Can someone help me choose a used Wacom pen tablet?

[boss.king]

I'm looking for a medium-sized pen tablet on a budget. I used to have a small, super basic Bamboo back around 2012 but have since sold it, and now I'm confused about what to get. Any advice would be appreciated.

I use Lightroom, Photoshop, and Illustrator on MacOS Catalina to do some sketching, learn logo design, retouch photos, and just generally mess around.

My budget is roughly $100-150, I know this is pretty low but this is a hobby, not for profit, and I intend to buy used if possible (eBay is kinda my only option as local options don't seem to exist near me).

The tablets I've been looking at are:

• Intuos 5 PTH-650 (~$100)
• Intuos 5 Pro PTH-651 (~$120)
• Intuos Art CTL-690 (~$104)
• Intuos (2020) CTL-6100 ($200) - no good deals available and probably more than I want to spend.
• Huion HS611 ($70) - sounds like switching between software isn't as good as Wacom in terms of function keys, has a sketchier support reputation as far as I'm aware.

My main confusion comes down to whether the 5s and 5 Pros are still good in 2020 (and beyond - I'm not sure how Wacom's ongoing support is for updates), and how they work with Catalina.

My needs are pretty basic, but do any of these that have special features you'd consider essential or very helpful that make them a clear choice over the others? Is newer always better? Is old Pro better than newer non-Pro? Any help is appreciated.

EDIT: In case anyone else is going through this dilemma, I decided to go with the One by Wacom (medium). It's super basic but sits right next to my laptop while I'm working and so I didn't really need the express keys.

 

[TSE]

Hey,

Haven't kept up to date on Wacom's product lineup, I was going to come in here and just recommend the cheapest iPad that is still Apple Pencil compatible - I'm thinking you MIGHT be able to find one for $150, or maybe a little more if you stretch your budget.

I started my design schooling with Wacom's Intuos Pro, and while it was great, I never got 100% comfortable with it, even after using it for days, weeks, months. It was a fine product, but then I stepped up to Huion's Cintiq Competitor, and what I have to say is that if you can afford a Wacom over it, I would definitely recommend it. Huion specs on paper are great and equal to Wacom, but the software, the hardware, the quality of the stands, pens, everything is as cheap and poorly made as anything.

I sold it after a month, bought an iPad Pro with Pencil, and haven't looked back. The Apple Pencil literally changed the way I sketch, improved my workflow, and has made me never look back.


If you can afford a cheap iPad + Pencil, go for it, if not, stick with Wacom's classic pen and tablets, you really can't go wrong, they are just fine. For your own good, stay away from third party ripoff junk.

 

[boss.king]

Thanks. While I could afford an iPad and Pencil, I have absolutely no interest in that type of setup and the inconvenience that comes with managing my stuff across the two devices. I'm specifically looking for a pen tablet to use with my laptop, the question is which one (if it matters) of the ones listed above.