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which Apple Pencil to buy

hey, I have an iPad mini 2 and I don't know which Apple Pencil to buy

iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi

Posted on Mar 22, 2021 6:38 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Mar 22, 2021 6:46 PM

Neither Apple Pencil will work with the Mini 2.


Select Apple Pencil - Apple


However, there are lots of capacitive styluses available. I've always liked the ones by Adonit.



11 replies

Mar 22, 2021 8:01 PM in response to raneem0421

Sorry.


No iPad made before late 2015 can ever use any version of the Apple Pencil

Your 2013 iPad Mini 2 is too old and has missing screen layer hardware needed for an Apple Pencil to be recognised and function.


There are NO MORE good third party, smart Bluetooth stylii for older iPads, any longer, either.

With the Apple Pencil being more widely available to many more newer iPad models, today, third party Bluetooth stylus makers have simply given up on producing any more smart Bluetooth stylii for older model iPads and iPads that are fast approaching 9-10 years old, now.


This may not be what you want to read/learn, but this is the reality today.


Again, Sorry.


Since Apple stopped supporting these older iPads, many accessory manufacturers have also quit makng things that work with older iPads, as well, and this includes oldr, smart Bluetooth stylii that were direct competitors for the original Apple Pencil 1.


Stylus maker Adonit did one more shipping round of their Adonit Pixel waaaay back in March 2020, just before the CO-vid quarantine, but they have seemed to have desisted from continuing to produce this older smart, Bluetooth stylus for older iPad models, any longer.


There are NO smart, Bluetooth stylii for ANY older iPad models any longer!


Sorry.


Your only options, today, are the easy to obtain/purchase fatter tipped, commonplace, found everywhere, capacitive stylii on the market

OR

capacitive stylii that use a clear disc tip ( the clear disc tipped ones are more accurate for writing or drawing ), but with the clear disc type of stylii, you should look for one that has a disc that is made from a clear, flexible material that will minimise any type of scratching should any type of grit or dirt gets on the tip.

(This little tidbit of warning applies to ALL stylus types as all can scratch your iPad’s screen if dirt and grit are allowed to drag on a stylus tip across the iPad's screen ).


OR


The so-called, fine tipped “Active”, battery powered ( most times rechargeable battery powered ) capacitive stylii, like many found on Amazon.

These fine tipped, “Active” stylii use a battery to send a tiny electrical current to the fine tip of these stylii that simulates an actual finger touch to the iPad's screen.

These types of stylii are not the greatest and many of these produce varying degrees of noticeable line jitter when drawing any type of angular lines.

Some of these “Active“ stylii do a better job at minimising this angular line jitter than others, but I have no idea which ones do minimise this better, so if searching for one of these on Amazon, you will need to read the reviews.


Lots of makers of active tipped, rechargeable battery powered stylii on Amazon.


Also, still need to make sure that these “Active” battery powered stylii are compatible with your IPad model.

Some of these, especially new to market ones, are NOT!


All of these these types of stylii work with all sketching/drawing/painting/writing apps, but without any palm rejection and/or screen pressure features.

You can use this stylus with other apps but will not be able to lay your palm on the screen, while you write or draw, unless you use special, non-body electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove that works by isolating your hand/palm electrical impulses from the iPad's screen and allowing you to lay your hand/palm on the screen as you draw or write.


Something like these found on Amazon.


https://www.amazon.com/AKX-Rejection-Drawing-Graphic-Sketching/dp/B08R6PWKC9/ref=sr_1_33_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=tablet+drawing+gloves&qid=1611535160&sr=8-33-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMFg5WFBZWFpCS1kmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5OTA2MzMxRUVYUURUMlAwVU4wJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxNDY1NjMxVjg1NE45TVRXSUQ3JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmX25leHQmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl


https://www.amazon.com/Timebetter-Rejection-Drawing-Sketching-Suitable/dp/B08DKGHYMS/ref=sr_1_21?dchild=1&keywords=drawing+gloves&qid=1611533128&sr=8-21



Some other glove makers, like these examples, found on Amazon, as well.



Best of Luck to You

Mar 23, 2021 4:59 AM in response to MichelPM

MichelPM wrote:

Sorry.

No iPad made before late 2015 can ever use any version of the Apple Pencil
Your 2013 iPad Mini 2 is too old and has missing screen layer hardware needed for an Apple Pencil to be recognised and function.

There are NO MORE good third party, smart Bluetooth stylii for older iPads, any longer, either.
With the Apple Pencil being more widely available to many more newer iPad models, today, third party Bluetooth stylus makers have simply given up on producing any more smart Bluetooth stylii for older model iPads and iPads that are fast approaching 9-10 years old, now.

This may not be what you want to read/learn, but this is the reality today.

Again, Sorry.

Stylus maker Adonit did one more shipping round of their Adonit Pixel waaaay back in March 2020, just before the CO-vid quarantine, but they have seemed to have desisted from continuing to produce this older smart, Bluetooth stylus for older iPad models, any longer.

Good to know. And sad. They made a nice product.

Mar 23, 2021 9:53 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

Yes they DO!

I stand corrected, now!

I check the Adonit site frequently and I just checked it today!

After nearly a year of being out of stock, the Adonit Pixel is BACK and in STOCK!


https://www.adonit.net/jot/pixel/


I own two Adoniy Pixel stylii. Both of which still work really well with all of the compatible apps.

Adonit introduced the Pixel back in the late Spring 2016.

After nearly 4 years and Apple making the Pencil more fully integrated into iPadOS, back before the whole quarantine, I finally acquiesced ( resistance now became futile ) and purchase a 1st gen Pencil for my two 2015/2016 iPad Pro models and haven't regretted the decision.

Knowing I have to keep the Pencil charged up on a regular basis is a pain, but as long as I do this,the Pencil has been performing well.

I have my Pencil in a special anti-roll, triangular silicone case with a protective tip cap that is just wonderful to use.


I still keep my Adonit Pixel stylii charged up and ready to be used, though.

Just to keep the batteries functioning normally.

Mar 23, 2021 10:00 AM in response to raneem0421

I stand corrected, now!

You CAN NOW purchase the iPad Mini 2 compatible Adonit Pixel, smart Bluetooth stylli, again.


After nearly a year of being out of stock, the Adonit Pixel is BACK and in STOCK!


https://www.adonit.net/jot/pixel/


This is the ONLY, AND, arguably, THE BEST smart, Bluetooth stylus for all older iPad models.

Purchase one while you can and while it is currently in stock!


Best of Luck to You!



Mar 23, 2021 10:12 AM in response to raneem0421

Additional information about the Adonit Pixel stylus.


This smart, Bluetooth stylus works across a wide range of older iOS devices.

The Bluetooth connection is stable and its Bluetooth pressure sensing technology is very smooth, natural feeling and has consistent line drawing ability.

Plus it's a quality made, aluminum stylus with two programmable buttons.

I have been using this stylus for well over two years now and it is really good on my iPad Pro.


This stylus works wonderfully for me.


The Adonit Pixel works with iPads all the way back to the 2012, 1st gen iPad Mini and iPad 4th generation!

Has ON/OFF/app shortcut buttons.

Has a nice fine, textured pen tip AND a nice rubber grip.

Magnetically charges, has an auto 15 minute shutdown feature ( to preserve battery life ), charges in a hour, or so.

Has both a small USB charger that that plugs into any USB charging block OR you can purchase an optional charging dock.

I find it only lasts for anywhere between 9-12 hours, but Adonit claims up to 16 hours of continuous use on a single charge cycle.

Made of very high quality aluminum materials.


The Adonit Pixel ONLY works with approx. 24 of the major/popular drawing/sketching/painting apps (the Pixel works with, but currently no longer “officially” supported with Procreate, but it still works and works pretty well in Procreate ), and over a half dozen of the popular note taking apps, a half dozen writing apps and about a half dozen PDF style/compatible apps.


You WILL have to perform some pairing and setup parameters in each of the Adonit Pixel compatible apps.

You just DO NOT simply turn on Bluetooth on an iDevice and turn on the Adonit stylus and start writing.

The Adonit Pixel stylus is NOT an Apple Pencil in this regard/respect.


You have to initially Bluetooth pair the Adonit Pixel, setup the hand/palm position and in many apps, set up the stylus screen pressure sensitivity for each and every compatible app!

Once you have, initially, done all of this, all Adonit Pixel compatible apps will remember these settings for future use!

Some Adonit Pixel users claimed their stylus doesn’t work, but it does work well IF you properly know how to set up the Adonit Pixel!


If interested, to make sure you get the latest installed stylus firmware, you must order the Adonit Pixel stylus directly from the Adonit website, when possible and available.

Get this stylus while you can.

Adonit may run out of stock of these, again!


Best of Luck to You!`

Mar 23, 2021 10:12 AM in response to raneem0421

Here’s my “up to date”, comprehensive, but still incomplete, list of Adonit Pixel compatible apps for the iPad/

iPad Pro.


MOST apps listed support both screen pressure sensing and palm rejection, unless otherwise noted


Compatible Adonit Pixel apps for drawing


Animation Desk

Amaziograph

Adobe Photoshop Sketch ( palm rejection ONLY, with NO screen pressure sensing/line width variations with older iPad Pro models. Palm and screen pressure sensing/variable line width drawing and writing with all other non-Apple Pencil compatible iPad models.

A great app with a lot of free brushes without having to pay monthly to subscribe )


ArtRage

Art Studio Pro ( fully supports the Adonit Pixel and is just as great as Procreate on the iPad )

AutoDesk SketchBook

Colored Pencil

Comic Draw

Concepts

Forge ( drawing/sketching/concept/ideation app )

Interactive SketchBook

Medibang Paint

Procreate

(Adonit Pixel has been supported as an “unsupported stylus”, for some time now, but all Adonit Pixel stylus features still work as they should in Procreate, palm rejection IS improved using special, non-body electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove )


Tayasui Sketches/Sketches Pro ( Full support for the Adonit Pixel )

Tayasui Sketches School ( FREE! )

( this new, free version works with this stylus, but without any palm rejection or pressure sensing, so you need to use a special, non-body electrical conducting drawing glove with the Sketches School version to lay your hand/palm down on the iPad’s screen while writing or drawing )


Vectornator

ZenBrush/Zen Brush 2



Compatible Adonit Pixel apps for Notes and Notes with drawing types of apps.


GoodNotes

Notability ( palm rejection noticeably improved using special, non-body electrical conducting, lycra-based material

drawing glove )


Note Shelf

Notes Plus ( the current version has, temporarily, removed support for all third party, smart Bluetooth stylii ).

Notes Writer ( palm rejection improved using special, non-electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove )

QuickNotes X Pro ( palm rejection ONLY. No pressure sensing for light/dark or thin/thick lines )

uPad

Zoom Notes

PDF Pen


This stylus works with other non-compatible apps, too, but without any palm rejection and/or pressure features.

You can use this stylus with other apps but will not be able to lay your palm on the screen, while you write or draw, unless you use special, non-body electrical conducting, lycra-based material drawing glove that works by isolating your hand/palm and allow you to lay your hand/palm on the screen as you draw in these non-compatible Adonit stylus apps.

Something like this found on Amazon.


https://www.amazon.com/AKX-Rejection-Drawing-Graphic-Sketching/dp/B08R6PWKC9/ref=sr_1_33_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=tablet+drawing+gloves&qid=1611535160&sr=8-33-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMFg5WFBZWFpCS1kmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5OTA2MzMxRUVYUURUMlAwVU4wJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAxNDY1NjMxVjg1NE45TVRXSUQ3JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmX25leHQmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl


https://www.amazon.com/Timebetter-Rejection-Drawing-Sketching-Suitable/dp/B08DKGHYMS/ref=sr_1_21?dchild=1&keywords=drawing+gloves&qid=1611533128&sr=8-21


Many more makers of these types of gloves found on Amazon and in different hand sizes, as well!



Again, Best of Luck to You!

which Apple Pencil to buy

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