First, I had no experience with the original Microsoft pen that was supposed to come with the Surface, but I bought it based on reviews and the fact that it's made in Taiwan. I am very impressed. It was nicely packaged with extra tips. The pen connected immediately after pressing the button and works perfectly. It appears to be made from high quality aluminum alloy. I'm very impressed again. I have an old Wacom pen tablet and this pen seems to perform better than the Wacom (plastic pen).