--- title: "Jetstream vs EnerGel: Quick-Dry Ballpoint or Gel Pen?" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pentel-energel/" description: "Pick the uni-ball Jetstream RT, an oil-based ballpoint, for checks, forms and least smearing; the Pentel EnerGel RTX gel pen for a darker line and needle tips." category: "Pens" type: "Ballpoint" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 12 products: - name: "uni-ball Jetstream RT Retractable Ballpoint (0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; SXN-210)" brand: "uni-ball" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "PC/PP plastic barrel, rubber grip" released: "2006" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd." model: "SXN-210" mpn: "62152" url: "https://www.unibrands.co/products/jetstream-rt-ballpoint-pens" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-rt/" - name: "Pentel EnerGel RTX (BL77, BLN75, BLN73, BLN77, BL80)" brand: "Pentel" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan or Mexico" material: "54% recycled plastic body, latex-free rubber grip" released: "2001" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "ASTRUM Corporation (Tokyo), called Pentel Co., Ltd. until April 1, 2026; Pentel remains the brand" model: "BLN73, BLN75, BL77, BLN77, BL80" gtin: "072512200544" url: "https://www.pentel.com/products/energel-rtx-gel-pen" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-energel/" --- # Jetstream vs EnerGel: Quick-Dry Ballpoint or Gel Pen? > Both are retractable, refillable Japanese pens sold as quick-drying and smear-resistant, which is why left-handed writers argue about them. The uni-ball Jetstream RT is a ballpoint with low-viscosity oil-based pigment ink that uni markets as water-resistant. The Pentel EnerGel RTX is a gel pen with a darker, wetter line, needle tips and down to 0.3 mm. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pentel-energel/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![uni-ball Jetstream RT 1.0 mm with a black embossed grip above a Pentel EnerGel RTX 0.7 mm with a gray barrel and metal clip, drawn in proportion](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pentel-energel-16x9.png) *Hybrid-ink ballpoint above liquid-gel pen, drawn in proportion.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | uni-ball Jetstream RT Retractable Ballpoint (0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; SXN-210) | uni-ball (by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.) | Japan | Japan | PC/PP plastic barrel, rubber grip | 2006 | $: under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | | Pentel EnerGel RTX (BL77, BLN75, BLN73, BLN77, BL80) | Pentel (by ASTRUM Corporation (Tokyo), called Pentel Co., Ltd. until April 1, 2026; Pentel remains the brand) | Japan | Japan or Mexico | 54% recycled plastic body, latex-free rubber grip | 2001 | $: under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (uni-ball Jetstream RT Retractable Ballpoint (0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm; SXN-210)): Japan. Per US business-supplier spec sheets for items 62152 (0.7 mm black), 62153 (0.7 mm blue) and 73834 (1.0 mm red), all listing Japan; Unsharpen also lists Japan. uni's US store, uni-ball UK and Mitsubishi Pencil's Japanese site don't state it. Source: https://www.ontimesupplies.com/ubc62152-jetstream-retractable-ballpoint-pen-fine-07-mm-black-ink-blue-barrel.html - Made in (Pentel EnerGel RTX (BL77, BLN75, BLN73, BLN77, BL80)): Japan or Mexico. Pentel of America's 2022 product catalog gives the origin of the EnerGel RTX (BL77 metal tip and BLN73/75/77 needle tips) as 'Japan / Mexico' without saying which SKU comes from where. Retailer listings match: OfficeSupply.com lists Mexico for one RTX listing. Pentel's Japanese product page doesn't state a country. Check the package of the exact pen you buy. Source: https://pentel.mywestamerica.com/2022_Product_Catalog/20 ## Key takeaways - Ink: Mitsubishi Pencil classes Jetstream as a low-viscosity oil-based ballpoint; Pentel calls EnerGel a low-viscosity liquid gel ink with 3 times its usual gel ink's lubricant. - Sizes: Jetstream RT 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm in the US; EnerGel RTX 0.3 and 0.5 mm needle, 0.7 mm needle or metal, and 1.0 mm metal. - uni-ball UK lists the 1.0 mm Jetstream RT at 141.4 mm (5.6 in) and 13.8 g; JetPens lists a 0.5 mm EnerGel RTX needle tip at 14.8 cm (5.8 in) and 13 g. - Scale: Mitsubishi Pencil says the Jetstream series sells over 100 million pens a year; Pentel says EnerGel passed 1.6 billion pens sold by August 2026. - Refills: Jetstream SXR-5, SXR-7 and SXR-10; EnerGel LRN3, LRN5, LRN7, LR7 and LR10. ## What is the difference between the Jetstream and the EnerGel? **The Jetstream is a ballpoint with thin oil-based ink; the EnerGel is a gel pen with thin water-based "liquid gel" ink.** Both makers set out to fix the same problems, smearing and slow drying, from opposite directions. Mitsubishi Pencil launched the Jetstream in Japan in July 2006, and the [uni-ball Jetstream RT](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-rt/) is its refillable US model. Pentel launched EnerGel in 2001, first outside Japan; the [Pentel EnerGel RTX](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-energel/) is its main refillable US pen. ## How do the Jetstream RT and EnerGel RTX compare? **They're the same size and price band; the ink, the tips and the water claims differ.** | | uni-ball Jetstream RT | Pentel EnerGel RTX | |---|---|---| | Pen type | Ballpoint (oil-based, low viscosity) | Gel (liquid gel, low viscosity) | | Maker's ink claim | Quick-drying; Super Ink resists water, fading, check washing | Quick-drying, smudge-resistant | | US tip sizes | 0.5 · 0.7 · 1.0 mm | 0.3 · 0.5 needle · 0.7 needle or metal · 1.0 metal | | Length | 141.4 mm (5.6 in), 1.0 mm (uni-ball UK) | 14.8 cm (5.8 in), 0.5 mm needle (JetPens) | | Weight | 13.8 g (uni-ball UK) | 13 g (JetPens) | | Refill | SXR-5 · SXR-7 · SXR-10 | LRN3 · LRN5 · LRN7 · LR7 · LR10 | | Japan list price | ¥275 (about US$1.70), rubber-body 0.7 mm | ¥275 (about US$1.70) | | Made in | Japan (US supplier sheets) | Japan or Mexico (Pentel of America) | | Price band | $ (under $5) | $ (under $5) | ## Which dries faster? **Both are sold as quick-drying, and neither maker publishes a dry time in seconds.** Pentel says EnerGel ink has three times the lubricant of its usual gel ink and soaks into paper quickly; Mitsubishi Pencil calls Jetstream's oil-based pigment ink quick-drying. Ballpoint ink sits in a thinner film than gel, so a Jetstream line usually has less wet ink to smear. In a 2011 blog test by Mark Dominus at leancrew.com, cited in our [Sarasa Clip vs EnerGel](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/zebra-sarasa-clip-vs-pentel-energel/) comparison, the EnerGel smudged only if touched within a second or two. ## Which has the finer tip? **The EnerGel, at 0.3 mm with a needle tip; the Jetstream RT's finest US size is 0.5 mm.** A needle tip is a long thin tube around the ball, which makes the point easy to see in small planner boxes. ![Ball sizes to scale at 1 mm = 100 px: Jetstream RT 0.5 (SXR-5), 0.7 (SXR-7) and 1.0 mm (SXR-10); EnerGel RTX 0.3 needle (LRN3), 0.5 needle (LRN5), 0.7 metal or needle (LR7, LRN7) and 1.0 metal (LR10)](https://stationerytimes.com/images/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pentel-energel-tips.svg) *US sizes of each pen to scale, with their refill codes.* Line width runs finer than the ball on both, and ballpoint lines are thinner than gel lines at the same size. A 0.7 mm Jetstream and a 0.5 mm EnerGel are closer on paper than the numbers suggest. ## Which holds up to water and fraud? **The Jetstream RT.** uni markets its Super Ink as resistant to check washing, water, fading and document alteration, and Mitsubishi Pencil describes it as a pigment ink. Pentel doesn't say whether standard EnerGel ink is pigment or dye and makes no water claim. For permanence, Pentel UK sells a separate LRP7 permanent refill that fits EnerGel pens. ## Which should you buy? **Pick the Jetstream RT for checks, forms, cheap paper and the least smearing; pick the EnerGel RTX for a darker gel line and needle tips.** - **uni-ball Jetstream RT:** a ballpoint that writes like a gel pen, with water-resistant ink. Pair it with our [Jetstream vs G2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pilot-g2/) comparison; it is also our top pick among the [best ballpoint pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-ballpoint-pens/). - **Pentel EnerGel RTX:** smooth gel ink that dries fast, from 0.3 mm. See our [best pens for left-handed writers](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-pens-for-left-handed-writers/) for both in context. ## Where are they made? **US supplier spec sheets list the Jetstream RT as made in Japan; Pentel of America gives "Japan / Mexico" for the EnerGel RTX.** Pentel's catalog doesn't say which pack comes from where, so check the package. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Jetstream a gel pen? No. Mitsubishi Pencil classes it as a low-viscosity oil-based ballpoint; uni-ball's US marketing calls the ink a hybrid because it aims for gel-like smoothness with ballpoint drying. ### Which is better for left-handed writers, Jetstream or EnerGel? Both are marketed for it. Pentel recommends EnerGel for left-handed writers, and uni says Jetstream ink resists smudges. Our left-handed roundup names the EnerGel 0.5 mm overall and the Jetstream as the best ballpoint. ### Is EnerGel ink waterproof? Pentel makes no water-resistance claim for standard EnerGel ink. For permanence Pentel UK sells a separate LRP7 permanent refill; uni markets Jetstream RT ink as resisting water, fading and check washing. ### Can you put an EnerGel refill in a Jetstream? No. The Jetstream RT takes uni's SXR refills, and the EnerGel RTX takes Pentel's LR and LRN refills; each fits its own maker's pens. ### Which writes darker, the Jetstream or the EnerGel? Gel ink usually lays down a darker, wetter line than ballpoint ink, and Mitsubishi Pencil says the newer Jetstream ink is twice as dense in black as before. We haven't compared the two lines under a loupe yet. ### What is a needle tip? A long, thin metal tube around the ball that makes the point easy to see. Pentel's codes with an N, such as BLN75, are needle tips; the Jetstream RT has a standard cone tip. ### Which is better for checks and signatures? The Jetstream RT. uni says its Super Ink resists check washing, water, fading and alteration; Pentel makes no such claim for standard EnerGel ink. ## Sources - [三菱鉛筆: ジェットストリーム スタンダード (Mitsubishi Pencil Japan: low-viscosity oil-based pigment ink, quick-drying)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/products/ballpoint_pens/jetstream/jetstream/standard.html) - [三菱鉛筆: ジェットストリーム ラバーボディ SXN-250-07 (Mitsubishi Pencil Japan: twice the black density, ¥275)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/products/ballpoint_pens/jetstream/jetstream/rubber_body/sxn_250_07.html) - [uni (US): uniball JETSTREAM RT, 1.0 mm (Super Ink; item numbers)](https://www.unibrands.co/products/jetstream-rt-ballpoint-pens) - [uni-ball UK: Jetstream RT SXN-210 (141.4 mm, 13.773 g)](https://uniball.co.uk/?p=12432) - [OnTimeSupplies: Jetstream RT 0.7 mm black, item 62152 (country of origin Japan)](https://www.ontimesupplies.com/ubc62152-jetstream-retractable-ballpoint-pen-fine-07-mm-black-ink-blue-barrel.html) - [ぺんてる: エナージェル (Pentel Japan: three times the lubricant, lower viscosity; model codes, ¥275)](https://www.pentel.co.jp/products/ballpointpen/energel/) - [ぺんてる: エナージェル「左ききさんにやさしくしたいペン」プロジェクト (Pentel Japan news, August 7, 2026: launched 2001, over 1.6 billion sold)](https://www.pentel.co.jp/news/20260807/) - [Pentel of America: EnerGel RTX Retractable Liquid Gel Pen, 0.7 mm (quick-drying, left-handed)](https://www.pentel.com/products/energel-rtx-gel-pen) - [Pentel of America 2022 product catalog: EnerGel RTX (origin Japan / Mexico)](https://pentel.mywestamerica.com/2022_Product_Catalog/20) - [Pentel UK: EnerGel permanent refill LRP7](https://www.pentel.co.uk/product/pentel-energel-permenant-refill-0-7mm-lrp7/) - [leancrew.com: EnerGel (February 2011; EnerGel smudged only within a second or two)](https://leancrew.com/all-this/2011/02/energel/) - [JetPens: Pentel EnerGel RTX Needle-Point 0.5 mm, Sepia (14.8 cm retracted, 13 g; read from JetPens' listing in search results)](https://www.jetpens.com/Pentel-EnerGel-RTX-Gel-Pen-Needle-Point-0.5-mm-Sepia/pd/39085)