Even though I scoured reviews prior to purchasing, like anyone about to drop a few hundred precious dollars on electronics, I realized that some of the points that people brought up were likely for previous models.
For one, there was a complaint that the ports stick out directly from the back. However, on mine, they are parallel to the back and come out sideways. It's not a light piece of equipment so it's entirely possible to sit it on your lap but for any kind of marathon session, I'd say you're better off investing in a sturdy breakfast-in-bed kind of table.
Another gripe was definitely fixed from older models, namely the addition of a textured screen protector that previous users had to apply themselves. Mine came with the anti-glare textured protector already applied and it is removable. I can see why some people might not like the very slight fuzziness that it causes but since I use my higher res computer display to preview it as I go, I don't find it to be the sort of hindrance that causes eye strain or irritation. Without it, the pen would slide on the glass and I do like the more paper-like resistance of a textured screen. It's worth nothing that the company also adds that their pen nibs will not cause any damage to the unprotected glass but I like to err on the side of caution and not run the risk that something dropped or accidental will occur to blemish what would be a lot more expensive to replace. Even a decent warranty doesn't cover cosmetic damage unless it damages functionality.
Another minor complaint I've heard concerns parallax. In case this term is unfamiliar, it is basically the gap between the glass and where the pixels actually appear. It may take working with the calibration and need to be changed if you're working from dynamic angles, but I haven't found this to be a frustrating issue. Insofar, I've kept it at the same angle I've calibrated it from and I don't do enough moving around to have a need to reset it. In CSP, and any other program for that matter, you can use onscreen icons to see where strokes will appear. If you're not used to pen sensitivity, that is a learning curve regardless. Just like you can turn off the marching ants effect of a selection tool to test how well bucket fills in a selected area are covering, indicators are no different.
The last concern is a supposed rainbow effect of the display screen, which often occurs under certain lighting conditions. Just like with a TV, light placement is often a consideration for optimal viewing. Keep any bright or hard lighting to the sides or back rather than behind you. Some people like working in the dark but I don't recommend that ever. The blue light of backlit screens is terrible for eye health and often soft but adequate back lighting is a great way to counter it. You can end up with eye spasms, focusing issues, headaches and insomnia if you work with poor lighting conditions. As an artist of any level, eye health is not something you can afford to disregard. For that matter, I hope you're taking adequate breaks to care for your wrists and other health needs to best enjoy your talents for many years to come.
I might keep adding more reviews over time. A company that cares about its products and consumers deserves recognition and I have no doubt that XP-Pen is a company that makes quality products at affordable prices, cutting cost corners at all the right places to make the technology accessible to more people. Indeed, my own search came from a budget and XP-Pen not only met my price point, but they have delivered a product I am happy with so far.
Though I've seen some gripes about customer service concerning product issues, I can't speak for that yet. I hope that they are able to improve this, but I believe they are a company not even two decades old and do show initiative for improvement and clearly have listened to customers concerning screen and port issues, so I'm willing to go into dealing with them openmindedly if an issue does crop up.
Reviews concerning customer service often leave out the temperament of the frustrated customer and, in my own many experiences dealing with tech support, my own patience and experience goes a long way in getting effective results. If their support lines aren't effective, engage them on social media or other means. Companies often go out of their way to convince people to remove negative reviews so this is always a last-resort option. While, yes, we are entitled to a quality product, we can't forget that we are sometimes dealing with a new or outsourced worker and may need to speak to someone more skilled. Maybe because I've been the new girl many times over, I try to be the person that encourages support to improve rather than bully them and only hurt the process. It's worthwhile to increase your own value with patience and persistence. In some rare cases, I've even been asked to test products for free because my input is trusted and valued. While I don't have the reach of an influencer, I make good on my word to back companies with my honest and thorough assessments.
My humble claim to fame was a review for the 2009 iMac that was republished across many major retailers. Of course, a tech review tends to have a short shelf life but it does feel good that independent retailers used my honest review across platforms. I'm more than happy to do this whenever a product truly deserves it.
