This is our hands-on review of the Wacom Movink 13.3 inch creative pen display which is a drawing tablet for editing, artistry and more. Get a first look at what we thought, below.

When I’m doing some creative digital artistry or penwork, I usually call upon my Samsung tablet — a Galaxy Tab S6 Lite — which includes a precise stylus. It works wonders, but the downside is that it’s not always compatible with what I want to use, especially when transferring content to my PC. And no, if you’re wondering, I don’t upgrade my tablet every year or with every new release, given that I’m still using an S6 Lite. I’m the type of person that won’t upgrade if what I have still works well. Techie or not, there’s never any sense in being overzealous.

That said, when I had the chance to try out a little upgrade of sorts, I took it. That opportunity came in the form of a versatile drawing tablet. More specifically, the Wacom Movink 13.3-inch is a creative tablet, not in the vein of the tablets you’re used to, that allows you to use penwork and precise controls with a PC, Android, or even Mac. Think of it as a digital notepad. I’m not a Mac guy, so obviously, I used it with my PC and Android devices. It’s not standalone. It plugs into a compatible device and that’s where it gets power.

It’s an important distinction to make here that, while I will reveal specs and features, like any other review, I always approach my hands-on content from a general consumer standpoint. Yes, I love tech. Yes, I love gadgets. But I’m not going to delve into incredibly nuanced or specific details, just how the tablet is used, if it worked well, and then I’ll touch on some things you need to know — much like my other candid reviews. If you’re a hardcore artist looking for a very technical preview, you might want to seek out additional coverage (I suggest checking out Nicco Valenzuela’s review).

Get yourself a snack and a drink and let’s dive in, shall we?

The Wacom Movink Creative Pen Display is highly adaptable

This pen display is ridiculously handy, and probably not for the reasons you think, either. For starters, it is a pen-like display, yes, and it comes with an intuitive stylus. You can write on it, take notes, and use general penmanship, which gets translated digitally to your PC or device. You’ll need to be using a compatible app to translate said movements, like a note-taking or artistic app, or the related software on a PC. It does work well with Photoshop, including Photoshop Elements and several photo-related apps, even Windows Photos.

But here’s where it gets really helpful. When connected to a PC, it essentially becomes another pointer device, like a stand-in for a mouse. You can use the stylus and gestures to navigate your desktop, interact with windows, and more. For example, clicking the appropriate button on the stylus — from three total buttons — will left-click as if you were using a mouse. You can start apps, open folders, close windows, and so on, all from the Movink display. You can also personalize those buttons by adjusting what they do when you press them, but you’ll need the official Wacom software.

The small and skinny

When plugged into a compatible device, like my Chromebook, the Movink essentially becomes an additional display, mirroring what you see on the primary display.

The stylus and tablet are precise, translating movements well to your desktop, but it will take some time to get used to. It took me at least two days, maybe a little longer, to get used to using the tablet versus a standard mouse. But once I was hooked, I was whipping all over the place like a real pro. 

Let’s get this straight: this isn’t for gaming or similar activities, it’s for creative work, reading, and simple interactions. You can open and close apps, interact with menus, draw, take notes and write, and so on. You don’t want to be doing any advanced mouse movements or controls with it; that gets pretty clunky. But once you see it all in action, I’d say that’s something you’ll come to understand fairly quickly.

What is the Movink display, exactly?

As the name suggests, the Wacom Movink is a 13.3-inch creative pen display that’s more of a surface for artistry and penmanship. It does have some basic menus, like it will tell you when it’s connected via USB-C, and there are settings to fiddle with, but other than that, it’s just a blank slate most of the time.

When I first connected it to my PC, which is running Windows 10, I had to use the standard USB-C cable that came with the tablet together with a 65 watt USB-C adapter — there are two USB-C ports, one on each side. So, I connected the power adapter to one port and the USB-C cable from the tablet to my PC into the other. Simply connecting the USB to my PC was not enough to power the device. If you want to see what’s on your display on the actual tablet, you need a DisplayPort compatible USB-C port which supports video output.

It worked fine plug-and-play, but I also installed the Wacom software and drivers. You’ll find some screen grabs of that experience below.

Wacom Center official software screenshots

Without the software, you can’t really customize the stylus buttons and the overall experience, so keep that in mind. I also installed an optional firmware update for the tablet, all done via the Wacom Center, which is the official software. It was quick, painless, and relatively automated. You just have to make sure the tablet remains connected and powered on during the entire update.

How do you use the Wacom Movink display?

It’s a creative drawing tablet. So, anything you’d expect to be able to do, you can almost certainly do with this little gadget. You can draw, edit photos and videos, interact with related applications, take notes, make annotations on existing documents, including PDFs, create animations, and much more. It’s like having a phone or tablet with a combined stylus experience only on a desktop. Of course, the funny part about that statement is you can also connect the Movink to mobile via Android.

Some other devices I tested the Wacom Movink with include an HP Chromebook, running Chrome OS, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, a Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, various Android tablets, like a UMIDIGI 2K Android tablet, a Windows 11 laptop, and even a Steam Deck. It worked flawlessly with everything.

Movink in action

I did actually use it for some creative projects to get a better feel for how it all works. For example, I’m helping a friend build a website for their business and they requested some handdrawn custom content. I used the Wacom Movink display to create some engaging artwork, and it’s so much easier than using a mouse or even drawing on my Samsung and transferring everything over. Especially since after the transfer, you usually have to convert the files to the right image formats. I did all my drawing on my desktop, while seated at my desk, using apps I know and love.

When plugged into my desktop, I didn’t have anything displayed on the Movink itself. When plugged into my Chromebook and other devices, however, it did show the screen and worked as an extended display.

Optionally, you can use the Wacom Converter if you have an older computer which allows you to connect via HDMI. I didn’t have that handy for my main desktop or else I would have used it.

Movink-along the design

This thing is ultra-thin as you can see from the pictures. It barely takes up space on my desk. The tapered design means it’s slightly thicker at the top, and despite its narrow form factor it’s pretty tough. That’s thanks to Corning Gorilla Glass on the top screen, meanwhile the body is magnesium alloy, so don’t let it fool you, it’s anything but fragile. 

It has an OLED display with full HD resolution support but that won’t matter much if you have an older computer. You need a newer device with a compatible DisplayPort USB-C port to see onsreen content. If you care about the format, you can also configure the screen for 100 percent DCI-P3 and 95 percent Adobe RGB, validated by Pantone, with a Delta E difference of 2 or less. It’s sharp, crisp, and true-to-color which also means it’s phenomenal for artists. When connected to devices that support display out, the screen is vivid, stunning and bright.

There are two physical buttons, one on each side, both personalizable. There are also two USB-C ports, one on each side, above the buttons. That’s it. The rest of the device is minimal, sleek, and relatively attractive. Touchscreen controls help you adjust settings and access on-device menus, otherwise you do everything from the official software. There are also touch-based buttons on either side — touch only on the bezels.

Keep it simple, artiste

There’s not much more to using the tablet than plugging it in and getting creative. Because my PC is older and doesn’t have the right USB-C port I have to use the double plug-in workaround. When plugged into compatible tablets and laptops, that’s not an issue, though. It works seamlessly with my Chromebook and other devices.

It’s also lightweight and portable, and since it uses your device’s power you can bring it along with you, well, everywhere. If you work from a local coffee shop, if you’re headed to a friend’s house, or if you’re traveling, just stow the Movink and off you go. For wandering creatives and digital nomads that’s a huge deal, I know. For me, it meant moving the tablet back and forth between my office desk and my outdoor setup where I go to get some fresh air and enjoy a stogie or two.

If you’re not into placing this drawing tablet flat on a desk or table, there’s an optional stand you can use.

The Stylus: Wacom Pro Pen 3

It’s a stylus, and I say that with all due respect. I’ve seen people fawn and go crazy over different models but I’ve never had one that didn’t work the way it was intended. Now, are there different levels of accuracy? Sure. Sometimes technical issues appear — they didn’t here — or you run into lag, but overall, a stylus is a stylus.

The Wacom Pro Pen 3, by all rights, is an excellent stylus. It feels good to hold, works a lot like a pencil and also has a 60-degree tilt feature that helps mimic pencil shading in compatible apps. It’s thin but not so skinny it feels weird to hold. In fact, it naturally feels like a pencil or pen in the hand.

The back end of the stylus unscrews to reveal replacement nibs for the pencil part. It did come loose accidentally while I was fiddling around with it, but I never had that issue while I was actually drawing or writing. The replacement nibs are also good to see because you never know what’s going to happen, especially if you lug this thing around with you out of the house or office.

There are three physical buttons on the stylus and you can customize what they do with the Wacom Center software. It’s all pretty simple and works well. It reminds me a lot of the S-Pen, which is the stylus I use with my Samsung tablet. It’s world’s better than the stylus that came with my Galaxy S22 Ultra, though, I will say that.

What’s the verdict, and the price?

When I have the opportunity, I will purchase the Wacom Movink for myself. I say “will purchase,” because the review unit was temporary and needed to be sent back — some brands do that. But that also gives you a clear idea of how I feel about this creative pen display. Before I spring for it, however, I will be grabbing the optional converter to make sure it works with my desktop as well as the stand. It feels a little awkward writing or sketching on a flat tablet, which is odd because paper is flat.

The OLED display is gorgeous, which is to be expected with OLED technology, really. I love how it’s plug-and-play, versatile and works with so many systems and devices and also that it’s lightweight, tough, and ultra-portable. If you’re going somewhere where power may be an issue, like a lack of outlets, you might want to bring along a power station or power pack.

There are drawing tablet alternatives, of course, but in my opinion, so many of them don’t live up to the experience of using the Wacom Movink. I would definitely recommend this, if you have the money to spend.

• Recommended Buy: Yes.
• For Who: Digital creatives including photographers, artists, graphic designers, copywriters, marketers, content creators — anyone who makes something.
• Alternative: Wacom Cintiq 16 Small
• MSRP: $750