The best iPad stylus of 2025: Expert tested

3 hours ago 5

BOOK THIS SPACE FOR AD

ARTICLE AD

A stylus is a massive upgrade to your iPad or tablet, allowing you to draw, take notes, or write with more precision and control. It also significantly reduces the amount of fingerprint smudges on your tablet, allowing your device to stay cleaner and increasing visibility on the screen.

When you think of an iPad stylus, it's hard not to immediately think of Apple's flagship options, like the newest Apple Pencil Pro. Although Apple's stylus lineup is an easy choice for your iPad, they're not the only options. There are plenty of other iPad-compatible stylus models, and many include some of the same technologies, like palm rejection and tilt recognition.

Our top pick for the best iPad stylus right now is the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) for its wireless charging capabilities, sleek design, ease of use, and compatibility options. Plus, we tested plenty more stylus options -- including for the new M4 iPads -- so keep reading to see how our other choices stack up against the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen).

In May 2024, Apple unveiled a new lineup of M3 and M4 iPad Air and Pro models. Alongside the latest tablets, the tech giant released the brand new Apple Pencil Pro, the first actual upgrade to Apple's stylus lineup since the release of the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) in 2018.

The upgraded stylus incorporates advanced features like squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback to make marking up, taking notes, and creating an artistic masterpiece more intuitive. The Apple Pencil Pro charges wirelessly and was designed to work with the newest iPad Pro and upgraded software, which makes it our top stylus choice for the new iPad Pro and Air models.

Also: Apple Pencil Pro vs. Apple Pencil (2nd Gen)

If you're buying a new M3 iPad Air or M4 iPad Pro, purchasing the Apple Pencil Pro makes sense since its advanced features leverage the chip and AI technology incorporated into Apple's new tablets for the most productivity, functionality, and value out of your new iPad.

ZDNET's Jason Hiner says the Apple Pencil Pro could easily have been branded as the Apple Pencil 3. After all, it is the third generation of the Apple Pencil, and therefore, it is the natural evolution of the product with incremental new features that make a good product even better. Physically, the form factor looks and feels exactly the same as the second-generation Apple Pencil, with one flat side that is magnetized to fit neatly along one side of an iPad Pro. But it packs some new technology inside -- a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, and a haptic feedback engine -- that gives it several valuable new tricks that make it more streamlined and a lot more powerful to use. You can now squeeze the Pencil Pro to activate an on-screen menu and select from the various pen tips. You can double-tap to switch between writing and erasing. You can also spin the pencil to activate the barrel roll for added creativity with the brush. These features make the iPad Pro an Apple Pencil-centric device more than ever.

Current Pencil Pro owners on Reddit said they liked the new haptic feedback and squeeze gestures, as well as the overall aesthetic. However, some Redditors said they did not like the weight distribution of the new pencil, which some called "top-heavy," and others were experiencing some sensitivity issues. Owners noted a bit of a learning curve with the new pencil and said that many apps and software offerings are still updating their content to support the latest features of the Pencil Pro.

Apple Pencil Pro specs: Weight: 0.68 ounces | Battery life: Around 12 hours | Palm rejection: Yes | Tilt recognition: Yes | Added Features: Barrel roll, Squeeze gesture, Double tap, and Find My technology | Compatibility: iPad Pro 13-inch (M4), iPad Pro 11-inch (M4), iPad Air 13-inch (M2), iPad Air 11-inch (M2)

The Apple Pencil Pro is on sale for $90 (save $39) at several major retailers like Amazon and Walmart at the time of publication.

Show Expert Take Show less

Read Entire Article