Perhaps this review is in direct response to the recent Uni-ball Vision Needle post from a couple of weeks ago. Didn't want the Pilot to feel left out of the mix as we did throw a few punches last time.
It is very likely that the Precise is a pen you've either seen or used as they are quite popular. As a kid, I always recall them kicking around at home in our pen cups/drawer when neither of my folks are extremely pen particular. They are THAT common. In some countries outside of the US, the Precise is called the Hi-Tecpoint V5 or V7, but they are the same pen.
V7 Hi-Tecpoint Branding
The Precise seems to scream "classic" in it's styling as it has likely been untouched since it was created. It has sort of a unique, yet boring, technical appeal to it. Maybe not the prettiest and flashiest pen on the shelf, but it's near cult following is well deserved.
The needle-tipped, consistent writing experience that comes with the Precise is pretty great, and the price on them is just right. In many instances you could probably find this pen for as little as $1 - $1.50 and they are in almost every store. I see them at my local grocery store in at least 3 or 4 variations when their "office" section consists of about 8 total feet of stuff.
The writing of the Precise may not be silky smooth, but it always lays down a dark line and rarely skips (if at all). Pilot makes a really nice blue ink too which is rich and dark. No doubt that it is blue rather than "light blue", "turquoise", or "blue-black" like some brands make, but claim to be blue.
One thing about the classic, capped Precise that I don't really enjoy is the grip section. Outside of looking cool with the visible fins where the ink flows, the grip is a plain plastic cylinder without any rubber or squish of any kind.
There is a lip where the cap and barrel meet that if gripped a certain way could even be a bit sharp while writing. Pilot does make a retractable version of the Precise known as the RT which touts a rubbery grip section which is a bit more comfortable.
Overall, I really enjoy these pens and even enjoy the boring styling (capped version) a bit. If you haven't tried the Precise or Hi-Tecpoint, give them a go. The barrier to entry is low as the price is good, but they are great pens.
To check out a more odd version, Pilot actually produces a cartridge fill edition.