This post is more than 5 years old
2 Posts
1
39139
Dell 5368 13 5000 Pen Support-Answers Please!
I recently purchased a Dell 5368 with the Core i5 Processor, Full HD Display, and backllit keyboard directly from Dell, after two sales agents both recommended it for my travel needs. I told them both that having support for an Active Pen or Active Stylus was a non-negotiable requirement of my work. Both assured me this computer would support that.
But then, when I tried to order the Active Stylus, the Live Chat agent said, "This won't work with your computer". So, I started trying to find an answer. I really need to be able to write detailed notes on screen and make diagrams, as I am told I can with my 15 7000 Core i7 Full HD. I just wanted a bit smaller unit for the road, but if I can't use an Active Stylus, I don't want the machine.
Calls to Dell's apparently incompetent and uncaring Customer Non-Support Line have netted the following responses:
2 agents say the Active Stylus will work.
2 agents say it won't
1 Supervisor will not respond to calls to her direct line, or to any emails
Technical Support says, "Unfortunately, we don't know the answer to that, sorry"
One final agent says, "It will work, but only with the 750-AAFJ Stylus. When I informed him that is a Passive Stylus, he asked me, "What's the difference?" and continued to insist that would be great for note-taking and diagrams.
Does anyone here know the answer from experience perhaps? It should not be this hard to find out if I can draw and write on the screen. If the answer is no, I'll return it un-opened. I may do that anyway just in response to Dell's incompetence.
In the alternative, does anyone know a way to contact someone at Dell who might know what they are talking about?
Thanks in advance.
John Simchick
1 Message
1
December 26th, 2016 17:00
I have some old pens I used on Android tablets a few years ago. They were marketed at Walmart as ipad stylus. I can use them on my Inspiron 13 5368. It works better than my fat fingers. Not a very precise item but I am not an artist.
ejn63
1 Rookie
1 Rookie
•
87.5K Posts
0
September 6th, 2016 15:00
What you're looking for: a tablet style notebook with a digitizing screen.
What you purchased: a tablet style notebook with a touchscreen.
No active pen will make up for the lack of a digitizer - you need a system like a Yoga Pro or ThinkPad Yoga -- or a Surface Pro system. Dell doesn't have any systems in that class right now -- nor will you find one in the price range of an Inspiron 13" or 14" system -- the digitizing screen means the price floor for the feature set you want is about $1,000 -- give or take $100 or so.
OldCop876
2 Posts
0
September 7th, 2016 07:00
Thank you very much for your reply. Two weeks ago I purchased a 15 7000, before looking in to the 13 5000. I saw many demonstrations on line of the 15 7000 doing exactly what I wanted to do with the Dell Active Stylus and the Dell Active Pen, which is to make meeting notes and make simple diagrams of things like floor plans and on-the-fly quick maps of property grounds for security planning. So, I bought the 15 7000 and it is here. It is just a bit large and will be used primarily as a desktop replacement. So I'm good with that.
So, I called back to Dell to find something with the same functionality with regard to the Active Stylus or Pen, just in a smaller package. That's all I needed to buy, and was assured that the 13 5000 was what I needed, so I ordered it as well. But when I attempted to order either the pen or stylus, I was told the 13 5000 was not compatible with it, although either would work with the 15 7000. I have now received more than six conflicting answers from Dell ranging from "it works fine" to "it doesn't work at all" to "we don't know". So my question was, has anyone here used a 13 5000 with a pen or stylus yet, and if so, how did it work? I'm not trying to create works of art here, just notes and hand-drawn diagrams so when I get back to my office, I remember what I just looked at in the field. I considered a 13 7000 but Dell told me it would not work, but said the 13 5000 would. I found it curious that a lower model had a feature the higher spec'd model didn't have.
As of this morning I have the computer sitting here in its sealed, unopened box. It is of no use to me if I cannot use it for notes and simple diagrams like the 15 7000 I already have. So, if I cannot get an answer from Dell or a user to what seems to me to be a simple question from Dell, I'll just have to send it back unopened.
apdobaj
1 Message
0
September 25th, 2016 16:00
I'm in the same boat with the Inspiron 13-5368 - so I understand now that it doesn't have a digitizer and so cannot use an active stylus, so what is the next best thing? I have a rubber-tip generic stylus that doesn't work very well at all.
ejn63
1 Rookie
1 Rookie
•
87.5K Posts
0
September 25th, 2016 16:00
A stylus on a system like this isn't going to add function -- it will simply stand in for your finger. If you're looking for the ability to hand-write notes, diagrams, etc. -- you need a higher-end system -- a Yoga Pro/ThinkPad Yoga, or a Surface4 Pro,etc.
_FYA_EXel
3 Posts
0
June 13th, 2017 14:00
Are you dickhead? - i have Inspiron 7347 and it have digitizer, so don't say if you don't know.
vPrana
1 Message
0
July 1st, 2017 02:00
I just bought a 13.3 inch 5378 2 in 1. I tried using a rubber tipped Stylus that came with my some random brand's Kindle flip cover. It worked well. Good for making basic drawing, notes. Easier to work with SketchBook now.
bobifisher
3 Posts
0
September 14th, 2017 07:00
Dell Active Pen - PN338M had same proble. I couldn't understand why MS Ink didn't work with my new Wacom Ink pen. Had to take it back. Now I am buying the PN338M with is 50£ cheaper. Bargain. The wacom uses BT with protocol AES or MS MPP check the compatability of your model www.dell.com/.../handhelds-tablet-pcs
bobifisher
3 Posts
0
September 14th, 2017 07:00
get the www.dell.com/.../handhelds-tablet-pcs Dell Active Pen - it supports the 5378 model - Dell 13.3 i3(7th Gen). Trying to order mine now...
bobifisher
3 Posts
0
September 14th, 2017 07:00
pretty bumbed out as they only ship this to the US, and I am in UK :(
R0806W
1 Message
0
October 16th, 2017 17:00
did you ever manage to get a pen that worked for your 5378???
Jonny Gato
1 Message
0
December 28th, 2017 12:00
I bought the PN338M, listed as compatible with the Inspiron 5378. It won't even work in passive mode. btw, it was Dell's web client that suggested the PN338M for purchase with the 5378!
Saltgrass
3 Apprentice
3 Apprentice
•
4.3K Posts
0
December 28th, 2017 13:00
Not all of the newer Inspiron 2-in-1s will support the active Pen. On the specifications for the Pen it shows the 5378 IF it has a sticker for that capability.
Not even all the newest systems support the active pen.. It is very hard to dig through the info and come up with a definite answer.