Buy the Wacom. I've got a 4 X 5 that I've had for 8 or 9 years now, and I've never had a problem with it. They're quick to come out with drivers for every new operating system. I've never regretted getting the 4 X 5 size, and never felt that anything larger was necessary. If you're doing a lot of digital painting a biger pad may be nice, but the additional cost and desk area aren't worth it to me.

Annie