The Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2 was unveiled this week as a companion to the company’s fall lineup of Windows 11-ready Surface devices at Microsoft’s Surface event on September 22. The successor to Microsoft’s Surface Slim Pen stylus looks similar to its predecessor, but the Slim Pen 2 has some new features that make it a potentially exciting product for anyone who needs a stylus for their new Surface device.
While the Slim Pen 2 is compatible with all Surface devices and any PC that supports the Microsoft Pen Protocol, some of its new features are currently only available for the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio, which were both announced recently.
Here’s a quick rundown of all the new functions and features that the Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2 will offer.
Surface Slim Pen 2 features
While the Surface Slim Pen 2 appears to be nearly identical to its predecessor on the outside, it contains new features that rival those of the second-generation Apple Pencil. The Surface Slim Pen 2 is marketed as being more accurate than its predecessor, and it includes a new haptic motor designed to provide tactile feedback that mimics the sensation of putting pen to paper.
This feedback is referred to by Microsoft as “tactile signals,” and it is currently only supported when using the Surface Slim Pen 2 with either the Surface Pro 8 or the Surface Laptop Studio running Windows 11. Microsoft uses this haptic feature to provide feedback when using the Slim Pen 2 with certain apps, in addition to making drawing and sketching feel more natural.
The haptic motor in Microsoft Word will both simulate the feel of writing on paper and vibrate when you successfully execute gestures such as highlighting text, for example. It will make the various pen, highlighter, and eraser tools in Microsoft Whiteboard feel noticeably different to use. This is a feature that Apple’s Pencil does not yet have, though multiple Apple Pencil patents indicate that an updated model with haptic feedback is in the works.
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Zero-Force inking
Another new feature in the Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2 is zero-force inking. This appears to be a fancy way of saying that the stylus will detect when it’s close to the display, resulting in less delay between touching the screen and seeing what you’ve drawn appear on it.
The Surface Slim Pen 2 retains its predecessor’s convenient wireless charging capabilities. When not in use, you can slide it into the charging cubby on the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard, magnetically attach it to the Surface Laptop Studio, or slide it into the Surface Duo 2’s Pen Cover. When you magnetically attach the 2nd Gen Apple Pencil to compatible iPads, it does the same thing, and it’s one of the features we like best.
Surface Pen 2 design
Microsoft appears to have made few changes to the Surface Slim Pen 2’s design, as it appears to be nearly identical to the original Surface Slim Pen. It’s still a slim, matte-black stylus with a side button and a top button that replaces the eraser on a traditional graphite pencil.
The Surface Slim Pen 2 charges via a built-in USB-C connector, so you can simply plug it into a USB-C port to recharge it. It can also wirelessly charge when inserted into the Signature Keyboard (compatible with the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro X) or magnetically attached to the Surface Laptop Studio, similar to how the 2nd Gen Apple Pencil can magnetically attach to most modern iPads for pairing and charging.
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Microsoft Surface Pen 2
The new Surface Slim Pen 2 from Microsoft costs about $30 more than its predecessor, but the improved accuracy and new zero-force inking feature should make writing and sketching with it feels more natural.
The new haptic motor is undeniably the most exciting feature of the Slim Pen 2, but for the time being, the only devices that support the Slim Pen 2’s expanded haptic feedback features are the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro Studio running Windows 11. So, unless you invest in those devices, you won’t be able to fully utilize the Slim Pen 2.
Still, the same can be said of the second-generation Apple Pencil: it’s a good stylus in its own right, but it really shines when paired with one of Apple’s flagship tablets. Microsoft now appears to have a viable competitor in the Surface Slim Pen 2, while Apple is playing catch-up in terms of haptic feedback.
Of course, we’ll have to wait until we get a new Surface device in for testing and review to see how well the Slim Pen 2 performs when the stylus comes into contact with the screen.
Price and availability
The Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2 was announced on September 22 and is available as a $129 add-on when pre-ordering the new Surface Pro 8 or Surface Laptop Studio, both of which are expected to ship in the first week of October 2021. Because Microsoft sells the original Surface Slim Pen separately, it’s a safe bet that you’ll be able to purchase the Slim Pen 2 separately as well, most likely through Microsoft’s Surface accessories.
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