Huion Kamvas 13 Gen 3 Review

Pen Display Tablets are devices that combine a display with a digitalizing surface driven by a specially-built pen. The fine tip of the pen used to controls tablets gives them great precision and allows them to record both pressure and tilt to provide a natural drawing experience. While the HDMI port provides a standard display interface, for other features to fully operate, a proprietary driver is required.

Installation & Configuration

Huion provides drivers for Windows, Linux, MacOS and even Android. While Android support requires specific capabilities, other drivers support most common modern operating systems. For this review, the official Kamvas 13 Gen 3 drivers were installed on Windows 11, Windows 10 and OpenSUSE 15.6. For Linux, they distribute Debian drivers and a broader installer in .xz format that can be used on other distributions.

Installing Kamvas 13 Gen 3 drivers is truly a breeze. On both Windows and Linux, installation was the smoothest of any tablet. On Windows, launching the installer only prompts for the user to accept Terms & Conditions. The Linux installer does not even do that. As all drivers, it must be executed as root. Installation takes a few seconds before requiring a reboot. Again, this normal for device driver.

NOTE On all platforms, the Huion driver sets itself to automatically startup upon logging in. This makes the tablet ready on every boot, yet occasional users should disable this in the Windows Startup Programs control panel settings. The Linux equivalent depends on the Window Manager in use.

Once the system has rebooted, the Huion Control Panel should be used to configure the tablet and pen. There are multiple screens with an intuitive layout showing every control. Users can click on each control to customize its behavior. The number of options presented is truly outstanding. Pen buttons can be assigned to mouse buttons with modifiers and virtually any combination of key presses. The one notable option that is not supported is to use a pen button as a modifier key alone.

There is a similar screen for tablet keys and dials. Each dial can be assigned up to 3 functions that get cycled using the corresponding central button. The tablet control screen also decides whether its surface area maps to itself as a display on its own or a replicated one. These are versatile options which are discussed further in the Usability section below. Back to the pen configuration, a second settings screen allows users to control how the pen responds to pressure.

Usability

Ergonomics of the Kamvas 13 Gen 3 can be split into two categories: the quality of its display and its response to pen input. The display itself measures a compact 13" diagonally, which is great for portability. That is counter-balanced with precision. For those artists who need more precision Huion offers the 16" Kamvas 16 Gen 3 with a higher QHD resolution. That larger model is based around the same technology and works the the same high-precision pen.

With a brightness of around 220 nit, the Kamvas 13 Gen 3 display is a little dim. However, it is greatly helped by an excellent laminated etched glass anti-glare layer that makes it completely matte. Even with overhead lighting, the screen remains free of reflections. The display has a 1000:1 contrast ratio which is appropriate for a graphic tablet. Higher contrast-ratio seen on some monitor causes banding and are much less representative of printed media that have far lower contrast.

The IPS panel for the display has a 60 Hz refresh rate and 25ms response time which are completely adequate for the task. Colors precision is 24-bits and cover the entire sRGB gamut with impressive accuracy. The 1920 x 1080 resolution maps well to the majority of modern displays. This display tablet accommodates duplicating a display with a different aspect-ratio by either distorting digitalizing surface to use the full area or letter-boxing to maintain shape correctness. A drop-down menu in the driver control panel lets user choose the behavior.

Drawing with the PW600L pen feels very natural. The pen glides over the tablet surface with little resistance, allowing for long even strokes to be captured uninterrupted. The position of the pen and pointer coincide within a faction of a millimeter, ±0.3mm according to official specifications when measured near the center of the display. There is minimally perceptible delay between pen movements and pointer position updates. The Kamvas 13 Gen 3 has a good response rate over 260 Point-Positions/Second (PPS).

In addition to position data, the pen reports its tilt-angle and the pressure applied. At 16384 levels, this pen is the most sensitive available which even exceeds the maximum of professional tablets. Pressure can be used to control how strokes are drawn. Exactly how strokes change under pressure is determined by the software being used. Tilt works similarly and seems to be finely granular, for subtle effects that can mimic how a pencil or other drawing tool responds. The exact effect of pen tilt is also controlled by the software in use.

There are three buttons on the pen, all within easy reach of the index finger or thumb. The lower two buttons are larger and the easiest to press. A smaller third button is located just above them. It is nice to have all three buttons close by, unlike others that feature one at the top of the pen, this requiring a complete shift of grip. Buttons all have a nice tactile response for the user to know when they are activated.

Extra controls on the pen display tablet itself are well though out. There are five buttons just far enough from the edge to avoid accidentally pressing one. Each button triggers a configurable action promptly. These are very useful to switch tools or toggle modes. There are also two dials that are extremely useful to adjusting settings within a range. This includes controlling zoom and brush size among a huge number of possibilities. These dials protrude slightly from the side for users to rotate them while holding onto the short edge of the tablet.

Just like a real paper notebook is often held at an angle for comfort, a tablet is more ergonomic when tilted. Some people simply rest the back of the tablet against the edge of their desk but using a dedicated stand provides more stability. Huion sells the Kamvas 13 Gen 3 with or without a stand. The optional ST300 stand is adjustable with six discrete tilt angles to choose from. It is feels sturdy and stable, as it rests on a solid edge. This stand folds flat for storage and transport.

Ergonomics of the Huion Kamvas 13 Gen 3 are truly impressive and exceed those of many more expensive professional pen display tablets! Its highly responsive and precise pen make using the tablet feel very natural. One can perceive a very short lag between pen and pointer motion which takes little time to get used to. The display shows accurate colors and uniform brightness, thanks to its effective anti-glare lamination.