GAOMON PD1161 Review: Worth the Money for Beginners?

If you’re on the lookout for budget-friendly drawing tablets that come with a screen, the GAOMON PD1161 emerges as a viable option. It serves as a more economical alternative to both the GAOMON PD1561 and 1560, while still featuring a built-in screen.

Now, what distinguishes drawing tablets with screens from their regular, budget-friendly counterparts is the inclusion of an integrated screen. Having a screen on your drawing tablet eliminates the necessity for a computer solely for software installation. Moreover, it allows you to visualize the image directly on your tablet, mirroring what’s displayed on your computer screen.

Design

The GAOMON PD1161 boasts dimensions of 361.6 x 200 x 13mm, accompanied by a diagonal size of 11.61 inches. This sleek design facilitates effortless movement with the tablet, allowing you to navigate without sacrificing valuable workspace.

Enhancing its portability, the PD1161 is remarkably lightweight at only 880g. Furthermore, the absence of a stand means you can effortlessly slip it into your backpack for on-the-go convenience.

The tablet’s dark-themed color not only adds a touch of sophistication but also provides a premium look, complemented by a smooth and pleasing feel.

Adding to its user-friendly design, express buttons are strategically placed on one side of the tablet. This thoughtful arrangement maximizes the available working area, ensuring efficiency in your creative endeavors.

Display

The 11.6-inch tablets, as mentioned earlier, offer an expansive workspace, ensuring increased comfort and accessibility for drawing and note-taking.

Transitioning to screen resolution, a remarkable 1920 by 1080 pixels are at your disposal, delivering a high-definition display. This is complemented by a 16:9 aspect ratio, enhancing the visual experience. Colors pop with vibrancy, thanks to a color gamut of 72% NTSC and 100% RGB, ensuring richness and crispness. GAOMON PD1161

Furthermore, a wide 178-degree viewing angle is in place, preserving the tablet’s color saturation even when observed from the side.

Various drawing tablet manufacturers have introduced innovative technologies to elevate screen quality and efficiency. The GAOMON PD1161, for instance, incorporates an anti-glare film, reducing screen glare and providing a more transparent visual experience.

While it’s important to note that the tablet isn’t standalone for outdoor use, the anti-glare film proves valuable in bright room conditions, enhancing overall visibility.

Stylus Pen

The comfortable AP50 stylus ensures quality and effective work, allowing for long, fatigue-free working hours. Its ergonomic build creates a comfortable feel, akin to using an office pen.

With an impressive 8192 levels of pen pressure sensitivity, the stylus provides control over designs with accuracy and precision, enhancing your overall drawing experience.

Offering a market maximum pen resolution level of 5080 LPI and a 266 PPI response rate, the stylus ensures quick detection on the tablet, eliminating line jitters for a high-quality, pen-to-paper-like experience. GAOMON PD1161

Additionally, the 60-degree tilt function expands your brush options, promoting a more effective workflow. While this feature may not be present in all drawing tablets, it can make a significant difference in saving time and achieving a beautiful shading effect.

Eliminating the need to plug in or use the pen while charging, GAOMON employs electromagnetic resonance technology to auto-charge the AP50 stylus, providing a stress-free drawing experience.

The inclusion of two programmable buttons on the stylus offers convenient shortcut options at your fingertips. This not only eases navigation but also helps maintain your designing shortcut habits, enhancing overall effectiveness.

Shortcut Keys

Explore the convenience of shortcut keys on the GAOMON PD1161, enhancing your workflow with efficiency. Besides the two buttons on the AP50 stylus, discover the versatility of 8 customizable express keys on the tablet’s right side. This feature preserves your unique shortcut preferences, ensuring a seamless and productive working experience.

Notably, these express keys are strategically placed for easy access, promoting faster and more straightforward navigation. Transitioning between tasks becomes a breeze, thanks to the thoughtfully designed layout.

For left-handed users, the tablet offers flexibility with the option to customize and reposition the 8 express keys on the left side. Unlike many drawing tablets that predominantly cater to right-handed users, GAOMON PD1161 prioritizes inclusivity.

Opting for left-hand support empowers users with a tailored experience, eliminating the need for compromise. Left-handed individuals can now fully utilize the tablet’s features without adapting to the default right-hand configuration.

Left-Hand Mode

Switch to extended mode on your computer. Within the GAOMON drivers, navigate to the 180-degree settings, and then specifically choose the 180-degree screen setting. Once done, rotate the tablet, and voila! The 8 express keys seamlessly shift to your right hand.

Compatibility

The GAOMON PD1161 requires a computer connection, as it lacks an inbuilt computer system. Fortunately, connecting it to Windows and macOS operating systems is a breeze, thanks to the 3-in-2 integrated cable.

However, it’s worth noting that the PD1161 falls short in compatibility with ChromeOS and Android devices. This limitation might be a drawback for users heavily reliant on those platforms.

The integrated cable not only facilitates the connection to your computer but also provides an option for connecting to an external display. This feature can be particularly useful if you desire a display output for your work or creative projects. In essence, the 3-in-2 cable enhances the versatility of the GAOMON PD1161, allowing for a seamless connection and integration into your preferred operating environment.

Connectivity

When dealing with the HDMI adapter, consider the following tips. Firstly, choose the appropriate adapter, such as VGA, DVI, or DisplayPort, based on the available port on your computer. This ensures a seamless connection.

Ensure that your connection is from VGA, DVI, or DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, not the other way around. This ensures compatibility and efficient signal transmission.

Avoid using USB to HDMI adapters, as USB is designed for data transmission and does not support signal or video transmission.

Lastly, opt for a direct one-to-one HDMI adapter connection instead of using multi-port hubs. This helps in maintaining a stable and reliable connection.

Verdict

Choosing the perfect drawing tablet with a screen presents a daunting task due to the abundance of excellent options available.

In this detailed test review, the GAOMON PD1161 stands out with its notable advantages. Its portability and the presence of a built-in screen make it an appealing choice for artists.

Moreover, the tablet boasts additional quality features. The stylus’ tilt function support, anti-glare film on the screen surface, and multiple shortcut options enhance the overall drawing experience.

The GAOMON PD1161 emerges as a solid choice. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, this drawing tablet with a screen caters to diverse needs.

In conclusion, the GAOMON PD1161 not only performs well but also comes with a budget-friendly price tag. This makes it an excellent steal, especially for beginners venturing into the world of digital art.