PenTips Ink + PenMat Review (Ink’n Paper Bundle): The Perfect Match

These days, artists and designers are spoiled for choice when it comes to iPad accessories designed to enhance their creative process.

One particular product that has recently caught my attention is PenTips Ink, a new Apple Pencil tip that promises to deliver an unparalleled “pencil on paper” experience when combined with PenMat, a textured screen protector for the iPad. Having reviewed a number of PenTips products in the past, I was curious to get my hands on the Ink to see what it can actually do.

What is PenTips Ink?

PenTips is a brand known for its highly popular silicone rubber tips for the Apple Pencil. The Ink, however, is a brand new type of replacement tip. Unlike its predecessors, it boasts a unique design that incorporates a metal nib element. This product was specifically developed to be used with textured screen protectors like PenMat. If you’re not familiar with it, PenMat is a removable magnetic textured screen protector for the iPad, which emulates the feel of paper when drawing or taking notes with the Apple Pencil. We have previously covered it here and here.

This new product is currently being sold as part of a bundle called PenTips Ink’n Paper, which includes the PenMat screen protector and a small box with two of these new Apple Pencil tips. If you already have a PenMat, however, you can also purchase PenTips Ink separately.

Design and build quality

The Ink’s design is reminiscent of a traditional ballpoint pen, with a small metal nib at the end. The white plastic section of the product has a glossy surface, which stands out against the matte finish of the Apple Pencil 2, while bearing a strong resemblance to the shiny texture seen on the 1st gen Apple Pencil.

One thing I like about this new replacement tip is the fact that it aligns perfectly with the angle of the Apple Pencil tip, particularly when compared to the first iteration of PenTips 2, which had a small hump in its design. Overall, the build quality of the Ink is great and it feels quite solid and stable when attached to the Apple Pencil.

How well does it work?

I was a bit skeptical about the Ink at first, since I’m already a fan of PenMat and love the way it improves the feel of using the Apple Pencil while drawing and writing, compared to the bare glass screen on the iPad. “How can it get any better?”, I thought. Well, as soon as I started using this combo, I was immediately hooked. With PenTips Ink, the tactile feel provided by PenMat reaches a whole new level, even capturing the extremely satisfying sound of a traditional pencil scribbling on a piece of paper.

When I first opened the package, I was only planning to do a quick test to check things out, as I had a busy morning ahead with more pressing tasks that needed my attention. However, I was so delighted and impressed with how well this pairing worked, that I ended up getting lost in the moment, doodling away for much longer than I had originally planned.

In addition to the incredible tactile feel provided by combining PenTips Ink with PenMat, I also noticed increased precision in my work and overall just felt more confident using the Apple Pencil.

In terms of durability, it seems like this bundle could hold up quite well. So far, I haven’t noticed any permanent scratches on the PenMat after prolonged use. Even the small marks that appeared after a drawing session were easily removed with a microfiber cloth. Having said that, it’s still too early to tell, so I will need to spend more time with this combination to see how long these products will last.

Although it’s being marketed as the perfect companion for PenMat, it’s worth noting that the PenTips Ink also performed extremely well with other textured screen protectors I’ve tested. So if you happen to have something like Paperlike or the ESR paper-feel screen protector, the Ink is definitely worth considering.

Maybe this goes without saying, but PenTips Ink won’t be the ideal choice if you intend to use it directly on your iPad’s glass screen, without a textured screen protector. It simply won’t deliver the same level of precision and tactile feel you get when pairing it with a textured matte screen. On top of that, using a metal tip on glass will produce a clicking noise that is just as loud, if not louder than the original Apple Pencil tip.

It’s also important to note that although most metal tips won’t scratch glass, they may damage the anti-reflective coating on the iPad display. So if you’re set on using a bare glass screen, you might want to consider an alternative like the PenTips 2+, which is a silicone rubber tip for the Apple Pencil that improves grip and accuracy when drawing on glass displays.

Pricing

The PenTips Ink is currently priced at $19 USD, while the Ink’n Paper bundle (PenTips Ink + PenMat) can be purchased for $38 USD on PenTips’ website.

Conclusion

The PenTips Ink is a product that lives up to its promises by taking the tactile feel of traditional “pencil on paper” drawing to a whole new level when combined with PenMat. The satisfying sound it produces while drawing, incredibly similar to a graphite pencil gliding across a standard piece of paper, further enhances the whole experience, which is unrivaled by any other product I’ve tested in the past. If you already have a textured screen protector, the PenTips Ink is a must-try accessory for your Apple Pencil. If you don’t, I highly recommend taking a look at the Ink’n Paper bundle, which is a killer combination.

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