Weight: 34 grams
Charge time: 1 hour
Battery life: 11 hours
Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.5 inches
Tablet accessory brand Adonit are well known for great styluses. If you're looking for a stylus that is both stylish and feels high-end, then look no further than their latest release – the Adonit Star.
This stylus is designed to resemble a traditional fountain pen, with a glossy black metallic body and faux pen nib. It's sleek and elegant, and a great option if you want to feel fancy whilst writing on your tablet. It's important to note right off the bat that this stylus is primarly aimed at note taking and general use, so like most Adonit devices does not have pen pressure sensitivity if you're looking to create art.
We feature a multitude of Adonit styluses in our guide to the best Apple Pencil alternatives which is a credit to how much we love this brand. I also recently reviewed the unique Adonit Log, which is a lightweight stylus that is made mostly out of wood if you fancy something a bit different. If you're looking for more accessories to deck out your beloved tablet, check out our guide to the best iPad accessories overall.
Adonit Star: Design
The Adonit Star is styled after a traditional fountain pen. It has a handsome metallic black and silver body with a removable lid that easily slots onto the other end when in use, much like a real pen. Even the nib looks like a real fountain pen, but the metal design doesn't impede on functionality. The Adonit Star feels great to write with, gliding smoothly across the screen of the iPad with no drag. The shape of the stylus itself is pretty ergonomic, however I do wish there was some kind of rubberised grip or groove to make it a bit more comfortable during more extended use.
To charge the Adonit Star, simply untwist the end of the stylus to reveal a USB-C connector and hook it up to your cable (which comes included in the box). I love that the USB-C port is hidden away, further adding to the illusion that this is a traditional fountain pen. The power switch sits on the main body, but doesn't get in the way of your grip as it's smooth and therefore subtle.
Adonit Star: Features
With no pressure sensitivity, the Adonit Star is a pretty simple device with only a few features. It doesn't connect to the iPad via Bluetooth – simply turn it on and start drawing. One downside is that, despite the fact it doesn't connect via Bluetooth, you have to disconnect the Apple Pencil if that is already paired up. This is a bit of a pain if you wanted to cycle between the two. The metal build means it weighs 34 grams, so it's considerably heftier than the Adonit Log (that weighs just 13 grams) but this also means it's harder to lose. Which, if you're as disorganised as me, is always a plus!
Adonit Star: Performance
As previously mentioned, the Adonit Star doesn't have pressure sensitivity. This is a make or break deal if you're an artist, as it means you cannot control the line weight when drawing in apps like Procreate. However, if you're looking for a stylus that is good for note taking during work/school and general browsing, this is a great stylish option. I found the Adonit Star to be incredibly responsive with no lag or jitter, and writing felt like using a regular pen. Overall, I have no issues with performance at all and easily consider this an excellent alternative to the Apple Pencil if you're not fussed about pen pressure.
Adonit Star: Should you buy it?
The Adonit Star is a fantastic and unique alternative to the Apple Pencil. While the lack of magnetic storage option and pen pressure is a little disappointing, the Star isn't sold as an artistic device and could easily be mistaken for a traditional fountain pen if you're looking for a fancy stylus alternative. The metallic body feels great to hold and it's a very handsome device altogether. Retailing for $49.99, it's a pretty pricey investment, but still considerably cheaper than both the first and second-gen Apple Pencil. Overall, if you're looking for a fancy stylus alternative that is perfect for the workplace, the Adonit Star is the way to go.
