This question had me for 2 months to whether which one is better for me. The Wacom Ctl-480 is ol reliable in most cases. The Drivers don't have many issues, and the own is probably fine. The problem with me and the 480 is that I drag... I heard it will sand down your nibs quickly because of the surface acting a lot like paper. The wacom ctl-490 is the cheaper and more updated version of the 480. It has more distinguishable buttons on the tablet, the surface is less paper like but still has the texture, and the pen is lightweight. It also has 4 different versions of the tablet depending on your needs. The problem with this one is that the drivers are causing lag in osu! a little bit and is noticeable when playing fast maps. People say that it's reduced when dragging, but is the lag completely gone? Who knows unless someone tests it but rarely anyone bought it yet. This where I run into the issue of which compromise is less intrussive. Someone please help me ._.