I've reviewed a lot of styluses here lately in my search for the one that has the best tip for writing on an iPad screen. In fact, to help you find all of those reviews, I updated my Index to Prior Posts (click here, or see the link at the top of every screen on iPhone J.D.) to collect all of my stylus reviews in one place. Some of those styluses I have tried have also included a traditional pen, but that hasn't been very important to me, mostly because they have been ballpoint pens. I've long thought it would be nice to a have a good stylus that also included a great rollerball pen with dark ink. Thanks to Kensington, now we have exactly that: the Virtuoso Pro Pen Stylus & Pen. The company sent me a free sample for review, and I've been trying it for the last few weeks.
The body of the stylus has a great weight and feel. It has a larger circumference than most other styluses, but I use some traditional pens that are just as thick. It feels like a nice, sturdy product in your hand. Having said that, when you use the stylus, it feels a little more like a marker than a pen because of the thick body. I am reviewing the black version, but there is also a white version.
The tip is a standard size soft stylus tip. This means that it is not as precise as the fantastic tip on the Wacom Bamboo stylus or the fine tip on the Kensington Virtuoso Pro Fine Tip Stylus. The following picture shows the Virtuoso Pro Pen on top, the Wacom Bamboo duo in the middle, and the Adonit Jot Pro at the bottom:
Where this product really shines is when you remove the cap to reveal the rollerball. The ink is dark and fluid, and the ink cartridge is replaceable. You can snap the cap to the back to cover the stylus when you are using the pen.
In my opinion, the ink is infinitely better than the ballpoint pen on the otherwise fantastic Wacom Bamboo duo. But keep in mind that this is my personal preference. I always prefer a good rollerball to a ballpoint pen.
I've been using this Virtuoso Pro Pen on and off for the last few weeks. While I really like it, I find myself reaching for the Wacom Bamboo when I need to use a stylus because of the better tip, and then I reach for a regular pen when I need a regular pen. But if you like the idea of carrying a single device that works as both a pen and a stylus, and if you prefer a rollerball over a ballpoint pen, this is a great solution. The stylus tip might not be as good as the Wacom Bamboo stylus, but it is still a good stylus tip that will get the job done. You can buy this stylus from Kensington for $29.99, or you can save three bucks if you get it on Amazon.
Click here to get the Virtuoso Pro Pen Stylus & Pen from Amazon ($26.95).
