There are hundreds of different stylus options available for the iPhone and the iPad, but that hasn't stopped new company Stilo Co. from introducing a fresh take on the stylus. The battery-powered Stilo is a fine-tipped stylus designed to pair with a Precision Film to replicate the feel of writing on paper with a pen.
According to the company, the purpose behind the Stilo is to create a more "complete and organic" iPhone and iPad writing experience with a writing utensil that's universally compatible with existing sketching and drawing apps in the App Store. It also works with all different touchscreen devices, from the iPhone and iPad (including iPad Air 2) to Android devices.
Stilo Co. invited us to go hands-on with the Stilo, so we took them up on their offer to see how the Stilo measures up to competing styluses and how well it mimics the pen-and-paper experience.
Design and Features
The main draw of the Stilo is its small 1.9mm tip, which allows for more accuracy when writing on a capacitive screen because you can see what you're doing. In comparison to a standard pen, it's thicker and heavier to accommodate the AAA battery that powers it.
It's thicker than a lot of other styluses I've used, and I'd say it compares most closely to a marker. It's not exactly uncomfortable to use, but it does get tiresome after long periods of time (upwards of a half hour), resulting in hand cramping and soreness. Some weight in a stylus is appropriate for a smooth pen-like writing experience, but the weight of the Stilo is not ideal - it feels too heavy with too much weight towards the bottom.
The Stilo weighs 30 grams. In comparison, the Adonit Jot Script weighs 19 grams, a standard Sharpie weighs 8 grams, and a Bic pen weighs 4.6 grams. Thickness and weight preference for a writing utensil is going to vary by person. If you prefer weightier pens that are on the thicker side, the Stilo could be a good fit.