Cintiq 13hd Vs Companion 2

This text is a translation of this original french post. This's the first post of three texts about new Cintiq Companion and Companion Hybrid by Wacom.

Cintiq_Companion_Logo-white_on_black

Main links >
– all Companions : http://cintiqcompanion.wacom.com
– the Cintiq Companion Hybrid : http://cintiqcompanion.wacom.com/CintiqCompanionHybrid
– the Cintiq Companion : http://cintiqcompanion.wacom.com/CintiqCompanion

cc3

INTRODUCTION

The two new Cintiq Companions called Companion and Companion Hybrid are mobile Cintiq 13HD. There are two systems : Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro for both versions of the Cintiq Companion and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for the two Cintiq Companion Hybrid versions. The Cintiq Companions is an innovation for Wacom, because for the first time, you have a Cintiq, which works without a PC. Another innovation and certainly revolutionary, which we do not realize yet, is that with the Cintiq Companion Hybrid, we have the first 13.3-inch multimedia tablet , with a screen IPS and storage 16 to 32G (There is the Family Pad Archos with this size , but the screen is poor – it's not the same price either). It is quite possible that the 13-inch size becomes a new standard later for multimedia tablet. So the Cintiq Companions are precursors tablets . With the Cintiq Companion , it was also the first time you have an autonomous multitouch tablet with the power of a laptop. For the first time , you have a digital scratchbook that uses all professional softwares , not light soft or versions optimized for multimedia tablets. At the time, we did not realize still, but both objects are certainly really innovative. The only problem with Wacom is that this corporation is leader et haven't no competitors in its field. No stress and no pressure to set a competitive price or redefine an object to sell with a lower price. Cintiq Companions are objects of design, are high quality products. Products « classe » (« classe » means luxury, without jewel, etc… An iMac, « c'est classe », by example)

cintiqcompanions2

PRICES

The prices on Wacom e-Store, (new responsive site)

Cintiq Companion Hybrid 16 G + Android Jelly bean 4.2 : 1500 $ (link-e-store)
Cintiq Companion Hybrid 32 G + Android Jelly Bean 4.2 : 1600 $ (link-e-store)
Cintiq Companion 256 G + Windows 8 : 2000 $ ( link e-store )
Cintiq Companion 512 G +Windows 8 Pro : 2500 $ ( link e-store )

The part numbers :
Cintiq Companion Hybrid 16 G : DTH-A1300L
Cintiq Companion Hybrid 32 G : DTH-A1300H
Cintiq Companion 256 G : DTH-W1300L
Cintiq Companion 512 G : DTH-W1300H

Advices : Choose the Cintiq companion Hybrid 32G. For 100$ more, you have 32G. Choose the Cintiq Companion 256G. The version 512G is too expansive.

The products are available mid-October (in fact October 15). In Europe, you can buy only on the e-store (no Amazon,etc…). This is the first time Wacom controls all and makes direct-to-consumer (BtoC)

CINTIQ COMPANION, CINTIQ COMPANION HYBRID & CINTIQ 13HD

Both Cintiq Companions and Companion Hybrid are real Cintiq 13HD. You can use the picture below. It works for the three models.

cintiqcompanions3

If you compare all models.
Same thing >
– same diagonale : 33 cm (13,3 pouces),
– same width & length : 37,8cm x 24,8cm ( 14.75 x 9.75 x .64 inch). Exactly 37,5 cm x 24,8 cm for Cintiq 13HD. Lost some minimeters.
– same screen IPS ( a-Si Active Matrix TFT LCD ) : 75% Adobe RGB, 16,7 millions of colors, best screen in its category.
– same resolution : 1920 x 1080
– same ratio : 16:9
– same angle : 178°
– same contrast : 700:1
– same response rate : 25 ms

Differences >
– light : 250 cd/m2 for 13HD and210 cd/m2 for Cintiq Companions
– active area : larger for Cintiq 13HD with29,9cm x 17,1cm, just 1/2 cm more than Cintiq Companions with 29,4 cm x 165 cm (11.6 x 6.5 inch)
– thickness : 1,4 cm for Cintiq 13HD & 1,6/1,7 cm for Cintiq Companions (0.64 inch)
– weight : 1,4 kg for Cintiq 13HD and1,7 à 1,8 kg for Cintiq Companions, heavier than 300/400 grammes (to compare, a macBook Air, it's 1,4 kg and an iPad 1, 700g)

cc2

Visually, from the front, they are all the same tablet. It 's the same screen edge, the Rocker Ring and four ExpressKeys. The proof : the Observatory of W&mP has found that the same images are repeated for the Cintiq 13HD and Cintiq Companions. In fact, there is a small detail. In the middle of the Rocker Ring (the Home button), Cintiq Companion shows Microsoft logo. I think this is the first time we have the logo of another brand on a Wacom tablet.
Visually, the difference between all models are on the sides with all connections and back shelves. Cintiq Companion/Windows version has a silver classy back shelves and Android version has a darker surface. Note that the Cintiq Companion/Windows versions displays largest speakers (stereo sound only for this version, mono for Android version – to verify) and big ventilation zones.
Both Cintiq Companions/Window has on the other side another microphone ( 2 microphones for this version), a + / – button to adjust the sound (not that the Android version) and a button to block the orientation of the tablet, which may suggest that the Windows version has a gyroscope. Is that the Android version has a gyroscope, but has no lock button or no gyro at all? Here I must ask M.Wacom.

It's possible to adjust the stand on 3 degree, like with the Cintiq 13HD. The stand has been improved (that's my informations – but I'm not 100% sure). I ask confirmation M.Wacom later. The stand of Cintiq 13HD was criticized. For noobs, the stand can be detachable.

ccreposoir

Finally, it seems that Cintiq Companion/Windows version is a superb classy product, and Cintiq Companion Hybrid/Android version is closer to the Cintiq 13HD.

Factsheets >
Cintiq Companion : http://fr.shop.wacom.eu/files/downloads/ta_cin_fa_cc_a4_en_lowres-5675907.pdf
Cintiq Companion Hybrid : http://fr.shop.wacom.eu/files/downloads/ta_cin_fa_cch_a4_en_lowres-5661395.pdf
Cintiq 13HD (pour rappel) : http://shop.wacom.eu/files/downloads/pd_cin_fa_13hd_fr01_lowres-5411105.pdf

LE PRO PEN

Such as the Cintiq 13HD, Cintiq Companions offer the Pro Pen with its magnificent setting. With nine mines and not 10 (on the site, there are 10 and the factsheet, there are well written 9). For those who do not follow the news of the blog, Pro Pen, that's it. This is the Tsar of all stars of Grip Pen. Of course, Technology is that of Intuos4, found on all the latest Cintiq (13HD, 22HD, 24HD) and Intuos (I4, I5 and why not next I6) with the same number of pressures (2048 ) and tilt sensitivity. The clip and the rings are still there (colors :black, red, green, blue).

neufplusun

propen

CONCLUSION

So one might think that Wacom offers with the Cintiq Companions, a low Cintiq comparing to a real Cintiq connected to PC, as the Cintiq 13HD. Well, not. It 's a real Cintiq. The difference is the price : the Cintiq 13HD is sold to 1000$ and Cintiq Companion Hybrid starts at 1500 $, an increase of 500$. Of course, the big difference is that the Cintiq Companions are quite different.
The hybrid version offers a Cintiq to connect to a PC + independent multimedia tablet, so the Cintiq Companion Hybrid offers, in addition, a multimedia tablet with an well-known Android system (ready for web, music, movies, games), multitouch, speakers , WiFi, Bluetooth, USB connections, mini SD, a jack, a microphone and everything with an IPS screen and a battery that lasts 6 to 8 hours (6 hours for the 16G model and 8 hours 32G model). Basically, you will notice that for 600 €, you have a multimedia tablet with 32G of storage, 13.3-inch in size and 8 hours of battery life.
With Cintiq Companion/Windows version, you get a Cintiq without the need for connect to a PC. It is the equivalent of a 2000 $ laptop with a powerful chip, a lot of RAM, a graphics card and a storage which starts at 250G. It is not given to everyone.
We will talk about both Companions specifications on two next posts. We'll see two totally different Cintiq Companion, with different purposes also. If the Companion Hybrid/Android version is a mobile Cintiq for design, drawing and illustration, the Cintiq Companion/Windows version is ready for clean works combining 2D and 3D.

cc4