Microsoft Surface Pen, Silver (3XY-00001) for Surface 3; Surface Pro 3 & 4; Surface Book

Has an eraser, as well as a magnetic personality! When my Surface Pen detachment from my Surface Pro 4 occurred at airport security, I lost my original Surface Pen. We were flying back from a marketing meeting in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and a coworker offered to carry that bag for me while I carried my wife's. The stylus detached and vanished when he took the Surface Pro 4 out of the bag, which I didn't notice until later. I replaced the stylus on my Surface Studio office computer with this one, which I later ordered for my Surface Studio. br>br>I've used a lot of pens and styli on various PCs and tablets over the years, and I think this one is better than most; it's definitely one of the best stylus implementations I've seen. I have an iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil, and while the iPad Pro is a fantastic tablet, the Apple Pencil isn't my favorite. The Pencil is a capable device, perhaps even more so than the Surface Pen, but I find it incredibly awkward to hold due to its thinness, length, and slickness. Furthermore, the tip of the Pencil glides far too easily for my liking. It appears that a smidgeon of resistance would be beneficial in making it feel more natural. But I'm getting ahead of myself. br>br>The Surface Pen has just the right amount of resistance, and it comes with a variety of interchangeable tips so you can customize the Pen's on-screen feel. The pen has just the right amount of weight to feel comfortable without being overly so. It's thick enough for me to comfortably hold it, and I like how it's magnetized to grip the computer's edge. There are 1024 levels of pressure, which I believe should be sufficient for most people, with the exception of the most demanding artists. It has an eraser function with a click switch that can be programmed to open almost any function or application you want (I believe it's set to open One Note by default, but you can change that in Settings), as well as a side click switch for "right click" functions. Also excellent is the battery life. I usually get about a year out of the battery before I need to replace it with a readily available AAAA.

Alessandra Shea

| Dec 12, 2021

My initial attempt failed miserably. It would pair, but not track or write. I tried everything I could think of (checking the firmware, changing the battery, etc. ) but it didn't work. I was disappointed because I had just received a brand new Surface Pro 3 at the time, so my enjoyment of the tablet was somewhat diminished. However, thanks to Amazon's excellent return process, I received my replacement tablet two days later, and I am now happily writing and drawing on my new tablet wherever I go! It's pricey, but it allows you to write in web addresses instead of typing them, as well as draw and take web notes. I also like that it's magnetized because I can attach it to the display port on the surface, and it keeps the pen safe and secure when I close the folio cover I bought for the tablet. br>br>You can train Windows to recognize your handwriting and convert it to text, and Microsoft has a handwriting program that allows users to go through several exercises to improve their handwriting. I learned about it from Jim Cheshire's book, My Windows 10 Tablet, which is well worth purchasing if you're upgrading from Windows 7 (as I was) or earlier. Who knows, maybe I'll get over my fear of privacy and give Cortana a shot! br>br>I only gave it four stars because I don't know how long it will last or if any of the other size tips will work. Because I prefer a finer tip in pens, I believe I will use the fine more than the others. Make sure you order some extra batteries to have on hand, not only because having a backup is a good idea, but also because if you run into any issues like I did, one of the things you'll need to troubleshoot is a simple battery replacement. When you buy this pen, it comes with one already installed, but for TS purposes, it's a good idea to get some extras.

Berkley Wolf

| Feb 22, 2021

Please be aware that the following information is public. This is what I use on my Surface 3. After the Surface 2 Pro, these pens are compatible with any Surface computer: The Surface 3, Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, and Surface Book are all part of this group. br>When it comes to the Surface 3 pens, Microsoft has made a few smart design decisions. br>First, they got rid of the extra batteries in the endcap that powered the Bluetooth radio, bringing the total battery count down to a respectable 1AAAA (though still a little difficult to come by). When it comes to batteries, I've heard that they can last up to a year, but this will obviously vary wildly depending on how much you use it. The Erase button was then mysteriously removed, replaced by the ability to flip the pen over and use the endcap as an eraser, much like a real pencil. Strange side effect: the endcap's capacitive radio will communicate with other capacitive devices, such as your smartphone or laptop with a touch screen. br>The decision to include replaceable felt or plastic tips for a different feel of the pen on the screen (or to replace a worn out tip) is also a good one, but the tip you choose has no bearing on the pen's performance - When you drag it across the screen, it feels exactly like that. If you use a screen protector, be aware that the feel of your tip on the screen will change. Finally, they reworked the pen's physical design into the stylish model shown in the preview photos. br>In terms of efficiency, It's an nTrig pen, the most divisive item in the digital art world since the debate over digital vs. traditional media. You'll probably despise it if you're a Wacom fan. It's possible that you'll enjoy it if you're new to the world of computer drawing. They're also remarkably tough. br> I left one on the side of the road, where it was hit by a car and left to rot for three days. After recovery, it continued to work (at least for a short time). I wouldn't advise abusing your pen, but these little things are pretty tough. Don't be hesitant to put it to good use.

Rayan Santos

| Nov 20, 2021