The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra became the first Galaxy S-series smartphone to get S Pen support earlier this year. Now, Samsung has brought the S Pen support to the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the first foldable to get it. The company has worked with Wacom to enable stylus support on the device’s main screen. Among the Samsung S Pens, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 can work with not just one but two S Pen models — the S Pen Pro and the S Pen Fold Edition.
Although Samsung had showcased the S Pen Pro during the Galaxy S21 Ultra unveiling, the company didn’t share all the details about the stylus. But now, we have the information. The S Pen Fold Edition, on the other hand, is an entirely new stylus, and it’s making its debut with the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
In this article, we’ll talk about exactly what is different between these two S Pen models.
S Pen Pro vs S Pen Fold Edition: Hardware, Charging, and Tip
The S Pen Fold Edition is similar to Samsung’s previous non-powered S Pen models. It’s smaller and more compact than the S Pen Pro and will fit in Samsung’s special Z Fold 3 case. On the other hand, the S Pen Pro is larger and more in line with a regular pencil or pen. There won’t be an official Galaxy Z Fold 3 case to accommodate the Pro stylus. This size difference is also visible in the weights of these two styluses. The S Pen Fold Edition weighs just 6.7 grams, whereas the S Pen Pro weighs 13.8 grams.
As mentioned, you don’t need to charge the S Pen Fold Edition, but the S Pen Pro will need power. The company has included a USB Type-C port on the tip of the pen, in which you can plug in a cable to charge it. A 50-minute charge will give up to 16 days of battery life.
In other features, both the S Pen Fold Edition and S Pen Pro come with a retractable rubber Pro tip with force limit technology, meaning the pen tip will automatically retract into the barrel of the S Pen when there is too much force to avoid damaging the screen. The tip also can absorb shock if needed. The foldable screens are more fragile than traditional smartphone screens, so having a rubber auto-retractable pen tip makes a lot of sense. If you use any other stylus on the Z Fold 3, the phone will warn you to not use that as it might damage the screen.
The S Pen Pro includes Bluetooth support and has a hardware switch for switching between Fold compatibility and other S Pen-supported devices. If you have multiple S Pen compatible phones or other Samsung devices, you’ll be able to the S Pen Pro with all of them and seamlessly switch on the fly with the hardware button. It is backward compatible with all S Pen-capable devices, however, the Fold Edition will only work with the Z Fold 3.
S Pen Pro vs S Pen Fold Edition: Features
The S Pen Fold Edition feature-set is closer to the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s S Pen. Consumers can use it to write, sketch, and draw on the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It will also support Samsung’s Air Command feature that gives you easy access to various S Pen options. You hover the S Pen above the Z Fold 3 screen and click its button to trigger Air Command. S Pen options include Smart Select, Screen Write, writing notes in Samsung Notes, creating Live Messages, and more.
The S Pen Pro is a far more advanced stylus than the S Pen Fold Edition and other S Pen models. It can do everything the S Pen Fold Edition does, and then it goes a step beyond. You can use it to control the phone’s camera, volume, most media apps, gallery, and more with gestures and the onboard button. These device-controlling gestures (aka Air Actions) will only be available on Samsung devices that run One UI 3.1 or newer.
Further, the S Pen Pro will also let you copy and paste content from one Samsung device to another. The stylus can also be tracked using the SmartThings app in case you lose access to it.
As you can see, there are quite a few differences between these two S Pen models. The S Pen Fold Edition targets regular consumers who don’t need enhanced features or S Pen access across devices. They can still draw, sketch, take notes, mark documents, and more with the Fold Edition. On the other hand, the S Pen Pro is designed for professionals with its advanced features. It’s also more expensive than the Fold Edition stylus. Samsung is selling the S Pen Fold Edition at $49.99, whereas the S Pen Pro will retail at $99.99.
SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 3
- The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is Samsung’s latest flagship foldable smartphone. It’s powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, and runs on Android 11 with One UI.
S PEN PRO
- S Pen Pro is a universal stylus from Samsung that works all S Pen compatible devices launched so far. It is Bluetooth-enabled and requires charging.
S PEN FOLD EDITION
- S Pen Fold Edition is a stylus exclusive to Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. It doesn’t need power to operate and features an auto-retractable tip.
Which of the two S Pen models are you planning to buy for your Galaxy Z Fold 3? Let us know in the comments section. Meanwhile, if you’re curious about Samsung’s other new foldable — the Galaxy Z Flip 3 — we have a detailed guide on the phone.
For more such interesting article like this, app/softwares, games, Gadget Reviews, comparisons, troubleshooting guides, listicles, and tips & tricks related to Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS, follow us on Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.