By Pete Collins

About 10 years ago I borrowed (stole) my sister’s Intuos2 tablet and I’ve rarely used a mouse since. I almost can’t work without my tablets.

When I heard that Wacom was coming out with the Intuos5, I couldn’t figure out how they were going to add anything that the Intuos4 didn’t already have since it was so good. Boy, was I naive. There are a couple of new functions that make this upgrade a no-brainer.

First up is touch sensitivity. This feature is worth the upgrade all by itself. Add in all of the programmable gestures and the tablet has even greater usability, especially if you’re like me and tend to misplace your pen for periods of time. Now I can use the pen for precision and the touch features for Web browsing and everyday navigating. I’ll never need to pick up a mouse again.

I loved the LED displays on the Intuos4, so I was a little surprised at first that they were no longer included in the Intuos5. The LEDs were replaced by a heads-up display, called Express View. Push a button and you’ll get an onscreen reminder of your ExpressKey settings. This keeps your eyes on the screen instead of going back and forth to the tablet. Genius!

Wireless capability is now an option. Need I say more? Combine this with pressure sensitivity and rugged build, and artists, photographers, and graphic designers can craft their work and not be afraid of having to be delicate with the device.

I’m a strong proponent of using tools that will make you more efficient and excellent in your work. I believe this so strongly that besides my camera and computer, my Wacom products are indispensible. So if you’re serious about your work and time, take one of these tablets for a spin and see if you don’t become a believer, too.

Company: Wacom
Price: Small: $229; Medium: $349; Large: $469
Web: www.wacom.com
Rating: 10 out of 10

(This review is brought to you courtesy of "Layers Magazine": http://layersmagazine.com/ .)