Finest Apple Pencil 2025: Discover out which Apple Pencil works together with your iPad

In Could 2024, Apple unveiled the newest technology of its Pencil stylus for iPad—Apple Pencil Professional. It’s primarily a substitute for the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil, made to assist solely the latest iPad Air (M2) and iPad Professional (M4) fashions, and with related design however a number of new options.

Meaning Apple now has 4 merchandise all named “Apple Pencil,” however two of them are primarily just for merchandise not bought as new, however moderately just for legacy fashions.

If you wish to get monetary savings, think about various styluses in your iPad. Learn our round-up of the greatest stylus for iPad, iPad Air, Professional, and mini.

Which Apple Pencil: Specs

Earlier than we have a look at the variations between the three Apple Pencil fashions, right here’s a quick breakdown of their technical specs:

Which Apple Pencil: Value

The costs for every Apple Pencil differ by options and compatibility. The most costly choices are the Apple Pencil Professional and the second-gen Apple Pencil, that are each $129/$129. The most cost effective is the Apple Pencil with USB-C at $79/£79.

The primary Apple Pencil was launched in September 2015. Apple sells it for $99/£99/€119. It really works with the present Tenth-generation iPad in addition to various older iPad fashions. To cost you plug it into your iPad’s Lightning port, so you’ll be able to’t use it when charging. It’s pressure-sensitive, which is sweet in case you are an artist. We suspect that Apple will quickly take away this Pencil from the lineup.

That is the very best Apple Pencil for people who don’t have the very newest iPad Air or Professional. It launched in 2018 and Apple sells it for $129/£129. It really works with latest iPad Air, mini, and Professional, however not the Tenth gen iPad or the M2 iPad Air or M4 iPad Professional. This Apple Pencil prices wirelessly. We suspect that Apple will quickly take away this Pencil from the lineup.

This Apple Pencil was launched in 2023 to assist iPads with USB-C charging ports as a substitute of the older Lightning port. It lacks lots of the options of the 2nd technology mannequin, so don’t fall into the lure of pondering newer means higher. However it’s cheaper at $79/£79. That is primarily a Pencil with a USB-C port. It lacks strain sensitivity, which even the first gen mannequin has. It doesn’t work with the ninth gen iPad or the earliest iPad Professionals.

That is the very best Apple Pencil, so long as you have got a suitable iPad. Apple sells it for $129/£129. It really works with the latest iPad Air (M2) and iPad Professional (M4). This Apple Pencil prices wirelessly, and has the entire options of 2nd-gen Apple Pencil and several other extra, like haptic suggestions, Discover My assist, and assist for rolling and squeeze gestures.

Which Apple Pencil: Design

There’s not precisely a number of room for flamboyant designs or new aesthetics in terms of one thing as form-dependent as a stylus. However, the engineers at Apple have been busy, incorporating a number of components that make the Pencils recognizable from one another. 

In all instances, you’re a white plastic, cylindrical casing with no buttons or markings apart from the Apple Pencil identify. The first-Gen Pencil is the one one that’s utterly spherical (and has a shiny end), because the Professional, 2nd-Gen, and USB-C variations have a flattened facet in order that they are often hooked up magnetically to the sting of a suitable iPad.

Foundry

Apple has continuously been refining the steadiness and dealing with of its Pencil vary, as you’ll be able to see from the truth that with every technology the size of the stylus has slowly been shortened. Right here’s how they measure up:

• Apple Pencil (1st Gen): 6.92in/176mm (Size); 0.35in/8.9mm (Diameter)
• Apple Pencil (2nd Gen): 6.53in/166mm (Size); 0.35in/8.9mm (Diameter)
• Apple Pencil (USB-C): 6.10in/155mm (Size); 0.29in/7.4mm (Diameter)
• Apple Pencil Professional: 6.53in/166mm (Size); 0.35in/8.9mm (Diameter)

Each the 1st-Gen and USB-C Pencils have a lid on the prime finish that may be taken off to cost the gadget. On the 1st-Gen, eradicating the cap reveals a Lightning connector, whereas the USB-C slides as much as reveal a USB-C port. The 2nd-Gen and Professional fashions cost wirelessly and don’t have a port or connector.

On the enterprise finish of the Pencil, you’ll discover the replaceable rubber suggestions that make the Apple Pencil such a cushty expertise. A few of the fashions have extra performance constructed into their slender frames, which we’ll cowl within the subsequent part. 

Which Apple Pencil: Options

Whereas the entire Pencil fashions will assist you to write notes and sketch in your iPad, they do supply completely different capabilities relying on the mannequin you select. The first-Gen Pencil delivers a exact writing expertise, with low latency and strain sensitivity to permit thinner and wider pen/brush strokes, plus the flexibility to sense when you find yourself tilting the stylus for shading and related strategies. 

Pairing and charging are achieved by way of the Lightning port, as there isn’t any wi-fi charging on this mannequin, plus you’ll be able to’t magnetically connect it to an iPad. You additionally don’t get the hover function on iPad Professional fashions, which allows you to preview the place your mark can be made with out having to the touch the display screen. Additionally, you will must make do with out the double-tap motion to modify between the varied pens, brushes, and different instruments. 

Apple

The Gen 2 Pencil gives the entire options included in its predecessor, apart from the Lightning port charging and pairing, which is as a substitute achieved wirelessly. It introduces the double-tap function via a touch-sensitive space close to the tip, plus there’s the choice to have it engraved with a private message. 

The Apple Pencil USB-C attaches by way of a USB-C-to-USB-C cable out of your iPad’s charging port to the Pencil. You may magnetically connect it to an iPad for safe-keeping, however it doesn’t cost. It has practically all the identical options because the 1st-Gen Pencil, albeit unusually with out strain sensitivity, which does look like a step backward. As a minor compensation, you do get the 2nd-Gen’s hover function in the event you personal an iPad Professional. 

The most recent is the Apple Pencil Professional, which solely helps the iPad Air (M2) and iPad Professional (M4), and presumably future iPad Air and Professional fashions. It has all of the options of the 2nd-Gen mannequin with the addition of roll and squeeze sensitivity, haptic suggestions, and Discover My assist.

Which Apple Pencil: Compatibility

Each Pencil helps completely different iPads, so that you’ll have to test which mannequin you have got before you purchase one of many three stylus fashions Apple gives:

Which Apple Pencil: Verdict

A few of the most important issues when contemplating an Apple Pencil are the way you wish to use it and which iPad you have got. In case you’re considering creating artwork or extra ornamental writing, you then’ll little doubt discover the strain sensitivity of the Gen 1, Gen 2, and Professional fashions a necessary function. Then you definitely’ll simply want to pick the one that’s suitable together with your gadget. The Gen 2 Pencil does have the extra advantages of wi-fi charging, plus the double-tap and hover capabilities, though the latter solely works on iPad Professional.

If in case you have a more recent iPad with a USB-C connector and simply wish to take down notes, then the USB-C mannequin may serve these functions admirably, with the added benefit of being probably the most reasonably priced mannequin out there from Apple.

In case you purchase a brand-new iPad Air with M2 or iPad Professional with M4, you’ll be able to select between the USB-C mannequin with its very primary performance or Apple Pencil Professional, which has by far probably the most options of any Apple Pencil.

The sting case is when you have an iPad mini or Tenth-gen iPad however really want strain sensitivity. Whilst you would usually select the USB-C Pencil for these fashions, the one suitable Pencil with strain sensitivity is the first-gen Apple Pencil, which comes with slightly USB-C to Lightning charging adapter you’ll have to make use of to cost it.