Quick Answer: No, the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (Gen 3) does not support a stylus, but it can work with the Lenovo Precision Pen 2 and Active Pen 3 (for Android), which are both active styluses. Moreover, any passive stylus that works on any touchscreen will work on this tablet.

Lenovo has been a household name in the world of laptops for quite some time now. But in 2011, it dipped into the tablet market, attempting to take it by storm. And while its initial attempt may not have been entirely successful, it has since managed to carve out a respectable place over the years. One Lenovo device that stands out is the M10 Plus (3rd Gen) tablet, a gem that offers decent performance at a low cost.

It has a sleek but generously-sized build and a decent battery life. It's almost like a perfect device as far as cheap Android tablets go, if not quite a competitor for the best Android tablets around. However, one of the few issues that may give potential buyers pause is the uncertainty surrounding its stylus compatibility. And as with purchasing anything, you want to ensure the product you're buying meets certain requirements — in this case, wielding a stylus.

Does the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (Gen 3) support a stylus?

The Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (Gen 3) is not equipped with a dedicated stylus, but it does support the Lenovo Precision Pen 2 and the Lenovo Active Pen 3. Upon purchasing the M10 Plus (Gen 3) tablet, you won't find a stylus included, so if you desire a stylus, you must purchase the Precision Pen 2 or the Active Pen 3. Alternatively, you can go for the less ergonomic option of a passive stylus. The tablet can work with passive styluses since they imitate the operation of a finger on the touchscreen, and the tablet cannot distinguish between a passive stylus and your finger.

Should you go for the Precision Pen 2 or the Active Pen 3?

Both pens have unique strengths, but they still have similarities, such as 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, tilt detection, support for refresh rates up to 120 Hz, two dedicated and customizable buttons, and an operating temperature range of 5oC to 40oC. Each pen also comes with a pen pouch with a lanyard hole and one replacement tip. However, as mentioned earlier, they differ in certain aspects like design and build, battery life, price, and availability in certain regions. The best pen for you will depend on these differences.

In terms of design, the Precision Pen 2 has a hexagonal cross-section, weighs 0.015 kg, measures 150 mm in length, 9.65 mm in width, and 8.87 mm in depth. Meanwhile, the Active Pen 3 has a circular cross-section, weighs 0.0165 kg, and measures 140 mm long with a uniform thickness of 9.5 mm. The Precision Pen 2 has a slight advantage in terms of comfort since it's slightly longer than the Active Pen 3 and has a hexagonal cross-section that makes it easier to hold while preventing it from rolling off slant desks. The Precision Pen 2 is also slightly lighter, although the weight difference isn't so much that you'd notice.

Regarding battery life, the Precision Pen 2 has a rechargeable 53mAh Li-ion battery that lasts up to 200 hours and charges via a USB-C port at the top of the pen. In contrast, the Active Pen 3 uses a non-rechargeable AAAA battery that can last up to 1,000 hours.

As for price, the Active Pen 3 is slightly less expensive than the Precision Pen 2, costing around four dollars less. Finally, depending on your location, one of the pens may not be available for purchase. For example, the Precision Pen 2 is available in the US, whereas the Active Pen 3 isn't. On the other hand, the Active Pen 3 is available in the UK, but the Precision Pen 2 is not.

How do you pair the M10 Plus (Gen 3) with compatible styluses?

Pairing the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (Gen 3) with the Active Pen 3 or the Precision Pen 2 is a straightforward process. Like most styluses, these styluses work straight out of the box, eliminating any need for pairing. All you need to do is remove the pen from its packaging, charge it or insert the battery, turn it on, and start using it on your M10 Plus (Gen 3) tablet.

Using your M10 Plus (Gen 3) Tablet with a stylus

If you've made it this far in your search for a stylus for your 3rd Gen M10 Plus tablet, you probably already know how great this media tablet is for its price. It has a generous screen of 10.61 inches; RAM of 3GB, 4GB, or 6GB; expandable storage of 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB; and a 7,700mAh battery that can handle 12 hours of video playback with a max charging speed of 20W — all of this for under $200. And when you throw a stylus pen into the mix, it gets even better.

Using a stylus with your Lenovo M10 Plus (Gen 3) Tablet is undoubtedly a great way to enhance productivity. And considering that this duo gives you the added advantage of handwritten memos and drag-and-drop capability, you can rest assured that you'll get the best out of your drawing apps and other tablet-optimized software. However, this comes at a pretty huge cost.

The Precision Pen 2 and the Active Pen 3 each cost over $55, which depending on the M10 Plus (Gen 3) variant you're buying, is more than one-fourth the price of the device. And since you'd still have to purchase replacement tips and AAAA batteries (for the active Pen 3) occasionally, it's too expensive of an accessory for a budget tablet. So, unless you really need that extra productivity, you'd be better off without an active stylus. Of course, there's always the less ergonomic but cheaper alternative of a passive stylus.