Shopping for an Apple Pencil? Use This Guide to the Best iPad Styluses.
We reviewed every version sold by Apple, plus a $25 alternative that CR’s pro digital artist loves
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When Sharon Seidl sits down to sketch on her iPad Pro, she wants the experience to look and feel as close as possible to the real thing—putting pen to paper.
That requires an iPad stylus that can draw the finest of details, accurately responding to a change in angle or the amount of pressure applied.
“The most important thing is to be able to get the same variability you get from the stroke of a pen or pencil,” says Seidl, who’s been creating art for a decade on a tablet for Consumer Reports.
Best Apple Pencil Options
What’s the right stylus for you? The answer depends largely on the iPad model you own, how you plan to use the stylus (note-taking vs. digital art), and your budget.
To start, the Apple lineup consists of the Apple Pencil Pro, the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen), the Apple Pencil USB-C, and the Apple Pencil (1st Gen). While they all look quite similar, each has something different to offer. (Not sure what model of iPad you own? Check the FAQ section at the bottom of this article for info on how to identify it.)
As part of our evaluation, Seidl used the styluses to create an interactive illustration (shown below) in the Procreate app, comparing the accuracy, smoothness, latency, and how the device felt in hand. You can click on the purple dots to see which stylus she used to create each section. She inked one piece of the work with a simple Bic pen, so you can see how the styluses compare to the real thing.
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