Do you own a tablet specifically for digital art or drawing and looking for a non-Apple stylus? You would certainly want the best Apple pencil alternatives with pressure sensitivity just the right for your needs.
In this blog post, we’ll help you find the best Apple pencil alternatives and considerations you need to make while buying a stylus.
Let’s get started.
Stylus Buying Guide: How To Find The Perfect Stylus
Using your tablet to greater effect becomes much easier when you have the right stylus. If you’re looking for a stylus that can make a drawing, sketching, and writing a breeze, a few things need to be taken into consideration.
Let us take you through what you should take into consideration when buying a stylus for your tablet.
Authenticity, size and weight
The most important thing you’d want to consider is that the digital pen gives you a feel as if you’re drawing on paper. A pen with an impractical tip doesn’t give such a feel. Having just a “simulation” is not worth it.
Another thing to consider is the length of the pencil. The closer it’s to that of a real pencil, the better grip you’ll get. Typically, the length between 13 to 19 cm is enough to get a comfortable grip on the pencil.
As far as the weight of the pencil is concerned, it can be anywhere from 5 to 18 grams. Typically, the weight of a real drawing pencil is between 5 and 10 grams.
Tips: soft, hard or realistic?
Typically, you’ll find that the tablet pencils have soft tips. It works when you only need the pencil as a pointer. However, if you seek precision from your tablet pencil while drawing on the tabler, the soft tip won’t do much.
You’ll also find pencils that have relatively harder tips made of plastic, but it also doesn’t give high-end precision. If you want something that offers great precision, then opt for a stylus that features a realistic tip. You can certainly find such styluses for your tablets.
Capturing the stroke
You need a stylus or pencil that captures the stroke in real-time. Opt for a device with electromagnetic resonance to capture the movement of the pen.
Pressure levels
When opting for a digital pencil or stylus, the most important consideration is the pressure levels. Typically, the more the better. When the pencil has a high-pressure level, it offers more precise sketching and printing of the lines. Just like you apply more pressure with a real pen to draw more visible lines, a digital pen with a high-pressure level will allow expelling more or less “digital ink”.
Generally, you’ll find a maximum pressure of 2,048 levels in digital pencils.
The energy source
Earlier, digital pencils would need a constant source of power. They used to have a battery that would make them heavier and uncomfortable to work with. That’s why most pens were 18 grams of weight.
Later, digital pencils used lithium-ion batteries that could be charged. It made them relatively comfortable as it didn’t require a constant source of power. However, it’s not as comfortable as a digital pencil with no battery at all.
Thanks to passive technology digital pencils, you don’t need a battery at all. This is the kind of technology you should look for when buying a digital pencil today. It uses electromagnetic resonance that indicates the tablet where the pencil is, even if it’s not touching the screen of the tablet.
Out of all the systems present today, passive technology digital pencils are the lightest and comfortable.
The Best Apple Pencil Alternatives
Let’s take a look at some of the best non-Apple styluses available in the market.
Logitech Crayon
PROS
- Long-lasting battery
- Palm rejection technology
- Tilt support
CONS
- Less sensitive than an Apple Pencil
If you’re looking for an Apple-approved stylus, then Logitech Crayon is your best option. It’s an affordable stylus. It features a grey and orange design and you can expect a solid performance from it.
With its battery lasting 7 hours, you won’t come across unwanted breaks. It recharges very quickly. You can use it for 30 minutes after charging for only two minutes.
As mentioned that it’s an Apple-approved stylus, it works like a breeze on iPads and other Apple applications. It comes with palm rejection technology, which prevents mark mistakes. Besides, its tilt support function allows for adding shades to your digital art and makes it even more impressive.
All in all, it’s the best Apple pencil alternative overall.
Wacom Bamboo Sketch
PROS
- Palm rejection technology
- Tilt sensitivity
- Pressure sensitivity
CONS
- Unavailable in the US
If you need a Non-Apple stylus for your iPad, Wacom Bamboo Sketch is the best option by Wacom. It’s particularly valuable if you’re serious about drawing. Its triangular shape gives an ergonomic design, making it comfortable to grip. You’ll find it compatible with a range of iPads. Its pressure-sensitive tip gives fine touch to your drawing and digital art.
This non-Apple stylus can be integrated with a range of apps for creative people. You’ll find two shortcuts buttons on this pen.
Its long-lasting battery allows for 15 hours of continuous work without experiencing unwanted breaks. It’s chargeable via USB.
The standout characteristic of this pencil is that you get a natural feel while drawing. Combined with palm rejection and tilt support, working with this stylus is a dream.
One of its downsides is that it’s not available in the US. So if you’re based in the US, you need to consider other options on our list.
Adonit Pixel
PROS
- Peak pressure of 2,048 levels
- Compatible with lots of apps
CONS
- Over-sensitive buttons
- Palm rejection isn’t fully accurate
Adonit is a tall standing name in the digital pencil space. If you’re looking for one of the best Apple pencil alternative, then Adonit Pixel is another great option.
It connects with your tablet via Bluetooth and is comfortable with a wide range of creative applications. One of the standout features of Adonit Pixel is its peak pressure sensitivity of 2,048 levels. It has programmable buttons that can be customized by the user. You’ve to be careful while using the pen because the buttons are found to be over-sensitive.
When working on time-consuming projects, you want your pen to last longer. Its battery lasts for 15 hours, which should be enough to get through your day’s work.
Adonit Pixel features a sleek design, making it a comfortable device to work with.
Zagg Pro Stylus
PROS
- Premium quality build
- Tilt sensitivity
- Palm rejection
CONS
- Lacks pressure sensitivity
Zagg Pro Stylus is a non-Apple stylus you need to buy, particularly if you’re looking for something that gives a premium feel. Its quality both in terms of design and functionality is just behind the Logitech Crayon.
For a digital pencil, it’s a bit on the expensive side, but it’s worth spending extra bucks if you’re a professional. It’s a dual-tip stylus and comes with tilt recognition to let you add extra shading to your digital art. With its active tip, you get smooth and precise lines while drawing and sketching on your tablet.
It’s compatible with iPads from 2017 via pairing and attaches magnetically with newer versions such as iPad Pro 11 or Pro 12.9. One of its drawbacks is that it requires a USB-C connection for charging. However, it offers fast charging.
Zagg Pro Stylus is a considerable option if the lack of pressure sensitivity isn’t a deal-breaker for you.
Adonit Mark
PROS
- Inexpensive
- Available in multiple colors
- Supports many iPads
CONS
- Cheaper look
Adonit Mark is a non-Apple stylus for those who don’t have a big budget. In fact, it’s a dirt-cheap option and considerable for anyone who needs a stylus for a tablet, smartphone, or touchscreen device.
It’s compatible with a wide range of Apple iPads including 3rd-Gen iPad Air to the 4th-Gen iPad Pro to the 8th-Gen iPad.
It’s cheaper in price and the material used is not as supreme as other competing pencils. However, it has an anodized aluminum body that gives a good feel in your grip and the triangular shape makes it a breeze to work with. Its shape resists it from rolling in your hand.
Since the Adonit Mark isn’t as precise as other competing non-Apple pencils, you should only buy it if you’re not into detailed sketching and digital art. It’s more appropriate for note-taking and casual sketching.
If you’ve just stepped into digital art and are trying to figure out whether or not it is your thing, then you’ll surely get value for money from Adonit Mark.
Wrap Up
Apple stylus is a costly and advanced piece of equipment that suits the needs of professional creators. However, you may not have the budget to buy an Apple pencil, and in that case, our list of non-Apple styluses in 2022 should be helpful for you.
We hope that this guide lets you determine the best Apple pencil alternative for you.
