Xencelabs’ Pen Tablet Small is a compact slate for designers with limited desk space
Downsized digital doodling
Mice might be brill for clicking, but it takes a finer touch to design digital masterpieces. Trouble is, most graphics tablets require a sizeable slice of desk space. Not the smallest addition to Xencelabs’ line-up of scribbling slates: the aptly named Pen Tablet Small (£180) has a footprint similar to a seventh-gen iPad. And at 8mm slim, it’s ideal for slipping into a satchel and scooting off to your local co-working space. The sketching surface itself measures 176x99mm (similar to a squashed and stretched A6 sheet). That might sound tight for technical stuff, but the mapping ratio makes it a neat fit for screens smaller than 20in, yet still sufficiently precise for controlled swishes, strokes and flicks. Shipped with a pair of pens (one thin, one thick) and an array of nibs, you’re sure to find a barrel that ticks your boxes. Plus its petite proportions and gently tapered palm rest should prevent wrist ache while you doodle. Add the sold-separately Quick Keys controller (£80) to your setup for up to 40 shortcuts per program.
Chris Rowlands
Freelance contributor 
