The best iPad stylus of 2024: Expert tested

In May 2024, Apple unveiled a new lineup of M3 and M4 iPad Air and Pro models. Alongside the latest tablets, the tech giant released the brand new Apple Pencil Pro, the first actual upgrade to Apple’s stylus lineup since the release of the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) in 2018. 

The upgraded stylus incorporates advanced features like squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback to make marking up, taking notes, and creating a masterpiece more intuitive and valuable. The Apple Pencil Pro charges wirelessly like its predecessor and was designed to work with the newest iPad Pro and upgraded software, which makes it our top stylus choice for the new iPad Pro and Air models.

Also: Apple Pencil Pro vs. Apple Pencil (2nd Gen)

If you’re buying a new M3 iPad Air or M4 iPad Pro, purchasing the Apple Pencil Pro makes sense since its advanced features leverage the chip and AI technology incorporated into Apple’s new tablets for the most productivity, functionality, and value out of your new iPad. 

ZDNET’s Jason Hiner says the Apple Pencil Pro could easily have been branded as the Apple Pencil 3. After all, it is the third generation of the Apple Pencil, and therefore, is the natural evolution of the product with incremental new features that simply makes a good product even better. Physically, the form factor looks and feels exactly the same as the second-generation Apple Pencil, with one flat side that is magnetized to fit neatly along one side of an iPad Pro. But it packs some new technology inside — a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, and a haptic feedback engine — that gives it several valuable new tricks that make it more streamlined and a lot more powerful to use. You can now squeeze the Pencil Pro to activate an on-screen menu and select from the various pen tips. You can double-tap to switch between writing and erasing. You can also spin the pencil to activate the barrel roll for added creativity with the brush. These features make the iPad Pro an Apple Pencil-centric device more than ever. Using the pencil is the best and most unique thing to do with the iPad Pro.

Current Pencil Pro owners on Reddit said they liked the new haptic feedback and squeeze gestures, as well as the overall aesthetic. However, some Redditors said they did not like the weight distribution of the new pencil, which some called “top-heavy,” and others were experiencing some sensitivity issues. Owners noted a bit of a learning curve with the new pencil and said that many apps and software offerings are still updating their content to support the latest features of the Pencil Pro. 

Apple Pencil Pro specs: Weight: 0.68 ounces | Battery life: Around 12 hours | Palm rejection: Yes | Tilt recognition: Yes | Added Features: Barrel roll, Squeeze gesture, Double tap, and Find My technology | Compatibility: iPad Pro 13-inch (M4), iPad Pro 11-inch (M4), iPad Air 13-inch (M2), iPad Air 11-inch (M2)