---
title: "Surface Slim Pen versus Apple Pencil"
language: en
topics: ["SSH", "Windows", "design", "laptop", "mobility", "office", "pencil", "review", "tablet", "work"]
full_article_url: https://willem.com/en/2020-04-14_talking-tablets-what-makes-a-great-tablet/
---
# Surface Slim Pen versus Apple Pencil

*Lighter and smaller, with great responsiveness.*

> Comparing them in 2020, I found the Slim Pen slightly smaller and much lighter than the Apple Pencil, which made it feel a bit flimsy, it lacks the Pencil's balanced heft. Responsiveness, though, was simply great.

The Slim Pen is an oval stylus for tapping, note taking, drawing and sketching. Microsoft integrated it into the Surface design: it magnetically flips around into the keyboard, where it charges inductively while stored, an impressive party trick that gives it a proper home when not in use.
In the hand it is about the size of a conventional pen for paper and slightly smaller than Apple's latest Pencil, but much lighter, which makes it feel a little flimsy. It functions perfectly though, because pen responsiveness is simply great.
Microsoft offers its own apps for note taking and sketching, such as OneNote and Whiteboard. I like Whiteboard, but annoying bugs, like an imprecise ruler, hamper the pen's super powers.