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Digital Art Hardware/Software ERA [OT]
- Thread starter Shogmaster
- Start date
you have to contact support via chat or phone if you go beyond the limit.
Wondering if anyone can help me with this. I have a Thinpad Yoga 14 (ThinkPad S3 Yoga) and I lost the active pen that came with it. I'm having a hard time getting a definitive answer on what pen is the right one for it. I'm pretty sure its the one thats just called Lenovo active pen but the compaibility list doesn't seem the mention my specific laptop.
That model is listed as being compatible with this pen:
Oh, I'm so glad somebody bumped this today. I was looking for this thread!
Software question. Does anybody have any suggestions for good replacements for Adobe Flash for digital animation purposes? My copy of Flash is so old it's still under Macromedia. I've got a project I want to work on and I'd like to upgrade, but it's just a hobby thing. I don't think I'll use the program enough to justify shelling out the monthly fee to rent it from Adobe. Are there any good competing programs that I can just buy?
Software question. Does anybody have any suggestions for good replacements for Adobe Flash for digital animation purposes? My copy of Flash is so old it's still under Macromedia. I've got a project I want to work on and I'd like to upgrade, but it's just a hobby thing. I don't think I'll use the program enough to justify shelling out the monthly fee to rent it from Adobe. Are there any good competing programs that I can just buy?
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Any of the Lenovo AES 1.0 pens will work. But they all have terribly shallow barrel buttons. I'd personally get the Wacom 1st gen dual protocol pen so that you can have one pen that can work on your Lenovo as well as Surface Pros. I also like the barrel button on it way better than most Lenovo AES 1.0 pens.
That depends on what kind of animation you're trying to make. No one likes using Flash anymore for animation since Toon Boom is more or less the industry standard. It is pretty expensive though, so you might want to consider an alternative like Moho. I have also heard good things about Blender, but I have not used it personally.
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I don't about one to one replacement for Flash but Clip Studio Paint EX version has pretty substantial animation features. About $220 but I got it on sale for about $170.
If you already have the Pro version of Clip Studio Paint, you can pay as n upgrade fee to get the EX version.
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Oh yeah Blender. You can't beat free. Also, Studio Khara is gonna use it for their production.
Haha, well that verifies how out of the loop I am. lol
Awesome! Thank you for the recs! Now to do some research. The leads are much appreciated!
Thanks
So any AES 1.0 pen should work? Didn't have much issue with the Lenovo one that came with it apart from the buttons not always working, though I think this might have been a software issue not a hardware one.
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There are one or two AES 1.0 pens from HP that veered from spec and doesn't work but generally, your model works with all pens adhering to AES 1.0 protocol IF your model is what I think it is (20 series Thinkpad Yoga 14 with 6th gen i5).
Any stores offer good monthly payment options that accept a debit card? Just finished payments on an air purifier from amazon, which was cool. And my Miix 700 screen just cracked so it'd be awesome if I could get a serious upgrade this week and just pay under $100 monthly or something.
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Only option I can think of is to apply for Best Buy CC and do their 12 months same as cash thingy. Hopefully you get enough credit from them and you get all the money paid under 12 months otherwise it's like max interest rate which is well over 20%.
BTW I just picked up Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15" from BB for $950 + tax. It's pretty much the best pen experience available under $1000 thx to it's Wacom EMR digitizer.
Corel Painter Humble Bundle is back.
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Tempted as hell to do this but it would be my first credit card. How likely is it that I would be approved lol.
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If you have a steady job and be a pulse they'd give you something.
Is that Best Buy configuration in particular the best experience for the price or would most configurations feel the same in a program like Painter? Does it matter if it's 9 'Pro' or not or have a dedicated gpu?
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The $950 one is the best configuration Samsung makes. There is also a 8GB RAM and no GPU version but that one is listed for $100 more so...
I'm going for it lol. Thanks. I should be set for years with this model.
edit: bought. If I understand correctly the tech in the S Pen with this laptop is different from the 2-in-1 Bamboo Ink I have, right? EMR vs AES? Would I have to stick with the EMR pen for the best drawing feel?
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Allows you to turn off making marks with your finger. CSP does this do you don't make accidental marks while doing multi touch.
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AES and EMR are incompatible. The silo pen in Notebook 9 Pro is too thin for adults. I suggest you eBay pen from HP ZBook X2. Also, don't forget to download generic Wintab driver from Microsoft (should have it for their Surface line).
You only need the 64 bit Wintab driver from that site.
Also, congrats on buying the best artist 2in1 this side a lotto win, fellow Notebook 9 Pro owner!
Oh dear. That sounds maddening without a feature like that.
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Indeed... And that's one of the reasons I switched from Painter to CSP.
Anyone know if the extra power in the iPad Air 2019 is any use for art comapred to the regular 2019 iPad? I got a gift card from work so I'm thinking of getting an iPad. I'm think of getting the 128gb version of the regular iPad compared to the Air since they bot have the same amount of ram now.
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Hi all!
It's a bit tangentially related to this thread but, if anyone is interested in a annual desktop subscription for either Toon Boom Harmony or Storyboard Pro, they'll be 50% off of full price tomorrow. Store page goes up tomorrow morning.
A little bit of self promotion since I work there, but I also know our products are rarely on sale, so I thought it was worth mentioning.
Else, hope everyone lands whatever art stuff they are looking for this Black Friday!
It's a bit tangentially related to this thread but, if anyone is interested in a annual desktop subscription for either Toon Boom Harmony or Storyboard Pro, they'll be 50% off of full price tomorrow. Store page goes up tomorrow morning.
A little bit of self promotion since I work there, but I also know our products are rarely on sale, so I thought it was worth mentioning.
Else, hope everyone lands whatever art stuff they are looking for this Black Friday!
Can I get a couple of suggestions on what 2 in 1 to get?
My friend is looking for one for her daughter to draw on(upgrading from a Huion tablet) as well as use for school
Would these work?
Surface pro 6
Or
Lenovo flex
I believe the budget is below $1000
Edit: digging through older posts, Lenovo yoga 730 is better?
Edit 2: hmm yoga c930 13" sounds good too?
My friend is looking for one for her daughter to draw on(upgrading from a Huion tablet) as well as use for school
Would these work?
Surface pro 6
Or
Lenovo flex
I believe the budget is below $1000
Edit: digging through older posts, Lenovo yoga 730 is better?
Edit 2: hmm yoga c930 13" sounds good too?
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Here's my recommendations for 2 in 1 art machine for Black Friday 2019:
Best art 2 in 1 for under $1000
Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 - $950 (close out end of life) at Best Buy
15" Notebook 9 Pro came out 2017 with 7th gen dual core CPUs and was later upgraded to 8th gen quad core before being rebadged as Notebook 9 Pen in late 2018. Now, the entire Notebook 9 Pro/Pen line is about to be replaced by Galaxy Flex line, with slightly larger 15,6" display using Samsung's Quantum dot LED screens instead of current PLS/IPS units.
What is significant about this 2 in 1 line from Samsung over all other pen enabled 2 in 1s is the use of Wacom's EMR (Electro magnetic Resonance) digitizer and pen; essentially the same technology as what Wacom uses in their Cintiq line of pen displays. Samsung owns minority stakes in Wacom and brands their version S-Pen. But S-pen being a rebrand of existing Wacom UD series digitizers is also compatible with existing UD series EMR pens. What this all means is that this side of Wacom Mobile Studio Pro or Acer ConceptD 9 ($2500+ and $5000+) respectively, it's simply the best art 2 in 1 in the market currently. There is also the HP's Zbook X2 14", but that merely uses the same 15W quad core i7 as the Notebook 9 Pro but sells for like $2500.
The Notebook 9 Pro was $1400 a year ago, but recently was discounted to about $1250 regularly. Now it's at close out for $950. What a fucking bargain. So what do you get for $950? You get 8550U 15W quad core i7, 16GB of RAM, Radeon 540 with 2GB of VRAM, 15" 1080p IPS with EMR capability with a silo S-pen, and 256GB SATA SSD. That last part is only thing that I suggest you do something about. Luckily the M.2 slot is PCIe compliant so I personally shoved in a 1TB MVMe in there. Highly recommend the same upgrade. Also highly recommended is a full size UD series pen. The included silo pen is super thin so it can silo inside the bottom of the chassis. It's too thin for extended comfortable drawing. You should pick up say the HP Zbook X2 pen from eBay for about $30.. You also should install MS generic WIntab driver (for Surface line) for full legacy art app pressure support.
If you are more enticed by the replacement for this (the Samsung Galaxy Flex 15.6), keep in mind that the Flex while using updated 10th gen 15W i7, only has USB-C ports and will start at $1600 or so.
I don't want to spend over $500 but don't want an iPad
Lenovo Flex 14 2 in 1 - $450 at Amazon.com
Flex 14 is a lower end ultrabook 2 in 1 for Lenovo, slotting below the Yoga 730. It's a bit less sexy but is still a quality ultrabook convertible from Lenovo. This particular SKU is a KILLER deal, sporting Ryzen 5 3500U, 12GB of RAM and 256GB NVMe SSD, and most importantly a 14.1" 1080p IPS panel with Wacom AES digitizer. Pen is INCLUDED. Wacom AES is a better version of dual role capacitive digitizer that MS uses in Surface line (NTrig/MPP). It has noticeably better Initial Activation Force and more linear pressure curve. I prefer it over NTrig/MPP for doing art.
If you want a decent ultrabook convertible with art chops, this is the deal of the season. If you can't swing $1000 for the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro, this is the deal to jump on.
I don't want to spend over $500 and I don't mind an iPad
iPad 10.2 (7th gen) 32GB and 128GB - $250 and $330 at amazon.com and bestbuy.com
I would have suggested earlier in the year to get the previous gen 9.7" for even bigger discount, but now we know that the 10.2 iPads have extra 1GB of RAM bring it up to 3GB. Not fantastic, but is doable for most 2D projects that doesn't involve large format printing. And if you want an iPad, you want a damn iPad. End of story.
Don't forget to slot $100 for the 1st gen Apple Pencil, and don't forget to use the best 2D art app in the world, Clip Studio Paint. Too bad on the iPad OS, CSP is subscription based. Windows and MacOS users can get the damn thing for $25 lifetime charge next week or so. Oh well. The price you pay for going iPad. At least the consolation prize of Procreate for one time fee is still a thing.
Best art 2 in 1 for under $1000
Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 - $950 (close out end of life) at Best Buy
15" Notebook 9 Pro came out 2017 with 7th gen dual core CPUs and was later upgraded to 8th gen quad core before being rebadged as Notebook 9 Pen in late 2018. Now, the entire Notebook 9 Pro/Pen line is about to be replaced by Galaxy Flex line, with slightly larger 15,6" display using Samsung's Quantum dot LED screens instead of current PLS/IPS units.
What is significant about this 2 in 1 line from Samsung over all other pen enabled 2 in 1s is the use of Wacom's EMR (Electro magnetic Resonance) digitizer and pen; essentially the same technology as what Wacom uses in their Cintiq line of pen displays. Samsung owns minority stakes in Wacom and brands their version S-Pen. But S-pen being a rebrand of existing Wacom UD series digitizers is also compatible with existing UD series EMR pens. What this all means is that this side of Wacom Mobile Studio Pro or Acer ConceptD 9 ($2500+ and $5000+) respectively, it's simply the best art 2 in 1 in the market currently. There is also the HP's Zbook X2 14", but that merely uses the same 15W quad core i7 as the Notebook 9 Pro but sells for like $2500.
The Notebook 9 Pro was $1400 a year ago, but recently was discounted to about $1250 regularly. Now it's at close out for $950. What a fucking bargain. So what do you get for $950? You get 8550U 15W quad core i7, 16GB of RAM, Radeon 540 with 2GB of VRAM, 15" 1080p IPS with EMR capability with a silo S-pen, and 256GB SATA SSD. That last part is only thing that I suggest you do something about. Luckily the M.2 slot is PCIe compliant so I personally shoved in a 1TB MVMe in there. Highly recommend the same upgrade. Also highly recommended is a full size UD series pen. The included silo pen is super thin so it can silo inside the bottom of the chassis. It's too thin for extended comfortable drawing. You should pick up say the HP Zbook X2 pen from eBay for about $30.. You also should install MS generic WIntab driver (for Surface line) for full legacy art app pressure support.
If you are more enticed by the replacement for this (the Samsung Galaxy Flex 15.6), keep in mind that the Flex while using updated 10th gen 15W i7, only has USB-C ports and will start at $1600 or so.
I don't want to spend over $500 but don't want an iPad
Lenovo Flex 14 2 in 1 - $450 at Amazon.com
Flex 14 is a lower end ultrabook 2 in 1 for Lenovo, slotting below the Yoga 730. It's a bit less sexy but is still a quality ultrabook convertible from Lenovo. This particular SKU is a KILLER deal, sporting Ryzen 5 3500U, 12GB of RAM and 256GB NVMe SSD, and most importantly a 14.1" 1080p IPS panel with Wacom AES digitizer. Pen is INCLUDED. Wacom AES is a better version of dual role capacitive digitizer that MS uses in Surface line (NTrig/MPP). It has noticeably better Initial Activation Force and more linear pressure curve. I prefer it over NTrig/MPP for doing art.
If you want a decent ultrabook convertible with art chops, this is the deal of the season. If you can't swing $1000 for the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro, this is the deal to jump on.
I don't want to spend over $500 and I don't mind an iPad
iPad 10.2 (7th gen) 32GB and 128GB - $250 and $330 at amazon.com and bestbuy.com
I would have suggested earlier in the year to get the previous gen 9.7" for even bigger discount, but now we know that the 10.2 iPads have extra 1GB of RAM bring it up to 3GB. Not fantastic, but is doable for most 2D projects that doesn't involve large format printing. And if you want an iPad, you want a damn iPad. End of story.
Don't forget to slot $100 for the 1st gen Apple Pencil, and don't forget to use the best 2D art app in the world, Clip Studio Paint. Too bad on the iPad OS, CSP is subscription based. Windows and MacOS users can get the damn thing for $25 lifetime charge next week or so. Oh well. The price you pay for going iPad. At least the consolation prize of Procreate for one time fee is still a thing.
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i Can use apple pencil with non pro iPad(2018)?
I forwarded both the Lenovo and Samsung notebook 9 links to her
Actually tempted to get one myself lol
Thanks!
I forwarded both the Lenovo and Samsung notebook 9 links to her
Actually tempted to get one myself lol
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6th gen and 7th gen iPads, yes, but only with the 1st gen Apple Pencil.
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This is not that thread. This started out as hardware deal thread, but expanded into software discussion also.
Try this thread for your art post fix.
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Cheerfully withdrawn.
Thanks.
Been watching this thread like a teenager waiting for the plumber to fix the leaky, lonely, bathtub.
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Bought the 2019 iPad and pencil. Seems promising but the plastic on plastic clack when you start a new stroke is pretty bad. I usually use Clip Studio on my PC but I'll see how far I can get with Procreate since Clip is Subscription. Is there any other interesting art and art related apps that make good use of the pencil?
9 Pro came early. Sketching is melty buttery smooth in CSP. Painter brushes are fun to use. The extra screen space is liberating. And this thing's a nice upgrade for media playback as well. Great buy. Only thing lacking for the painter in me is barrel rotation but that's a far off dream for most devices it seems.
Why so many "if you really want an iPad, I guess" comments? You like what you like, of course, but iPad is one of the best (arguably the best) illustration experiences on the market. And both CSP and Procreate (been using 5 beta, it's great) are great on it, though I recommend a BT keyboard for CSP. The sub is not that bad, I think it's like $25 a year. And a new version is coming out in a few days which will support the Files app directly, which is really great.
As someone who's been working on high-end Wacom devices for more than a decade, Apple Pencil even manages to beat the amazing Wacom Pro Pen 2 in feel and control.
If it bothers you, a matte screen protector does wonders. There are many, but I recommend Photodon MXH25% and Paperlike version 2 protectors. With them, the feel is really close to actual drawing on paper with a pencil and the "clack" (I know exactly what you mean) is gone.
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iPad is a compromise pro art tablet in 2019. Fact. There is no full featured Photoshop and Adobe suites, RAM is paltry even on Pro Pads, lack of cursor/mouse hampers things, professional software support still lacks for things like 3D, and the file system still sucks compared to Windows and MacOS. It's best aspect is that it keeps things simple for beginners. And that's great. But don't pretend it's "arguably the best" art experience, especially for professionals. It's a frustrating experience for many of us.
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Congrats and again, I want to make sure that you get that MS Wintab driver installed, and that you get a regular sized pen for it like I linked in the previous posts. That tiny silo pen will eventually cramp your hands...
Yeah I installed the driver and ordered the pen you linked earlier. The included pen is so flimsy it's funny. Thanks for keeping this thread updated this was perfect timing.
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