Active stylus pen capability for HP Pavilion x360 13-s161nr

[sjh2]

I just replaced my very tired Dell Inspiron laptop with an HP Pavilion x360 13-s161nr running Windows 10 (64 bit). I noticed that drivers for an active pen are preloaded. Can I use an active stylus pen with this model? If so, what are the best ones currently. I would be mostly taking notes, writing and sketching/doodling. If an actve pen is not supported, what are the best styli for precision? Thanks for any help.

[Sparkles1 · Accepted solution]

Hi @sjh2,

Thank you for your query!

I understand that you recently purchased the  Pavilion x360 13-s161nr and would like to know if the  HP Active Stylus will work with your model.  I believe it will, but if you contact HP  Shopping, they will be able to definitively confirm that information.   Contact HP Shopping.

Please  let me know the results.

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[sjh2]

Hi. I just had a nice chat with GP Sales. The agent, Rica,assured me that the HP Active Stylus will work with my HP x360 12-s161nr Notebook. All in all, a great result. Thanks very much for your help.

[Sparkles1]

Hi @sjh2,

Thank you for the update.  I am glad that the active stylus will work with your new Pavilion x360.

Have a wonderful weekend!

[kellx1]

Hi i have recently brought the HP Pavillion x360  15-bk062sa  and it came with the active stylus as a bundle. It tells me on the pacakging that the laptop should just pick it up when it is in range however this isnt the case. Do i need to calibrate the screen to respond to the pen? If so, how do i do that. It has Windows 10 and was only brought yesterday. 

[jrisch]

Hi Kellx1, have you had any success in getting the stylus to work with your HP Pavilion x360  15-bk062sa? I have the same hardware and am in the same position as you.

[kellx1]

Hi jrisch unfortunately after 5 times of going into store and numerous emails they have admitted that the pen does not work on the laptop as it doesn't have an active screen I don't understand why on earth they're still selling it as a bundle we are in the process of getting them to take it down else trading standards will be involved , the stylus sold in the bundle will never work due to the touchscreen not having what is called active technology. So they will tell you to make sure you have the new update however that doesn't change the physical technology in the laptop so will never work... a normal stylus will work with your screen but it will no way be near as precise as the stylus would have been. I suggest getting a normal phone stylus (they're about £3) depending on what you're using the laptop for. I wanted mine for designing art and the laptop kept crashing on me and freezing so I took it all back and got my money back. Hope they don't Con any more people! X

[jrisch]

Thanks, kellx1, do you mind telling me what store you got it from? I purchased the stylus from PC World as they advertised it as a bundle with the 15-bk062sa. I'd previously bought the laptop elsewhere.

Like yourself I wanted it for the higher precision, I have a Samsung Note 5 and an S-Pen enabled Samsung tablet, and was looking forward to the same functionality in my laptop. Currently I use a conventional stylus and also an adonit jot pro on the 15-bk062sa. That'll have to suffice. The adonit does enable a bit more precision than the rubber ended stylus.

The specification I saw included the phrase "You'll be able to add detail to your projects with active pen compatibility. Using Synaptics technology, you'll be able to use an active pen to draw, underline and write, just as you would with a pen and paper." Hence I was keen to acquire the correct stylus. Looks like I'll be returning it.

Thanks again for your help. It's a shame HP aren't more forthcoming.

See next post:

[jrisch]

Subsequent to my post above, I've discovered how to enable pen input on the HP Pavilion x360 15-bk062sa, It apparently has a Synaptics screen digitizer. There's a firmware update to enable the driver. I found the drivers at :

http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-pavilion-15-bk000-x360-convertible-pc/10862175/mo.... 

Expand the firmware section and I selected "HP FHD Touchscreen Controller Firmware Update" (there's also an HP HD Touchscreen Controller Firmware Update). If you click on "Details" you get taken to :

http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-pavilion-15-bk000-x360-convertible-pc/1... which gives further details. Posts for the similar driver for the HP Spectre said that it failed to install and needed to be extracted and manually installed, but the auto-install worked for my Pavilion X60 15-.

To may it clear, I'm using the HP Pro Tablet Active Pen, p/n K8P73AA, thou it was referred to as the  HP Pro Tablet 408 Active Stylus at PC World. With this enabled I have a "Windows Ink Workspace" icon in the system tray that gives access to pen enabled apps.

It's probably too late for you, kellx1, but this may help someone else.

Regards, jrisch

[kellx1]

I am glad you have discovered a way to enable the pen. Very angry at how little support was given in store (I also got mine from a PC World) and how little support was given when I rung the HP support team as I had a care plan with them. The customer service I recieved was very poor and since you have found a way to enable the pen, they should have been aware of this and advised me as such. 

Glad you can actually use the laptop and stylus as intended! 🙂