The Metapen A11 is a Bluetooth-enabled smart pencil designed to work with all recent models of Apple’s iPad and can be used for writing, sketching, note taking, signing documents and navigating within apps.
Regularly available for around £10-15 through various online retailers and marketplaces, it’s significantly more affordable than Apple’s own cheapest model (£79).
Design
Design-wise there’s nothing to be too excited about – the A11 features a mostly rounded shaft with a single flat side surface that houses both the action button and LED status light while the USB-C charging port is located on the curved surface.
The pen is very lightweight which can create an underwhelming initial impression but, combined with the slightly textured finish, is useful if you intend to hold it for prolonged periods.
Performance and Features
In use it’s responsive and accurate and supports palm rejection, meaning your iPad ignores your palm if it touches the screen while writing, and tilt sensitivity which mimics the way a real pen or pencil’s strokes change depending on the angle you hold it while writing or drawing.
Like Apple’s own entry-level Pencil, the A11 lacks support for pressure sensitivity – which adjusts the thickness and opacity of a pen stroke to match how hard you’re pressing down – so it’s going to be less suitable for creating highly detailed digital art.
The ‘up to’ 10 hours battery life should be sufficient to get even the most hardworking of users through the day.
Customisation
The side button supports up to three actions – such as ‘undo’ and ‘switch app’ – each of which is triggered by a single, double or triple click.
These can be customised within the Metapen app which can also be used to select your writing posture, set the pen’s sleep time and adjust its gain to accommodate for any screen protector you’ve fitted on your iPad.
Inside the box are a charging cable, two spare tips and two rubber covers for the charging port should you want to stop dust, crumbs or other debris from your rucksack blocking up the port.
Summary
The Metapen A11 is an affordable, well-built and reliably responsive option that matches the major features of far more expensive options and is perfect for anyone looking to write, sketch, note take, or sign documents on their iPad.
Buy from Amazon.co.uk*
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