Best tablets for note-taking 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

The fifth-generation Apple iPad Air is our top pick for note-taking tablets in 2025.

Why we like it: The lightweight tablet can do everything. While this isn’t the latest version of the iPad Air, we chose this one since it costs less and has many of the same features as the M2 iPad Air, albeit with a slightly slower processor.

It’s compatible with the Apple Pencil (second-generation), making it easy to take notes in class or meetings and watch seminars virtually. 

You can also customize this tablet with five color choices and multiple storage options.

Who it’s for: Even Android fans will like Apple’s iPad Air, such as ZDNET author Charlie Osborne, who enjoys using her iPad Air for creative purposes. Plus, as we said in our review, the iPad Air “is as powerful as the iPad Pro, but costs hundreds of dollars less.” 

It is not a dedicated note-taking device, true, but it’s a great option if you want an all-rounder tablet that can help you in your creative endeavors. 

Review: Apple iPad Air (fifth-generation)

In addition, for students or professionals who frequently need to use their tablets on the go, a cellular data plan option ensures you can always get online. 

Who should look elsewhere: It’s an expensive tablet that offers note-taking as a feature, so if budget is a key factor for you, you might want to consider other options.

iPad Air (fifth-generation) tech specs: Display: 10.9-inch Retina display | Processor: Apple Silicon M1 | Storage: 64GB or 256GB | Biometrics: Touch ID | Colors: Space gray, starlight, pink, purple, blue | Cameras: 12MP rear, 4K video. 12MP Ultra Wide camera | Weight: 1.02 pounds | Dimensions: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches | Connections: USB-C port | Battery life: 10 hours

If you’re looking for a light and thin note-taking tablet, the Boox Note Air 4 C should be on your radar.

Why we like it: The Boox Note Air 4 C is a color e-ink tablet that is built for note-taking. The screen has a 1240 x 930, or 150 pixels per inch (ppi), resolution in color. When used in black and white, it has a 2480 x 1860 resolution, or 300 ppi — the same as the Kindle Scribe. Plus, it’s super lightweight at just under a pound. 

This tablet has all the best features of the top note-taking apps built right in. There are dozens of templates to use, audio recording, color-coding, and inserting links and attachments into notes. Plus, built-in artificial intelligence enables text recognition, shape correction, and a strike-through erase feature that makes erasing much easier.

Who it’s for: ZDNET writer Maria Diaz went hands-on with the tablet and said it’s great for professionals and creatives. 

“It’s not a productivity tablet or one to replace a laptop, but it is perfect for note-takers who like handwriting, journaling, reading enthusiasts, and even designers,” Diaz said.  

Review: Boox Note Air 4 C

Plus, it has several features that make it a productivity machine. For example, there is a split-screen feature that allows you to switch between two different apps. Verified customers like the Booxdrop feature, which allows you to easily send files to the tablet from your computer or smartphone to the tablet. 

It takes mere seconds, and you can annotate PDFs and other Word documents with ease. 

Who should look elsewhere: If Android isn’t your jam, you probably won’t like the Boox Note Air 4 C, since it’s noticeably slower than a traditional tablet like the iPad. 

Boox Note Air 4 C tech specs: Display: 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display | Processor: 8-core, 2 GHz | Storage: 64GB | Memory: 6GB | Colors: Black | Weight: 0.95 pounds | Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.6 x 0.23 inches | Connections: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1 | Battery life: 3,700mAh Li-ion Polymer

if you want a central hub for your documents, books, notes, and writing projects, this is the tablet for you.

Why we like it: The Kindle Scribe is perhaps the perfect example of an e-reader tablet hybrid. 

It has the same functions you love in a Kindle, like a 300 ppi glare-free screen, weeks of battery life, and adjustable warm light. It’s also compatible with Amazon’s Premium Pen, so you can take handwritten notes or underline important quotations in your e-book. 

Your notes are automatically organized in one place for every book so that you can browse, review, and export them via email. The Kindle Scribe also comes with preset templates to help you create notebooks, journals, and lists. You can also create sticky notes in Microsoft Word and other compatible Word documents. 

Who it’s for: If you’re someone who likes taking notes while reading. The new Active Canvas on the Kindle Scribe allows you to take notes and scribble your thoughts directly onto the pages of your book. 

ZDNET editor Kyle Kucharski put the Active Canvas feature to the test and appreciated the feature as an avid note-taker. 

“The cool design element here is that the notes you draw with the pan exist on another “layer” than the book text, allowing you to edit what you write without messing with the text in the book,” he wrote in his review.

Review: Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)

In addition, if you’re someone with messy handwriting, the AI features can transcribe handwritten notes into text, making it easier to go back and read. 

Who should look elsewhere: If you’re not much of an annotator, you might be better off with the reMarkable Paper Pro. It costs about the same at $449 and is considered a more premium device. 

Kindle Scribe tech specs: Display: 10.2-inch 300 ppi Paperwhite display | Storage: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB | Weight: 0.96 pounds | Dimensions: 7.7 x 9.0 x 0.22 inches | Battery life: Up to 12 weeks (at 30 minutes per day)

The reMarkable Paper Pro is a worthy option if you need a dedicated tablet providing a paper-like writing surface and a comfortable experience.

Why we like it: The reMarkable Paper Pro is an improvement over the reMarkable 2. Its aesthetic is premium and minimalist, with a larger color screen and adjustable backlight. 

Review: reMarkable Paper Pro

ZDNET’s Kyle Kucharski went hands-on with the Paper Pro and was especially impressed with the writing experience. 

“The pesky latency you often find when using a stylus is absent altogether here; there is zero lag between the motion of your hand and the line you’re drawing on the device’s screen, resulting in a realistic, enjoyable writing experience,” he wrote in his review. 

Who it’s for: This device is for people looking to seriously lock into their productivity. The Paper Pro can’t browse the web, play videos, or edit your photos, but that’s the point. 

Instead, it takes a more disconnected approach to help complete tasks with productivity tools like templates, workflow, and app connections, and an additional Type Folio to combine handwriting and typing into one device. 

Who should look elsewhere: This note-taking tablet appears more high-end and comes with a $679 price tag to match. Plus, an additional subscription is required to access the full suite of useful features. If you have a budget of $500 or less, we recommend checking out a Boox tablet or perhaps the Kindle Scribe instead. 

reMarkable Paper Pro specs: Display: 11.8-inch display with 2160 x 1620 resolution and 229 ppi | Processor: 1.8 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 | Storage: 64GB | Weight: 2.43 ounces | Dimensions: 10.8 x 7.8 inches | Connections: USB-C port | Battery life: Up to 14 days

Why we like it: The Tab S10+ comes with 12GB of memory and 256GB or 512GB of storage, with the option to expand to up to 1TB of storage using microSD. Inside the Tab S10+ is a reasonably powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor.

Most importantly, the S10+ comes with an S Pen that you can use to write or draw on your favorite apps. New Galaxy AI features further enhance your note-taking like Note Assist, which allows you to transcribe, organize, and even summarize notes. 

Who it’s for: This tablet is perfect if you’re looking for a productivity boost or you want a note-taking app that can be set to different purposes. For example, you could also use this tablet for surfing the web, accessing mobile apps, controlling your smartphone, or gaming. 

Who should look elsewhere: This tablet is expensive, usually priced around $1,120, depending on your configuration. If you’re looking for a simple note-taking tablet, check out the Boox Note Air 4 C.

However, if you pick up a Moonstone Gray version with 256GB of storage on Amazon, the price has been reduced to $780.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ tech specs: Display: 12.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2560 x 1600 display | Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ | Storage: 256GB, 512GB (up to 1.5TB with microSD) | Memory: 12GB | Colors: Moonstone gray and platinum silver | Cameras: Rear: 13MP main, 8MP ultrawide, Front: 12MP ultrawide | Weight: 1.27 pounds | Dimensions: 11.24 X 7.3 X 0.22 inches | Connectivity: 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi

Many of our top picks can be considered digital notebooks over traditional tablets, and there is a unique difference. Traditional tablets like the iPad Air and Samsung Galaxy S10+ have all the capabilities of a computer, meaning they can browse the web, access software and programs like Photoshop, can take photos or videos, and are great for media consumption through apps. 

Also: The best smart notebooks you can buy

On the other hand, a digital notebook like reMarkable Paper Pro or Boox Note Air 4 C still has a processor and storage like that of a tablet but is more focused on the specific task of note-taking. These devices will feel more like paper thanks to a dedicated E-ink screen. They also usually have a much longer battery life than tablets, since you’re just using them to write. 

Using a stylus is totally up to you, but it can definitely help with functionality. Some tablets come with a stylus, while others will have them sold separately. If you’re looking at this from a cost perspective, consider the fact that the stylus will often be an added expense, but you may find it worth it for ease of use, especially if you’re the type that likes the feeling of writing out your notes rather than typing them.

The answer to this question is generally no. However, as many stylus products are based on different technologies, there’s no universal stylus around that will work with every tablet. If you’re considering purchasing a third-party stylus, check for compatibility first. You’ll usually find this information in product descriptions.

Yes, many of them are capable of converting handwriting to text. Tablets can use optical character recognition (OCR) technology to detect and convert handwriting into usable characters. In addition, some makers — such as reMarkable — specialize in these functions. Other tablet manufacturers, such as Samsung, also provide apps for the task. However, accuracy rates can vary between tablets.

The best note-taking apps let you digitize your notes and to-dos while keeping them all in one place or syncing them to a cloud. Our favorites are Notability, Evernote, GoodNotes 5, and even Apple’s free Notes app is a worthy choice.

Yes, the Apple Pencil can convert your handwritten notes into text for better legibility. Here’s how: 

• In the Notes or Freeform apps, tap to show the tool palette.

• In the tool palette, tap the Handwriting tool to the left of the pen.

• Write with Apple Pencil, and Scribble automatically converts your handwriting into typed text.

Actually, no. A writing tablet like the Amazon Kindle Scribe or the reMarkable Paper Pro are specifically made with writing in mind, and a paperlike screen and lag when flipping pages or swapping tools make it not an ideal device for drawing or sketching. 

However, a traditional tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ would double as a good drawing tablet, since you can work on apps like Photoshop or Sketchbook with ease. 

This 10.3-inch tablet has a low-latency E-Ink writing experience that makes you feel like you’re writing on paper rather than on a screen. It’s also super portable, with it being just 4.7mm thick.

The $449 reMarkable 2 can convert handwritten notes to typed text and integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive. You can also import Microsoft Office files and take notes directly on PDFs.

Apple’s smallest iPad is perfect for taking notes due to its portability, and it works well with the Apple Pencil Pro to satisfy all of your creative writing needs. 

The iPad Mini comes with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, 128GB to 512GB of storage, and four colors to choose from — Starlight, Space Gray, Blue, and Purple. 

While usually priced at $499, the tablet is currently on sale for $399.

The Acer Chromebook Spin is a laptop and tablet in one. Its pull-out stylus is perfect for taking notes on the fly.

While impressive, this is the most expensive and heaviest device on our list, at $750 and 3.1 pounds, respectively. We would recommend this for serious business professionals or students. 

This 7-inch color e-reader can also double as a note-taking tablet, thanks to the included stylus and various templates. 

You can customize the device whether you need to make a to-do list, keep a daily journal, or have a calendar handy. The e-reader sports about four hours of battery life and an iPX8 waterproof rating. Best of all, it’s only $230.