XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) Review: Great Pen, Soft Color
Quick verdict
The pen is the star, and the wireless remote is a real bonus. The color doesn't live up to what's on the box, and the stand doesn't move much.
Buy it if
- Pen feel matters more to you than anything else.
- You like shortcuts on a remote instead of on the screen's edge.
- You want a slightly taller 16:10 canvas.
Skip it if
- You need the wide color XPPen advertises for print work.
- You like to change your drawing angle a lot.
- You want touch.
Specs
| Screen size | 16 in |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 (16:10) |
| Panel | IPS, fully laminated |
| Glass | Anti-glare etched, anti-fingerprint |
| Color (claimed) | 99% sRGB, 97% Adobe RGB |
| Brightness (claimed) | 250 nits |
| Pen | X3 Pro Smart Chip, battery-free, eraser end |
| Pressure levels | 16,384 |
| Tilt | 60° |
| Shortcuts | Wireless remote (10 keys + dial) |
| Touch | No |
| Connection | Full-featured USB-C, or 3-in-1 cable (HDMI + USB) |
| Stand | Built-in fold-out |
| Works with | Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Android (USB-C with video), Linux |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Excellent pen accuracy with a very light touch.
- Wireless shortcut remote in the box.
- Sharp 2560 x 1600 screen in a taller 16:10 shape.
- Built-in stand, so there's nothing extra to buy.
Cons
- Measured color falls well short of the Adobe RGB claim.
- Around 200 nits in practice.
- The stand has limited angles.
- Pen alignment can drift after you reconnect it.
Real-world math
Drawing space. The active area is 345 x 215 mm, about 743 square centimeters. The Huion Kamvas 16 (Gen 3) gives you about 690. So this one has roughly 8% more room. Most of that is height. The 16:10 shape makes it about 18 mm taller, which helps when you draw tall pages or long vertical strokes.
Sharpness. 2560 x 1600 on 16 inches is about 189 pixels per inch. That's basically the same as the Kamvas 16 at 186. You won't see a difference.
Color claims vs. measurements. XPPen claims 97% Adobe RGB. PetaPixel measured about 75%. That's a gap of roughly 22 points. For web and screen work, you won't miss it. For print, you will.
Brightness. XPPen says 250 nits. PetaPixel measured about 200. That's around 20% dimmer than the spec. Fine indoors, not great in a sunny room.
The pen
This is why people buy it. The X3 Pro pen starts a line at about 3 grams of pressure, so light sketching is easy. TechRadar saw no parallax and only a little jitter. Creative Bloq called the accuracy "incredible."
There's an eraser on the back end, and XPPen includes felt nibs if you want more drag. The glass itself is smooth, not paper-like.
One quirk: PetaPixel found the pen could drift out of alignment after reconnecting the display. A quick recalibration fixes it, but it's a small chore.
The remote
There are no buttons on the screen. Instead you get a wireless remote with 10 keys and a dial. PetaPixel put its battery at about 300 hours. Reviewers liked it. A few owners on XPPen's store had trouble pairing it over Bluetooth. You can also plug it in with a cable.
Setup and stand
A full-featured USB-C port runs everything on one cable. Older computers need the 3-in-1 cable, which the Amazon listing includes.
The stand is built in. That's handy, but reviewers describe the angles as limited. If you like to tilt your screen up high, budget for a separate stand.
How it compares
| Spec | XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) | Huion Kamvas 16 (Gen 3) |
|---|---|---|
| My rating | 8.4/10 | 8.6/10 |
| Screen size | 16 in | 15.8 in |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1600 (16:10) | 2560 x 1440 (16:9) |
| Panel | IPS, fully laminated | IPS, fully laminated |
| Glass | Anti-glare etched, anti-fingerprint | Anti-glare etched (Canvas Glass 2.0) |
| Color (claimed) | 99% sRGB, 97% Adobe RGB | 99% sRGB, 90% Adobe RGB |
| Brightness (claimed) | 250 nits | 220 nits |
| Pen | X3 Pro Smart Chip, battery-free, eraser end | PW600L, battery-free |
| Pressure levels | 16,384 | 16,384 |
| Tilt | 60° | ±60° |
| Shortcuts | Wireless remote (10 keys + dial) | 6 keys + 2 dials on the frame |
| Touch | No | No |
| Connection | Full-featured USB-C, or 3-in-1 cable (HDMI + USB) | Full-featured USB-C, or 3-in-1 cable (HDMI + USB) |
| Stand | Built-in fold-out | Included (Amazon version) |
| Works with | Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Android (USB-C with video), Linux | Windows, macOS, Android (USB-C with video), Linux |
| Refresh rate | - | 60Hz |
| Weight | - | 1.25 kg |
| Check price | Check price Review |
FAQ
- Is the wireless remote included?
- Yes. The Amazon listing includes the ACK05 remote. It has 10 keys and a dial, and connects by Bluetooth or cable.
- Can I run it with one cable?
- Yes, if your computer has a full-featured USB-C port that carries video. If not, use the 3-in-1 cable with HDMI, USB and power.
- Does it work with a Chromebook?
- XPPen lists ChromeOS 88 or later, plus Windows, macOS, Linux and Android devices with a USB-C port that carries video.
- Is the color good enough for print?
- For sRGB work, yes. For wide-gamut print work, I wouldn't rely on it. XPPen claims 97% Adobe RGB, but PetaPixel measured closer to 75%.
- Does it have touch?
- No. It's pen only. The remote covers zoom, undo and brush size.
Bottom line
If the pen is what you care about, this is one of the best you can get at mid-range money. Just treat the color claims with a grain of salt, and plan on a separate stand if you like to change angles.