With most Apple merchandise you select the one you want. Desire a greater iPhone with the perfect cameras? You want the iPhone 15 Professional Max. Fancy AirPods however you’re on a finances? Select the AirPods 2^ndtechnology. However with one product, Apple Pencil, there’s a variety and that you must select rigorously.

To be sincere, it’s a little bit of a minefield. Let’s choose our means by means of it.

Apple Pencil (1^st Era), $99

The unique Pencil is the one one with a totally rounded barrel, and it has a Lightning connector below the cap. You cost it from the Lightning socket on suitable iPads (making it appear like an enormous, hi-tech lollipop). It comes with an adapter which means you possibly can join it to a USB-socket, particularly for connecting with the ten^th-generation iPad, not for any others.

It was groundbreaking in its time however the one cause to decide on it now could be when you’ve got an older iPad. The opposite choices are both cheaper or extra highly effective. Notice that the primary iPad to have Pencil compatibility was the iPad 6^th technology: earlier fashions don’t work with any Pencil.

Compatibility: iPad Professional 12.9-inch (2nd technology), iPad Professional 12.9-inch (1st technology), iPad Professional 10.5-inch, iPad Professional 9.7-inch, iPad Air (third technology), iPad (tenth technology), iPad (ninth technology), iPad (eighth technology), iPad (seventh technology), iPad (sixth technology) and iPad mini (fifth technology).

Apple Pencil (2^nd Era), $129

That is the place the Pencil acquired actually attention-grabbing. No extra lollipops: it prices by snapping to the sting of suitable iPads, which additionally pairs it. It appears and feels higher than the unique with a matte end and flat edge. It provides assist for a function known as Apple Pencil hover to fine-tune the place you’re going to the touch earlier than you make contact and you’ll double-tap the flat facet to vary instruments. You possibly can even have it engraved without cost.

Compatibility: iPad Professional 12.9-inch (sixth technology), iPad Professional 12.9-inch (fifth technology), iPad Professional 12.9-inch (4th technology), iPad Professional 12.9-inch (third technology), iPad Professional 11-inch (4th technology), iPad Professional 11-inch (third technology), iPad Professional 11-inch (2nd technology), iPad Professional 11-inch (1st technology), iPad Air (fifth technology), iPad Air (4th technology), iPad mini (sixth technology)

Apple Pencil (USB-C), $79

Till this week, this was the brand new Pencil on the block. It’s nonetheless the one which’s suitable with essentially the most iPads and it’s the most cost effective. It has a slide-back high with USB-C socket. You cost and pair it utilizing a USB-C cable however it may snap magnetically to the facet of flat-edged iPads for storage, which is useful.

It lacks the strain sensitivity of the first-gen Pencil however in each different means is best, together with assist for Apple Pencil hover.

Compatibility: iPad Professional 13-inch (M4), iPad Professional 12.9-inch (sixth technology), iPad Professional 12.9-inch (fifth technology), iPad Professional 12.9-inch (4th technology), iPad Professional 12.9-inch (third technology), iPad Professional 11-inch (M4), iPad Professional 11-inch (4th technology), iPad Professional 11-inch (third technology), iPad Professional 11-inch (2nd technology), iPad Professional 11-inch (1st technology), iPad Air 13-inch (M2), iPad Air 11-inch (M2), iPad Air (fifth technology), iPad Air (4th technology), iPad (tenth technology), iPad mini (sixth technology)

Apple Pencil Professional, $129

Eventually, an Apple Pencil with out parentheses in its official title. The brand-new Pencil Professional is simply suitable with the brand-new iPad Professional and iPad Air. In addition to every thing the two^nd-generation Pencil does, it provides a brand new squeeze management mechanic to launch menus with haptic suggestions to let you understand it’s occurred, a cute barrel roll function the place rolling the Pencil in your hand can orientate your brush stroke in another way and it even provides Discover My, that can assist you find it whether or not you dropped it below a cushion or left it on a practice.

Compatibility: iPad Professional 13-inch (M4), iPad Professional 11-inch (M4), iPad Air 13-inch (M2), iPad Air 11-inch (M2)