If you write or draw on your iPad, you need Astropad’s Rock Paper Pencil

Astropad’s US$44.99 Rock Paper Pencil is an excellent screen protector for the iPad Pro (third generation and newer), iPad mini (sixth gen), and 10.2-inch iPad (7th, 8th, and 9th generations) that comes with two tips for the Apple Pencil.

If you do any sort of drawing or writing on your Apple tablet, you need this accessory. I’m using it with my M5 iPad Pro, and it’s great.

One of my favorite things about the Rock Paper Pencil: the screen protector has integrated magnetic edges, so it snaps into place on your iPad. I DO NOT like using screen protectors that apply with adhesive because 1) I’m afraid they’ll damage the display, and 2) I have a heckuva time applying them without the dreaded “air bubbles” appearing.

The Rock Paper Pencil can be easily removed and reattached. It has a matte finish and is made with nano-texture technology to mimic the texture of paper and reduce glare. When it’s snapped on, the screen protector stays firmly in place.

As for the Apple Pencil tips, they offer more controlled and precise lines when drawing and writing than the tips that come on the Pencil. The folks at Astropad says they’re wear resistant and won’t wear down. And Rock Paper Pencil v3.0 introduced a solid stainless steel tip and an improved screen protector for a more durable, paper-like writing and drawing experience. Key upgrades include a rounder, more durable tip designed to reduce screen scratching, enhanced scratch resistance and anti-glare properties on the protector, and a texture that feels more like paper. The folks at Astropad say version 3 is three times more durable than the previous version. 

(Note that Astropad doesn’t provide either the Pencil tips nor the screen protector as individual purchases. The company designed them to work together to create the most realistic pen-on-paper experience for iPad.)

The screen protector/Pencil tips combo provides the feel of using a ballpoint pen on paper to draw and write. And it doesn’t interfere with other functions on the iPad. 

For example, while the screen protector is textured, the texture doesn’t affect the normal use of your touch screen and functions like your iPad’s on-screen keyboard. What’s more, the Rock Paper Pencil works just fine with Apple’s Smart Keyboard and should work with third party keyboards (though I’ve only tested it with the Smart Keyboard).

Here’s how to use the Rock Paper Pencil:

° Make sure your iPad screen is clean.

° Apply the screen protector by snapping it into place with the integrated magnetic edges.

° Unscrew your current Apple Pencil tip and replace it with the Astropad ballpoint tip.

That’s it. Now you can start using the Rock Paper Pencil.

Apple World Today rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★