I’ve tried a bunch of pen-style tattoo machines over the last couple of years and most of them felt like trade-offs — either the motor felt weak at low speeds, or they just didn’t have enough stroke range. That changed when I picked up the Vlad Blad Ultron 4 Pro. The stroke options alone are impressive: six positions from 3.2 mm all the way up to 5.5 mm. But what really got me was the SmartHit adaptive system — it actually senses how I’m working and adjusts hit strength based on my pressure and needle setup. It sounds gimmicky, but in practice, it just works. The whole thing is engineered for long sessions, from the 4000 mAh battery that runs over 20 hours, to the solid grip and balanced weight. Even cartridge switching is smooth with the asymmetric design. It’s the first pen-style that doesn’t feel like a compromise. Feels solid, runs clean, and lets me just focus on the piece, not on the tool. Definitely the one that earned a permanent place in my rotation.