It's now 2025, and selecting the appropriate Apple Pencil for your iPad remains a complex task.

      Apple unveiled two new iPads today, refreshing its product lineup at nearly opposite ends of the spectrum. The 2022 entry-level iPad received a much-needed upgrade with more modern specifications, while a new M3 iPad Air was introduced, even though its predecessor was released just ten months ago.

      Although the M3 iPad Air update may seem a bit redundant, it remains a robust midrange tablet — likely offering a viable alternative to the iPad Pro for many users. However, there are not many changes from the previous model.

      On the other hand, Apple's most budget-friendly iPad stands out as the first device in the company’s "Apple Intelligence" era that does not support this technology. It features an A16 chip similar to that of the iPhone 15, albeit with some CPU/GPU cores missing. While it offers a notable performance upgrade over the older A14 chip from 2020, it does not enable any AI capabilities.

      Complicated Apple Pencil Lineup

      Amid these new chip releases, Apple’s lineup of styluses remains perplexing. In 2023, we discussed the challenges of purchasing an Apple Pencil, and it arguably became more complicated last year when Apple introduced a fourth model: the Apple Pencil Pro.

      Currently, Apple has four Apple Pencil models available:

      - Apple Pencil (1st generation): Released in 2015 alongside the original 12.9-inch iPad Pro, it charges directly from an iPad using a male Lightning connector or through an adapter.

      - Apple Pencil (2nd generation): Launched in 2018 with redesigned 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, it charges magnetically from the side of the iPad.

      - Apple Pencil (USB-C): Introduced in late 2023 as a more affordable option primarily designed for the entry-level iPad, it charges with a standard USB-C cable.

      - Apple Pencil Pro: Released in 2024 alongside the M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro, it also charges magnetically from the side of the iPad.

      Despite expectations that the first-generation Apple Pencil would have been phased out by now, Apple continues to sell and support it for older iPads, even ensuring it remains compatible with the latest iPad models.

      This charging design confusion is problematic. The situation became particularly convoluted with the 2022 iPad, which adopted a USB-C port, leading to a confusing charging scenario for the original stylus. While this issue was somewhat unavoidable, as the entry-level tablet was not ready to support the second-generation Apple Pencil that requires magnetic charging, it did not help user experience.

      The Apple Pencil (USB-C) was meant to address this issue when it launched in late 2023. Alongside offering a more budget-friendly stylus to match the price of the entry-level iPad, it also provided a proper USB-C charging solution. Users could connect it with a standard USB-C cable, whether to a wall charger or to the iPad's USB-C port.

      This new Apple Pencil was generally an improvement over the original, adding functionality like the hover feature introduced with the 2022 M2 iPad Pro (which also came to the iPad Air and iPad mini). It even magnetically attached to the sides of flat-edged iPads, providing a handy storage solution, although it still did not charge from them.

      Unfortunately, the USB-C version is also a step back, lacking the pressure sensitivity of the first-generation stylus. This could explain why Apple still supports it even on the recently announced 2025 iPad. Furthermore, the latest iPad is almost identical to the 2022 model in every aspect, aside from the updated chip. Nonetheless, Apple could have used this opportunity to retire its decade-old stylus if they truly wanted to.

      Apple should work to simplify its stylus offerings. For the rest of the iPad lineup—the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini—the distinction is far clearer. Models released from 2024 onward utilize the Apple Pencil Pro, while those released before 2024 rely on the Apple Pencil (2nd generation).

      The first-generation Apple Pencil remains an option exclusively for users who need pressure sensitivity on the budget iPad. While it's a usable choice, it creates unnecessary complications requiring the use of USB-C-to-Lightning adapters for charging. Apple provides one in the box and sells extras for $9.

      However, the Apple Pencil (USB-C) is the ideal choice for most iPad users, offering a more affordable price for those primarily needing to take notes and do light sketching. This holds true across the iPad range. Even many iPad Pro users are unlikely to miss out by choosing the USB-C version over the Apple Pencil Pro, which is geared toward digital artists who require its advanced features for tools like ProCreate, including double-tap and squeeze gestures for quick tool selection and shape rotation. It's