Thinking about e-ink tablets for writing? Here is what matters (writing feel, sync and battery) and the reMarkable, Boox and Kindle models I would shortlist.
I love paper. I love the scratch of a pen, the arrows in the margins and the way a messy page can untangle a plot. But I also need my notes backed up, searchable and on my laptop when I sit down to draft. For years those two wants pulled against each other.
E-ink tablets are the closest thing I have found to a truce. They look and feel more like paper than any phone or iPad, and they keep the distractions out of the way. Here is what I have learned, which models I would look at, and how to choose.
Why E-Ink Tablets Suit Writers
The screen is the big difference. An LCD or OLED screen shines light at you. An e-ink screen reflects the light in the room, the way a printed page does. Many people find it more comfortable for long sessions, though it is still worth taking regular breaks from any screen. It also sips power, so the battery tends to last for weeks rather than hours.
Then there is focus. Most e-ink tablets are built for reading and writing, not for scrolling. There are fewer notifications, fewer apps and fewer reasons to “just check” something. When I pick one up, I am there to write.
Finally, the writing feel has come on a lot. Textured screens and pressure-sensitive pens give you a bit of friction, so it feels less like sliding glass and more like a pencil on a page.
My Shortlist of E-Ink Tablets for Writers
Each of these suits a different kind of writer. Before you buy, check which generation you are getting, as all three brands update their range often.
reMarkable 2: The Purist’s Notebook
The reMarkable 2 does one job and does it beautifully. It is thin, light and plain, with a 10.3-inch monochrome screen that has just the right amount of drag under the Marker pen. Lines appear almost as you draw them, and the Marker Plus adds an eraser on the end, like a pencil.
The software is deliberately simple: notebooks, PDFs and EPUBs, with no app store and no social media. You can add layers, convert handwriting to text and send web articles to it to read later. Notes sync to the reMarkable apps on your phone and computer. Some cloud features need the paid Connect subscription, so factor that in.
If you want colour and a front light, reMarkable also makes the Paper Pro, a larger and pricier sibling.
Onyx Boox Note Air 3 C: Android on E-Ink
The Boox Note Air 3 C takes the opposite approach. It runs Android, so you can install apps from the Google Play Store: Google Drive, Dropbox, Google Docs, a Markdown editor, your reading apps. It is less of a notebook and more of a quiet, paper-like tablet.
The “C” means a colour Kaleido 3 screen. The colours are soft rather than bright, but colour-coded notes, highlighted research and diagrams in PDFs are far easier to read. The built-in note app is packed with features too: pen types, layers, shape tidying and audio recording.
The trade-off is that apps can feel sluggish on e-ink, and more apps means more temptation. The pen feel is good, if not quite as paper-like as the reMarkable.
Kindle Scribe: Best for Kindle Readers
If your library already lives on Kindle, the Scribe is the easy choice. All your books are there, and you can add handwritten sticky notes to them, highlight passages and keep notebooks with lined, grid or blank templates. You can also send your own drafts to it through Send to Kindle and mark them up like a printed manuscript.
Reading on it is as good as you would expect from a Kindle. The Premium Pen, with its eraser and shortcut button, is worth having. The note-taking tools are simpler than Boox or reMarkable, which is a plus if you just want something that works. New to Kindle? My guide to setting up a Kindle the right way will help.
How to Choose Between E-Ink Tablets
These are the things I check every time.
Writing Feel and Lag
This matters more than anything. If there is a delay between the pen and the line, or the screen feels slippery, it breaks your flow. Look for low latency, a textured screen, a comfortable pen and pressure sensitivity. Try one in a shop if you can.
Sync and Export
Your notes need to leave the tablet. Check that it syncs to your phone and computer, that you can export notebooks as PDFs and that handwriting can be turned into text. Note which features sit behind a subscription.
Screen Size and Weight
For most writers, around 10 inches is the sweet spot. A 7-inch screen is lovely for reading but cramped for outlining. A 13-inch screen gives you room but stays at home more often. Hold it for a few minutes before you decide.
Battery and Charging
Expect weeks of use from a charge, depending on how much you write and whether a light is on. USB-C charging means one less cable in your bag.
Open or Closed Software
A closed system like reMarkable or Kindle is calmer and more polished, but limited. An open Android system like Boox lets you install almost anything, at the cost of a little speed and a lot more temptation. Ask yourself whether you want a notebook or a tablet. If you are still weighing up a regular tablet instead, see my pick of budget tablets for reading and writing.
Getting the Most From Your Tablet
The tablet is only half of it. The other half is how you fit it into your writing week.
I use mine for the messy stages: brainstorming, outlining and marking up research. Once a section has a shape, I export it and move to the laptop to draft. Then I send the draft back to the tablet and read it like a proof, pen in hand.
Use templates for different jobs: blank pages for brainstorming, lined pages for journaling, grids for maps and timelines. Keep one folder per project so you can find things quickly. A matte screen protector and a sturdy case are both worth buying, and a better pen is often the best upgrade of all.
Your notes still need a home once they leave the tablet. I keep my characters, settings and plot notes in Story Bible Studio, so the ideas I scribble on e-ink end up somewhere I can actually draft from. For quick digital notes, my list of free note-taking apps is a good place to start.
Final Thoughts on E-Ink Tablets
No device is perfect. But if you love writing by hand and want your notes backed up and searchable, e-ink tablets are the best middle ground I have found. Pick the reMarkable for pure writing, the Boox for flexibility, or the Kindle Scribe if you mostly read. Then use it every day.
Next step: Choosing the software too? See the best writing apps for your phone and laptop.
Related reading: Best Budget Tablets for Reading and Writing · Kindle vs Paper Books: Is an E-Reader Worth It?
Once you have your tablet, put it to work. Plan your story in Story Bible Studio, try a round of collaborative fiction on Chain Story Online, and find more tech for writers here on Enda Storrie.
Enda Storrie is a writer and the creator of Story Bible, the planning journal and app for writers, and Chain Story Online, a free collaborative storytelling platform.
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