In form and functionality, the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 has come out swinging against the incumbentlineup of Apple Pencils. It rivals Apple’s options in many areas, and for many, it may be a preferable price-conscious stylus option. However, for artists, it may fall short.
ZAGG Pro Stylus 2
Fantastic value, but not the best overall
The Zagg Pro Stylus 2 provides much-needed competition in the market of premium styluses for iPads. With user-friendly wireless magnetic pairing and charging, compatibility with all apps that support the Apple Pencil, responsive writing, and a unique dual-tip design with a pencil tip on the front and a capacitive stylus tip on the rear, the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 isn’t just a copy of the incumbent Apple Pencils.These features come at a premium yet competitive price of $79.99. This stylus lacks some features present in the $129.99 Apple Pencil Gen 2, such as pressure sensitivity, but it also exceeds nearly all the features of the $79.99 USB-C Apple Pencil.Artists may prefer the Apple Pencil Gen 2, but for note-taking or general iPad navigation as a stylus, the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 presents a compelling alternative to Apple Pencils for iPad.
Key Features: Dual-Tip Stylus, Pencil Functionality, and Convenient Pairing
The Zagg Pro Stylus 2’s primary unique feature is its function as a dual-tip stylus. The active front side is the pencil tip, whereas the rear is a universal capacitive backend tip.
The front of the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 functions similarly to Apple Pencil, and it even has nearly all the same functionality as an Apple Pencil. It functions well for writing and drawing, and if the tip is damaged, you can remove and replace it.
The back capacitive stylus tip is its key differentiation point: it functions as a simple stylus that works whether or not the Stylus is powered on.
Use it to scroll and navigate through your iPad. Additionally, you’re able to press the capacitive stylus tip as a button, with a short tap functioning as a Home Button and a long tap powering the device on or off.
This tip and its button are especially convenient for navigating an iPad, even better than an Apple Pencil.
The Zagg Pro Stylus 2 magnetically attaches to the side of a compatible iPad (any model after 2018), which simultaneously charges and pairs the device. If you don’t already have an Apple Pencil registered, it automatically pairs with your iPad and can immediately be used.
How the ZAGG Performs in Writing, Drawing, and Stylus Navigation
We tested the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 in simple writing and note-taking, more complicated drawing, and basic stylus functionality.
The Zagg Pro Stylus 2 functioned quite well for writing on an iPad and shares functionality with the Apple Pencil in nearly all areas. We tested it in Notability and the Apple Notes App, and it worked just as well as the Apple Pencil Gen 2 at jotting down notes.
The stylus was perfectly functional and responsive in our testing on apps likeProCreate. The tilt recognition feature’s adjustments in width and shading for a stroke were also responsive and useful.
Lack of pressure sensitivity is a major drawback for digital artists craving tactile feedback, though, as well as the lack of double-tap tool switching on the Apple Pencil Gen 2. That said, an artist would still make good use of this stylus.
The Zagg Pro Stylus 2 has a dual-tip stylus, with the pencil in front and a universal capacitive backend tip. The capacitive tip is extremely convenient to use as a stylus, and it even functions when the pencil is powered off.
It is convenient never to risk switching to pencil or drawing mode when you just want to use the pencil as a stylus with its rear end. Switching from the pencil tip to the stylus tip was as smooth and easy as a quick flip.
Comparison With the Apple Pencil Gen 2
TheApple Pencil Gen 2boasts a price tag of $129.99, while theUSB-Ccosts $79.99. The Zagg Pro Stylus 2 is also $79.99, matching the Apple Pencil USB-C. Additionally, the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 comes in a variety of colors, compared to Apple’s singular color option for each pencil. you may view the color options onZagg’s websiteor the product’sAmazon page.
Apple Pencils (excluding the less expensive USB-C model) have a highly sensitive pressure tip, whereas the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 does not. The Zagg Pro Stylus does feature tilt recognition to vary the width and shading of your lines, but all Apple Pencils have this function, too. The capacitive stylus also made navigating through notes a breeze with no risk of accidentally drawing while scrolling.
As for ease of connection to your iPad, with an Apple Pencil, pairing is immediate. If you forget the device from your Bluetooth settings, it is just as easy to immediately pair it again. The Zagg stylus functions the exact same way, instantly pairing when magnetically attached to the iPad.
However, there is one small quirk for the handful of users who utilize both the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 and an Apple Pencil: you must “Forget” your Apple Pencil in your Bluetooth settings to connect and use the Zagg’s pencil tip, though the stylus tip always works. That said, most people purchasing Zagg’s stylus will not already have an Apple Pencil.
Finally, as a stylus for navigating your device and browsing the web, the Zagg Pro Stylus 2’s universal capacitive tip improves stylus functionality over Apple Pencils, which can be annoying when they alternate between pencil and navigation modes.
The table below will help to visualize the differences in specs and price between the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 and each model of Apple Pencil. Some key differences are in bold text.
ZAGG Pro Stylus II
Apple Pencil Gen 2
Apple Pencil USB-C
Apple Pencil Gen 1
Pencil Functions
Tilt recognition-based width and shading
Variable pressure and tilt recognition
Dual-tip stylus with pencil and capacitive tips
Single pencil tip
Wireless magnetic
Palm Rejection
Capacitive Stylus Tip on Rear
Bluetooth Pairing
USB-C Plug-In
Lightning Plug-In
Double-Tap Tool Switching
Hover Preview on iPad Pro
Deciding Between the ZAGG Pro Stylus 2 and Apple Pencil Gen 2
If you already have an Apple Pencil, you probably don’t need this stylus unless the charging methods on the Gen 1 or USB-C models annoy you, or you otherwise want to avoid Apple products. However, the Zagg Pro Stylys 2 may be the better choice for some.
The Apple Pencil 2nd Gen has Superior Features for Artists
Even though the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 performs well with art, the lack of pressure sensitivity and easy double-tap tool switching found on the Apple Pencil Gen 2 make it a hard sell for most experienced artists.
However, if your budget is limited, this has superior functionality to the USB-C Apple Pencil on specs, but I don’t have one to compare directly. The Zagg Pro Stylus 2 has magnetic charging and pairing, whereas the USB-C pencil can only be charged and paired via USB-C despite magnetic attachment.
With nearly identical pencil functions, the additional stylus function on the Zagg stylus lets it fully take the edge over the Apple Pencil USB-C for artists while remaining inferior to the Apple Pencil Gen 2.
The ZAGG Pro Stylus 2 Covers the Essentials for Simple Writing
For handwritten note documents like those used in Notability or the Apple Notes app, the ease of use with the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 has superior ease of use. Especially if you’re zoomed in while writing notes, it’s extremely convenient to handwrite with the pencil tip and then use the stylus to scroll through the page, which the Apple Pencil Gen 2 cannot do as well.
However, for actually writing notes, the Zagg stylus feels slightly less natural due to the lack of pressure variability present in the Apple Pencil Gen 2. However, this won’t matter to most people, and considering the superior stylus function, the Zagg actually provides a better note-taking experience than the Apple Pencil.
Other than pressure variability, the only area the Apple Pencil Gen 2 exceeds the Zagg stylus in note-taking is with the double-tap tool switching function, which allows for quickly going between writing and erasing. Neither pressure variability nor double-tap tool switching are present in the $79.99 USB-C Apple Pencil, though.
The ZAGG Pro Stylus 2 Wins on Stylus Navigation for iPad
If you are using an Apple Pencil or other stylus simply for navigating the web and your iPad as a stylus, the Zagg’s dedicated stylus without the mixed function of the Apple Pencil is superior for simple navigation, as it avoids the annoyance of the Apple Pencil switching to pencil mode when you just want to scroll.
That said, your finger or a cheaper dedicated stylus would serve the same function, but the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 comes with superb, albeit limited, pencil functionality, too!
The Verdict: Worse Than an Apple Pencil, But Also Better Than an Apple Pencil
Other than the lower price point and unique capacitive rear stylus, the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 does not surpass the Apple Pencil Gen 2 in any way. If you’re an artist who needs the functions of the Gen 2 Apple Pencil, buy that.
However, we’d certainly recommend the Zagg Pro Stylus 2 over the Apple Pencil USB-C, as it comes in at the same price point of $79.99 and matches or exceeds Apple’s option on all features. It’s certainly a welcome addition to the iPad stylus landscape.
