The Slim Pen 2 vs the New Renaisser R530 stylus - Which One is Better For YOU?

[@Kc2Crazy]

Hello, I just ordered the R530 from your Tablet Pro website link. Although the Slim 2 seems better, I can't justify the price at this point in time. I appreciate the videos you make. Thank you and take care 🙂 Edit: some words

[@Wildescape_uk]

Thank you so much for your review Justice, I bought a renaisser 530 on your recomendatiooon and I'm SO pleased with it, it's fantastic.

[@TabletPro]

Great to hear! I really like this the most. It's a great stylus.

[@TabletPro]

mistake - the slim pen 2 does have 2 magnetic points, but they don't align on surface devices outside of the laptop studio

[@ciel6347]

Personally I have never accidentally clicked the barrel button on the slim pen 2. That appears to be a problem exclusive to people with big hands. I love how the slim pen 2 feels like a pair of chopsticks.

[@TabletPro]

Made me laugh. Yes. Totally has a fast food chopstick feel to it.

[@gorilla_with_jetpack4102]

OH MY GOD DUDE - PUT A VOLUME OPTION ON THE VIDEOS ON YOUR WEBSITE! I specifically came to your KZbin Channel to post this. My MASTER volume was at 50 percent and I almost shit my pants at how loud the gain was on the video. The volume isn't nearly as loud on KZbin as it is on your website. I don't know if this is a web developer thing, but gotta put a volume control on there. ANYWAYS, your videos are awesome, now that I've calmed down, thank you for the reviews you do, they are really well put together!

[@TabletPro]

I had no idea! Thanks for letting me know, and for the nice compliments. What page? Any specific videos?

[@barryfinbar]

Nice video. Thank you. You have a calm delivery method that is refreshing on KZbin. I am new to drawing on tablets. Just bought a Surface Go 3 (i3, 128Gb SSD, 8Gb RAM version). I see in the comments you're not a fan of the Go 3 :/ but would that be the older version, or all Surface Go models? I need to get a stylus. Would the Renaisser R530C work on this Go 3 of mine?

[@clarenceg.7789]

Hi. Thanks for review. Does it have haptic feedback?

[@TabletPro]

the R530 does not have haptics. Would enjoy that. But really it should be incorporated more system wide. There is so few places where it actually is used.

[@rene9901]

Hi .. thanks for putting up this amazing elaborated vedio ... I wonder while using the stylus if you use any screen protector ... I need good recommendations which is compatible for slim pen2

[@TabletPro]

What is your hope for the screen protector? Protect the screen? create traction for the stylus? Reduce glare? I don't use screen protectors for a few reasons and haven't had a variety of problems, I don't recommend them for MPP devices like the surface. But I know for some people they are an important aspect. I'll look forward to your reply

[@CharlineCaneton]

LOL That is a very big collection of stylus you have (intro of the video) :) How many to that day ? Great video as always, I'm tempted to buy another renaisser while I don't need one (still no laptop studio here...). By the way, do they still do longer stylus ? What I liked with the original 520 renaisser was the long size. With the new one when I pinch with 2 finger while holding the pen, it slip and hit the screen. Of course the easiest trick would be to put a cap on it but that's not so aesthetic :p Cheers !

[@TabletPro]

I have a problem Charline.... we all know it, just no one is saying it. I think an intervention is planned for next week earmarked as my surprise birthday party. "SURPRISE!!! you have a problem... and this isn't a party, all your friends don't like you, and you are going to have to reimburse for the pizza" 😭😭😭 the newer r520C and r530 I like the length. longer than the r520. I think it's good very close to the original longer 520

[@claystudiofx]

Hi , i’m really interested on this pen. But for surface laptop studio , why do you recommend slim pen over the r530? Will r530 work well on surface pro/laptop?

[@TabletPro]

yes the R530 will work on the Studio, and it works probably 95% the same as on the Surface Pro 7. The two problems for me, is lack of storage as the magnets are placed differently on the studio, and there is an occasional skip of the inking. so a line might break apart while drawing (like an I would be in two sections) if you are drawing, you barely notice, if it's in handwriting some letters become mysterious symbols. I don't think this is R530 specific, but for any of the non Surface stylus it just is kinda weird. maybe a firmware update from Microsoft will fix it. IDK.

[@akarth1k]

Hello, thank you for the great video. I'm still a little confused - does the r530 attach to the bottom of the surface laptop studio?

[@TabletPro]

Yes but not a solid attachment. Nor does it sit flush with the bottom of the device. But it’s “ok”. I personally wouldn’t trust it there. Where the slim pen 2 I know it’s not going anywhere. But it’s manageable

[@akarth1k]

@@TabletPro does it stick lower than the physical computer? And if so do you recommend any alternatives to the slim pen 2 that do stay there flush? Thanks!

[@ckmoore]

I'm so used to rotating a pencil as using it - I even do it with my ipad pencil and wacom pro pen 2. I like to imagine the wear on the tip will be better, since it won't be just drawing on one side until it's super flat. But maybe not! Do you have any concerns with the slim pen 2 in terms of wearing one big flat spot on the nib since you cannot rotate the barrel?

[@TabletPro]

I'm not too concerned about it, but I understand your thinking. The tip is well built. I recently also saw replacement tips on amazon made by Uogic for the slim pen 2 that are $13.99 for a set of two. Very affordable if you have a problem. I use mine daily for 4 months and see zero signs of degradation.

[@Zielakk]

Hi, what stylus do you recommend for ASUS ZenBook Flip 13? I read that Raphael 530 is incompatible with other laptops than Surface.

[@psygameboy]

Thanks for the great review. Did you said, the Renaisser does not dock with the magnets under the Surface Laptop Studio? Because of what? Could i bring on some magnetic Tape on the Laptop STudio?

[@TabletPro]

You probably could do that, but at that point you might as well tape it or put something on the back of the studio instead of underneath. The slim pen is slim..... 😒 so it fits underneath completely even when the laptop is sitting on a flat surface. The R530 is round with one flat side so the studio would be propped on top of the stylus until you removed it. Just kinda a clunky solution and the charging, docking, rumble are all so nicely integrated. Just my preference I guess, but it's obviously pretty pricey.

[@水神共工]

你好，你能测试一下这两支笔在realistic paint studio 里的表现吗？我用的surface pen，但我发现在realistic paint studio 里面无法画出逐渐消失的感觉，使用Wacom的笔就可以很轻松做到，我不知道是surface pen的压力感应范围不够大还是我没设置好，希望你能试试这两支笔在realistic paint studio 里的表现

[@ppsurtsev]

Thank you! Really useful review!

[@jasboehlke]

Great review, magnetic, rechargeable, no brainer. Purchased.

[@mikegreen6062]

I just purchased the surface pro 9. Which stylus pen would you recommend? And is the bluetooth function worth it? Thank you

[@TabletPro]

I like the slim pen 2 the best for the Surface Pro 9. If money is an issue get the r530 with the Bluetooth keyboard from renaisser. I have the link to those on my website www.tabletpro.com

[@mikegreen6062]

@@TabletPro Thank you for the information

[@TabletPro]

Slim Pen 2 is cheaper than I was thinking. With Charger closer to $170 NOT $200

[@MohammedAbdulAleem-n7u]

Hi, R530 is compatible for Surface Pro8 ?

[@aok3774]

520c vs 530 ？ Hi, if the purpose is to draw and take notes, which one do you recommend to buy? The 530 doesn't see a difference other than adding an eraser？

[@TabletPro]

Feel free to ask questions here in the comments section. Thank you 😊

[@Kc2Crazy]

I ordered a pen from your link, but no tracking was sent, only an order #. Ordered 6 days ago. How do we get tracking info?

[@harysanumahshanker2815]

I recently purchased the HP Envy X360 and it came with the stock tilt pen, which didn’t have extra tips. With the R530, can I purchase extra tips or do I have to buy a whole new pen when I run out of tips?

[@N0mad_42]

Hello, I also bought a Raphael 530, I would like to know if it happens to you that sometimes you write a few millimeters higher or how does the pen get crazy? It has happened to me a few times and I don't know if it's a problem with my surface or the pencil

[@xixi9765]

Very informative, thank you!

[@jaskbi]

Thanks for the dual review, im going with the R350, shame you dont have a uk store.

[@wildheartjoe2867]

i recently got a surface book 2 and it came with the original surface pen (the one with the clip 1000 pressure sensitivity..) im thinking of upgrading the the surface pen (not slim, the one WITHOUT a clip), which one do you recommend, boss? the R530 OR the surfacepen?

[@TabletPro]

For a sb2 id recommend the r530. You’re more likely to get a cleaner line. But if you have access to the surface pen it can work well also. Just a little more hit or miss for me.

[@nausicaminni816]

Hi! I bought the Raphael 530 pen. In general, the pen works well. I tried it on different software: 1) in windows WhiteBoard the eraser works too. 2) in Gimp and in Krita the eraser does not work. None of the Software I have tried recognizes the pen tilt. How can I enable the eraser in all software? How can I activate the pen tilt?

[@N0mad_42]

Hello, I also bought a Raphael 530, I would like to know if it happens to you that sometimes you write a few millimeters higher or how does the pen get crazy? It has happened to me a few times and I don't know if it's a problem with my surface or the pencil

[@diamondsharkentertainment7327]

Is your R530 compatible with the Pro X ?

[@chrisglidden2822]

Hello, I am interested in the R530 but have a question about the connectivity to a laptop that is not a Surface Pro type PC. Will this work with an HP touchscreen laptop? Thank you in advance. Your videos are awesome. Thank you for your content and information.

[@TabletPro]

Which specific hp computer? Model number? If you call hp and ask if the surface pen is compatible that will give us the answer. Or search online for your model and surface pen compatibility. If the computer supports mpp 2.0 that’s the official name of the protocol used.

[@Yourdudechris]

Hi! How would you compare the R530 to the normal surface pen, right now the surface pen is on sale for $57 dollars and I don’t know which one i want to get. I probably wont be doing much drawing, just taking notes

[@TabletPro]

For me the biggest issue is the two side buttons. It means you can take notes and erase without flipping the pen. The big question is if you erasing quickly is more important than maybe using your pen Bluetooth button to trigger your computer from across the room. I would personally pick the r530 over the surface pen all the time. If the surface pen and the r520bt were the same price I’d still pick the r520bt because it has the second button

[@Yourdudechris]

@@TabletPro I just ordered the R530 and received it in the mail a couple of hours ago, do you know if there is any way to change the sensitivity of the pen?

[@DaxCraft]

How would you compare the r530 to the r520? I've been using the 520 for about 2 years until the battery broke a week ago and I'm looking to replace it. So would you recommend one over the other, or is there not enough of a difference?

[@TabletPro]

I think the r530 is better looking and I really like the eraser end. Maybe just for nostalgia reasons but it’s nice. The quality is better and improved on the pressure side, but otherwise mechanically very similar. Like usb c charging better than micro. I think you’d like it a lot

[@51623allissa]

the r520C has type C charging rather than the previous 520 version! Plus the 520 C looks more like a regular pencil with the rounded end rather than the blunt flat end of the r520. I also like the fact that the r520c has the charging port on the side rather than the top. Now the only question for me is which color to choose?? lol... Hope this helped you make a better informed decision

[@binoy2000]

How is the performance of R530 with SURFACE GO 3 for taking notes?

[@jota8649]

Worked for me thank you!❤️

[@SS-fu8hv]

Hi the R350, how does it connect to a surface go 2, do you just start to use it and the surface recognises it or do you have to 'pair' or 'bluetooth' ? thanks in advance

[@TabletPro]

there is nothing you need to set up for it to work. just press the side button to turn it on. 😊

[@Frigga020]

The renaisser pens have a Nice magnet, what case can I buy that let's me use this magnet. A lot of cases have plastic around the place where the magnets are placed.

[@ryourawa]

Hi I have a surface go 2, you mentioned that it's not good for the surface go series so do you have a recommendation for the go series then?

[@TabletPro]

I haven't tried anything on the Go series that I've been crazy about. I'm pretty confident it's just the digitizer that they chose that has certain limitations. The R530 works as well as anything else and it's affordably priced, it is what I would use (I have both first and second gen Surface Go devices). I really wish they would update the go series to the Surface Pro 8 screen and 12th gen i5 processor. I really like the form factor and would love a decently powerful more portable device.

[@ryourawa]

@@TabletPro I agree I like the form factor so much I went from SP3 to go2. Ok thanks for your reply I'll order the 530.

[@PixelSounds]

I recently got a raphael 520 and was wondering if there is a possible way to change the sensitivity through either the Pen Tool App or some other means (my laptop is a Hp envy x360)

[@TabletPro]

In what program? A specific drawing program

[@alpinyoable]

For Asus Rog flow x13. Slim pen 2, renaiser 530, asus pen 2 .0 (SA203H). Which one would you recommend?

[@TabletPro]

100% would not recommend the slim pen 2. While it's the best choice for the Surface Pro 8 or the surface laptop studio, unless it has the built in corresponding tech, it's not better, and worse in a handful of ways. The Asus pen 2.0, I don't have any experience with, I did see the renaisser stylus on the rog flow and it was pretty good. Since I haven't seen the Asus pen, the only thing I can say is that it's probably between those two and not the slim pen 2. I'd try the renaisser R530 first as it's probably half the cost.

[@alpinyoable]

@@TabletPro Thank you!!!

[@solarwinds-]

I guess I'm slow. For me, I needed you to be more clear about which device you're talking about. For example, one of the tablites was held up and you said "it didn't work with this" but I couldn't tell what tablet you were talking about. I could see no logo or anything. With the two pens, it was the same, you kept referring to the pen and "it" and "this" with no name. However, as I watched I began to understand which pen was which by the shape.

[@tobylee1170]

Line quality wise: Is it noticeably better than the 520C?

[@TabletPro]

It is the same as the r520C. Which computer are you using?

[@tobylee1170]

@@TabletPro cool. I picked up a 520c a couple months ago for my Spectre x360.

[@sipio1758]

I used the 520C on my Surface Pro 5 and preferred it over the classic Surface Stylus. On my Spectre x360 14 it's a different story. On this device I prefer the classic Surface Stylus. The 520C and the original HP Stylus stay slightly behind. Sorry to say lineart with the Spectre just works fine in CSP with it's stabilisation features, while using any of the mentioned styli in e.g. OneNote is very disappointing. Should have waited for the Surface Laptop Studio...

[@turtlemop8712]

Hey. Does the r520bt require driver downloads? I’m getting a bit of jitter on mine (using it on an asus ROG flow x13). I’ve been testing pens on it looking for the best one and so far my results look like this: From least jitter to worst jitter Bamboo ink R520bt Surface pen Surface slim pen 2 It’s strange but the slim pen 2, the most expensive pen in my testing, is FAR worse than the basic surface pen and is practically unusable because the jitter is so bad

[@huskyhakunaadventures3056]

Will the r530 work with my new surface 9 pro i just bought? Have you found anything better than the r530? Im considering buying the pen

[@TabletPro]

For the Pro 9 I think the slim pen 2 is a better drawing experience. But less functional because it’s missing one button. However I think the r530 is the second best option and 1/3-1/4 the price. But get the Bluetooth keyboard from them if you get the stylus and don’t have a keyboard because the surface keyboard won’t hold the r530

[@huskyhakunaadventures3056]

@Tablet Pro yeah i just have the flat keyboard that came with the 9 pro. It just doesn't have a pen, so im looking for one. I think it will be the slim. I just like to erase like a real pencil ✏️.. flip it and erase 🤷‍♂️

[@huskyhakunaadventures3056]

@@TabletPro Thank you for the videos you create! I enjoy them!

[@rogerrosas5877]

does the bluetooth functionality work with the surface duo?

[@TheRootBeerKing]

Can you configure what the eraser does on the R530? Say for instance, can you make the eraser act as a right click for programs that don't have built in eraser functionality?

[@TabletPro]

not at this time and while it's a really nice idea the eraser is handled differently than the other two buttons invert and barrel. They system ONLY sees eraser when it's touching the screen and it doesn't allow overwriting the event.

[@p4ul.f708]

@@TabletPro Do you think this could be changed in the future with a specific program ? Im just searching for the perfect note taking pen, which has 2 side buttons (eraser, lasso tool) and 1 on the top in order to take screenshots. That would be the perfect pen. Thats why Im asking. I know there is the 520bt which has that but it has to coupled via Bluetooth, which I dont particularly like😅

[@christofferbrus8954]

Which is the best AES 2.0 stylus in your opinion?

[@Explorer724]

I'm sold! Great review, glad I came across it!

[@AndySONGO971]

hi everyone, i have some issues with the R530. it randomly right clic while using and that's really annoying for any use. do you had this issue before ? do you know how to fix it or should i send it back ?

[@tutilee2252]

Hello! I just recently purchased this pen after I lost my r520. I've had it for 2 weeks and am unable to use it in photoshop. I'm not sure what the issue is because my R520 had worked just fine with it. Any ideas on why that might be? Please let me know, thank you in advance!

[@TabletPro]

if you bought it from me send me an email and I will take care of it. Let me know what's going on and send a video if you can. [e-mail]

[@tymartin91]

So line quality is not good with the R530 on the Surface Go 3?

[@TabletPro]

in my opinion nothing is "good" on the surface pro 3. The surface pen is what I recommend for the GO series. But I'm not a fan of that device. if they can make one with the same screen as the Pro 8 and up and a normal processor... would be all about it.

[@tymartin91]

@@TabletPro thank you!

[@nj_mlimi]

Can either of these pens work with an Asus Vivobook S14 Flip? It supports MPP 2.0.

[@TabletPro]

It should work

[@jaykilpatrick1955]

Hi Justice is there a driver for the renaisser 530 that works like the surface pro app, for a non surface pro windows device (zenbook flip)?

[@TabletPro]

What app are you using? That has a pressure curve you want to adjust

[@TabletPro]

Not that I know of. We tried to add it to the pen tool. But it’s not allowed by Microsoft right now.

[@jaykilpatrick1955]

@@TabletPro I'm using the fab rebelle and tablet pro - thanks for the recommendations. Awesome vidoes. I'm using them on a zenbook flip, not a surface pro - I get almost what I need in the bruch maker by adjusting the pressure curves on the brush , all thanks to your videos!

[@jaykilpatrick1955]

@@TabletPro wierd why we can't control the pen response more

[@Nikko_Demi-God]

Can it work on any device

[@illyaswan]

What's the benefit of having BT on a stylus if one can work without it?

[@TabletPro]

It's a great question, what is the benefit of bluetooth on a stylus. I think it really is combining two devices, like a bluetooth selfie remote and a stylus. One you can use from a distance to start/stop a video, advance a power point presentation, trigger cortana or dication etc.... but what does that have to do with drawing??? nothing, just easier than having two peripherals to do those tasks.

[@ThinBear4]

My Surface Pro 2017 has a frustrating bug where during drawing, the line has a random chance to jitter SEVERELY (like, jumping around over the span of 2mm to the sides while you draw a vertical line). After trying everything to solve it, I've decided to order the R530 to replace my Surface Pen, suspecting it might be the stylus causing this nonsense. Hoping for improvement. I've also noticed that the Tablet Pro Pen Tool suddenly stopped detecting the Barrel button on my Surface Pen. This deprives me of the only option for a quick "undo" button in drawing apps. Sidenote: While looking for an alternative to the Surface Pen, I've also stumbled upon a Andana MPP Stylus EC Pen, which is more expensive than the R530, albeit it only has a single button. Did anyone encounter this pen and has anything to say about how it performs?

[@TabletPro]

The barrel button should be working again in the new update. Can you update and test? If it doesn’t work can you switch the pen tool setting to a pen other than the surface?

[@TabletPro]

Can you send me a link to the stylus you are talking about? Curious

[@ThinBear4]

@@TabletPro As for the tool, I've just downloaded the version from Microsoft Market, and no difference. No matter which pen I select in the app, it's always the same. "Bluetooth" lights up blue in the settings screen when I press the eraser button, but there's no response at all when I press the barrel button. All I see is a circle around the cursor when I hold down the barrel button. I'm wondering if it's not something wrong with the pen (but then again, the default function of the button *does* work in windows environment, as a right click). My R530 is on the way - I'll see how that performs (and if - hopefully - it's going to get rid of the random jitter).

[@ThinBear4]

My R530 just arrived. Predictably, it did not solve the issue with random line jitters. It is a tablet issue, but I've got no idea what's wrong. What's weird is that this one *also* doesn't work with Tablet Pro Pen Tool. Neither of the two buttons are being detected. I'll try another system wipe and see how it goes. As for the pen itself, comparing it to my Surface Pen, it's... decent. On the outside, the rugged plastic body looks cheap compared to SP's whole metal body, but I guess it's a matter of preference. What's nice is that R530 is significantly lighter than SP. SP is being weighed down by its AAAA battery, while R530 only has a rechargable battery pack. One thing that irks me about it is that the magnets on R530 are actually weaker than on the SP. You have a good chance of knocking the pen off the side of the tablet if you're not careful. Another difference is the eraser tip. It is... different. The one on SP requires you to *press* down on the screen before it actually starts erasing. It feels natural - it's *not* pressure sensitivity obviously, but it almost feels like one. Eraser on R530 on the other hand kicks in *immediately* when you touch the screen with it.

[@qoo69oop]

which is better for draw?

[@TabletPro]

SUPER Excited! Version 3 of our Advanced PEN and TOUCH control software (for Windows 10/11) is about to launch! Buy version 2 now with a HUGE discount and get version 3 for free. DECEMBER ONLY - www.tabletpro.com/install

[@labdjcxn3xy]

Would the r530 fit inside the keyboard cover for the surface 8?

[@TabletPro]

Great question. From my memory it was either a little too long or at very least a little too thick and i was worried that it might damage the screen if nested there. I would not recommend it. The r520bt definitely fits but is too thick

[@matthewfilipkowski7060]

besides the bluetooth button, is thee any difference between the 530 and the 520?

[@TabletPro]

they charge differently, the R520BT charges with a magnetic adapter, not direct usb-c like the 530. battery life is less on a bluetooth device. 530 is a longer stylus. I think that's it

[@turtlemop8712]

@@TabletPro okay cool, thanks for the reply!

[@ChrisFaa]

@@TabletPro I'm confused about this BT business. If the regular 530 is not Bluetooth, how does it communicate with the surface pro?

[@khappigaming1784]

is it compatible with ipad 8th gen ?

[@TabletPro]

It is not compatible

[@shihabuddin7632]

Will it work on surface pro 3?

[@TabletPro]

the R530 should work, but it's not MPP1.0. It's MPP2.0 so there will be certain things that it won't be able to do on a Pro 3. I think tilt might not work.... not sure, and pressure levels would be truncated to 1024 if I remember correctly.

[@DhirendraKumar-vt9xv]

Is it work for lenovo p11

[@nazmulislam7420]

Can anyone suggest me a stylus for Sony Vaio Flip 14A laptop , other then Sony digitizer

[@Megzamani]

Justice I need a stylus for hp spectre x360

[@satyaenterprise823]

plese add layout for autodesk revit

[@TabletPro]

would you consider doing a video call with me and helping me make one? normally I have to learn the program which can take weeks of use and then I'm still vastly underqualified to consider myself an expert. If you know the shortcuts and program we can make one together in about 30 min. Reply here or email me and we can set up a time.

[@weldonmcgaha1667]

I do enjoy your presentations BUT PLEAE Revise your Technique - showing two pens SAYING 'This' vs 'This' = CONFUSING; RATHER Than "R530 vs Slim2"; which can Follow THANKS

[@TabletPro]

Noted!

[@chuzzbot]

Eraser on the back is horribly inconvenient and unergonomic. Two side buttons are compulsory.

[@TabletPro]

totally agree. It was cute yesterday watching my 5 year old use a stylus on my computer and turning the stylus around to erase. I think it's nice to have both, but not as an only option.

[@ElcluasicoChuuad]

please, dont use rebel for linearts test... use clip studio paint with the real G-pen. the 99.99% of profesional manga/comic artist use clip studio paint. All artist in the world will thank you. Using the real g-pen from CSP is the real test who the 99.99% are looking for. With the others brushes you can comit mistakes and no one will notice, but with the real g-pen you find who is a top profesional or amateur artist