Huion showcased two of the latest additions to its Kamvas Pro series of display drawing tablets at CES, targeting creatives on a budget with professional features such as high color accuracy and touch screen support.
After first launching in China on December 15, the Huion Kamvas Pro 27 and Kamvas Pro 19 are now priced at $1,999 and $1,099 respectively in the United States, and bear some similarities to Wacom’s pricier Cintiq Pro series. Both companies’ product lines feature 4K resolution and paper-based anti-glare glass displays that are specially bonded to reduce parallax (the gap between the stylus tip and cursor) and more.
Color accuracy is also a standout feature of both product lines, with the Kamvas Pro 27’s Delta E <1.5 (a measure of potential color distortion) slightly better than the $3,500 Wacom Cintiq Pro 27's Delta E <2. For most people, any Delta E value below 2 will make it difficult to tell the difference.
Kamvas Pro 27 also supports 98% Adobe RGB, 97% DCI-P3 and 99% sRGB color gamut coverage, while Cintiq Pro 27 supports 99% Adobe RGB and 98% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. . This means it might not be able to render some of the green tones unique to Adobe RGB as accurately as the Cintiq, but it should still be perfectly fine for the vast majority of work.
Kamvas Pro 27 features HDMI, DisplayPort, DC, USB-C, 3.5mm audio, and two USB-A ports. The peak brightness of this monitor is 300 nits. Some promotional videos posted by Huion on Bilibili also show off some accessories, such as holders for holding iPads and other accessories, though it’s unclear whether these accessories can be purchased outside of China.
The smaller Kamvas Pro 19 has an 18.4-inch display with a peak brightness of 220 nits. Color gamut coverage is 96% Adobe RGB, 98% DCI-P3 and 99% sRGB. This compact model should be more suitable for creatives looking for a more portable option, with two USB-C ports for charging and connectivity, while supporting up to 40W reverse charging of connected devices.
Both the Kamvas Pro 27 and Kamvas Pro 19 have a claimed 1000:1 contrast ratio and touchscreen support, allowing users to zoom, rotate and manipulate items using their fingers instead of the two battery-free pens that come with the tablet. Both pens—the three-button PW600 and the slimmer two-button PW600S—have extra digital “eraser” buttons on the ends and offer 16,000 levels of pressure sensitivity.
None of these Kamvas Pro tablets have built-in buttons for assigning keyboard shortcuts. Instead, they all come with Huion’s Keydial Mini K20 — a $69.99 Bluetooth-enabled macro keyboard that’s similar to Wacom’s $99 ExpressKey Remote. On the back of the tablet, you’ll find a foldable stand that can be used to better adjust the angle of your drawing position, like an artist’s easel. In addition, Huion has also released an adjustable stand that can be purchased separately (for an undisclosed amount), and both models support VESA mounting.
Many creatives don’t care that the specs of these Kamvas Pro tablets are slightly different from Wacom’s coveted Cintiq Pro series. For some, the huge difference in price may not be worth the small difference in functionality, especially considering that Wacom’s $3,500 27-inch flagship doesn’t even come with a stand. That might be fine for those willing to pay a premium for Wacom’s reputable build quality, but Huion’s new Kamvas Pro offering is a really tempting option for those on a tighter budget.
