Wacom’s new Cintiq tablets have a skinnier look and better displays

Wacom has relaunched its popular Cintiq pen display tablet lineup with a modern new look, cramming more powerful screens into a slimmer, boxier design. The redesign is visually similar to the updates made to Wacom’s flagship Cintiq Pro series in 2022, making the mid-tier Cintiq versions more attractive and portable for hobbyists and entry-level creatives.

The Wacom Cintiq is available in two sizes: a $699.95 16-inch model, and a $1,299.95 24-inch unit that’s a smidge larger than its 22-inch predecessor. Another new addition for this launch is the $1,499.95 Cintiq 24 Touch, which supports multi-finger gestures for zooming, scrolling, and rotating the display — a feature that Wacom has restricted to its professional tier products in recent years. These prices are higher than those of the previous generation models they’re replacing, which started at $649 for the Cintiq 16, but considerably more affordable than the Pro lineup, which starts at $2,500 for the Cintiq Pro 17.

The most noticeable update is to the design, which ditches rounded corners and bezels for an overall sleeker look. The new Cintiq 16 has been slimmed down from 25mm to 15mm, while both versions of the Cintiq 24 are just under 21mm, compared to the 40mm-thick Cintiq 22. That makes them easier to carry around and more comfortable for creatives to use on a flat surface. The Cintiq 16 specifically now features a 16:10 aspect ratio, while the larger models have stuck to 16:9.

Several specifications have also been upgraded for all three of the new models. The resolution has jumped from 1080p to 2K, sRGB coverage has increased from 96 percent to 100 percent, and the display response time is now just 12 milliseconds instead of 25 milliseconds. The glass displays are now etched to reduce glare and provide a slight paper-like texture. Brightness has been boosted from 210 nits to 290 nits on the new Cintiq 16 and 350 nits on the two Cintiq 24 units.

The Cintiq 16 comes with built-in legs for positioning it at a 20-degree angle, while the two Cintiq 24 models ship with a dedicated adjustable stand that attaches to the rear. All three Cintiq pen display tablets support the VESA standard for users to connect their own mount. These new Cintiq tablets also come with the Wacom Pro Pen 3, the same stylus that ships with Wacom’s Movink and Cintiq Pro lineup and provides users with a range of customizable grip and button options.

The new Cintiq tablets have ditched the 3-in-1 cables in favor of separate ports for HDMI, USB-C, and a Type-C power jack. The biggest perk here is that the Cintiq 16 can now run entirely on a single USB-C to USB-C connection without drawing from an additional power source.

These updates better position the standard Cintiq range as Wacom’s mid-tier offering, sitting between its entry-level Wacom One display tablets and premium Cintiq Pro models. The increased display resolution, especially, is a welcome change that may help Wacom to lure consumers away from more affordable offerings from rival tablet brands like Huion and XP-Pen.