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Customer Ratings & Reviews

Your price for this item is $49.99

Customer reviews

Rating 4 out of 5 stars with 216 reviews

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79%
would recommend
to a friend

Customers are saying

Customers are pleased with the Pencil by FiftyThree Bluetooth Stylus' ease of use, compatibility, and responsiveness. Many appreciate its comfortable feel and long battery life, while some found the tip size and eraser functionality to be less than ideal. A few users also noted the stylus's price point as a potential drawback.

This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.

The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 216 reviews
  • Cons mentioned:
    Tip size

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    If you don't have an iPad Pro, this is the pen!

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I got this for my iPad Air and I loved it. Yes, it doest have one of those rubber tips like others, but unlike others it feels more like a drawing instrument. That and the way it interacts with 53's own Paper app is great. I have now moved on to the Apple Pencil with the iPad Pro, which is in a league of its own. If you have an Apple Pencil, there's no need for this. BUT, if you love to draw and doodle, this is the best pencil for all other iPads!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Feel

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    I like it.

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I've been looking for a great stylus and have tried several cheaper ones, but I like the weight and feel of this one - especially with the fact that it's like a contractor pencil. It just feels right. It does what it should .. and I like it.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Responsiveness

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Good choice for active stylus but App support weak

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Overall this is among the best of the active stylus pens I have tried for the iPad. It has a great weight in the hand and the carpenter pencil style is really comfortable to hold. It charges by removing the tip and plugging directly into a USB slot. Tip and eraser end are replaceable. Probably the biggest weakness of all these devices is none seems to work universally across multiple apps. The App from 53 that works with the pencil is pretty slick and great for sketching or free handing things. However none of the Notetaking apps I usually prefer work with this any better than they do with a basic stylus which limits its utility for me as an everyday tool. My kids like it for doodling and I have to say the pressure sensitivity and smudging effects are very cool and give a real drawing like experience but only with the designated app. Overall though its a great stylus just not universally usable and I still have not found anything that works on an iPad or iPhone as well as the Samsung S-pen.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Battery life, Ease of use
    Cons mentioned:
    Tip size

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great drawing tool

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I love pencil! It has good battery live and is very easy to use. The only drawback that I found is that the tip is too big and small or fine lines are difficult to achieve with pencil.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Ease of use, Feel, Responsiveness

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great drawing tool

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Love to doodle and was looking for something that worked as well as a pen. The combination of the 53 Pencil and 53 Paper App is exactly what I was hoping for. Very easy to use, really responsive, great feel.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Ease of use, Feel
    Cons mentioned:
    Eraser

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Good Stylus, Could Be Better

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I love how the stylus feels in my hand and the ease of connection, but sometime it is unresponsive and the eraser feature hardly works.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Compatibility, Responsiveness

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great Stylus for drawing with Paper app

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    Bought this stylus for my daughter who loves to sketch. She uses a few drawing apps on her iPad including Paper. The Pencil stylus is very responsive and works extremely well with the Paper app, especially if you use it for sketching.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Cons mentioned:
    Eraser, Tip size

    Rated 2 out of 5 stars

    The only choice thus far for the iPad Air 2 user

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This is really the only smart stylus I've found thus far that works properly with the new screen tech in the iPad Air 2 and at around $60, the price is very nice. Also, asthetically Pencil by 53 is much nicer than other styluses out there. The walnut finish is quite attractive and the inbuilt magnets make carry less cumbersome. Charging is a breeze (though rarely needed) with the usb charger built into the battery (so no cords to lose). That said, there are a lot of cons that make me wish for a different stylus. Those magnets are relatively weak and I've already lost the stylus twice because it just won't stick. The rubber tip is rather over-large and wears out quickly, the eraser tip has never functioned reliably even after replacement, and third party app support seems lacking even with apps that are advertised as working with it.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Battery life

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    How it works with Procreate and overall thoughts

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I had really high expectations for this pencil. The 53 app that the pencil was made for isn't my favorite, I use Procreate. And it is a really easy hook up! You just place the pencil in the spot and it immediately syncs up! However. Actually using it on the Procreate app is a bit difficult. There I cannot do the thick to thin differences just by adjusting the pencil at all. I also can't get the light to dark differences from moving the pencil, like I should be able to. I'm assuming that is because I'm using the Procreate app and not the 53 app. But I am still a little disappointed that it didn't work as well with Procreate like I hoped. It feels absolutely amazing in your hand though! Very comfortable to hold and use for a long period of time. The wood is the one I got and its design is so nice! The battery lasts for a super long time! Which is super nice for longer drawing sessions. And the magnetic feature of the wood pencil is really nice. It's a small thing, but attaching it to my iPad when I'm done takes away the fear of ever losing it. It works good and I would still recommend it. But if all you use is Procreate, just beware and don't get your hopes up.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Responsiveness

    Rated 3 out of 5 stars

    Great, but only sometimes

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    When this stylus is working it is a terrific tool. It glides beautfully across the iPad screen, responds fluidly to pressure and tilt to provide a varied and lively line, and is a pleasure to hold and to draw with. The problem is, the Pencil doesn't always work. Sometimes it starts smearing every line I make. Other times it just becomes unresponsive, or requires inordinate pressure to produce a line. The tips don't last very long either, so I recommend not using it for any task other than drawing or writing. As a simple stylus, when it is not connected to an app (when I use it as a simple stylus) it works fine all the time, but with a device this pricey, you don't want those enhanced features to be useful only part time. I hope that the next generation of Pencils from 53 will improve on these issues.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Compatibility

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Works Well

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I purchased this stylus in lieu of the Apple pencil since it was nowhere to be found. I had tried multiple stylus on my iPad pro and the others just did not work and were wildly inaccurate. This one has been the closest to compatible that I have found yet and is now my backup for all of my devices. I love the eraser feature but unfortunately it doesn't work in every app.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Responsiveness

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great Overall Product

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I've used standard stylus before and this is definitely a huge improvement. Best feature is that you can rest your palm to rest on ipad and greatly improve on writing. Is it worth the money? Depends on what you use Paper 53 fo, it has replaced my "moleskin" so Yes (for me). I recommend getting a cheap (they always come in handy esp using ipad for recipes while cooking) stylus first and see if you aren't satisfied. I would definitely recommend.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Compatibility, Ease of use

    Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Pencil by Fifty Three Bluetooth Stylus -Awesome

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I love my Fifty Three Bluetooth Stylus! It makes using the 53 App an extra bonus! Before I bought my "Pencil" I was just using my finger. It is amazing the different things that you can do with it. From the fine detail....right down to using it as an eraser! It's definitely worth every penny. You won't be sorry!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Not for the casual user

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    This product caught my eye early when I was thinking of buying the iPad Air 2, so after I bought the tablet, I was eager to try out the Pencil stylus. The device itself is a marvel of design. It's truly beautiful, with a nice heft to it, and a pleasant finish. The packaging itself is really cool. Charging the device is also super easy. Installing it on your tablet is as easy as pressing a button on the associated app. However, in use, it falls a bit short. The pencil does allow you to make thick and thin strokes depending on the angle you're holding the device at, but the biggest problem is the lag between drawing and seeing the line appear on the screen. The lag makes drawing less of an organic process and more of an analytical one -- you are constantly trying to calculate where the penstroke show go, and checking to see if the line appeared or not, rather than just effortlessly drawing. If you just want something to take notes, there are much less expensive alternatives available. If you are serious about using the iPad for art or drawing, this device will need more commitment to learn to use than a casual user will want to make.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Feel

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Works Great with Companion app

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    The Pencil by 53 is a great stylus. It works best with its companion app Paper, but also functions in other apps such as Procreate. It feels good in the hand, a very natural feel, and it looks amazing. Only problem I've had is pairing it to my ipad sometimes takes a couple of go's. But other than that I can't complain!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Ease of use

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    works very well

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I found that this stylus worked very well with my IPad and was very easy to use. However I did have two problems with it, 1. It did not work with my IPhone and 2. It was a bit heavy for me since I do have arthritis in my hands. If these two problems are not considerations for you, then I would recommend it.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Cons mentioned:
    Eraser, Tip size

    Rated 3 out of 5 stars

    It's ok

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    It allows you to draw and write on an ipad. I find this stylus better for drawing than writing. The tip is a bit to fat to see what your doing. The eraser part of this pencil is hit and miss depending on the app your using it with.

    No, I would not recommend this to a friend
  • Cons mentioned:
    Tip size

    Rated 3 out of 5 stars

    Okay, but not great. I got the Black one...

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    There is a difference between the black and brown one. The brown one has a magnet to keep it close to the iPad cover. Otherwise, the same they say. This has to be taken apart to charge with USB. It is designed to be used with Paper 53, and works pretty well there. Outside of that environment, really haven't had much luck with it. The upside to this over the Apple Pencil is this one will work uncharged as a stylus. It doesn't seem to write well in smaller letters due to the wide nib, so is probably more well suited to drawing than writing. So, it would depend what my friend was going to use it for as to whether i would recommend this item. But it does seem sturdy and somewhat useful but not for all situations.

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Pros mentioned:
    Ease of use

    Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Excellent Stylus

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I've been eyeing this stylus for some time now, and when I saw it was on sale, I had to get it! I love how it acts like a real pencil. It's easy to connect and easy to use. I just wish it was magnetic like the walnut version. Other than that, it's great!

    I would recommend this to a friend
  • Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Great way to rediscover one's creativity

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    Posted .
    This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.

    I originally bought this Pencil 53 because I bought the black one for my nephew, and I wanted to be able to walk him through any issues he might have. (He hasn't hasn't had any issues yet.) In the meantime, I've begun drawing again after a decade and a half hiatus from drawing and painting. I enjoy the versatility that I have in being able to create sketches and simulate creating watercolor painting without having to clean up at the end of the day. (I confess to missing the sharp point of a pencil sometimes, though.) The palm rejection feature significantly contributes to feeling as if I am using pen and paper. It does take a little effort to get used to mixing the colors in the "Paper" app to acquire the just-right colors. Nevertheless, I enjoy using the Pencil 53 so much that I bought one for my spouse to use when creating house plans.

    I would recommend this to a friend