Tourbox Lite review – the perfect painter’s companion

The Tourbox Lite may just be the perfect accessory for digital artists and I’m excited to finally have my hands on one to review. What sets it apart from other shortcut controllers is it’s design, having a range of different buttons and wheels rather than just a single dial and a bunch of same-feel buttons crammed next to each other. It feels like a video game controller but for making art.

It’s fun to use and a definite workflow enhancer. Let’s take a closer look.

Disclosure: Tourbox did not send this unit or ask for a review. I’ve wanted to test drive one for some time, and purchased the Tourbox Lite for myself shortly after it’s release.

Box contents

Inside the box you’ll find:

• the Tourbox Lite controller
• braided USB-C to USB-C connection cable
• braided USB-A to USB-C cable (or an adapter)
• quick start guide and safety instructions
• Tourbox case (sold separately, but it was a bundled purchase)

Tourbox design

A Tourbox has always stood out in it’s design by comparison to other shortcut controllers and macro pads intended for digital art. It’s made with the shape and movement of the hand in mind to make it a more ergonomic choice that is also fun to use.

The shape and footprint

Tourbox’s new Lite version is broadly similar to the Elite and Neo versions in that it has a square-ish shape with the primary dial in the center. The Lite has a more rounded design in comparison though, which I quite like.

The overall size of the unit is around 11cm x 10.5cm x 4cm (incl. height of the main dial), and it weighs 329g (excl case).

There are rubber feet on the underside and so I did not experience any unwanted sliding of the device, even on smoother table surfaces.

The finish

The plastic casing has this matt laser-etched surfaces which makes it less likely to pick up fingerprints. The same finish is carried over to most of the buttons except the one next to the Tourbox logo which is more glossy.

The buttons and dials

There is a range of different buttons and dials that are well spread out and each feels different. This makes for improved muscle and sensory memory. In total, you’ll be able to program up 30 shortcuts which we’ll discuss more in the next section.

As the Lite version, it obviously offers fewer buttons and inputs than the Neo and Elite. I still found that it was plenty for my needs as a digital painter].

Across the device you will find:

• 6 buttons;
• a scroll wheel;
• a dial;
• and both wheel and dial can be pressed as buttons.

Another design difference is that most of the buttons and the scroll wheel have a recessed area around them. I think this not only looks better but also adds to the feel when you move your fingers around over the Tourbox. It makes each button stand out more.

The buttons can be a bit loud to click. Apart from the center dial, I’d say they the clicks were on par with my old Logitech M185 mouse. I didn’t find it distracting, but I usually have headphones on while I paint, so it softens that sound anyway..

I travel a lot, and have to cram a bunch of devices, notebooks, and other things into my backpack. It makes sense for me to have a solid case to protect the Tourbox while in transit. The case for the Tourbox (sold separately) has a semi-rigid, waterproof exterior that’s lined with velvet inside. There is also a pocket for keeping your USB-C cable.

Connecting the Tourbox Lite

The Toubox Lite came with two braided USB cables: one USB-C to USB-C, and another USB-C to USB-A with an adapter. The side that connects to the unit has an L-shaped connector. The USB-C port for the Tourbox is perfectly centered at the back of the unit.

Tourbox Console – next-level customization

Software can really make or break the experience of a product like this. Thankfully, the Tourbox Console software, where you can customize everything about your device, is really well-designed and very easy to use.

The features of the Tourbox Console software include being able to:

• assign shortcuts to individual button presses;
• combine button and dial actions;
• set, single-click, double-click, scroll, and spin functions;
• create macros;
• add your own custom on-screen application menus;

If you are unsure of what shortcuts to assign to which button, Tourbox already has some pre-defined presets for different software in Console and on the Tourbox website Presets page. So, you could start with those and then change them as you get more comfortable with the device and figure out your preferences.

The custom on-screen application menus are another way to bring various shortcuts and actions right to your cursor. So far, Wacom is the only tablet brand I’ve seen that offers on-screen menu capabilities, and while I don’t use them often, I’m glad that Tourbox included this. It saves you a couple of extra mouse/pen movements and clicks for things that you don’t need to have programmed to your controller, but would still like fairly quick access to.

Take the time

For first-time users of a controller like this, it might be intimidating in the beginning. What shortcuts should be assigned to which input for the best experience? That comes with time and experimentation, and knowing how you work.

My approach was to grab a notebook and pen, open up my painting software and start working on something. As I move through the painting process in my usual way, I make some notes in my book about the tools I switch between, actions I make, and other shortcuts I use. Typically these would fall into the categories of either Tools, Navigation, Layers, and Views/Dockers. Taking the time with this really helped with assigning my shortcuts across the device or to an on-screen menu.

Even after this initial assigning of my shortcuts, I would still keep the Console window open to quickly change things while I work.

Useful HUDs

After assigning your shortcuts, it takes some time to remember them and build up the muscle memory. To help with this, there is a general HUD that you can activate in Console and put to one side. This shows what shortcuts you have assigned across the device. You can even set which of those actions are visible and hide the more obvious ones. When you press a button or rotate a dial, the function will be highlighted in the list.

Then there is Demo Mode, a new feature that came with the recent update of Tourbox Console. This is specifically for those who record or scream demos who might want to display their actions. As someone who streams drawing hangouts and study sessions occasionally, I think this is a really interesting addition. It adds a stylized graphic of the Tourbox up on your screen where the buttons you interact with will light up, as well as displaying a log of the recent actions you made.

App compatibility

I primarily tested the Tourbox Lite in Magma and Clip Studio Paint for this review and had no issues with it. It will work with most creative software so long as there are keyboard shortcuts available for actions in it.

I will update this section after I’ve had more time to test it with video editing in DaVinci and 3D modeling in Blender.

Tourbox Lite vs Neo and Elite

Tourbox have definitely hit a sweetspot with their Lite version bringing it to a far more accessible price point without sacrificing too much. So, now they have three models to meet a different level of needs and preferences. The main difference between the Tourbox Lite and the Neo and Elite is the number of programmable buttons and dials. The overall physical design is also slightly different with slightly recessed areas around the buttons.

The Tourbox Elite has Bluetooth connectivity and haptic feedback which are left out in the both Lite and Neo versions.

The Painting experience

Using the Tourbox Lite for digital painting certainly made it more fun. More importantly though, I don’t need to move my left hand around as much to hit my shortcuts, or lift my pen to click around for specific actions. The time you save on these sorts of things might seem negligible at first, but it all adds up and makes the process much smoother.

On top of that, the overall setup that I need when it’s time to get into painting mode is much neater. I can put the keyboard away in favour of something more than half the size.

My one wish – a mobile-compatible Tourbox

I love the design of this Tourbox and how much it offers, and it has me wondering: what could make it even better? Or at least better for me as someone who travels regularly and works on various devices throughout the week.

The ultimate Tourbox for me would be one that is compatible both with my laptop and my iPad and/or Galaxy tablets. No doubt this is a more complex ask, but compatibility with Infinite Painter, Procreate, Art Studio Pro, and Clip Studio Paint on mobile would be pretty spectacular. As it is, these apps are well optimized for touch gestures, so perhaps it’s unnecessary in some cases. But for Magma in the browser and Clip Studio Paint which are generally enhanced by having a wireless keyboard connected, having a Tourbox instead would be amazing.

At the time of writing this, there was no mobile-compatible version, however… Tourbox have just announced the Tourbox Elite Plus for Windows, Mac, AND iPad! It goes on pre-sale on 8 October 2024.

Looking for a much more affordable and compact option that will work with your mobile devices? Check out my review of the 8Bitdo Micro.

The Tourbox vs other controllers

Many drawing tablet brands have their own controller. I put the Tourbox Lite against the Wacom EK Remote in this review and there were some key differences that I think will be consistent with other controllers.

The obvious difference is the design. The Tourbox fits more fully underneath your hand and has a different feel to each of the inputs. I mean this in the way that your hand moves to activate them but also in how they are shaped and interacted with.

The second thing is the in the level of customization. At first glance, the Tourbox might seem to have fewer buttons but the magic lies in the ability to combine them, which something like the EK Remote cannot do. This means you could even put your main dial to work for a variety of functions by pairing it with another button. I much prefer this to pressing a button to cycle between modes as with the EK Remote.

What the Tourbox Lite lacks, is the wireless connectivity that other controllers at this price point often have. But this is a minor thing and a trade-off I’m willing to make.

Price and where to buy

The price of the Tourbox Lite has it competing with the likes of the Wacom ExpressKeys Remote and the Xencelabs QuickKeys remote. Both are really nice devices, and they’re wireless. But when it comes to functionality and comfort of use, the Tourbox Lite is a no-brainer in my opinion.

You can pick up the Tourbox Lite for just under $100 on Amazon or their website, and I recommend purchasing the case as well if you intend to be traveling with it.

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