It’s no secret that the HP Spectre x360 is one of the best PCs you can buy today. It’s an extremely premium laptop with a unique look and top-tier performance. Of course, HP is no stranger to making great devices, so that’s not really a surprise. The Spectre x360 also comes with an active pen out of the box, which lets you draw or take notes more naturally. But what if you happen to lose it or it stops working for some reason? You’ll need to buy a replacement and we’re here to help. These are the best pens you can buy for the HP Spectre x360.
What you need to know about the pens for the Spectre x360 — and most of HP’s Windows PCs — is they use the Microsoft pen protocol. Not every type of pen will work. For example, Wacom makes great pens, but many only support Wacom’s proprietary protocol. HP also makes pens for its Chromebooks, which use a different protocol too. The pens listed below should all work with the Spectre x360.
HP Pen
Basic official pen
- This basic HP Pen lets you use the suite of Windows Ink features and it promises 18 months of battery life on an AAAA battery. It doesn’t have tilt or Bluetooth support though.
HP Tilt Pen
Tilt support and Bluetooth
- If you want more functionality, the HP Tilt Pen supports tilt to help with shading in drawing apps and it has 4,096 levels of pressure. Plus, with Bluetooth support, you can use it as a presenter control or to quickly launch apps.
Wacom Bamboo Ink Plus
A more premium option
- Wacom may have its own proprietary protocol, but the Bamboo Ink Plus also supports the Microsoft Pen Protocol on the Spectre x360. It’s a premium pen with 4,096 pressure levels, tilt, Bluetooth, and interchangeable tips included in the box.
Microsoft Surface Pen
Premium and colorful
- It may be designed for Surface devices, but the Surface Pen works on the HP Spectre x360 too. It’s also a premium option with 4,096 levels of pressure, tilt, and Bluetooth. It comes in four colors so you can add a touch of personality to your PC.
Renaisser Raphael 520BT
Cheaper but powerful
- If you want to save some money, the Raphael 520BT pen offers premium features like 4,096 pressure levels, tilt support, and Bluetooth for a much lower price. It also has a sleek and stylish design and a rechargeable battery. It’s one of the best value-for-money pens you can get for the Spectre x360.
Digiroot Universal Stylus
The absolute basics
- Unlike the other pens here, this isn’t an active pen. It won’t enable any unique Windows Ink features, but it will mimic the touch of your finger, and you can use it on any device that has a touchscreen. It’s also way cheaper than the others.
These are some of the best pens you should be looking at for your HP Spectre x360, or other pen-enabled HP Windows PCs. HP has a couple of official ones, but there are a few great options from other brands, too. The Wacom Bamboo Ink Plus might be the best option if you’re open to the idea of getting a different drawing device someday. Since it also supports the Wacom protocol, you can be ready in case you buy a device with it eventually.
Meanwhile, the Renaisser Raphel 520BT is very compelling considering it costs just under $50 and offers the same features as something like the Surface Pen. There’s an even cheaper version without Bluetooth that still has all the pressure levels and tilt support, too. It stands out as a fantastic value option among all the pens for the Spectre x360.
If you haven’t done it yet, you can buy the HP Spectre x360 from HP’s website below. If you’re looking for something a bit more affordable, you may want to look at our collection of the best budget laptops. All of the laptops we’re recommending will be able to upgrade to Windows 11 when it releases, so you can buy them with peace of mind.
HP Spectre x360 13
- The HP Spectre x360 13 is a fantastic laptop with a premium build and design, top-tier performance, and a high-quality display. It’s the most portable size of the Spectre x360.
HP Spectre x360 14
- The HP Spectre x360 14 is a fantastic laptop with a premium build and design, top-tier performance, and a tall display for better productivity. Thunderbolt 4 support makes it easily expandable, too.
HP Spectre x360 15
- The HP Spectre x360 14 is a fantastic laptop with a premium build and design, top-tier performance, and a large screen that’s great for media viewing. Of course, it also has Thunderbolt 4.
The post These are the best pens for the HP Spectre x360: HP, Wacom, and more appeared first on xda-developers.