But I spoke with another reviewer who had experienced the same issue, and he advised me to go into Pen & Windows Ink settings (in Settings > Bluetooth & devices) and turn up the haptics all the way.

Or that I was, perhaps, not using a compatible application. At first, I was pretty sure that the pen was broken because I couldn’t get that haptic feedback-and the resulting pen on paper feel-to work at all. But it took me a while to get to this determination because Surface Slim Pen 2, inexplicably, wasn’t configured correctly on my review Surface Pro 8 for whatever reason. It’s so good, Microsoft says, that it creates a sensation that feels like writing on paper with a real (non-digital) pen.Īnd I’m here to tell you that, yeah, it actually works. The promise is compelling: Slim Pen 2’s haptic motor, in combination with a new Microsoft G6 processor (available only in Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio) and vague “new capabilities in Windows 11,” is supposed to provide the best-ever smartpen writing experience. My second complaint is tied to the only major new feature that Surface Slim Pen 2 has compared to its predecessor, its new haptic motor. But I will at least give them some credit: Surface Slim Pen 2 is ergonomically superior to the tiny styluses we see on some other PCs and smartphones. As you may recall, the inability of previous Surface Pros to protect Surface Pen in transit was always a key complaint, and it clearly bothered Microsoft enough that they changed the design of the smartpen after experiments with ever-stronger magnets failed. And I can think of only one reason: it’s flat, so can fit better in a charging well in the thin Signature Type Cover that Microsoft also sells for Surface Pro 8 (and X). So it’s odd that Microsoft would go with such a peculiar form factor, especially given how awkward it feels in the hand. And seriously, think about this for a moment: carpenter’s pencils aren’t designed for drawing or handwriting, they’re used by woodworkers on worksites to leave temporary marks and measurements. So let me address those two issues upfront.įirst, the form factor. But I find it awkward to use, and its vaunted haptics capabilities require some configuration. Microsoft’s Surface Slim Pen 2 resembles a carpenter’s pencil and it works even better when paired to Surface Pro 8.

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