@Alexandre Soubrier Agreed. Selecting points is easier now but selecting bezier handles is still a study in frustration.

@Rebecca Migdal : ok I see. But these functionalities exist since several versions.
The point of this thread is about selecting bezier handles without smart guides. Because some times, you don't want smart guides ON, as explained in the comments below

Alexandre Soubrier, here is what I see:
1. The pen tool is simplified-- it had already absorbed the functionality of the add and delete anchor point tools, and now these are eliminated. Can still switch between pen and anchor point tool by holding the option key.
2. Labels indicate what you are hovering over when using the pen tools and the selection tools, and these now include handle, as well as anchor and path
Tips:
• The function can be turned on and off under Preferences: Smart Guides: tick box "Anchor/Path Labels"
• Adjust the size of handles under Preferences: Selection and Anchor Display

@Rebecca Migdal : I have this version and don't see the improvements. What kind of improvements do you see ?

The latest 2019 version 23.0.4 solves this problem and is s huge improvement. Thanks for listening, Adobe!

Yes, why not increase the size, but I think this should stay an option because when you have hundreds of points, it can become difficult to grab the one you want.

Great Idea, but why not have both. Increase the size and change the cursor?

I strongly support your suggestion. I think I waste the most time in Illustrator just trying to grab bezier points. Adding tolerance and/or cursor change would go a long way towards mitigating the wasted time.

It is very strange because after having thought of all this, the cursor DOES change but only AFTER having clicked.... Which is useless because once clicked, who cares of the cursor ?

As for smart guides, nobody use them when we draw by hand, because they always drive you in a place you don't want to go. Smart guides are not the solution. There is a tolerance and a cursor change on anchor points while smart guides are off.
So why not on bezier handles ? The developers just forgot something in my opinion....

Of course I tried, and this is in my first comment ;) ! Preferences doesn't allow tolerance on bezier handles. Only on anchor point. And this is confusing for users.
You don't have the same bezier points as me because I changed that in preferences (that is on your screen capture).
Your video is not at 100% which is confusing... It is not the good size of points. But it shows exactly what I'm pointing out and which, when you use very often, is annoying : the cursor doesn't change on bezier handles. This is where the nightmare is : you can only guess that Illustrator will grab it or not.

Fairly enough, I didn't "notice" this selection as a "nightmare", since I rely heavily on smart guides, which, indeed, displays "handle" when you get close to one (see mp4 down there).

Also, on your screen, the dots seem smaller and to lack a tolerance, which is available as a preference in Ai. I suppose you tried some of that ?

Heartily seconded.

Tolerance is a problem, but the style of the cursor too. Showing where the cursor will REAlLY grab the handle is a solution. I show this here : https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/37709080-show-a-different-cursor-on-bezier-point-and-add-t

I suggest a solution here : https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/37709080-show-a-different-cursor-on-bezier-point-and-add-t

Hello, I posted another one here : https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-feature-requests/suggestions/37709080-show-a-different-cursor-on-bezier-point-and-add-t because there are several problems on these bezier points...

Hello,
Grabbing bezier points is a nightmare. There is no tolerance (the one in preferences works only for anchor points) and there is no cursor change (although there is one on anchor points).
I show you how this nightmare can be with a gif.
And I show you how other softwares handle this problem by changing the cursor over a handle bezier point.

Using Illustrator 23.0.1 and this is still broken! I need to zoom in so close to select and move anything that isn't a big solid shape.

Is there a solution for this in the latest update? I'm still facing problems while selecting and moving the anchor points from the path

The Tollorance is still broken, example set it to 1px and try to select something. It selects it even while its 50-100px aside of it.

Another super annoying issue, it constantly goes into rotation mode. Im riding a rolleer coast here because i need to none stop zoomin and out.

They really broke this part and has been like this for quite ome versions. I think somewhere around 2015/2016 it started to act like this.