Steve Jobs was famously not a fan of styluses, but regardless, you have to admit the Apple Pencil is tremendously useful when sketching, writing, or doing any sort of detail work on a touchscreen. That was even more true from iPadOS 14 on, thanks to the amazing Scribble feature, which allows you to handwrite in any text box and have it translated to plain text.
If you’re a keen artist or note taker, then the Apple Pencil is a must-buy for your iPad. But wait a moment before you tap Buy — do you know whether your iPad is compatible with the Apple Pencil and which generation of Apple Pencil you need? That’s right, the Apple Pencil isn’t a one-size-fits-all tool; you’ll need to buy the correct Pencil to suit your iPad. And since prices for the Pencil start at around $100, you’ll want to be absolutely sure you’re buying the right one the first time. But don’t worry — we’ve got a simple guide so you can be sure you’re buying the right Apple Pencil.
Are you looking for a stylus for a tablet that isn’t an iPad? Then check out our list of the best styluses for tablets.
Apple upgraded the Apple Pencil in 2018, and the second-generation Apple Pencil fixed a lot of the issues many had with the original Pencil. The most prominent of these changes is the move away from wired charging — the second-generation Apple Pencil charges wirelessly and magnetically attaches to compatible iPads. A flat side means it sits nicely on your iPad, and there’s also a new hardware feature that allows you to tap twice on the Pencil to change between functions. For instance, tap twice on the Pencil in Notes, and you can quickly swap to the eraser tool.
The following iPad models use the second-generation Apple Pencil and will not work with the first-generation Apple Pencil:
Buy the Apple Pencil (second generation):
The first Apple Pencil was definitely new ground for Apple, and its design shows that awkwardness. It’s big and thick, and the charging point requires your Pencil to jut out from your iPad, ready to snag on something and snap. But despite a few missteps, the Apple Pencil (first generation) is a pretty great stylus. It might not have the flashy magnetic wireless charging of the newer Pencil, but it’s more than functional, and you shouldn’t feel like you’re missing out if your iPad only works with this model of the Pencil.
The following iPad models use the first-generation Apple Pencil and will not work with the second-generation Apple Pencil:
Buy the Apple Pencil (first generation):
Affinity’s new all-in-one creative app is finally coming to the iPad, nearly a year after Canva launched the redesigned desktop version for Mac and Windows. Creatives have been asking for the iPad release ever since, especially because files created in the new Affinity app cannot be opened in the older V2 iPad apps.
Affinity already has Photo, Designer, and Publisher apps on iPad, but the new release combines those tools into the same unified app that Canva launched on desktop last year.
Touchscreen laptops have been around for years. You can get them in all sizes and shapes. Just not from Apple. For years, the Cupertino giant has treated the idea of a touchscreen MacBook the way I treat a meeting that could have been an email: with open contempt. However, Wednesday looks like the day the company could finally change its mind.
The latest Apple invite puts the “Pro and Tell” showcase in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) on October 28, 2026. Instead of a regular live-streamed keynote, it is an invitation-only, hands-on event for a handful of press and creators (similar to what the company did for the MacBook Neo earlier this year).
Apple has just launched its latest iPad mini with a notable set of upgrades, including an OLED screen, improved speakers, and a more resilient build. It also gets a new chip, and the whole package costs $200 more than its predecessor. But if you look closely at Apple’s online store, you’ll realize that $699 isn’t enough to get you the most powerful version of the A20 Pro chip inside this tablet. In fact, even if you pay $800 for the 256GB model, you still won’t get the beefiest variant. Only when you jump to the 512GB trim, which costs an absurd $999, do you get the most powerful flavor of the A20 Pro.
The $999 model gets more than extra storage