4 ms·

I didn't think it was possible to design a more confusing compatibility matrix than the Apple Pencil but there you go.

by omcnoe 1y ago

mnkypete 1y ago
Not sure? It seems to me that the pen that launched with the Surface Pro 3 (V2), still works to an extent with the Surface Pro 11? That seems rather good, no?
pxoe 1y ago
Apple Pencil compatibility chart, for comparison https://f.nooncdn.com/cms/pages/20250530/31608d4ea3ae92b5bbe741c535efc7f7/N70070815V-1.jpg https://f.nooncdn.com/cms/pages/20250530/31608d4ea3ae92b5bbe...
- reaperducer 1y ago
  Simpler than the one from the HN-linked blog. It would make even more sense if sorted by iPad release date. It's not like someone's going to buy a brand new M-series iPad and then get a 10-year-old first gen pencil for it. I believe what's what a commenter upstream is trying to complain about, but I couldn't make full sense of what he wrote.
Arainach 1y ago
So long as you ignore the Surface RT/Pro 1/Pro 2 (that is, devices from 2013 or previous), all Surface pens since 2014 work with all devices through today. The matrix doesn't seem particularly complicated.
- AshamedCaptain 1y ago
  Except for the Surface Go _Laptops_ (different from the Surface Go _tablets_), for which there is no stylus support at all. That said, still an order of magnitude simpler than the Apple one.
DecentShoes 1y ago
Not just confusing, but inconvenient! If you buy a 10th or 11th gen iPad plus the Apple Pencil that works with it, you have no way to charge that Pencil at all. It can't charge from the iPad. It can't charge from USB-C. It can't charge from a Lightning charger. You have to go out and buy a special charger that only charges the Apple Pencil and literally nothing else. It's a completely proprietary connection, a pointlessly inverted version of the Lightning connector, that never could and never will charge anything other than your stylus. Despite Apple having the option of allowing it to charge from a Lightning cable, or Usb-C, or not charge at all and simply get power from the device light Samsung's S-Pen, Apple chose to opt for None Of The Above and allow the Apple Pencil to charge exclusively from the specific Apple Pencil charger. Why? Because screw you. Because Apple makes money when you buy that 20$ charging adapter and doesn't care that you have to carry that adapter with you everywhere now. They could have made it charge from the iPad charger. They could have made it charge from the iPhone charger. They could have made it charge by attaching to the iPad. They could have powered it wirelessly like Samsung and never need charging at all. But no. They chose the worst of all worlds, the most painful, expensive, and inconvenient possible option, and allowed it to only charge from a specific "First generation Apple Pencil Charger" that isn't included with the iPad or even the Pencil itself. That's right, you go out today and buy a brand new iPad and a brand new Apple Pencil, and you can't use the Pencil. At all. You have to also but the separate Apple Pencil Charging Adapter. Because Fuck You. We're Apple and Fuck You.
- TiredOfLife 1y ago
  >> Samsung's S-Pen Is Wacom. Wacom hates magnets. Apple devices are littered with magnets
  - dotancohen 1y ago
    What does this mean that Wacom hates magnets? I attached a steel plate to the back of my S24 Ultra, in the car it's held on by a big honking magnet. I use the Wacom stylus all the time. Very curious if there's a fine detail that I'm missing. Thanks.
    - 1y ago
anaisbetts 1y ago
Despite Microsoft making a bunch of different versions of pens, they mostly all just work. This post is trying to be exhaustive but the vast majority of people who aren't extremely Deep into the Photoshop game will not need or care about any of this. Basically, "If the pen fits in the keyboard slot, it just works". I'm currently using a pen from a Surface Pro 7 on my new Surface Pro 12" and it was trivial to connect it and it works great
- Lammy 1y ago
  Some non-Surfaces too. I’m using a Microsoft Surface Pen “Model 1776” a.k.a. “Ver.4” a.k.a “Surface Pen with no clip” with my Framework Laptop 12 folded all the way around into tablet mode.
- goosedragons 1y ago
  Doesn't even need to fit in the slot either. One of my Surface Pens is an older one that uses a AAAA battery and doesn't fit in the keyboard slot. It works just fine on my SP11 and older SPX. It just has less features and isn't as good as the newer Slim Pen 2.

I didn't think it was possible to design a more confusing compatibility matrix than the Apple Pencil but there you go.

by omcnoe 1y ago

I didn't think it was possible to design a more confusing compatibility matrix than the Apple Pencil but there you go.

Not sure? It seems to me that the pen that launched with the Surface Pro 3 (V2), still works to an extent with the Surface Pro 11? That seems rather good, no?

pxoe 1y ago

Apple Pencil compatibility chart, for comparison https://f.nooncdn.com/cms/pages/20250530/31608d4ea3ae92b5bbe741c535efc7f7/N70070815V-1.jpg https://f.nooncdn.com/cms/pages/20250530/31608d4ea3ae92b5bbe...

reaperducer 1y ago
Simpler than the one from the HN-linked blog. It would make even more sense if sorted by iPad release date. It's not like someone's going to buy a brand new M-series iPad and then get a 10-year-old first gen pencil for it. I believe what's what a commenter upstream is trying to complain about, but I couldn't make full sense of what he wrote.

Arainach 1y ago

So long as you ignore the Surface RT/Pro 1/Pro 2 (that is, devices from 2013 or previous), all Surface pens since 2014 work with all devices through today. The matrix doesn't seem particularly complicated.

AshamedCaptain 1y ago
Except for the Surface Go _Laptops_ (different from the Surface Go _tablets_), for which there is no stylus support at all. That said, still an order of magnitude simpler than the Apple one.

DecentShoes 1y ago

Not just confusing, but inconvenient! If you buy a 10th or 11th gen iPad plus the Apple Pencil that works with it, you have no way to charge that Pencil at all. It can't charge from the iPad. It can't charge from USB-C. It can't charge from a Lightning charger. You have to go out and buy a special charger that only charges the Apple Pencil and literally nothing else. It's a completely proprietary connection, a pointlessly inverted version of the Lightning connector, that never could and never will charge anything other than your stylus. Despite Apple having the option of allowing it to charge from a Lightning cable, or Usb-C, or not charge at all and simply get power from the device light Samsung's S-Pen, Apple chose to opt for None Of The Above and allow the Apple Pencil to charge exclusively from the specific Apple Pencil charger. Why? Because screw you. Because Apple makes money when you buy that 20$ charging adapter and doesn't care that you have to carry that adapter with you everywhere now. They could have made it charge from the iPad charger. They could have made it charge from the iPhone charger. They could have made it charge by attaching to the iPad. They could have powered it wirelessly like Samsung and never need charging at all. But no. They chose the worst of all worlds, the most painful, expensive, and inconvenient possible option, and allowed it to only charge from a specific "First generation Apple Pencil Charger" that isn't included with the iPad or even the Pencil itself. That's right, you go out today and buy a brand new iPad and a brand new Apple Pencil, and you can't use the Pencil. At all. You have to also but the separate Apple Pencil Charging Adapter. Because Fuck You. We're Apple and Fuck You.

TiredOfLife 1y ago
>> Samsung's S-Pen Is Wacom. Wacom hates magnets. Apple devices are littered with magnets
- dotancohen 1y ago
  What does this mean that Wacom hates magnets? I attached a steel plate to the back of my S24 Ultra, in the car it's held on by a big honking magnet. I use the Wacom stylus all the time. Very curious if there's a fine detail that I'm missing. Thanks.
  - 1y ago

anaisbetts 1y ago

Despite Microsoft making a bunch of different versions of pens, they mostly all just work. This post is trying to be exhaustive but the vast majority of people who aren't extremely Deep into the Photoshop game will not need or care about any of this. Basically, "If the pen fits in the keyboard slot, it just works". I'm currently using a pen from a Surface Pro 7 on my new Surface Pro 12" and it was trivial to connect it and it works great

Lammy 1y ago
Some non-Surfaces too. I’m using a Microsoft Surface Pen “Model 1776” a.k.a. “Ver.4” a.k.a “Surface Pen with no clip” with my Framework Laptop 12 folded all the way around into tablet mode.
goosedragons 1y ago
Doesn't even need to fit in the slot either. One of my Surface Pens is an older one that uses a AAAA battery and doesn't fit in the keyboard slot. It works just fine on my SP11 and older SPX. It just has less features and isn't as good as the newer Slim Pen 2.