I received the Ztylus Slim to review and only was able to briefly use it at first. Today I received my PenSe Apple pencil holder, which I had been waiting months for and excited to finally get. Both have Pros and Cons, which I will tell you the choice I prefer after testing both out doodling and writing.
Ztylus Slim:
Pros: I really like the thickness of it
easy Apple Pencil insertion and removal
weight feels good, not too heavy
has clip to clip to smart cover or shirt pocket
comes with accessory to hold the AP Cap to the Slim (similar to the Apple Pencil Cozy sold)
Now comes in two colors Silver and Black (i have black)
Cons: As in another review, hate that it takes 6-8 turns to get AP tip exposed or retracted (this is a big Con to me also)
Review: When I first received it, I tried briefly, the first thing I noticed was the Weight. Felt heavy to me. After spending more time drawing with it, i actually like how it feels in thickness and weight. I actually tried using the PenSe first, but prefer thickness on this much better. That's a major plus to me for the Slim. It's very easy to get the AP in and out of if needed. I'll explain why in the Pense review. It's great that it offers the accessory similar to the AP Cozy which I was using prior with a Magnetic sleeve on the AP. I think the quality and safety from losing the cap is better with the Apple Pencil Cozy, because it's tighter fit around the cap and AP, unlike the one that came with the slim. I tried, but the Cozy doesn't fit over the Slim. Don't get me wrong, I think the accessory for the Slim to hold the cap will do the job, just not as tight as the Cozy was. Just my observation. Lastly the biggest flaw and this one really bothers me, because I get cramping and pain in my left hand sometimes from repetitive stuff with it since I recently had surgery on that arm. So holding and twisting something multiple times is not something I like doing, let alone if I didn't have any surgery or the hand problems. That to me is the One major flaw, because as in another review on forum said, the thicker Zytlus AP holder was only a half turn to expose the tip or retract it. I wanted to really like this product when I found out they were coming out with the Slim, because it told me they listened to the critiques on their thicker product before. That shows the company listens to the people using their product, which in my book says a lot about Ztylus. I also didn't have as long a review on the Ztylus Slim, because much has been said in reviews in already in another thread.
PenSe Apple Pencil Holder:
Pros: Sharp looking AP holder, very professional looking
Magnets to hold to Apple Smart Cover or IPad Pro directly (holds well) Plus a clip
Many Different colors to choose from
Has compartments for AP Cap and the AP Charging adapter
Both ends can be covered the AP nib by a cap and the charging part of AP by an extension Piece
Cons: Thickness is more than I expected, the Ztylus is Slim indeed in comparison, to me anyways
The compartments for the AP cap and adapter don't hold them tightly (Pro and Con)
The Apple Pencil can't easily be removed (That's a big flaw to me)
Review: This is a product I ordered way back in March, expecting a July delivery date. Just received today. So to say I was excited, was putting it mildly. When I first opened it, it looked great, I ordered the red one and love how it looks. The original prototype didn't have exposed magnets, but it's not an overly big deal to me. I just think it takes away from how it looks. It told me to go to a website to download the instructions on how to put it together, let me preface this by saying I'm not your Handy kind of guy. Not the guy to call if you need something fixed. LOL Anyways, the instructions extremely vague. just pictures. What holds the Apole Pencil in place are tiny O rings and instructions called for putting two on AP and sliding into body of Pense. They slide right to the end of the AP. After finally trying to just get one O ring in with it hanging on the tip of the AP, and pushing it in, it finally held in place at the bottom. Now I can try it. Well the very first thing I noticed when I picked it up was how thick it was, much thicker than expected. i can't comment on the weight as I only have one AP, so could only try one AP holder at a time. So hard to judge weight, but the Pense didn't feel real heavy, more I didn't like the thickness of it. So if I'm writing a lot or Drawing, which I do sometimes for 6-8 hour stretches, could be hard to hold the Pense for that long.
Now I put the AP cap and adapter in their perspective places in the Pense. The cap holds a bit, but falls out. Adapter Slides right out of its compartment. The adapter will stay in place if you keep the extension that holds it in on the Pense, but I felt this added too much length when using, so took off for testing it with. That's where it slid right out of the extension, unless connected to body that extension doesn't keep the adapter inside. Not sure if suppose to use remaining O rings to hold each in place, not an option for me and I'll tell you why. This brings me to the biggest flaw. The O rings. It took a lot of effort for me to get the Apple Pencil out of the Pense. I only used one O ring, not two like the directions called for, because they wouldn't stay in place on AP. The directions while pictures, leave little to be desired.
I had to first push very hard on the AP nib to get it to move into the PenSe body enough for only about maybe a 1/2 inch or maybe a little more to stick out the other end and grab to try and yank out. Not enough unfortunately. So I had to McGyver using a ball point pen with Pen retracted to push the AP nib out from one end of the Pense to the other and out. Finally that worked. Now the AP is a $100 accessory, which I need for drawing. I don't want to be jamming things up against the head of it, because I know under the nib is metal and don't want to break my AP. This to me is it's biggest flaw. I wish they didn't use O rings. So for someone who doesn't want to remove the AP Ever, this is not a flaw. As said I love how it looks and the magnets hold well, but not sure I want to use at all times for the AP. This is where the Slim felt just better in hand. Not to mention if you do use O rings for the Cap and Adapter, which I will not, you'll never get the Cap out in my opinion. It does also have a clip on the Pense cap where the AP cap is enclosed, to clip to your shirt pocket.
All that said, If I had to use the Pense, I would keep the part that screws over the charging end to cover it off and keep exposed while I'm using it. The extension while good for protecting the charging end when storing, feels too long when using the Pense with it on. So I kept it off when doodling and writing with it. It looks nice, it's a real good look for a professional, with multicolors to choose from. I love it uses Magnets instead of Clip and they hold well. It's a bit thick to me, can't comment on weight really,but didn't feel heavy.
Conclusion: I wanted to really like both of these. I do like them, just not a clear cut favorite as everything I've tried for the AP thus far has had one con or more. Nothing is 100% in my mind, so I have to use what I think I can deal with. Let me say that the Magnetic Sleeve that I have been using so far for my AP, lasted a long time, but heating up every time it gets loose now, which is often, is a pain for me. So looking for something new to use and my choice here is the Ztylus Slim and let me tell you why.
Ztylus did a much better job delivering on something not too thick to be comfortable for me, as I work on drawings sometimes multiple hours. Easier to write with and although it does have the big flaw of turning multiple times to expose/retract the tip, everything else makes it work better than my PenSe. Not saying I'll never use the PenSe, but too hard to get AP in and out. You never know if you might see something down the road you like better for the AP, so I don't like having it so hard to get in and out of the Pense. I also have started to like the clip better for clipping on the smart cover, although I love the magnets to hold the AP when not in use on my IPP and have the smart cover off. So I choose the Ztylus Slim, they are both very good products, just one, the PenSe is a bit more permanent then I want to use and not as comfortable for me to hold, just prefer the slimmer Ztylus. I Wish they designed for easier insertion or removal in the Pense.
Ztylus Slim
Pense Apple Pencil Holder
Both Pense Apple Pencil Holder and Ztylus Slim
Ztylus Slim:
Pros: I really like the thickness of it
easy Apple Pencil insertion and removal
weight feels good, not too heavy
has clip to clip to smart cover or shirt pocket
comes with accessory to hold the AP Cap to the Slim (similar to the Apple Pencil Cozy sold)
Now comes in two colors Silver and Black (i have black)
Cons: As in another review, hate that it takes 6-8 turns to get AP tip exposed or retracted (this is a big Con to me also)
Review: When I first received it, I tried briefly, the first thing I noticed was the Weight. Felt heavy to me. After spending more time drawing with it, i actually like how it feels in thickness and weight. I actually tried using the PenSe first, but prefer thickness on this much better. That's a major plus to me for the Slim. It's very easy to get the AP in and out of if needed. I'll explain why in the Pense review. It's great that it offers the accessory similar to the AP Cozy which I was using prior with a Magnetic sleeve on the AP. I think the quality and safety from losing the cap is better with the Apple Pencil Cozy, because it's tighter fit around the cap and AP, unlike the one that came with the slim. I tried, but the Cozy doesn't fit over the Slim. Don't get me wrong, I think the accessory for the Slim to hold the cap will do the job, just not as tight as the Cozy was. Just my observation. Lastly the biggest flaw and this one really bothers me, because I get cramping and pain in my left hand sometimes from repetitive stuff with it since I recently had surgery on that arm. So holding and twisting something multiple times is not something I like doing, let alone if I didn't have any surgery or the hand problems. That to me is the One major flaw, because as in another review on forum said, the thicker Zytlus AP holder was only a half turn to expose the tip or retract it. I wanted to really like this product when I found out they were coming out with the Slim, because it told me they listened to the critiques on their thicker product before. That shows the company listens to the people using their product, which in my book says a lot about Ztylus. I also didn't have as long a review on the Ztylus Slim, because much has been said in reviews in already in another thread.
PenSe Apple Pencil Holder:
Pros: Sharp looking AP holder, very professional looking
Magnets to hold to Apple Smart Cover or IPad Pro directly (holds well) Plus a clip
Many Different colors to choose from
Has compartments for AP Cap and the AP Charging adapter
Both ends can be covered the AP nib by a cap and the charging part of AP by an extension Piece
Cons: Thickness is more than I expected, the Ztylus is Slim indeed in comparison, to me anyways
The compartments for the AP cap and adapter don't hold them tightly (Pro and Con)
The Apple Pencil can't easily be removed (That's a big flaw to me)
Review: This is a product I ordered way back in March, expecting a July delivery date. Just received today. So to say I was excited, was putting it mildly. When I first opened it, it looked great, I ordered the red one and love how it looks. The original prototype didn't have exposed magnets, but it's not an overly big deal to me. I just think it takes away from how it looks. It told me to go to a website to download the instructions on how to put it together, let me preface this by saying I'm not your Handy kind of guy. Not the guy to call if you need something fixed. LOL Anyways, the instructions extremely vague. just pictures. What holds the Apole Pencil in place are tiny O rings and instructions called for putting two on AP and sliding into body of Pense. They slide right to the end of the AP. After finally trying to just get one O ring in with it hanging on the tip of the AP, and pushing it in, it finally held in place at the bottom. Now I can try it. Well the very first thing I noticed when I picked it up was how thick it was, much thicker than expected. i can't comment on the weight as I only have one AP, so could only try one AP holder at a time. So hard to judge weight, but the Pense didn't feel real heavy, more I didn't like the thickness of it. So if I'm writing a lot or Drawing, which I do sometimes for 6-8 hour stretches, could be hard to hold the Pense for that long.
Now I put the AP cap and adapter in their perspective places in the Pense. The cap holds a bit, but falls out. Adapter Slides right out of its compartment. The adapter will stay in place if you keep the extension that holds it in on the Pense, but I felt this added too much length when using, so took off for testing it with. That's where it slid right out of the extension, unless connected to body that extension doesn't keep the adapter inside. Not sure if suppose to use remaining O rings to hold each in place, not an option for me and I'll tell you why. This brings me to the biggest flaw. The O rings. It took a lot of effort for me to get the Apple Pencil out of the Pense. I only used one O ring, not two like the directions called for, because they wouldn't stay in place on AP. The directions while pictures, leave little to be desired.
I had to first push very hard on the AP nib to get it to move into the PenSe body enough for only about maybe a 1/2 inch or maybe a little more to stick out the other end and grab to try and yank out. Not enough unfortunately. So I had to McGyver using a ball point pen with Pen retracted to push the AP nib out from one end of the Pense to the other and out. Finally that worked. Now the AP is a $100 accessory, which I need for drawing. I don't want to be jamming things up against the head of it, because I know under the nib is metal and don't want to break my AP. This to me is it's biggest flaw. I wish they didn't use O rings. So for someone who doesn't want to remove the AP Ever, this is not a flaw. As said I love how it looks and the magnets hold well, but not sure I want to use at all times for the AP. This is where the Slim felt just better in hand. Not to mention if you do use O rings for the Cap and Adapter, which I will not, you'll never get the Cap out in my opinion. It does also have a clip on the Pense cap where the AP cap is enclosed, to clip to your shirt pocket.
All that said, If I had to use the Pense, I would keep the part that screws over the charging end to cover it off and keep exposed while I'm using it. The extension while good for protecting the charging end when storing, feels too long when using the Pense with it on. So I kept it off when doodling and writing with it. It looks nice, it's a real good look for a professional, with multicolors to choose from. I love it uses Magnets instead of Clip and they hold well. It's a bit thick to me, can't comment on weight really,but didn't feel heavy.
Conclusion: I wanted to really like both of these. I do like them, just not a clear cut favorite as everything I've tried for the AP thus far has had one con or more. Nothing is 100% in my mind, so I have to use what I think I can deal with. Let me say that the Magnetic Sleeve that I have been using so far for my AP, lasted a long time, but heating up every time it gets loose now, which is often, is a pain for me. So looking for something new to use and my choice here is the Ztylus Slim and let me tell you why.
Ztylus did a much better job delivering on something not too thick to be comfortable for me, as I work on drawings sometimes multiple hours. Easier to write with and although it does have the big flaw of turning multiple times to expose/retract the tip, everything else makes it work better than my PenSe. Not saying I'll never use the PenSe, but too hard to get AP in and out. You never know if you might see something down the road you like better for the AP, so I don't like having it so hard to get in and out of the Pense. I also have started to like the clip better for clipping on the smart cover, although I love the magnets to hold the AP when not in use on my IPP and have the smart cover off. So I choose the Ztylus Slim, they are both very good products, just one, the PenSe is a bit more permanent then I want to use and not as comfortable for me to hold, just prefer the slimmer Ztylus. I Wish they designed for easier insertion or removal in the Pense.
Ztylus Slim
Pense Apple Pencil Holder
Both Pense Apple Pencil Holder and Ztylus Slim
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