Taking the pen screen to the next level: We review the Xecelabs 24 . pen display

news7g07/15/2023

0 6 minutes read

Raising the Bar on Pen Displays: We Review the Xencelabs Pen Display 24

A big screen with precise pen, 4K resolution and color accuracy? What more could you want on your dream editing setup?

A large, high-resolution display and a precise pen tool would probably be among the things most photographers would think of when it comes to their dream home or studio editing station. Essentially, the pen screen provides the ability to perform precise input, especially in manual editing or mixing, directly on the screen where they are viewing the image. Pen screens are of course more commonly used by digital artists and illustrators, but there are certainly benefits they can bring to photographers’ post-production workflows. family.

Construction and Design

The Xecelabs 24″ pen display comes with a 61.8 x 38.8 cm (24.4 x 15.3 in) magnesium alloy panel with a 24 inch display. It has a panel thickness of 3.4 cm (1.4 in) and weighs up to 6 kg, which is only really important when transporting and transporting. The active area measures 52.7 x 29.6 cm (20.75 x 11.7 in), surrounded by a substantial bezel. The entire panel is covered by what appears to be a single layer of bonded glass with a distinctly matte, near-glare-free, and fingerprint-resistant surface.

At the top right part of the frame are three programmable touch buttons that can be assigned specific shortcuts or commands. The color of the buttons can also be customized depending on the application or mode in which the screen is currently active. Each side of the panel has two mounting points for the pen holder, and all are compatible with the supplied Quick Key controller attachment clip.

The back panel has standard 100x100mm VESA-compatible ports, where a tilt-tablet stand connection is provided. This stand allows for adjustment from a flat angle of 16 degrees to as high as 72 degrees, which is a pretty substantial range to find the perfect viewing angle and/or drawing angle.

This tilting stand comes with a quick unlock mechanism that can be adjusted with just one hand from the top of the panel. For added versatility, an optional multi-axis stand is also available, along with the ability to use it with other 100x100mm VESA mounts or display stands.

Input options and compatibility

The top edge of the screen has the main power button, with a USB-A port on either side. These ports are typically for the USB dongle of the Quick Keys controller, and an additional port for a wireless mouse or keyboard, depending on user preference.

The monitor’s main input ports can be found on the bottom 1/4 of the rear panel, just behind the stand. The array includes a port for the AC adapter, a USB-C port, a full-sized HDMI port, and DisplayPort. The ports are strategically placed in this area for a neat cable layout, as they can run through the stand and are arranged depending on where the power source and computer are located. However, this also means that if the monitor is to be used flat on a table, it will require some height adjustment to reach the cables. Also, there will be a limit to this angle range if one of the provided L-type cables is replaced with a straight-ended cable for whatever reason.

Amidst the minimalist design of this pen-screen tablet, there are quite a few potential improvements that could be made in terms of functionality. The border around the active area is pretty important on all four sides, which is why I question why there are only three custom buttons on the screen itself. It’s understandable that the pen screen is designed for use with the Quick Keys controller, however, the amount of space available around the screen provides the ability to place more customizable features, such as additional buttons. add or even touch sliders for general adjustments in editing or other similar actions in other workflows.

Similarly, consider that this monitor can be used as a secondary display for a laptop or as a primary display for a desktop setup, especially since it supports both pen and monitor inputs. with just a USB-C cable, this would be a great opportunity to incorporate more USB-C and even a 3.5mm aux port to act as a built-in USB hub the same way most monitors do. Creation is currently being created.

Screen resolution and color

The Xecelabs 24″ pen display features a 20.75 x 11.7-inch (24.4-inch diagonal) IPS panel with a maximum resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 (4K UHD) with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. It has a maximum brightness of 330 nits and is capable of displaying 1.07 billion colors (10-bit). This 24-inch pen monitor has color reproduction that covers 99% of the Adobe RGB color space and 93% of the DCI-P3 color space.

This pen display is also included in products that have passed and passed Pantone and Skintone validation. This in particular means that Pantone ensures that such displays are capable of quality color reproduction and accuracy after undergoing meticulous testing. This does not mean that monitors have accurate colors immediately (but can be near in controlled lighting environments) but rather means that they are capable of high color accuracy after calibrated according to the specific lighting environment in which the screen is displayed. used.

Similar to Xecelabs . tablet which we reviewed a while ago, this pen monitor also comes with a battery-free set of two EMR pens, 10 extra tips, a pen tip replacement tool, a Quick Key controller, a USB adapter and a USB dongle for the controller.

The first pen is a thicker three-button pen with an eraser on one end and the second is a thinner two-button pen. The former is an option for better grip stability with additional customization, while the latter is more comfortable to use. The two pens are also set up separately, so either pen can be dedicated to different workflows. Both pens feature 8,192 different pressure levels with a resolution of 5,080 lpi and can be used with a 60-degree tilt in any direction.

The Xencelabs Quick Keys controller can be thought of as a multiplier of the efficiency and functionality of the pen display. This 6.2 x 2.46 x 0.47 inch (15.7 x 6.25 x 1.2 cm) wireless controller offers eight customizable buttons that can be assigned to five sets of shortcuts or commands for per application/editing software, providing a total of 40 functions per application. The dial also has a mode switch that allows it to switch between four different functions for each application. All functions are then displayed on the 3.12-inch OLED screen, as memorizing them would be a chore.

This multifunction controller has a built-in battery with 24-53 hours of battery life, and charging with a USB-C cable can also act as a connectivity option. By default, it works wirelessly via a USB Type-A dongle that goes into the computer or the ports of the pen display. At the time, there was no Bluetooth version of this tool, but it will certainly be an attractive option going forward.

Installing

Preparing the screen is very simple. For new users of Xencelabs products, this requires a driver download, and for users of older Xencelabs products, a software update is required. Once the drivers are installed (and you have chosen to extend or mirror your display if using with multiple monitors), the software allows you to choose custom functions and backlight colors for the three buttons above dashboard.

If you’ve set up a Quick Key controller in the past, it’s just as easy to set up. However, if it doesn’t, then assigning all the different functions of each button to each application will take quite a while. In the same way, each of the two pens will have to be individually customized for each button, and the pressure sensitivity curve adjusted to your liking.

Application

As a photographer, the main function of this pen monitor will be to provide a fully immersive editing experience, especially when correcting imperfections on a subject or completely transforming images in composite image creation. I can imagine how portrait, beauty and fashion photographers would love to have such a large screen with a precise pen when editing their images. This also applies to still life, food and product photographers, as I am quite happy to clean up these product photos myself on the screen.

Multimedia digital artists, illustrators and designers will certainly have a lot to say about this tool, but as a photographer, user experience is key. best. As a landscape and architecture photographer, this makes fine-tuning images, especially messy ones, much more efficient and comfortable. With the advent of AI-powered editing tools, a pen screen like this, in terms of selection, removing clutter and combining elements, could make things easier. easier and the goal of any technological innovation — making workflow more efficient — 10 steps further.