This Apple Pencil alternative now works with MacBooks

The SonarPen 2 is an alternative stylus to the Apple Pencil (curr. available on Amazon for $71), albeit a wired version. When it launched on Kickstarter last year, it was revealed that it is compatible with 2018 iPads and newer. Now, the manufacturer has announced that the stylus works with MacBooks. But how is that possible considering MacBooks don't have a touch display with stylus support?

Apparently, the SonarPen 2 works with the large trackpad found on modern MacBooks. Thanks to a software called SonarPen Driver, the trackpad on the MacBook works like a pressure sensitive drawing tablet. When the SonarPen is connected to the Mac, the driver allows the trackpad to detect the position and pressure of the strokes and transfers them to the drawing app on the screen.

SonarPen says users still have to make some adjustments for the best experience such as selecting low, medium, or high for the pressure sensitivity level and pressure smoothness level as well as choosing how the SonarPen's button works.

The SonarPen is compatible with any MacBook running macOS 11 or later, and has been tested and confirmed to work with Clip Studio paint, Artrage, Art studio Pro, Inkscape, Photoshop, Mediabang Paint Pro, Gimp, Krita, Tayasui Sketches, and iPastels.

The SonarPen Driver works with both the $43 SonarPen 2 which has a USB-C cable and the SonarPen 1 which has a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, owners of the latter will have to buy a SonarPen USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter, which costs $9.45, to use it with their MacBook.