Cintiq by Wacom
($2,500,
Wacom.com and online retailers)
Wacom's digital drawing tablets have long been a favorite of artists, animators and graphic designers. But the 21-inch Cintiq is different than others. This pen-based tablet doubles as a monitor. It shows you what you're drawing on its 1600 x 1200 pixel adjustable-angle display as you're drawing, so the experience feels more like sketching on real paper. The surface responds to the touch of your stylus just like ink or paint on paper: instantaneously, and with high sensitivity to the slightest change in movement. It's pricey, though, and better suited for your desk than your lap: at 22.4 pounds, it's a lot heavier than most digital tablets. But if reviews coming in from some pro illustrators are any indication -- some say the Cintiq has saved their wrists from repetitive motion injury induced by lesser tablets -- it could literally change the way you feel about digitally created art. You don't have to be a design professional to enjoy this tool, either. It's a terrific, if pricey, gift for anyone who loves to draw, paint or retouch digital photos in applications such as Photoshop.