SPEED UP

Scribbly Cosmonaut
Sensu Brush
Sensitivity
There were a few occasions where we found
ourselves having to go back and start a gesture
again when the Scribbly failed to pick it up. It was
admittedly quite rare, but we couldn’t help but notice
it more than the other styluses.
Accuracy
Thanks to the chunky, marker pen-like design of the
Scribbly, the nib of the pen feels smaller, but in reality
it’s around the same size as the others in our test. Still,
it manages impressive accuracy, although fine detail
is difficult to achieve.
The Scribbly is designed to feel like a board marker,
and it absolutely succeeds. It’s comfortable to hold,
although the whole thing is incredibly light. We
would’ve liked a little more weight to the pen, as the
hollow metal casing feels insubstantial.
The Scribbly’s large size doesn’t lend itself particularly
well to the smaller screens – board markers are, after
all, designed for large areas of space. However, thanks
to the nib size, it doesn’t fare terribly, it’s just not the
best we saw in this test.
There are no hidden features with the Scribbly – what
you see in front of you is what you get. We did find
the nib could be replaced quite easily by unscrewing
the pen top, which also revealed the hollow inside of
the stylus’ tube.
Summary
For a bit of fun this is a great
choice, but more serious
artists will likely want to
look elsewhere
Sensitivity
We were impressed with the sensitivity of the
Cosmonaut on the iPad. The whole pen is very
conductive, so if you really wanted to, you could use
the opposite end to draw with. Still, for normal use it’s
very rarely frustrating.
Accuracy
The Cosmonaut has the biggest nib of all the styluses
in our test, thanks to the way it tapers out to meet
the rest of the pen’s main body. This impacts on
the accuracy somewhat, but it still manages to be
surprisingly good.
The rubber body is big and chunky, and feels
beautiful to hold. We particularly enjoyed using
drawing apps while holding the stylus so it formed
an acute angle with the screen, as if we were
colouring with a crayon.
The Cosmonaut unfortunately had some strange
issues with sensitivity on the seven-inch iPad mini
when holding the device in a hand, but it was fine
when used on a desk. It looks great with your device,
too, but is very large.
This is by far the most simplistic stylus we had the
opportunity to test. Machined from a solid piece of
aluminium, then coated with conductive rubber,
there’s nothing else you can do with this stylus but
use it to prod your screen.
Summary
A stylus that feels great
when using it like a crayon,
but with some sensitivity
issues, it’s not perfect
Sensitivity
The dual tips of the Sensu Brush allow you to choose
between the firm, accurate rubber nib and the more
artistic brush. Both offer excellent sensitivity, and
we had no issues with either end when it came to
tapping and swiping.
Accuracy
The accuracy of the brush tip was impressive,
although we would never use it for tasks such as
hand-writing or fine details. The rubber end offered
impressive accuracy, however, thanks to the firm nib.
It’s the best of both worlds.
The build is impressive – a small rubber grip on
the brush end breaks up an otherwise shiny metal
casing – and the whole thing feels exactly like you’re
working with a paintbrush. Using it on the screen is
absolutely fantastic with art apps, too.
While the brush might not be perfect for smaller
selections on the screen of an iPhone, it still works
well in creative art apps, while the rubber tip offers
improved accuracy for navigating around the screens
of the iPhone or iPad mini.
There are no particular features to speak of, but the
feeling of brushing paint onto the iPad’s screen in
ArtRage is so unbelievably natural that it’s easy to
forget you’re using a tablet rather than a piece of
paper and a normal brush.
Summary
It’s expensive, but for those
that want an authentic
experience, this is a great
mix of brush and rubber
117