Brad PLEASE make a 2024 version, we need it!!! Most laptop review channels aren't run by people who actually draw but people who generally know what kind of specs artists would want. Would love this again but with new additions from the year.
Yeah! Im in the same dilemma. I need one for college but none of the videos I see give any good explanation as to what to buy and why or how they work.
@@thebradcolbow just ordered mine! Can’t wait to use it. Thank you again for this video! (And all your videos, my daughter is following you as she begins her learning to draw journey)
This video is so freaking timely! My grand daughter has been asking for advice about a drawing tablet and I've been sending her links to your videos all day. Then, this video pops up in my feed and I sent her the link before even watching the video because I knew it would answer all her questions.
Thanks Brad - I love how you manage to offer clear unbiased advice. It is so rare in the digital art world where it seems to be divided into Apple fanbois and Apple haters.
I have since purchased the galaxy 360 pro, and oh my goodness I love it! Thank your the recommendation. This is my first time using a pen to draw on the screen and it’s simply fantastic and feels very familiar, like paper and pen.
Honestly, I would say that galaxy book flex is by far the best windows device for art. Wacom stylus, Samsung qled screen,very good design and build quality and since its an older device you can often find it discounted for 700-800$
@@iniagung4665 Pretty much identical to apple pencil, you might need to tweak settings a bit after downloading the new app and after that it works flawlessly (tested in over 1k drawings in clip studio and a couple hundred in photoshop), in terms of raw drawing experience its like stand alone Wacom one with a much better display.
Isn't the fhd resolution too bad? I had a 1080p vaio with pen which was too low. Surface pro 4 had a great screen res but the pen was crap. I like the Samsung but I think it needs at least 2500*1600
@@subspaceanomaly Since it's a 13-15inch device 1080p is more than enough,+it has Samsungs qled display which is honestly much better than higher res standard IPS or LCD monitor. If for whatever reason you might specifically need 4k res then look for something like Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel, It comes with Wacom emr pen support and has 4k resolution but it can cost up to 3000$. I don't think that it's realistic to search for stand alone windows drawing device with top tier stylus support and 4k resoliution in the price range of 700-900$.
Other way to make the Surface Laptop Studio better as far as drawing angles: add a Huion tablet stand or other stand that has rigid angles points to adjust to. Makes drawing rock solid in tablet mode, and personally I use a tourbox Neo for keyboard shortcuts. My only complaints for the device is where the exhaust is located, using a mouse next to the device basically directly vents GPU heat to your wrist (for right handed users, lefties will get CPU heat), which doesn’t feel great especially for RSI. Been trying to come up with some potential ways to redirect the exhaust safely away, because this is the one thing outside of port selection that makes the SLS sometimes uncomfortable to use.
Great video Brad! Will come in handy if I see an artist friend looking for a new laptop. If I can suggest a video idea, how about discussing the pros/cons of going for an All-In-One solution (like the Surface Laptop Studio) or just getting two seperate cheaper devices instead (like a mac/ipad or cheaper laptop/samsung tablet/etc)? Could be helpful for artists needing good performance and portability, but are hesitant on the price of those expensive all-in-ones. :)
I picked up a gently used GB Pro 360 15.6" 16gb/1TB for just over $600 last week. At this price, I have no complaints at all, it's been a great device so far.
I can vouch for the HP Spectre x360 15 personally. The drawing performance is solid and it has a gorgeous 4K screen. However, it does tend to run hot on occasion and I wish the battery life was a bit stronger (probably thanks to the aforementioned 4K screen). I've only had it for roughly five months, but it's been pretty good for my first 2-in-1 convertible laptop!
I live for my Surface pro 7 and also have a 5. I used clear non-adhesive shelf liner from the dollar store on the screen of the 5 & it gives just a twitch of texture & makes the pen work beautifully...no wobble lines on my women humor greeting card illustrations. And really; Dollar store shelf liner that doesn't show but also easily comes off with nooooo adhesive! Kinda' life changing ... well for the surface of the Surface anyway!
Great video brad as always! I have a request if possible, can you make a smartphone drawing video? It can be anything from what's it like drawing on a phone to what techniques you can use and how it'll feel vs a tablet.
Thanks for the great review! But what about doing another one about the laptops with regular screens for using with regular graphic tablets like Cintiq?
The Surface Laptop Studio is just amazing... I loved it! Got the 32GB version, I'm impressed by how silent it is, it hardly get warm and battery life is pretty good too, I can get at least 6 hours doing web development work. Keyboard and haptic touchpad is excellent as well, making it a great machine for programmers. I haven't used it for drawing yet, but from my short test, the line quality with Slim Pen 2 is great, pressure sensitivity is easily controllable now (I have a hard time getting back from thick to thin line with older Surface pens) and most importantly, the IAF is really low. Basically comparable to Apple Pencil now I think. Haptic is a bit of gimmick though. I tried a couple of pens with Laptop Studio, including the Slim Pen 1. The 2nd gen is definitely the way to go, much better. But yeah, don't use the Slim Pen 2 on older Surface, it's much wavier for some reason, while Slim Pen 1 works great on older Surface.
Okay, I bought a Samsung 360 15" i7 16GB RAM 2in1 for Clip Studio Paint and ZBrush 2021 (I just upgraded to 2022 and the Bevel Pro seems to work but I need more tests). I wanted a cross between a Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 16" and a 12.9" iPad Pro. My major reason for picking the 360 is because it uses an EMR (Samsung labels it SPen) stylus. Like many people have already commented you can replace the included SPen with something more ergonomic like a Wacom One stylus or my choice a Lamy EMR stylus. While the Microsoft Slim Pen 2 may be improved it is still shaped like a flat carpenter's pencil and requires recharging. While the 360 is a 2in1 where you flip the screen backwards into a tablet it is still very ergonomic due to the aspect ratio of the screen. This wide screen provides room on the side for custom on screen hotkeys when you install and configure the 3rd party Tablet Pro software. This means folded in tablet mode when you draw with the stylus with one hand you can trigger Tablet Pro on screen hotkeys with the thumb of the other hand holding the tablet. If you customize the application interface for example in Clip Studio Paint with a Quick Access palette and use Tablet Pro hotkeys, you can access a LOT of tools and palettes with a single thumbpress. Not to mention a little extra wider screen means you can leave more palettes and reference photos open. While a D7 Ezel and Surface Laptop Studio may have a better GPU and can hold more RAM, one has to decide if it is really needed and that outweighs the additional weight, cost, screen size/aspect ratio, stylus line quality, and ergonomics. For me as a Clip Studio Paint and casual ZBrush user I don't need more GPU/RAM for now. If I was more of a Blender user or pushing many millions of polys in ZBrush I'd look at the Acer D7 Ezel for the EMR stylus, 32GB RAM and GPU. My advice for drawing is get the Samsung 360 15" 16GB i7 2in1. Buy a Lamy EMR stylus. The stylus comes with either with glossy screen nibs or matte screen nibs. You can order the other screen's nibs and swap them out in the stylus. Buy and apply a matte screen protector and use the matte screen nibs in the Lamy stylus so the screen has "tooth" like paper when you draw. Buy and install the Tablet Pro on screen hotkey software and take the time to learn to make your own buttons like undo, redo, space, shift, alt, control and custom key combos. Get an adjustable laptop easel/holder (I have a wooden cookbook easel) if you want to work at a desk. Since the laptop is very thin get a hard sided case for traveling. I have to disagree with Brad. I think the 15" Samsung 360 2in1 i7 16GB is a better choice over the MS Surface Studio Laptop. Admittedly I have not tried the Studio but multiple reviews have NOT said the Slim Pen 2 is as good as EMR or as ergonomic. The Slim Pen 2 is just "better". What every you try, just make sure of the store's return policy so you can buy it, install the drawing software, try it for a few days, then return it for money if needed, not store credit.
@@pureyarcadian3710 Funny you should say that. I just was talking to someone who got the Acer D7 Ezel and loves it. I chose the Samsung 360 15" 16GB i7 because I wanted something light for casual ZBrush and Clip Studio Paint. In essence a little bigger and more powerful iPad Pro that can run ZBrush. The person I was talking to got the 32GB RAM Ezel D7. They don't mind the weight and said the build was solid. They got the D7 because they do game and VR development and use Blender so they wanted the RAM and seperate GPU. I hope that helps.
I have same model as you have. But I really frustrated with the performance and all. Not sure what to do. Surface pro maybe good but I hate the recharging. Only reason I liked pro 360 is EMR tech. But still lacking.
Honestly you’re the only person I could find who draws and does reviews on laptops So I wanted to ask if you can please do one of these on more affordable laptops
Hey Brad! Another great video, just wanted to check in about the Slim Pen 2 on the Surface Studio 2. In Windows 11, the Slim Pen 2 is a hugely improved drawing experience over the Surface Pen and Slim Pen 1 on the Surface Studio 2. No haptics, no high refresh / reduced latency, but I'm still seeing big improvement with reduced jitter and improved pressure sensitivity. I can only speak to the Studio 2, but have heard anecdotal reports of a similar experience on the Pro 7 in Windows 11.
For those of us comfy drawing on a classic tablet (trained hand-screen coordination with blood and tears) it's kindda relatively cheap (it's cheaper, indeed) to get a regular (even low) laptop with not even tactile screen, and a classic tablet like the XP-Pen Deco Pro M ($130). The whole thing fits in a bag anyway. And using SAI 2.0 to paint, that thing runs in a potato and yet working smooth with super huge print files, so could do with a 300 bucks Windows laptop. But these laptops are gorgeous. The Samsung book ones caught my attention. And the Surface Laptop Studio.
My favorite is the Concept D7 Ezel :) the only problem of that is battery life :( but nonetheless, it's really amazing :) Edit: the Samsung Galaxy Book Flex2 is much better imo :)
I'm liking this video straight from my Surface Laptop Studio that I got thanks to you. I was hesitating a bit, I almost buy the ConceptD 7 Ezel, but your review helped me get the right one for me. Thanks, Brad!
I have the samsung book pro 360 in the highest configuration! The perfomance is more than good enough for me and the pen input is AMAZING! It works flawlessly. And the best thing there are lot of s pen alternatives out there because the wacom emr tech is very popular and common. Definitely worth the price.
Hi! I’m thinking of getting it as a replacement for my macbook (which is one step closer to dying on me every day), do you think it’s good for school? If you don’t go to school atm or just not a student, is it good for video calls and a lot of tabs being on for extensive amount of time? I’d really like to know since it’s been two months and you know, longterm ^^;; sorry to bother!!
Hey Brad! I meant to comment hours ago - Acer is releasing a "Pro" version of the ConceptD 3 Ezel that *will* use Wacom EMR. It's probably going to be priced aroun $1700. Definitely something to look forward to
Awesome video! I was set on SLS, still am, but it was good seeing what the competition offers. Don't want to regret my decision later, it's an expensive machine after all.
Dang. Lenovo got snuffed! I still feel like the C940 (and 9i) are fantastic. I use the C940 15" for remote teaching, concept art, and general IP illustration/development. They have dedicated graphics cards (gtx1650) and proper 45watt i7 H processors- meaning they can legitimately tackle 3D tasks instead of barely chug through minor 3D files until RAM disappears. The pen is AES BUT.. it's Lenovo AES, which is leagues beyond other systems. I jump between EMR level tech on my workstation and Lenovo's AES implementation constantly. No problem at all. I use the same brush set with the same methods. If anyone is on the hunt for convertibles that can handle some Blender and a bit of gaming, check 'em out!
@@SourPlanet I have the 14, but I'm curious about your stylus setup. I've been looking at the Bamboo Ink Plus and wondering if something like that is worth it
@@PerpetualHope Ah, ok. So the 14" and 15" have very different screen and pen experiences according to who I've talked with about it. The default pen and standard screen on the 15" are totally usable by default, so I haven't had to look around. What I always do when I need to figure this stuff out is order items and then just return them. All companies have loose return policies now. I recently tested the Asus X13 Flow as a possible new workstation. I bought multiple pens to test with it. It sucked and all the pens sucked- I returned all of it! No problem. So if I were you and the pen experience is lacking, I would double check a few reviews and user experiences (reddit and tabletpcreview.com are good starting points) and then order the most commonly cited alternative pens. Keep the best, return the rest. I actually know a guy who was troubleshooting the 14" C940 so I'll check in with him and let you know if I find anything out. Oh, also, Lenovo has many different pen options- including the newly released Lenovo Pen Pro. Those might be worth checking out too and should list the compatible devices on the product pages.
That's what I'm using too, it's a beast, desktop-replacement computer in a two-in-one. Even the battery life is better than on gaming laptops with that sort of hardware, I don't know what tricks Lenovo did with it. :) (I think to start with they capped the wattage of the GPU by default 10W less, it's totally usable though and you can put it in performance mode in the BIOS if you want the full wattage spec of the 1650 max-q.)
hey, i know this video is a couple years old by now but would anyone still recommend the D7 as a laptop for artists / specifically, animators? i'm looking into getting a new laptop to get back into animating with :]
I can't wait till the Ezel 7 2021/2022 model is released in north America. The older models are pretty much out of stock on Acer's website and don't have the latest gpu anyways. Just kind of sucks that it won't likely be available for black friday this year but I look forward to getting it when it's available!
Hey Brad, I really enjoy your content. Could you redo a 'Top *Tablets* for Artists' for this year. I would really appreciate it, especially now that Blackfriday and so on is coming up :)
I mean you don't really have much choice, it's just ipad or Samsung Galaxy tab 6/7/7FE to check out (the S6 lite has good value for the cost but I fear that with its processor and the only 4GB of RAM it could be a bit slow)
This was just the thing I've been looking for! Thank you, you read my mind. *Edit: I need your help! which one is better, a spectre x360 or a galaxy book pro 360?*
Girlfriend switched from iPad Pro to Surface Pro 8, she is very happy with drawing on it on the go, and it's really nice that she can just hook it up to the dock and continue on her XP - Pen Display.
Do you mind me asking why she made the switch? Really wanted to have a device I can take on the go and create art with. iPad has always been the top choice but I’m curious as to what else is out there
@@rylandwells403 She is still mainly using the iPad because she is really use to Procreate, but the biggest reason is full photoshop support and as stated the Surface Pro 8 is great for connecting to the XP-Pen Tablet that we already have at home, its an amazing large drawing tablet that if it is on sale grab it !!
Do you have a video for people who already have an X-Pen tablet and need a notebook that gives it the necessary power? I only can find advice for buying either a tablet or videos like this one.
I have been wanting al Windows laptop for sometime.Your video was so well done explaining the diffferences between these great computers I am aboutt to drop my dime on the Surface Studio. A I am also going to take advantage of your li'nk try Candy
Which would be best for adobe animate or toon boom? Am i better off with a gaming laptop and drawing tablet or will surface studio be comparable. Thanks Brad.
Many of us would love to see a list with regular laptops that can be paired up with drawing tablets. These all are lovely but I don't want/need to replace my drawing surface, I just want a reliable computer to attach it to and by looking at the comments it's clear I'm not the only one. Anyways, thanks for the informative video! :)
I'm looking for a laptop to work well with my tab s7 plus, I originally would be buying galaxy book flex or pro but since they don't support 120hz or even 2k so that's kinda a deal breaker for me. Does the more crispy screen on the surface pro studio make the screen Better overall for drawing. Also which screen looks better in your opinion the galaxy book flex or the pro 360? Thank you 😊
I'm not sure I'd put ANY surface device on the top of the list. While you seem to have had luck with them, a LOT of reviewers have found either no difference in line quality to only a slight improvement. To me this screams of quality control issues. Right now you are best using a device compatible with the S-Pen.
I'm broke and will probably never be able to afford the gadgets on your vids, but I watch them all anyway 😂 *Waves in drawing digital on my 3 year old phone*
yes that'll be really helpful. I'll give my take on it amd ryzen 5 or above cpu (ryzen 5 will be good enough) nvidia gtx gpu or above (gtx 1650 is good enough ) atleast 12 gigs of ram (16 recommended ) 4k monitor (very imp or just go with 1440 ) and it should be dci p3 or adobe rgb monitors but they're really pricy 1 or 2 tb of fast ssd storage (add hard drives if you want) and ofcourse the pen tablet of choice
ok but i need a laptop that will work with a drawing tablet on an 800 dollar budget 😭😭 i can’t find any videos on that.. i don’t want a laptop with a pen- 😭
And speaking of illustrating on tablets; ooooooh how I wish the old sketchbook pro with so many options was still free! I have the older version on my 5 and the new free one on both. LUuuuuuuved the many options it used to have!
Any comment on the screen permanently deforming on the Studio Laptop? -I've heard speculation that it happens when flipping the screen by holding the middle top, and having to really yank it because of the strong magnets. Good video, btw!
Thanks for raising. Haven't heard of this issue. I heard the Galaxy Pro 360 had a screen cracking issue. I wonder if these devices are getting too thin these days.
@@tobylee1170 I think the Samsung 360 is too thin for sure. -I need a little beef to a device I'm going to be using a lot. That spontaneously cracking screen issue is, (I think), due to poor engineering not taking into account thermal expansion between metal lid and bonded glass heating and cooling without enough 'wiggle' room.) But it's still too thin. I think the MS device is great. I like the size and weight. They just flubbed on the ergonomics, not taking into account the way some users might handle the lid. It needed weaker magnets or a better hinge or something. My current fave is the blue Samsung Flex. Does it all, with Wacom. The only criticism is the lower-res screen, but that's a minor issue IMHO. I'm still running a Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15. That thing is still excellent after three years of use. -Though, I'm noticing some screen degradation. Light bleed in odd spots. But it's still a total workhorse.
Brad, why have you never reviewed the Asus flow x13(without xg) which kicks your top 5 choices in the butt as far as price/spec ratio? Come to think of it, NO artist channel has. All I see is gamer reviews. Is it that rare or that bad? I don't know and it's frustrating! 😭
How is the N-Trig tech on the Surface Studio now? I haven't used Surface since Pro 4. Is the N-trig comparable to Wacom's EMR? I think that's the only think holding me back from going Surface. Love the form factor but the EMR and power of Concept D7 is more enticing.
Why there is no Wacom's Mobile? The Surface Pro 8 pen has to be charged? I think is more convenient the Surface Por 8 because of the keyboard. In Surface Lapto Studio, the keyboard gets blocked in drawing mode, and you still need keyboard shortcuts while working.
Hi Brad i follow toi since a Long Time now, you gave me helps for starting drawing and animating. Thanks for that. I really want to invest in a tablet for drawing and animating, i was pretty shure the iPad was the good choice. But i Saw tour review of the surface laptop studio and for the sape price, i not si sûre if m'y choice what do you thinking i pas pro 12.9 or surface laptop studio ? Thanks for all
You never reviewed Hp elite x2 its pen is wacom and has almost no diagonal jitter, has very small force of activation and great palm rejection. You should really review it please!
Well this video is a second too late for me lol. I just bought a Lenovo flex 5 last week for drawing and it works really well with the Lenovo active pen. The palm detection is not amazing tho.
Brad PLEASE make a 2024 version, we need it!!! Most laptop review channels aren't run by people who actually draw but people who generally know what kind of specs artists would want. Would love this again but with new additions from the year.
Yeah! Im in the same dilemma. I need one for college but none of the videos I see give any good explanation as to what to buy and why or how they work.
For real!!
Bro I went to a store asking for a 2 in 1 laptop for creative use and the dude recommended me those phat gamer laptops ☠️
@@jonijon04 Happens every time, I'm sorry. Or they recommend anything with a pen or stylus. No matter how bad.
YES!!!
1+ tablet pc for artist
the samsung galaxy book pro 360 is for sale right now on samsung's sight for $899 (with no trade-in) I think this will be my buy! Great video!
That is one of the nice things about Samsung is that if you can wait a few months they have some deep deep discounts on their hardware.
@@thebradcolbow Agreed! I also love that samsung has 2nd m.2 slot to add more memory.
@@thebradcolbow just ordered mine! Can’t wait to use it. Thank you again for this video! (And all your videos, my daughter is following you as she begins her learning to draw journey)
@@thesuperzfamilyvlog6607 yes apple needs to adopt this!! 😾
It’s $1095 😞
This video is so freaking timely! My grand daughter has been asking for advice about a drawing tablet and I've been sending her links to your videos all day. Then, this video pops up in my feed and I sent her the link before even watching the video because I knew it would answer all her questions.
Thanks Brad - I love how you manage to offer clear unbiased advice. It is so rare in the digital art world where it seems to be divided into Apple fanbois and Apple haters.
I have since purchased the galaxy 360 pro, and oh my goodness I love it! Thank your the recommendation. This is my first time using a pen to draw on the screen and it’s simply fantastic and feels very familiar, like paper and pen.
For the past few days I’ve been frantically looking for laptops for artists, thank you so much for this.
Honestly, I would say that galaxy book flex is by far the best windows device for art. Wacom stylus, Samsung qled screen,very good design and build quality and since its an older device you can often find it discounted for 700-800$
How about the pen pressure and palm rejection. I have used surface pro and both of those things were disappointing
@@iniagung4665 Pretty much identical to apple pencil, you might need to tweak settings a bit after downloading the new app and after that it works flawlessly (tested in over 1k drawings in clip studio and a couple hundred in photoshop), in terms of raw drawing experience its like stand alone Wacom one with a much better display.
I don’t like the flip design i love the hinge on the samsung if they got that to work on that machine at the same price it will be top.
Isn't the fhd resolution too bad? I had a 1080p vaio with pen which was too low. Surface pro 4 had a great screen res but the pen was crap. I like the Samsung but I think it needs at least 2500*1600
@@subspaceanomaly Since it's a 13-15inch device 1080p is more than enough,+it has Samsungs qled display which is honestly much better than higher res standard IPS or LCD monitor. If for whatever reason you might specifically need 4k res then look for something like Acer ConceptD 7 Ezel, It comes with Wacom emr pen support and has 4k resolution but it can cost up to 3000$. I don't think that it's realistic to search for stand alone windows drawing device with top tier stylus support and 4k resoliution in the price range of 700-900$.
Other way to make the Surface Laptop Studio better as far as drawing angles: add a Huion tablet stand or other stand that has rigid angles points to adjust to. Makes drawing rock solid in tablet mode, and personally I use a tourbox Neo for keyboard shortcuts.
My only complaints for the device is where the exhaust is located, using a mouse next to the device basically directly vents GPU heat to your wrist (for right handed users, lefties will get CPU heat), which doesn’t feel great especially for RSI. Been trying to come up with some potential ways to redirect the exhaust safely away, because this is the one thing outside of port selection that makes the SLS sometimes uncomfortable to use.
maybe 3d print a duct if you have a printer or there are also some services that will print it for you
Great for winter time tho!
Great video Brad! Will come in handy if I see an artist friend looking for a new laptop.
If I can suggest a video idea, how about discussing the pros/cons of going for an All-In-One solution (like the Surface Laptop Studio) or just getting two seperate cheaper devices instead (like a mac/ipad or cheaper laptop/samsung tablet/etc)?
Could be helpful for artists needing good performance and portability, but are hesitant on the price of those expensive all-in-ones. :)
I picked up a gently used GB Pro 360 15.6" 16gb/1TB for just over $600 last week. At this price, I have no complaints at all, it's been a great device so far.
I can vouch for the HP Spectre x360 15 personally. The drawing performance is solid and it has a gorgeous 4K screen. However, it does tend to run hot on occasion and I wish the battery life was a bit stronger (probably thanks to the aforementioned 4K screen). I've only had it for roughly five months, but it's been pretty good for my first 2-in-1 convertible laptop!
I agree. i got a spectre 4 years ago and its still working very well. Good line of computers
@@Yoshiarunocho That's good to know! I'm coming off of a MacBook Pro of an entire decade, so I'm not sure what to expect with the Spectre haha.
I have coworker that uses the spectre basically describes just as you did, but absolutely loves it
What does the 15 mean? I can only find the HP Spectre x360 14 in my country.. does it matter?
@@animilaawoo6690 15.6 inch screen (14 would be a 14 inch screen)
Seriously, why isn't ANYONE reviewing asus flow x13 from an artist's perspective. I'm drooling over that beautiful beast
I live for my Surface pro 7 and also have a 5. I used clear non-adhesive shelf liner from the dollar store on the screen of the 5 & it gives just a twitch of texture & makes the pen work beautifully...no wobble lines on my women humor greeting card illustrations. And really; Dollar store shelf liner that doesn't show but also easily comes off with nooooo adhesive! Kinda' life changing ... well for the surface of the Surface anyway!
Interesting idea
Great video brad as always!
I have a request if possible, can you make a smartphone drawing video? It can be anything from what's it like drawing on a phone to what techniques you can use and how it'll feel vs a tablet.
Thanks for the great review! But what about doing another one about the laptops with regular screens for using with regular graphic tablets like Cintiq?
I need a 2024 version of this video asap
The Surface Laptop Studio is just amazing... I loved it! Got the 32GB version, I'm impressed by how silent it is, it hardly get warm and battery life is pretty good too, I can get at least 6 hours doing web development work. Keyboard and haptic touchpad is excellent as well, making it a great machine for programmers.
I haven't used it for drawing yet, but from my short test, the line quality with Slim Pen 2 is great, pressure sensitivity is easily controllable now (I have a hard time getting back from thick to thin line with older Surface pens) and most importantly, the IAF is really low. Basically comparable to Apple Pencil now I think. Haptic is a bit of gimmick though.
I tried a couple of pens with Laptop Studio, including the Slim Pen 1. The 2nd gen is definitely the way to go, much better. But yeah, don't use the Slim Pen 2 on older Surface, it's much wavier for some reason, while Slim Pen 1 works great on older Surface.
Thank you for this review! How long have you had your laptop? Can you also update us with the longetivity and how it wears over time?
@@hurmaes Just almost a month now, I don't see any wear or tear at all yet.
How is the battery?
@@fandeskchair9943 5 to 6 hours for normal programming use case
Any updates a year later?
Okay, I bought a Samsung 360 15" i7 16GB RAM 2in1 for Clip Studio Paint and ZBrush 2021 (I just upgraded to 2022 and the Bevel Pro seems to work but I need more tests). I wanted a cross between a Wacom Mobile Studio Pro 16" and a 12.9" iPad Pro. My major reason for picking the 360 is because it uses an EMR (Samsung labels it SPen) stylus. Like many people have already commented you can replace the included SPen with something more ergonomic like a Wacom One stylus or my choice a Lamy EMR stylus. While the Microsoft Slim Pen 2 may be improved it is still shaped like a flat carpenter's pencil and requires recharging.
While the 360 is a 2in1 where you flip the screen backwards into a tablet it is still very ergonomic due to the aspect ratio of the screen. This wide screen provides room on the side for custom on screen hotkeys when you install and configure the 3rd party Tablet Pro software. This means folded in tablet mode when you draw with the stylus with one hand you can trigger Tablet Pro on screen hotkeys with the thumb of the other hand holding the tablet. If you customize the application interface for example in Clip Studio Paint with a Quick Access palette and use Tablet Pro hotkeys, you can access a LOT of tools and palettes with a single thumbpress.
Not to mention a little extra wider screen means you can leave more palettes and reference photos open.
While a D7 Ezel and Surface Laptop Studio may have a better GPU and can hold more RAM, one has to decide if it is really needed and that outweighs the additional weight, cost, screen size/aspect ratio, stylus line quality, and ergonomics. For me as a Clip Studio Paint and casual ZBrush user I don't need more GPU/RAM for now. If I was more of a Blender user or pushing many millions of polys in ZBrush I'd look at the Acer D7 Ezel for the EMR stylus, 32GB RAM and GPU.
My advice for drawing is get the Samsung 360 15" 16GB i7 2in1. Buy a Lamy EMR stylus. The stylus comes with either with glossy screen nibs or matte screen nibs. You can order the other screen's nibs and swap them out in the stylus. Buy and apply a matte screen protector and use the matte screen nibs in the Lamy stylus so the screen has "tooth" like paper when you draw. Buy and install the Tablet Pro on screen hotkey software and take the time to learn to make your own buttons like undo, redo, space, shift, alt, control and custom key combos. Get an adjustable laptop easel/holder (I have a wooden cookbook easel) if you want to work at a desk. Since the laptop is very thin get a hard sided case for traveling.
I have to disagree with Brad. I think the 15" Samsung 360 2in1 i7 16GB is a better choice over the MS Surface Studio Laptop. Admittedly I have not tried the Studio but multiple reviews have NOT said the Slim Pen 2 is as good as EMR or as ergonomic. The Slim Pen 2 is just "better".
What every you try, just make sure of the store's return policy so you can buy it, install the drawing software, try it for a few days, then return it for money if needed, not store credit.
Thanks now i have to choose between the galaxy book and ezel d7. Ill try the lamy emr with either i choose.
@@pureyarcadian3710 Funny you should say that. I just was talking to someone who got the Acer D7 Ezel and loves it.
I chose the Samsung 360 15" 16GB i7 because I wanted something light for casual ZBrush and Clip Studio Paint. In essence a little bigger and more powerful iPad Pro that can run ZBrush.
The person I was talking to got the 32GB RAM Ezel D7. They don't mind the weight and said the build was solid. They got the D7 because they do game and VR development and use Blender so they wanted the RAM and seperate GPU.
I hope that helps.
Wow, okay. This is super helpful!
@@alexiz0013 Thanks. Remember Samsung just announced the Galaxy Book 2 360 which may have better specs.
I have same model as you have. But I really frustrated with the performance and all. Not sure what to do. Surface pro maybe good but I hate the recharging. Only reason I liked pro 360 is EMR tech. But still lacking.
Honestly you’re the only person I could find who draws and does reviews on laptops
So I wanted to ask if you can please do one of these on more affordable laptops
Hey Brad! Another great video, just wanted to check in about the Slim Pen 2 on the Surface Studio 2. In Windows 11, the Slim Pen 2 is a hugely improved drawing experience over the Surface Pen and Slim Pen 1 on the Surface Studio 2. No haptics, no high refresh / reduced latency, but I'm still seeing big improvement with reduced jitter and improved pressure sensitivity. I can only speak to the Studio 2, but have heard anecdotal reports of a similar experience on the Pro 7 in Windows 11.
im buying a surface studio this week im so excited!!! (i was going to buy it anyways, but i used ur link
For those of us comfy drawing on a classic tablet (trained hand-screen coordination with blood and tears) it's kindda relatively cheap (it's cheaper, indeed) to get a regular (even low) laptop with not even tactile screen, and a classic tablet like the XP-Pen Deco Pro M ($130). The whole thing fits in a bag anyway. And using SAI 2.0 to paint, that thing runs in a potato and yet working smooth with super huge print files, so could do with a 300 bucks Windows laptop. But these laptops are gorgeous. The Samsung book ones caught my attention. And the Surface Laptop Studio.
My favorite is the Concept D7 Ezel :) the only problem of that is battery life :( but nonetheless, it's really amazing :)
Edit: the Samsung Galaxy Book Flex2 is much better imo :)
I'm liking this video straight from my Surface Laptop Studio that I got thanks to you. I was hesitating a bit, I almost buy the ConceptD 7 Ezel, but your review helped me get the right one for me. Thanks, Brad!
I have the samsung book pro 360 in the highest configuration! The perfomance is more than good enough for me and the pen input is AMAZING! It works flawlessly. And the best thing there are lot of s pen alternatives out there because the wacom emr tech is very popular and common.
Definitely worth the price.
Hi! I’m thinking of getting it as a replacement for my macbook (which is one step closer to dying on me every day), do you think it’s good for school?
If you don’t go to school atm or just not a student, is it good for video calls and a lot of tabs being on for extensive amount of time? I’d really like to know since it’s been two months and you know, longterm ^^;; sorry to bother!!
@@yutazenrenchin9701 I am not going to school but i think it will be great for school :) it has a amazing performance
@@michaela984 ohhh alright, thank you for the reply!! :DD
Super helpful! Many reviews just list out specs, I want to know more about the handling and feel of drawing. Thanks Brad!
You should try the Concept D 9 Pro with the Matt screen. I own one is very good at 17.3 inch wacom digitizer
This is the EXACT video I needed before Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Thank you!
Yeah! I'm very like all of this laptop!
Try your best to make more comparison vids for artist, Brad!!!
Hey Brad! I meant to comment hours ago - Acer is releasing a "Pro" version of the ConceptD 3 Ezel that *will* use Wacom EMR. It's probably going to be priced aroun $1700. Definitely something to look forward to
Not the existing Pro version btw - it's a new one that has an RTX 3050. Thought i should clarify
do u know when its coming out?
Does it come with 1Tb of storage?
Already have a laptop but still gonna watch this coz i love wasting time watching these videos instead of actually drawing something :)
I never draw I wish I do but I really enjoy watching your reviews on which laptops have the best pens to draw.
Love my Surface Laptop Studio. Love the Mushroom Kingdom art!
Awesome video! I was set on SLS, still am, but it was good seeing what the competition offers. Don't want to regret my decision later, it's an expensive machine after all.
Planning to buy any of this this month
Thanks
You've given me alot to think about. I've been looking for a tablet to start creating comics with.
Omg you grow so fast, I remember when I subscribe to your channel there was less than 30k now you have over 500k🤯
Dang. Lenovo got snuffed!
I still feel like the C940 (and 9i) are fantastic. I use the C940 15" for remote teaching, concept art, and general IP illustration/development. They have dedicated graphics cards (gtx1650) and proper 45watt i7 H processors- meaning they can legitimately tackle 3D tasks instead of barely chug through minor 3D files until RAM disappears. The pen is AES BUT.. it's Lenovo AES, which is leagues beyond other systems. I jump between EMR level tech on my workstation and Lenovo's AES implementation constantly. No problem at all. I use the same brush set with the same methods.
If anyone is on the hunt for convertibles that can handle some Blender and a bit of gaming, check 'em out!
What stylus do you use with the c940? Do you have a matte screen protector? I haven't found a good setup for mine
@@PerpetualHope do you have the 15" or 14" version?
@@SourPlanet I have the 14, but I'm curious about your stylus setup. I've been looking at the Bamboo Ink Plus and wondering if something like that is worth it
@@PerpetualHope Ah, ok. So the 14" and 15" have very different screen and pen experiences according to who I've talked with about it.
The default pen and standard screen on the 15" are totally usable by default, so I haven't had to look around. What I always do when I need to figure this stuff out is order items and then just return them. All companies have loose return policies now. I recently tested the Asus X13 Flow as a possible new workstation. I bought multiple pens to test with it. It sucked and all the pens sucked- I returned all of it! No problem.
So if I were you and the pen experience is lacking, I would double check a few reviews and user experiences (reddit and tabletpcreview.com are good starting points) and then order the most commonly cited alternative pens. Keep the best, return the rest. I actually know a guy who was troubleshooting the 14" C940 so I'll check in with him and let you know if I find anything out.
Oh, also, Lenovo has many different pen options- including the newly released Lenovo Pen Pro. Those might be worth checking out too and should list the compatible devices on the product pages.
That's what I'm using too, it's a beast, desktop-replacement computer in a two-in-one. Even the battery life is better than on gaming laptops with that sort of hardware, I don't know what tricks Lenovo did with it. :) (I think to start with they capped the wattage of the GPU by default 10W less, it's totally usable though and you can put it in performance mode in the BIOS if you want the full wattage spec of the 1650 max-q.)
I got mine laptop studio with the nvodoa graphics and im in love
Thank you! Super useful review!
hey, i know this video is a couple years old by now but would anyone still recommend the D7 as a laptop for artists / specifically, animators? i'm looking into getting a new laptop to get back into animating with :]
black Friday let go shopping!
I can't wait till the Ezel 7 2021/2022 model is released in north America. The older models are pretty much out of stock on Acer's website and don't have the latest gpu anyways.
Just kind of sucks that it won't likely be available for black friday this year but I look forward to getting it when it's available!
Excellent review! Thanks for giving Windows some love.
I'm here waiting for the 2022 list but it's almost 2023 😆.. it's probably still similar.
great video... please do an update on this twice yearly if possible ... thanks
Thanks for the great review, I loved all your choices. Can you tell me what software did you use to draw (Mario Castle) using surface 8 pro?
Hey Brad, I really enjoy your content. Could you redo a 'Top *Tablets* for Artists' for this year.
I would really appreciate it, especially now that Blackfriday and so on is coming up :)
I mean you don't really have much choice, it's just ipad or Samsung Galaxy tab 6/7/7FE to check out (the S6 lite has good value for the cost but I fear that with its processor and the only 4GB of RAM it could be a bit slow)
Best budget drawing laptop is Lenovo flex 5 14, with wacom aes build in.
This was just the thing I've been looking for! Thank you, you read my mind.
*Edit: I need your help! which one is better, a spectre x360 or a galaxy book pro 360?*
Girlfriend switched from iPad Pro to Surface Pro 8, she is very happy with drawing on it on the go, and it's really nice that she can just hook it up to the dock and continue on her XP - Pen Display.
Do you mind me asking why she made the switch? Really wanted to have a device I can take on the go and create art with. iPad has always been the top choice but I’m curious as to what else is out there
@@rylandwells403 She is still mainly using the iPad because she is really use to Procreate, but the biggest reason is full photoshop support and as stated the Surface Pro 8 is great for connecting to the XP-Pen Tablet that we already have at home, its an amazing large drawing tablet that if it is on sale grab it !!
@@StephenMoreira thank you, this was helpful!
Do you have a video for people who already have an X-Pen tablet and need a notebook that gives it the necessary power? I only can find advice for buying either a tablet or videos like this one.
Brad you should give chromebooks another shot. Please review the new Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook Tablet ($500) with Penoval Chromebook Stylus ($55)!
You're right, it's been a while since I've tried a good chromebook!
Thank you for your guidances🙏❤
Make more video like this on other laptop like asus flow. First time on your channel really liked your video how you explain everything
Im getting none for a reason:
Getting a xp pen screen tablet is cheaper (+ a laptop)
you should do the android & ios tablets too.
I have been wanting al Windows laptop for sometime.Your video was so well done explaining the diffferences between these great computers I am aboutt to drop my dime on the Surface Studio.
A I am also going to take advantage of your li'nk try Candy
Which would be best for adobe animate or toon boom? Am i better off with a gaming laptop and drawing tablet or will surface studio be comparable. Thanks Brad.
Many of us would love to see a list with regular laptops that can be paired up with drawing tablets. These all are lovely but I don't want/need to replace my drawing surface, I just want a reliable computer to attach it to and by looking at the comments it's clear I'm not the only one. Anyways, thanks for the informative video! :)
I'm looking for a laptop to work well with my tab s7 plus, I originally would be buying galaxy book flex or pro but since they don't support 120hz or even 2k so that's kinda a deal breaker for me. Does the more crispy screen on the surface pro studio make the screen Better overall for drawing. Also which screen looks better in your opinion the galaxy book flex or the pro 360? Thank you 😊
That was a great review!
I need one , anyone of them but i cant afford it right now , good review brad keep da good work
I sold my alpha 2n1 flexbook big mistake im going right back and buying one again
The surface laptop Pro is one of my favourite but it is so much expensive.
Starts at 1:40
I'm not sure I'd put ANY surface device on the top of the list. While you seem to have had luck with them, a LOT of reviewers have found either no difference in line quality to only a slight improvement. To me this screams of quality control issues. Right now you are best using a device compatible with the S-Pen.
I lay on the floor when I draw and the carpet is enough friction for me to test my hand on the screen without the tablet moving
I'm broke and will probably never be able to afford the gadgets on your vids, but I watch them all anyway 😂
*Waves in drawing digital on my 3 year old phone*
Your channel is perfect for creative enthusiasts
Are these laptops good for 3d animation???
Can u do top 5 PCs for a artist's??
yes that'll be really helpful. I'll give my take on it
amd ryzen 5 or above cpu (ryzen 5 will be good enough)
nvidia gtx gpu or above (gtx 1650 is good enough )
atleast 12 gigs of ram (16 recommended )
4k monitor (very imp or just go with 1440 ) and it should be dci p3 or adobe rgb monitors but they're really pricy
1 or 2 tb of fast ssd storage (add hard drives if you want)
and ofcourse the pen tablet of choice
Can you do a budget friendly version of this?
ok but i need a laptop that will work with a drawing tablet on an 800 dollar budget 😭😭 i can’t find any videos on that.. i don’t want a laptop with a pen- 😭
really wish this was a more budget friendly list ^^; unfortunately 900-1000 was gonna have to be my absolute max ^^;
And speaking of illustrating on tablets; ooooooh how I wish the old sketchbook pro with so many options was still free! I have the older version on my 5 and the new free one on both. LUuuuuuuved the many options it used to have!
One last comment from moi'...what program are you drawing in?
How about the TCL tab max 4g and stylus review next, alongside the Lenovo P11 along with the precision pen 2??
Any comment on the screen permanently deforming on the Studio Laptop? -I've heard speculation that it happens when flipping the screen by holding the middle top, and having to really yank it because of the strong magnets.
Good video, btw!
Thanks for raising. Haven't heard of this issue. I heard the Galaxy Pro 360 had a screen cracking issue. I wonder if these devices are getting too thin these days.
@@tobylee1170 I think the Samsung 360 is too thin for sure. -I need a little beef to a device I'm going to be using a lot. That spontaneously cracking screen issue is, (I think), due to poor engineering not taking into account thermal expansion between metal lid and bonded glass heating and cooling without enough 'wiggle' room.)
But it's still too thin. I think the MS device is great. I like the size and weight. They just flubbed on the ergonomics, not taking into account the way some users might handle the lid. It needed weaker magnets or a better hinge or something.
My current fave is the blue Samsung Flex. Does it all, with Wacom. The only criticism is the lower-res screen, but that's a minor issue IMHO.
I'm still running a Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15. That thing is still excellent after three years of use. -Though, I'm noticing some screen degradation. Light bleed in odd spots. But it's still a total workhorse.
Brad, why have you never reviewed the Asus flow x13(without xg) which kicks your top 5 choices in the butt as far as price/spec ratio?
Come to think of it, NO artist channel has. All I see is gamer reviews. Is it that rare or that bad? I don't know and it's frustrating! 😭
Doesn't look like it works with a stylus from what I can find
Thanks!
Can u review Asus rog flow 13 please?
I think ROG Flow X13 and Z13 are good options too.
Bro make a new video of this for 2023
Can you review the Asus Zenbook Flip series? I'm very curious of the pen/stylus quality
How is the N-Trig tech on the Surface Studio now? I haven't used Surface since Pro 4. Is the N-trig comparable to Wacom's EMR? I think that's the only think holding me back from going Surface. Love the form factor but the EMR and power of Concept D7 is more enticing.
Hi, Brad!. Which GLOVE are you using in the video?.
Link, please, so that I can buy it. Thanks!
Why there is no Wacom's Mobile? The Surface Pro 8 pen has to be charged? I think is more convenient the Surface Por 8 because of the keyboard. In Surface Lapto Studio, the keyboard gets blocked in drawing mode, and you still need keyboard shortcuts while working.
awesome channel. just started
Hi Brad i follow toi since a Long Time now, you gave me helps for starting drawing and animating. Thanks for that. I really want to invest in a tablet for drawing and animating, i was pretty shure the iPad was the good choice. But i Saw tour review of the surface laptop studio and for the sape price, i not si sûre if m'y choice what do you thinking i pas pro 12.9 or surface laptop studio ? Thanks for all
You never reviewed Hp elite x2 its pen is wacom and has almost no diagonal jitter, has very small force of activation and great palm rejection. You should really review it please!
609k Subscribers! NICE.
What's the best specs and brand i should look for if i already have a display tablet and will use the laptop for digital art works
Well this video is a second too late for me lol. I just bought a Lenovo flex 5 last week for drawing and it works really well with the Lenovo active pen. The palm detection is not amazing tho.
Yess, i really need a new laptop
Hey buddy , is the samsung galaxy book 2 360 good for running python and microaoft teams simultaneously.
i'm thinking about asus rog x13 ... is it good for artists? i want a review of this product from you!
Pls do a 2024 version and wat do u think of thinkpad yoga 370
So which one is the best ill pay however much
Brad, have abandoned the Brad's Art School RUclips channel 😭😭😭?
I want to know if these laptops would be great for both art and graphic design