So what else is new about the Pen?

[bo_woods]

so what else is new about the Pen??

I tried out the new SP4 pen in my local MS store, but other than different nubs that change the feel of inking it up across the Surface glass, what else is new?

Still no tilt support

The new eraser function and magnet ability to cling to the side of the surface is pretty cool, but I was hoping for improvements that would make up for the loss of Wacom...

 

[onysi]

Battery lasts a year.

 

[onysi]

Re: so what else is new about the Pen??

I just realized your avatar is also mickey mouse. Lol

 

[bo_woods]

Re: so what else is new about the Pen??

I just realized your avatar is also mickey mouse. Lol

Lol wow... Great minds think alike I guess?

 

[tennisfan#AC]

I got a chance to play around with the Surface Pro 4 yesterday at Best Buy. I noticed some changes to the pen. The 1024 levels of pen sensitivity is new because I don't believe the Surface Pro 3 pen has that many levels. I do find the new eraser function and magnet to be really cool. But what I really enjoyed the most was the pen felt like I was using a real pen on a real piece of paper. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the Surface Pro 3 pen and I didn't believe a previous post that said the Pro 4 pen was that impressive. But they were correct, it feels like you are writing on paper versus the pen sort of gliding with the Pro 3 pen. Now I don't know if this is a combination of the updated Pro 4 pen and Pro 4 display or the Pro 4 pen by itself.

 

[StevoPhilo]

Re: so what else is new about the Pen??

I tried out the new SP4 pen in my local MS store, but other than different nubs that change the feel of inking it up across the Surface glass, what else is new?

Still 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity

Still no tilt support

The new eraser function and magnet ability to cling to the side of the surface is pretty cool, but I was hoping for improvements that would make up for the loss of Wacom...

The original Pro and Pro 2 had wacom with 1024 ppl and eraser. It had a plastic tip, 1 button, and it was really cheap feeling. Passive pen. Not a realistic feel at all.

The Pro 3 introduced N-trig (bought by Microsoft) which had the 256 ppl with replaceable nibs of the same kind (better feel). Active stylus and less parallax effect. Much better weight and feel. 2 buttons (one for erasing and the other for selecting). 1 button on top for one note.

The Pro 4 pen maintains N-trig technology with

• NOW 1024 ppl
• Very strong magnet to attach to the side of the unit.
• Eraser is back!!
• 1 button on the side for selection.
• Replacement pen tips for different kind of feeling. (Brush, thicker/thinner pencil feeling)
• Cortana and Onenote button on the top.

 

[bo_woods]

Re: so what else is new about the Pen??

The original Pro and Pro 2 had wacom with 1024 ppl and eraser. It had a plastic tip, 1 button, and it was really cheap feeling. Passive pen. Not a realistic feel at all.

The Pro 3 introduced N-trig (bought by Microsoft) which had the 256 ppl with replaceable nibs of the same kind (better feel). Active stylus and less parallax effect. Much better weight and feel. 2 buttons (one for erasing and the other for selecting). 1 button on top for one note.

The Pro 4 pen maintains N-trig technology with

• NOW 1024 ppl
• Very strong magnet to attach to the side of the unit.
• Eraser is back!!
• 1 button on the side for selection.
• Replacement pen tips for different kind of feeling. (Brush, thicker/thinner pencil feeling)
• Cortana and Onenote button on the top.

When I first asked this no one was responding/discussing so I just spoke with a MS rep in an online chat

Alongside the things you've mentioned, the Pro 4 Pen brings reduced latency coming from the Pro 4 pen, and apparently ALL of these improvements are within the pen itself (except of course the magnet sticking to the left of the Surface), so all these things can be brought to the Surface pro 3 with the purchase of the new Pen.

The current Pen can actually cling tightly to the right of the Surface where the charging port is and where the keyboard magnets attach at on the bottom of the device... It just needs to be placed to intricately and of course would need to be removed if you want to charge. So its basically not convenient. Just thought id point that out...

 

[dcoffing]

Re: so what else is new about the Pen??

I just clip the stylus to the crease in the keyboard like it shows in the new Type keyboard for SurfacePro4. The stylus can still easily get knocked off by accident even on the SP4 and especially on the SP3.

The new stylus eraser top triggers OneNote universal app and I can't figure out how to switch it to OneNote desktop. I wonder if it is a bug in Windows 10 because it use to work under Windows 8.1

 

[mike-berry]

I heard someone say tilt support. Will that ever be implemented?

 

[Reflexx]

I heard someone say tilt support. Will that ever be implemented?

Hopefully the next one will.

 

[bo_woods]

I heard someone say tilt support. Will that ever be implemented?

Did you HEAR someone say "tilt support" or did you SEE the words "tilt support"?

 

[ncxcstud]

Re: so what else is new about the Pen??

The latest firmware update included something about the pen that some (I believe Daniel voiced this opinion too) believe will add that functionality back in.

I'd love to be able to make the button program specific - like if I'm presenter mode let the click of the eraser button or the side button advance a slide. That would make my time teaching confirmation so much easier...

I just clip the stylus to the crease in the keyboard like it shows in the new Type keyboard for SurfacePro4. The stylus can still easily get knocked off by accident even on the SP4 and especially on the SP3.

The new stylus eraser top triggers OneNote universal app and I can't figure out how to switch it to OneNote desktop. I wonder if it is a bug in Windows 10 because it use to work under Windows 8.1

 

[boltman2013]

Re: so what else is new about the Pen??

When I first asked this no one was responding/discussing so I just spoke with a MS rep in an online chat

Alongside the things you've mentioned, the Pro 4 Pen brings reduced latency coming from the Pro 4 pen, and apparently ALL of these improvements are within the pen itself (except of course the magnet sticking to the left of the Surface), so all these things can be brought to the Surface pro 3 with the purchase of the new Pen.

The current Pen can actually cling tightly to the right of the Surface where the charging port is and where the keyboard magnets attach at on the bottom of the device... It just needs to be placed to intricately and of course would need to be removed if you want to charge. So its basically not convenient. Just thought id point that out...

Won't get 1024 levels nor new G5 chipset that's in the new surfaces and integral to better inking/touch

Its OneNote , Screenshot and Cortana for the eraser click (1,2 and hold)