Tired of lugging around notebooks but loving the feeling of writing on paper? Are textbooks weighing your backpack down? Electronic ink tablets (or e-ink tablets for short) are becoming many students’ first choice for taking notes and studying on the go. Although, picking which one to buy can be a bit tricky.
They can generally be broken down into reading-only tablets and portable note-keeping tablets.
Writing vs Read only e-Ink tablets
Read-only
Widely considered to be the standard, these are likely the ones most people are familiar with. They tend to fill the role of a book rather than a notebook. Although they may at first seem a tad basic, they can have enough features to make your head spin. Whether it’s massive online libraries or waterproof builds, there is guaranteed to be at least one out there that will make you do a double-take.
Writing
Tablets that support writing oftentimes have all of the features of a read-only tablet and then some. They act as a middle ground between digitally recording notes with a laptop and writing your notes with pen and paper. With e-ink tablets, you never have to worry about sifting through papers to find the information you need as all of your notes and drawings are saved digitally.
The only downside is that they tend to be far more expensive than their less feature-rich counterparts.
Understanding the differences between these two is incredibly important for coming to a decision on which one to buy. To help with this the e-ink tablets below are divided by type.
Read-only e-Ink tablets
Kindle Paperwhite
- Waterproof
- Trusted brand
- Super portable size
Possibly the most widely recognized entry on this list is the Kindle Paperwhite. The name “Kindle” is almost synonymous with e-ink tablets and that reputation isn’t without reason. Despite being the most inexpensive tablet on this list, the Kindle Paperwhite has a 4.7-star rating and the second-highest number of reviews on Amazon. Its waterproof design, affordable price, and audio features keep the Paperwhite at the top of the charts. Overall, it’s a great pick if you’re looking for a powerful read-only tablet for researching and studying anytime or anywhere!
Kobo Libra 2
- Waterproof
- 32 GB storage capacity
- Glare free screen
If you’re looking for e-ink tablets that are packed with features, then the Kobo Libra 2 is may be the one for you. Possibly the biggest highlight of this tablet is its adaptability. With an anti-glare film added to the screen, adjustable screen light, and blue light setting for nighttime reading, the Kobo Libra 2 easily adapts to your environment and comfort. You can also turn the screen to read in landscape mode if that suits your fancy.
The tablet itself is fully waterproof to the point of being operable even when fully submersed, so you never need to worry about rain or a spilled drink. And with a 32 GB storage capacity and a 24,000 e-book library, you won’t be running out of reading material anytime soon!
Kindle Oasis
- Waterproof
- 32 GB storage capacity
- Glare free screen
As the larger cousin to the Kindle Paperwhite, the Kindle Oasis has a lot to live up to. And it passed with flying colors! Seeing that this is the second Kindle tablet to end up on this list, it should be clear that Kindle makes amazing tablets that never fail to impress.
It builds on and expands beyond the features of Paperwhite. With a larger screen for easier reading, twice the storage capacity, and a thinner more lightweight body, it’s easy to see why it has the highest review count of all of the e-ink tablets on this list. And if that wasn’t enough, the body itself is made of aluminum which gives the tablet a sleek, premium appearance.
writing e-Ink tablets
reMarkable
- Handwriting to text conversion
- Supports 33 languages
- Large screen
Having the ability to store your handwritten notes digitally is incredibly useful. But want to know what’s even more useful? Being able to convert those notes to plain text! With the reMarkable, you’ll never have to worry about having to manually enter your notes into a computer or document again. Because it supports over 30 languages, anyone can get their ideas out as comfortably as possible.
BOOX Note Air 2 Plus
- Built in speakers
- Handwriting to text conversion
- Stylish color and design
Want to listen to audio books but don’t have a Bluetooth headset? The BOOX Note Air 2 Plus is the only entry on this list to include speakers in its design, which allows you to listen to your audiobooks while bypassing clunky headsets or earbuds. Saving your notes is easy as well because the Air 2 Plus also supports handwriting-to-text conversion.
It also stands out from the competition through its design alone. The earthy green and copper accents stand out from the sea of silver, white, and black.
Kindle Scribe
- Massive online library
- 64 GB of storage
- Long battery life
What better way to round out this list than to end the same way we started, with a Kindle? When writing this, we tried not to let any brand outshine the rest. But this task proved to be impossible, due to Kindle consistently putting out e-ink tablets like this. It’s only just come out as of writing this and has already proven itself to be a worthy contender for the top spot. If you buy this you can look forward to a super long battery life that can last weeks, 64 GB of storage, and a massive library of best-selling titles at your fingertips. All of this is on top of the utility the e-ink tablets possess.
What features should you look for in e-Ink tablets?
Storage Capacity
It goes without saying that more storage is always better than less. If you had to switch back to a notebook because you ran out of space, it would defeat the purpose of having an e-ink tablet. In general, you should aim for no fewer than 8 GB (preferably 16 or higher) of internal storage. Some e-ink tablets offer capacities as high as 64 GB, so you can scribble away all semester long without worry!
Writing Capability
While it is a feature that is beloved by millions, plenty of e-ink tablets are for reading only. So if you want to be able to jot down notes on the fly, make sure to stick to ones that support writing.
Price
While it may be obvious, you should make sure to not break the bank when buying a tablet. It can also be a good idea to check customer reviews before buying to see what others think about the product. Make sure to compare the prices of different tablets to get the most bang for your buck.
Additional Features
Sometimes e-ink tablets have features that set them apart from similar products. Waterproofing, an online library, nighttime reading lights, and even audio features can all be found contained in tablets from this list.