7P: Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 (DTH-271)
Last updated
Last updated
The Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 is the best pen display ever made. With a price of $3500 it is also the most expensive pen display ever made.
This Cintiq is an excellent device - except for the irritating fan noise. I love drawing with it. Drawing experience is excellent. But only incrementally and subtly better than previous models.
For creative professionals - who deeply care about color this may be a worthwhile and useful purchase that replaces the need to buy a pen display and a reference monitor
For everyone else - especially if you don't have professional color requirements, the value you get may not justify the cost.
This was a personal purchase.
This was not a review unit. I bought it from the wacom.com online store.
I have no relationship to Wacom.
I attended Wacom's demo event on Oct 5 2022 before the product was launched.
This wasn't an exclusive event. I registered for it like everyone else when Wacom publicly revealed the event.
Wacom published the Q&A from the demo event here:
Many others have created very thoughtful reviews
Please consult them to get a more complete understanding of this tablet
Wacom Cintiq Pro 27
DTH-271
Wacom Pro Pen 3
ACP-500
Included with Wacom Cintiq Pro 27
Wacom Pro Pen 3 tray
ACK44827Z
Included with Wacom Cintiq Pro 27
Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 Stand
ACK64801KZ
The best drawing experience there ever has been with a pen display.
However, the improvements are minor and incredibly subtle over previous generations.
At 27" diagonal for both the active area and display, this model is one of the largest pen displays ever made.
Only two models have come close in size.
The Wacom Cintiq Pro 32 (DTH-3220) first released in 2018.
The discontinued Cintiq 27HD (DTK-2700) first released in 2015.
The available largest size from competitors is 24"
size = 596 x 335 mm (23.5 x 13.2 in)
diagonal size = 26.9 in (68.3cm)
aspect ratio: 16x9
In absolute terms, The Cintiq Pro 27 has shows moderate pointer lag.
Pen tablets (like the Intuos Pro Large PTH-860) have much less lag than this Cintiq. These have EXCELLENT lag.
Apple iPads have much less lag than this Cintiq, but not quite as little as pen displaces. These have EXCELLENT log.
In terms relative to other pen displays, The Cintiq has GOOD (but not GREAT) pointer lag.
Affect of the 120Hz refresh rate - The 120Hz refresh rate of the display panel only minimal improved the perception of lag. This surprised me. I expected the 120Hz to make a bigger difference based on my experience with the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil 2 which also uses a 120Hz refresh rate.
Tilt support with the Cintiq Pro 27 is standard for Wacom: EXCELLENT.
Tilt is smooth, accurate, and responsive.
Tilt works correctly at edges and corners.
Wacom has improved overall tilt experience with the shape of the Pro Pen 3. The pen has a sharper tip section, making it physically possible to get to more tilt values.
Wacom does not publish pen tracking accuracy numbers
But we can compare it to other tablets that do have published numbers
Here are the accuracy numbers for the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 4K (GT2401) as
+/- 0.5 mm at center
+/- 3mm at corner
I think these numbers are accurate for the Huion
The Cintiq pro 27 - just like every other pen display - has some non-uniformity.
Compared to any other pen display out there the uniformity is VERY GOOD.
The amount of inaccuracy at the edges and corners is very low - clearly better than the Huion Pro 24 4K model.
An iPad Pro has EXCELLENT parallax (very little parallax)
The display of the Cintiq Pro 27 has VERY GOOD parallax due to its full lamination but clearly not as good as an iPad Pro
The Cintiq Pro 27 parallax is nothing special for modern pen displays. Many pen displays are fully laminated lately.
Pressure is a feature of the pen you use with the tablet.
NOTE: Originally I had ranked the Cintiq Pro 27 as having VERY GOOD wobble. Upon further testing with many other tablets, I havve downgraded the ranking.
As tablet that costs $3500 I think The Cintiq Pro 27 tablet should have better (less) diagonal wobble. There are other tablets out there at various price levels that are better:
Wacom Intuos PTH-860
Huion Kamvas Pro 24
Huion Kamvas 13 and XP-Pen Artist 13 (2nd Gen).
Rating: OK
native resolution: 3840 x 2160
aspect ratio: 16x10
contrast ratio: 1000:1
refresh rate: Up to 120Hz
Response time: 10ms
panel tech: IPS
Supports up to 10 bits per RGB channel (30 bits for each pixel) giving 10 Billion colors
Also works at standard 8 bits per RGB channel (24 bits for each pixel) giving 16.7 unique colors
I only used it at 8 bits per channel
400 cd/m2
NOTE: 1 cd/m2 = 1 nit
Overall relatively bright for a pen display, not as bright as many of the modern displays in the market.
In comparison:
Cintiq pro 27 -> 400 cd/m2
Apple iPad Pro (11 inch) (4rd gen) -> 600 cd/m2
Surface Pro 8 -> 452.8 cd/m2
Huion Kamvas Pro 24 4k -> 200 cd/m2
In practice seemed bright enough for drawing. I certainly did not find it dim
However, if you place it next to a device like an iPad Pro or Surface Pro 8, then it's clearly not as bright.
Supports up to 120Hz
Works at 60Hz
Works at 30Hz - you do NOT want to use it at this refresh rate
NOTE: Pay attention when you plug it in, depending on how it is connected to your PC, you could end up with a lower refresh rate. Always check the refresh rate being used when you plug it in. Don't assume you are getting 120Hz.
For example: When connecting to a Surface Pro 8, via the surface dock, and a miniDP to HDMI adapter limitation I could only achieve 30Hz due to limitations in the adapter.
Reflections on your pen display would make it difficult to draw. To reduce reflections, manufacturers give an anti-glare (AG) treatment to the display/ The AG treatment is either etched glass or an AG film applied on top of the glass
The Cintiq Pro 27 uses AG etched glass
The AG sparkle from the etched glass is GOOD (i.e. low) for a display of this size and resolution
AG Sparkle is only slightly visible with eyes 4" away from glass
AG Sparkle is not visible at my normal drawing distance with eyes 13" from glass
The AG etching provides a subtle texture for your pen to grip against. Your fingers won't notice it but it definitely helps the pen feel connected to the tablet.
It does NOT have that slippery feeling that comes with the iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil.
None observed in my model
Deep black to my eyes - not dark grey.
I don't have a much background in color - especially in a professional sense. Here I am just listing the specs.
98% DCI-P3
99% Adobe RGB
Using the OSD you can place it into different color modes
Native (the default)
AdobeRGB
DCI-P3
Rec.709
Rec.2020
Display P3
sRGB
EBU
PQ Rec.2100
PQ DCI
HLG Rec.2100
Custom
My usage: I left it at Native.
1x mini DisplayPort
1x HDMI
2x USB Type-C
1x USB Standard-A
1x power
I used two cables
Power cable -> goes to wall
USB-C cable (provided in the box) -> to connect to the thunderbolt 4 ports on my PC. The USB C cable provided display signal + data.
I used the Cintiq with
Mac Studio
Surface Pro 8
Total of 8 buttons. 4 on left. 4 on right.
If you mount the pen holder on the left or right of the tablet, you will lose access to the buttons on that side.
The buttons cannot be used to enable/disable touch. You have to use the touch switch on the back of the device.
I prefer not to use buttons in general.
I rely on a TourBox device so express keys don't help. I have my non-drawing hand on my Tourbox device so the buttons aren't really very useful for me.
You cannot use the device without mounting it to something
On the back it has a standard 100mm VESA mount
You can either
Use the Cintiq Pro 27 Stand (sold separately at $500)
Any compatible VESA display arm (like an Ergotron HX) that hold sup to 20lbs
Wacom Flex Arm + Wacom Flex Arm Adapter
It wobbles a bit if you press on it.
I mitigate the wobble by placing something under it's bottom edge. That provides some additional support to keep the tablet very still.
The Z axis is a line between your eye and surface of the tablet
Can rotate +/- 20 degrees
Can NOT rotate the display into portrait mode
Typically you will use it with the tablet facing upwards somewhat so you can comfortably draw
You CAN angle it so that the surface is perpendicular to the floor.
However, then essentially the bottom edge is directly touching your desk. So it isn't very useful in that position if you just want to use it as a monitor with this stand.
You can angle it so that the surface is facing completely upwards and parallel to the floor.
Some limited height adjustability - cannot lift the the display very high
If you need to use it like a normal monitor -you should get an arm instead of using the stand
The Cintiq Po 27 contains two fans according to Wacom.
Note that the Cintiq Pro 24 had 4 fans.
I asked Wacom why it need fans.
Wacom's reply: "Unlike a typical desktop monitor or touch-screen, Wacom pen displays are designed to have a hand on them all the time, so heat is a serious factor for long-term usability and comfort. On most smaller tablets and displays, enough heat can escape from the back, so it's not an issue. However, the larger and brighter the display, the more heat it will produce. Heatsinks are a common device used to normalize temperatures and dissipate heat. Our displays use heatsinks to help dissipate heat, and an active heatsink requires a fan to work effectively"
It is still unclear to me why the Cintiq Pro 27 needs fans when many other devices don't. For example, is the Huion Pro 24 4K is silent and is just very slightly warm to the touch. There are many other examples of devices.
The fans are located on the top edge of the display
The Fan noise is always on if the display is powered
Fan noise during power up or wake from sleep
Will be loud for a few seconds
Will be silent for a few seconds
Then will settle in on its constant sound
Changing brightness does not affect Fan
There is no way to control the fan speed.
I hope and encourage Wacom to release an update that gives some selective control over the fan.
In a quiet environment you will notice the fan noise
The noise does bother me. It is louder than any device I have in my office except my PC when I am gaming at 4K.
I mitigate the fan noise perception sometimes by using earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation. I use Google Pixel Buds pro which completely mask the sound. As much as this solution does work, I don't think the future of using expensive creative equipment should require me to put something in my ears.
I would STRONGLY prefer the Cintiq Pro 27 to be silent or at least much quieter even if it has run slightly warmer.
I had originally hoped to use a device to measure the noise, but when I went to research these devices I learned that consumer-level devices and apps are unreliable.
Tested and confirmed that these older pens work fine with the Cintiq Pro 27
Wacom Pro Pen 2 (KP504E)
Wacom Grip Pen (KP-501E)
Wacom Art Pen (KP-701E)
The Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 comes with the Wacom Pro Pen 3.
The Wacom Pro Pen 3 is a very normal EMR pen that lives up to previous models in terms of quality. And may be slightly better than the Wacom Pro Pen 2.
All Cintiq Pro 27 models support touch
You can enable/disable touch with a button on the rear of the display
Quality of touch support: Past vs Present
Historically I have never been happy with touch support in Intuos Pro models.
The touch support in the Cintiq Pro 27 is very much improved.
The overall touch experience
When connected to a Windows computer - VERY GOOD. Windows has had extensive built in touch support for a decade now and it shows when using this device. It feels very natural. However it did suffer from occasional glitchy behavior. For example sometimes it "lost" a ping-to-zoom gesture and I had to repeat the gesture again to get it to work. If you are used to working with a Microsoft Surface then I would say the Surface touch experience is clear better than the the Wacom Cintiq Pro 27.
When connected to a Mac - OK. It works well, but MacOS is not built to work with touch like an iPad is. So please don't expect the touch support to make your Mac feel like an iPad.
Palm rejection is much improved. But still didn't reject my palm enough. So as I tried to pinch and zoom in Clip Studio Paint I would often find that I had accidentally drawn a stroke. I mostly disabled touch while using the device because of this reason.
There are three buttons on the tablet (top right if you are facing the tablet)
These buttons are the
power
show/hide OSD
slider to control touch
These work fine.
My only nitpick here is that the power button is very close to the show/hide OSD button and also they are difficult to distinguish by touch. So, I am always a little nervous that instead of bringing up the OSD that I am about to turn off the tablet.
The Cintiq Pro 27 - excellent
The Cintiq Pro 27 stand - excellent
The Pro Pen 3 - excellent
The pen holder - feels cheap and finnicky. Does not open elegantly. The lid will unelegantly pop off.
There's no getting around the cost. it is extremely expensive.
$3500 for the pen display itself, and you'll need to separately purchase a stand.
The Wacom stand for this device itself costs $500.
Generally people are concerned about scratching up the glass surface. And when a tablet costs so much that makes sense.
I am still searching for how we can give some added protection to the surface - like some kind of protective film. I don't have an answer to this yet. If anyone has suggestions, let me know.
The tablet comes with a 2 year warranty (at least in the US).
However, an extended warranty can be purchased. Here's what Wacom had to say about it from the Oct 5 demo event.
"... we currently offer a 2-year, 3-year, and 4-year extended warranty on the Wacom eStore (displayed above the Add to Cart button). This is in addition to the 2-year manufacturer warranty, so you could have up to 6 years of extended coverage. It's also possible that other retailers may offer their own extended service packages."
Ultimately this device seems targeted at really high-end professional scenarios that involve dealing with color in specialized ways.
Beginner -> I don't think it makes sense to get. You won't benefit from it much. You could spend the same money ($3500) and get a PC, a 4K pen display, mounting arm, and more.
Intermediate -> Same as beginner answer.
Experienced user of a Cintiq Pro 24 or 32 model -> YES, IF you are really really need its pro color support
During the Oct 5 2022 Demo event, Wacom said that if you are working with reference monitors and are drawing on a pen display, you should consider getting this single device instead. You can use it like a normal reference monitor and when you need to draw, you just pull it closer and start drawing.
I'm not an expert in this scenario, so I can't comment on that, but it seems reasonable.
Ultimately we need to hear from color professionals to see if indeed the Cintiq can be used as a reference monitor.
With the price of the Cintiq Pro 27, some people are now simply deciding to go with the older Cintiq Pro 24 model.
Key points
Same brand
24" size close to 27" size
Some people prefer the wider bezel of the Cintiq Pro 24
Cintiq Pro 24 has EXCELLENT drawing experience
Also supports 4K resolution
We expect Wacom will eventually enable the Pro Pen 3 on the Cintiq Pro 24. Though they have not specifically committed to this yet.
The Cintiq Pro does have a known fan noise issue. Some people say it's very quiet and some people say it is very loud.
Comparing the Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 the Huion Kamvas 24 Pro 4K.
The Cintiq Pro 27 is overall clearly superior.
The advantages of the Cintiq Pro 27:
has a brighter screen
supports touch
higher display refresh rate (120Hz vs 60Hz)
more flexible connection options
superior color management
less AG sparkle
However the Kamvas 24 Pro 4K is a terrific value for the price:
Supports the same 4K resolution
Screen is bright enough
60Hz refresh rate is fine for doing art. Every other pen display is at 60Hz.
The Kamvas drawing experience is pretty good - the Cintiq is just a bit better.
The Kamvas is completely silent. The Cintiq has constant fan noise that cannot be turned off or turned down.
The Kamvas has built-in foldable legs to hold the tablet at an angle and is also VESA mountable to other stands or arms.
The Huion may represent a better practical choice for many people because the Huion provides 90+% of the Wacom experience - especially if you don't need the sophisticated color management of the Cintiq - for a substantially reduced price
Cintiq Pro 27 -> $3500
Kamvas Pro 24 4K -> $1300
The Cintiq pro is superior in general to the Xencelabs Pen Display 24.
Some key differences:
The Xencelabs Pen Display 24 is a bit better at edge and corner accuracy
The Xencelabs had a bit more more pointer lag than the Cintiq Pro 27.
I haven't tried a comparable XP-Pen model, so I can't comment on any comparison.
As an experiment I connected an iPad Pro to the Cintiq Pro 27 using a Thunderbolt 3 cable.
Specific iPad Pro model used: Apple iPad Pro (11 inch) (4rd gen)
What worked
I was able to get the iPad Pro to use the display of the Cintiq Pro 27
What did not work
The iPad Pro was not able to use the touch support of the Cintiq Pro 27 at all.
This did not work at all. I tried connecting them with a Thunderbolt 3 cable but the Cintiq Pro gave the "NO SIGNAL" message and the S8 Ultra did not even detect that a display was attached.
2023/10/15 - Add info about connecting an Samsung Galaxy S8 Ultra to the Cintiq Pro 27
2023/10/15 - Add info about connecting an iPad Pro to the Cintiq Pro 27
2023/08/23 - Add link to reddit thread about the stand
2023/06/21 - Moved notes on Wacom Pro Pen 3 to a separate doc
2023/05/30 - Added info on the Xencelabs Pen Display 24
2023/05/30 - Added link to the Wacom support article listing compatible pens
2023/03/30 - Revised to diagonal wobble section with latest research
2023/03/30 - Updated the alternatives section
2023/02/05 - Clarified cursor lag compared to other devices.
2023/01/21 - Cleanup up section on anti-glare treatment and sparkle
2023/01/21 - Enhanced section on diagonal wobble
2022/12/19 - Fixed typos
2022/11/28 - Clarified touch behavior on Windows
2022/11/24 - moved parallax background to a separate technical note
2022/11/24 - moved pen tracking background to a separate technical note
2022/11/22 - Clarified rotation
2022/11/22 - Add links to other reviews
2022/11/22 - Initial version published
You can find other reviews of the Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 in .
Background:
More here:
Background:
Background:
See my that comes with the tablet.
Background:
In my testing, the Cintiq Pro 27 has GOOD-to-OK (i.e. low) diagonal wobble. See comparative samples here: .
Compare to some other diagonal samples linked from here:
Background:
Here's what it sounds like:
See my .
r/wacom - 6/21/2023
r/wacom - 8/23/2023
I own and use Huion Kamvas 24 Pro 4K. So my comments here are based on my direct experience with this model. .
.
The image on the Cintiq Pro 27 looked washed out - and I tried all color profiles on the Cintiq Pro 27. This seems to be an issue with the iPad Pro and some displays in general. See: r/iPadPro - 7/26/2023
