XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro Pen Display: Review
The XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro is a 15.6 inch pen display aimed at artists who want a large screen to draw on. This review covers the box contents, connecting and setting it up, a pressure test in Photoshop, and impressions after a month of daily use.
In the box
- The 15.6 inch, 1080p display with physical shortcut buttons and a red colour dial on the side
- A sturdy fold-out stand with adjustable angles
- A battery-free pen in a case, with spare nibs, plus a nib holder in the pen cap
- A 2-in-1 cable (USB and HDMI joined) so only one lead runs to the computer
- Power plugs for major socket types, a drawing glove, cleaning cloth, manual and warranty card
Setup
Connect the single cable, press the power button and the XP-Pen logo appears. The colours look good straight away, which is what you expect from a premium panel rather than a washed-out budget one. Download the driver from XP-Pen’s site by model. In the driver you set which monitor the pen controls (choose the display itself to draw directly on it), map the shortcut buttons and dial, and configure the pen buttons. There is a pressure test screen to tune the curve.
Drawing test
Specs are 8192 pressure levels and 60 degree tilt, so you can hold the pen at a natural angle like on paper instead of straight up. In Photoshop the stroke thickness and flow respond smoothly from light to hard pressure once pressure sensitivity is enabled in the brush. The side dial is handy for zooming and changing brush settings without the keyboard.
After a month: pros and cons
Pros: the colours are noticeably nicer than similar-priced displays, the pen is light and needs no charging, and the single-cable connection keeps the desk tidy. Most recent speed art videos on the channel were drawn on it. Con: with heavy use of the shortcut keys (especially Alt for colour picking, and zoom) the keys occasionally stick and slow down, sometimes needing a Photoshop restart. It was not clear whether this is Windows, the app or the device, as there were few reports of it online. Otherwise there was little to fault for the price.
Who it is for
A solid choice for beginners or professionals wanting a large, colour-accurate pen display without paying for a studio-grade unit.
Links from the video
- XP-Pen Artist 15.6 Pro (official UK store): https://www.storexppen.co.uk/buy/artist-156-pro.html?channel=sk01
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07M5X7MH1
- Join the members-only content: https://bit.ly/3fEEvD4
