Whether you’re the kind of creative that scribbles down notes in lectures, produce diagrams or gets deeper into design, you have most likely thought about purchasing a stylus pen or even investing in an iPad that comes with one. Either way, stylus pens have come to be the preferred tool and are becoming a lot more in demand, indicating they’re no longer just for hip art majors. The recent release of the new generation Apple Pencil has assisted in reinvigorating interest in the humble stylus, ensuring the pop up of multiple different alternatives.

So let’s break down a few of the most popular stylus options on the market:

1. The Apple Pencil

If you’re a designer or do a fair bit of design or photo editing on your iPad, then the Apple Pencil will really make a big difference to your experience, particularly if you have been previously using your finger. Depending on your iPad you will need to go for with the first-generation Pencil which is compatible with iPad Pro 12.9-inch, (1st and 2nd generations), iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 9.7-inch and the iPad (6th generation).

The second generation Pencil works with the Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) and Pro 11-inch. One would assume that moving forward newer iPads will support the second-generation Pencil.

Side Note: If you are an iPad own you may already be aware but the full version of Photoshop isn’t available on iPad so ensure you take this into consideration before investing in the pencil.

2. Adobe’s Ink & Slide stylus

What can we say about the Ink digital stylus pen, it sharp looking and feels very ergonomic in your hand. You can design with it for hours and still feel like you just picked it up. Connecting this stylus to your ipad issimple and easy. In our opinion this is the pinnacle of stylus options for compatible with all your design needs. The Ink & Slide is compatible with any iPad 4 or later, iPad Air, and iPad Mini (via Bluetooth LE).

3. Adonit Jot Pro

The issue with styluses for tablets like the iPad’s is that they are designed to respond to fingers – and compared to a pen tip fingers and chunky. So the issue is if you make the tip of a stylus too small, the iPad won’t register it. Adonit has designed around this by attaching a tiny plastic disc to the end of the pen. Although we have read some review that user have tried to remove the plastic disc thinking it was part of the packaging, its not, so don’t!

The Adonit Jot Proyou allows for movements you don’t get from a typical pen. You can maintain contact while rotating in any direction. The clear tip of the stylus allows you to see your design or notes as go, making the pen strokes much easier.

4. Adonit Mark.

A good budget variant to the Apple Pencil is the Adonit Mark, fitting flawlessly in your hand its triangular anodized-aluminum stem fits in your hand, and it writes effortlessly on the screen of an iPad screen with very little resistance. The Adonit Mark stylus really is a great alternative to the Apple Pencil.

Price matters, it would be great if it didn’t, but it does and some stylus’s are more affordable than others. Remember, you generally get what you pay for, so if you’re buying a $6 stylus, you will no double get $6 results. Set your budget and buy the best within your means.

Our Verdict on Stylus Options

From our experience, Perth graphic designers can be very particular about their choice in hardware including their stylus choice. Having the correct tools allows you to be one step closer to ensuring you succeed in all that you do, and they make life substantially easier!

So, don’t be afraid to make more than one purchase, having a few different options for different occasions can work better for you in the long run and can save you valuable hours of your time.