Wacom to have their own desktop. Sort of.

[Drak3]

With the Surface Studio being a ravishing success amongst digital artists that want a pen enabled all in one larger than a tablet, for space saving reasons and/or cable management, Wacom's feeling a little jelly.

 

What could they possibly do? Duct tape a computer to the back of their pen displays?

 

 

Well...

Actually, yes.

Quote

Feb. 27, 2018 – Today Wacom announced the Wacom Cintiq Pro Engine, a creative PC module available in two configurations that fully integrates into the Cintiq Pro 24-inch pen display (announced today in a separate release). Designed for professional illustrators, designers, engineers and motion graphics users who require professional computing power and graphics performance, the modular Cintiq Pro Engine slots into the back of the Cintiq Pro 24, eliminating the space, cable clutter and compatibility issues that often result from  using external computers and laptops.

 

Attaching the Cintiq Pro Engine to the Cintiq Pro 24 tranforms the Cintiq Pro 24 into a full Windows 10 creative studio that supports even the most demanding programs and applications used by creative professionals. The combination of the Wacom Cintiq Pro display, the powerful Wacom Cintiq Pro Engine creative PC module, and a flexible and rotatable new Wacom Ergo Stand is an innovative approach to providing an all-in-one specialized working environment for creatives. Adding the use of the Wacom Pro Pen 3D, professionals who rely on 3D animation or sculpting software, or CAD applications, will see an immediate benefit to their workflow.

 

An addon for Wacom's upcoming Cintiq Pro 24" turns the lowly, $2000-2500 pen display into a fully functional all in one.*

 

*Stand not included. Stand is required for upright viewing.

 

Quote

In addition to the benefits around creative applications and workflows, Cintiq Pro Engine supports the increasingly important virtual reality (VR) workflow. Most Wacom products are already capable of supporting VR content creation, but to review and check the VR content, customers frequently need to move the content to another PC that has the graphics power to run VR content.

To capture as much of the growing VR market as possible, or because Wacom caught a case of the Intel and is slapping 'VR Ready' on everything, they've designed the machine to be VR capable. A nice touch for all the VR developers out there. An interesting move, given the need has been created exclusively due to the creation of this system. Not sure I'd trust strapping the Vive into a large, tethered tablet though.

 

Quote

The Wacom Cintiq Pro Engine memory and SSD are exchangeable and upgradable, ensuring system flexibility. Given the plug and play nature of the hardware, it’s easy to move between Cintiq 32” and 24” displays while retaining the same computing environment with the Cintiq Pro Engine. This flexibility is found nowhere else in the market and leads to a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than any other solution.

A huge aspect to this product is flexibility in key hardware, while maintaining the same workstation. This system boasts about as much upgradability as modern gaming laptop, and if the processor or GPU ever become insufficient, the screen can be used as a standard pen display.

 

 

Take notes on that, Microsoft.

Quote

wo Versions of Cintiq Pro Engine

Cintiq Pro Engine i5:

• Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
• Processor: Intel® Core i5HQ (Quad Core)
• Graphics: NVIDIA® Quadro® P3200
• Dedicated graphics memory: 6GB GDDR5
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 256GB SSD, PCIe Gen3
• Wireless LAN: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 ac
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth® 4.2
• Security: fTPM(TPM2.0)
• Input Voltage: 100 to 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz
• Connectivity: Internal (communication between PC & Display) 1x USB-C, 1x Power
• Connectivity: External (customer interfaces) 1x RJ45 (LAN), 2x USB-C, 1xmHDMI, 1xmDP, 2x DC-in
• Price: $2,499

Cintiq Pro Engine Xeon:

• Operating System: Windows 10 Pro for Workstation
• Processor: Intel® XEON
• Graphics: NVIDIA® Quadro® P3200
• Dedicated graphics memory: 6GB GDDR5
• RAM: 32GB
• Storage: 512GB SSD, PCIe Gen3
• Wireless LAN: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 ac
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth®  4.2
• Security: fTPM(TPM2.0)
• Input Voltage: 100 to 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz
• Output Voltage: 19.5V/11.8A (230W)
• Connectivity: Internal (communication between PC & Display); 1x USB-C, 1x Power
• Connectivity: External (customer interfaces); 1x RJ45 (LAN), 2x USB-C, 1xmHDMI, 1xmDP, 2x DC-in
• Price: $3,299

As far as specs go, not great. Suffering the same fate as their only real competitor, Wacom is forced to use mobile components. It'd be nice to know which ones, but at least they've helpfully limited it to a hopeful Kabylake.

The GPU is a Pascal mobile part, a 75Wer that slots in behind the P4000 MAX-Q and P4000.

There's no Thunderbolt. Get over it.

 

Overall, it looks interesting, but a minimum cost of $4500 to use this thing as it's meant to be used, is asking too much. It's $1500 over the base i5 Surface Studio, and $300 over the fully loaded model. Going up to the touch model of the Cintiq Pro 24 brings the price to $5,000, or the base price of the 3.2GHz octocore iMac Pro. It really only hosts a handful of advantages over the Studio: More powerful GPU, the machine itself is easy to detach and drag between displays at work and home, or in between offices, the potential for a slightly more powerful CPU, and the fact that it has access to Quadro drivers out of the box.

https://www.wacom.com/en-us/about-wacom/news-and-events/2018/1286

 

[DrMacintosh]

7 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

With the Surface Studio being a ravishing success amongst digital artists that want a pen enabled all in one larger than a tablet,

How many units has the Surface Studio actually sold? 

[captain_to_fire]

24 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

With the Surface Studio being a ravishing success amongst digital artists

I doubt digital artists came flocking to Microsoft Stores to buy the Surface Studio considering the fact that it uses a laptop CPU slapped with an expensive price tag. I doubt the likes of Marvel and DC bought Surface Studios in bulk for their cartoonists to use.

[DrMacintosh]

3 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

I doubt digital artists came flocking to Microsoft Stores to buy the Surface Studio considering the fact that it uses a laptop CPU slapped with an expensive price tag. I doubt the likes of Marvel and DC bought Surface Studios in bulk for their cartoonists to use.

I heard their hardware division is overall performing pretty poorly 

[D13H4RD]

I don't think it's a ravishing success Tbh. 

 

Maybe by Microsoft standards but that's kinda like saying I scored a 50% this time when I scored 38% before. 

[captain_to_fire]

1 minute ago, DrMacintosh said:

I heard their hardware division is overall performing pretty poorly 

I don't know. i'm slowly seeing people with Surface Pros in Starbucks sitting together with people with their MacBook Pros. Sucks that the latest Surface Pro and Surface Studio doesn't have USB-C

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, hey_yo_ said:

I don't know. i'm slowly seeing people with Surface Pros in Starbucks sitting together with people with their MacBook Pros. Sucks that the latest Surface Pro and Surface Studio doesn't have USB-C

I've seen 1 Surface Book and a Surface Laptop at my school. But thats it. My one English class has like 5 MacsBooks in it  

[Drak3]

13 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

I doubt digital artists came flocking to Microsoft Stores to buy the Surface Studio considering the fact that it uses a laptop CPU slapped with an expensive price tag. I doubt the likes of Marvel and DC bought Surface Studios in bulk for their cartoonists to use.

Large studios, no. But large studios, like Marvel and DC, aren't a majority of digital artists, nor are they in the market for every new thing that comes out.

But Microsoft shipped 30,000 Studio units 2016Q4 based off of preorders, twice their hopeful estimate of 15,000 units.

 

The 6820HQ and 6440HQ aren't exactly weak CPUs either. Keep in mind, the upcoming Pro Engine is also using mobile SKUs. Most artists also don't have the scratch to spend to get an equivalent setup with Wacom. Prior to Cintiq Pro, the 27" UHD model, sans touch, was nearing $3,000. The 13" was $1,200.

7 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

I don't think it's a ravishing success Tbh. 

Given its exact niche, how long Microsoft has been making machines, and their lack of market presence prior, it's a ravishing success.

 

4 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

I don't know. i'm slowly seeing people with Surface Pros in Starbucks sitting together with people with their MacBook Pros. Sucks that the latest Surface Pro and Surface Studio doesn't have USB-C

They're gaining popularity slowly in a market that doesn't exactly have room for subpar competition.

[D13H4RD]

In its niche, then it can be considered a success. 

 

But that's what it is. Niche. 

 

Then again, the other Surface products takes care of the mainstream 

[Arika]

on topic of the wacom product. this is actually a pretty cool idea. the price isn't great since it's an extra $2500 on top of the pen display. cant wait to see what it looks like.......wish i had the money for the 24 (or even 21") displays

[Drak3]

Just now, Sierra Fox said:

on topic of the wacom product. this is actually a pretty cool idea. the price isn't great since it's an extra $2500 on top of the pen display. cant wait to see what it looks like.......wish i had the money for the 24 (or even 21") displays

I'm on the fence about it. The $4500 effective base price for the Pro Engine is ridiculous. I'm kind of getting sick of zooming in and out on my Pro 4. Part of me just wants the Cintiq Pro to come out and slap it to my main machine. Other part of me wants a dedicated system that I can tweak just for art.

[goodtofufriday]

I dont understand. Wacom have had such devices for a long time now

[Drak3]

2 minutes ago, goodtofufriday said:

I dont understand. Wacom have had such devices for a long time now

They've had pen displays, and tablets that doubled as pen displays.

 

Whereas this is a PC that makes their newest pen display into an AiO desktop, just like the Surface Studio.

[goodtofufriday]

Just now, Drak3 said:

They've had pen displays, and tablets that doubled as pen displays.

 

Whereas this is a PC that makes their newest pen display into an AiO desktop, just like the Surface Studio.

They've had aio computers before like the surface studio.

[Arika]

1 minute ago, Drak3 said:

I'm on the fence about it. The $4500 effective base price for the Pro Engine is ridiculous. I'm kind of getting sick of zooming in and out on my Pro 4. Part of me just wants the Cintiq Pro to come out and slap it to my main machine. Other part of me wants a dedicated system that I can tweak just for art.

i used to have a cintiq 13 but sold it for my yoga. i love having a dedicated system that i can take with me, or sit on the couch instead of at my desk. sometimes i wish i had a 15" screen instead but i can manage with 13. im by no means a professional

[Arika]

1 minute ago, goodtofufriday said:

They've had aio computers before like the surface studio.

not quite. they had the cintiq companion and mobile studio which are basically just their smaller pen displays with internal components . nothing like the surface studio which is designed to be on a desk

[Drak3]

Just now, goodtofufriday said:

They've had aio computers before like the surface studio.

Not like this. They've had up to 16" tablets, but AiO is something they're new at.

 

3 minutes ago, Sierra Fox said:

i used to have a cintiq 13 but sold it for my yoga. i love having a dedicated system that i can take with me, or sit on the couch instead of at my desk. sometimes i wish i had a 15" screen instead but i can manage with 13. im by no means a professional

I know an artist with an old Cintiq 12WX and one with a Cintiq 13. I own an old Wacom Bamboo, a Surface Pro 4, and a Note 10.1. I dislike the Bamboo because I'm not looking at what I'm drawing. The SP4 is too small for me when it comes to the fine detail work, and everything smaller, like the Note, are only usable as doodlepads to me. I've played around with some Cintiqs and the Studio, and that's a screen size I'd like to have.

[Arika]

7 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

snip

i had to do a quick search to find out what the names of the products were because i forgot the name of the mobile studio.

 

I'm already getting ads in the side bar of websites HEY YOU LOOKED AT THIS PRODUCT FOR 4 SECONDS YOU WANT TO BUY ONE RIGHT? RIGHT??!!??!??!?!?! HERE LOOK, HERE THEY ARE, BUY THEM AT THIS STORE.

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, Sierra Fox said:

i had to do a quick search to find out what the names of the products were because i forgot the name of the mobile studio.

 

I'm already getting ads in the side bar of websites HEY YOU LOOKED AT THIS PRODUCT FOR 4 SECONDS YOU WANT TO BUY ONE RIGHT? RIGHT??!!??!??!?!?! HERE LOOK, HERE THEY ARE, BUY THEM AT THIS STORE.

I know that feeling. It's worse when you tend to impulse buy things you've been mulling over, just to stop mulling over it.

 

 

I'm actually not sure how I don't have a Studio or Cintiq yet.

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, VegetableStu said:

also I haven't had the need to be that mobile (like working in commute mobile), but I'd imagine having that in a mobile office internally would reduce a lot of clutter and facilitate more and easier "goddamnit here I'll bring everything and show you" movements

It's a desktop, not a mobile tablet.

 

2 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

OP text suffers the same problem with the mathematics paper on toroidial vortices

Fite me.

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, VegetableStu said:

wait, that thing doesn't come with a battery--

 

okay I guess it can't be used in a train then. Point still stands for mobility in-office though

Well, that's part of the point of it.

[Arika]

1 hour ago, VegetableStu said:

okay I guess it can't be used in a train then. Point still stands for mobility in-office though

would be pretty weird to use a 24" tablet on a train

[ARikozuM]

[Drak3]

7 hours ago, ARikozuM said:

 

10 hours ago, Drak3 said:

for space saving reasons and/or cable management

 

[RagnarokDel]

13 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

I heard their hardware division is overall performing pretty poorly 

I heard you're making stuff up.