What's the best digital stylus or active pen for Dell Inspiron 15 7000?

Best answer: Dell's own PN338M Active Pen is the best option for your Inspiron 15 7000 (7570), but it will only work with pen-compatible (touch display) models of the laptop. The newest 7580 model of the Inspiron 15 7000 does not have touch display options, thus no pen support.Dell: PN338M Active Pen ($34)

Which Dell Inspiron 15 7570 models work with an active pen?

Like some of Dell's other laptops, it can be difficult determining which models have built-in support for active pens. As a rule, Inspiron 15 7570 models with touch displays should support inking.

Dell's website seems to currently only have 1080p (FHD) touch models of the Inspiron 15 7570. If you want pen support for the PN338M, stick with touch, including 4K display models found elsewhere.

With a touch Inspiron 15 7570 and the PN338M Active Pen, you'll get 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, and two buttons that handle erasing and opening menus. The single AAAA battery should last about 18 months, and the pen comes with a one-year warranty.

How to tell if your laptop is compatible with an active pen

If you're not entirely certain whether or not your Inspiron 15 7570 includes pen support, you can check within the About your PC Windows 10 menu. Click the Cortana search bar, type About your PC, and hit Enter on your keyboard.

This will bring up a menu that includes device specifications. At the bottom, you should see a line that mentions pen support if your Inspiron 15 7570 does indeed have the necessary hardware. As you can see in the screenshot above, my Surface Go is compatible with a pen.

Is it worth getting a pen for a clamshell notebook?

Whether or not you want to add a pen into the mix of a clamshell notebook is really up to you. The Inspiron 15 7570's ergonomics do not allow it to rotate around for tablet mode, so you'll be writing on it with the display either upright or pushed down flat against a table or your lap. It's not the most convenient way to use a pen, but it's certainly functional.

Are replacement nibs available for Dell's PN338M Active Pen?

We were unable to find any replacement nibs sold separately from the PN338M Active Pen, which is usually the case with most of Dell's pens. If you wear through the original nib, you'll be stuck buying a new pen, so write with a light hand.

Start inking with your Inspiron 15 7570

Ready to start inking on your compatible Inspiron 15 7570? Grab Dell's PN33M Active Pen pen for best results.

Compatible pen

Dell PN338M Active Pen

A pen for your Inspiron 15 7000 (7570).

Dell's PN338M Active Pen offers 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, and two buttons for erasing and opening menus. As long as your Inspiron 15 7570 has a touch display, it should be compatible.

Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.