Table of Contents Show
Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 1, 2018. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Dell’s Canvas is reserved for Windows users only. The device can only play to its strengths with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (better: the Fall Creators Update). Some programmes, such as the older CS 6 versions of Adobe or Krita 3, no longer seem to be compatible with Canvas – or not yet. In the test, there were some strange effects (shaky lines with slowly drawn strokes, bumpy transitions when changing the stroke width …).
Current programmes such as Adobe’s Photoshop CC, Clip Studio Paint, Mischief or ZBrush worked without any problems (in Photoshop, there were occasionally somewhat unclean line edges with larger drawing pressure). According to Dell, a list of compatible software is in the works.
Standard dimensions – impressive values
As mentioned, the Canvas 27 is one of the largest tablets on the market: 27-inch IPS display, QHD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels), 100% coverage of the Adobe RGB colour space (Dell offers a colour calibrator as an accessory) and anti-reflective Corning Gorilla Glass.
The Canvas takes up an impressive 44.6 × 79.2 centimetres on the table, because in addition to the active tablet surface, there are also approx. 10 cm wide edges as a palm rest. These are designed to prevent your hand from slipping when drawing. This makes working much more comfortable. The canvas weighs 8.4 kg, is only about 13 millimetres high at the front and 23 millimetres at the back. It can be angled by about 10 degrees using a kickstand at the back. There is an optional stand for angles of 9 – 85 degrees and a Vesa mount.
Dell recommends dual-screen operation, i.e. the canvas (the main screen) as the active work surface with all input options on the table and a second monitor set up vertically as a preview. This is the best way to realise Dell’s “see and do” concept – the canvas as a huge interactive work surface for working with (both) hands, pen and totem (including on-screen keyboard, virtual touch display and interactive palettes). The real benefit of the virtual touch display becomes apparent when the cursor is to be moved on a screen other than the canvas.
Incidentally, a keyboard or mouse can be connected via USB, although Dell is trying to make it possible to work without a keyboard and mouse using various additional tools. The touch function on the huge surface (Dell specifies 20 pressure points for single and multi-finger touch) makes operation pleasant. In addition, the supplied totem can be assigned special key functions. Theoretically, several totems can be used – but the inputs are not simultaneous.
No false comparisons – please!
Or can you compare apples with pears? Perhaps. You can also compare the technical parameters and individual features of different graphics tablets. It’s a bit like playing car quartets for children.
Of course there are similarities, as the devices are made for similar requirements. Whether the differences are seen as advantages or disadvantages should be decided on an individual basis. On the one hand, the prices of the devices differ significantly, and the screen diagonal and resolution of the Surface Studio (28-inch diagonal, 4K resolution) are even higher than those of the devices from Wacom or Dell. Surface Studio is a complete PC with a graphics tablet, while Wacom and Dell offer pen-only displays in this size. However, these devices have more pressure levels for the pen. Surface Studio and Dell Canvas have rotary controls (dial or totem – active or passive), while Wacom offers an optional, wireless ExpressKey remote control with 17 buttons and a touch ring as a rotary control. Wacom emphasises that up to five such ExpressKey Remote Controllers can be linked to your favourite creative applications.
Perhaps of interest to Canvas users: both Microsoft’s Dial and Wacom’s remote control can work with Dell’s device (if using PCs that do not support Bluetooth, Canvas’ can be used). On YouTube, a user demonstrates how his Dell Canvas works with the Wacom remote control.
Dell Canvas appears more modern (uses Windows 10 features) than the Wacom Canvas. On the other hand, the Wacom is more compatible with older programme versions and various operating systems. In addition, at least Wacom will soon be launching new products – the market is evolving, thank goodness.
Which criteria are evaluated for which device depends heavily on the respective application (drawing, painting, modelling, image or film editing) – and of course on the respective personal requirements. Some artists like to draw on tiny tablets (because of the short distances and quick results and because of the small space requirements of such technology) – others enjoy the creative freedom that large drawing surfaces offer.
Anyone thinking of buying a device in this class should definitely get in touch with the technology personally and get a feel for using such a tablet.
Pen and totem
The Canvas’ pen is comparable to Wacom’s (Dell uses the same technology, the Wacom logo also appears in the driver window) – but not to the new Pro Pen. Dell’s pen is slightly lighter, has slightly larger buttons, but no eraser. It is magnetic: you can place it on the wide edges next to the drawing surface without it slipping away. The pressure sensitivity is 2,048 pressure levels. The angle of inclination is also analysed with the appropriate software.
A total of seven tips / nibs are included with the pen. One hard tip is inserted in the pen. In addition, there are six more in the pen holder (two each of hard, medium-hard and soft).
The pen holder is not magnetic, so it can easily slip on the slanted canvas (previously reported problems with slipping totems seem to have been eliminated in the meantime, but the totem is still very loose, which can be irritating when turning, at least at first).
The totem
According to the Duden dictionary, a totem is seen by primitive peoples as an animal or plant creature or thing that is regarded as an ancestor or relative, especially of a clan, that is revered as a magical helper and that is not killed or injured. At Dell, the rotary or push dial (the alternative to the Microsoft Studio dial) is also called a totem.
This dial is supposed to enable a new workflow with graphics software – “See and do” looks pretty cool in sample videos – comparable to the way the Surface Studio works (unlike there, it’s passive, so it doesn’t need a battery, but direct contact with the active drawing surface / touchpad).
There are reports on the web about two supplied totems (a large and a smaller one). Dell currently only supplies the large totem. A smaller one can be purchased additionally. This should feel more like a controller, e.g. for volume, colour values or similar. Initial problems that have been described several times, such as the incorrect display of menus, seem to have been eliminated in the meantime. The totem worked perfectly in the test.
However, it takes some familiarisation to use this technology as a matter of course. Sometimes the system needed a certain amount of time to react appropriately to the totem. Functions such as moving, rotating or scaling drawing areas can also be accessed quickly and easily via the touch function thanks to the successful touch control (in the Windows 10 default settings, the option “Ignore touch input when using the pen” can be activated under “Pen & Windows Ink”, which reduces incorrect input when drawing.
While other products have been criticised for inadvertent input errors due to uncontrolled touches on the touch screen, the Canvas worked extremely well. Malfunctions rarely occurred. The familiarisation factor with touch operation was quite high in the test.
Functions such as moving, rotating or scaling the drawing area could not be carried out more easily or quickly. The use of the virtual keyboard displayed by Windows
10’s virtual keyboard or the virtual touchpad also worked without any problems.
Dell’s accessories
Dell provides some tools (Windows 10 apps, downloadable from the Microsoft Store) to simplify and optimise the use of the Canvas:
- Canvas Connect is an application designed to make setting up the device easier and extensively explains the entire functionality and recommended workflow.
- Canvas Pen allows access to all pen parameters (pressure sensitivity, button assignment, etc.).
- Canvas Layout is a display management tool that allows active zones on all available displays.
For example, an application can start in the centre of the screen, while other applications and content are displayed on the sides. This allows you to quickly navigate between applications with your fingers using drag and drop. - Fences for Dell Canvas from Stardock is a desktop organisation tool. Desktop content can be arranged in customisable areas (Fences). This is intended to speed up access to frequently used content.
- Canvas Palettes is used to optimise the desktop. Common Windows 10 shortcuts are displayed (in 6 standard palettes). Customised ones are possible so that they can be accessed with a single touch.
Conclusion
The device made a positive impression at first glance: a modern, compact and robust design that is still easy to handle despite its enormous dimensions. The display is a joy to use, even if it can’t yet display 4K – but icons and applications are clearly visible on the screen. There was hardly any noticeable parallax (distance between pen tip and cursor) and low / usual lag when drawing (also depending on the complexity of the application / memory requirements, etc.).
As an ideal workflow, Dell recommends having the canvas (as the main screen) horizontally (or tilted by 10 degrees) in front of the user and also using a conventional display vertically as a preview.
The supported programmes can then be used with both hands, pen, totem and finger. A keyboard can be largely dispensed with for graphical applications. The implementation of the touch functions was particularly positive. Some “familiarisation” seems to be necessary for a good feeling when using the Totem.
If you don’t mind the limitations of Windows 10 (make sure you use the latest version!) and occasional problems with older software, the Canvas 27 could be an attractive alternative (not just in terms of price). We think it’s definitely worth taking a closer look at Dell’s contribution to the tablet world.
