Graphics tablets - advice needed 2015

I've been using a mouse for years with every incarnation of Corel Draw that I've owned (currently X6) and feel that maybe I've been working with one hand tied behind my back as far as doing things productively goes.  I'd like some advice over what would be the best tablet to buy.  To make it a little easier I'll put my queries in a series of questions.

Q1.  I find using the freehand menu option in CD very tricky to control with a mouse.  How much easier and more accurate is it using this option with a tablet?

Q2. Is it better opting for an Intuos Pro Medium rather than the larger size which looks a bit unwieldy perched in your lap.  Is this a valid assessment?

Q3. I do like the look of the pen tablet monitors (Cintiq).  These are probably out of my price range, but are they a lot better or easier to work with than the standard Intuos Pro models.

Q4. Has anyone used any of the cheap Chinese pen tablet monitors and if so, how well do they work with Corel Draw?  I'm thinking of things like the Huion GT range, Yiynova or Bosto models. and do they take much fiddling around with drivers etc. to get them to function properly?

Q5. Lastly, any observations about the ease of using a tablet over a mouse would be much appreciated.

Tobe 

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  • Let me be the first to jump in here about graphics tablets.

    Background: I own an Intuos 4 (Medium size) attached to my Win 7 workstation. I love it!

    I, also, own an Intuos Pro (again, Medium size) attached to my Win 8.1 station. I love it.

    In both cases, I use the pen & tablet for everything that I use a mouse for, as well as for any graphics/design. It took a little time to get to the point where my eyes would be on the screen, 100% of the time, while my hand, with the tablet pen in it, wold be hovering over the tablet surface, off to the right of the monitor & keyboard. But it feels so "natural" that I like it better than using a mouse. This is especially true for freehand sketching or cursive hand writing.

    The only time I do grab the mouse, in in certain Windows 8 programs/apps that do not handle the table input too well. I am speaking primarily Windows' own Internet Explorer.

    FWIW, I have sitting on a book shelf, a Wacom Graphire 3 (Small surface area) tablet, which is now, quite old.

    I have used in the past, an inexpensive "Brand X" tablet and pen. Biggest complaint there, is no support, no updates and no available parts.

    As to the size of the working area, that is 100% personal preference. There are some on this forum that will use the absolutely smallest area of the tablet to be mapped to the full size of their monitor and then there are those that want a huge working area of the table for their usage.

    I hope this info adds to your data pool in determining a graphics tablet selection.
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