So recently ive really been looking into buying a tablet, now, which one im not really sure about. I know ive been seeing hella people using all different kinds, and really ive narrowed it down to 2 of them. First choice would have to be the Cintiq21UX (cuz its huge & the sensitivity is awesome) and the second... the Intous 3,4. I dont really know too much about the Intous's except that the actual image of whatever your working on is not displayed on the screen.
But as far as that goes, is there any more info that could help me make a more informed decision?
What do some of you have or prefer? Is the software different for both? can you use the same programs for either of them? Im not going to be traveling with it so thats really not gonna be an issue as far as sizing goes. And if anybody is using the cintiq 12wx, does the cord really get in the way, or make it kinda tricky to spin and move around?..
Lemmie know.. thanks Everyone!

Dram.

I've had my 12WX for some time now so ill comment on that:

Pros
Screen is actually a good size so is quite nice for using as a dual monitor
Drawing feels soooooooooo much more natural as it's almost like drawing on paper
It has excellent colour display compared to my other monitor
its very streamlined so its very comfortable to draw on.
Has streamlined my design process massively, can now work almost entirely digitally and dont have to worry about crinkled drawings!!!
The hotkeys are amazing, there are 10 programmable hotkeys + 2 touch bars (normally used for zooming) (so you cant have different setups for photoshop, indesign, sketchbook pro, 3ds max etc) so with some time invested into programming your keys you very rarely have to use your keyboard.
Ive read people complaining about it overheating, but in the 6 months i've had mine the screen has always been cool to the touch so some people must just have really warm hands :/

Cons
You sometimes have to do a lot of zooming a panning, esp on large drawings due to the 12" screen
The wire may be more problematic for left handed people (however it doesnt ever get in my way)
Lots of cables so it's not really "portable"
EIGHT HUNDRED POUNDS.

I got mine with prize winnings so it didn't really impact me financially, however it is a LOT to fork out. You have to justify that really with how it will effect your productivity.

Hope this helps.

I recently got myself a 12WX as well, and i have to say that they are awesome. I have used several sizes of the Intuos before and although the sensitivity and stuff is pretty comparable to the Cintiq having a screen makes it feel so much more natural.

I'm a lefty too and i have to say that i thought the cable would be more of an issue than it is, is doens't really get in the way as i sketch with it flat on the desk as opposed to holding it (like i imagine some folk would).

Bottom line for me is that if you are gonna make use of it, it can be justifued cost-wise...

Hope the comments help

Ha...I use a 4 year old Intuos 3. It is totally awesome. I avoided using it for the first year I had it (x-mas gift) because it was difficult getting used to drawing on a surface, but looking at a different surface. I have thought about getting the 12WX before, but I'm honestly so used to using my intuos, I see no reason to switch. The new Intuos 3 and 4 are so badass....for the money I recommend them over a cintiq, but hey - if you can afford it, why not?

I previously used a Wacom Intuos 3 (6x11) and used it quite often to color scanned drawings in PS. I won an Intuos 4 (72 hr pack challenge, great prize) and have been using it and have to say it was certainly a step up from the Intuos 3 in terms of usability and function but I find I still prefer sketching on paper. The hand eye disconnect from tablet to screen still isn't natural to me (maybe I'm slow ). I've now decided I'm going in for the option to draw on the screen and can't decide between a Cintiq, a modbook or dare I say a tablet PC. I'm a dyed in the wool Mac man so that's a rough decision. I've compared them all and the Cintiq wins in the reviews hands down but the portability of the Modbook and tablet PC is a consideration and does have appeal. All things considered, what are everyone's thoughts regarding the 3 choices? I'm a south paw and I use Sketchbook Pro 2010 as well as the full Adobe creative suite (Mac of course, so I would have to purchase PC compatible software.) I'm by no means wealthy but as a company expense the tax man will write these things away. Any thoughts?

i went all digital about a year ago with a Cintiq 12wx and loved it. it felt far more natural than the larger models. recently i decided i needed to be more mobile and went with the modbook. after to adjusting to life with a tablet - carrying a keyboard, the 2 hour battery life, re-assesing key commands- i have to say i love it. i can doodle throughout the day and then render any of those sketches. i've got studiotools and the rhino alpha on the mac side, and then my solidworks and real rhino on the pc side (windows 7 tablet runs very nicely on the modbook).
there are downsides of course. the thing weighs 5 pounds and the fan is usually running, but its worth having everything i need mobile.
good luck!
(also left handed, so the little dock for the modbook pen feels like a custom setup!)

Noelleon,
Thanks for the feedback. I feel the need to be mobile but hadn't considered all of these things. Moving forward I
now have a better understanding of your mobile process and can make a more informed decision.
Thanks again!

I have the Intuos 4 med. and the 21UX. I'll take the 21UX everyday, for the viewable drawing space and the ability to rotate it by hand. The Intuos is fine when I am mobile but it never seems to work as well as seeing the image on the surface. I have some difficulty, especially with lettering, on getting my pen to do what I want on the intuous. If I look at the table, which is black, I have better luck than looking up. All that is hand/eye stuff, which is more difficult because my drawing hand does not work perfectly anymore, but a normal person might not have that issue.

So in the end I went with the Cintiq 12wx. Would've been nice to have gotten the larger 21ux but I simply didn't have the real estate for it on my desk. I really enjoy working with the Cintiq and it has made life much easier for me than the Intuos did. Everybody has their own preferences. I also picked up a copy of Painter and have enjoyed working with it as well as PS and SB Pro. At the end of the day, all things considered. . . I still prefer to draw on paper, scan it and then go to town digitally. Works for me anyway.