Good write-up. I rarely see these kinds of comparisons. Looks like they're the same. - A
And the experiences are very similar. Almost identical, really, excluding that initial hard tap you get with the Apple Pencil. Both devices glide across their respective glass displays, and both offer a fluid, natural experience with no noticeable lag or performance issues.
I do prefer the size of the Apple Pencil, and its elegant, porcelain-like feel. Where the Surface Pen is “off” from a form factor perspective—it’s the height or a normal pen or pencil, but the barrel is thicker—the Apple Pencil seems to have better proportions to me. (Your hand size and preferences may lead you to a different opinion.)
But the Pencil is also a bit unwieldy due to its size. And neither Microsoft nor Apple provides an elegant solution for storing and protecting their pens, though Surface Pro at least includes magnets for some portability.
Surface Pen offers real buttons that do real things, something I kind of miss with Apple Pencil. The top of Surface Pen, for example, functions as an eraser in most apps. And you can press it to launch Windows Ink Workspace. (Or some other app of your choosing.) There’s also another button on the barrel, which is likewise programmable.
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