XPPen has moved beyond graphics tablets with its first dedicated editing console, a palm-sized controller built around an all-way joystick, three rotary dials, and 19 programmable buttons.
XPPen is best known for stylus displays and drawing tablets, but the Pilot Pro Editing Console marks a new entry into the video and photo editing market. It is the company's first product aimed squarely at editors rather than illustrators.
Such controls were a popular part of the transition from traditional online editing into the digital NLE space. The now defunct Lightworks Console is one of the key reasons why Thelma Schoonmaker still uses Lightworks, and more keyboard- and Stream Deck-oriented control surfaces from Blackmagic and Loupedeck are popular choices for many.
The Pilot Pro is designed for left-hand operation alongside a mouse and ditches the keyboard emulation entirely for specific hardware controls. Its centerpiece is an all-way joystick that doubles as a color grading control, so that moving it across the color wheel adjusts midtones without requiring modifier keys. It also handles variable-speed timeline scrubbing, clip selection, and cutting. Four- or eight-way directional modes can be selected depending on the task.
Three dials handle the rest of what most editors will need. A high-speed dial scrubs quickly through the timeline; a precision knob moves the playhead frame-by-frame and handles image rotation; and a rotary dial zooms the timeline in and out. All three provide haptic feedback via a built-in linear motor, with three vibration intensity levels to choose from.
The console features 19 buttons that break down into 12 shortcut command buttons, three function buttons (including an OK key that toggles the on-screen HUD), and four capacitive touch buttons on the top of the joystick for switching between themes. Up to seven custom themes can be stored, and single buttons can be configured as "command sets" that hold multiple sequential commands or expand into a shortcut panel on screen. XPPen says the total addressable command count across all themes exceeds 100.
Layout ergonomics has been a design priority. The contoured body provides full palm support, and buttons are grouped to be reachable without shifting hand position, which is the basis of the eyes-free operating claim. The Pilot Pro weighs 251 g (8.9 oz) and measures 130.25 mm × 92.5 mm × 66.9 mm (5.13 × 3.64 × 2.63 in).
Connectivity covers Bluetooth 5.4 Low Energy (dual-channel), a 2.4 GHz USB-A dongle, and wired USB-C. Battery capacity is 1,900 mAh at 3.85 V, with XPPen claiming more than 15 days of use at four hours per day. Its Amazon listing describes the battery as supporting 24 hours of continuous high-frequency use on a single charge, which is probably the more useful figure for working editors trying to meet deadlines.
Software compatibility at launch covers Windows 10 or later and macOS 11 or later, with dedicated presets for DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Final Cut Pro, and CapCut. Presets switch automatically when the active application changes. XPPen has also partnered with editing professionals to provide downloadable shortcut profiles through its preset portal.
The Pilot Pro Editing Console is available now at $209 from XPPen's own store, currently discounted to $199.