Adonit NOTE-UVC review: More affordable and just as functional on select iPads

The 2nd generation Apple Pencil isn’t exactly cheap, and not everyone wants to plunk down US$129 to buy one. But, you might still be interested in a writing instrument for your iPad or iPads. Well, the Adonit NOTE-UVC just might be a great choice for you.

While Apple has everything beat in terms of pure compatibility, the Adonit NOTE-UVC isn’t that far behind and can give you just about everything you need. There will be those who still swear by the Apple Pencil, but for US$69.99, the Adonit NOTE-UVC should satisfy the needs of many. Read on for the full review of this affordable, yet functional, Apple Pencil alternative.

Specifications

The Adonit NOTE-UVC has the following features and specifications:

• UV Light Kills Germs
• Compatible With:
  • iPad Air 3rd Gen
  • iPad Mini 5th Gen
  • iPad 6th-7th Gen
  • iPad Pro 11/12.9 3rd-4th Gen
• Palm Rejection
• 1mm Fine Point Tip
• MicroUSB charging
• Instant Connection no Bluetooth

What’s In The Box

• Adonit NOTE-UVC
• MicroUSB charging cable
• Documentation and instructions

Design

There’s very little to say about the design of the Adonit NOTE-UVC. I mean, it looks like and is about the same size as a pen/pencil. The Apple Pencil 2 feels a bit longer than this, but I honestly prefer this length.

The end of the NOTE-UVC has the MicroUSB port for charging. They really should have made this USB-C, not for charging speeds but simply because USB-C is now the standard, and everyone should dump MicroUSB.

The on/off and UV light button are close to the tip and away from where most people generally put their fingers. I will say though, you have to be sure to hold it with the button facing away from your hand so you don’t press it by accident.

On the opposite side of the button is the UV light which you can use to kill germs on your screen. This works by pressing the button and holding it down, the UV light will turn on and you just sweep it across the screen. I can’t say for sure if this is actually cleaning or not, but it’s nice to think it is.

The tip is very small and thin and it feels a lot like a real pen/pencil which is a plus. The tips are replaceable as well. Overall, the design is perfect the way it is. It looks and feels like a pen/pencil, which is exactly what you want.

Setup

Usually, devices like these work by connecting them via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but Adonit made this setup dead simple. All you need to do is turn it on and you can start using it. There’s nothing more to it than that.

One thing to note. If by chance, you have an Apple Pencil already connected to your iPad, you will need to unpair the Apple Pencil for the Adonit NOTE-UVC to work. But it’s likely most of you don’t have the fruit pen.

Overall, dead simple to setup.

Performance

As for performance, I found the NOTE-UVC to be on par with the Apple Pencil 2 in terms of lag. There is little to no lag and drawing/writing felt natural. The time it takes for a line to appear as you draw it is not noticeable.

Pretty much every app that uses the Apple Pencil works here. ProCreate worked nicely as did many note apps. I have no complaints about performance at all. Adonit does include a UV light here so you can “disinfect” your display. I can’t say if that works or not, but if you want to believe it does, then cool.

As for battery life, the company claims 12-hours and I can say it hits that mark and sometimes a bit more. Good battery life here.

Overall, performance is on par with the fruit pen.

Price/Value

The Adonit NOTE-UVC is priced at US$69.99 which is nearly half of what the Apple Pencil 2 is priced at. I think the company built-in a lot of value here and it works nearly as well as Apple’s version.

Wrap Up

I don’t think the average user will notice much of a difference between Apple’s pencil and the NOTE-UVC. I think most people will be happy saving money and still getting the functionality. This is a Top Pick in my book.

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Last Updated on February 3, 2021.