Pen pressure and tapering problems

Anonymous
2015-11-08T20:03:41+00:00

I love the new SP4 pen, but I've noticed the pen pressure is not consistent. The biggest problem is that paint brush strokes in Photoshop don't taper smoothly when drawing. I tired using the SP4 pen on my Surface Pro 3 and it doesn't have any problem. Here is a screen capture of what I'm talking about.

Since the pen isn't the problem I'm assuming it's a calibration issue with the Surface Pro 4. I downloaded new Wintab drivers to see if that would solve the problem (got the idea from this thread about pen problems).

It's not just Photoshop. The actual Surface pen pressure app has the same problem. It's harder to see because the brush strokes are thinner, but there is a much faster tapering happening than there is on the Surface Pro 3. Here is a screen cap:

Surface | Surface Pro | Performance and maintenance

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Anonymous
2016-07-15T19:53:13+00:00

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for all the feedback!

As some of you have already noticed, on July 14th, 2016, we released an update to the Surface Touch Driver that should significantly improve the pen tapering and pressure experience that this thread talks about.

For more information on the 7/14 update, you can go here.

If you experience any difficulty downloading or installing updates, please check the Troubles installing Surface and Windows updates article for assistance.

Thanks!

Zachary

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-04-06T22:50:42+00:00

    Yeah this problem is more prominent when you have it on the default pressure levels with the Surface App and with a softer pen tip, I'd really like this fixed since that's a ideal work spot for me with some of the tools I use.

    Also, the bloody Surface app crashes when the surface goes into sleep, and then you lose access to Start and other things till you can manage a restart

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-04-06T17:11:03+00:00

    We want answers Microsoft!  It's pretty bad to come in and say an issue is being addressed, then not specify what issue or provide an update.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-04-06T13:47:30+00:00

    I returned my surface a couple months back and stated there will be no fix and it will be too late to send it back once i realise this.. 

    ....

    aaand there is no fix... as the majority of people are just fine with the current pen quality, just check the reviews...  , so if they admit there is pressure problem, it could become even bigger

    http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Surface-Pen/productID.325724000

    > microsoft can always chime in here...

    and there's still two part to this problem

    1. the pen does not register light strokes
    2. tapering issue > pressure level changes are not good or too abrupt

    this pen is maybe above average, , but not that great compared to wacom, this pen is not for (all) artists

    > microsoft can always chime in here...

    only people who are used to wacom quality will probably notice this, so the majority of peeps are very happy, 

    sad to say apple pencil,  is the better artist pen, even has tilt feature

    so instead to come clean to artists, they wheeled there middle finger and made a gold version pen available, and now they are silently, (maybe) working on a better pen, to announce they improved on perfection, a must have for artists... 

    in the end, we probably still bought it to soon, and maybe it will turn in a good product for artists, 

    but they didn't get a fan here, and now im very sceptic about microsoft.... again

    i still hope there comes a solution for people having the issue...  just afraid its going to be a new pen

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-04-06T11:12:12+00:00

    Mmm, I think it's still important that people keep up with this thread. The "alternative" doesn't come out until the end of the year, and it's completely unacceptable that a fix to an issue that existed since the device came out revolves around us being ignored for an entire year and then expected to spend more money on an already expensive investment.

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