To give you a better idea of what to expect from a XOOT system. I asked for volunteers on the XOOT mailing list to give it a try then share their experience (USA only).
The idea is to have professionals try it out and give their honest assessment of their experience.
Several people signed up.
Reviewers received no compensation for their work and minimal guidance during the review period (one or two check-ins were done to answer questions or concerns).
Most received an unassembled XOOT system in a box. (Reviewers in the Seattle area had the benefit of receiving pre-assemble units).
The reviewers set up the system and did their normal work. The review period was for one or more weeks. When done, the reviewers boxed up the units and sent it back to “XOOT Cental” or on to the next reviewer (all shipping is paid by XOOT).
The reviewers received “Prototype” hardware. None of the prototypes were in new condition, all the prototypes included some out-of-date parts. Some reviewers experienced issues during the review period, see Review Issues below. However, all units shipped were intended to be fully functional.
My background is in character and creature art. I’m currently a creative director at Probably Monsters. I’ve used a pen display for over a decade. I’m currently working with a cintiq 27 QHD with a standard monitor arm. I have it at the edge of my desk to keep it from moving and to get it as close as possible to my seat.
My day to day involves working on the cintiq and consistently moving between art and communicating with my team, whether that’s messages or emails. So, I’m going back and forth between the cintiq and my keyboard. My keyboard is below my desk and it slides out when I need it. Because of this I tend to sit a foot away from the cintiq which causes me to lean forward. I’m a very healthy and physically active person, but I do suffer from chronic back and neck pain. Ever since I started using cintiqs, I’ve never found a great set up.
I signed up for the XOOT Demo to see if it could help with some of my chronic back issues and give me everything, I need to use my cintiq efficiently. I didn’t have great expectations coming in. I thought it was a neat design. I also came into this with a decade of habits I’ve become acquainted to and tolerated. Poor posture, back aches which I dealt with through more breaks, massage and physical therapy, yoga, and a laundry list of posture devices, muscle relaxers, you name it. I had a system.
I used a 24” Pro Cintiq with the XOOT. The set up was simple, (it was preassembled) so all I had to do was attach the end of the arm to the end of the desk. I was able to move the XOOT around after I had it set up which was really nice. I have a few different monitors and it was nice to be able to move the arm around to make room for my monitors behind it. Because the XOOT sits higher than I normally would keep my cintiq when it is in monitor mode, I had my monitor behind it higher. Not an issue, just something I had to get used to. Another thing that I had to get accustomed to were the locked angles of the XOOT. When you move the XOOT forward or backwards, its on a set track with set angles. It took about an hour to get used to it though and I ended up loving it.
I able to use the XOOT for a week. The biggest take away for me was my back pain had gone down considerably. Because of that, I was able to work longer and without the constant focus on pain, I was able to focus more on my work. A large part of it was the cintiq was much closer to my body so that I didn’t have to lean forward. I also noticed my posture was better when the cintiq was in the monitor (upright) mode. I like to keep my main monitor/cintiq around eyelevel, so when you raise the cintiq with the XOOT, its at a nice eyelevel. I also felt more able to take small breaks if I was working on something for hours. If it was art, I could quickly move the XOOT up and write an email or get reference off the internet. If I was in Document land, I could take a quick break from that and draw out a quick idea. The ability to move my cintiq effortlessly was big.
One of the drawbacks for me personally was the added weight to my desk. I have a manual standing desk. I did move the desk up to the standing position a few times. Kind of tough, haha. Just something to be aware of. One thing that may be an issue for some, is cord length. Because the wires run through the arm all the way to the back of the desk, it does shorten the cintiq cords some. If your tower is a ways away, just know you are shaving off some length. I didn’t have an issue, but in standing desk mode, it came close. Both small things compared to what I gained with XOOT.
I would recommend XOOT to anyone with poor posture, back/neck issues, and people that have to constantly multitask between using your cintiq as an art device and a monitor. Me, personally, any device or tool that can make me more efficient or healthy is worth it’s price in gold. After using XOOT compared to my current setup, it’s a night and day difference. I almost feel like every cintiq user should be using a XOOT or something similar. Traditional arms were not designed for cintiqs. And now that I have tried something that is designed for the cintiq, a light bulb goes on and I think, “Oh, so this is what it’s supposed to feel like.”
A big thanks to Tegan for doing a full video review!
I appreciate she went the extra mile and really dug into the details.
I am a self taught 3D Artist, photographer & photo-retoucher. I currently work as a 3D Character artist for video games.
I’ve been a creative professional, working on graphics tablets, since the late 90’s. Display tablets since the early 2000’s.
My 27QHD is sitting to the right of my ultrawide primary monitor(which is on an arm). I pull it forward to work, and push back for storage at the fixed default angle available with the included folding legs. It’s never as comfortable or convenient to pull out the display for art as I’d like.
I use the pen display for sculpting, modeling and texturing tasks related to Realtime 3D Character production. Most of my day and nearly all of my work product flows through my Wacom. I use my primary display and mouse for general PC tasks, some more technical modeling tasks, and displaying references or concept art while I work.
42, Male, 5’8”, medium build
I had a bad experience with another brand of monitor arm causing screen cracking in my Wacom 27QHD. Compatible ErgoStands from Wacom are out of production and difficult/expensive to find. The default angles and mobility available with the Wacom 27QHD are not optimal for ergonomic working conditions 8-10hrs/day. Xoot, from the promotional materials, appeared to address many of my concerns.
I was hoping for a robust and stable display tablet arm system, compatible with my 27QHD. Since it’s a 1.0 release for a very niche tech accessory, I didn’t expect as completely polished a commercial product as one might get from a large corporation.
A Wacom 27QHD (non-touch)
The beta unit I received did not have the updated packaging designed to aid in assembly, and I was doing this by myself. This made it was a little more difficult to setup than I’d anticipated. There was some sweating, swearing and pinched fingers. Ultimately I got the unit setup, but left a couple minor cosmetic scratches in my new desk. I also had some problems with the electromagnetic break system or touch pads not functioning correctly a few times. By that I mean I fixed it with the help of Xoot personnel, only for it to crop up again several times and require me to fix again.
I will say that once I understood the range of motion and everything was setup, it was quite a breeze to work with. It’s nice and intuitive. Best in class stability.
I was testing the Xoot system for a little more than 2 weeks.
It takes a bit to get it set-up and is a little heavy, but that heaviness is what contributes to the stability. The EM breaking system is quite cool. I loved how it gave me more flexibility AND reclaimed more desk space when the tablet was not in use. Really, when it was setup and working, it was easly the nicest display tablet mount I’ve every used.
Almost any repositioning of the display tablet is made easier with the Xoot. Primarily stowing the Xoot and retrieving it for use were the real game changers.
Being able to work at a greater variety of angles as I shift my posture throughout the day is a real boon. I bought an automatic sit/stand desk to help accommodate different postures, and the Xoot, for me, is a logical extension of that pursuit for better work ergonomics.
Interested parties should understand the limitations of the product as compared to a monitor arm, but the solid advantages it holds as well. It might not be something everybody needs, but if you need stability and a medium to high degree of flexibility, the Xoot is the best I’ve used.
I work as a concept artist making preproduction designs for videos games. My work involves a lot of sketching and doodling using Cintiq, as well as various programs most of which utilizes Cintiq extensively.
I spend anywhere between 6-10 hours a day sitting in front of my PC using Cintiq. I was a Wacom user for about 17years before switching to Cintiq 4 years ago.
I have Cintiq, a desk undermount for the keyboard, two extra monitors. I alternate between standing and sitting.
I am 5’4”. Lean. Generally healthy.
Why XOOT:
I have never been happy with my desk setup and frequently experienced lower back pain from leaning on my monitor so much. Poor posture was the biggest reason way it took me so long to switch from Wacom to Cintiq. Other products that are currently in the market are cumbersome to maneuver, so I was looking for something that will work better
I was looking for something that will offer better set up for my lower back issues.
Early XOOT:
Cintiq pro 24”
Once the set up was done, it worked instantly well. All the parts moved smoothly. It felt secure and sturdy.
None at all. There was nothing that I would find and annoying little thing to get used to. It worked exactly as it was supposed to. Offer sturdy, smooth support for my Cintiq with ease to tilt and move around without any weird kinks.
XOOT after a while:
One week.
It is without a doubt a superior product than what’s out there already. It felt like a premium product.
With my original Cintiq, I would create a workflow that would avoid moving my Cintiq, because the movement itself was cumbersome. It was nice to have the option to move my Cintiq around whenever I wanted to.
It’s definitely nice to have a set up where I could tilt my monitor down to an angle that simulated drawling on a sketch desk. It felt more natural and comfortable
In Closing:
This product is a excellent stand for your Cintiq if you want a premium product. This stand offers bigger range of motion than others that are out there. Transition between positions are smooth, and once it’s set, this will hold your Cintiq in place without any annoying wobbliness. I also really love the fact that you can easily slide your Cintiq in and out, and that won’t change the angle of your monitor.
Several other artists reviewed XOOT. During my contacts with them they seemed favorable toward it. I’m hoping that over time I’ll be able to post their reviews when they come in.
At the end of the review, I send a questionnaire to help simplify the process of making a review.
XOOT Questionnaire:
This questionnaire is a simple way for XOOT demo-ers to share their experace of using a XOOT system. When adding your information, keep in mind that your audience are the people that have not had a chance to try out a XOOT system. Try and let them know what to expect.
The questions below are just prompts to help you share your experience. Feel free to disregard them. You’re encouraged to add more information. (pictures, video clips, ect… Just include links big files and I’ll include them.)
Your responses will be posted on the xoot.pro website under a new section called “Reviews”. It will not include your name.
We will not make changes to your information other than formatting to fit the webpage. However, if we see errors, we’ll contact you and ensure that any corrections are to your liking.
The Questions:
Pre-XOOT:
Explain your situation before learning of the XOOT system. Such as:
Why XOOT:
Early XOOT:
XOOT after a while:
In Closing:
For full disclosure… Some reviewers experienced issues with their prototypes. I’m listing them below to let you know we take care to learn as much as we can from problems and to correct issues quickly.
A plastic cover on the back of the XOOT system warped. This cuased it to catch on upper arm when it was moved up. The final part will be make of a different plastic and should not warp. However, for extra protection, added some changes to ensure it will not happen again.
This caused the whole touch detection system to stop fail and for braking system did not work. We sent a new circuit board to the reviewer and they were able to repair quickly.
We re-designed the circuit board so the other port would continue operating if one of the ports were damaged.
This proved to be very hard to troubleshoot over the phone. To make things easier for customers, we add two 2 LEDs that show that brakes are working correctly.
Interested in reviewing a XOOT system? Tell us about yourself.
Currently the following kits are supported:
The Cintiq 27 kit is not available, it was sent to the manufacturer for assembly testing.
Good to hear that you are working on the Xoot for the 27, that’s what I will need