Apple Pencil Pro is the latest and greatest iPad stylus coming out of Cupertino. It adds a new “squeeze” gesture, an internal gyroscope, haptic feedback and Find My support.
I’m not a digital artist, so I tested the stylus by writing notes, entering text with Scribble and doing moderate editing of photographs.
Plenty of artists have reviewed the new accessory, so my goal was to answer the question, “Does a typical iPad user need Apple Pencil Pro?” Or would a cheaper alternative suffice?
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Just so there’s no confusion, not every iPad user needs a stylus. The tablet can be controlled entirely with a fingertip. But adding a stylus brings new capabilities.
That includes taking handwritten notes, whether in a classroom or a meeting. Or, if you’re young enough, learning to write. One is also fun for doodling, and useful for signing documents.
A stylus like Apple Pencil Pro also includes making great art with your iPad, whether professionally or as a budding artist. That’s not me, but I have to mention it.
Table of contents
- Designed for the new iPad Pro and iPad Air
- Feels good in the hand
- New writing and drawing features
- Let’s start taking notes and sketching
- Find My stylus, at last!
- Apple Pencil Pro final thoughts
- Pricing
Designed for the new iPad Pro and iPad Air
The most important fact to know about Apple’s latest stylus is that it is compatible only with the just-launched M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro. These have their front-facing cameras moved to the long edge of the display, where the Apple Pencil wireless charger is also located, requiring a redesign. The result is that the just-released stylus doesn’t work with the chargers built into older iPads.
But if you’re using the two new tablets (and presumably their successors), all you need to do to pair Apple Pencil Pro and charge it at the same time is place the accessory on the edge of your iPad.
Feels good in the hand
![Apple Pencil Pro vs Apple Pencil 2 Apple Pencil Pro vs Apple Pencil 2](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Apple-Pencil-Pro-vs-Pencil-2-1-1440x754.jpg)
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Pencil Pro has the same basic design as its predecessors, as well as regular pens and pencils going all the way back to the styli used to write cuneiform in Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago. With that much history, there’s no need for a redesign.
Apple’s latest is the same size as the older Pencil 2, and uses the same replaceable writing tips. To get specific, it is 6.5 inches (166mm) long with a diameter of 0.35 inches (98.9 mm). The weight is 0.7 ounces (19 grams).
That makes it slightly larger and heavier than a wooden pencil, but after a lot of use it’s the wooden version that feels undersized. In short, Pencil Pro 2 is comfortable to hold.
There is a flat edge that lets me easily orient the stylus in my hand. That’s important because the “Double tab” button is located at one end of this edge.
You can get the product in any color you want, as long as what you want is white.
New writing and drawing features
![Apple Pencil Pro hero Apple Pencil Pro brings new technology to the iPad stylus.](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Apple-Pencil-Pro-hero-780x436.jpg)
Photo: Apple
Easily my favorite new feature of Apple Pencil Pro is a sensor in the barrel that detects when I squeeze it. Doing so brings up a tool palette that allows me to quickly switch settings for colors, brush shapes, line weights and more.
This is so much quicker and easier than the previous system of picking these from a floating window off to one side. When taking notes, I find myself changing line weights more often now that I can do so with only a squeeze and a couple of taps, without moving my whole hand.
Looking ahead, Apple promised software developers will be able to create their own custom tool palettes. Which is good — few apps I tried support the feature now.
In addition, Apple Pencil Pro now includes haptic feedback. When I squeeze the stylus, it feels like the barrel actually moves, but that’s a trick. Instead, the accessory is vibrating slightly. It’s a nice bit of feedback.
The specs for the new stylus list a Barrel roll feature. “A new gyroscope allows you to rotate Apple Pencil Pro for precise control of shaped pen and brush tools,” said Apple. Honestly, I have found no use for this feature yet. And it’s possible that as someone who does not use a stylus for creating art, I never will.
Some previous features carried through to the new Pencil version. Thankfully, that includes Double tap. Give a couple of quick taps near the writing tip to switch between tools. For me, that’s always the eraser and whatever writing tool I’m using at the time. It’s a real timesaver — though squeeze gesture might replace it in my workflow (and my heart).
Let’s start taking notes and sketching
![Apple iPad Air and Apple Pencil Pro 240507 2024 M2 iPad Air with Apple Pencil Pro](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Apple-iPad-Air-and-Apple-Pencil-Pro-240507-1-780x557.jpg)
Photo: Apple
The section on actually using the product is traditionally the heart of any review, and is often the longest. But Apple Pencil Pro is a standout because it works so well there’s almost nothing to say. Just a series of compliments.
I tested the stylus by taking notes during a meeting, during which it performed flawlessly. I never had problems with it recognizing the lines I was drawing. There were no skips in the lines, or unwanted lines.
The squeeze gesture really shines during note taking. It is so quick that I can change the line weight or color I’m writing with in about a second so I don’t fall behind.
Pencil Pro also worked well for the very simple drawing I do. And that includes making basic edits in images used on Cult of Mac.
The stylus includes tilt sensitivity and pressure sensitivity, just as Pencil 2 did. It also has the cool hover feature that recently drew Ooos and Ahhs.
Just keep in mind, though, most of the functionality is built into the iPad, not the stylus. This means even fairly cheap styli perform quite well. I’ve tested many over the years and they are also up to the basic tasks of taking notes and light sketching.
Find My stylus, at last!
Apple Pencil Pro includes a feature I first asked for literally years ago: Find My support. If I accidentally misplace the stylus, I can use my iPad Pro to track it down. No more
When I open the Find My application, it shows me the location of the accessory on a map. For precisely locating the stylus, the app uses a graphic to show when I’m getting closer or farther from the device.
But don’t expect the same experience as locating an AirTag. There’s no arrow pointing to the accessory. The accessory can not beep. And the only one of my computers that can track down the stylus is its iPad — it doesn’t show up on my iPhone.
Apple Pencil Pro final thoughts
![Apple Pencil Pro features Features of the Apple Pencil Pro](https://www.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Apple-Pencil-Pro-features-780x439.jpg)
Photo: Apple
There’s no doubt in my mind that this is the best iPad stylus for the M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air. It works perfectly, and the new squeeze gesture with a pop-up toolbar is brilliant. Find My support is a welcome addition. Digital artists will surely want one.
As for my “Does a typical iPad user need Apple Pencil Pro?” question, the answer isn’t as clear cut. While the stylus is ideal for a student or businessperson taking notes, it’s also very expensive — at least twice as much as many third-party iPad styli.
But it also offers features the cheaper options don’t. These are bonus features though. When it comes to simply drawing lines on an iPad, every stylus I’ve ever tried — and that’s a lot — is nearly the same.
Still, keep in mind that many rivals don’t yet support the newly rearranged magnets and wireless charger in the latest iPad models.
★★★★★
Pricing
Apple Pencil Pro costs $129. That’s the price whether it’s purchased from the Apple store, Best Buy or somewhere else.
Buy if from: Apple or Best Buy
This is the same cost that the previous Apple Pencil 2 sold for at its launch back in 2018.
Apple did not provide Cult of Mac with an Apple Pencil Pro review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.