XPPen Artist Pro 22 (Gen 2) Review: A Superb Drawing Display Tablet for Pros

XPPen is kicking off 2025 with a bang.

The XPPen Artist Pro 22 (Gen 2) is the latest version of one of the company’s most popular drawing tablets. Last year, I got to test a bunch of smaller pen displays, which was fun, but I’ve been itching to try out a larger device like this one. So, when XPPen reached out just before the year wrapped up and asked if I wanted to check out this new version of the Artist Pro 22 ahead of launch, of course I said yes.

After testing it for about a month, I’m ready to share my experience with the product, which officially launches today, January 10, with a pre-sale price of $594.99. Hopefully this review will give you an in-depth look at what the XPPen Artist Pro 22 has to offer, including its features, accessories and performance, to help you decide if it deserves a spot in your workspace.

What’s in the box?

It’s no surprise that the Artist Pro 22 (Gen 2) comes in a huge box, given its large dimensions. The package features an image of the tablet on the front with a colorful illustration by talented artist Sasha Fortova.

Flipping it over, you get a look at the back of the device, including the adjustable stand that comes with it.

The box has individual compartments for the tablet itself and all the included accessories, with everything neatly packed and organized.

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

• X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus
• Pen case with additional nibs (4 standard nibs and 4 felt nibs)
• Wireless Shortcut Remote and Bluetooth receiver
• Power adapter and power cord
• HDMI cable
• Full-featured USB-C to USB-C cable
• USB-A to USB-C cable
• Drawing glove
• Cleaning cloth
• Pen clip
• Adjustable stand (15°~88°)

Specs

The XPPen Artist Pro 22 (Gen 2) packs a lot of punch for its price point, including a QHD fully laminated display that comes calibrated from the factory, and a battery-free stylus with 16K levels of pressure sensitivity. Here’s an overview of the specs:

Tablet Specs

Panel size:	22 inches
Resolution:	2560 x 1440 (16:9)
Brightness:	250 cd/㎡
Contrast ratio:	1000:1
Display colors:	16.7 Million
Color gamut:	99% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, 94% Display P3
Viewing angle:	178°
Full lamination:	Yes
Dimensions:	547.0 x 362.0 x 33.4 mm
Active working area:	475.392 x 267.408 mm
Weight:	5.55 kg (Stand Included)
Connectivity:	Full-featured USB-C, HDMI
VESA Compatiblity:	100 mm x 100 mm
OS Compatibility:	Windows 7 (or later), macOS 10.13 (or later), Android 10.0 (or later), ChromeOS 88 (or later), Linux

Pen Specs

Model:	X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus
Pressure levels:	16,384
Tilt range:	60°
Initial activation force:	3g
Sensing height:	10mm (center)
Accuracy:	±0.4 mm (center)
Resolution:	5080LPI
Report rates:	≥200RPS

Design and Build Quality

The Artist Pro 22 is a pretty big tablet, measuring 547.0 x 362.0 x 33.4 mm, so you’ll want to make sure that your desk has enough room for it. But even with its size, it doesn’t feel awkward or clunky. The rounded corners, beveled edges and high-quality plastic shell give it a clean aesthetic that should look right at home in any modern setup.

The display is surrounded by thick bezels throughout (roughly 26mm on the sides and 30mm at the top and bottom), which provide a comfortable resting space for your hands while drawing.

Along the top, you’ll find the power button and brightness controls. The tablet also comes with a pen clip that can be attached next to these buttons to keep your stylus always within reach.

Around the back, you’ll find cooling vents at the top, the adjustable metal stand in the center and two chunky rubber feet at the bottom of the tablet that help keep it stable while in use. The stand is very robust and allows for a wide range of angles (from 15° to 88°), making the Artist Pro 22 adaptable to all sorts of working conditions, personal preferences and drawing styles.

The tablet is VESA-compatible too, so if you’d rather mount it on a wall or monitor arm, the stand can be easily removed.

Next to the stand, there’s a compartment for the audio jack, power cable, HDMI and USB-C ports. You can use the included plastic plate to cover this cable area and keep things looking tidy.

The accessories that come with the tablet, including the shortcut panel and the X3 Pro pen are all nicely designed as well.

The pen comes in a nice aluminum case with a cool push-to-open, slide-out design that is super satisfying to use.

Inside the case you’ll find the wireless receiver for the shortcut remote, as well as 8 extra nibs for the pen (4 standard ones and 4 felt nibs).

Getting Started

Setting up the Artist Pro 22 was very straightforward and only took a few minutes. The first thing you’ll have to do is plug everything in. On my MacBook Pro, I only needed the power cable and a single USB-C to get going, so I got a clean, uncluttered setup, which is something I always appreciate.

From here, you just have to download and install the XPPen driver software from their website. This allows you configure various settings for the tablet, stylus and wireless shortcut remote.

You can adjust things like the drawing area, screen brightness, contrast, color space and pressure sensitivity.

On top of that, you can also personalize your shortcuts for both the stylus and the remote. By default, these shortcuts are applied globally, but you can set up custom shortcuts for specific programs like Photoshop and Illustrator to fit your workflow perfectly.

Performance and User Experience

Drawing on the Artist Pro 22 (Gen 2) feels fantastic. The fully laminated nano-etched glass gives you a satisfying, paper-like feel while keeping parallax to a minimum, so everything feels super precise. The roomy QHD display is an absolute pleasure to use, giving you all the space you need to work comfortably, and the color accuracy is excellent.

The angle of the display can be easily adjusted using the included stand, so you can lay it almost flat on your desk at a 15° angle or position it vertically, up to 88°.

While the screen’s brightness (250 nits) could be better, especially if you’re thinking of using it as a secondary monitor, it’s more than enough for close-up work in a studio setting.

One thing to note is that the display doesn’t have touch functionality, which is understandable given its price point. Whether that’s a pro or a con really depends on what you’re used to and how you work. On one hand, you won’t be able to use gestures like pinch-to-zoom or swipe around with your non-dominant hand. On the other hand, no touch means no accidental inputs while you’re focused on drawing, so no annoying interruptions.

For me, the lack of touch controls wasn’t a dealbreaker, as the shortcut panel handled everything I needed and then some. That said, if you draw on your iPad a lot, it might take a little time to adjust. Just something to keep in mind.

X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus

The X3 Pro stylus is hands down one of the best features of the Artist Pro 22. With an impressive 16,192 pressure levels, this pen is incredibly precise and responsive. It’s lightweight but really well-balanced, so it doesn’t feel flimsy, and the rubber grip makes it super comfortable to hold.

I had fun testing the different nibs and absolutely loved the feel of the felt ones. They add a bit more drag, which makes it feel even more like you’re drawing on paper.

When it comes to shortcuts, the pen has 2 side buttons you can customize through the app. It also includes an “eraser” button at the back, which is of course set to the eraser tool by default, but you can easily assign it to any other function that fits you better.

Overall, the X3 Pro handles everything beautifully, from shading intricate details to creating bold, flowing lines. For me, it’s one of the key highlights of the whole package.

Wireless Shortcut Remote

The wireless shortcut remote is another great addition. You can use it plugged in with a USB cable, or just go wireless with the USB receiver or via Bluetooth.

This handy little panel allows you to easily switch between 4 different groups of shortcuts, offering a ton of customization options.

It also includes a dial with a button in the middle that makes it easy to cycle through various functions like zooming, scrolling, adjusting brush size, and rotating the canvas. This dial has a satisfying, clicky feel, kinda like turning an old-school safe combination lock.

In addition to the shortcuts, the orientation of the remote can also be configured via the XPPen app. So whether you’re right or left-handed, or prefer to use the controls horizontally or vertically, you can do it all effortlessly.

The package even comes with a set of stickers so you can label all your shortcuts if that’s your thing. Personally, I like the clean, sleek look of the remote, and found it easy to remember my favorite shortcuts, so I left it without any labels during my testing.

One small drawback I noticed while using this setup on a Mac is that the stylus and remote only work when the XPPen app is open. It would be great if I could just set everything up once and then close the app, or at least have it quietly running in the background. Unfortunately, you’ll need to open it every time you start a drawing session. As a workaround, you can set it to open at startup, but that might not be super intuitive for everyone.

Pros & Cons

Here’s a quick rundown of the pros and cons of the XPPen Artist Pro 22 (Gen 2).

Pros

• Excellent design and build quality.
• Fully laminated display with great color calibration.
• Exceptional drawing experience with a generous working area.
• Tons of shortcuts and customization options.
• Comes with a range of useful accessories, including a wireless shortcut panel and adjustable stand.

Cons

• On macOS, the XPPen app has to stay open for the stylus and shortcut remote to work.
• Display brightness could be higher to suit different lighting conditions and use cases.
• The lack of touchscreen functionality could be a downside for some users.

Verdict

The XPPen Artist Pro 22 (Gen 2) is an impressive drawing display tablet that ticks all the right boxes for digital artists. With its spacious, high-quality screen, tons of customization options, and exceptional stylus performance, it’s a fantastic choice, especially at such an affordable price.

It’s available for pre-order now on XPPen’s website at a launch price of $594.99, with shipping starting on January 20. After the launch period, the price will go up to $699.99, which is still an incredible deal for what you’re getting. 

If you’re in the market for a new drawing tablet with a larger screen that delivers excellent performance, the second generation of the Artist Pro 22 is an easy recommendation and definitely worth adding to your shortlist.

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