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Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 (Core i7-6567U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) Tablet Review

A drawing board with Windows 10. The MobileStudio Pro is part drawing tablet and part Windows PC. Wacom may have equipped the device with an outdated Skylake dual-core processor, but read on to find out how this tablet fares in 2019.

You may be wondering why we are reviewing the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13, which is now three-years-old. The MobileStudio Pro 13 is still sold by Wacom and featured in our recent Pressure sensitive, digital pens review. We still have the device in our offices, so we have taken the opportunity to take a closer look at this somewhat chunky Windows tablet.

Wacom sells the MobileStudio Pro with either a 13- or 16-inch display and in multiple configurations. The 13-inch model is currently available in three variants, of which our review unit is the midrange model. Wacom equips the tablet with a Core i7 6567U processor, a 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM. The device seems to be a pool tablet as it already looks like it has been used extensively.

Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Processor
Intel Core i7-6567U 2 x 3.3 - 3.6 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3-1600
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 2560 x 1440 pixel 221 PPI, Multitouch, native pen support, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Sunrise Point-LP
Storage
Phison SM280256GPMC15B-S10C4, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Realtek ALC286 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Card Reader: SD-Card, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, Compass, GPS, Gyrometer
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 16 x 367 x 229 ( = 0.63 x 14.45 x 9.02 in)
Battery
52 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 11.3V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Primary Camera: 8 MPix
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo - 2 x 1.7 W
Released
11/05/2016
Weight
1.42 kg ( = 50.09 oz / 3.13 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The large black case is relatively bulky by 2019 standards, but it is well-made and is made from high-quality materials. Its bezels are huge compared to something like an iPad Pro 12.9, and now look old-fashioned. The MobileStudio Pro 13 is more likely to compete as an alternative to the Apple MacBook Pro 15 than something as thin as an iPad.

However, the added thickness between the screen and the edge of the case makes the tablet feel more ergonomic, while its rounded edges fit nicely in our palm.

Unfortunately, the MobileStudio Pro is difficult to maintain or repair, much like most modern tablets. The bottom case is secured with a set of screws that Wacom hides beneath large rubber feet that seem impossible to remove without damaging them.

Size Comparison

367 mm / 14.4 inch 229 mm / 9.02 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.4 kg3.13 lbs349.3 mm / 13.8 inch 240.7 mm / 9.48 inch 15.5 mm / 0.61 inch 1.8 kg4.03 lbs292 mm / 11.5 inch 201 mm / 7.91 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 1.1 kg2.4 lbs280.6 mm / 11 inch 214.9 mm / 8.46 inch 5.9 mm / 0.2323 inch 633 g1.396 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The MobileStudio Pro has a surprisingly good selection of ports, with the only noticeable absentee being a USB Type-A connection. Our review unit has three USB Type-C ports, which are also used to charge the tablet. The middle port can also be used to transform the tablet into a pure drawing tablet or an external monitor for a PC or Mac. There is an SD card reader too, which is handy, as is the headphone jack.

Underside: Volume rocker, Rotation lock, Power switch, Headphone jack, SD card reader
Underside: Volume rocker, Rotation lock, Power switch, Headphone jack, SD card reader
3x USB-Topside: 3 x USB Type-C (The 2nd is the port for using the Wacom as a monitor or as a dedicated drawing board), Kensington lock slotC (2. als Monitor- bzw. Zeichentablet-Eingang), Kensington
Topside: 3 x USB Type-C (The 2nd is the port for using the Wacom as a monitor or as a dedicated drawing board), Kensington lock slot

The MobileStudio Pro has front- and rear-facing cameras, but do not expect big things from them. They are only good enough for making the occasional conference call or scanning a document. Even then, the cameras only produce usable shots in good ambient light. The optional Intel® RealSense™ 3D camera should provide better images though and can also create 3D objects, as its name suggests.

Taking a selfie with the Wacom MobileStudio Pro
Taking a selfie with the Wacom MobileStudio Pro
A photo of our test chart taken with the rear-facing camera
A photo of our test chart taken with the rear-facing camera
Photo taken with the rear-facing camera
Photo taken with the rear-facing camera

SD Card Reader

The SD card reader in our review unit performed well in our tests, which we conducted with our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference card. While its performance almost matched that of the Microsoft Surface Pro 6, it is over 50% slower than the reader in the HP Spectre x360 13t that we reviewed last year.

SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
157.2 MB/s +111%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i5, 128 GB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
74.7 MB/s 0%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
  (oshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
74.5 MB/s
Average of class Tablet
  (7.61 - 101.6, n=55, last 2 years)
31.4 MB/s -58%

Communication

Wacom equips the MobileStudio Pro with an Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 module that is still fast, but it is beaten by newer Broadcom, Marvell AVASTAR and Intel chips in our tests. Our review unit finished in the midfield of our comparison tables, which is respectable and well above average for the tablets that we have already tested.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Tablet
  (last 2 years)
777 MBit/s +60%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
655 MBit/s +35%
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2018
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
643 (596min - 662max) MBit/s +33%
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2018 (2.6 GHz, 560X)
Broadcom 802.11ac
602 (543min - 628max) MBit/s +24%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller
559 (519min - 577max) MBit/s +15%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
485 (455min - 506max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Apple MacBook Pro 15 2018 (2.6 GHz, 560X)
Broadcom 802.11ac
817 (664min - 835max) MBit/s +39%
Average of class Tablet
  (last 2 years)
767 MBit/s +31%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller
593 (560min - 611max) MBit/s +1%
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2018
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
590 (549min - 608max) MBit/s +1%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
586 (571min - 591max) MBit/s
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
484 MBit/s -17%
0306090120150180210240270300330360390420450480510540570Tooltip
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø586 (571-591)
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø485 (455-506)

Input Devices

Keyboard

Unlike the Surface Pro, Wacom does not offer a keyboard cover for the MobileStudio Pro. The company does sell a Bluetooth keyboard though, and you could use the onscreen keyboard in Windows 10. The latter appears to be the keyboard that Microsoft includes with all copies of Windows 10, so it seems that Wacom has not made any changes to it. We found the onscreen keyboard easy to use too, thanks to the MobileStudio Pro’s large screen. However, the keyboard often obscures other UI elements, which we hope Microsoft can soon address. It is worth noting that this is also a problem with other Windows tablets.

The MobileStudio Pro also has a set of physical buttons that sit below the display. These are freely configurable, which is useful.

Touchscreen and Pen input

The MobileStudio Pro’s biggest selling input is its famous Wacom pen input. The pen worked perfectly during our tests and is even accurate enough to use as a mouse replacement. Please see our Pressure sensitive, digital pens review for our thoughts on the Wacom pen and how well it works on the MobileStudio Pro 13.

In short, the feel and accuracy of the pen are great, but it has significantly longer response times than the new Apple Pencil. However, we experienced hardly any delays during our tests, and Wacom remains one of the best options for graphic designers.

Display

Unfortunately, we were left wanting more from the display. Although the 13.3-inch screen is relatively high resolution at 2,560x1,440 and its matte finish helps diffuse reflections, it is simply too dark. Our review unit achieved an average maximum luminosity of 202 cd/m², according to X-Rite i1Pro 2, which is considerably darker than the displays in all but the Spectre x360 13t of our comparison devices.

Moreover, the display has underwhelming colour accuracy, which is limiting for those who do colour critical work. The contrast ratio is not very good either because of the ridiculously high 1.19 cd/m² black value. However, we noticed no backlight bleeding, which often affects IPS panels.

Furthermore, the display has stable viewing angles. We noticed no colour shifts or image distortions even at acute viewing angles, which makes the MobileStudio Pro usable from almost any angle.

Perhaps predictably, the low maximum display brightness makes the MobileStudio Pro difficult to use outdoors. Its matte display helps diffuse some reflections, but it looks washed out and is difficult to read even on cloudy days.

CalMAN: Greyscale – native colour
CalMAN: Greyscale – native colour
CalMAN: ColorChecker – native colour
CalMAN: ColorChecker – native colour
CalMAN: Spectral – native colour
CalMAN: Spectral – native colour
CalMAN: ColorChecker - sRGB mode
CalMAN: ColorChecker - sRGB mode
CalMAN: ColorChecker – native colour, AdobeRGB mode
CalMAN: ColorChecker – native colour, AdobeRGB mode
CalMAN: ColorChecker - AdobeRGB mode
CalMAN: ColorChecker - AdobeRGB mode
209
cd/m²
214
cd/m²
210
cd/m²
204
cd/m²
211
cd/m²
199
cd/m²
192
cd/m²
198
cd/m²
183
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 214 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 202.2 cd/m² Minimum: 19.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 211 cd/m²
Contrast: 177:1 (Black: 1.19 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.26
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
2560x1440, 13.30
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2018
2732x2048, 12.90
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
LGPhilips LP123WQ112604, , 2736x1824, 12.30
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
LP130QP1-SPA1, , 3000x2000, 13.00
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Chi Mei (CMN1376), , 1920x1080, 13.30
Display
Display P3 Coverage
67.1
68.1

67.8

68.1
sRGB Coverage
95.5
99.4

99.1

99.5
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
67.9
69.9

69.3

70.2
Response Times
-7%
-2%
-38%
5%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38.1 ?(20.2, 17.9)
49.6 ?(18.8, 30.8)
-30%
43 ?(21, 22)
-13%
47.2 ?(21.2, 26)
-24%
36 ?(18, 18)
6%
Response Time Black / White *
27.9 ?(14.7, 13.2)
23.2 ?(7.6, 15.6)
17%
25 ?(13, 12)
10%
42.4 ?(19.6, 22.8)
-52%
27 ?(13, 14)
3%
PWM Frequency
22000 ?(50)
25000 ?(40)
Screen
213%
139%
133%
117%
Brightness middle
211
632
200%
484
129%
474
125%
311
47%
Brightness
202
605
200%
473
134%
418
107%
278
38%
Brightness Distribution
86
91
6%
91
6%
76
-12%
82
-5%
Black Level *
1.19
0.32
73%
0.33
72%
0.33
72%
0.2
83%
Contrast
177
1975
1016%
1467
729%
1436
711%
1555
779%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.1
1.1
78%
4.29
16%
3.2
37%
3.98
22%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
19
2.4
87%
6.46
66%
6.1
68%
8.48
55%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.1
1.7
45%
4.3
-39%
4.5
-45%
5.57
-80%
Gamma
2.26 97%
2.21 100%
2.51 88%
2.07 106%
2.51 88%
CCT
6606 98%
6794 96%
7315 89%
5881 111%
7810 83%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.34
0.9
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
62
64
64
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
95
99.4
99
Total Average (Program / Settings)
103% / 169%
69% / 111%
48% / 99%
61% / 95%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
27.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14.7 ms rise
↘ 13.2 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 67 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38.1 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.2 ms rise
↘ 17.9 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 51 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Performance

The Wacom MobileStudio Pro has impeccably low DPC latencies
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro has impeccably low DPC latencies

Our review unit is powered by the now outdated Core i7 6567U, which Intel introduced back in September 2015. The CPU is based on Intel Skylake architecture and has two cores. The Core i7 6567U can still keep up with newer CPUs, but it lacks the power of quad- or hexa-core processors in multi-threaded applications.

The Core i7 6567U integrates an Intel Iris Graphics 550 that has 64 MB of dedicated eDRAM, which positions it well above Intel HD or UHD GPUs. Wacom integrates a Phison SM280256GPMC15B SATA 3 SSD too, which is slower than more modern NVMe drives. However, our review unit has impressively low deferred procedure calls (DPC), which can cause audio stutters or glitches, as with the XPS 15 9570. In short, you should have no such issues with the MobileStudio Pro, as we determined with LatencyMon.

Processor

The Core i7 6567U can operate at 3.6 GHz thanks to Intel Turbo Boost, which allows it to achieve comparably good single-thread performance in benchmarks. However, as we referred to earlier, the CPU cannot compete with modern quad-core or hexa-core processors in multi-threaded benchmarks like Cinebench R15. On the positive side though, our review unit does not throttle under sustained load, which is good.

050100150200250300350400450500550600650Tooltip
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB Intel Core i7-6567U, Intel Core i7-6567U: Ø350 (342.14-354.57)
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel Core i7-8650U: Ø571 (559.56-638.59)
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø448 (440.92-501.11)
HP ProBook x360 440 G1 Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø508 (496.57-547.14)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U; Undervolting: Ø640 (589.9-694.88)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø550 (498.05-645.36)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel Core i7-8650U
163 Points +12%
Average of class Tablet
  (119 - 226, n=3, last 2 years)
155 Points +7%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Intel Core i7-6567U
145.2 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
144 Points -1%
HP ProBook x360 440 G1
Intel Core i5-8250U
144 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i7-6567U
  (142 - 145.2, n=2)
143.6 Points -1%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i5, 128 GB
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
Intel Core i5-8250U
141 Points -3%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Tablet
  (433 - 1242, n=3, last 2 years)
799 Points +125%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
Intel Core i5-8250U
695 Points +96%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
Intel Core i5-8250U
661 Points +86%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel Core i7-8650U
639 Points +80%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i5, 128 GB
Intel Core i5-8250U
585 Points +65%
HP ProBook x360 440 G1
Intel Core i5-8250U
547 Points +54%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
501 Points +41%
Average Intel Core i7-6567U
  (355 - 364, n=2)
360 Points +1%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Intel Core i7-6567U
355 (289.76min - 355.19max) Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
9859
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
12259
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5592
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
43.94 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.7 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.8 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
355 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
64.9 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
145.2 Points
Help

System Performance

Our review unit also delivers decent system performance despite its outdated hardware. Wacom appears to have done a good job of tuning the MobileStudio Pro, while its active cooling will help it maintain peak performance.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Iris Graphics 550, 6567U, Phison SM280256GPMC15B-S10C4
4096 Points
HP ProBook x360 440 G1
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV256G
3919 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-6567U, Intel Iris Graphics 550
  (3424 - 4096, n=2)
3760 Points -8%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK
3605 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3479 Points -15%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
3281 Points -20%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i5, 128 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ128G
3088 Points -25%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
2550 Points -38%
Work Score Accelerated v2
HP ProBook x360 440 G1
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV256G
4875 Points +9%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Iris Graphics 550, 6567U, Phison SM280256GPMC15B-S10C4
4468 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK
4463 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i7-6567U, Intel Iris Graphics 550
  (4432 - 4468, n=2)
4450 Points 0%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
4262 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4136 Points -7%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i5, 128 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ128G
3970 Points -11%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
3550 Points -21%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Iris Graphics 550, 6567U, Phison SM280256GPMC15B-S10C4
5177 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK
4998 Points -3%
HP ProBook x360 440 G1
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMV256G
4894 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4767 Points -8%
Average Intel Core i7-6567U, Intel Iris Graphics 550
  (4321 - 5177, n=2)
4749 Points -8%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
4454 Points -14%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i5, 128 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ128G
4227 Points -18%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4096 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5177 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4468 points
Help

Storage Devices

The Phison SM280256GPMC15B-S10C4 performs well for a SATA SSD, but it cannot keep up with a fast PCIe SSD such as the Samsung 970 Pro in the Schenker Slim 14 M18.

Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Phison SM280256GPMC15B-S10C4
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK
HP ProBook x360 440 G1
Toshiba KBG30ZMV256G
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
SCHENKER Slim 14 M18
Samsung SSD 970 Pro 1TB
Average of class Tablet
 
AS SSD
-50%
-580%
11%
131%
272%
73%
Seq Read
519
1154
122%
1574
203%
1255
142%
2243
332%
2374
357%
2459 ?(1072 - 4037, n=3, last 2 years)
374%
Seq Write
361
393.6
9%
377.1
4%
625
73%
847
135%
2243
521%
1195 ?(227 - 1908, n=3, last 2 years)
231%
4K Read
40.12
34.42
-14%
31.73
-21%
42.09
5%
42.48
6%
52.5
31%
45.9 ?(28.7 - 65.8, n=3, last 2 years)
14%
4K Write
86.8
68.9
-21%
1.73
-98%
96.1
11%
112.2
29%
138.6
60%
139.6 ?(65.2 - 199.4, n=3, last 2 years)
61%
4K-64 Read
381.5
494.1
30%
115.6
-70%
624
64%
741
94%
1121
194%
321 ?(137.9 - 549, n=3, last 2 years)
-16%
4K-64 Write
142.8
171.3
20%
2.09
-99%
298.3
109%
597
318%
1227
759%
522 ?(48.7 - 1116, n=3, last 2 years)
266%
Access Time Read *
0.123
0.213
-73%
0.044
64%
0.122
1%
0.041
67%
0.035
72%
0.1233 ?(0.069 - 0.163, n=3, last 2 years)
-0%
Access Time Write *
0.038
0.3
-689%
2.391
-6192%
0.224
-489%
0.032
16%
0.027
29%
0.198 ?(0.071 - 0.344, n=3, last 2 years)
-421%
Score Read
474
644
36%
305
-36%
791
67%
1008
113%
1411
198%
612 ?(288 - 1019, n=3, last 2 years)
29%
Score Write
266
280
5%
42
-84%
457
72%
794
198%
1590
498%
781 ?(226 - 1506, n=3, last 2 years)
194%
Score Total
988
1225
24%
455
-54%
1634
65%
2257
128%
3726
277%
1660 ?(637 - 2961, n=3, last 2 years)
68%

* ... smaller is better

Phison SM280256GPMC15B-S10C4
Sequential Read: 519MB/s
Sequential Write: 361MB/s
4K Read: 40.12MB/s
4K Write: 86.8MB/s
4K-64 Read: 381.5MB/s
4K-64 Write: 142.8MB/s
Access Time Read: 0.123ms
Access Time Write: 0.038ms
Score Read: 474Points
Score Write: 266Points
Score Total: 988Points

Graphics Card

The MobileStudio Pro performs on par with other Iris Graphics 550 based devices in benchmarks such as 3DMark 11, and its active cooling ensured consistently good performance throughout our tests. The Iris Graphics 550 also fares well against the Intel UHD Graphics 620, but it cannot keep up with dedicated GPUs such as the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050.

3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Microsoft Surface Book 2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8650U
29376 Points +105%
Average of class Tablet
  (12849 - 19931, n=2, last 2 years)
16390 Points +15%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i7-6567U
14310 Points
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8565U
13776 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i5-6267U
13172 Points -8%
Sony Vaio Z Flip
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i7-6567U
12986 Points -9%
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i5-6267U
12812 Points -10%
Average Intel Iris Graphics 550
  (8885 - 14310, n=7)
12370 Points -14%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i5-6267U
11093 Points -22%
HP ProBook x360 440 G1
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
10331 Points -28%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8650U
10213 Points -29%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i5, 128 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
9769 Points -32%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
9133 Points -36%
Lenovo IdeaPad 510S-14ISK
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i5-6267U
8885 Points -38%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
8600 Points -40%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Microsoft Surface Book 2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8650U
5787 Points +224%
Average of class Tablet
  (1781 - 3469, n=2, last 2 years)
2625 Points +47%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8565U
2383 Points +33%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i7-6567U
1786 Points
Apple MacBook Pro 13 2016 (2.9 GHz)
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i5-6267U
1657 Points -7%
Sony Vaio Z Flip
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i7-6567U
1638 Points -8%
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i5-6267U
1520 Points -15%
Average Intel Iris Graphics 550
  (1025 - 1786, n=8)
1513 Points -15%
HP ProBook x360 440 G1
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1298 Points -27%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet G3-20KJ001NGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1189 Points -33%
Acer Aspire E5-574-53YZ
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i5-6267U
1114 Points -38%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1047 Points -41%
Lenovo IdeaPad 510S-14ISK
Intel Iris Graphics 550, Intel Core i5-6267U
1025 Points -43%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
15910 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
9099 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1665 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
646 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Games are not the business of the MobileStudio Pro. Only a few undemanding games such as "Dota 2 Reborn" are playable in 720p at minimum graphics, as are more modern games such as "Dirt Rally 2.0". While "Dota 2 Reborn" is playable at medium graphics too, few other games are. The integrated GPU did not thermal throttle too, but it cannot handle games such as "The Witcher 3", which only averaged around 5 FPS at ultra-settings during our attempts at a 30-minute play-through.

The Witcher 3
1024x768 The Witcher 3 low
Average of class Tablet
  (30.2 - 67.3, n=3, last 2 years)
45.4 fps
Average Intel Iris Graphics 550
  (19.6 - 21.6, n=2)
20.6 fps
1366x768 The Witcher 3 medium
Average of class Tablet
  (31.5 - 40.9, n=2, last 2 years)
36.2 fps
Average Intel Iris Graphics 550
  (13.3 - 14.9, n=2)
14.1 fps
1920x1080 The Witcher 3 high
Average of class Tablet
  (19.1 - 24.1, n=2, last 2 years)
21.6 fps
Average Intel Iris Graphics 550
 
7.8 fps
1920x1080 The Witcher 3 ultra
Average of class Tablet
  (8.5 - 10.6, n=2, last 2 years)
9.55 fps
low med. high ultraQHD4K
Counter-Strike: GO (2012) 75.4 44.4 28.4
X-Plane 10.25 (2013) 30.3 22.7 19.1
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 81.3 46.8 28.2 24.7
World of Tanks enCore (2018) 228 36.9 13.5
Dirt Rally 2.0 (2019) 47.1 23.7 17
League of Legends (2019) 137 113 104 96 49.5
F1 2019 (2019) 41.7 18.5

Emissions

Fan Noise

One of the biggest gripes we have with the MobileStudio Pro is its overactive fan. The one in our review unit runs almost constantly, and while it is not overly loud, its incessant presence quickly became annoying during our tests. In short, the MobileStudio Pro is unsuitable for use in quiet or noise-sensitive environments. Moreover, the fan reaches a maximum of 40.9 dB(A) under load, which will sound loud to most people’s ears. By contrast, other tablets such as the Surface Pro 6 run much quieter than the MobileStudio Pro.

Noise Level

Idle
29.6 / 32.9 / 32.9 dB(A)
Load
39.4 / 40.9 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.6 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2044.940.342.741.940.738.12531.231.929.530.231.231.4313130.528.927.329.730.24030.527.828.527.229.731.25028.327.931.328.628.230.86328.529.127.928.72928.38026.626.827.425.225.828.110025.52625.225.224.226.312525.124.424.124.423.72516025.324.323.723.622.124.920023.823.923.822.222.223.825024.223.623.521.521.623.83152423.923.321.320.823.640025.32622.722.319.725.750028.32723.32118.62863030.129.125.82218.429.880027.225.822.419.917.827.4100028.326.522.921.717.427.6125030.327.525.22417.530.4160031.43130.124.31731.6200034.731.731.121.917.134.4250030.331.227.719.416.729.8315027.425.421.518.316.927.3400024.422.520.118.316.724.3500021.620.318.117.416.821.5630018.917.917.417.116.818.880001817.817.617.51717.91000018.318.117.617.217.118.31250018.217.91817.41718.41600018.317.817.817.41718.2SPL40.939.437.532.929.640.7N3.22.92.41.71.33.2median 25.3median 24.4median 23.3median 21.3median 17.4median 25Delta3.43.52.82.51.23.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseWacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB

Temperature

System information during a FurMark stress test
System information during a FurMark stress test

However, the upside to having a loud fan is that it keeps surface temperatures in check. Our review unit reached a maximum of 40 °C (~104 °F) under sustained load and 42 °C (~108 °F) while playing The Witcher 3, but it should remain much cooler in daily use.

CPU core temperatures also reached a maximum of 77 °C (~171 °F) during a stress test, according to HWiNFO 64. This temperature is well below critical levels though, and at no point did our review unit thermal throttle.

Max. Load
 25 °C
77 F
35 °C
95 F
39 °C
102 F
 
 25 °C
77 F
39 °C
102 F
40 °C
104 F
 
 32 °C
90 F
35 °C
95 F
40 °C
104 F
 
Maximum: 40 °C = 104 F
Average: 34.4 °C = 94 F
40 °C
104 F
39 °C
102 F
31 °C
88 F
25 °C
77 F
38 °C
100 F
33 °C
91 F
26 °C
79 F
36 °C
97 F
30 °C
86 F
Maximum: 40 °C = 104 F
Average: 33.1 °C = 92 F
Power Supply (max.)  40 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 20.4 °C = 69 F | Fluke 62 Mini + TC3000
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.4 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 30 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Tablet.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F, ranging from 20.7 to 53.2 °C for the class Tablet.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 33.3 °C / 92 F
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.2 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 30 °C / 86 F.
Heatmap of the front of the device under sustained load
Heatmap of the front of the device under sustained load
Heatmap of the back of the device under load
Heatmap of the back of the device under load

Speakers

The built-in stereo speakers are only good enough for watching and listening to occasional YouTube videos. They sound comparatively quiet for stereo speakers and are dominated by midrange frequencies with a distinct absence of bass tones.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2041.940.7412530.231.2313127.329.7294027.229.727.95028.628.229.56328.72928.68025.225.825.310025.224.224.812524.423.724.116023.622.122.920022.222.227.725021.521.635.431521.320.846.140022.319.747.55002118.651.26302218.44880019.917.852.3100021.717.462.812502417.572.2160024.31768.2200021.917.165.6250019.416.766315018.316.964.5400018.316.754.4500017.416.852630017.116.855.4800017.51750.61000017.217.148.11250017.41745.51600017.41735SPL32.929.676.5N1.71.329.6median 21.3median 17.4median 50.6Delta2.51.213.835.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseWacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GBApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 9.3% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (14.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (36.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 95% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 3% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 23%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 93% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

Our review unit consumes comparatively little when in standby, but that is the only thing that is worth mentioning here. Other than that, the MobileStudio Pro consumes far more than our comparison devices apart from the considerably more powerful Surface Book 2.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.5 / 0.9 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 10.3 / 13 / 15.1 Watt
Load midlight 54 / 63 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
6567U, Iris Graphics 550, Phison SM280256GPMC15B-S10C4, IPS, 2560x1440, 13.30
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2018
A12X Bionic, A12X Bionic GPU, 256 GB NVMe, IPS, 2732x2048, 12.90
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Microsoft Surface Book 2
i7-8650U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 3000x2000, 13.50
Average Intel Iris Graphics 550
 
Average of class Tablet
 
Power Consumption
43%
61%
50%
-4%
24%
78%
Idle Minimum *
10.3
3.2
69%
1.42
86%
3.2
69%
4.7
54%
6.72 ?(2.1 - 11.8, n=7)
35%
1.68 ?(0.6 - 6.5, n=57, last 2 years)
84%
Idle Average *
13
8.7
33%
9.35
28%
6
54%
10.6
18%
9.79 ?(6.5 - 14.2, n=7)
25%
3.82 ?(1 - 11.2, n=57, last 2 years)
71%
Idle Maximum *
15.1
10.4
31%
9.38
38%
9.2
39%
12.3
19%
11.1 ?(7 - 16.4, n=7)
26%
4.41 ?(1.3 - 15.3, n=57, last 2 years)
71%
Load Average *
54
29.2
46%
12.75
76%
29.5
45%
81
-50%
46.8 ?(27.6 - 56.4, n=7)
13%
8.48 ?(2.5 - 44.9, n=57, last 2 years)
84%
Load Maximum *
63
40.8
35%
14.96
76%
35.6
43%
100.3
-59%
50 ?(30.2 - 63, n=7)
21%
12 ?(3.9 - 54.8, n=57, last 2 years)
81%
Witcher 3 ultra *
97

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Likewise, the MobileStudio Pro has disappointing battery life. Its 52 Wh battery lasted just over 3 hours in practical Wi-Fi test, during which we run a script that simulates the load required to render websites. We also adjust the display brightness to approximately 150 cd/m² and disable all power saving features.

In short, you will need to carry a charger with you if you plan on using the MobileStudio Pro on the move.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
3h 08min
Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB
6567U, Iris Graphics 550, 52 Wh
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
Apple iPad Pro 12.9 2018
A12X Bionic, A12X Bionic GPU, 36.71 Wh
Average of class Tablet
 
Battery Runtime
171%
180%
323%
342%
WiFi v1.3
188
509
171%
527
180%
796
323%
831 ?(319 - 1764, n=66, last 2 years)
342%
Reader / Idle
1083
1888
1934 ?(746 - 5003, n=52, last 2 years)
Load
131
166
184
279 ?(124 - 722, n=49, last 2 years)
H.264
1070
899
947 ?(463 - 1952, n=43, last 2 years)

Pros

+ excellent pen support
+ special keys and software for graphic artists
+ high-quality case
+ can be used as a monitor or external graphics tablet

Cons

- dim screen
- disappointing colour accuracy
- the fan runs almost constantly
- weak battery life
- outdated SoC

Verdict

The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 tablet review.
The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 tablet review.

As much as the Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 impressed us in our digital pen tests, it disappoints in almost all other aspects. The fan constantly runs, while its battery life is nothing short of appalling. Moreover, the screen is dark, and its colour accuracy is disappointing for a professional device.

The Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 has excellent pen support and its flexibility as an external monitor, or a dedicated drawing device is great, but it falls well short of other devices in all other areas.

Wacom continues to equip the tablet with outdated hardware too. While it generally still performs well, it is unacceptable that the company continues to charge so much for what is now an underpowered tablet compared to its contemporaries. With that said, we like that there are three USB Type-C ports and the physical buttons are useful. In short, the MobileStudio Pro 13 may remain a graphic designer’s go to dedicated drawing tablet, but it is in real need of a refresh.

Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 i7 256GB - 03/14/2019 v6(old)
Klaus Hinum

Chassis
88%
Keyboard
72 / 80 → 90%
Pointing Device
96%
Connectivity
64 / 65 → 99%
Weight
70 / 40-88 → 63%
Battery
70%
Display
79%
Games Performance
70 / 68 → 100%
Application Performance
89 / 76 → 100%
Temperature
85%
Noise
80%
Audio
40 / 91 → 44%
Camera
44 / 85 → 52%
Average
73%
79%
Tablet - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Wacom MobileStudio Pro 13 (Core i7-6567U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) Tablet Review
Klaus Hinum, 2019-03-16 (Update: 2019-03-16)