Its aesthetics are lovely. The sky blue color is pleasing to the eye, and the build gives it a very unique and professional look, setting it apart from your standard Bic or Papermate mechanical pencils.

When I first picked up the pencil, I was amazed at its weight. It is not heavy by any means, but you can certainly tell it is not cheaply made. It grips nicely, and the pencil’s long metal lead sleeve provides excellent stability. I feel as though my lead breaks less when I am writing. It is also worth noting that the pencil clip is sturdy and easily attachable. If you are a frequent binder, notebook, or folder user, you will not have to worry about it sliding off too much. But if it does, it is loud, so you will likely catch it. At first, I thought the pencils did not come with erasers, but I eventually discovered they had a metal cover. The cover and eraser easily slide out to allow for efficient lead removal and replacement. While the eraser does easily slide out, it will only ever come off if you pull on it; violently shaking the pencil does not force the eraser out.

Even without touching the pencil, you can see the care put into this product by the barcodes placed on each, hinting that they could be sold individually. Whether you intend to use them for graphing and other technical purposes or just everyday writing, these pencils will not disappoint. For their count and price, they are certainly worth the investment.

The post Review: Pentel GraphGear 300 Mechanical Pencil appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.

The laptop is detachable, with the screen half separating from the keyboard to act as a tablet. Unlike some previous Surface devices, you must press a button on the keyboard itself before you can separate the computer, giving more stability to the device. You can work with the screen on its own or reattach it to the keyboard backward, depending on personal preference. Compared to its earlier counterparts, it also has far more stability when attached to the keyboard since it folds like a standard laptop would while retaining the tablet function.

When using the laptop as a tablet, I find it helps to have a Bluetooth pen for manual writing tasks since the Surface Book 3 has some cool pen features. When searching via the computer in tablet mode, you can search with manual writing using your stylus. Unfortunately, you need to have reasonably neat handwriting to properly use this feature, as the computer can mistake messy handwritten items for different characters you may not want to use in your search, resulting in the user rewriting characters. To erase these unwanted characters, you can draw a dash through them. Though depending on the item you are erasing, the computer may mistake the dash for an underscore or an actual dash, making this feature slightly annoying to use at times. You can also more easily erase your writing with an actual backspace button. Based on my experience with this function, it is far easier just to use the digital keyboard and type as you would on a handheld device, as this setting is more user-friendly.

With the Surface Book 3, we also purchased the respective Surface Pen in ice blue. The pen is just as aesthetically pleasing as the computer, and its blueish gray color matches well with the computer’s silver. As is the Surface Book 3, the pen is smooth to the touch. Like some previous Microsoft pens, it has an eraser at the top that makes erasing more efficient in apps that support its erasing function. All the user has to do is flip the pen and press on the butt of the pen like an actual pencil on paper. When you flip it back to the tip, it will switch out of the eraser and back to the tool you previously selected, decreasing the time spent switching between tools. To store the pen, you can place it on the left side of the screen until the magnet latches on or place it on the right side of the keyboard by the charging port (this can only be used if the charger is not plugged in). Though, I do not recommend doing the latter. The pen storing system is certainly far better on the Surface Book 3 because previous models did not permit such efficient storage, as magnetic pens could often only latch onto the charging port since it is also magnetic.

One common annoyance I have found is minor and will hardly impact the Surface Book 3’s efficiency is the fact that the computer is sometimes difficult to turn on when it has been shut down for a while. When this happens, the computer does not turn on no matter how long you hold the power button. To remedy this, I find it helps to hold down the volume button and the power button simultaneously for five to fifteen seconds. If it still does not work, then hold down the power button alone. It should turn on after that.

Overall, I would recommend the Surface Book 3 to anyone who frequently uses or needs a laptop for daily activities. Its many functions allow its users to use it for virtually any digital work purpose needed. Visuals and typed works can be done with ease on the Surface Book 3, and a bonus is that the laptop is fairly easily portable if you have a large laptop bag. If you find yourself on the go a lot and need a multifunctional device, this computer is ideal for you, as it has a double battery and is fairly thin and light considering its size. If you are looking for a new laptop, it is worth considering the Surface Book 3. The device offers a lot of features that its counterparts do not, which should be noted when comparing potential candidates for your next laptop. Of course, as anything does, the computer has its cons, but they are so minuscule that the benefits far outweigh them. If you do decide to purchase the Surface Book 3, it will not disappoint.

You can read about another high schooler’s impression of the Surface Book 3 here.

The post A High School Student’s Look at the Surface Book 3 appeared first on fullSTEAMahead365.