If you’re a digital artist looking to upgrade your drawing tablet, my hands-on review of the Wacom Intuos Pro Large will show you exactly why this professional-grade tablet delivers exceptional performance for animation, illustration, and 3D work. After 15 years of using my previous Wacom tablet, I’m sharing my first impressions and real-world testing experience to help you decide if this is the right investment for your creative workflow.
Having worked as an animator and digital artist for over 15 years, I know what features truly matter in a professional drawing tablet.
In my latest video, I unbox the Wacom Intuos Pro Large and put it through its paces across multiple creative applications:
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First Impressions: Unboxing the Wacom Intuos Pro
The moment I opened the package, I could tell this was something special. The packaging itself is absolutely stunning with beautiful illustrations on the box, and everything has this premium, silky feel that makes the unboxing experience genuinely exciting. When I pulled the tablet out of its sleeve, the first thing that struck me was the satin paper-like texture of the drawing surface – it feels absolutely amazing to the touch.
Size Comparison: Large vs Medium
I went with the large size tablet, and here’s something really interesting I discovered. When I compared it to my old medium-sized Wacom from 15 years ago, they’re almost the same physical size! This is because the newer models have minimized the frame around the edges, so you get more drawing space in a similar footprint. The old models had a lot of wasted space around the outside, but with better technology nowadays, they’ve shrunk those borders significantly.
The large version is literally only an inch to inch and a half bigger all the way around compared to my old medium tablet. I specifically chose the larger size because you can actually customize the active drawing area in the settings, giving you the best of both worlds – you can set it to a smaller area if you prefer wrist movement over arm movement.
What’s Included in the Box
The package comes with everything you need to get started. The latest model pen has this wonderful rubbery texture that feels fantastic in your hand. I always map my pen buttons to the right mouse button and middle mouse button when working in 3D apps or sculpting applications, which streamlines my workflow considerably.
Instead of the simple cup holder from the old model, the new pen holder has substantial weight and premium feel. Here’s a pro tip: the actual replacement nibs are stored inside the pen holder itself! You have to twist it open, and inside you’ll find a whole selection of different nibs. The holder is made from solid metal with really impressive build quality.
The tablet also comes with a cable, though it supports Bluetooth connectivity so you don’t necessarily need the cable. In my studio setup, I use cables because it’s easier for my workflow and I don’t have a Bluetooth dongle, but the wireless option is there if you want that flexibility.
Design and Build Quality
The attention to detail is remarkable. On the back, there’s a lovely embossed engraved metal Wacom logo, and rubber strips at the top prevent it from sliding off your desk. The tablet is incredibly thin – when you see how slim it is, it’s just insane! Even though this is the large size, it’s portable enough to take in a backpack. I used to freelance at lots of different studios, so portability matters to me.
Performance and Drawing Experience
After testing this tablet across different applications – drawing, 3D apps, illustration software – the performance has been absolutely amazing. The tablet features approximately 8,500 levels of pressure sensitivity. While my old tablet had similar specs on paper, this one feels so much more responsive when I’m drawing and making strokes.
It really feels like using an actual pencil. I can have the faintest touch and it still picks up the stroke, then apply more pressure to get nice thick strokes. It genuinely feels like you’re using a real brush, calligraphy pen, or pencil. Because it’s a bigger tablet, I’m making bigger strokes – on my old one I was sort of limited to small wrist movements, but now I can properly draw from the shoulder and elbow like artists should.
Multi-Application Versatility
I was initially worried that the bigger drawing area might negatively affect my workflow in non-drawing applications, but it’s been brilliant. When I’m in illustration apps or 3D applications using marking menus, the size actually feels better. I’m not making such micro-movements anymore. This is all completely customizable too – I’m using it across three screens, with the whole pen set up to go from corner to corner across all three monitors.
You can configure the tablet however you want. You can set it up for one monitor, or use the feature where you adjust the size of the affected area. If you feel like you’re moving too much, you can program exactly what area you want as your designated drawing space.
Surface Texture and Feel
The surface texture is definitely an improvement over my old tablet. The old one had a sort of shiny surface, but this has a textured finish that feels like drawing on smooth paper. The pen glides across beautifully, and it’s light enough that you don’t experience any hand fatigue during long drawing sessions.
Touchscreen Functionality
There’s a really cool feature I didn’t even know existed – there’s a button that activates touchscreen mode! I accidentally discovered this when I was moving the tablet with my fingers. You can actually use two fingers to scroll, pinch to zoom, and navigate just like you would on a tablet device. It’s a crazy feature that I’ve turned off while working in my main apps, but you can turn it on to use as a navigation tool.
Programmable Buttons and Controls
The programmable buttons are incredibly useful. There’s an amazing wheel – when you press the top button, you go straight into the menu portal. The wheel is great for scrolling or rotating your canvas. The four buttons at the bottom are automatically mapped but completely customizable. I have mine set to key controls which is fantastic for 3D modeling because you don’t have to lean over to your keyboard.
You can assign whatever keys you want to any button, and I believe you can even have different button configurations for different programs, which automatically switch based on what application you’re using.
Who Should Buy This Tablet
Whether you go for the medium or the large, it’s really just a matter of preference – they’re both the same tablet, just with different amounts of real estate. For me, as someone who works across animation, digital painting, sculpting, and 3D art, this has been an absolutely fantastic upgrade. I’m quite a generalist, so having a tablet that performs excellently across the whole broad spectrum of creative work is essential.
This tablet is ideal if you want a high-quality, reliable pen tablet for long-term use. It’s perfect for digital artists, graphic designers, photographers, and students who care about accuracy and workflow speed. If you prefer a non-screen tablet for better posture, desk setup flexibility, and budget considerations, the Wacom Intuos Pro is a strong option that can handle daily creative work