New Apple Pencil shows how underrated Samsung’s bundled S Pen is

Last updated: October 18th, 2023 at 12:23 UTC+02:00

Apple was rumored to announce new iPads yesterday, but all it announced was a new Apple Pencil, a stylus that can be used with iPads for writing and drawing. After years of requests, Apple finally added a USB Type-C charging port to the new Apple Pencil, but it also removed some features available on previous Apple Pencils. This move made me think how underrated and underappreciated Samsung’s S Pen stylus is, which comes bundled with all compatible tablets.

The new Apple Pencil doesn’t come bundled even with the priciest iPad. You have to pay $79 to buy it, and it is the company’s cheapest Apple Pencil. Other Apple Pencils—1st Generation and 2nd Generation—are priced at $99 and $129, respectively. Although Apple added a Type-C port for charging to the Apple Pencil, it removed pressure sensitivity from the stylus, which is present on 1st Gen and 2nd Gen Apple Pencils.

In comparison, the S Pen stylus from Samsung comes bundled with all Galaxy Tab devices compatible with the S Pen. Even if you buy it separately (in case you lose or damage the bundled one), it costs just $50 ($60 for high-end tablets). That’s at least $20 cheaper than the cheapest Apple Pencil. Even other Android brands, including OnePlus and Xiaomi, don’t bundle a stylus with all their tablets.

Moreover, the entry-level Apple Pencil lacks pressure sensitivity, which is present on all S Pens that come bundled with Samsung tablets. Yes, pressure sensitivity isn’t useful for everyone, but it’s there if you need it. It is great for anyone who’s into drawing, sketching, and painting. You can use the pre-installed Samsung Notes app for taking notes or drawing or use the company’s free PENUP app to learn drawing and sketching.

Even the $450 Galaxy Tab S9 FE comes bundled with the S Pen that features high precision, tilt sensitivity, pressure sensitivity, a dedicated button for accessing and switching between tools, and even an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It even stays attached magnetically to the tablet and gets charged, something that’s missing from the new Apple Pencil. Despite being so feature-rich, Samsung bundles the S Pen with its tablets, and not enough people appreciate it.

Check out our in-depth video below to see how the S Pen works on the recently launched Galaxy Tab S9 FE.