What you need to know
- The Logitech MX Ink is a 6DoF mixed-reality stylus for $129 shipping at Meta Connect 2024.
- The stylus works for both 2D drawing on an "MX Mat" or 3D roomscale design.
- It comes with the Mat, an "Inkwell" for charging, and a replacement nib.
3D design is a popular use case for virtual or mixed reality, but you usually have to use a bulky controller or your hands to design in XR. The Logitech MX Ink stylus for the Meta Quest 3 and 2 will change that, giving you a more reliable controller for the most popular VR art apps.
Announced on Monday, the Logitech MX Ink is described as having a "familiar pen-like feel, pressure-sensitive tip, and main button" that "let you sketch, grab, and manipulate in MR."
The MX Ink "seamlessly transitions from 2D to 3D spaces," says Logitech Head of AR/VR Vadim Kogan, with "the tracking accuracy expected by Meta Quest users in MR." Logitech and Meta collaborated on the stylus' development to ensure it worked with both the Quest 2 and Quest 3 — though not the productivity-focused Quest Pro, surprisingly.
Logitech says it's "the first time Meta Quest headsets support more than two paired controllers at once." Once you pair the pen, you'll be able to drop your Touch controllers to sketch and take notes without having to switch inputs.
Starting at $129, the Logitech MX Ink will have two optional accessories. The MX Mat is a "friction-free drawing environment" that you can essentially use as a real-world canvas while painting in VR. And the MX Inkwell is a charging base for storing and topping off your stylus, though you can always use a simple USB-C cable.
Logitech says the Logitech MX Ink will ship around Meta Connect 2024 on September 25. Meta is expected to announce the Quest 3S at the event, and Logitech says the MX Ink will work with "future headsets."
Once it launches, the MX Ink will work with most popular XR art apps on Quest:
- Adobe Substance Modeler
- Gravity Sketch
- PaintingVR
- Arkio
- Engage
- OpenBrush
- GestureVR
- ShapesXR
- Elucis by RealizeMedical
Logitech's announcement encourages "developers interested in integrating MX Ink with their applications" to use their GitHub page or apply for a dev kit, so I'd assume this list will grow before September arrives.
Before this announcement, we wouldn't have guessed that the Meta Quest would be the first VR headset with stylus controller support. Despite Apple having its Pencil (2nd Gen) and Pencil Pro available for iPads, it has yet to bring stylus support to the Apple Vision Pro. That dev-focused headset would certainly benefit from more fine control options.
Compared to an Apple Pencil, the Logitech MX Ink has similar perks like haptic feedback and a double-tap function, but it weighs about 8g more and is significantly thicker. We assume this can be attributed to the 6DoF tracking sensors.
