Reviews for Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

3.65" x 5.02" - 2032 lpi - Pen, Mouse - USB - MPN: CTE430GR

  • 4
  By member: phucnutt - Aug 30, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Excellent value, functionality, portability

Weakness: Small, pressure feature not comparable to higher-end models

I've been using drawing tablets for over ten years. My primary model is currently a Wacom Intuos2 6x8. I bought the Graphire to take on the road with me and am very pleased with it.

If you're used to using a larger tablet, the 4x5 size will take some getting used to, but for first-time tablet users, the Graphire is amazing and an excellent value and could even remain the user's main tablet! A larger tablet is usually preferable for pro users as the resolution is higher and allows for more detail. They also start at $300.

In programs like Photoshop, Fireworks, Illustrator, and Flash, pressure sensitivity opens up new levels of expression. Press lightly and the line is thin, add pressure and it gets wider. Or asign pressure to opacity or color. Using a tablet takes some getting used to, but once you do, you'll wonder how you ever did without one.

I had no problems setting up my Graphire on various Win2k and XP machines. The Wacom control panel has some great program-specific options, though some of the options (especially for pressure and tilt adjustments) may seem esoteric to novices.

In summary, the Graphire3 is a low-cost portable tablet that's great for novices or as a second tablet for travelling pros.

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  • 4
  By member: clindeen - Sep 24, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Great value, portable, easy setup, compact size

Weakness: Would benefit from including software tutorial

I was excited to receive this product, and set it up right away without too much difficulty. I like the pen, as it provides the closest match to the type of art I generally do, namely pencil sketches. I was initially debating whether to buy this size tablet or a larger one, but after a few days of experimentation, I am happy with this size, as it suits the amount of physical space I have, is portable, compact, and provides all the surface space I really need to draw. A bigger tablet would seem more awkward to me, as it would require both larger arm movement and desktop space. The mouse is a nice bonus, but not something I find myself using that often. It does comes in useful if I connect the tablet to my laptop, and then I can simply hold the tablet in my lap to draw, and use the mouse to navigate the screen. I still need more practice with the software -- a tutorial would be nice.

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  • 4
  By member: 1julie1 - Dec 17, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Size (for me), price, ease of use

Weakness: Size (for my husband)

I have found the tablet easy to use and everything promised in the reviews. My husband, who has large hands, says he might have preferred the larger tablet to have more work space. However, he thinks the ease of use is as good as I do. We are strictly beginners in using the tablet and bought it to make improvements and alterations to our home digital photos. We're still learning (and probably will be for some time) but so far we are impressed.

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  • 4
  By member: cvelasco - Aug 22, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Ease of setup, relatively intuitive to use.

Weakness: Essentially none

The Graphire3 tablet was easy to set up and is fairly intuitive to use, although there is a motor-skill learning curve. The 4x5 inch tablet is adequate in size for working with photographic files (Photoshop) and, in fact, I don't think I would want anything larger. At this early juncture, I'm happy with my purchase.

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  • 4
  By member: WSNM - Jun 10, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: non-battery operation, pen accuracy

Weakness: instruction manual needs refining

I am very impressed with this product. I do detailed graphic work and have found it to be extremely beneficial in this area. I have also learned how unsteady my hand is when drawing and am thus improving my pen control on a daily basis by doing tasks with the pen whenever possible. My signature, however, leaves a lot to be desired. More practice for me!

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  • 4
  By member: xiaoyun - Apr 16, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Very flexible.

I like this product,Made my work much easy.I don't think I can working on Photoshop with out it.Especially,for sign my name.it's good to draw what ever I wanted.

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  • 4
  By member: singkham - Sep 22, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Price and easy to use from the beginning.

Weakness: Mouse and pressure point is hard to control

I am using this mostly for photoshop for school. This is my first timing using a pen. It helps a lot in some area where you need percise control,but sometimes I would still go back to using the mouse. As I get more aquaintaint with this pen, I will probably rely on my mouse less. The pen is very easy to understand and use. I would reccommend it to any college student who are interested in photoshop or illustrator.

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  • 5
  By member: fernando_g - Feb 13, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: This is a natural point and click device. Goodbye to carpal tunnel syndrome!

Weakness: Being software driven, the device sometimes locks up. Don't throw away your old mouse!

Being a heavy computer user, my right hand and wrist were starting to ache severely. With the Wacom tablet, the point and click is more natural, like holding a pencil. If you still want to use a mouse, the included wireless mouse is very nice, with no trackball to stick up or get dirty.
Also you may put the tablet in your lap, which makes a much more ergonomical position.

Added bonus is that on certain programs the relative pressure of the pen simulates the pressure on a brush....more natural drawings and photo editing! You may enter your handwriting into documents also.

Only two small issues: first, this is a software driven device, and sometimes locks up. You may still need your old mouse, so don't throw it away.
The second issue is that you have to get used to the right-click and left-click functions of the pen, and it is a little akward. This is not a defect of the device itself, but rather, after years and years of mouse usage, one has to re-learn instinctively the finger coordination.

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  • 4
  By member: jenlepen - Nov 20, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: easy to use

Weakness: kind of small

this is a great product. the sensativity of the tablet is very good. such a extrodinary improvement from trying to draw with the mouse. i really like the fact that you can put a picture underneath the clear cover of the tablet. makes it really easy to trace pictures and such. very easy to install.

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  • 4
  By member: rpcoates - Aug 6, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

The Graphire is easier to use than a mouse for selecting photo areas. I found it easy to use right out of the box and software installation went flawlessly. However, it is hard to get used to selecting things by tapping the pen or clicking on the stem of the pen.

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  • 4
  By member: phaos - May 6, 2005

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Mouse and pen rich features, easy configuration and installation, wireless mouse & pen, very reasonable price.

Weakness: Nothing so far.

This tablet is great for basic to intermediate drawing/painting and writing. The pen pressure is not as sensitive as Intuos and some brush features available to Intuos aren't available for this model. However, it's more than sufficient if you're using it with Illustrator or for writing or sketching purpose.

I have previously used 2 other tablets from Wacom, Graphire2 and Intuos2 (which I'm still using). Compared to Graphire2, this tablet rocks. The tablet has heavy base and handsome clear plastic surface. The pen holder is not attached to the tablet, which is good because you won't accidentally tip it over when moving your hand around from your tablet to a nearby device, but I wish the pen holder is a tad heavier.

Installation is easy. It's true plug-n-play. You don't need to reboot (in Mac OS X) to get the tablet features to work. It's working great in Mac OS X Tiger (which was just released a week ago). Though you'll get a security warning at startup, so far, I haven't had any kernel panic or System problems with it.

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  • 5
  By member: kromeplatedheart - Feb 22, 2005

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Price, Size, Ease of use

Weakness: none as far as I know

I bought this for my son in college for Christmas. He's very into photography, so this was on top of his list.
He raves about how much easier it is to edit photos than when he had to use a mouse to navigate. He's a happy camper, which makes me a happy mom :-)

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  • 4
  By member: kia777 - Dec 26, 2004

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Great accuracy, smooth, easy to install

Weakness: Small work area (but you can simply buy larger versions)

This is one of the best products that has hit the market for artists. If you ever use Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Draw, any 3D Package, etc., you'll love this thing. It takes a little bit of time to get used to it, afterall, its very different than operating a mouse or trackball. But once you're used to using this thing, you'll never be able to go back to drawing with a mouse again.

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  • 4
  By member: chillcutt - May 18, 2005

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Ease of use

Weakness: none yet

Very good product to use if you are a graphic designer or if you use illustrator, freehand, or photoshop.
Would reccomend to anyone it is awesome.

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  • 4
  By member: Nitetrane47 - Jan 12, 2005

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: Does the job beautifully

Weakness: Found mouse to be useless so far

The tablet is easy to learn basic use and has a decent users manual. It took about a day to get used to drawing on remote location while lines appear on screen but once I used it for awhile it became no problem. I would buy it again for myself and would recommend it for anyone who wants to dabble at graphics but not for the pro.

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  • 4
  By member: Peiyunz - May 15, 2005

Wacom Graphire3 4x5 Graphics Tablet

Strengths: easy to be used...good for everything..love it

Weakness: too small=p

need some time to get use to it....since i usually press hard on pens....for this...i dont have it...so it took me a while to get use to it

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  • 4
  By member: kingofms - Aug 19, 2005

good product

Strengths: great value, easy to use and install

Weakness: size could be bigger, but you get what you pay

My wife, how is not very computer savy, installed it very easily.

Usage is a learning curve, but I think she will be be able to use it nicely.

thanks.

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  • 5
  By member: visht - Jul 21, 2005

Great for Beginners

Strengths: Works well, customizable buttons, small and portable

Weakness: Not nearly as advanced as the intuos line, but more than adequate for beginners.

If you are a beginner in digital drawing like me, there is no reason for you to buy anything more advanced than the Graphire 3. Even if you decide to buy an Intuos later if/when you become more skilled, the 4x5 graphire 3 is compact enough to serve as an excellent travel tablet.

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  • 3.8
  testseek.com - Nov 6, 2008

Wacom Graphire3 Classic A6 4x5

TestSeek.com has collected 5 expert reviews for Wacom Graphire3 Classic A6 4x5 and the average expert rating is 76 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use TestSeek.com to find all ratings, product awards and conclusions.

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