I personally wouldn't say DON'T buy anything but a Wacom - it's horses for courses really.... depends on the level of professionalism you want to go to the extent of pressure sensitive. Shop around. I bought a Genius pad about 8 months back for 25 ($30?) - ok, the pen still had a wire and there's no pressure sensetivity, but for what I do it's brilliant - responsive, fast, the wire is long and light enough to totally ignore and a third of the price - and I've not had a slightest bit of bother with it on 2 pc's and a laptop, even after dropping it and it being stood on. Apart from that I agree, 100% better than a mouse. Even my cheap one proves that, but if like a few of us you have to go for the bargains there ARE alternatives to Wacom. (",)