Computers

Xencelabs brings the fight to Wacom with feature-rich 4K pen display

Xencelabs brings the fight to Wacom with feature-rich 4K pen display
The Pen Display 24 was launched by Xencelabs at the Game Developers Conference 2023 in San Francisco
The Pen Display 24 was launched by Xencelabs at the Game Developers Conference 2023 in San Francisco
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The Pen Display 24 was launched by Xencelabs at the Game Developers Conference 2023 in San Francisco
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The Pen Display 24 was launched by Xencelabs at the Game Developers Conference 2023 in San Francisco
The Pen Display 24 has an active work area of 20.75 x 11.7 inches at up to 4K UHD resolution, and comes supplied with two input pens and Xencelabs' Quick Keys workflow accessory
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The Pen Display 24 has an active work area of 20.75 x 11.7 inches at up to 4K UHD resolution, and comes supplied with two input pens and Xencelabs' Quick Keys workflow accessory
The tilt stand can be adjusted from 16 to 72 degrees using just one hand
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The tilt stand can be adjusted from 16 to 72 degrees using just one hand
The Quick Keys remote can accommodate up to 40 productivity shortcuts per application
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The Quick Keys remote can accommodate up to 40 productivity shortcuts per application
The Pen Display 24 supports six industry-standard color spaces, including validation for Pantone Color and Skin Tone
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The Pen Display 24 supports six industry-standard color spaces, including validation for Pantone Color and Skin Tone
The Pen Display 24's tempered glass surface has been treated to "Super-AG Etching" for a real-feel drawing experience
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The Pen Display 24's tempered glass surface has been treated to "Super-AG Etching" for a real-feel drawing experience
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Following the launch of its well-received Pen Tablet medium-sized slate for digital creators in 2021, Xencelabs – pronounced "sense labs" – is now introducing a feature-packed 4K UHD 24-inch pen-enabled display and workflow accessory for under two grand.

"Since we launched our first product, we’ve constantly looked for new ways to improve the creative workflow," said the company's Michael Thompson. "We listened to artists and their input is reflected in the Pen Display’s design: stunning display fidelity, an excellent drawing experience, superior ergonomics and more. This device is designed for maximum productivity, adapting to the user’s preferences, not the other way around."

Aimed at digital artists and content professionals looking for something bigger than, say, Procreate running on an iPad, the Pen Display 24 offers a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) active zone of 20.75 x 11.7 in (527.04 x 296.46 mm), and features edge-to-edge tempered glass with glare/reflection reduction and an anti-fingerprint coating, with Xencelabs' own etching technology said to offer "the right amount of friction for a natural drawing feel."

The Pen Display 24 supports six industry-standard color spaces, including validation for Pantone Color and Skin Tone
The Pen Display 24 supports six industry-standard color spaces, including validation for Pantone Color and Skin Tone

Brightness is reported to be 330 nits, there's support for 99% of the Adobe RGB color space and 93% of the PCI-P3, and the device is validated for Pantone Color and Skin Tone. It also benefits from a fanless design so shouldn't cause loss of focus during intense creativity. Connectivity shapes up as USB-C, HDMI and DisplayPort, and drivers are available for Windows, Mac and Linux systems. The display is powered via the included 12-V adapter.

It comes with two different-sized pens, both with a built-in eraser, 5k resolution and 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity starting as low as 3g. A tilt stand allows for one-handed working angle adjustment from 16 to 72 degrees – an optional multi-axis stand is available as an option – and it's compatible with VESA mounts too (the device weighs in at 13.3 lb/6 kg).

The Quick Keys remote can accommodate up to 40 productivity shortcuts per application
The Quick Keys remote can accommodate up to 40 productivity shortcuts per application

Also supplied is the company's Quick Keys remote, which can sit at the display's edge – with the substantial-looking bezels ensuring the onscreen visuals are not lost underneath. This battery-powered accessory sports an OLED display flanked by physical buttons and can accommodate up to 40 workflow shortcuts per application, while a physical dial caters for functionality such as zoom, rotation, brush size selection and so on.

The Pen Display 24 is up for pre-order now, and is due to go on general sale in Q2 2023 for US$1,899 – making it much cheaper than Wacom's Cintiq Pro 24 but also much pricier than XP Pen's Artist Display 24 Pro (though the latter is a 2K display). The video below has more.

Introducing the Xencelabs Pen Display 24

Product page: Pen Display 24

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1 comment
1 comment
Ranscapture
Should be 1000 nits and 100% dcip3 at that price.