Which stylus does it best? | Tech Battle

Not so long ago, I covered two new additions to my technology roster: smart plugs and the MEKO stylus. I’ve since integrated the smart plugs into a Google smart home setup, and I cannot describe how much I enjoy coming home on dark days to see lamps already lit, or activating them from the comfort of my car with my voice.

The stylus works well too, but it’s now got some sturdy competition. Enter: the Logitech crayon. It’s a formidable adversary to MEKO’s tool, but is it better for iPads? And how does it fare in schools? Or does the cheaper option shine brightest?

Design & use

Both styluses are nice. They feel great to hold, with MEKO’s offering shaped more traditionally like a pen, while Logitech’s adopts a flatter design. I was gifted the Logitech stylus by my school to bolster our digital technology usage and was, initially, quite apprehensive, as it appears unwieldy. However, this did not prove to be the case at all.

Logitech’s crayon is very easy to grip, and its matte surface feels like it aids in that ease of use. I can use it to write model answers on my iPad, which appears on the whiteboard via Google Jamboard, very easily, and lesson planning using the notes app for longer periods of time is a sitch. Being flat means that it’s also equipped with anti-roll technology, preventing it from falling off the desk and breaking. It’s also the perfect shape for the case of my school’s iPad case. While it might not magnetise to the side of the device, like an Apple Pencil, it never comes out unless I want to hold it.

Compare that to MEKO’s stylus: with a cylindrical shape, the tool isn’t prevented from rolling away, so I often worried that it would fall off and damage the internal mechanisms. To combat this, I spent an extra £10 on a stylish-but-minimal carry case*, which also has room for the charging cable and regular pens, which is really useful since I still work with some physical notebooks, like my life-saving Bullet Journal. The case keeps it nicely secured wherever I go.

With a gloss finish, the stylus does show off scratches far quicker than the alternative. It’s also less weighty, so MEKO’s stylus doesn’t feel as if it’s going to be quite so durable. Neither have failed me so far, but I should note that I only use MEKO’s stylus for personal use – such as writing on OneNote to plan blog content. Perhaps I would have broken it by now if I were taking it into the workplace.

Features

When I last wrote about MEKO, I said that the stylus gets the job done, even if it doesn’t have Apple’s gradient shading. Now, I’m no digital artist, but from what I can tell from the doodles I drew while brainstorming lessons, Logitech does appear to have some sort of pressure sensor that indicates how hard I’m pressing down on the screen, and therefore how much of a solid line I’m creating.

Is this necessary for my usage? Absolutely not; as long as I can annotate texts and sources, I’m okay – but it’s worth noting if you want a viable alternative to the Apple Pencil.*

In terms of physical buttons on each stylus, MEKO is more minimal and, perhaps, more useful. Near the top is a button that glows blue when it’s turned on, and red when it’s charging. The cable connects into a micro-USB port underneath a removal cap, which I’m a little concerned that I might lose one day. However, as it’s been nearly a year, I think I might be fine.

Logitech, on the other hand, equipped theirs with a larger button that glows green briefly when turned on. The display flashes when it’s charging, and you can do that by plugging in a lightning cable to a port underneath an attached dust cap, so there’s no risk of losing it. Both caps are great to fiddle with when I’m absent-mindedly using them, but Logitech takes the W if you already have an Apple device. If not, MEKO fares slightly better here, since it comes with a cable in the box.

One annoying feature of Logitech’s crayon, however, is that it won’t turn off automatically – meaning that I’ve left it on for hours without realising. MEKO’s stylus turns off after not using it for so long, which I personally prefer, as it makes me more likely to be able to use it without getting caught out with a flat battery. This is especially pertinent when it comes to using the crayon in school, as I’ve had to switch to a regular whiteboard a few times now as my backup for when tech fails. It also takes a little bit more effort to turn Logitech’s crayon on and off, having to hold the button down, as opposed to a single click of MEKO’s stylus.

Both come with palm rejection, which means that your hand won’t cause unwanted lines when you’re writing, which I think is very important in a stylus.

Affordability

Your stylus of choice will also come down to how much you’re willing to spend. MEKO is far more affordable, retailing for around £30 when I purchased it. Logitech, however, charge £54 at the time of writing, so base your choice on whether you’re willing to invest nearly double for a few more features.

Verdict – MEKO or Logitech?

The verdict on who wins this tech spotlight versus is a little tricky. You should take all of the factors that I’ve highlighted into consideration before making your purchase, but for me, the choice is simple. If I were in the same financial position I was when I first bought MEKO’s stylus – that is, trying to save every penny – I’d go for it again. It gets the job done, is stylish, charges quickly and easily, and turns itself off if I forget.

However, I’ve been working for a while now, so the greater investment doesn’t feel so scary. While Logitech does offer gradient shading, that’s not what does it for me. I prefer using their stylus purely because it feels better to hold in my hand. Of course, the durability does it too.

So, which should you buy? If you’re looking for a budget stylus, I’d still recommend MEKO’s.* However, if you’re willing to invest a little more in an overall nicer experience – especially if you plan on using it for a lot of your day – then go for Logitech.*

Finally, I wanted to note that I had to have my original MEKO stylus replaced not long after I got it because it simply stopped working. The customer service team were really efficient and sent out a new one rapidly, and I’ve not had issues since.

*I may receive a percentage of the total sale from any affiliate links that you use to purchase from.

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