Honestly, I feel your pain. I tried saving money last semester and bought a random one off Amazon and it was a total headache. The palm rejection was basically non-existent, so I ended up with stray lines everywhere in my notes. If you want something that actually lasts, skip the super cheap knockoffs and maybe look at these:

• Logitech Crayon Digital Pencil for iPads is probably your safest bet. It uses Apple tech so it connects instantly and doesnt lag, though it lacks pressure sensitivity. Honestly, for just taking notes in lectures, you dont really need that anyway.
• Zagg Pro Stylus 2 is another one I had to look into. It feels a bit better in the hand but the build quality is definitely not as good as the original. Just be careful, some of these off-brands just die after a couple months.

Coming back to this, I honestly feel your pain. I had issues with some of the ultra-cheap stuff too, specifically the lag. If you are desperate for something reliable that wont break the bank, you really need to look at the Adonit Note-M or the Metapen M2. The Metapen is a life saver for students because it charges super fast and the palm rejection is actually surprisingly decent for the price.

• Metapen M2: tilt sensitivity is okay, just dont expect artist-level precision.
• Adonit Note-M: has a magnetic attachment and decent battery life, good for long lectures. They arent as smooth as the original, but for notes, they do the job just fine. Honestly, save your money for your midterms instead of dropping a huge chunk on the brand name stuff right now.

Big if true