XP-PEN Wireless Drawing Tablet Deco Pro LW 2nd, 11 Inch Bluetooth Computer Graphics Tablet with X3 Pro Stylus & Mini Key-dial, Digital Drawing Pad for Animation, Digital Art, Video Editing

**XP-Pen Deco Pro LW Tablet Review** Before diving into the review, I think it’s important to provide some context about my background. I’m a senior 3D artist with over 25 years of experience across feature films, television, games, and virtual reality production. I’ve served as a supervisor on multiple major films, and before entering the entertainment industry, I worked as a manufacturing engineer in Silicon Valley, where I specialized in writing technical documentation and procedures. Additionally, I’ve built my last five computers from scratch, so I’d like to think I know what I’m doing when it comes to tech. **XP-Pen Purchase Date**: 2024/10/01, delivered 2024/10/02 **System Specs**: - Motherboard: ASUS Z790-E WiFi - RAM: 128GB - GPU: RTX 4090 - Total Storage: 20TB - Monitors: 2x 4K displays For most of my career, I’ve relied on tablets from "that other company" (which I won’t name because this isn’t about them). However, I’ve always felt their products were vastly overpriced. I initially had my eye on the Artist Pro 19 (Gen 2), but given the current state of the visual effects and games industries, which are facing a severe downturn, I needed to make a more cost-effective choice. Freelancing has allowed me to make ends meet, but I had to stick with essentials rather than splurging on more expensive tools—even if they might boost my productivity. That’s why I opted for the Deco Pro LW. ### REVIEW **TL;DR** For the price, I’m extremely satisfied with the XP-Pen Deco Pro LW. While I encountered a few issues, they seem more related to my workstation setup than the tablet itself. I would definitely buy this tablet again. If I had the budget, I wouldn’t hesitate to upgrade to the Artist Pro 19 (Gen 2) because the quality-to-price ratio of XP-Pen products is impressive. **Packaging** I was pleasantly surprised by the packaging quality. I expected something lightweight and basic, but the box was sturdy and well-organized, with all the contents securely protected. **SCORE**: 5/5 **Documentation (Quick Guides)** The printed materials are well-done and feel more premium than I expected. While I wish the text in the manual was larger (a personal preference), the content is clear and easy to follow. The step-by-step instructions for setup are generally good, though there are some minor grammatical issues. The biggest problem lies in the English translation during the Bluetooth setup section, which could be clearer. **SCORE**: 4.5/5 **Setup** The Bluetooth setup instructions in the manual suggest pressing the power button for 3 seconds to turn on the tablet and 6 seconds to enter pairing mode. However, I found that holding the button for 3 seconds didn’t turn it on, and holding it for 4.5–5 seconds immediately put it into pairing mode, which contradicts the manual. Initially, I couldn’t get my PC to detect the tablet via Bluetooth. After troubleshooting, I discovered that the "Allow Bluetooth devices to find this PC" setting was disabled on my system. Once enabled, the tablet paired easily. The wireless shortcut remote uses a USB dongle (not Bluetooth), but setup through the configuration app was simple. Since the Bluetooth issue was caused by a setting on my PC, I won’t deduct any points. **SCORE**: 5/5 **Use** Upon first use, I noticed some lag and lack of smoothness when using Bluetooth, particularly in Maya and ZBrush. Using the USB-C cable instead eliminated the issue, so I’ll be spending more time tweaking my system to determine if the problem lies with my hardware or the tablet. Given that this is my first day with the tablet, I plan to further investigate and resolve the Bluetooth performance. **SCORE**: 4.5/5 **Overall**: **SCORE**: 4.9/5 I’m very happy with the Deco Pro LW and excited to explore more of what it can do. Edit 11/3/2024: After using the tablet for some time I have raised the score, and moved the stars from 4 to 5 to better reflect the quality of the product. It is my hope that, in the future, I will be able to get a Artist Pro 19 (Gen 2) based on my experience with this tablet.

Great pad! Does exactly as needed and then some

Out of the box: great packaging, nice pen case. Try it out: on the Mac, without driver installation the pen on the tablet moves the mouse, left click works a little, no right click, basically useless. Driver installation asks for keystroke monitoring permission (twice, denied), and asks for accessibility permission (have to accept otherwise it doesn't work). Each time the software starts it asks for more permissions (denied). Hooked up the tablet with USB-A cable. Pen on tablet works fine and is responsive and feels good, buttons on pen work. Movements are smooth and soundless. Works fine for me as a left-handed person since there are no buttons on the tablet. At times something weird happens where a menu doesn't work or selections don't turn off. Solution is to quit the driver software and restart. Don't leave the driver running if you don't use the tablet, weird menu selections will happen, the driver interferes with some mouse commands. Basically the driver can be buggy and invasive but mostly works fine while using the tablet and I don't see it working when I quit the driver app. I'm not a super user, I didn't try the extra device with buttons and I didn't try any advanced pen sensitivity trials, I didn't try to set any fancy settings. It works fine for the average user drawing and painting digitally with default settings. Overall, OK value for money. Driver software should be in the App Store so you can trust it better.

XP-Pen Deco Pro LW (Gen 2) – Affordable, Seamless, Wireless, and Seriously Impressive I specifically chose this model because I wanted a tablet with a large working area that didn’t break the bank. The Deco Pro LW (Gen 2) hit that sweet spot — and being on sale made the deal even better. From the moment the box arrived, the experience was great. The packaging was neat and secure — everything was individually wrapped, almost like unwrapping a giant piece of candy. (Just don’t forget to remove the protective film on the tablet!) After a smooth plug-and-play experience, I was up and running in minutes. Wireless pairing took a moment (since I had to scroll through a bunch of Bluetooth devices), but it connected without a hitch. The drivers installed easily, and everything just worked. The tablet comes with USB-C charging cables, extra nibs, and a wireless Express Key Remote — all of which worked flawlessly. I’m using it with a 2023 ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18, powered by an Intel Core i9-13980HX, GeForce RTX 4090, 64GB DDR5 RAM, and a QHD 240Hz Nebula Display. This is a high-end machine meant for demanding creative work, and the Deco Pro LW keeps up effortlessly. Drawing Performance The stylus is a standout. With 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity, 60° tilt support, and near-zero latency, it delivers an incredibly smooth and precise drawing experience — whether sketching, painting, coding, or even 3D modeling. It’s easily one of the best pen experiences I’ve had on a non-display tablet. And yes, it performs exceptionally well with video editing, code workflows, and tools like Blender and Unreal Engine. If your trying to get a precise pressure level adjust it through your pens software. There is a review here that says you can't access all presure levels. Well you can be rest assured (You'll likely need a very steady hand like me) all 16,384 levels of pressure are indeed accesible. Wireless + Build Quality Wireless performance has been rock solid. I haven’t experienced any input lag or dropped signals — though, if you're using outdated hardware, an old Bluetooth dongle, or missing drivers, results may vary. Battery life has been excellent, and charging via USB-C is quick and convenient. Build quality is top-notch. It’s sleek, lightweight, and durable. The drawing surface has just the right amount of texture for a satisfying pen feel. It does come with a glove, though I prefer to draw without it. Troubleshooting Tips (Read Before Reaching for Support!) 1. Experiencing Lag? Lag is usually due to outdated drivers or unoptimized software. I noticed minor lag in Blender 4.4, Unreal 5.6, Sketchbook, and Krita before updating. Head to XP-Pen’s official website and download the latest driver specific to your model. After a 2-minute install, the difference was immediate — input latency dropped to near-imperceptible levels. 2. Customize Your Workflow Once you’ve installed the driver, download XP-Pen’s configuration software to fine-tune pressure curves, customize pen buttons, and set up shortcuts. This step dramatically improves workflow efficiency. 3. Mouse Flickering? If your cursor flickers when using a mouse, it’s likely because the pen is still on the tablet. Make sure it’s lifted at least 1.5 inches from the surface or off that tablet — that’ll resolve the conflict instantly. 4. Can’t Find Your Device on Bluetooth? If your tablet is plugged in, you don’t need Bluetooth — unplug the XP-Pen USB if you’re trying to pair wirelessly. Hold the power button for 6 seconds until the LED starts blinking (that’s pairing mode). Then enable pairing from your system's Bluetooth settings. If you’re still stuck, double-check that your computer’s Bluetooth is turned on, drivers are up to date, and the Bluetooth Dongle receiver (if you're using one) is properly connected. 5. Still Not Working? If you’ve tried all of the above and you're still having issues, your device could be defective or your system might have compatibility issues. Before contacting the manufacturer, call Amazon support — they’re often quicker and can replace or refund faster than product support lines. Final Thoughts The XP-Pen Deco Pro LW (Gen 2) is affordable, elegant, and packed with professional-grade features. It’s wireless, precise, and easy to set up — especially if you follow the steps above. I highly recommend it for digital artists, developers, editors, or anyone who wants a responsive, large drawing tablet without paying Wacom prices. Rating: ★★★★★ / 5 – Zero regrets, fantastic purchase. Performs like a premium tablet. Priced like it shouldn't.

Pros. 1. Price: reasonably cheap compared to Wacom Intuos pro. 2. Very pretty design, smooth edge so it doesn't bother wrists when you use. 3. No over heating issues I found so far. 4. Pen is pretty sensitive and I like it. Now, issues I found so far. 1. It doesn't support touch controls meaning, you need to manually rotate the screen. If you have used either Wacom Pro series or display tablets such as Cintiqe or ipad, you might find it incredibly annoying. 1.1. It should support rotation function by using the wheel - however, it doesn't work. Something is wrong. 2. Poor App. Once you do any updates, it just reset all the settings you have saved. Look it up on Reddit. 3. Bluetooth - it is not really a problem but you need to change your Bluetooth setting to Advanced search otherwise it won't come up on the list. If anyone having the same issue on Windows, please go to setting and change your setting to Advanced instead of default. 4. THE REASON IM RETURNING IT.... look at the video. It occasionally just do this. It goes worse when the connection is via Bluetooth, and when I use dual monitors or sidecar between Mac and Ipad. Since this happens on both PC and Macbook I am assuming the tablet or pen has some issues. It is most likely just I'm unlucky and got a faulty device. However, not supporting touch control is bit critical for me so I don't think I can use this model. It would be great alternative option for people who don't need rotation and zoom frequently like me. At the end, it's cheap and sensitivity is as good as other Pro model graphic tablets