Best E-Ink Tablets of 2023
Kenjo
Best E-Ink Tablets of 2023
Smart devices like tablets can be overstimulating with notifications and distractions popping out almost every minute and yet we can’t stray away from them because it undeniably makes life more convenient and opens up a world of possibility for us. E-ink tablets, on the other hand, bring you back to the good old times when paper was king, where you can sit down and pour your heart out with words or drawings without getting distracted by a notification from your favorite game.
E-Ink technology is continually advancing through the years and just like their counterparts, they are getting bigger! There are plenty of available tablets to choose from with differences in their specs - some focus on faster refresh rate, while others prefer to focus on clarity and color. So which one stands out among the rest? Today we’ll find out!
What Are the Best E-Ink Tablets?
E-ink tablets have limited features as they are seen basically as upgraded e-readers for users who enjoy reading and handwriting notes and want a better overall experience with zero distractions. It is less eye-straining because it does not use the usual LCD, consumes less power so that battery life can last several weeks, and imitates a paper-like surface so you don’t feel as if you are writing on glossy glass.
There is a standard of 10.3 inches when it comes to e-ink tablets since that is the size to which PDFs fit well in. But some devices stray away from that standard and go bigger or smaller like the Dasung A4 and PocketBook Color respectively. Some devices market their audio systems such as Onyx Boox Note Air 2 and Bigme InkNote Color. And some take a step into art and offer sketching apps such as the reMarkable 2. There is a myriad of variants to choose from and it can be quite confusing to find the device to match your demands.
That is why it is particularly important to see the features and performance of these devices so you know which is the best e-ink tablet for you. We have listed some of the best e-ink tablets in store for 2023 and what you need to know about them.
reMarkable 2
Overview
This is the second edition in the reMarkable line-up. The reMarkable 2 is a sleek e-ink tablet that is thin, lightweight, and made from aluminum. Known for having a paper-like feel, with its precise marker tip you can feel the natural friction as if you’re writing on actual paper. It allows users to sketch, share screens, create documents, use various templates, upload PDF and ePUB, annotate ebooks, and sign signatures with its built-in apps.
Highlights
One of the thinnest tablets in the world with 4.7mm thickness and a 10.3” screen display.
Projects a monochrome display with a 226 DPI resolution
Battery life lasts up to 2 weeks.
Automatically syncs to your other devices via the reMarkable cloud service.
Connects to wifi and can integrate with Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.
Efficient in note organization and annotation with over 40-page templates to choose from. It can convert handwritten notes into text and straightens highlight strokes.
The magnetic accessory dock includes a folio, as well as a marker that does not require charging, has a special high-friction tip, 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, a 50-tilt sensor, and a built-in eraser.
Pen tools give a wide variety of strokes on sketches and files can be exported to vector and SVG to be edited later.
Pricing
A newly made reMarkable 2 is sold at $299, but you have the option of buying a refurbished one at $279. Refurbished reMarkable 2 is an undamaged pre-owned device returned after its trial period ended. It comes with a USB A to C charging cable, but you can add an additional cable for $19. Markers are sold at $79 and $129. Folios are sold at $79, $129, and $169.
Bottom Line
It is best suited for minimalistic users who look for a single-mentality e-ink device that focuses on reading PDF, ePUBS, and web articles, as well as, note-taking, and sketching features. For visual thinkers that want to keep a record of their thoughts and be able to easily access them digitally.
The reMarkable 2 and Connect offer a risk-free trial period. Upon purchase, your device will have a 1-year free subscription to Connect. After the trial period, you can subscribe to Connect for $2.99 per month where you have unlimited cloud storage and access to exclusive deals and offers. You will receive a full refund if you choose to return the product within 100 days.
Onyx Boox Note Air 2
Overview
The Onyx Boox Note Air 2 is known as one of the most versatile e-ink tablets. Its functions are akin to a regular tablet but it is still run by e-ink technology It has a wide range of access to local libraries and is ideal for working with large-format documents. Made from a durable aluminum-magnesium alloy and covered with Asahi protective glass to ensure comfort for reading. Its audio functions support audiobooks and voice recording.
Highlights
10.3” E Ink Carta features a resolution of 227 DPI
Access to Google Play Store and its own app store to download third-party apps that have been optimized for the device.
Access to the entire collection of books from users’ Kindle, Nook, and Kobo libraries. The Libby app and Marvel Unlimited are also available for download.
Speakers and a microphone that allows for listening to audiobooks and voice recording
Customizable functions that are easy to optimize.
Allows downloading of writing tools and supports 17 formats including PDF, epub, DOC, and Mobi.
Color shifting front light has warm and cold settings to avoid eye strain during screen time
Dual Touch of Wacom stylus with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and capacitive touch
Wifi and Bluetooth allow the user to connect wireless headphones, audio systems, and cloud-sync data
Pricing
Available on the Boox website for $449.99. It comes with a free stylus pen, a case cover, a sleeve, extra tips, and a pre-installed screen protector.
Bottom Line
The Onyx Boox Note Air 2 is one of the best e-ink tablets for all-rounders, as it gives a lot of options for reading, writing, drawing, listening, and note-taking just like the functionality of an android tablet. It does run on android so it is quite flexible, you can even connect a Bluetooth keypad to use it as a makeshift laptop. Best for users who know their tech and do not mind taking the time to explore their device to fully grasp its functions and customize it to their preference.
Similar to a regular tablet that can fully connect online, notifications can and will pop up, but that can easily be turned off in the settings. The Onyx Note Air 2 is less stimulating than an Ipad and can comparably be considered by many as its energy-efficient alternative, though it is still an e-ink technology-run device that aims to be a distraction-free but productive device.
Kobo Elipsa
Overview
Kobo has had a decade worth of experience making e-readers and the Kobo Elipsa is their first e-ink device for note-taking. It is a large-screen, library-friendly e-ink tablet used to read books and graphic novels, create documents, make annotations, convert handwritten notes to clean typed text, and share them as you like. Its advanced notebook lets users freely write, add objects and create their own free-form sections. It’s durable and can stand with its sleep cover.
Highlights
10.3” glare-free touchscreen features Carta 1200 E Ink technology and a resolution of 227 DPI
Battery life lasts up to 2 weeks.
Customizable functions allow you to resize margins, line spacing, and font size for a better reading experience
Allows access to library books from the local library with OverDrive integration
Supports 15 file formats including PDF, ePUB, JPEG, and GIF
Advanced notebooks let you insert drawings, diagrams, math equations, and free-form sections. As well as converting handwritten notes into texts.
Offers different brushes, pen sizes, and shades of gray and black to sketch and write.
The dual button on the pen allows you to erase and shift from writing to highlighting with a click
Has rubber feet on the back of the device and a cover that stands for surface grip so it won’t slide easily.
Adjust the brightness with ComfortLight or use the blue front light to ease the eyes.
Pricing
A Kobo Elipsa pack is available on the Kobo website for $399.99, it includes the Elipsa e-ink tablet, magnetic sleep cover, stylus pen, USB-C charging cable, 1 Kobo stylus replacement tip, a tip replacement tool, and 1 replaceable AAAA battery for the pen. You can purchase an extra pack of Kobo stylus replacement tips for $9.99.
Bottom Line
The Kobo Elipsa is proficient in its reading experience and allows users to write notes on pages and margins. And its advanced notebook is easily customizable to whatever the user is writing. It is best for users who loved the previous Kobo e-readers and just want a bigger screen for reading digital paperbacks, are comfortable using OverDrive for library access, and want to scribble notes directly on the document. You can even listen to Kobo audiobooks using Bluetooth wireless technology.
As with other Kobo e-readers, Kobo Plus offers all-you-can-read eBooks for $9.99 per month with a 30-day free trial. You can read Kobo Plus eBooks on Kobo eReaders and the Kobo Books app.
Bigme InkNote Color
Overview
A collaborative co-branded e-note of Bigme and Good e-Reader, two well-known names in the e-reader industry. This colored e-ink display features 16 colors, you can even take a video and edit it using its rear and front cameras. There is a large storage capacity to download video creation and video editing tools and more.
Highlights/Top Features/Benefits
E INK Carta HD e-paper display with a resolution of 227 PPI.
The color panel features E INK Kaleido Plus and has a resolution of 117 PPI. It can display over 5,000 different color combinations.
The front-lit display has 36 white and amber LED lights giving a warm lighting effect
The dual camera at the rear and front snaps photos, scans documents, or even shoot a video.
Equipped with finger sensor and displays security codes
SD card is capable of an additional 128GB of storage
Access to Google Play Stores’ endless applications
Four-speed modes for efficient performance
Built-in noise-canceling microphones. Its speech recognition is compatible with over 31 languages with 98% accuracy.
Wifi and Bluetooth allow the user to connect wireless headphones, audio systems, and cloud-sync data
Pricing
Available for pre-order on Bigme Store for $699.99 which includes the tablet, magnetic A3 pen and sleep cover, USB-C cable, tips, nib puller tool, and SD/sim card removal tool.
Bottom Line
Its 4 microphones produce accurate voice-to-text dictations for users who prefer taking notes through voice command and do not want to go through the trouble of fixing text errors. This is for users who wish to delve into a new generation of e-ink tablets. This is the first color ink note with functional dual cameras, 8MP on the rear camera and 5MP on the front camera. There is also a vast storage capacity for users who wish to download a lot of documents and applications.
The Good e-Reader and Bigme Inknote Color is one of the few advanced color ink notes. It has been released only recently so there are many updates users can expect to see. It was first launched on Kickstarter and campaigned on Indiegogo. It was a success and garnered attention from the e-note community.
Kindle Scribe
Overview
Amazon’s largest Kindle product is an e-ink tablet. Kindle Scribe is similar to the extra-large Kindle Paperwhite with its high resolution and Scribe has the highest resolution among e-ink devices above 10”. It is the first Kindle you can write on, it uses a Wacom screen that has an anti-gloss coating on top that also adds texture when writing and a side bezel to easily hold for hours at a time. It mainly allows users to write on sticky notes above the documents.
Highlights
10.2” glare-free Paperwhite display with a resolution of 300 DPI.
Battery life can last up to 10 weeks.
There are 18 notebook templates available, including six lined options, graphing paper, musical notations, and to-do lists
Has rubber feet on the back of the device and a cover that stands for surface grip so it won’t slide easily and prevents scratches.
Has 35 adjustable front lights from cool to warm.
The magnetic stylus that does not require charging and has a button to switch pen functions. The key map of the pen is customizable on the device.
Pricing
Bottom Line
The Kindle Scribe would be perfect for users who indulge in Amazon’s products and services and seek a single-use device with a high-resolution display, no more pinching and zooming, and no more incessant ghosting when refreshing. For those who want to occasionally take and write on sticky notes on Amazon books but not directly on the file.
As with other Kindle devices, Kindle Scribe has access to the Kindle library where you are offered over 13 million titles to choose from. U.S.-based customers will receive access to a wide collection of over 3 million e-books with the first four months of subscription to Kindle Unlimited rendered free.
Supernote A5 X
Overview
The Supernote X series comprises the Supernote A6 X and Supernote A5 X. Both models produce the same function but the A5 X is bigger at 10.3”. And is more suitable for writing as it has a large screen space and offers a wide range of functions for note-taking, sketching, and calligraphy practice. It has great navigation and usability features. It is a well-adjusted tablet developed with the community’s demands in mind.
Highlights
10.3-inch E Ink screen display with a resolution of 226 PPI.
Battery life lasts up to a week.
Numerous page templates and forms.
Search and convert handwritten notes into text and export them to Word or text documents.
Fantastic writing experience with smooth pen strokes similar to a gel pen
Multiple pen options, including a fine liner, marker, and calligraphy pen. Pen strokes are adjustable in color and thickness
Hard ceramic pen tips that do not need to be replaced.
A plastic material that makes it more durable than the typical glass surface of e-ink tablets even when drop tested.
Wifi and Bluetooth allow the user to connect wireless headphones, audio systems, and cloud-sync data
Pricing
Available on the Supernote website for $415, it includes the device only. You can buy a standard set for $514 and a premium set for $589 both including a pen and folio.
Bottom Line
The Supernote A5 X is like the in-between of the minimalist reMarkable 2 and the functional Onyx Boox Note Air 2 because it provides users with an ample amount of functions from android apps while keeping it simple. This is a tailor-made choice for writers who want a premium notepad for a smooth writing experience with a ballpoint-like pen. And for people who keep a daily planner or to-do list, and are generally looking for basic but high-functioning e-ink tablets.
Supernote is known to be a top-tier brand for writing and reading. It does a good job listening to its customers and is continually updating based on consumer feedback which is why it is well-balanced and has good features that attract a loyal community.
PocketBook Color
Overview
PocketBook Color is an internationally friendly device that provides language and audio support. It is the size of an e-reader and has the functions of an e-ink tablet. One of the first and few colored e-ink devices there is. Made from plastic, it has a simple and solid design with a soft texture on the front. It allows users to read, write notes, browse web articles, and even play a few classic games like chess, sudoku, and klondike.
Highlights/Top Features/Benefits
6” e-ink Kaleido color display. Capable of displaying up to 4096 colors and shades.
Powerful dual-core processor for opening files quickly and smooth page-turning
Equipped with a front light that guarantees eye-reading safety
Battery life lasts up to 1 month
16 GB internal storage and a slot for a memory card of up to 32 GB
Supports 19 books and 4 graphic formats. No need for conversions.
Supports 6 audio formats for music and audiobooks. It also has a text-to-speech function with English and 15 additional languages available for download.
Wifi and Bluetooth allow the user to connect wireless headphones, audio systems, and cloud-sync data
Pricing
Bottom Line
The PocketBook Color offers attractive features suited for e-reader users who want to maintain a small reading screen similar to a regular e-reader and be able to take notes, highlight, and comment directly on the book and adjust basic functions to their preferences.
The Pocketbook Color is one of the pioneers of color e-ink technology and an internationally favorable device mainly because it has a wide variety of languages users can choose from. It is a classic for people who simply want to have color in their e-readers. And it is easy to carry, it can even fit in a jacket pocket.
Huawei MatePad Paper
Overview
An e-note that goes beyond note-taking. Huawei Matepad Paper is the first generation e-ink device of Huawei. Known for featuring a note application that allows users to write with multiple paper and pen styles, handwriting-to-text conversion and translation, and audio note recording. It can efficiently organize notes and add security settings on private notes. It has a leather backing that extends to the front ledger and comes with a high-quality magnetic cover which makes holding the device a refined touch.
Highlights/Top Features/Benefits
10.3” E INK Carta HD display with a resolution of 227 PP1
Full view display at 86.3% high screen-to-body ratio
Built-in smart refresh rate that adjusts to help conserve battery life. Battery life lasts up to 28 days standby time
3 different adjustable glow light modes
The magnetic pen has 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity and a built-in button
Has 4 microphones and 2 speakers
Converts handwriting to text and records audio
Access to high-quality reading content as well as third-party reading resources
Equipped with gravity sensor, hall sensor, and fingerprint sensor.
Wifi and Bluetooth allow the user to connect wireless headphones, audio systems, cloud sync data, and screen projection
Pricing
The Huawei MatePad Paper just got released in its home country and not much yet is known about its price and availability in North America.
Bottom Line
The Huawei Matepad Paper is a high-performance e-ink tablet most suitable for users that want to have a productivity device with a lot of options when taking and organizing their notes. It has powerful hardware, android expandability, excellent haptics, and is not straining to the eyes and not hard to hold for a long period of time. The reading experience is pleasant but its built-in app store mainly has Asian titles, and reading books requires a device transfer.
Hanvon N10
Overview
The Hanvon N10 is a non-touchscreen e-Note. It does not have a capacitive touch layer, making the display look raised as if paper-like. Great for high-quality PDF viewing and note-taking, it lets the user customize the pen strokes, insert shapes, drag and select texts, embed annotations on books, and export. It has a built-in leather sleep case, pen holder, and the bezel on its left has 9 physical page turn buttons where 8 of which are user-customizable.
Highlights/Top Features/Benefits
10.3” E INK Carta HD display with a resolution of 227 PPI
Battery life lasts up to 120 days on standby time
9 physical page turn buttons placed on the side
Customizable functions allow you to resize margins, line spacing, and font size for a better reading experience.
Wacom stylus with a hidden nib tin to store nib replacements with different tip styles. Easily customizable pen type, width, and line thickness.
Wifi and Bluetooth allow the user to connect wireless headphones, audio systems, and cloud-sync data
Pricing
Available on AliExpress for around $450 which already includes a case for the tablet. You could get it for $10 cheaper if you opt for the caseless version.
Bottom Line
This is suitable for users who don’t mind learning their way around the technicalities of the Hanvon N10 as it differs from the usual touchscreen device. And great for users that want a unique writing experience with different tip styles such as felt and pom tips, as well as having an extended battery life that lasts up to months after a single charge.
It can be quite difficult as Hanvon N10’s default language is Chinese, you can change it to English in the language settings but there are instances where not all information displayed on the screen is translated. It is best that users memorize the customized functions of the physical buttons so that navigation becomes easy.
Dasung A4
Overview
Dasung A4 is a slim and lightweight e-ink tablet weighing 360g. The screen is flush with the bezel and gives the device a premium notepad feel. It has an app store where you can access mainstream apps such as Kindle Duokan and Wechats e-reading app, and a stock reader app to download books. It allows users to choose from and write on multiple page templates, draw on PDF files, layer highlights, allow page spread, and roam around built-in apps.
Highlights/Top Features/Benefits
13.3” Carta E-ink 2K with a resolution of 207 PPI.
Slim body with the thinnest part about 4.3mm
Battery life lasts up to 3 weeks.
Pen with built-in button and customizable settings
The two-page spread allows the device to have 2 separate screens
Supports PDF, TXT, EPUB, and MOBI formats.
Wifi and Bluetooth allow the user to connect wireless headphones, audio systems, and cloud-sync data
Pricing
Available on Dasung website for $590 and comes in 5 different shell colors. The package includes the Dasung A4, a protective case, a micro-USB cable, and a stylus with 3 replacement felt tips.
Bottom Line
Dasung A4 is basically an upgraded version of the Sony DPT, that even uses the same pen now. It’s an eye-friendly e-ink tablet that is suitable for users that want a larger screen than the usual A5-sized ones, a pen with arguably the best writing feel among styluses, and is content with its simplistic built-in applications. And if you are looking for an elegant and fashionable e-note, Dasung A4 has 5 shell colors for you to choose from.
HyRead Gaze Note Plus
Overview
The Hyread Gaze Note plus has the same body as the Likebook Ares but with upgraded features which include storage capacity, processor, and operating system. It’s great for reading and PDF viewing as it allows users to customize its functions, remove watermarks, and hold a double-page spread. Note-taking is also fun as there are a lot of pages and background templates, and pen settings and users can easily save and share their documents.
Highlights/Top Features/Benefits
7.8” E INK Carta e-paper display with a resolution of 300 PPI.
The stylus has 4096 degrees of pressure sensitivity.
Has a front-lit display and warm light with amber LEDs.
A2 mode allows quick screen refresh, performs partial refresh for the content, shortens the screen refresh time, and produces slight afterimages.
Supports numerous formats, such as EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and DOC
Has an SD card that is capable of an additional 512G
Has a single speaker that has a capable audio system and a built-in microphone
Bluetooth allows the user to connect wireless headphones and audio systems
Pricing
Available on Good e-Reader for $310, which includes the tablet alone. Accessories are sold separately. You can purchase the fabric case for $29.99, the X WACOM stylus for $39.99, and the pen replacement nibs for $15.99.
Bottom Line
The Hyread Gaze Note Plus is ideal for users who enjoy reading comics and manga, as well as web browser articles since its size fits with the panels well and has a high resolution, and the storage capacity is gigantic so you never have to worry about having too many files. The A2 mode helps with smoothening the visual perception for the best viewing experience. It runs on Android so you can also download apps such as Kindle, and Kobo. It even has security features easily customized in the settings.
Is there a tablet that converts handwriting to handwritten notes?
There are e-ink tablets that convert handwritten notes into texts such as the reMarkable 2, Supernote A5 X, Huawei Matepad Paper, and Good e-Reader & Bigme InkNote Color. The accuracy of these devices’ handwriting recognition is high. Depending on the device, the handwritten notes can be edited, organized, and shared via email or other integrations.
Which tablet feels most like paper?
The reMarkable 2 is only 4.7mm thick, it has no backlight so the screen looks raised and not sunken. It uses a marker with a special high-friction tip that has a tilt function, 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, and a built in-eraser. That makes you feel as if you are writing on actual paper.
Best e-ink tablet for note-taking
Supernote A5 X is for those who write. You can annotate anywhere and organize notes efficiently. It has highly accurate recognition to convert your handwriting into text and you can share it via integrations. It also uses hard ceramic pen nibs that do not need to be replaced or charged.
Best e-ink tablet for drawing
E-ink tablets are not primarily marketed toward artists, but among the devices on our list, the reMarkable 2 has fantastic features for drawing. Such as its tilt function, 4096 level of pressure sensitivity, low latency, pencil tool, and sketching layers, and you can save drawings as vectors and edit in apps that can edit SVG files.
Best e-ink tablet for performance
The Kindle Scribe is 10.2” and has a resolution of 300 PPI which makes the images and texts clear. Its battery life can last up to 10 weeks with a single charge. Switching screens is faster than other e-ink tablets and you do not see as much ghosting, refreshing, and lagging as most devices.
Best e-ink tablet overall
The jack of all trades would be the Onyx Boox Note Air 2 which fairs well in reading, writing, drawing, listening, and note-taking. Users can heavily customize its functions so they have the best experience. It functions nearly as much as a regular Android tablet would but still runs on e-ink technology.
Final thoughts
Finding the best e-ink device all jolts down to what a user is looking for. For a realistic paper experience, reMarkable 2 is the way to go. For efficient note-taking then the Supernote A5 X is for you. For an all-rounder, the Onyx Boox Note Air 2 is what you need. It can be confusing to look for your perfect match, hopefully, this list helps your search.
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Posted Feb 5, 2023
An in-depth comparison of e-ink readers for 2023.
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