Microsoft certainly seems to be on to something with its Surface Pen. The stylus in general seems set to make a comeback across the board, as the announcement of the Apple Pencil back in September demonstrated, and now Microsoft has announced a new accessory with a view to perfecting the experience.
A collection of four different tips to place on the end of the Surface Pen will allow users to customize the device to their own preferences. Anyone who switches between writing and drawing on their Surface will likely be very interested in what these extra nibs have to offer.
The set includes nibs that mimic 2H, H, HB, and B pencils respectively, according to a report from WinBeta. The tips come packaged in a storage case to make sure they don’t go missing, and the container itself even acts as a tool to help switching out one for another at a moment’s notice.
Despite some early hurdles, it really seems that Microsoft’s Surface line is now hitting its stride. The flagship line of devices is already a compelling proposition, but the continued development of new functionality and useful accessories is turning the range into the go-to hybrid device for Windows users.
The Surface Pen alone solves a lot of input problems that tablets have historically suffered from, and this set of swappable nibs looks poised to improve its functionality even further. It remains to be seen whether the Apple Pencil will be received as warmly as Microsoft’s stylus offering has been.
These Surface Pen nibs will be supplied alongside the new version of the Surface Pen, and will retail for $10 if purchased separately. However, they will not be compatible with previous iterations of the Pen — only with the version that packs a single side button.