Wacom Bamboo One Graphics Tablet

I bought this because I wanted a graphics tablet (having never had one before) but I didn't want to spend too much. I expected it to be okay, I didn't expect it to be fantastic because it's cheaper than a lot of other graphics tablets. I was shocked - it is absolutely fantastic - couldn't be better in my opinion. I don't have much to compare against because I've never had one before, but I can't imagine it being any better, it works perfectly and is very accurate. The only thing that I can think of as to why you shouldn't buy this one is the size - you can buy tablets with bigger surface sizes - but to be honest, for me (and most people I expect) the size is plenty big enough.

So, I could end my review there but there are a couple of other points I want to make:

1. I am using it on Windows Vista (don't know if that's helpful to anyone but I thought I'd mention it in case you are wondering about compatibility).

2. I sometimes use it as a mouse because it is easy to use for that purpose.

3. I use the included art software when I just want to have a bit of fun and a laugh by making a picture - you can choose paints, crayons, stencils, etc.

4. I use it with Photoshop CS4 when I want to do some more serious work - and it works perfectly.

5. When I first installed it I didn't bother installing the drivers that come on the disc because Vista automatically installed some. However, it did not work well with Vista's drivers, the cursor jumped, did not move smoothly, and did not appear in relation to where I clicked on the tablet. So, I installed Wacom's drivers which came on the disc included. My PC told me I needed to restart to finish installing drivers - after restart it worked perfectly. Cursor didn't jump, moved smoothly and appeared on the screen in relation to where I clicked on the tablet.

6. The box - okay so it doesn't really matter what the box it comes in is like as long as it does the job, but I'll mention it anyway. It's beautiful, simple as.

7. You don't actually have to touch the tablet with the pen to move the cursor on screen - you can just hover the pen above it. Touch the tablet with the pen click (as thought you are left clicking with a mouse).

8. There's a light on the tablet which is orange, and goes green when you tap the pen on the tablet to do a click.

9. The pen is really light and battery free - which I think is good.

10. It doesn't need to be plugged in to the mains, just into USB.

So, those points are things I think you will find useful to know before purchasing.

In conclusion:

An amazing graphics tablet at an amazing price. I can't recommend it enough. It's the first tablet I have ever had, and it's better than I ever could have expected. Don't hesitate to buy it, unless you really want one with a bigger surface.

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Firstly, I'm a full time graphic designer. I work on a mac and I use various pro design tools. I'd had a go on a friends wacom tablet before but the huge price tag put me off. When a friend tipped me off about the new Bamboo, I couldn't resist at a price like that. It's made by Wacom so the quality is all there. I thought about getting the Bamboo fun, but unlike the US version the UK version doesn't come with a mouse so it's not quite as good a buy. But it's still great value even without a mouse. If you want the extra button on the top of the pen (eraser) then go for the fun version - but it will cost you double the bamboo one. I figured I didn't need the extra buttons (i don't) so i went for the cheaper bamboo one.

As far as the bamboo one goes, the feel is amazing. Even the packaging is cool. The wacom website plays down the bamboo one as though it were a kids toy but it's certainly not. The preferences section gives you loads of options, and is particularly good for setting the buttons to different actions. You'll want to change one of the buttons to undo - you'll be using this a lot if you're sketching.

You can use the bamboo one like a mouse for navigating around the screen - it stretches the tablet to fit whatever screen you have (again you can fiddle with the preferences) and it's a delight to use. If you've never used one before it will feel a bit strange at first but after half an hour you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

If you're mulling over whether or not to get one, then mull no more. Although the pad doesn't have the extra navigation buttons as the fun version, it's a really nice clean and uncluttered design. I can't recommend the Bamboo One enough.

I bought this based on Keith's review and the price. It's the first time I've tried using a tablet and it's turned out to be a breeze with this item, even my 4- and 6-year old girls love it for Artrage and other drawing programs. I have found it particularly handy for editing and touching up photographs, the level of control being far superior compared to that of a mouse for the same actions (as you would expect). There are no batteries to worry about in the pen and it has a handy little slot on the upper area of the tablet to store the pen when not in use. It has survived the sometimes brutal handling by my girls who haven't quite mastered the art of subtlety on some types of equipment such as this so it is proving to be robust to boot! So far so good and I would certainly recommend it as a starter tablet.