The most noticeable difference between the Trust TB-3100 Wireless Tablet and the Genius is its pen. The numerous programmable Hot Cells and fuss-free control panel are easy to use, and it also includes Corel Painter 8 and a number of PenSuite utilities for adding handwritten notes to other apps, including Microsoft Word. It isn’t perfect by any means, but for the price the Genius MousePen isn’t a bad purchase. It was also necessary to press firmly to register a strong response, even after tweaking the pressure settings – something that could quickly become uncomfortable with prolonged use. The tablet’s surface, though, felt rough and hollow and this was made worse by its poor sensitivity, despite the fact that Genius claims it has 1,024 levels of pressure. Although it lacks the replacement nibs of the Trust and Wacom tablets and doesn’t have an eraser button on top, it was comfortable to hold. Drawbacks of the cheaper units are a lack of features and in particular the need for a battery to power the pen.Īdding the extra weight of a battery to the cheap-feeling plastic pen of the Genius MousePen 8×6 might seem like the straw to break the camel’s back, but it did improve its balance in our hand. All come with a battery-powered wireless mouse that can only be used on the tablet’s surface, because it uses the tablet’s signal rather than an optical sensor or ball, but you can keep your usual mouse plugged in at the same time. With desktop space always at a premium, we’re reviewing A5-sized tablets.

Wacom graphire pen nibs