where I noticed the Quick Keys and tablet will need a good amount of programming to get them to work well. But once you program it, you will be good to go. I jumped into Blackmagic Resolve and, while it worked well, again, it needs a good amount of programming to really use the four levels of buttons on the Quick Keys module.

The build quality of the Xencelabs pen tablet, pens and Quick Keys module is top notch, but if you have a Wacom Pro Pen lying around, it will work as well. The pens are all battery-free. I personally like the traditional-sized pen, which is a little fat like a Sharpie, but if you want a pen that’s more slender, one is included with the bundle. The skinny pens always feel too small for me, regardless of brand.

Improvements?
So what could be improved on the Xencelabs pen tablet? I wish Xencelabs had preprogrammed more multimedia applications, like Avid Media Composer, Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve, Adobe After Effects and more. It would be really helpful. But other than that, I love the Xencelabs products. The quality is high, installation is easy and time to get running is fast. This has really opened my eyes to other pen tablets on the market. The only other item I wish came packaged with the Xencelabs bundle is a pen stand. They could also add a groove to the top of the pen case to hold the pen. I found myself using my Wacom pen holder a lot.

Final Thoughts
In the end, if you are in the market for a pen tablet, you should consider the Xencelabs Pen Tablet Medium Bundle with Quick Keys. In fact, the Quick Keys remote is what won me over the most. It’s a really nice touch. There is even a Kensington Nano lock slot in the top of the tablet to secure it. And while I left out some details — like the ability to rotate the Quick Keys remote, the ability to change the LED light colors, 16:9 native aspect ratio, 2.5-hour charging time, 8,192 levels of pressure, 60-degree pen tilt and two-year warranty — my experience with the Xencelabs products was top notch.

Brady Betzel is an Emmy-nominated online editor at Margarita Mix in Hollywood, working on shows like Life Below Zero and Uninterrupted: The Shop . He is also a member of the Producers Guild of America. You can email Brady at bradybetzel@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @allbetzroff.