With the launch of the Surface Pro 9 and Surface Laptop 5, many are on the hunt for the best Surface accessories. If you’re a creator or use your Surface for taking notes, it’s worth picking up a Surface Slim Pen 2. The stylus is more refined than its predecessor and provides the best writing experience you can get on a Surface device.
Even if you haven’t ordered one of Microsoft’s newer Surface devices, it’s a good time to pick up the Surface Slim Pen 2. The Surface Slim Pen 2 usually retails for $130 on Microsoft’s website. Its price hovers a bit on Amazon, but $97 is the lowest we’ve seen it up to this point.
The digital stylus has a haptic engine on the inside that makes it feel more like you’re writing on paper as opposed to a glass screen. Tactile signals also make it clear which gestures you’ve performed, like circling text or crossing out a word. Note that haptic feedback only works with a limited list of apps, such as Microsoft Word, Journal, Whiteboard, and PowerPoint. Some third-party apps, including Adobe Fresco and Sketchable, also support haptic feedback.
You also need supported hardware to take advantage of the Slim Pen 2’s haptic feedback engine.
If you order a Surface Slim Pen 2, make sure that you have a way to charge it. The pen requires a Surface Slim Pen Charger, Surface Pro Signature Keyboard, Surface Pro X Signature Keyboard, Surface Laptop Studio, or Surface Duo 2 Pen Cover to charge, all of which are sold separately.
