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Samsung S Pen Fold Edition
The Galaxy Z Fold series makes perfect sense for stylus use due to its impressive screen size. Unfortunately, it doesn’t ship with an S Pen, so you’ll have to pick up the S Pen Fold Edition. It’s a lot like the previous S Pens, which were limited to one type of device such as Galaxy Tab tablets or the Galaxy S21. The most important feature is its tip, which is more rounded than others and can retract into the body under pressure. Both modifications exist to keep you from damaging the Fold 3 and 4’s relatively sensitive display.
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Source: Samsung
Samsung S Pen Pro
The S Pen Pro is Samsung’s top-of-the-line stylus, with a wider feature set than any of the others. It contains a Bluetooth radio in addition to the unique transmitter used by the Z Fold series, so it works with any Samsung device that supports pen use. It can even use that Bluetooth connection to copy and paste items from the screen of one Samsung device to another. Should you lose it, it will show up in the SmartThings Find app. The only drawback is that it’s the only S Pen that requires charging separately from the device.
When the Galaxy Z Fold 3 came out back in 2021, it finally added S Pen support to the foldable form factor, something we had been waiting for since the original Galaxy Fold. The Z Fold 4 continued that support and improved it with better cases and accessories centered around the S Pen. If you want to use the S Pen with your foldable, you have two options: The S Pen Fold Edition and the S Pen Pro. Let’s explore the differences between the two.
Price, availability, and specs
The S Pen Fold Edition can be found for $50 from Samsung or Amazon, and that will get you the S Pen itself and a carrying pouch that doesn’t attach to any device. If you’d prefer to keep the S Pen close at hand, we recommend that you buy the S Pen with the carrying case appropriate for your phone, especially if you have the Z Fold 4. That’ll set you back around $80 for the Z Fold 3 and $90 for the Z Fold 4.
The S Pen Pro is $100 from Samsung but can frequently be had for $75 from Amazon. Like the Fold Edition, that price gets you the S Pen and a carrying pouch. Sadly there’s no phone or tablet case to recommend for this one.
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Samsung S Pen Fold Edition Samsung S Pen Pro Compatibility Galaxy Fold 3, Fold 4 All S Pen-enabled devices Connectivity N/A Bluetooth, USB-C Weight 132.1 x 7.7 mm, 6.3g 170.9 x 8.89 mm, 13.8g Dimensions 132.1 x 7.7 mm 170.9 x 8.89 mm
Size, shape, and compatibility
There are a lot of similarities between the S Pen Fold Edition and the S Pen Pro. For one, both are larger than any of the S Pens that slot inside a phone, with the S Pen Pro coming in at a similar size and weight as the 2nd gen Apple Pencil. Both also have a special retractable tip mechanism that prevents them from damaging foldable screens, plus both pens are sold separately from the phones.
The S Pen Fold Edition only works with compatible foldables like the Z Fold 3 and Fold 4, while the S Pen Pro has a switch that locks the retractable tip in place for use with other devices like the Galaxy Tab S8+ or S23 Ultra.
The Fold Edition is too small to fit a USB-C port, and it can’t be inserted into a device, so it lacks any means of charging. Because of that, the Bluetooth-enabled gestures found on most other S Pens aren’t here, although that isn’t much of a sacrifice, in our opinion. The larger size of the S Pen Pro gave Samsung enough room to fit a battery and USB-C port, so this stylus is fully featured.
The S Pen Pro has some extra tricks up its sleeve. Although there’s a switch on the S Pen Pro to lock that retractable tip when using non-folding phones, it will work with any compatible device when in foldable mode — it’ll just feel a little odd. This enables features like text sharing, where you can use the S Pen to copy text from your Z Fold 4 and then paste it onto another device. You can also have your Z Fold 4 or Fold 3 act as a color and brush selector in Samsung Notes while you draw in full screen on your tablet.
A carrying case or a pouch
Samsung has cases for the Z Fold 4 and Fold 3 that can carry the S Pen, and the stylus is included with those cases. Unfortunately, on the Z Fold 3, this was awkwardly placed along the hinge, making the phone too wide in hand. On the Z Fold 4, the S Pen pouch is on the back and far more comfortable to deal with. Better yet, you can pull the pouch out of the case and replace it with a collapsible kickstand, making this one of our favorite cases for the Z Fold 4.
Third-party companies also offer cases that can hold the S Pen. For example, Supcase encloses it within the hinge cover, while Spigen places it along the right side of the case. If you want a case that provides plenty of protection, these would be the ones to use, although, in the case of the Z Fold 4, the official case is more comfortable with the S Pen attached as it doesn’t make the phone wider.
Due to the increased size of the S Pen Pro, no phone case can hold it, so it comes with a small carrying pouch.
Which is right for you?
The answer depends on how you plan to use your S Pen, but for most people, the Fold Edition is the best option. The beauty of the S Pen is that it’s always there when you need it, and that holds true with this version, thanks to the fact some cases accommodate it so well. It might lack Bluetooth-enabled gestures, but those are only nice to have bonus features and have never been a part of the core experience. If you have a Fold 4, this argument holds especially true, thanks to the fantastic carrying case you can have included.
Samsung S Pen Fold Edition
Best for Z Fold 4 or 3
Small and affordable
The S Pen Fold Edition finally allowed the Z Fold 4 and Z Fold 3 to reach their potential. While it lacks air gestures or remote command due to the absence of a battery, that doesn’t matter. The best part of the S Pen is writing, drawing, and selecting text.
If you have an S Pen-enabled tablet or laptop in addition to your foldable, then the S Pen Pro might be worth considering. Being able to highlight and copy text on one device and drop it onto another using the stylus is incredibly useful. Software like this makes the S Pen Pro a device that can tie the ecosystem together at the expense of a higher price and lack of portability.
Source: Samsung
Samsung S Pen Pro
Widest compatibility
Expensive but versatile
Thanks to the switch that enables Fold mode, the S Pen Pro works with any Samsung device that supports an S Pen, from the Z Fold 4 to the Galaxy Tab S8 series to the S23 Ultra. And unlike the S Pen Fold Edition, the S Pen Pro has a battery that can be charged via USB-C.
