Quote - I've tried 3 different tablets over the years, and my guess is you actually do get what you pay for. The important thing here is to make sure drivers for your tablet are up to date so as to take advantage of new software.

oh yes absolutely, you get what you pay for, by and large.

and so what you get when choosing Wacom Intuos is a lot more than a tablet with a pressure-sensitive feature on the tip. It also has buttons and sliders along the sides, programmable for shortcuts into your aplications, and you also have pens included or additional available that detect angular values like tilt and twist angles. Some programs will make use of such information. For example, bristle brushes in Project Dogwaffle to 'turn' with the angle at which you hold (tilt) the pen.

I'm just saying, if you have a very very limited budget (aka a staving artist's budget) you might need to start with a $40-$50 alternative. TigerDirect.com carries nice Adesso models  thereabout.

But yes, to make an analogy.... if I could afford a 'Mercedes' I'd drive one myself.

ahem... I actually do (Wacom Intuos 2) but that's courtesy of Wacom supporting developers, as we develop digital painting software.

If you have money for a Wacom Intuos, go for it. TigerDirect is again a good choice, as they sell them at some discount and ship from Florida, so no sales tax for most US states. Add shipping though. Still a great option.