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SP3 Pen Issue

Moonsurface

Super Moderator
Staff member
The only issue I've had with my pen has been with pressure issues in FreshPaint, but removing and reinserting the nib fixed that one.

I've written a few hundred pages of notes with mine without issue and still on first battery.

May be worth just trying removing and replacing the pen nib just to see if it helps.
 

InspectHerGadget

Active Member
The only issue I've had with my pen has been with pressure issues in FreshPaint, but removing and reinserting the nib fixed that one.

I've written a few hundred pages of notes with mine without issue and still on first battery.

May be worth just trying removing and replacing the pen nib just to see if it helps.
It may be it wasn't tested very well on left handers.

It works fine most of the time but not all the time and both SP3 pens have been the same.
 

Moonsurface

Super Moderator
Staff member
You could be right there. I'm right handed. The angle of the pen does affect it a bit I find, if I hold the pen at a very sloping angle it writes a little further from the actual tip than if I hold it more upright, it's not enough off to be annoying but if I want more accuracy I hold the pen more upright. Generally though I find the "ink" flows from where I'm expecting with no lag, it really does feel like real writing to me.
 
OP
K

Karam

New Member
I will another replacement pen and hopefully this one will work. Quite sad that out of the box did not work.
 

InspectHerGadget

Active Member
You could be right there. I'm right handed. The angle of the pen does affect it a bit I find, if I hold the pen at a very sloping angle it writes a little further from the actual tip than if I hold it more upright, it's not enough off to be annoying but if I want more accuracy I hold the pen more upright. Generally though I find the "ink" flows from where I'm expecting with no lag, it really does feel like real writing to me.

I do wonder seriously if it is something to do with left versus right handed use. Lefties are 15% of the population so it is like being a Mac in a Microsoft world...:)
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for that.

In practice though, Jeff, one is more reliable than the other, for whatever reasons. There are also no batteries to worry about on the SP2. There are not one but two sets of batteries on the SP3, one for the bluetooth and one for screen magic.

I've just noticed far more incidents on the SP3 with it hesitating and not writing or not rejecting the palm (so it scrolls or goes to another page).

I actually returned one SP3 because of this then decided I wanted the performance of the i7 more than not wanting the issues with the pen.

It isn't a showstoppper but it is annoying and it is one area where the SP2 is simply more reliable.

I should say I've probably sold dozens of these Surfaces for Microsoft as I see people every day. When the pen doesn't work though I do get laughed at...oh, my poor fragile ego...:)
I've never had an issue with the Pen other some Nib wear....I write 20-30 pages a day of inked notes or PDFs.
 
OP
K

Karam

New Member
Its just really weird and a frustrating issue. If he was able to use someone else's pen and it WORKED as it should have on his surface, then all the drivers are installed properly and that would mean Pens are defective. What are the chances for TWO pens being defective from Microsoft?
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
Its just really weird and a frustrating issue. If he was able to use someone else's pen and it WORKED as it should have on his surface, then all the drivers are installed properly and that would mean Pens are defective. What are the chances for TWO pens being defective from Microsoft?
If the were a bad batch and both pens where from that batch, then very likely....
 

Moonsurface

Super Moderator
Staff member
Did the OP try their pen on the other Surface device?? Agree though could be two from the same dodgy batch...

I do wonder seriously if it is something to do with left versus right handed use. Lefties are 15% of the population so it is like being a Mac in a Microsoft world...:)

I am tempted by the 5k imac 27...!!
 
OP
K

Karam

New Member
Well guys. This case can be closed. We have two new employees that are coming in tomorrow and we ordered two new Surfaces for them as well as extra Pens just in case and It came in today. I grabbed one of the pens, paired it with my bosses surface and it worked. Thanks for all the help!
 
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