Ballpoint vs. Rollerball Pens - an in-depth comparison

Let’s start off with the similarities. Both ballpoint pens and rollerball pens use a ball and socket mechanism. With gravity, the ink is forced down through the ink reservoir and onto the rolling ball. This technology is similar to the mechanisms you see being used on roll-on antiperspirants or rollerball perfumes.

The pen you probably have seen most in your life is the ballpoint pen. These are the pens you will get from banks and doctor’s offices. One of the biggest advantages in using a ballpoint pen is that these pens don’t easily dry out due to their oil-based ink, which is thicker than the liquid or gelled ink used in their rollerball counterparts. Furthermore, the ink in the ballpoint pen doesn’t smudge due to it’s fast drying time and it does not bleed through paper either. These are some of the reasons it is preferred for everyday use around schools and workplaces. It is also usually less expensive than a rollerball. Beyond this, since the ink is more viscous, it also comes out slower which means the cartridge has a longer lifespan and would require less refills. However, the thicker ink also means that it takes more pressure to write with a ballpoint than a rollerball which can become tiring after long spans of time. Overall, though, these pens are a great pick for anyone who’s looking for a reliable pen that is stylish and easily portable.

One of the more famous ballpoint pens is the Fisher Space Pen which uses pressurized ink cartridges so that it can write in nearly every extreme condition. This pen was created when NASA went on a mission to find a pen that could write in zero gravity due to the fact that graphite pencils were potentially explosive in space cabins. A man named Paul Fisher seized the opportunity to create the Fisher Space Pen which uses a special sealed ink cartridge containing thixotropic ink. This ink changes viscosity upon air contact, and with some pressurized nitrogen gas, it pushes the ink through the tungsten carbide ballpoint tip. Now, Fisher creates ballpoints in all different types of sizes and finishes! Many people enjoy using their bullet ballpoint because it is compact, easy to carry and so adorable! They also have a Fisher Space Infinium Pen which is said to have enough ink to last one lifetime. Fisher Space Pens also come in a myriad of colors such as their matte black space pen and their holographic space pen. However, all of them use the same pressurized cartridge technology, making them one of the most versatile ballpoints we have here at Goldspot.

Rollerballs, like ballpoints, have their own unique charm. Usually using more liquid, water-based ink, the rollerball pen generally requires less pressure to produce a richer, yet finer line. However, one disadvantage of the rollerball is that due to the less viscous ink, it can be more prone to smudging or bleeding through paper. This is particularly true if the paper is of low-quality, but it can be mitigated by using better quality paper such as the paper in Clairefontaine notebooks. The rollerball also requires almost three times as much ink as the ballpoint pen and needs to be capped to prevent drying out. However, rollerballs also can use gelled ink which allows for more vibrant colors than liquid ink. The gelled ink texture also creates beautiful metallic or glitter color choices. However, gel ink skips more which is why many opt for using liquid ink with rollerballs. For faster writers, the rollerball tends to be a favored pen because of the smooth writing that results. Rollerballs are also great for note taking as the decreased amount of pressure needed is awesome for preventing hand cramps when taking hefty amounts of notes. nvest in this revolutionary new idea.

Some of the best selling rollerballs that we carry here at Goldspot are the Retro 51 Goldspot Exclusive Tornado Rollerball Pen, Lamy Swift Rollerball Pen, and the Kaweco Skyline Sport Rollerball Pen.