Tracey,
Wacom pens have a button on them that can be used for both left-click and right-click mouse functions, so yes, you can use the pen for a "click on the screen" if what you really mean is a left/right click function. Also, tapping the pen on the tablet serves the same purpose as a right click.
The Cintiq is very pricey, so to better answer your question, the first thing I’d ask is what is your budget? The Graphire series of tablets are useful but have a lower resolution and fewer pressure levels if I remember correctly, while the Intuos tablets offer higher resolution/more pressure levels but for a higher price. My old Art Pad II is somewhat comparable to the Intuos and I like the 4×5 pad size since it is small enough to not crowd my desktop. But, many users may favor the next larger size. I think the Intuos tablet in a 4×5-inch size (active pad area, not total tablet size) runs around $200, maybe a bit less.
On the whole, nearly anything you perform with a mouse can also be performed with a pen & tablet, but there is some learning involved in getting used to how to use the new tools. Higher-price tablets also have on-tablet hotkeys for function keys and other shortcuts I believe. You can’t go wrong in purchasing a tablet except perhaps by spending more for one than your needs really justify.
Regards,
Daryl
Get the 4 x 5 that is recommended for your particular computer model and operating system. There is one that is right for you. About $200.00. It takes a few weeks to get used to, then you will be on your way to a much more accurate and comfortable, natural way to operate the cursor. The Cintiq is a toy IMHO. With the standard Wacom you don’t draw on the screen. Just get the standard accepted by the professionals – the Wacom tablet.
You can then keep your mouse in the back of your bottom desk drawer. Most likely, you’ll never look at it again.
I am using the Intuos 2, 9 x 12, and while I really like it, when I buy one for my home system (hopefully soon) I am going the next size down. I am finding that the large real estate available on the pad comes at a price of really having to stretch my arm when accessing simple menu functions, or having to navigate the postcard size area where 1 mm equals 15 foot when moving the cursor… in my case bigger was not better, I think.
viol8ion, I don’t like unnecessary extended movement either – so I was always ‘mapping down’ the effective area on my larger tablets. I tried all the sizes up to the 12 x 12. What it came down to for me is "how much do I move my hand when I am sketching or naturally drawing with pen or pencil?" The answer, for me, is: I move my hand and wrist in an area that is around the anchor point of my elbow, and not to far flung from what is convenient for movement. The 4 x 5 tablet does it all for me, and I work on complex illustrations that are from small up to 45" wide and 60" tall and some are blown up to semi-truck and billboard size. It’s a learned balance between zooming and drawing that makes the 4 x 5 do such a fantastic job.
