Cheyenne Hawk Pen 2 vs Critical Torque Lite compared

Both machines have a fixed stroke: 3.5 mm for the Cheyenne Hawk Pen 2 and 3.8 mm for the Critical Torque Lite. If you were looking for a 4 mm stroke, neither reaches it: the closer of the two is the Torque Lite. The difference is 0.3 mm. Cheyenne describes the Hawk Pen 2 as an all-rounder, while Critical presents the Torque Lite for fine lines and light shading. These are manufacturer descriptions: how much a different stroke is felt at work also depends on the cartridge, the give and the hand. For a wider look at two stroke values, read the article 3.5 mm vs 4.2 mm.

The two weights cannot be compared directly. For the Hawk Pen 2 the manufacturer declares 114 g without battery. For the Torque Lite it declares 5 oz (about 142 g) with the V3 battery, 3.8 bolt and 34 mm grip. The catalogue does not have the Hawk Pen 2's weight with battery, so we cannot say which of the two is lighter: the "Weight condition" row in the table is there for exactly that reason.

The Hawk Pen 2 includes 2 batteries and a charger and declares about 4 hours per battery, depending on use. The voltage given is about 6.3-12.5 V. The Torque Lite comes assembled with a Critical Connect V3 battery of 2000 mAh with an LED interface and has Bluetooth 5.0 for the Critical Connect pedal; in the data we have there is no declared runtime or voltage range. To understand what these values mean, read the guide how to read a tattoo machine's specifications.

There is no better choice in absolute terms. The Hawk Pen 2 offers two included batteries and a sheet with more declared data; the Torque Lite has a slightly longer stroke and a battery system with a dedicated Bluetooth pedal. What matters most is which cartridges you use, how long you work at a stretch and whether you need to swap batteries during a session. To narrow it down, use Find My Machine.

The database does not have the Torque Lite's voltage and runtime or the Hawk Pen 2's weight with battery, and we do not estimate them. Prices change and are not shown here. The data comes from the manufacturers' pages; for the exact conditions of each value, open the Hawk Pen 2 and Torque Lite sheets.