Samsung C Pen - How to Make it Work Better on the Galaxy S3

(The video was recorded inverted for better viewing experience. Jump to 1:30 to skip intro)

I knew that the C Pen won’t work as brilliantly as the S Pen of the Samsung Note 2. But since Samsung made the C Pen specifically for the Galaxy S3 and priced it at around $30, I assumed that it would perform quite well in all the functions it’s meant to do. It does a good job (not excellent) for navigation (Ex. flipping though screens and photos) and messaging purposes. However, I’m quite disappointed with S Memo's responsiveness to the C Pen. I like using my phone for taking notes and making grocery shopping lists, for instance. 

In the course of my frustration, I mindlessly tinkered with the pen - removing parts and so on to see if it makes a difference- and chanced upon an interesting discovery. There’s a trick! You can make the pen glide more naturally and smoothly so that writing is more precise and the screen more responsive.

All you have to do is FLIP THE PEN OVER. That’s it. Instead of using the rubber tip, use the metal tip on the opposite end of the stylus. I have found that writing on the S Memo with the metal tip gives a more natural writing experience, lessens the lag seen when using the rubber tip, and makes the screen more responsive. A piece of advice: I recommend using this technique on the S Memo only and writing in script (if possible) to minimize unnecessary tapping since the metal tip is hard and so may damage the screen over long use. Perhaps we can cover the metal tip with something soft? Let me know if you have any ideas. :)

This video demonstrates how both tips perform on the S 3. To skip the intro, simply fast forward to 1:40. Samsung C Pen - How to make it work better on Samsung Galaxy S 3

Review of Samsung C Pen for Samsung Galaxy S 3

Samsung Galaxy S 3 (S Memo) & C Pen (different thickness levels)

Can this ball-pen-like stylus made especially, and only, for the Samsung Galaxy S III be worth its $30-plus retail price? 

C Pen (above) and S Pen (below)

Isn’t it cool to use your phone as a memo pad? Samsung Galaxy S 3 (SGS3) has the S Memo, adding another dimension to the phone’s creative abilities and functionality by letting the user smoothly move through screens, draw stuff (greeting cards or just plain nothings) and write quick notes, in the least. But there’s only so much you can do with your fingers!

Galaxy Note 2 and S Pen

Seeing my husband toying with his brand new Samsung Note 2 and its uber-stylish multifunctional S Pen made me jealous. I want one too! Not the phone as it’s too big for me as it probably is for many gals out there, whether tech-savvy or not. So I typed away on my laptop and ordered the little accessory from Progadgets. 

But why do you need a stylus pen anyway? Well, it eliminates annoying fingerprints on the phone’s capacitive screen, allows for precise action (such as when flipping screens/photos, clicking, and typing), and makes scribbling and drawing on the S Memo a breeze - or at least it should.

The Look

In terms of form and appearance, the C Pen is one of the handsomest around. Thanks to its pen-like shape and size, the stylus is easy to maneuver and feels natural in my hand. With its smoothly rounded body in Titanium Silver finish, it resembles a classic Parker pen. Another good thing about the pen is its 3mm tip, which is way smaller than the generic styluses out there but not as sleek as the S Pen’s pointed tip. Anyhow, the size does a good job at keeping visible the point where the pen is touching on the phone so you can write more accurately. 

Tip size: C Pen (black, 3mm) and S Pen (white)

 Another thing worthy of note is the tip’s hard rubber material (harder than most stylus pens in the market), giving it a more solid feel so you don’t have to be too gentle with it.  In addition, the pen features a clip, with the name Samsung on it, for convenient and secure storage in your pocket or bag pocket. Unfortunately, unlike the Note’s tiny S Pen, you can’t hide the C Pen in the SGS3 phone. Nonetheless, it doesn’t look cheap, at least to me.

The Performance

Note: the C Pen doesn't work on other Android gadgets (or maybe it does in very limited capacity in some) and on the iPhone and iPad. 

The first noticeable thing is the pen's inability to function on the two side functions right below the screen. So when using the pen, you will still have to use your fingers to go back and to access the additional functions of the left button. But no need to fret because the Note has the same issue (hehehe).

 

Samsung's Swype feature

C Pen works fine with big fonts

Delightfully enough, the pen glides smoothly and is quite responsive when flipping through the home screens and photos. Typing and swyping (a Samsung feature that lets you write seamlessly without lifting your finger from the keypad) is more fun with the C Pen but I noticed that while the letters are responsive to the pen, some command keys (delete, enter, and space) require more pressure to get it to work. Thus, the responsiveness is inconsistent and is such a nuisance because it necessitates the application of more force or pressure from your hand to elicit a reaction. I also found the same issue with top corners of the phone’s screen, which seem to be less sensitive to the pen’s touch than the other areas of the screen. You just have to poke the screen a bit harder, which can tire hands easily with continued use.

C Pen (on S3) not as precise as S Pen (on Note 2)

C Pen misses some letters on the S3.

One of my reasons for getting the C pen was so I could write better on the S Memo. I like to use my phone for jotting down shopping lists, taking pointers and even creating e-cards. In this category, the pen works well when set in thicker writing size, but still not comparable to the fantastic responsiveness of the S Pen. It creates good enough shapes and large sized letters and words. I, however, prefer to use the pen in fine or very fine mode so I can squeeze more words into the small screen. But the problem is it doesn’t work that well. 

Note 2 gives a very natural writing experience.

This is a HUGE disappointment. No matter hard I push the pen down (now the hard rubber tip suddenly makes sense, hmmm), I still get broken scribbles, and sometimes what I write disappears for some reason. Weird! And that’s not even it. Every time I write, whether in script or print style, there’s a noticeable lag and the output does not entirely match the pen’s movements. It looks illegible, akin to a 4-year-old’s penmanship. You don’t get that with the Note’s S Pen. Really Samsung? Are you sure you made the C Pen for the S3? 

The Verdict

To answer the question above, for a basic stylus NO; IT’S NOT WORTH the $30 price tag. Maybe if it were $15 or less, not so bad. But seriously, I can’t comprehend why Samsung would make a phone-specific stylus pen that doesn’t work well in all the functions it’s meant to do and price it that high. C’mon Samsung, you need a smart accessory for a phone as smart as the S3 and its users. Not a smart move. But for users not too keen on the S Memo, it’s down to wanting to spend that much for something $5 styluses on EBay can do, if not better.

Pros:

·         Looks expensive, like a Parker pen

·         Feels natural in the hand with its pen-like shape

·         Clip lets you conveniently secure the pen in your pocket

·         Small tip, allows for better visibility of where the tip is pointed at

·         Glides well on the screen

·         Does a great job in flipping screens and pictures

·         Great accuracy in selecting icons and letters on the keypad

·         Typing and swyping is smoother and more accurate

Cons:

·         Overpriced

·         Very basic stylus pen for the price

·         Can’t be attached to the phone, increasing the possibility of getting it lost

·         Inconsistent tip sensitivity makes the screen’s responsiveness inconsistent

·         Response lag

·         Requires more force or pressure to get certain keypad or S Memo functions to work

·         Writing is inaccurate and illegible in S Memo

·         Poor response in writing in S Memo – incomplete or missing

·         Scribbles disappear after seeing it on the screen as you write on the S Memo

Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences of the C Pen. :)