I have used an Apple Pencil long enough to lose the cap a few times and even temporarily lose the pencil itself as it rolled off my desk. Logitech has an alternative that addresses those issues and more. The company sent me a review unit of the Crayon ($69.99) to try. Originally, a $50 option was marketed for educators, but it's now easily found for that lower price for anyone on Amazon and Best Buy.
So why does Logitech target the Crayon for classrooms? For starters, it connects to modern iPads easily, without Bluetooth pairing. That means teachers don't need to keep track of which stylus is paired with which iPad when handing them out and collecting them at the end of the day. Speaking of days, the Crayon can last for a full day of sketching, about seven hours. And it recharges quickly, with 30 minutes of power requiring just two minutes of charging. Unlike the original Apple Pencil which needs to plug in to an iPad, the Crayon recharges using a standard Lightning cable.
Given the price of about half that of Apple Pencil, it's also a good choice for classrooms that might need dozens of them. It has an integrated cap so it would take some effort for students to misplace! The design is unique, with a flat, rounded form factor that is reminiscent of a carpenter pencil. The aluminum exterior is comfortable and feels more expensive than the Apple Pencil, despite the difference in price.
While the Crayon does offer palm rejection to avoid counting stray touches as intentional drawing, it does not have pressure sensitivity. Still, it supports "tilting" to increase brush stroke, similar to a highlighter or magic marker. Naturally, it fits in Logitech cases that have an elastic ribbon to hold a stylus, but it might not fit in iPad cases with a form-fitted container for the official Apple Pencil. It doesn't work with older iPads, so keep that in mind. The Crayon requires an iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd gen), iPad Pro 11-inch, iPad (7th gen), iPad (6th (gen), iPad Air (3rd gen), or iPad mini 5.
Pros
- Almost half the price of Apple Pencil options
- Charges via Lightning with integrated cap
- Flat, rounded form factor may be more familiar to some artists
- Easy connection to iPad without Bluetooth pairing
- Palm rejection
Cons
- Not pressure sensitive
- Might not fit in iPad cases with dedicated Apple Pencil receptacle
Final Verdict
If you need several styluses for a classroom or just want to save on one, the Crayon from Logitech is more affordable and has some distinct advantages, despite no pressure sensitivity.
