Digital artists may have started out on classic desktop platforms, but they’re likely to move to a new operating system or form factor just as classic artists changed mediums. While many moved to iPads once they introduced high-resolution displays and gained pen support, Wacom offers an alternative option for Android and ChromeOS users with its One line.
The Wacom One 13 Touch isn’t compatible with all Android devices, but it integrates well with devices that offer desktop-like experiences with external displays, like the Samsung DeX. The ability to use both touch and pen input makes it feel like an iPad, but without some of the limitations imposed by iOS.
Wacom One 13 Touch
The Wacom One 13 Touch is a mid-range drawing tablet that supports both pen and touch control. It’s the first of its generation to support ChromeOS and some Android devices, and it’s the first of its kind to feature a bonded glass surface for minimal parallax. While it’s the most expensive model in the One family, it’s less expensive than similar models from the more expensive Intuos or Cintiq lines.
- Large color calibrated screen
- Responsive pen and touch input
- Samsung DeX Compatibility
- huge cables
- Limited compatibility with Android
Price and availability
budget(-ish)
The Wacom One line is in the budget category, at least compared to Wacom’s higher-end Intuos and Cintiq products. They lack some of the fancy features like dedicated buttons, but the tablets behave and work just as well as the higher-end devices.
Ordering from Wacom’s website lets you customize everything about the included accessories, but be aware that it’s possible to order without the necessary pen or cables. It’s nice to have all of these options, but if you’re looking for complete kits anyway, you can find them through sellers like Amazon and B&H Photo.
Prices for the standard One 13 Touch start at $599. The smaller One 12 (which lacks touch capabilities) starts at $399.
to set
- Active area
- 13.3 inches / 33.8 cm (295 x 165 mm)
- accuracy
- 1920 x 1080
- Compatibility
- Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, Chrome OS
- Brand
- Wacom
What are the good features of the Wacom One 13 touch?
It is a touch and pen-enabled screen.
The One 13 Touch is a tablet-sized display. It’s powered by a pair of USB-C ports, one for power and one for input. And if the source, like a recent MacBook Pro, can provide enough power, a single cable can handle it all.
The glass is laminated to the panel underneath, eliminating any gap between the two and largely eliminating the parallax effect that can make it difficult to see exactly where the pen will connect. While this is fairly standard on smartphones, it’s still relatively uncommon on tablets dedicated to drawing, at least until you reach the premium levels.
Touch support is also rare in this price range. Most drawing tablets only respond to a pen, but the One 13 Touch has a capacitive screen. Gesture support is determined by the operating system you’re connecting to, so all the standard desktop platforms are supported, but it’s objectively better on Windows and ChromeOS than on macOS or Linux. Android also handles touch well, at least on Samsung DeX. There’s a hardware switch on the top edge to toggle touch support if you’re experiencing a lot of false contacts while drawing with the pen, though palm rejection was pretty good in my experience.
While it’s certified as “Works with Chromebook” and should work fine with any fairly modern Chrome OS device, the same can’t be said for Android devices, which have more limited compatibility.
Samsung and Huawei devices make up most of the list, but a few Motorola and Lenovo make an appearance, and it’s probably reasonable to expect most newer models to work even if they’re not on the list. Google Pixel devices are conspicuously absent, though. They’re incompatible because they don’t have a desktop mode or screen mirroring via wire — at least not yet.
My Galaxy S22 worked perfectly, initially mirroring the screen, then transforming into a full desktop once DeX was activated. Performance was nearly perfect while mirroring the phone, and if there was any lag, it was virtually undetectable. I felt like I saw some faint lag in DeX mode, but I’m not sure if that might just be the performance of the device and the app rather than the tablet itself, and it certainly doesn’t detract from the experience.
What’s bad about the Wacom One 13 touch?
Cables get in the way
USB-C cables that are suitable for running enough power and data for something like this are naturally thick. This isn’t Wacom’s fault, but when combined with the (somewhat) large screen, the tablet is a bit awkward to use anywhere but a desk.
Unfortunately, Wacom has also removed the foldable legs found on the previous generation, perhaps to boost sales of tablet stands. A flat stand is fine, and sometimes the best way to go, but it should be angled for a more comfortable working environment.
As a companion app, the Wacom Center app is pretty much irrelevant, or at least not useful after the initial setup. The first run is basically just instructions for connecting via USB-C, then prompts you to log in to the Wacom website to get access to some beta software. Just do this step on your desktop if possible.
Should you buy it?
Android support is a feature, not a product.
The Wacom One 13 Touch is surprisingly attractive, at least when combined with something like Samsung DeX. The combination of pen and touch input in this desktop environment feels more like Windows on a Microsoft Surface tablet than I expected. Obviously, this isn’t a perfect experience, since you still need to connect two bulky cables for display and power, but it’s still very useful as a portable drawing tool on the go.
However, I probably wouldn’t encourage anyone to buy this or any other drawing tablet just to use it with an Android device — unless DeX is the main draw. There are probably better alternatives, like buying an actual tablet with built-in pen support. Still, I appreciate that Wacom has added Android and ChromeOS support, which sets the Wacom One 13 Touch above the competition for anyone looking to actually buy a drawing tablet and use a compatible Android device.
Wacom One 13 Touch
The Wacom One 13 Touch is a mid-range drawing tablet that supports both pen and touch control. It’s the first to support ChromeOS and some Android devices, and the first with a bonded glass surface for a minimalist look. While it’s the most expensive model in the One family, it’s less expensive than similar models from the more expensive Intuos or Cintiq lines.
- Active area
- 13.3 inches / 33.8 cm (295 x 165 mm)
- accuracy
- 1920 x 1080
- Compatibility
- Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, Chrome OS
- Brand
- Wacom
