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Designing, sketching and writing: A tablet with a pen is best suited for creative work or everyday office life.
An active tablet pen has a Bluetooth connection, reacts to pressure and enables particularly detailed work. A passive stylus, on the other hand, makes it easier to use and is significantly cheaper.
Our favorite, which already comes with a tablet pen, is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE. You can buy the tablet on Ebay here*.
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A tablet pen is practical for several reasons: Firstly, a stylus offers you a natural writing experience – similar to if you were writing on paper with a pen. This is a big plus for many, especially if you are making notes and markings or editing documents. A tablet pen shows its strengths at work, at university or for creative tasks. On the other hand, the pen makes normal operation easier, for example with the help of shortcuts or special functions. The S-Pen from Samsung, for example, also serves as a remote shutter release for the camera. What should you pay attention to when buying – and which models are recommended?
Active and passive tablet pens: these are the differences
Tablet pens can be divided into two categories: active and passive touchpens. Active pens, for example the Apple Pencil, have their own electronic interior with a battery and communicate (usually) with the tablet via Bluetooth. With a stylus like this you can write and draw much more precisely because the pen also reacts to pressure and tilt. Artists who draw or create detailed designs with their tablet, for example, benefit from this.
Passive pens However, they have neither a battery nor Bluetooth, so you don’t have to pay attention to the power supply. Although they offer fewer functions, they are also significantly cheaper and are completely sufficient for input control and simple notes.
The all-rounder tablet with pen: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE
Samsung is far ahead of the competition in this respect: every tablet in the S series also comes with a stylus. So you don’t have to buy the stylus separately.
At just under eleven inches, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE* is one of the smallest and lightest devices in the S series. It is therefore ideal for use on the go, for example at work, at university or at school. The S-Pen supports typing and handwritten notes. Top: The tablet screen detects the pressure of the pen tip – so you can adjust the thickness and opacity of the notes or drawings as you wish. You can assign individual functions to the side button, for example taking a screenshot or opening a specific app. If you are not using the S-Pen, attach it magnetically to the back of the tablet.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE is an affordable all-round tablet. The memory card slot is particularly practical: the internal memory can be expanded to up to one terabyte – there is enough space for all files.
Lenovo Tab P12: Mid-range tablet with pen and keyboard
A powerful tablet, the right keyboard and an input pen: manufacturer Lenovo offers the complete package with its Tab P12*. The Lenovo Tab Pen Plus is an active stylus with Bluetooth connection and therefore offers you some useful features. It detects pressure and tilt of the pen and prevents unwanted controls if the heel of your hand rests on the tablet while writing. The associated keyboard has a touchpad and some function keys – so you can use the tablet like a laptop.
In addition to the accessories, the hardware is also impressive, because this Lenovo tablet is a real powerhouse. The eight-core MediaTek Dimensity 7050 and eight gigabytes of RAM allow the tablet to run at full speed. Fast multitasking is guaranteed – gaming, writing and other tasks can be organized in four sub-screens and five floating windows. Lenovo PC users can even use the tablet wirelessly as a second screen.
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The powerful Apple version: The Apple Pencil for the iPad
Apple’s technology is the benchmark in many categories. The Apple Pencil* also sets the bar high for tablet stylus pens: the active stylus connects to the iPad via Bluetooth and thus enables precise recordings. The touch-active surface on the pen body is used for gesture control – for example, you can switch between drawing tools with a double tap without changing the selection in the program. The pen attaches magnetically to the tablet and also charges wirelessly there. However, the Apple Pen is not included with the iPads, so you have to buy it separately.
The second generation Apple Pencil works with the following Apple tablets:
iPad mini (6th generation) iPad Air (4th generation and later) iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 3rd generation and later) iPad Pro (11-inch, 1st generation and later)
You can find out which iPad best suits your needs in this article: iPad 9 vs iPad 10 vs iPad Air: Comparison of the three Apple tablets 2022.
Cheap tablet with pen: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite
In the price range under 300 euros, tablets with a matching stylus are a rarity – but not at Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite from 2022* is one size smaller than the Tab S9. It scores with handiness, a good camera and expandable memory. The model is less suitable for complex office work or games – but if you are looking for a tablet for leisure applications and everyday notes, this is the right choice.
On the technical side, the Tab S6 Lite has a Snapdragon 720G with eight cores and four gigabytes of storage space. The TFT display runs at 60 Hertz and achieves a maximum brightness of 400 candela per square meter. This is great features for a tablet of this budget.
Read too
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, S6 Lite & Co.: Which tablet is best for you
Microsoft Surface: Windows tablets with a separate pen
Similar to Apple, Microsoft also uses a separately available input pen. The Surface Slim Pen 2* is designed to work with Surface Pro tablets and all Microsoft programs. With a pressure level of over 4,000 points, it is ideal for creative work that requires attention to detail. The drawback: the pen comes without a charger. You also have to buy this separately if you don’t have a Signature Pro Keyboard or a suitable case.
Should there be a suitable keyboard for it? You can buy the bundle with Signature Keyboard and Slim Pen 2 at Computeruniverse.*
The current frontrunner among Microsoft tablets is the Surface Pro 9*. In terms of performance and functionality, it can easily keep up with Apple’s iPad Pro. As a convertible with a Windows operating system, it transforms into a full-fledged laptop using the keyboard – so you bundle all functions in one device. When it comes to processor, RAM and internal storage, you can choose between numerous combinations.
These tablets with pens are suitable for writing, drawing, etc.
Many tablets with input pens are in the upper class. This is because the pens are primarily used for writing, drawing and editing – a tablet also needs powerful hardware for such tasks. Samsung, Apple, Lenovo and Microsoft are ahead here and offer top devices for complex applications. But you will also find what you are looking for in the lower price segment, for example with the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2022) from Samsung.
Notice: Artificial intelligence was also (but not exclusively) used to research and/or create this article. All information has been carefully checked by an editor.
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