--- title: "uni-ball Jetstream vs Pilot G2: Ballpoint vs Gel Pen" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pilot-g2/" description: "uni-ball Jetstream RT vs Pilot G2 compared: oil-based hybrid ballpoint vs gel ink, smearing, sizes, refills, water claims, and which one to buy for which job." category: "Pens" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-22 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 14 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 $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd." model: "SXN-210" mpn: "62152" url: "https://www.unibrands.co/products/jetstream-rt-ballpoint-pens" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-rt/" - name: "Pilot G2 Premium Retractable Gel Pen (0.38 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm)" brand: "Pilot" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Plastic barrel, rubber grip" released: "1997" price_band: "$ (under $5 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America" guide: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2/" --- # uni-ball Jetstream vs Pilot G2: Ballpoint vs Gel Pen > The Jetstream RT is a ballpoint whose low-viscosity oil-based pigment ink uni markets as quick-drying and water-resistant. The Pilot G2 is a gel pen with a wetter line, a 0.38 mm size and up to 41 colors. Pick the Jetstream if you smear ink or sign documents; pick the G2 for color and fine lines. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pilot-g2/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-22 ![uni-ball Jetstream RT 1.0 mm (141.4 mm, black barrel, steel clip) above a Pilot G2 0.7 mm (143 mm, clear barrel, black grip), drawn to one scale: an oil-based ballpoint in 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm and a gel pen in 0.38 to 1.0 mm](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pilot-g2-16x9.png) *Nearly the same size: 141.4 mm (uni-ball UK) and 143 mm (JetPens), drawn at 1 mm = 4.2 px.* 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) | | Pilot G2 Premium Retractable Gel Pen (0.38 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm) | Pilot (by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America) | Japan | Japan | Plastic barrel, rubber grip | 1997 | $: 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 (Pilot G2 Premium Retractable Gel Pen (0.38 / 0.5 / 0.7 / 1.0 mm)): Japan. Per US retailer spec sheets (Stop & Shop, OnTimeSupplies for item 31171). Some grocery listings for a 4-pack say "Japan, USA", so origin may vary by pack. Pilot's US site doesn't state it in the sources we found. Source: https://stopandshop.com/groceries/home-office/school-office/office-supplies/pens/pilot-g2-pens-fine-blue-ink-7mm-2-ct-pkg.html ## Key takeaways - Ink: Mitsubishi Pencil classes Jetstream as a low-viscosity oil-based ballpoint with pigment; Pilot sells the G2 as a gel ink pen and doesn't publish its formula. - Sizes: the Jetstream RT comes in 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm in the US; the G2 adds a 0.38 mm Ultra Fine to the same three. - uni-ball UK lists the 1.0 mm Jetstream RT at 141.4 mm and 13.8 g; JetPens lists the 0.7 mm G2 at 14.3 cm and about 11 g. - Refills don't cross over: the RT takes SXR-5, SXR-7 and SXR-10, the G2 Pilot refills such as 77240 (0.7 mm black). - Both sit in our $ band (under $5 per pen), and US retailer spec sheets list Japan as the country of origin for both. ## Is the uni-ball Jetstream a gel pen like the Pilot G2? **No: the Jetstream is a ballpoint and the G2 is a gel pen, and that ink difference decides almost everything else.** Mitsubishi Pencil classes Jetstream ink as low-viscosity oil-based ink, a thinner version of ballpoint paste with pigment in it. Pilot sells the G2 as a gel ink pen; gel ink is water-based and thickened so it doesn't feather. uni's US packaging calls the [Jetstream RT](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/uni-ball-jetstream-rt/) a hybrid: it aims for gel-like smoothness with ballpoint drying speed. The [Pilot G2](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2/), launched in 1997, is the gel pen Pilot calls America's #1 selling gel ink brand. ## How do the Jetstream RT and G2 compare? **They're almost the same size and price; the ink, the size range and the colors differ.** | | uni-ball Jetstream RT | Pilot G2 | |---|---|---| | Ink | Low-viscosity oil-based, pigment | Gel (water-based) | | Ball sizes (US) | 0.5 · 0.7 Fine · 1.0 mm | 0.38 · 0.5 · 0.7 · 1.0 mm | | Colors | No count published; US items include black, blue and red | Up to 41 core colors (Pilot USA) | | Water, fade, check-washing claims | Yes (uni, Super Ink) | None published | | Length | 141.4 mm (5.6 in), 1.0 mm (uni-ball UK) | 14.3 cm (5.6 in), 0.7 mm (JetPens) | | Weight | 13.8 g (uni-ball UK; Unsharpen: 11 g) | About 11 g (JetPens) | | Refill (black) | SXR-5 / -7 / -10; US 1.0 mm 2-pack 35972 | 77287 / 77232 / 77240 / 77289 | | Launched | 2006 (Jetstream line, Japan) | 1997 | | Made in | Japan (retailer sheets) | Japan (retailer sheets) | | Price band | $ (under $5 per pen) | $ (under $5 per pen) | Both are click-retractable with a rubber grip, and both use the ball diameter as the size. ![Ball sizes to scale at 1 mm = 100 px: 0.38, 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm; the Jetstream RT comes in 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm with SXR-5, SXR-7 and SXR-10 refills, the G2 in all four with refills 77287, 77232, 77240 and 77289](https://stationerytimes.com/images/uni-ball-jetstream-vs-pilot-g2-balls.svg) *The G2 adds a 0.38 mm size; Pilot's names also run one step finer (its 0.7 mm is "Fine").* ## Which smears less when you write fast? **The Jetstream, by maker claims and user reports.** uni markets Jetstream ink as quick-drying and smudge-resistant and recommends it to left-handed writers. Reviewers and left-handed writers often report G2 smearing in 0.7 and 1.0 mm, and in a 2011 blog test Mark Dominus at leancrew.com saw the G2 leave smeary blobs. Neither maker publishes a dry time in seconds, and we haven't timed them yet. ## Which writes the smoother, bolder line? **The G2 gives the wetter, more saturated gel line; the Jetstream feels smooth for a ballpoint but lays down less ink.** Mitsubishi Pencil says Jetstream ink has up to 50% less writing friction than its conventional oil-based ballpoints and about twice their black density. That comparison is against older ballpoints, not gel pens. The G2's extra ink is also why it smears: more ink takes longer to dry. If you like a bold G2 line but hate smearing, a finer 0.5 or 0.38 mm G2 is a fair middle ground. ## Which is better for checks and documents? **The Jetstream RT, because uni markets its ink as resistant to water, fading and check washing.** uni calls Jetstream RT ink its Super Ink and says it resists document alteration. Pilot makes no such claim for the G2; Pilot's own Japanese explainer notes that water and fade resistance depend on whether an ink uses pigment or dye, and Pilot doesn't say which the G2 uses. If you want that protection in a gel pen, our [Pilot G2 vs uni-ball Signo 207](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-g2-vs-uni-ball-signo-207/) comparison covers uni's pigment gel pen. ## What refills do they take? **Each takes only its own maker's refill: uni's SXR family for the Jetstream RT and Pilot's G2 refills for the G2.** | Size | Jetstream RT refill | G2 US refill (black 2-pack) | |---|---|---| | 0.38 mm | No US RT (SXR-38 refill exists) | 77287 | | 0.5 mm | SXR-5 | 77232 | | 0.7 mm | SXR-7 | 77240 | | 1.0 mm | SXR-10 (US 2-pack 35972) | 77289 | Unsharpen lists the SXR-7 at 11.2 cm long. G2 refills also fit Pilot's G2 Limited and G2 Pro, per an office supplier's compatibility list. ## Which should you buy? **Pick the Jetstream RT if you smear ink, write left-handed, sign checks or write on cheap paper; pick the G2 if you want color, a 0.38 mm line or the boldest, wettest stroke.** - **uni-ball Jetstream RT:** quick-drying, water-resistant by uni's claim, and Wirecutter's long-running ballpoint pick according to uni's own store. Our [best ballpoint pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-ballpoint-pens/) roundup ranks it among other ballpoints. - **Pilot G2:** four sizes, up to 41 colors and refills in every US office aisle. - **Something in between:** the [Pentel EnerGel](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-energel/) is a gel pen sold as quick-drying, and the [Pilot Acroball](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-acroball/) is Pilot's own low-viscosity oil ballpoint. Our [gel vs ballpoint vs rollerball](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/gel-vs-ballpoint-vs-rollerball/) explainer covers the ink types in general. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the Jetstream better than the G2 for left-handed writers? Usually, yes. uni markets Jetstream ink as quick-drying and smudge-resistant and recommends it for left-handed writers, while reviewers report G2 smearing in the 0.7 and 1.0 mm sizes. Neither maker publishes a dry time. ### Is the uni-ball Jetstream a hybrid pen? That's uni's US marketing term. Mitsubishi Pencil classes Jetstream as a low-viscosity oil-based ballpoint, thinner than ordinary ballpoint paste, which is why it feels closer to a gel pen. ### Can I put a G2 refill in a Jetstream RT? No. The Jetstream RT takes uni's SXR refills (SXR-5, SXR-7, SXR-10) and the G2 takes Pilot's G2 refills, such as 77240 in 0.7 mm black. Each fits only its own maker's pens. ### Which ink is more water-resistant, Jetstream or G2? The Jetstream, by the makers' claims. uni markets Jetstream RT ink as its Super Ink, resistant to water, fading and check washing; Pilot makes no water-resistance claim for the G2. ### Does the Pilot G2 come in a finer tip than the Jetstream RT? Yes. The G2 is sold in 0.38 mm Ultra Fine, while the finest Jetstream RT in the US is 0.5 mm. uni does make a 0.38 mm Jetstream refill, the SXR-38, but we found no US RT body in that size. ### Are the Jetstream and G2 made in Japan? US retailer spec sheets say yes for both. A few grocery listings give the G2 4-pack as Japan and USA, so check the package you buy. ### Which is cheaper, the Jetstream RT or the Pilot G2? They cost about the same. Both are in our $ band, under $5 per pen in typical multi-packs, and refills for both are sold in 2-packs. ## Sources - [三菱鉛筆: ジェットストリーム スタンダード (Mitsubishi Pencil Japan: Jetstream pigment ink, quick-drying, spring tip and twin-ball mechanism)](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: up to 50% less friction, about twice the black density)](https://www.mpuni.co.jp/products/ballpoint_pens/jetstream/jetstream/rubber_body/sxn_250_07.html) - [Pilot (Japan): 油性、水性、ゲル、顔料、染料 (how oil-based, water-based and gel inks differ)](https://www.pilot.co.jp/media/knowledge/004.html) - [uni (US): uniball JETSTREAM RT, 1.0 mm (Super Ink claims, 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) - [Pilot USA (Power to the Pen): G2 (4 point sizes, up to 41 colors, #1 selling claim per Circana)](https://powertothepen.com/pens/g2/) - [Pilot Pen (US): Fine Writing brochure (G2 refill item numbers, PDF)](https://pilotpen.us/Downloads/Fine_Writing_Brochure.pdf) - [JetPens: Pilot G2 Gel Pen 0.7 mm (14.3 cm retracted, 11.5 mm max diameter, about 11 g; read from JetPens' listing in search results, as the page blocks our reader)](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-G2-Gel-Pen-0.7-mm-Pink/pd/9049) - [Staples: Jetstream RT refills, Medium 1.0 mm black, 2-pack (35972)](https://www.staples.com/uni-ball-jetsream-rt-ballpoint-pen-refills-medium-point-1-0mm-black-ink-2-pack-35972/product_UBC35972) - [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) - [Stop & Shop: Pilot G2 Pens Fine Blue Ink .7mm, 2 ct (made in Japan)](https://stopandshop.com/groceries/home-office/school-office/office-supplies/pens/pilot-g2-pens-fine-blue-ink-7mm-2-ct-pkg.html) - [OnTimeSupplies: Pilot 77240 refill (fits G2, G2 Limited, G2 Pro and other Pilot gel pens)](https://www.ontimesupplies.com/pil77240-refill-for-pilot-b2p-dr-grip-g2-g6-mr-metropolitan-precise-begreen-and-q7-gel-pens-fine-tip-black-ink-2-pack.html) - [unsharpen: uni SXR-7 refill](https://unsharpen.com/refill/uni-sxr-7/) - [leancrew.com: EnerGel (February 2011; G2 smearing)](https://leancrew.com/all-this/2011/02/energel/)