Xencelabs Pen Display 24+

DREAM SCREEN Squaring up to Wacom on both price point and features, this is a pro-level tablet that delivers accurate colour and a tactile drawing experience

- Rob Redman

Just a few short years ago, Wacom dominated the market. Recently, however, new companies have emerged, challenging each other to create better products at more attractive prices. Xencelabs is one such competitor, and with the Xencelabs Pen Display 24+ is aiming squarely at the top-end user, promising some impressive features.

The packaging here is minimal, but boy, do they pack a lot into it. Not only do you get the pen display, with stand, but the Quick Keys remote and holder, US and UK power supplies, a lovely case for the dual pens and spare nibs, a huge number of cables, a couple of pen clamps for the side of the display, and a large quick-start guide.

Setup was a breeze. Once the power and the USB-C cable were plugged in, it fired up straight away, as did the Quick Keys remote, which didn't require pairing or any other setup. It simply displayed a message to download the drivers. The tablet worked fine without the drivers, but it's best to install them, so you get full access to features, such as the ability to map buttons to functions that can be done per software.

Build quality is generally very good. There are a few slightly brittle and cheaper-feeling plastics here and there, but it all feels robust and secure. There are slots on the top and side of the display where you can insert pen holders. These are preferable to the chunky screw-in thing on this author's Wacom Cintiq Pro 22.