Advice on tablets

[AdamAnubis]

I'm unsure on which to go for. I've narrowed it down to these two:
Wacom Bamboo One A6 Graphics Tablet
Wacom Bamboo A6 Wide Graphics Tablet

I want to get into digital art, but I don't want to spend too much if I don't like a tablet. However, I'm not sure if I go for the more expensive one then I can use it for things like vista swapping windows and writing etc, and if the cheaper one can still do these.

Any ideas?

[PeterStoba]

Go for the Bamboo Fun, although it's around £80 iirc, it's the best for everything.

The bamboo one is very basic, the bamboo is the perfect inbetween, best for everything apart from drawing and photo re touching etc...

[AdamAnubis]

Yeah it's just that i don't really want to spend that much on one.

[trect]

There's a review of the Bamboo Fun here - may be of some use, and it says that the RRP is £60 apparently, so not quite as expensive as Peter thought:

http://www.itreviews.co.uk/hardware/h1731.htm

[0iD]

I have the A5 wide Wacon Bamboo Fun @ home for doodling & I gotta say, they're damned good quality bits of kit. Very impressed.

[Webby]

I have a Wacom graphire 3 A6 and my GF (an illustration student) has a Graphire 4 A5, I have to admit the A5 is easier to use especially on a wide screen monitor if you want to match screen area to tablet area (as you loose a bit to get the aspect ratio right) If you can get an A5 wide tablet that would be what I would go for.

Looking at the Bamboo range I would say either the Bamboo or the Bamboo fun are the best options (both wide resolution tablets) with the bamboo fun medium as the best (and most expensive) or the is a wireless tablet available for the the same money which could be worth a look.

Okay now I have said all that, my personal recommendation if you do not want to spend a lot of money will be the Bamboo Fun small http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?W...raphics+Tablet the extra money over the Bamboo gets you photoshop elements 5.0 (PC) 4.0 (MAC) and Artrage 2.

If the extra £10 is really to much then get the Bamboo, the Bamboo one is just completely the wrong shape if you have a widescreen monitor. And you will regret the choice if you have to buy another tablet in 6 months because the workable area is too small.

[Pob255]

I'd go with the 2nd bamboo you listed.
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=819100

The Bamboo one isn't that bad esp compaired to other budget tablets around the same price.
However the aspect ratio is going to be an issue (ie widescreen monitor + 4:3 tablet = Dead zones or Distortions from aspect scaling)

If you could afford it the Intuos3 are seriously lovely but the price removes it from almost anyones budget, this is pritty much professional graphic artist only territory.