Tablet Intuos3 with Xara

[standay]

I use a 6x8 tablet and it is fine for my needs. Kind of like Goldilocks, a bigger tablet is too big and a smaller one would be too small, so 6x8 is just right--at least for me.

Same reasoning as far as size goes (6X8 seemed about right to me). I went with the Intuos to get the higher levels of pressure sensitivity. We had the same tablet at work that I was able to use in advance of buying one for home. There's nothing better for sketching IMHO.

Stan

[Albacore]

The bigger you get the more tiring it becomes in most programmes. Most people you have seem replying to this thread have gone for smaller tablets that must tell you something. If you can MUG one of your friends for a week to let you use a tablet and then make your mind up and use it , use it, until you get comfortable with it. At work we have the choice in the size we use and most stay clear of the A3 size, as it is not really like using pencil and paper unless you spend real money with their screens. Just make sure that you can get your money back with your increased productivity, a fancy mouse might be a better investment. A wacom requires loads of practice and in Xara the pressure sensitive features don't really work. It takes a few clients to pay for your tablet where extra memory in your computer quickly gives you a better return. A better graphics card may be another way as a better investment as it all depends on where your most work lies. For a "home user" my personal opinion would be not to bother and spend your money in other ways better printer, scanner, plugins, monitor. From experience my prized possession in my work flow are, one A3+ printer and a quality laser colour A4 printer all to give my clients the best possible impression of my work as clients cant hear how much I swear when things dont go right with drawings and I have to start again. Most of my work mates and that includes me use a pencil and pen to draw then scan the drawings into the programmes that we use and then we go our separate ways from there but they are some who directly use a tablet. I am not saying don't just make sure it is right for you before you buy.

[steve.ledger]

Whole heartedly agree with Albacore there..

I have a Graphire4 A5 (6x8) which hardly get's used at all now because I found that my style of work is best done with a mouse after all.
It is infact for me much easier with a mouse.