The new iPad Air 2024 and iPad Pro 2024 do not come alone, as they are also accompanied by a new stylus. It has not finally been called Apple Pencil 3, but Apple Pencil Pro. Along the way, some change in the price of those that already existed and forming a catalog of up to four different Apple Pencils which make it certainly confusing to differentiate them.
Aesthetically, except for the first model, the other three are almost identical. Functionally they also share some functions. However, it is advisable to know their differences in order to know which one to buy. Especially for the iPad compatibilitysince there are models that are compatible with up to two different Apple Pencils.
Similarities and differences between Apple Pencils
If we talk on a scale about which stylus is better, we find that the Apple Pencil Pro has everything good, followed by the second generation Apple Pencil and then the original Apple Pencil. The Apple Pencil (USB-C), which was launched at the end of 2023, is actually a hybrid of all, being the cheap option for iPads that have a USB-C connector and whose owners, for whatever reason, want to save money on the purchase of the accessory.
Their summarized differences are found in this table, although we will also see in a little more detail what exactly each functionality is.
APPLE PENCIL (USB-C) |
APPLE PENCIL (1st GEN.) |
APPLE PENCIL (2nd GEN.) |
APPLE PENCIL PRO |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
RELEASE YEAR |
2023 |
2015 |
2018 |
2024 |
PRICE |
89.00 euros |
119 euros |
149 euros |
149 euros |
FREE ENGRAVING |
No |
No |
Yeah |
Yeah |
TILT SENSITIVITY |
Yeah |
Yeah |
Yeah |
Yeah |
PRESSURE SENSITIVITY |
No |
Yeah |
Yeah |
Yeah |
LOW LATENCY |
Yeah |
Yeah |
Yeah |
Yeah |
RECHARGE TYPE |
Via USB-C from iPad |
Using Lightning from the iPad |
Magnetic attachment to iPad |
Magnetic attachment to iPad |
FLOATING POINTER COMPATIBILITY |
Yeah |
No |
Yeah |
Yeah |
ROTATION |
No |
No |
No |
Yeah |
PRESSING GESTURE |
No |
No |
No |
Yeah |
DOUBLE TOUCH GESTURE |
No |
No |
Yeah |
No |
‘SEARCH’ SUPPORT |
No |
No |
No |
Yeah |
Free engraving
This is a reference to the possibility of laser engrave on top of Apple Pencil a text or emoji. It is a good way to personalize the accessory with your name or something similar, although it must be ordered online.
Tilt sensitivity
Just like a pencil, when we rotate the angle of the Apple Pencil we do not have the same layout and all of them have it. Of course, although it is not that there is an amazing difference, the second generation Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil Pro are slightly better in this regard.
Pressure sensitivity
Making a simile again with a pen, when we press it against the paper we notice that it marks even more. The same thing happens with all Apple Pencils, except USB-C. Of course, it is advisable not to press too hard either because of the risk it may pose to the tip of the stylus and to the iPad screen itself.
Low latency
It refers to the response time from when we draw something with the Apple Pencil until it is reflected on the screen. There is no exact data on how much it is in each Apple Pencil, but it is known that in all of them it is almost imperceptible as it is a matter of milliseconds. Here, as happens in other cases, there is an improvement in the Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Pencil Pro.
Battery recharge
Apple Pencils last a long time, but they are not eternal. They have a small battery inside that has to be recharged and there are different ways to do it. The most convenient mechanism is that of the Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Pencil Pro, which connect magnetically to the side of the iPad for this purpose and, incidentally, serve to always carry the stylus with you knowing that it will also have a recharged battery.
As for the rest, the first generation Apple Pencil has a male Lightning connector under its hood that must be connected to the Lightning port of the iPad, being a somewhat strange mechanism visually, but functional in the end. cape. In the USB-C model, it connects to the iPad’s counterpart port, although in this case with a cable in between.
floating pointer
Literally this function is just that, a floating pointer. The idea is that having the tip of the Apple Pencil only 12 millimeters from the screen, it can already detect it and mark with a circle the part it is pointing at, so that it can be a practical function for those who need precision. millimeter of the layout you are going to make, since that way you can preview it and thus avoid errors.
Rotation
An exclusive function of the Apple Pencil Pro is that, thanks to its gyroscope, it is capable of not only being more precise when we have the stylus at different angles, but also when we rotate it in order to move the path and obtain much more precise results.
Squeeze gesture
If you have had AirPods Pro, you may already know what we are talking about because it is a similar mechanism. The Apple Pencil Pro has a haptic motor that, when touching the straight part of the stylus, causes a vibration that is perceived the same as if a physical button were pressed. With this gesture you can activate some functions such as opening the tool palette in a writing and drawing app.
Double tap gesture
This is the gesture equivalent to the previous one that the second generation Apple Pencil has, although in this case you do not have to press anything, but rather do a double tap on the lower straight part of the stylus. The result is similar, since it is used to open the tool palette or to quickly switch from pen to eraser, for example.
‘Search’ support
Only the Apple Pencil Pro has this option, which basically consists of, using an ultra-wideband chip, being able to locate the stylus in the ‘Search’ app on the iPhone, iPad or Mac. Ideal when we lose it at home and with the possibility of Find your exact position thanks to the arrow indications and sounds of the application.
iPad compatibility with Apple Pencil
Now that the differences are known, it’s time know which Apple Pencil is compatible with each iPad. Below is a list divided by ranges indicating that compatibility. All iPads released before the ones listed here are not compatible with any of them.
iPad
- iPad (6th gen. – 2018): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad (7th gen. – 2019): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad (8th gen. – 2020): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad (9th gen. – 2021): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad (10th gen. – 2022): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
ipad mini
- iPad mini (5th gen. – 2019): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad mini (6th gen. – 2021): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
iPad Air
- iPad Air (3rd gen. – 2019): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad Air (4th gen. – 2020): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Air (5th gen. – 2022): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Air (6th gen. – 2024): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro
iPad Pro
- iPad Pro (9.7″ – 2016): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad Pro (10.5″ – 2017): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad Pro (12.9″ – 2017): Apple Pencil (1st gen.)
- iPad Pro (11″ – 2018): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Pro (12.9″ – 2018): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Pro (11″ – 2020): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Pro (12.9″ – 2020): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Pro (11″ – 2021): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Pro (12.9″ – 2021): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Pro (11″ – 2022): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Pro (12.9″ – 2022): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (2nd gen.)
- iPad Pro (11″ – 2024): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro
- iPad Pro (13″ – 2024): Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro