I almost convinced myself not to write about this comparison between my old Wacom Bamboo and my Wacom Intuos Pro (which isn’t new anymore since I’ve had it for more than 2 years!). But we’re here.
What’s immediately noticeable is the Wacom Intuos Pro’s build quality. The combination of plastic and aluminum gives it that premium look and feel. The Wacom Intuos Pro is also significantly slimmer than the Wacom Bamboo. I know this will be different from person to person, but the heft of the Wacom Pro Pen suits me; it feels just right in the hand. On the other hand, the Wacom Bamboo Pen is a lot lighter.
Another feature I’ve come to appreciate is the active area. Even though both are “small” tablets, the Intuos Pro just feels more spacious somehow. The texture on the surface is different, too—it has this slightly rougher finish that gives you more feedback, almost like drawing on paper. The Bamboo’s surface is smoother, which some people prefer, but I found myself adjusting to the Pro’s texture pretty quickly.
The Intuos Pro ExpressKeys and touch ring are features that I honestly didn’t think I’d use much at first. But once you program them to your most-used shortcuts, it’s hard to go back. The Bamboo had buttons too, but they felt more basic in comparison. It’s one of those quality-of-life upgrades that sneaks up on you.
The drawing experience itself is where things really diverge. The Intuos Pro has way more pressure sensitivity levels—we’re talking 8,192 compared to the Bamboo’s 1,024. Does that sound excessive? Maybe on paper, but in practice, it translates to much smoother line variation and better control, especially when you’re doing detailed work or trying to nail those subtle brush strokes. If you’re into digital painting or shading, the tilt recognition on the Pro Pen makes a huge difference.
| Wacom Bamboo CTH 470 | Wacom Intuos Pro Small PTH 460 |
| Tablet Dimensions: 278 x 176 x 9.8 mm | Tablet Dimensions: 269 x 170 x 8.45 mm |
| Pen Active Area: 147 x 92 mm | Pen Active Area: 160 x 100 mm |
| 4 Programmable ExpressKeys | 6 Programmable ExpressKeys |
| 1,024 pen pressure sensitivity | 8,192 pen pressure sensitivity |
Looking back, the Bamboo served me well for years—it’s a solid entry-level tablet that got me comfortable with digital art. But the jump to the Intuos Pro was worth it for where I am now.
