How does one use the Surface Pen on the Surface Laptop?

[Rainar Angelo]

Like every other Surface device, the Surface Laptop comes with a pen. However, I think it would be really awkward to see someone trying to take down stuff on a Surface Laptop. Weird? Probably. Doesn't this minimize the utility of the Pen?

 

[Jamesn1990]

With great difficulty I'm assuming... I can still see the benefit of having the inking ability. People would have gone crazy if a surface product didn't have inking!

 

[JohnnyRedLight]

I agree. No idea. Watching people demonstrate the pen on the laptop looked very uncomfortably and inconvenient.

 

[traex]

It would be great if they added in a feature that allowed the pen to write on any flat surface that would write on the laptop. If that makes any sense

 

[Octagon31415]

On a laptop inking is for occasional use to mark or sketch something simple quickly. Why use touch on a laptop? It is equally inconvenient, but occasionally useful. And pen is less greasy than fingers.

 

[kashgohel]

Speaking as an architecture student and artist who has to use unorthodox techniques to get work done, the solution I use is :

1. Go to desktop settings and rotate the screen 180 degrees.
2. Open the laptop fully, and instead of setting the base on the table, set the screen flat on the table surface.
3. Prop up the base with a pile of heavy books, taking care not to block any heat vents
4. Use as a touch screen like normal, and if you need added functionality you can add a wireless mouse or wireless keyboard.

While this looks slightly cumbersome to set up, it works wonders for artists who sit at the touchscreen for long hours.

Hope it works for you!

 

[ryanhuangg]

Haha smart. I really wish they could have made it easier to use the pen

 

[Patrick Nexxus Pasia]

Well that makes sense! i actually noticed during the announcement of Surface Laptop, when Panos tried to use the Pen on it, I feared that the screen portion of the laptop might be rip off. Lmao

 

[kaktus1389]

Well when Panos Panay was demonstrating pen usage on the laptop, he had to hold the screen so it wouldn't wobble. It should be easy enough to use it that way, although it's not really convenient. Big pen users should consider Surface Pro 4/whatever they announce next before the Surface Laptop.

 

[kashgohel]

I think the best intermittent usage for the touch screen in clamshell form factor is when you're reading an article and need to scroll up. Me thinks.

But obviously as artist mode would just flip it on the screen and paint away for hours.

 

[irishandrew]

I used to use the "Tablet PC Edition" of Windows XP on both a passive touch fujitsu 1510d and a capacitive Hewlett Packard 2710p. Although both were convertible laptops I found myself regularly using the pen in laptop mode for quick notations and quick navigation, so I appreciate that the pen can be used with this too. I now have a surface pro 4 and find the same, however I do love the stability of a hinged device, although it is a shame it can't swivel flat for all the options - maybe a future surface?

 

[David Jacka]

Does the screen have an area that the pen will stick to when not in use like on the other surface devices?

 

[Ibrahim Sag]

You just hold the laptop tight and you will be Blessed to use the pen when not on a hard surface, like desk, if on a desk, just tilt it your convinience.
Meanwhile, the pen is meant for sketchy use but for hard pen users the Microsoft studio would be great.

 

[ASEEM MEHROTRA]

Presently I am using Pen with my Surface Pro 4. Beleive me it is awesome to use pen.

 

[secher]

The pen part is nice. I don't see how you would use it for extended periods of time, for for quick stuff like Panos did at the demo, it seems fine.
On a Pro, it seems much more natural...

 

[overboard08]

I've been finding the form factor of my Pro 4 doing school a little awkward to be honest. Before I started my masters online, pen use was occassional: Tablet mode and drawboard to review pubs for work, highlights to my students training manual, etc...maybe Windows ink to assist conducting debrief. But actually using Pro 4 without keyboard, using it as just a slate to annotate sources for homework...and then flipping the keyboard to start working on the paper I was just researching for has actually interrupted my student flow a bit. Don't get me wrong, my Pro 4 has been my stalwart companion device for 16 months but I don't think I've got a good flow that a laptop with occassional highlighting and onenote/word use could provide

 

[Rainar Angelo]

I don't think so. No magnetic holder if I'm not wrong.

 

[Jayesh Sharma]

The Laptop is not designed for heavy pen usage. People who like doodling and stuff (i.e. artists and professionals) should really go for the SP4. The surface laptop has been made keeping in mind the Macbook audience who(as you might already know) aren't that much (entirely) into pen support.

 

[Jayesh Sharma]

I don't think so. No magnetic holder if I'm not wrong.

I think there is a magnetic holder. I saw it on one of the videos, as far as I remember. I'll get back to you if I find the video or the answer.

 

[Wonkim74]

It would've been nice if they would've given it a 360 degree home like the Lenovo Yoga. That would've given better ergonomics for using the pen. Also, a 14 inch screen with an infinity display to get rid of the bezel would've given more surface area to draw on while not adding to the size.