Microsoft Surface Pro 4: New Surface Pen offers more to artists

Microsoft new Surface Pen gets a big upgrade

microsoft surface pen with tip kitThe new Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is set to be released this October 26. It comes with an upgraded Surface Pen. The specs have been released, and the new pen, which is still N-trig, now delivers 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. It uses Bluetooth, as did the previous pen, and takes an AAAA battery. The back end functions as an eraser. Most interesting is that it has a tip kit with four tips corresponding to artists’ pencils: HB, B, H, and 2H. Looks like Microsoft is really going after the Wacom artist’s market. The tip kit is sold separately, but comes with any additional pens you buy. The pen no longer needs a loop to attach to the tablet as in the Surface Pro 3; it attaches to the Pro 4 via a magnet. The latency is reduced, making it less laggy. The pen’s accelerometer knows when you’re not touching the tablet and saves the battery; Microsoft claims the battery can last up to 18 months.

Surface Pen tip kit

You can use the new pen on Surface 3, Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, and the new laptop, the Surface Book. We’ll be covering more developments.

microsoft surface pro 4 with surface pen

microsoft surface pro 4 with surface pen

Order the SP 4 with included Pen and Tip Kit.

Preorder the new Surface Pen with included Tip Kit.

 

Summary
Article Name
New Surface Pen offers more to artists
Description
The new Surface Pen, still using N-trig tech, has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity and a variety of nibs to add usefulness and fun to drawing and writing. It's a definite improvement over the old pen. The new pen is backward-compatible with the Surface Pro 3 but will still get 256 levels with the SP3.
Author
Publisher Name
Tablets for Artists
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4 thoughts on “Microsoft Surface Pro 4: New Surface Pen offers more to artists

  1. Ian Draper

    I purchased the surface pro 4 hoping to do at on it. Unfortunately there is a significant parallax error.
    When you try to extend or meet an existing line the top of the stylus does not line up with the drawn line. Instead you have to draw slightly above
    This misalignment is so frustrating, you may as well be drawing with an external tablet while looking at the screen.
    It’s no use having “pressure sensitivity” if the pressure point is offset.
    I use a note 3 styles with no misalignment.
    Can this be fixed or am I stuck with this problem.?

    Reply
    1. Vicky Post author

      Hi, sorry to hear that. Sounds like you need to recalibrate the pen in Tablet PC settings. When you calibrate, it’s reading the angle you were holding the pen at at the time you calibrated. So it’s a matter of recalibrating until you have found the best angle. There also can be issues with calibration and screen rotation.
      When you calibrate, make sure the screen is flat, not upright.

      Here are some links that might be helpful. http://www.surfaceforums.net/threads/stylus-for-surface-pro-calibration.3440/ https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfbook-surfdrivers/pen-calibration-and-screen-rotation/f13dbecf-7c17-4962-90fb-d8ce947ed2ef

      If none of that works, then there may be an issue with the pen or software that you can take up with Microsoft.

      Reply
  2. fblogin

    Microsoft Windows is not profittable any more, thanks to ChromeOS and their cheap hardware, that’s why Microsoft had to take the Apple path, and make profit from hardware sales.
    If someone is to blame that has put Microsoft back in the hardware game competing with Apple is Google with ChromeOS.

    Reply
    1. Anon

      You’re wrong to think that Windows is no longer profitable thanks to Google’s ChromeOS.

      Honestly, under-powered specs and a closed system like ChromeOS doesn’t stand up against OS X or Windows. Imagine trying to use a graphics tablet with ChromeOS – oh wait, there aren’t any drivers for it. More importantly, what about professional software like Photoshop? Oh, looks like you can’t install it. You can’t even print from a basic printer unless you it has wireless functions (specifically Google Print),

      If anything, Windows is going along the route of combining their software and devices together as a continuum – basic functionality of WIndows 10 will work from a phone, tablet to PC. Apple still needs to get their act together with OS X and iOS, the iPad Pro is doomed thanks to their app store and practices surrounding it (develop a £1000 professional artist app? Good luck earning a profit on the app store).

      Reply

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