Iori Yamamoto
Whether you realize it or not, you spend hours every day gripping a ballpoint pen. For this very reason, your choice of ballpoint pen must be one made after hours of careful deliberation. I have taken it into my own hands to compare several pens, in an attempt to make this crucial decision slightly simpler for all pen aficionados reading. Three pens, from three competing pen manufacturers, have been chosen to be judged: the Zebra Sarasa Clip, Uni Jetstream, and the Pentel Energel. All pens judged were 0.5 mm line thickness, and are shown in this order in the attached image.
First, the Zebra Sarasa Clip. This popular pen has water-based gel ink, and as one would expect from a rollerball pen, very smooth writing. The ink is vibrant, not only for the black but for the dozens of colors offered in the Sarasa line. However, the ink does have the tendency to smear relatively easily. The pen is very light, as the construction is rather cheap. The clip the pen is named after, unlike other pens, is loaded with a spring and works almost like a lever. Not only is it more durable and reliable than other pen clips, but it is also more tactile and thus good for fidgeting purposes.
Next, the Uni Jetstream, is another popular pen in the student population. As the name of the pen suggests, writing is extremely smooth and effortless. Personally, I enjoy this aspect of the pen, as well as the water resistance of its oil-based ink. The ink also resists smearing relatively well, although I did notice that the black was not as deep as could be. The design of the pen is unremarkable but practical.
The Pentel Energel is known for its smooth writing, which I found to be true. I found that the gel ink of this pen resisted any and all smearing or smudging, drying almost completely within moments. The line the pen leaves behind is also a very sharp and deep black, which makes for great visibility in your writing. The Energel also has a good weight in the hand, unlike some of the other pens, making the writing process feel that much more smooth. I also appreciated the thickness of this pen, which significantly improved the grip.
Of course, there are countless more options than the three I chose to test out. In fact, after reviewing these three pens, and using several more during my time as a student, I still can not conclusively say there is one best pen. Though it can be fun to compare something as superficial as different brands of pens, what truly matters is what you write with the pen you decide will best suit your needs.
Iori Yamamoto