Product Review: Apple Pencil (1st Generation)

 

I have this along with an iPad Pro. Aside from the fact that you have to charge it, unlike passive styluses, it is perfect. Even so, the charging is quick and can be done by plugging it into the lightning port on the iPad itself, or you can connect it to a charger through an adapter that comes with the pencil. It also comes with an extra tip. It is fairly easy to set up, although the instructions are printed in tiny print that is hard to read. Basically, you just make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your iPad, plug the pencil into the lightning port, and tell it to pair when the dialog box pops up.

If you are a student taking notes for class on an iPad or iPad Pro, it is indispensable. There is little to no lag/latency (at least not that is noticeable like there was on the first generation pen tablets), it is easy to control, and if you get one of the screen protectors that mimic the feel of paper (I use the Sapper paper-like screen protector) you can barely tell any difference from writing on paper. It does take a little getting used to because it does not feel exactly like a pen-and-paper writing experience, but once you get the feel of it, it is very close.