Which Apple Pencil should I buy? All models, features, and compatibility differences explained
Buying an Apple Pencil has always been a bit of a minefield. Up until very recently, Apple offered three Pencils with varying prices, features, and degrees of compatibility with its various best iPads. We’ve often bemoaned how fragmented and confusing the lineup is, which is why we were absolutely thrilled when Apple decided to add another model to the lineup for 2024.
Unveiled at its May 7 iPad event, the Apple Pencil Pro is the company’s latest and greatest Apple Pencil, replete with a new barrel roll gesture, haptic feedback, and more. For your average consumer, however, the choice of an Apple Pencil (and the iPad to go with it) is now more pertinent, and confusing than ever.
To that end, we’ve put together a handy guide that details all of Apple’s Pencil shenanigans in one place to make the choice a bit easier. Thankfully, the question of which Apple Pencil you should buy now largely depends on which iPad you own, or which one you’re thinking of buying. So here’s the rundown of all four models, starting with the oldest and ending with Apple’s shiny new Apple Pencil Pro.
Apple Pencil at a glance:
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| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Apple Pencil (1st generation) | Apple Pencil (2nd generation) | Apple Pencil USB-C | Apple Pencil Pro |
| Price | $99 | $129 | $79 | $129 |
| Tilt sensitivity | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pressure sensitivity | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Magnetic attachment | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless pairing/charging | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Hover | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Double Tap | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Barrel roll/squeeze/haptic feedback | No | No | No | Yes |
| Find My | No | No | No | Yes |
| Compatibility | iPad Pro 12.9 (1st and 2nd generation) iPad Pro 10.5-inch iPad Pro 9.7-inch iPad Air (3rd generation) iPad mini (5th generation) iPad (6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th generation) | iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th generation) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation) iPad Air (4th and 5th generation) iPad mini (6th generation) | iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) iPad Air 13-inch (M2) iPad Air 11-inch (M2) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th generation) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation) iPad Air (4th and 5th generation) iPad mini (6th generation) iPad (10th generation) | iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) iPad Air 13-inch (M2) iPad Air 11-inch (M2) |
Apple Pencil (1st generation)
Apple still sells its first generation Pencil from 2015, which is a testament to… something. Despite being the oldest, and arguably least capable model in the lineup, the first-generation Apple Pencil is not the cheapest model on offer. It still sports the legacy Lightning connector, hidden under the plastic cap at the end. It’s also the only Pencil still rocking the completely cylindrical design, with all the others offering an improved squarer design. The Apple Pencil (1st generation) is only compatible with one of the iPads Apple currently sells, the iPad 10. Here’s the full list including older models.
The Apple Pencil (1st generation) is compatible with the following iPads:
- iPad Pro 12.9 (1st and 2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- iPad Air (3rd generation)
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- iPad (6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th generation)
Who should buy the Apple Pencil (1st generation)?
If you own any of the aforementioned iPads except the iPad 10, then this is the only Apple Pencil compatible with your iPad. So if you want to buy an Apple Pencil for an older model listed here, this is the only choice you have.
If you own the iPad 10 or are considering purchasing one now it has a shiny new cheaper price, you have a choice between this Apple Pencil and our next contender, the Apple Pencil USB-C. As mentioned, the first generation still has a Lightning connecter, making this choice pretty much a no-brainer. iPad 10 customers should definitely buy the USB-C version to match the USB-C port on their iPad. While the latter doesn’t support Pressure sensitivity on some iPads, it does support magnetic attachment and Apple Pencil hover (which the first-gen doesn’t), and it’s cheaper.
If you don’t already own an iPad, then I would avoid this choice at all costs. The Apple Pencil (1st generation) is nearly 10 years old, and any of the three alternatives in the lineup would make for a better option. If you want the best compatibility and cheapest model, I’d choose the Apple Pencil USB-C and any of Apple’s current iPads. If you’re serious about art, design, and creation, then the Apple Pencil Pro and either a new M4 iPad Pro or an iPad Air 6 is the best way to go because of their more powerful processors, and the OLED display on that Pro.
Who is it for?:
– Legacy iPad owners
Who is it not for?
– iPad 10 owners
– First-time buyers
– Literally anyone else
Apple Pencil (USB-C)
The Apple Pencil (USB-C) is Apple’s cheapest iPad Pencil, despite being newer than the Apple Pencil 2 and better overall than the Apple Pencil (1st generation). (Are you starting to understand the confusion?)
The Apple Pencil USB-C was unveiled towards the end of 2023 and is essentially Apple’s best budget Pencil choice. It offers compatibility with a wide range of models including every iPad that Apple currently sells. However, it doesn’t offer as many features as either the Apple Pencil 2 or the new Apple Pencil Pro, limiting its usefulness somewhat. Here are all the models the Apple Pencil USB-C supports:
- iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)
- iPad Air 13-inch (M2)
- iPad Air 11-inch (M2)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation)
- iPad Air (4th and 5th generation)
- iPad mini (6th generation)
- iPad (10th generation)
The Apple Pencil (USB-C) has the newer Apple Pencil design language, USB-C charging (albeit through a cable), and support for basic Pencil features. Namely, it can be used for writing, drawing, and sketching, and offers tilt sensitivity as well as Apple Pencil hover. However, it lacks Pressure sensitivity, wireless pairing and charging, and double-tap to change tools compared to the Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Pencil Pro. So who is it for?
Who should buy the Apple Pencil USB-C?
While the Apple Pencil USB-C technically works with any of Apple’s current iPads, it is best suited to users who want some of the functionality and novelty of the Apple Pencil but are not interested in serious creative design and drawing. Anyone considering buying an Apple Pencil (or an iPad) for the purpose of drawing, painting, sketching, and creating art should not consider the Apple Pencil USB-C as their first port of call. If your iPad is primarily for notetaking or jotting down ideas, and you don’t want the full suite of artistic features, then the USB-C Apple Pencil is pretty much perfect. While the Apple Pencil USB-C offers great compatibility with the current lineup, it doesn’t work with many older models.
Who is it for?
– Budget users
– Notetakers
Who is it not for?
– Serious artists
– Anyone who owns an older iPad
Apple Pencil 2
The Apple Pencil 2 is the second generation of Apple Pencil. However, despite being the second oldest model on the list, it’s the same price as the best and newest model. It also works with only one iPad Apple currently sells, the iPad mini 6. Cool.
The Apple Pencil 2 works with the following iPads:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation)
- iPad Air (4th and 5th generation)
- iPad mini (6th generation)
As you can see, this is where things start to get really complicated in the lineup. Apart from the Apple Pencil Pro, the Apple Pencil 2 is the most capable Pencil in the lineup. It supports all the functionality of the USB-C model and the pressure sensitivity of the Apple Pencil (first generation). However, it also includes wireless pairing and charging and the double-tap gesture. So who is it for?
Who should buy the Apple Pencil 2?
If you own any of the iPad Pro 12.9-inch models from 2018 onwards, this is the only Apple Pencil that works with your iPad. Likewise, it’s the sole choice for owners of the first four generations of the 11-inch iPad Pro. If you own one of Apple’s brand-new iPad Pro models (the M4), or a new iPad Air (the M2), the Apple Pencil 2 won’t work with your iPad.
The only users who have a choice in the matter are owners of the iPad Air 4, iPad Air 5, and the iPad mini 6. These iPads support both the Apple Pencil 2 and the Apple Pencil USB-C. As such, the same criterion from above applies. If you want your Apple Pencil for basic notetaking and jotting down ideas, the USB-C model will do just fine. It’s also $50 cheaper at RRP than the Apple Pencil 2. If you own an iPad Air 4, 5, or iPad mini 6 (that’s the current generation) and are serious about art and creativity, then you should go for the Apple Pencil 2. If you’re a first-time buyer and you’re serious about art and creativity, however, you probably aren’t considering any of those iPad models, because you’re looking at the new Pro or iPad Air 6. In that case, you want the Apple Pencil to rule them all…
Who is it for?
– Legacy iPad Pro users
– iPad Air 4, 5, iPad mini 6 artists
Who is it not for?
– First time buyers
Apple Pencil Pro
Despite being Apple’s latest and greatest Apple Pencil, the Apple Pencil Pro costs the same as the Apple Pencil 2 the company released in 2018, six years ago. In terms of compatibility and features, this Apple Pencil is the most straightforward model to get your head around. It has all of the features, but it only works with Apple’s two brand-new models, the iPad Pro M4 and the iPad Air 6. Specifically:
- iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)
- iPad Air 13-inch (M2)
- iPad Air 11-inch (M2)
The Apple Pencil Pro has all of the features of the Apple Pencil 2, plus the new barrel roll and squeeze gestures, as well as Haptic feedback, and Find My functionality. As with some of the previous options, customers of the new iPad Pro and iPad Air face a choice between this model and the Apple Pencil (USB-C), and the parameters haven’t changed. If you want some basic Pencil functionality for annotations and note taking, but you’re not serious about drawing and painting on iPad, the Apple Pencil (USB-C) will do you just fine. If you’re buying an iPad for drawing, painting, creation, editing, or even to use with the new Final Cut Pro for iPad or Logic Pro for iPad apps, then the Apple Pencil Pro is the choice for you.
Who is it for?
– M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air owners
Who is it not for?
– Anyone who doesn’t own an M4 iPad Pro or M2 iPad Air
– M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air owners who aren’t hardcore artists and designers
So there you have it, the most comprehensive answer possible to the question “Which Apple Pencil should I buy.” Happy drawing!
