Apple’s iPad and Pencil combination makes a great note-taking or digital drawing solution.But while taking notes and creating art on an iPad has many advantages over using analog pen and paper, the actual felt Writing with a plastic-tipped stylus on the iPad’s smooth glass isn’t great. When the stylus’ hard plastic hits the iPad’s hard glass, it can be noisy, slippery, and difficult to use if you’re used to writing on paper.
But it doesn’t have to be. There is a small cottage industry of paper-like (or paper-like, paper-like) screen protectors for iPads that directly address this issue. And as someone who takes handwritten notes on my iPad every day, I now swear by them.
These kinds of screen protectors serve a different purpose than the typical clear plastic screen protectors, which are designed to prevent scratches on your screen. The matte finish diffuses the light coming out of the screen, allowing you to write a rougher texture. This has the effect of giving the tip of the Apple Pencil some resistance. This makes writing on glass feel like writing on paper and gives you more control over your strokes. It also reduces the glass tapping noise produced by the iPad pencil. Writing through the screen protector is no less responsive than without it, and standard finger taps and swipes make navigating the iPad a breeze.
Yes, as expected, the iPad feels more like paper, but I wouldn’t say it’s exactly the same.
Common brands of paper type screen protectors include Paperlike, Moshi (which is what I use on my iPad Mini and iPad Pro), and PenTips, but Amazon has many low cost brands. There are options outside. You’ll find options for every iPad on the market, from the basic 9.7-inch model released years ago to the latest and greatest iPad Pro models. Matte screen protectors are usually more expensive than basic clear ones, with name-brand versions selling for $30 to $45 each.
There are some drawbacks to be aware of when using matte screen protectors. This can be a problem if you use your iPad outdoors or primarily for watching movies. PenTips’ PenMat offers a clever solution to this. It magnetically attaches to your iPad, so you can easily put it on when you want to write or draw, and remove it when you want to watch a movie or get the maximum brightness from your iPad. screen. I haven’t used this myself, but his YouTuber Brad Colbow, who makes videos on how to create art on digital devices, tested it recently and was impressed.
People who write with heavy hands or draw a lot on their iPad can wear out the tip of their Apple Pencil prematurely with a matte screen protector due to its grainy texture. (This seems to be the worst when tilting the pencil for a shading effect.) Replacing the pencil tip is easy, and for under $20 he gets four replacements, but be careful.
Handwriting is now mostly readable thanks to the matte screen protector
Personally, I’ve never had issues with reduced brightness and contrast due to a matte screen protector, so I leave it on my iPad 100% of the time. And when I’m writing notes, it’s more comfortable to use, I have more control, and I can almost read my chicken-scratch handwriting. It also eliminates glare when reading or watching videos. One final benefit is that matte screen protectors seem to repel fingerprints and other smudges better than bare glass screens.
If you only use your iPad to watch videos or entertain your young children, then you don’t need to spend money on a good matte screen protector. But if you have an idea to use it for note-taking or digital art, it’s one of the best accessories you can buy. And an iPad with a matte screen protector goes a long way in providing a writing experience similar to the likes of Remarkable while still having all the other features that the iPad is great at.
