Living in My GameSpace is all about incorporating new tech and gadgets into my gaming setup, whether it’s new hardware for my PC or RGB lighting and other decor for my battle station. This week, I’m heading back into the world of drawing with the Wacom One 13 Touch graphics tablet. For those unfamiliar with Wacom, the company has been a leading player in the digital graphics market since 1983. They offer a wide range of graphics tablets and pads suitable for professional work, all the way down to the beginner level, which is where you’ll find the Wacom One’s target audience. To say that I am an amateur artist would be an insult to anyone with an ounce of creativity, but I was able to quickly get up to speed with the Wacom One 13 Touch, and my time with the tablet gives me hope that I may someday be able to create more than simple doodles.
Wacom One 13 Touch: What’s In The Box?
The Wacom One 13 Touch includes everything you need to get set up on a PC (Windows or iOS) or Android device with USB-C DisplayPort Alt mode. This includes the tablet itself, a Wacom One Standard Pen, two USB-C cables, and a power adapter. Optional accessories include the Wacom One Stand (cheaper and more versatile stands can be found on Amazon), a carry case, a clear protective rear cover, and additional stylus upgrades.
In The Box
The Wacom One 13 Touch has a sleek body, measuring 13.2 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches and weighing just 1.9 pounds. The 13.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) touch-enabled screen is a standout feature in the Wacom One lineup. It has impressive color accuracy for a budget tablet, covering 99% of the sRGB gamut, and a brightness of 320 nits with a 2000:1 contrast ratio, ensuring vibrant and clear visuals from its 170° viewing angle.
Connectivity is handled through two USB-C ports, making it compatible with Windows 10 and macOS PCs, Android devices running Android 8.0 or later, and Chrome OS. Its two USB-C ports simplify setup, with one port often handling both video and power for compatible DisplayPort Alt Mode devices, reducing cable clutter. However, some devices, such as my Samsung S23+, may require a power adapter to be plugged into the second USB-C port. When attached to a device that supports a single cable, the second port can be used to connect peripherals, such as a keyboard or mouse, effectively making the tablet a versatile mini-hub.
Wacom offers a 3-in-1 HDMI cable for connectivity if your device doesn’t support DisplayPort Alt mode, which includes most Windows desktop PCs. I was also able to get the 13T up and running with my desktop PC by pairing the included power cord with a third-party DisplayPort-to-USB-C cable.
Wacom One 13 Touch: Functionality and Practical Use
While it may not have the ultra-high resolution or professional-grade color accuracy of Wacom’s more expensive offerings, the Wacom One 13 Touch strikes an excellent balance of features, performance, and accessibility, making it an ideal choice for anyone beginning their digital art journey.
The Wacom One 13 Touch provides a vibrant Full HD display with a surface designed for a natural creative feel. The 13.3-inch panel delivers sharp, clear visuals, and the 99% sRGB color coverage is crucial for accurate color representation in your artistic projects. Its anti-glare and anti-fingerprint surface provides a pleasant, paper-like friction when drawing, while minimizing distracting reflections and smudges. There is virtually no parallax when viewing from directly above the display; however, as you increase the viewing angle, you will notice a slight separation between the pen head and the output on the display. More noticeable is the way your lines will lag behind the pen nib when making quick strokes, a common issue in budget devices.
It takes practice to use the pressure-sensitive pen
The display itself provides a more than adequate drawing surface. When attached to my laptop or desktop PC, the screen functions as an additional touchscreen monitor, either extending or mirroring the main display. I generally used it as a second display that held my drawing software, leaving my primary display to show any other programs I had running.
During use, I quickly noticed one feature the Wacom One 13 Touch was missing: a built-in stand. Just as typing on a flat keyboard is suboptimal, I found drawing on the 13T to be the same. Even the addition of foldable feet would provide enough of an angle to make drawing more comfortable, and many users will want to invest in a stand, be it one from Wacom or a generic offering from Amazon. I don’t have a need for professional-type drawing, and I found myself using the 13T while sitting in my recliner more often than at my desk. Its lightweight body was perfect for holding in my lap as I mess around with it, and the portability afforded by attaching the 13T to my phone was an added bonus.
For input, the 13T utilizes the Wacom One Standard Pen. The pen is a battery-free EMR stylus, so you never have to worry about charging. The stylus is shaped similarly to a pen or small paintbrush, so its use feels familiar and natural in your hand. The pen glides smoothly along the screen with minimal resistance, much like a ballpoint pen. Featuring 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, the pen allows you to adjust line thickness and opacity by varying the pressure applied. The pen also recognizes tilt, allowing for natural shading and brush effects. You’ll need a lot of practice to master these features. After several hours of use, I still need to make multiple attempts to achieve my desired result, but it’s still an improvement over manually changing these options through your software UI.
The pen has additional features that aid in managing your digital creations. There are two customizable side buttons that can be programmed for frequently used shortcuts, such as undo, redo, or zooming. Complementing the pen’s buttons is multi-touch functionality, a significant advantage for an entry-level display tablet. This allows you to navigate, zoom, rotate, and pan your artwork using familiar gestures directly on the screen, much like you would with a smartphone or tablet, providing a more dynamic and intuitive control of your work.
Like most graphics pads, the true power of the Wacom One 13 Touch is only unleashed when paired with software that can properly utilize all of its features. Some free drawing apps that I tried out on my phone and PC couldn’t utilize the pressure sensitivity and angle functionality of the pen, but there are plenty of free and paid apps that work well with the 13T.
To aid in finding software to meet your needs, the Wacom One 13 Touch offers an enhanced creative ecosystem. When you register your device, you gain access to the “Wacom Adventure Program,” which includes trial versions of popular creative software, such as Clip Studio Paint Pro and Concepts, alongside educational resources. This bonus pack provides the perfect starting point for new users to explore a range of artistic tools. The device also supports a range of third-party EMR pens from brands like LAMY and Staedtler, giving you more choices to find your preferred drawing feel. And through the Wacom Center utility, you can easily customize pen pressure curves, button functions, and display settings to personalize your creative experience.
Wacom Center Offers
Final Thoughts
The Wacom One 13 Touch is a great entry-level graphics tablet. The touchscreen is bright and vivid, and the multi-touch gesture support provides an added level of control that you don’t always find in other basic pads. Dropping $599 for a budget drawing tablet may sound like an oxymoron – there are plenty of cheaper options out there – but I found the touchscreen and its multi-touch feature to be worth the extra money. It made the transition from doodling on my phone to using the 13T quick and easy. Now all I have to do is actually learn how to draw, and the Wacom One 13 Touch will find a permanent home in my GameSpace.
