Huion Kamvas Studio 16 review: Unwieldy confusion
DexertoThe Huion Kamvas Studio 16 is a full-fledged Windows 11 tablet PC with a plethora of upgrades for digital artists of all kinds. At $1,600, is it worth getting one for yourself?
For as long as digital art applications like Photoshop have existed, companies have created drawing tablets. With the growth of devices like the iPad Pro and Galaxy Tab S9, however, many customers have found themselves investing in fully-fledged computers that incorporate robust tablet elements.
This is where the Huion Kamvas Studio 16 comes in. The company has taken its existing knowledge of making high-quality drawing tablets and applied it to a full-fledged computer akin to the Microsoft Surface.
But at $1,600, is it worth getting one for yourself? After weeks of testing the pen-equipped computer, I’m still not sure how to feel about it.
Key Specs
- Processor: Intel Core i7-1165G7
- GPU: Intel Iris Xe
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Connectivity: WIFI 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 2x USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
- Screen: 1440p IPS with 10 Point Touch Screen
- Weight: 1.7kgs/3.7lbs
Design
The Huion Kamvas Studio 16’s design is quite simple, but its simplicity is one of the pen computer’s redeeming factors. Akin to the Microsoft Surface lineup of tablet PCs, the Huion tablet is silver around the back and sides with thick, black bezels on the front.
It sports an iPhone-like squared-off design, with two USB-C ports on the left and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right. You’ll also find that the speakers are placed on the side of the tablet, which sound great.
DexertoAt the top, you’ll find the power button, which also acts as a fingerprint sensor for easy login to Windows 11. There are front and rear cameras with middling quality, but they’re plenty suitable for quick video calls on Zoom and Discord.
Being that this is a drawing-focused tablet PC, Huion has offered more than enough options to make sure you’re super comfortable when using it. There’s a full-length metal kickstand across the back of the 16″ tablet, and Huion has also included a separate stand.
Many devices with built-in kickstands have questionable support, but the heavy-duty hinges on the Kamvas Studio 16 feel like they can withstand your whole body weight without buckling.
The included stand is much of the same, although it’s constructed of a fair bit more plastic than I’d like to have seen. It’s easy to take out and set on my desk, and especially comes in handy when I want to use the Kamvas Studio 16 in portrait mode.
Huion has included its battery-free PW550S slim pen as well, and it comes in a high-quality case that will protect it from just about anything. It’s slim, and super comfortable to hold, and the two buttons on the side are easily programmable through the company’s included software.
DexertoThe screen does have super thick bezels, which might turn off a handful of potential customers. It’s extremely handy having the freedom to grab ahold of the Kamvas Studio 16 around every edge, though, as it’s a wonderful way to prevent accidentally interacting with the computer.
Features
Being that Huion is known for its drawing tablets, it’s no surprise that the Kamvas Studio 16 is chock full of high-quality features for artists to enjoy.
They’ve opted for a 1440p anti-glare IPS panel in the Kamvas Studio 16, and it looks wonderful. The pixel density is great for a screen this size, and I was able to see more of the canvas as I was doodling with the pen in Photoshop.
The included pen is the star of the show here, as a stylus can make or break the value of something like this tablet. It supports 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, 60-degree tilt recognition, and of course, doesn’t need to be charged.
Software
Huion’s software is preinstalled out of the box and offers quite a few options for those looking to fine-tune their experience.
Across four menus, the software offers screen calibration and pressure sensitivity adjustment as well as the ability to program the two buttons on the side of the included pen. It’s easy to figure out right out of the box, and runs in the background taking up very little resources in the process.
Performance
I used the Huion Kamvas Studio 16 with Photoshop on Windows 11, testing its accuracy, latency, and responsiveness.
The results were unsurprising, given Huion’s history in high-quality drawing tablets. There were no noticeable issues with the pen inside of Photoshop and I’d even say it’s better than the Zagg Pro Stylus that I use with my 10th Gen iPad.
I loaded up a few quite large PSD files that I had handy to test out how it would handle them, and I had zero issues with Photoshop, or the PC in general lagging or freezing with the added load. For just art, the specs used for the Huion Kamvas Studio 16 are great.
It’s not great for multitasking
Huion’s Kamvas Studio 16 runs Windows 11 an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU with integrated graphics and 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, which is quite honestly a bit disappointing. The company advertises the tablet as a multi-purpose device that can be used with an external keyboard and mouse alongside its drawing tablet capabilities.
The Core i7-1165G7 has only four cores and eight threads, meaning that multitasking capabilities with the Kamvas Studio 16 take a massive hit with the nearly four-year-old CPU. I really would have liked to see something newer being used here.
DexertoEven if Huion opted for only one generation newer, they could have used an Intel Core i5-12450H and significantly helped the overall multitasking capabilities of the Kamvas Studio 16.
Having just 16GB of DDR4 RAM in the pen computer doesn’t help with its multitasking capabilities either, but it should be suitable for most users. It’s the CPU that really holds it back.
Should you buy it?
There’s no doubt that the Huion Kamvas Studio 16 fills a unique niche in the tablet market. It allows artists to disconnect from their existing PC and offers a large 16-inch high-resolution screen with a battery-free pen that’s both high quality and cheap to replace if needed.
If you’re one of the few who are in the market for something of its size, you should definitely check out the Huion Kamvas Studio 16. If you’re looking for a hybrid tablet that you can use for drawing, video games, office work, and general multitasking, you should just pick up a 12-inch iPad Pro M2 with a second-gen Apple Pencil.
Verdict: 3/5
The Huion Kamvas Studio 16 is a great drawing tablet with a wonderful build quality that will suit every digital artist’s needs. That is, assuming you want something bigger than the 12″ iPad Pro and don’t mind paying a premium to fill a rather niche need.
Huion markets it as “an ideal portable pen computer for today’s hybrid work situation,” but doesn’t give it the specs needed to make it worth buying for those use cases.
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