Microsoft's Classroom Pen 2 is half the price of its predecessor
Modest design updates accompany the savings.
Back in 2019, Microsoft introduced the Classroom Pen, a Surface Go stylus the company explicitly designed with the smaller hands of school children in mind. It's now releasing a new model known simply as the Classroom Pen 2. According to the company, the updated stylus features an "improved design," longer enclosure and works with both the Surface Go and Surface Pro. Like with its predecessor, the pen tip is replaceable, and there's a slot at the top to secure a tether to it.
Those improvements are all well and good, but what school districts will appreciate most is that Microsoft has made the new version significantly more affordable. The company sold the original Classroom Pen in packs of 20 for $799.80, or around $40 per stylus. By contrast, a bundle of 20 of the new pens will cost $399.80 when they go on sale on April 27th. The way the company sees it, schools can also cut costs by reducing how much they spend on paper. Microsoft says a boarding school in the UK saved about £120 on paper and toner costs per Surface device they purchased.