Wacom releases Cintiq 13HD 13-inch compact pen display for $999

I don't think you understand what this "little display" is. It's a digitizer tablet that you can draw on with a Wacom pen. In other words, a major upgrade from a typical digitizer tablet that you can draw on and doesn't have display. This is not even in the same ballpark as the iPad or any of the other tablets you're thinking about, and used for a very different purpose. It's a tool for professional artists, not a toy for you 6-year-old like the iPad. $999 is a great price. Normally these cost about $3,000 (though they're typically larger).

Yes I have to agree with you, I-pads and surface pros can't even compare to the unbelievable pen-to-screen interactive and intuitive nature of the Cintiqs. I was able to try one for a really good amount of time like 2 years ago and I was blown away, can't wait to try this new one out. I mean almost every major animation studio has them , and they use it for character, landscape and architectural drawings, from pencil drawings to color, from concept to final. I am drooling... this is like the perfect size to go on location and field work... dang WACOM

I think for people like myself that use large Cintiq's on a regular basis, this is a pretty cool device. Of all my equipment, the Cintiq's give me the best return on investment except for our large format printers. To be able to use the same editing system out of the studio is awesome. Not all's rosy with wacom though, I own a 12" Cintiq which is a POS. Too many cables and adapters to make it useful for on site editing. It sits in my storage area collecting dust. As for 8bit, I would never use any of my Cintiq's for color correction, that's what the main traditional monitors are for. But 8bit ins't an issue for editing. IPad? That's for the Camranger and that's it lol!

@Francis Carver: since you asked, how do I know you haven't touched or used a Wacom tablet-display before?

Why, because you're comparing them to iPads, of course.

I'm not dissing iPads or other touchscreen / tablets, by the way. It's just that they're a totally different kind of device.

Comparing iPads and tablets to a Cintiq and calling the Cintiq over-priced is like comparing a Chevrolet Cavalier to Jeep and then calling the Jeep "overpriced." And then, when people call you on the strangeness of the comparison, you argue that "understanding" Jeeps isn't "rocket science" or you snipe, "please understand that not everyone out there needs to drive off road." ?!?

Just because *you* aren't the person for whom the product was designed, and just because *you* don't have experience with how it might be advantageously used doesn't mean it wasn't designed well. It does mean, however, that you aren't the most credible commentator on its value.

I am surprise that nobody mention Asus Ep 121, Tablet pc. For about thé same Price.

To be completely fair, this unit *is* overpriced compared to "commodity" goods—but there are reasons why it *can* be overpriced and still sell relatively well. First, something like this is always going to be a niche product; you either need it or you don't. Many of the group that need precise on-screen editing actually need one of the larger units to work effectively, and the price difference is a minor business expense as these things go. Most of the rest of us can easily get away with the scaled-down-and-relocated experience of something like the Intuos. Either way, the main use is with applications that require significant horsepower and low latency (not tablet apps). So the market is small, and there's little real competition at all. Then there's the fact that it's not just a "good enough" kludge. It does what it says on the tin with as few annoyances as possible, and people will pay for that gladly. Not Francis, perhaps, but sensible people.

DPR Quote of the year - "Not Francis, perhaps, but sensible people".

Pro Tip for Francis Carver: Don't buy it.

This was made exactly for the people that needs the pressure sensitivity levels, same as all of Wacom's other products.

Wow, I'm seeing a lot of bias here. You guys obviously have never used any of the W8 tablets with Wacom digitizers. And before you make assumptions I do work with a Cintiq 24 so I know the "Cintiq Experience" quite well. Cintiqs have always been over priced. Get off of Wacom's nuts. I purchased a Surface Pro in need of a portable Cintiq solution. The Surface Pro I purchased was the same price, but I could draw on it anywhere, no cables. Best of all, it doubles as a full fledged Windows computer. Packages like Artrage, PTSai, Sketchbook Pro 6 work wonders with the pressure sensitivity.

Compared to the Surface Pro, which is also a full computer with W8, it is heavily overpriced. It is a 13" mini display with 1024 extra levels of pressure sensitivity, and no portability besides dragging around the cables. The Surface Pro and other W8 Tablets also come with Display Outs, so you can connect to better monitors with higher fidelity and color accuracy!