The Apple Pencil is the perfect complement to the iPad, but not everyone uses it professionally. So We are going to see alternatives to the Apple Pencil cheaper and recommended.
The Apple Pencil appeared in the Keynote of September 9, 2015 along with the presentation of the iPad Pro. Phil Schiller was in charge of telling us about its wonders, and we still remember how the cap was removed and Apple's lightning connector appeared to plug it into the own iPad Pro to charge it. Seeing is believing.
But like everything, Apple improved its iPad Pro in successive years (adding USB-C connector), and therefore, the new 2nd generation Apple Pencil presented in 2018, dispensed with that lightning connector and "stuck" to the side of the iPad Pro to be charged "magically".
The Apple Pencil It is ideal for taking notes, highlighting PDFs, drawing, sketching... Apple designed it for professional content creators, but also thought of those who work or take notes with the tablet.
But of course, like all Apple products, It has a price that not everyone is willing to pay. and many are looking for alternatives to the Apple Pencil.
In the Apple official store, the 1st generation Apple Pencil costs 119,00€ and the 2nd generation Apple Pencil is in 149,00€.
Point
Although at first it seemed that future iPads would work exclusively with Apple Pencil, the hand was soon opened up to third-party pencils or optical pointers and stylus. Obviously they will not have the same synchronicity with the tabletbut maybe we don't need it.
Compatibility
First of all, we must know which of the Apple Pencils (1st and 2nd generation) is compatible with our iPad model. Knowing this, we can now find and discard those pencils or stylus that do not meet the compatibility requirements, thus avoiding purchasing a product that does not work with our iPad.
The 1st generation Apple Pencil is compatible with the 12,9-inch iPad Pro 1st and 2nd generation, with the 10,5-inch iPad Pro, with the 9,7-inch iPad Pro, with the 3rd generation iPad Air , with the iPad from the 6th to the 10th generation and with the iPad mini from the 5th generation.
For its part, the 2nd generation Apple Pencil is compatible with the 12,9-inch iPad Pro from 3rd to 6th generation, with the 11-inch iPad Pro from 1st to 4th generation, with the iPad Air from 4th and 5th generation and with the 6th generation iPad mini.
Details to be considered
To find good alternatives to the Apple Pencil, we are interested in looking for models of similar cut, similar to the Apple product, in white, as flat and ergonomic as possible. There are hundreds of these, but we can highlight one from the other based on certain parameters.
The best recommendation you should look for the peripheral with the longest autonomy and the best charging system, so that its use and constant recharging does not become a nuisance.
In this article We are going to see four that are similar in design, but each one with its own characteristics depending on the price they handle, all being below €50,00.
Alternatives to Apple Pencil
As we have mentioned before, there are many and varied alternatives to the Apple Pencil. Here we are going to discuss four options that we have found interesting due to their design, type of charge, precision and, above all, their price.
All of them are available on amazon and I tell you its current price at the time of writing this post. It may be that when you consult them, that price has fluctuated.
Metapen A8
We start with this pencil, which you can find here. The Metapen A8 is comfortable, simple and connects wonderfully. Turning it on is as simple as tapping its head twice and it automatically connects via Bluetooth.
Among the things it offers and that is why we highlight it is: a led indicator (with white, blue and red colors) that indicates the status of the pen's battery. It has a fast charge via USB-C connector, so that with just 4 minutes of charging it gives you 2 hours of autonomy, and its 30-minute charge gives us 10 hours of uninterrupted use.
If that hasn't attracted you yet, tell you that it is available in several colors, but in white, with a look very similar to the Apple Pencil, it costs only € 19,99. An ideal option for the smallest of the house and students.
It is not compatible with iPads prior to 2018 and on certain models it attaches magnetically to the side for convenient placement.
Metapen A11
From the same brand as the previous one, which already offers sufficient reliability, the Metapen A11 It improves the design of the Metapen A8, since it does not have the USB-C charging hole on the front of the pen, but on the side.
To turn it on and off, it has a button at the height of the index finger, and its ergonomics is greater as it has a larger diameter, which results in a better grip and less fatigue when writing with it.
According to your specifications it is more precise than the A8 in terms of drawing and strokes at different angles of inclination when drawing. Its only drawback compared to the previous one is its lower autonomy, only 8 hours of uninterrupted duration.
Its price is € 25,99.
pencil NTHJOYS
Here we are already talking about big words in terms of pencils that are an alternative to the Apple Pencil. This pencil It already offers us interesting functions that are similar to the original 2nd generation.
Its ignition and connectivity is through a touch button on the top, and although its USB-C hole for cable charging can be seen, it is also supports wireless charging by "sticking" to the iPad, as long as the iPad is compatible with it.
With which, the moment we dock it to the iPad, it will begin to charge. In addition, by "pasting" it, we can see its charging status on the iPad itself.
Of course, although it supports both types of charging, wireless will be slower, so if you really need to recharge the pen, you should use the USB-C port. Its autonomy is 11 hours.
From its power button, if we press once or twice, we can program direct access functions, such as going to the home screen or waking up the multitasking manager.
Its price is higher, but it is worth it. you can find it by 29,99€, which means a quality / performance / price ratio like no other.
SuoHong Pencil
No products found. to a 2nd generation Apple Pencil. Wireless fast charging docking it to the side of the iPad (no longer having any external port), charging display on the iPad itself, high precision of strokes, additional programmable direct access functions.
In other words, we have the best pencils we've seen so far, with the convenience of fast wireless charging on the iPad itself and an autonomy of 11 hours.
All for an incredible price of 44,25€That is, less than a third of what the original Apple Pencil costs.
Your choice
Given the alternatives to the Apple Pencil that we have presented to you and the hundreds of others that you can find, the choice, if you do not want to buy the original Apple, it's all yours. There is no shortage of candidates and you know better than anyone what you want to use the pencil for on the iPad.
If you are looking for these alternatives to the Apple Pencil it is because the use that you are going to give it is not professional and it is reduced to taking notes, sporadic drawing or writing and underlining in PDF for study.
We hope we have been of help to you. Which one would you choose?