Microsoft announced today that its new low-cost smartpen, the Classroom Pen 2, is launching next week, on April 27.
“Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 is optimized for use with Surface Go and Surface Pro and enables students of all ages to write and draw naturally on their screens via an improved design and longer enclosure,” Microsoft’s Lauren Ryland writes. “The durable pen tip is replaceable, and it’s easy to prevent loss with a built-in slot for a tether or the clip that attaches to Surface Type Covers. And even with those improvements, the Classroom Pen 2 is only half the cost of the original.”
Microsoft describes Classroom Pen 2 as a “reimagining” of the original Classroom Pen, which was launched in early 2019. But it appears to be more of a cost-reduced version, and it now features a built-in slot that can be used with a tether or a clip. It more closely resembles the standard Surface Pen than did the previous version, too.
Microsoft Classroom Pen 2 will be available only to education institutions beginning April 27, 2021. It is sold in packs of 20 for a cost of about $400, or about $20 per pen, along with batteries and replacement pen tips.