Logitech Crayon vs Apple Pencil: A Comprehensive Comparison

Styluses have become a popular accessory for iPads, allowing for more precise writing, drawing, and navigation compared to fingers alone. Two of the top options on the market are the Logitech Crayon and Apple Pencil. But which one is right for you?

This in-depth guide compares every aspect of the Logitech Crayon and Apple Pencil to help you decide which iPad stylus best fits your needs and budget.

Introducing the Contenders

The Logitech Crayon is a third-party stylus designed for use with modern iPads. It was built in partnership with Apple and incorporates Apple Pencil technology into a more affordable package.

The Apple Pencil is Apple‘s own proprietary stylus, offered in 1st and 2nd generation models. It is optimized to work seamlessly with supported iPads.

Both styluses allow you to write, draw, navigate, and markup documents on a compatible iPad. But with differences in features and price, choosing the right one matters.

Logitech Crayon vs Apple Pencil: Feature Comparison

Here is an in-depth look at how the Logitech Crayon and Apple Pencil stack up across the most important categories:

Performance

The Logitech Crayon and Apple Pencil are both high performers when it comes to writing, drawing, and navigating your iPad.

The Apple Pencil excels at pressure-sensitive drawing and writing thanks to its pressure sensitivity feature. This allows you to vary your brush stroke thickness by applying more or less pressure.

The Logitech Crayon lacks pressure sensitivity but still enables tilt detection for shading, as well as an automatically adjusting tip. Both styluses offer excellent palm rejection so you can rest your hand on the screen when writing or drawing without accidental inputs.

So when it comes to drawing and writing, the Apple Pencil‘s pressure sensitivity gives it an edge. But for basic navigation and note-taking, the Logitech Crayon puts in an excellent performance too.

Connectivity

Both styluses connect to your iPad using Bluetooth, so no wires or dongles required.

The 2nd generation Apple Pencil pairs and charges magnetically by snapping onto the side of compatible iPad models. The 1st generation Apple Pencil must be plugged into the iPad‘s Lightning port to pair and charge.

The Logitech Crayon requires you to turn it on to pair over Bluetooth. The latest model can be recharged with a USB-C cable instead of Lightning.

Overall, the connectivity process is quick and seamless for both styluses. The Apple Pencil offers the most convenient magnetic charging if you have a compatible iPad.

Compatibility

The Logitech Crayon works with all iPad models from 2018 onward, whereas Apple Pencil compatibility varies by generation:

• 1st gen Apple Pencil: iPad 6th gen and later, iPad Air 3rd gen, iPad Mini 5th gen, iPad Pro 12.9" 1st/2nd gen, iPad Pro 10.5", iPad Pro 9.7"

• 2nd gen Apple Pencil: iPad Pro 11" and 12.9" 3rd gen or later, iPad Air 4th gen or later, iPad Mini 6th gen

So the Crayon supports more modern iPad models, while Apple Pencil compatibility depends which generation you have. The 1st gen Apple Pencil requires an adapter for the 10th gen base iPad.

Features

Both styluses incorporate useful features like tilt detection and palm rejection for a natural writing and drawing experience on the iPad‘s touchscreen.

The key advantage of the Apple Pencil is pressure sensitivity, allowing you to vary line thickness and create artistic effects. This is great for shading and complex illustration work.

The Apple Pencil also supports a hover feature on certain iPad Pro models, letting you preview marks before you make them. And it displays current battery levels right on your iPad.

Overall, the Apple Pencil is packed with more advanced features critical for artists and power users. But the Logitech Crayon includes the core capabilities most people need.

Battery Life

You‘ll get solid battery life out of both styluses:

• Logitech Crayon: Up to 7.5 hours of use per charge

• Apple Pencil: Up to 12 hours per charge

The Logitech Crayon does not show exact battery levels. You have to gauge it by LED light colors. In contrast, the Apple Pencil displays current battery levels on your iPad for better visibility.

For longer drawing or note-taking sessions, the Apple Pencil‘s superior battery life is an advantage. But both devices offer reliable battery performance per charge.

Pricing

There is a significant price difference between the two styluses:

• Logitech Crayon: Around $70

• Apple Pencil: $99 for 1st gen, $129 for 2nd gen

Given that it lacks certain advanced features like pressure sensitivity, the Logitech Crayon delivers excellent value at its lower price point. Paying up for the Apple Pencil gets you extras like pressure sensitivity and magnetic charging.

So weigh your budget against the features that matter most to your needs. Casual users may be better off pocketing the savings from the Crayon.

The Evolution of the Apple Pencil

While the Logitech Crayon is a newer competitor, the Apple Pencil has gone through an interesting evolution since its debut.

The original Apple Pencil 1st generation was unveiled in September 2015 alongside the first iPad Pro models. It featured a sleek design reminiscent of an actual pencil.

This inaugural stylus enabled activities like drawing, note-taking, and precision document markup. It connected via a Lightning port on the bottom.

Following user complaints about charging and misplacing the Apple Pencil, Apple introduced the 2nd generation Apple Pencil in October 2018.

This redesigned model charged wirelessly by magnetically snapping onto compatible iPad Pro models along the side edge. The 2nd gen pencil also reduced latency, improved tip accuracy, and added new gestures.

Both generations of the Apple Pencil represent meaningful advancements in iPad stylus technology. And the 2nd gen model fixed some of the most common gripes around charging and portability.

How the Logitech Crayon Compares

As a more affordable alternative, the Logitech Crayon manages to incorporate many Apple Pencil features and performance into a cheaper package.

The Crayon mimics the Apple Pencil‘s physical design in a smaller form. It lacks pressure sensitivity but enables tilt shading thanks to Apple Pencil technology built-in.

The Crayon is also configurable with different tips to match your preference. And it supports modern iPad models without having to worry about generations.

If you don‘t need the most advanced artistic capabilities, the Logitech Crayon delivers where it matters:

• Seamless Bluetooth pairing
• Palm and tilt detection
• 7.5 hour battery life
• Broad iPad compatibility
• Compact, ergonomic design

For a lot of iPad users, those core features get the job done at a more wallet-friendly price point.

Logitech Crayon vs Apple Pencil: Pros and Cons

To summarize the key advantages and downsides:

As you can see, each stylus has its advantages and disadvantages depending on your priorities and iPad model.

5 Key Differences Summarized

To recap the biggest differences:

1. The Apple Pencil has pressure sensitivity, while the Logitech Crayon does not. This allows for greater creative control when drawing.

2. The Crayon is cheaper at around $70 vs $99 starting for the Apple Pencil.

3. The Apple Pencil offers longer battery life, up to 12 hours vs 7.5 for the Crayon.

4. The Crayon is compatible with all modern iPad models from 2018 onward, unlike the generational limitations of the Apple Pencil.

5. Only the Apple Pencil allows you to view current battery levels right on your iPad‘s screen.

Which Is the Better Choice?

So which one is better ultimately comes down to your priorities:

• The Apple Pencil is the best choice for artists, designers, and other creative pros who need pressure sensitivity for work or hobby projects. It also offers the longest battery life.

• The Logitech Crayon is ideal for students and casual users who want a reliable, affordable stylus for note taking and basic navigation. It lacks some advanced features but costs significantly less.

If you‘re on a budget, need to support the latest iPad models, or don‘t require pressure-sensitive drawing, the Logitech Crayon does the job surprisingly well.

But for the best artistic experience and seamless integration with certain iPad Pros, the Apple Pencil pulls ahead as the premium choice.

Hopefully this detailed comparison gives you a clear sense of which stylus is a better match for your needs. Both the Logitech Crayon and Apple Pencil are great options that empower your iPad with pen-like precision and control.