Tablets - Organizer

The Honor Pad V9 is the mid-range, Android-powered iPad rival you’ve been looking for

7:16 pm | March 11, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Tablets | Tags: TV | Comments: Off

Honor Pad V9 review: One-minute review

It’s hard not to view the Honor Pad V9 through the lens of its potential as a rival to the new base-model iPad (2025) – it came out just days before (for roughly the same price), has comparable specs, and half of the best Android tablets on the market are trying to take on Apple’s market-dominating juggernauts, anyway.

The more I used the Honor Pad for this review, the more I recognized its strengths – it takes the basic iPad principle, strips away the unnecessary extras, and adds in some useful productivity tools.

Take, for example, performance: instead of burdening its tablet with more processing power than you’d ever practically be able to use, Honor has given the Pad V9 a more restrained mid-range processor. But it’s compensated with twice the storage of the basic iPad, and more RAM. From my testing, using the device felt as smooth and snappy as anyone would need it to.

Software is another important thing to note. In the tablet space, Android used to struggle compared to iOS, but a lot has changed in the last few years, with plenty of similar productivity and multi-screen features between the two operating systems. What's more, instead of burdening the slate with a million first-party apps that you may or may not ever use, Honor has only added a few useful apps to the default Pad V9 package. Some of these proved pivotal to my experience, too.

Specifically, there's a suite of pre-installed Microsoft Office-like apps that each offer some useful functions, like the ability to convert your docs into PDFs (or other file formats), compile documents from various apps, and also mark up PDFs. Where was this technology when I was doing my degree?

The Pad V9 is a dab hand at entertainment, too: it has eight speakers, unlike the iPad’s two, and I found it great for streaming music or creating a surround-sound effect when streaming movies and TV shows. The display, while only using LCD tech, supports a 144Hz refresh rate and 2.8K resolution, which should sate spec-heads.

Most of my gripes with the Honor Pad V9 are pretty minor, and ones you can level at the vast majority of Android tablets: there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack, you can’t expand the storage, and there are some irritating software quirks – I’m talking specifically about the weird design of the quick settings menu, which is unduly cramped.

Like its Apple rival, I can see the Pad V9 being useful to students, or people who need a lightweight business companion and think a laptop is too bulky. It’s not as fully featured as it needs to be to be classed as a creativity powerhouse, and it’s a bit too advanced for those who want a simple on-the-go movie tool. That said, a few extras over the new base-model iPad mean it manages to beat Apple’s tablet at its own game (on paper, at least – we're currently in the process of reviewing the latter).

Honor Pad V9 review: price and availability

The Honor Pad V9 on a bronze table. — (Image credit: Future)

Costs £399.99, but only on sale in limited regions
Bundled with some accessories, depending on region

You can pick up the Honor Pad V9 for £399.99 (roughly $515, AU$820) in the UK. At the time of writing, it’s only on sale in a handful of European countries, as well as in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, though Honor does sell some tech in the US and Australia.

The device you get varies by country. In the UK, there’s only one variant on sale, which has 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, and you get a flip cover and stylus included in the box. Other countries have different combinations of storage, memory, and bundled accessories. So, in the interests of fairness, I’ve treated the tablet as independent of its accessories when weighing up its value.

At the time of writing, Honor's website (in the UK, at least) doesn't actually list any accessories to buy individually. So make sure you don't lose or break the ones you get in the box, because replacements may be hard to find.

The price roughly puts the slate in the mid-range of Android tablets, a fact reflected in its positioning in Honor’s line-up: it beats the Honor Pad 9 and Honor Pad X9, but doesn’t match the Honor MagicPad 2. For context, Apple’s new base-model iPad starts at $349 / £329/AU$599 for 128GB storage.

Its price marks the Honor Pad V9 as pretty good value for money when you consider its specs and features. It doesn’t quite veer right into ‘drop what you're doing and buy it now!’ territory, but if you find a deal that reduces its price tag by a healthy margin, I'd say it's a must-buy.

The Honor Pad V9 was announced at the global tech expo MWC 2025 in February 2025, and went on sale shortly afterwards.

Value: 4 / 5

Honor Pad V9 review: specs

Here are the Honor Pad V9's specs at a glance:

Honor Pad V9 review: design

Lightweight and easy to carry or hold
USB-C port but no 3.5mm jack
Camera bump creates some wobble

Honor hasn't shaken up the tablet world with the V9's design, but it echoes the premium cleanliness of iPads (and most other Android tablets on the market right now).

The dimensions of the Honor Pad V9 are 259.1 x 176.1 x 6.1mm – yes, it’s nice and thin, so it won’t take up much space in a backpack. It weighs 475g, so it’s pretty light, and I found it easy to hold for long periods of time (at least, the length of time it takes to watch a movie in bed).

You can pick up the tablet in gray or white, and as you can see in the images included throughout this review, my sample was a gray model.

When holding the tablet in landscape, the power button is on the left edge while the volume rocker is on the top-left corner. There’s a USB-C port on the right edge but no headphone jack to speak of. Holding the slate in this orientation means that the front-facing camera is in the top bar of the bezel, which I find to be the best positioning for video calls.

On the back are two circular mounds. One, which barely sticks up from the surface of the slate, houses the flash, while the second holds the camera lens. It doesn’t stick too far up, but it does mean the slate has a little wobble when put flat on a table.

As far as I can tell, the Honor Pad V9 doesn’t have an IP rating against dust or water ingress, so keep it protected.

You can get some extra use out of the Pad V9 with some accessories; the slate supports a keyboard folio and a stylus, the latter of which comes with its own features. As mentioned, though, I didn’t receive either, so didn’t test them, and can only see them on sale in some regions. In other regions, they come bundled with the tablet in various combinations – it’s a bit confusing, in all honesty. If you can’t pick up the keyboard or stylus in your region, it’s very possible that third-party equivalents will go on sale before too long.

Design: 4 / 5

Honor Pad V9 review: display

Large 11.5-inch display
1840 x 2800 resolution and 144Hz refresh rate
Range of eye comfort overlays

The Honor Pad V9 is pretty big, as mid-range Android tablets go – don’t go taking that ‘9’ in the title to be its screen size. Instead, the display measures 11.5 inches diagonally.

The display has a 2800 x 1840 pixel count, which is billed by Honor as a 2.8K resolution, and it supports a refresh rate of up to 144Hz (though you'll struggle to find an app or game that supports such a high figure). I couldn’t find a figure on the max brightness but suffice it to say, it’s really bright.

The screen uses LCD tech so it’s not got the same contrast or sharpness that your phone (or a more premium tablet) may have, but this kind of display is easier to see in direct sunlight if you’re working, say, in a well-lit cafe or coffee shop. And Honor is clearly pulling out all the stops to ensure it’s still valid as a streaming device.

The brand touts that the screen supports DCI-P3 color gamut and 10-bit color (basically, it can show a wide range of colors, making videos look realistic) and it’s also certified by IMAX Enhanced. This basically means that it reaches a set of standards in the visual and audio departments to accurately play IMAX content – this is mostly available on Disney Plus, according to IMAX’s website, though Bravia Core, iQIYI, and Rakuten TV also have some such content.

Like most rivals, Honor offers a few screen modes to benefit eye comfort or battery life. These include eBook mode (which makes the display grayscale), eye comfort (which reduces the prevalence of blue colors), and Dark mode (you've probably used this before, and it's a decent battery-saving option).

Display: 4.5 / 5

Honor Pad V9 review: software

Android 15 with MagicOS 9.0 laid over the top
Range of useful pre-baked working apps
A few user interface quirks to be ironed out

The default software for the Honor Pad V9 is MagicOS 9.0 – that’s Honor’s own skin, which is based on Android 15, and while it’s largely a graphical overhaul of Android, it brings a few useful extras.

One of these is Honor Docs, a pre-installed suite of document processing apps that look near-identical to the Microsoft Office equivalents (and may actually be them). There are extra tools, too, like the ability to convert various documents to PDF and the aggregation of documents across your tablet into one place, no matter their file format.

If you’re buying the Pad V9 for productivity reasons, I can see these tools being a core part of your user experience, and it was pretty handy to have them pre-installed on the tablet. They'll be especially useful for students, or people who already own Honor tech, as docs will be shared between devices.

Android software used to be poorly implemented on tablets, but in 2025, that’s not the case, with useful features that make the most of the large display size. It's still not perfect, though.

Case in point, the quick-settings menu on the Pad V9, which is summoned when you swipe down from the top-right edge of the screen, is unnecessarily cramped and clustered. It makes it rather hard to use, and I don’t see a reason why it has to be shoved so far to the side. Hopefully, an update can fix this. You can see it in the image above, and I don't understand why it can't be a bit wider to use more of the empty screen space.

All tech companies tout ‘AI features’ nowadays, and Honor has a few too, like the ability to create meeting minutes from your notes, summarize documents, or automatically add typesetting. They’re pretty light-touch, but that’s how I like it, and Honor hasn’t staked the entire use case of its tablet on a few AI features.

Software: 4 / 5

Honor Pad V9 review: performance and cameras

MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Elite offers middling processing power
8GB RAM and 256GB storage (depending on region)
Impressive octo-speaker offering

Powering the Honor Pad V9 is a MediaTek chipset called the Dimensity 8350 Elite. Despite the name, this is a mid-range chipset that we’ve seen in a few Oppo phones and tablets before.

Multi-core benchmark results attest to this: over multiple tests, I got an average score of 4409, while the best chipsets on phones and tablets right now reach up to 6000. That goes to show that this is a tablet designed more for streaming and working than intensive processing.

Most games I tested on the tablet ran just fine, but noticeably not as snappily or quick as tablets or phones running top chipsets. When graphical options were available, I didn’t push to the top graphics due to fear of how the slate would respond, and the same was true of framerate. So, the Pad V9 will be fine for gamers, but there are better options out there.

The slate has various memory configurations depending on where you live. In the UK, it’s on sale in a sole 256GB storage and 8GB RAM model, but the version I tested had 12GB RAM, and certain regions have models ranging from 128GB to 512GB storage. There’s no memory card slot, so you’ll have to stick to the storage of whichever variant you pick up.

I mentioned earlier that the tablet is IMAX Enhanced; that extends to the speakers too, with a whopping eight of them around the slate (on other tablets, you’re lucky to get four). They make movies and TV shows sound a little bit better, with audio spread out to the left and right as well as up and down (depending on the video you watch). However, the max volume isn’t exactly deafening – streaming a movie in bed was fine, but when I tried to put on some Netflix while I was cooking, I sometimes struggled to hear what was being said over the various cooking noises.

On the camera front, you’re looking at a 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front-facer. They’re fit for scanning documents, conducting video calls, and facial recognition, but you’re not exactly going to take artistic snaps with sensors like these. There was noticeable noise in darker areas of pictures (even fairly well-lit ones), and I couldn’t see a difference in images taken in portrait mode versus the standard mode.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Honor Pad V9 review: battery

10,100mAh battery will see you through multiple days of use
33W charging is slow for a battery of this size

The Honor Pad V9 packs a 10,100mAh battery, which is a sliver bigger than the ones seen on some comparably priced rivals.

Practically, this gets you about two days of heavy use before the tablet needs to be charged. In my testing period, which saw me replicate my usual tablet use (some word processing here, a movie night there, and a fair amount of music streaming), I reached about five days of charge before the slate needed powering up.

If there’s a slight disappointment with the Pad V9's battery, it’s the charging speed, which caps at 35W – on the global release of the slate, at least, though the Chinese version gets 66W. You’re looking at a charging time of several hours to fill that big battery, so remember to plug it in early if it needs a charge!

I found it easiest to charge the tablet up in dribs and drabs, so I could ensure it always had some charge, but never needed to part with it for an entire working day.

Battery: 4/5

Should you buy the Honor Pad V9?

Buy it if…

You're a student
If I'd bought the Honor Pad V9 when I was a student, I'd have saved hours of wrangling various apps and trying to use various features that the tablet can handle out the gate.View Deal

You like streaming movies and TV
Its display is good, but its speakers are great: the Honor Pad V9 is dependable for streaming entertainment.View Deal

You want an iPad, but running Android
Are you an Android fan who wants an iPad-like tablet? The Honor Pad V9 is one of your best picks, and it roughly matches its Apple rivals in price.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You need lots of storage space
While the Honor's 256GB built-in memory is extensive, that's all you'll get without relying on cloud space or external hard drives.View Deal

You like wired audio
There's no 3.5mm headphone jack on this tablet, so audiophiles will have to rely on USB-C converters, which can be annoying if you also want to charge the slate.View Deal

Also consider

Not convinced by the Honor Pad V9? Here are a few other options to consider:

iPad 11 (2025)
The natural rival, Apple's newest iPad will win fans simply by being an iOS device. But it's more expensive (when considering like-for-like storage), doesn't offer the same speaker quality, and will make you pay more for accessories. We've currently got the device in for review, so we'll have a full verdict on its quality soon.

Oppo Pad 3 Pro
For only a little bit more, you can get Oppo's new tablet, which boasts a more powerful chipset, a higher-res display, and faster charging.

Read our full Oppo Pad 3 Pro review

How I tested the Honor Pad V9

I tested the Honor Pad V9 by using it in lieu of my normal tablet (an iPad Pro from years ago) for several weeks, for all the tasks I normally use my iPad for.

This included typing up and editing documents, watching movies, playing games, and checking out the news. The model I tested had 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, and I used it without first-party accessories.

I've been reviewing products for TechRadar since early 2019, covering everything from tablets and smartphones to headphones, fitness trackers, and electric scooters.

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

First reviewed March 2025

I tested the 11-inch iPad Air with M3 for five days, and it stretches the value even further with more power for the same price

4:03 pm | March 10, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Tablets | Comments: Off

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): One-Minute Review

Apple hasn’t changed much with the latest generation iPad Air, and for good reason. In 2024, Apple expanded the Air to two sizes, moved the front-facing camera, tossed in support for the Apple Pencil Pro, and upgraded it to the M2 chip.

This year – and not even 12 months have passed since the last upgrade – Apple keeps the same prices and color options but equips the Air with an even better chip – the M3. The result is a faster yet refreshingly familiar experience that checks off the right boxes, whether you want a tablet just for entertainment or one for both work and play. The only caveat is that the Magic Keyboard, which you'll really benefit from if your focus is more on productivity, is an additional purchase and doesn't come bundled with the iPad Air, although it's cheaper year over year.

In my five days with the iPad Air, I really noticed and enjoyed the speed boost. It stretches the value proposition that bit further, and puts any concerns about power – both now and likely for the foreseeable future for most people – pretty much to bed for me. I was able to edit photos in Photoshop and Pixelmator, draw my wildest dreams in ProCreate, and even edit a movie in Final Cut Pro, and export those media files swiftly, with the Air sometimes outpacing a MacBook Air.

When it was time to get to work, I could dive into Slack, Safari, Gmail, and Google Docs to quickly write, edit, and produce stories to get them live without missing a beat. And I could also fit in time for a FaceTime call, a quick game – be it a AAA title or an Apple Arcade one – and stream any TV show or movie on the services I subscribe to.

Apple Intelligence in its current state is fully supported here, and future upgrades, including the AI-infused Siri and other yet-to-be-revealed ones, should run here without issue. I had no problems creating my emojis, removing objects from photos, and even dabbling with writing tools to clean up copy.

All this is to say that the latest generation iPad Air blurs the line between who this is for and who the iPad Pro is for. Yes, it’s more powerful than the iPad mini or the entry-level iPad, but it lacks some of the flair of the iPad Pro. If you need the best-in-range screen from Apple, and for some reason need even more power than the new Air, or really want the ultra-thin look and feel, the Pro is worth consideration if you can afford it.

Otherwise, the latest iPad Air might be a bit thicker and heavier, but it makes less of a dent in your wallet – and really isn’t that heavy. I normally would have opted for the larger-screen option, but the 11-inch iPad Air stretched its mileage for me. It’s proved to be an excellent working companion when teamed with the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro, allowing me to leave my Mac at home and more than get by with just the super-portable combo.

If you invested in the iPad Air with M2 you won’t need to make the jump just yet, but if you have an M1 or older iPad Air, or own an entry-level iPad and feel the need for more power, now’s an excellent time to upgrade.

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Specs

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Price and Availability

Apple iPad Air 11-inch M3 (2025) Review — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

How much does it cost: $599 / £599 / AU$999 for the 11-inch or $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 for the 13-inch
When does it ship: Apple’s iPad Air with M3 in both sizes formally launches on March 12, 2025.

Here’s some good news: Apple’s 11-inch iPad Air with M3 starts at $599 / £599 / AU$999, and the 13-inch at $799 / £799 / AU$1,299, which is the same price as last year’s M2 model. Both start at 128GB but can be configured with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage if you’re willing to spend the money.

Apple also offers an LTE model with 5G connectivity if you need it. The iPad Air comes in Purple, Blue, Space Gray, or Starlight regardless of connectivity or storage size.

My test unit is an 11-inch iPad Air with M3 with cellular connectivity and 1TB of storage in a lovely shade of purple.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Design

The 11-inch size is very portable without compromising on features or power
It's a nearly identical build to the 2024 model aside from slightly less branding

Considering that Apple updated the design of the iPad Air in 2024 and rolled out a new super-sized 13-inch model, there isn’t a whole lot new about the M3 iPad Air design-wise. After all, the most significant change does lie within the name.

The dimensions year over year for both sizes remain essentially the same. The 11-inch iPad Air I’ve been using is 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm and weighs 460 grams – that’s actually two grams lighter than last year’s model, but the difference is indiscernible in everyday use.

For those keeping track, that’s heavier and thicker than the 11-inch iPad Pro, but the iPad Air still feels effortlessly modern. I still dig the pastel-y shade of purple that it comes in and appreciate that, thanks to its matte aluminum finish, the rear gets easily covered in fingerprints. That distinct shade of purple can also change depending on how the light hits it.

The most noticeable design change that Apple has made to the iPad Air is removing the name from the tablet's rear. On previous models, ‘iPad Air’ was stamped above the Smart Connectors on the rear (when held vertically, it was centered on the bottom), but that’s no longer the case. Now, the whole rear is quite clean, aside from a shiny Apple logo in the center and a 12-megapixel camera aperture in the upper-right corner (when held vertically).

Little has changed in terms of button and port placement, which is to be expected, especially since the power button with the embedded Touch ID sensor was already in a location that works great for either orientation. When the Air is held horizontally or docked in the Magic Keyboard, that button lives at the top on the left-hand side, making it easy to unlock the iPad and authenticate for purchases or password fill-ins, and when you’re holding the tablet held vertically Touch ID is a beat away at the top on the right-hand side.

Touch ID is fast here, and I’d highly recommend setting up a finger from each of your hands, as it makes it a bit easier to get the most out of the button in both orientations; it will also save you from playing Twister when it comes to unlocking. You’ll also find the stereo speakers – which get quite loud – on the shorter sides of the iPad Air, so on the top and bottom when it’s vertical or left and right when horizontal. It makes this tablet excellent for enjoying content, be it in an episode of Bluey with my niece, the latest episode of Severance, or Bruce Springsteen’s Road Diary on Disney Plus.

The speaker volume is controlled by the up and down buttons that are on the top when horizontal or right side when vertical, or via Control Center. For charging or data transfers, the USB-C port is still on the bottom when the tablet is vertical or on the right side when it’s horizontal. You get a USB-C to USB-C cable and wall plug in the box.

Right below the volume controls is the magnetic connector for the Apple Pencil. The iPad Air supports both the Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil with USB-C, but I’d recommend the former if you can afford it, as it will wirelessly charge when attached to the side. As we noted with the 2024 refresh of the iPad Air, reconfiguring the wireless charging spot here required some heavy lifting on Apple’s part.

Apple has made this change not only to facilitate easier Pencil charging, but also so that it could move the front-facing 12-megapixel wide camera that supports CenterStage, which is now in a better position when you're using the iPad Air horizontally. The microphone now sits directly next to it, and you won’t risk muddying up the lens with fingerprints, which can be an issue given that the bezels on tablets are relatively thick. The bezels are identical in size to those on the 2024 model, and despite their relative thickness and the Liquid Retina display here, which I’ll talk about more in the next section, is almost all screen.

Even if it’s no longer the thinnest or lightest iPad, the 11-inch iPad Air was never a chore to take with me. While I usually use a 13-inch iPad Pro, I really like the flexibility this size of iPad affords – I could easily toss it in a bag or backpack wrapped in either the Smart Folio or the Magic Keyboard. It will easily fit on a tray table on an airplane, but more importantly, it didn’t take up too much space when I was working in a cafe or at a kitchen island. The 11-inch size has its perks.

So, the iPad Air is still the name, but maybe ‘Air’ reflects the price more than the design. Either way, the iPad Air is still a modern-looking tablet that has all the buttons in the right places and is won’t weigh you down, whether you’re using it to watch something in bed, working at your desk or from the kitchen, or touting it around in a bag.

Design score: 4 / 5

@techradar
♬ original sound - TechRadar

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Display

The Liquid Retina display is still excellent with punchy colors
No ProMotion high refresh rate here

I’ll cut to the chase here: the 11-inch Liquid Retina display is excellent. No, it’s not a Dynamic OLED like on the iPad Pro, but it’s more than enough for everything from streaming content to editing photos or videos or drawing in Procreate, playing games like Asphalt 9 or Mini Metro, browsing the web, and responding to emails in between all of the above. The colors are vibrant and punchy, contrast is good, and whether it was typed or handwritten via an Apple Pencil, text is rich and inky.

Apple is also one of the best at creating anti-reflective coatings for its screens, and the oleophobic coating here effectively blocks fingerprints from being visible when you’re using the tablet. That’s something that I think is pretty important – and remember, the 11-inch Air only hits 500 nits at its peak (that’s up by 100 to 600 nits on the 13-inch iPad Air), so the coating is doing its thing here.

As on the 2024 model, this year’s display still has a 2360 x 1640 resolution at 264 pixels per inch, with support for the P3 Wide Color Gamut and Apple’s True Tone tech.

For the lower price, I think the Liquid Retina display here isn’t too much of a concession – it’s a great tablet screen that lets you make the most of iPadOS and your various apps.

The only thing missing is a higher refresh rate courtesy of the ProMotion designation, but as on the iPhone and Mac, Apple reserves that for its higher-tier products.

Still, whether you’re using the 11-inch iPad Air for education, work, or play, you’ll be happy with the screen here. And if you want a super-sized experience, the 13-inch Air gives you a more expansive canvas.

Display score: 4 / 5

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Cameras

No major upgrades to either the front or rear camera
Center Stage is still great for video calls

Like every other iPad in Apple’s lineup, the iPad Air features two cameras, and as on every other model but the iPad mini, the front camera is on the landscape/horizontal side. It’s still a 12-megapixel camera that supports Center Stage, Apple’s onboard software that responds swiftly to keep you in the center of the frame for video calls. That, plus the better location for the camera, especially if you use it docked in the Magic Keyboard, makes this an excellent device for video calls or at-home recording.

For instance, one night, while cooking dinner, I rested the iPad Air on the counter in one position. As I moved around to the stove and back to the countertop, including draining a pot while cooking pasta, Center Stage kept me in the frame while on a FaceTime call with friends.

The rear camera on the new iPad Air is still a 12-megapixel wide lens that can zoom in up to five times digitally and supports video recording at up to 4K at 60 frames per second. It performs pretty well, and considering some folks insist on taking photos with an iPad, the Air does a good job here.

Cameras score: 4 / 5

Image 1 of 3

Photos captured on the 11-inch iPad Air with M3. — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Image 2 of 3

Image 3 of 3

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Software

It's the familiar iPadOS experience
The iPad Air supports the advanced Stage Manager multitasking mode
It works really well with the new Magic Keyboard; it's more laptop-like than before

Just as with the iPad, iPad mini, iPad Pro, or the iPad Air that came before this iPad Air, one of the best parts of the Apple tablet experience is the vast array of things you can do on your device.

In my testing time so far, I’ve been writing – including this review – on the iPad Air with it docked in the Magic Keyboard, streaming movies and TV shows, playing games like Mini Metro, RFS+ (a flight simulator), Asphalt 9, and Disney Dreamlight Valley, editing photos and videos in Pixelmator, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, and Detail, drawing in Procreate, practicing organization in Notability, and even dabbling with some 3D modeling to see what the M3 chip is capable of in the likes of Uniform.

I’ve pushed iPadOS pretty much to the limits, using just one app, multitasking on a split screen with a third app hanging on the side, and even using Stage Manager. iPadOS 18 is still a very familiar experience; it’s another year older, but Apple is still differentiating it from its other OSes – it’s not entirely different from iOS, though it has clear benefits for the tablet form factor, and still uniquely different from macOS. There’s sufficient continuity between iPadOS and Apple’s wider ecosystem, though – I can use my Mac’s trackpad and keyboard on the iPad thanks to Universal Control, and even extend my display to the iPad with Sidecar.

The M3 chip here is very, very powerful, and ensures that nothing so much as stutters, other than a larger 4K export file in Final Cut Pro, which took some time. For the most part, any typical productivity or entertainment task really flies, allowing you to get a lot done with the iPad Air in a little time – and it also blurs the lines as to who might need this model versus the iPad Pro with the M4.

While the iPad Air with M2 was released before Apple unveiled Apple Intelligence and began its staggered release – one that’s still ongoing – it does support the suite of features, as does the iPad Air with M3.

A lot of what you can do with Apple’s take on AI right now is complimentary to the rest of iPadOS – you can remove photo bombers and objects from photos directly in the app under ‘Clean Up’, you can opt to have your notifications summarized, create unique emojis on the fly, and even have Siri route your queries through ChatGPT.

You’ll also find Siri’s new look – a colorful glow that surrounds the whole display as a digital bezel – here on the iPad Air, but the truly AI-infused Siri is still a promised feature. On March 7, Apple announced that the smarter Siri was taking a bit longer that expected, and that it would arrive “in the coming year.” Whenever it does come, the iPad Air with M3 will support ot, as well as future Apple Intelligence features

Another way in which the iPad Air with M3 really shines is when it’s docked into the redesigned Magic Keyboard, which costs $269 / £269 / AU$449 for the 11-inch iPad, and $319 / £299 / AU$499 for the 13-inch model. Regardless of size, the new Magic Keyboard is slightly cheaper, and you’re getting a much more Pro experience that almost takes you into MacBook territory. Apple has kept the same form factor for the Magic Keyboard, but there’s now a 14-key function row, which gives you easy access to shortcuts like multitasking, playback control, volume control, and even focus mode engagement. You also get a full QWERTY keyboard with arrow keys and a larger trackpad. I spent two days using just the 11-inch iPad Air as my main work device, tabbing between Slack, Gmail, Google Docs, and Sheets, as well as Safari, Messages, Photoshop, Notes, FaceTime, and countless other apps.

Even though I usually use a 13-inch or 14-inch MacBook, I didn’t feel all that cramped on the iPad Air, even at the 11-inch size, and this is something I want to test more while traveling. I especially liked that I could literally reach out and touch iPadOS when I needed to, and I felt at home with the more laptop-like experience as well.

Another key and needed upgrade to the Magic Keyboard is an upgrade to the charging speed, and the keyboard’s USB-C port now supports up to 60W charging, the same as the iPad’s own USB-C port. Bravo, Apple! To make room for the extra row of keys and larger trackpad, the oval hinge – the mechanism by which the iPad attaches and the case closes – has been redesigned to accommodate the extra functionality. It’s really well designed, and my only complaint is that the Magic Keyboard only comes in white, which will undoubtedly get dirty.

It adds cost to the iPad Air, but it’s an excellent accessory that will let you stretch the mileage and capabilities of the tablet itself; and paired with the M3 chip inside, the excellent, punchy display, and iPadOS, it will most certainly let you get a bunch of years of use out of your device.

The Apple Pencil Pro is also an add-on at $129 / £129 / AU$219, and one that I found enjoyable to use for note-taking, navigating iPadOS, and for creative acts like drawing. Way back when Apple first launched the original Apple Pencil and super-sized 12.9-inch iPad, I ditched a Retina MacBook Pro for the iPad and used it with the Pencil and eventually a Smart Keyboard as my main device combo – and the note-taking experience is still effortless here, and basically identical to writing on paper, with no visible latency. The addition of Squeeze to the Pencil Pro lets you easily engage options like an eraser, which is quite helpful considering Apple never added one to the top.

Software score: 4 / 5

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Performance

M3 chip lets the iPad Air fly with nearly any task
Even more intense video edits or AAA game perform without hiccups
Not a night and day difference over the M2 iPad Air, but older models will see a big improvement

The biggest change with Apple’s 2025 iPad Air refresh is the newer, faster, and better-equipped M3 chip under the hood. It also blurs the lines between the iPad Air and the M4-powered iPad Pro a bit more, as both are very powerful – and it was already a close race last year between the M2-powered Air and the M4 Pro. Apple’s silicon is just very, very good.

I threw pretty much everything at the M3 iPad Air, and it was almost impossible even to slow it down, never mind make it buckle. It’s not leagues better than the iPad Air with M2, but it’s closing the gap with the Pro, and has me questioning exactly which specific use cases might require you to make that jump – the overall thinner build and OLED screen might be better selling points for the Pro.

Considering that the Air in iPad Air doesn't mean slower speeds or a super light build, I think it really denotes that this tablet is closer in terms of features and power to the MacBook Air. The new iPad Air is more affordable, but it still delivers a stellar experience in nearly every department, especially performance. I could perform all my daily tasks for work, from email to writing and editing written words, as well as producing GIFs and editing photos, then exporting them at my normal speed, if not faster. I could also have a FaceTime call running during this or even take a break for a quick game – maybe, just don’t tell my boss that. Testing, though, am I right?

In my daily experience, the M3 iPad Air flew, and quantitatively, it also bettered the results we got from the M2 iPad Air in 2024. Apple hasn’t put an underpowered version of the M3 in the iPad Air – it’s still an M3 chip with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine as well as 8GB of RAM – that’s plenty for an iPad in pretty much any use case.

The chip enables hardware-accelerated ray tracing for AAA titles like Death Stranding and Resident Evil. Using GeekBench 6, which runs the iPad Air through a number of tests, the iPad Air scored very well, achieving 3,023 single-core and 11,716 multi-core scores. That jumps past the iPad Air with M2, which scored 2,591 on single-core and 10,046 on multi-core, and puts it closer to the iPad Pro with M4, which scored 3,700 on single-core and 14,523 on multi-core.

Suffice to say, those are impressive numbers from Apple’s mid-range iPad, at a much more affordable price of $599 / £599 / AU$999 11-inch or the $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 for the 13-inch then compared with the iPad Pro. You’ll also find that really any iPad task runs well here, assuming you have the app to make it happen.

Given that it’s not a huge leap over the M2-powered iPad Air, I don’t see any need for folks who bought that model last year to rush out and upgrade. But if you have an older standard iPad, and find your needs pushing past its capabilities, or even an M1-powered iPad Air or older, the iPad Air with M3 makes a whole lot of sense, offering power and performance that will last you for many years to come.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Battery and Connectivity

The iPad Air can still last a full work day on a charge
It's the same battery performance as the prior generation
No Wi-Fi 7 support

Still powering the 11-inch iPad Air is a 28.93Wh battery (the 13-inch Air has a larger 36.59Wh battery), and Apple again promises up to 10 hours of web surfing or watching a video on Wi-Fi. That essentially translates as all-day battery life, and that’s largely what I got out of the iPad Air with M3, even when docked in the Magic Keyboard, which didn’t seem to drain much more of the battery. What battery depletion I did experience was generally the result of a more power-hungry process or app – for example, exporting a bunch of photos or videos, or a AAA game.

I could get through between eight to 10 hours of work with brightness at about 70% using various productivity apps, and some music playback and video calls in between, which is pretty good for a tablet of this size, all things considered. When needed, I could also plug in the iPad Air or utilize the port on the Magic Keyboard with a USB-C cable to charge.

Connectivity is identical to the previous version, meaning that Wi-Fi 7 is still missing here, with Apple opting for Wi-Fi 6E. There’s also Bluetooth 5.3 and, on LTE models, support for 5G Sub-6 GHz and Gigabit LTE.

Battery and Connectivity score: 4 / 5

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Should you buy it?

Buy it if...

You have an older iPad or tablet

The M3 chip ensures you’ll have no concerns about power or performance, and makes this an especially good upgrade if you have an M1 iPad Air or older, an entry-level iPad, or another tablet, and are craving more power.View Deal

You don’t want to break the bank

At $599 / £599 / AU$999 for the 11-inch Air and $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 for the 13-inch model, you can get the screen size you want, along with excellent cameras, software, and power, without spending thousands.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You don’t need M-series power

If you don’t need a laptop replacement, aren’t planning on playing AAA games, or are alright with some load times, go with the entry-level iPad.View Deal

You want a jaw-dropping display

If you want the best visuals and can stomach the price tag, consider the iPad Pro with M4 with its Dynamic OLED screenView Deal

Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): How I tested

I spent five days testing the 11-inch M3 iPad Air, supplemented with a Magic Keyboard, a Smart Folio, and an Apple Pencil Pro. After unboxing the tablet and accessories I set the iPad Air up as new, and then downloaded my usual apps to make it feel like home.

I mostly put my 14-inch MacBook Pro to one side, and put the iPad Air to the test by using it as my primary device productivity and entertainment device. I used it for most of my daily tasks, from responding to emails, writing articles, and communicating on Slack to editing photos and videos. I also played several games on the device, from more basic titles to AAA ones, and streamed hours of content, including music, TV shows, and movies.

First reviewed March 10, 2025

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: a Great Dane tablet that thinks it’s a lap dog

8:50 pm | January 16, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Tablets | Tags: US | Comments: Off

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: One-minute review

Maybe a giant tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra seems wild to some, but to me it makes a lot of sense. I love a huge screen; the bigger the better. I want a tablet that can be a work surface, a drawing space, a tabloid newspaper, and a television stand-in when I’m moving to a new house and my TV is packed. Like all of Samsung’s ‘Ultra’ devices, the Tab S10 Ultra is all I need and much more.

How much more? There’s the S Pen, of course, which clings loosely to the back of the Tab S10 Ultra, so you’ll definitely want to buy Samsung’s Smart Book Cover case, at least.

Also, the Tab S10 Ultra is water resistant enough to take a dunk, which may seem superfluous for a tablet that would never possibly fit in a toilet, but it speaks to the Tab's durability. You can use it in the bath tub, or the pool, or in a wet environment, then wash it in the sink. That’s pretty amazing for a tablet this size.

There’s also… um, actually that’s kind of all there is? Okay, there’s Galaxy AI, of course, but nobody should buy a premium Android tablet for features like Sketch to Image or Circle to Search. Maybe someday AI will be a ‘system seller,’ as the gamers say, but for now it’s barely a bonus feature.

Otherwise, this is almost exactly the same as last year's Tab S9 Ultra, which is both good news and bad. The good news is that last year’s tablet was great! I reviewed the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra and I thought it was a powerhouse for productivity, and you actually get a lot of technology, even though the price is high.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing browser on left half of display with TechRadar.com and Calendar on right half. of display — You can easily see two full windows side-by-side on the Tab S10 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is so close to last year’s model that all of the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra accessories work with this tablet. But a warning: if you want a keyboard, don’t buy Samsung’s offering. I wouldn’t usually knock accessories so hard, but this is an important component of a laptop replacement tablet. Samsung needs a much better keyboard for the Tab S series. Samsung’s keyboard is flimsy and unpleasant.

The Tab S10 Ultra version has an AI key... awesome. For the same price (even less!), Apple owners get a Magic Keyboard that's rigid and premium. You can lift the iPad by the lip of the keyboard, but don’t try that with Samsung’s QWERTY.

The good news is that all the third-party cases and covers for the Tab S9 Ultra fit the S10 Ultra. Cool, there are some good options on Amazon, at least. But that means this tablet is basically unchanged from last year, on the outside at least.

Usually, when a product doesn’t change much year-over-year, there's either a big upgrade under the hood, or there is a price drop for new buyers. Unfortunately, neither of those things happened.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the same price as the Tab S9 Ultra in the US and UK, and it’s $50 more in Australia. Inside, you get a… hold on, [checks notes] MediaTek Dimensity 9300. Wait, seriously?! Samsung is using a MediaTek processor? Instead of Qualcomm? Instead of Samsung Semiconductor!?

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra — Not much has changed from this Tab S9 Ultra to the Tab S10 Ultra (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Oooooookay. Well, the results are what you’d expect. It’s a good brain for a tablet, but it isn’t a Snapdragon. Last year’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra came with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset found in the Galaxy S23 family. This year’s Galaxy S24 uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The MediaTek 9300 can mostly keep up with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and once in a while beat it, but not always.

Why is there a MediaTek chip in this flagship Samsung tablet? MediaTek makes a respectable, less expensive chip that focuses more on graphics performance than overall raw power. The Tab S10 Ultra does have slightly better graphics capabilities than a Galaxy S24 phone, but this is supposed to be Samsung’s best tablet. Why is it only slightly better?

Apple is loading its comparably priced iPad Pro with an Apple M4 chip, which is more powerful than most Windows laptops. Samsung gives you a lot more display on the Tab S10 Ultra, but at the cost of so much performance that it knocks the Ultra back into a lower category. This is a gigantic mid-range tablet, not a premium flagship.

If you want to run pro-level software, you should buy Apple’s tablet. If you want the biggest, best display to run all of your Android apps and games and watch your favorite content, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a great choice, with a screen that will knock your socks off. But we all know it should be a few hundred bucks cheaper.

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: price and availability

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra app drawer, with keyboard attached — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Starts at $1,1199 / £1,199 / AU$2,049 for 12GB RAM and 256GB storage
A 5G version is available, but not in the US

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is Samsung’s biggest and most expensive tablet, and it costs a bit less than the iPad Pro 13-inch, which is a point in its favor, considering Samsung gives you a humongous 14.6-inch display. That’s not a small difference: the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra display offers 65% more screen area than the iPad Pro 11-inch.

Besides the big screen, does the Tab S10 Ultra justify its price tag? Let’s consider features that you won’t find anywhere else. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is water resistant, like all of Samsung’s recent Galaxy Tab S tablets (including the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, if you need a cheaper, water-resistant tablet). If you’re going to use your tablet in the rain, or in the pool, or if you just want to doomscroll in the bathtub, the Galaxy Tab S is your only choice.

Otherwise, Samsung’s key advantage is, surprisingly, software. Samsung does a much better job with tablet software than Apple. It’s easier to multi-task, open multiple windows, and use your tablet with an external monitor and keyboard. Samsung even does a great job integrating its tablet with your Samsung phone and Galaxy Book laptop, if you have recent Samsung devices.

Image 1 of 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra drawing a Cybertruck on the screen with the S Pen — Drawing a truck with Sketch to Image (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Image 2 of 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra a water color rendering of the Cybertruck I drew using Sketch to Image — Here is Galaxy AI's watercolor version of my truck (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Image 3 of 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing Galaxy AI settings — The robust Galaxy AI settings menu (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

All of Samsung’s tablets are good at multitasking, you don’t need to spend $1,1199.99 / £1,199 / AU$2,049 to get this software experience. Even the Tab Ultra’s display isn’t the advantage it was in the past. Apple’s latest iPad Pro tablets pack the most advanced OLED I’ve ever seen on a tablet. It’s thinner, brighter, and sharper looking than Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, even if it’s smaller.

Samsung gives you an S Pen with the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, while Apple makes you pay $129 / £129 / AU$219 for an Apple Pencil. That’s a nice bonus, but it doesn’t justify Samsung’s high price.

Apple gives you a desktop-class chip, while Samsung includes a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset that is… not bad? It’s good at gaming, but not as powerful as Apple’s M4 in the iPad Pro, and it doesn’t even top the Apple M2 in the iPad Air, except in a few graphics benchmarks.

Apple gives you a better, more advanced display, a thinner tablet, and incredible power. Unless you need a water-resistant tablet, or if your games are only available on Android, it’s hard to justify the price tag for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The Tab S9 FE is a much better buy for those benefits.

Value: 3/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: specs

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra close up showing S Pen connection to tablet and speaker grill on side — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

It was a shocking move for Samsung to include a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset in its Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The last Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra used the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which was the same processor used in the Galaxy S23 Ultra phone, launched the same year. This year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra phone uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and that’s what I expected on the premiere tablet.

the MediaTek Dimensity 9300... falls short on processing performance compared to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon

Why use MediaTek instead of Qualcomm or a Samsung Exynos chip? My guess is that Samsung wants to diversify its chip supply, and the Tab S10 Ultra is a safe place to stick the first processor from a new partnership. [Full disclosure: I worked on Samsung’s PR team from 2011 to 2017 and was never involved in chip decisions, I only know what other technology journalists know.]

Samsung will tell you that the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 is exceptional at gaming, and it wanted this tablet to appeal to gamers. While MediaTek does win some benchmark races on the graphics side of Future Labs testing, it falls short on processing performance compared to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, and it’s generations behind Apple’s M4 chipset when it comes to processing power.

I’ll talk about whether the MediaTek 9300 delivered on that gaming promise below in the Performance section (spoiler: it did, but it’s still a mobile chipset).

Otherwise, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has an impressive list of specs. It comes with plenty of RAM to start, 12GB, and you can boost that to 16GB if you buy an upgraded storage model.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra also uses Wi-Fi 7, which the iPad Pro still lacks. If you have the latest networking equipment installed and you want to take advantage, the Galaxy Tab is ready.

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: display

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing home screen with new AI generated wallpaper — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Massive 14.6-inch screen is a new level of tablet bigness
Samsung thankfully sticks with Wacom tech for the S Pen

You can’t find a bigger, better display on a tablet than the huge 14.6-inch OLED screen on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. If you are considering a tablet as a laptop replacement, the Tab S10 Ultra gives you more screen space than a 14-inch Macbook Pro, though finding the right keyboard could be tricky.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab gives you much more screen real-estate than a similarly-priced iPad, but is it still a better display? The latest iPad Pro uses an OLED screen that is more sharp, with 264 pixel-per-inch density, compared to 239 ppi on Samsung’s display. Is that enough to notice? Not really, but bragging rights are important at this price.

Apple’s latest iPad Pro is also much brighter than the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, which makes a difference if you work outside, though the iPad Pro can’t handle a rain storm like the Galaxy Tab.

Samsung still refuses to support Dolby Vision on its displays, and you can spot the difference side-by-side if you compare, say, Netflix movies on an iPad Pro and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. There is HDR10+ support, but not the Dolby HDR video standard.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing S Pen tools on home screen — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I’m happy to see Samsung keeps using Wacom’s electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology for its S Pen. I’ve seen a few mobile manufacturers switch to their own technology recently. That usually means a battery and an added expense. Samsung’s S Pen has a battery, but it’s for additional features like Bluetooth and the motion sensor; the pen still works without a charge if you just want to draw.

Display: 5/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: design

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra close, showing cameras and S Pen — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Water resistant design is unique among premium tablets
Same size and shape as Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra

With a tablet this big, the design should get out of the way of the screen and the viewing experience, so I’m not expecting much. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has some design highlights but nothing special. I like the cool, tech-y antenna lines on the back that give it a futuristic sheen, but otherwise it’s just a big slab.

There are four speakers hidden around the edges of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, so things get loud when you hold the tablet in landscape mode for movie watching. The camera is also centered for landscape viewing, as it should be.

The only buttons on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra are the power and volume buttons, and Samsung has managed to screw up the volume keys. You’ll need to remember which side is up, because the Galaxy Tab won’t help.

Here’s what I mean: an Apple iPad is smart enough to know that however you are holding the tablet, pressing the volume rocker button on top should turn up the volume. If you hold the iPad upside down, it flips the orientation of the volume keys.

The Galaxy Tab has fixed Up and Down volume keys, and if you hold the tablet upside down, you need to press down to turn the volume Up. If this seems hard to explain, it’s even worse to use in real life.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra close up from angle showing S Pen tip — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

If you plan on using the S Pen and not losing the S Pen, I highly recommend buying Samsung’s back cover. It has a nice garage that holds the S Pen in the right spot to charge wirelessly against the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. I wish there was a proper silo like there is on the Galaxy S24 Ultra phone, but that would mean a much smaller S Pen, so I’ll accept the trade off.

I don’t recommend Samsung’s keyboard case, and I’m not sure there is a great option to turn the Galaxy S10 Ultra into a proper laptop replacement, which is a huge miss on Samsung’s part. Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which costs less than Samsung’s Keyboard Cover with a trackpad, is a much more premium accessory. You can lift the iPad Pro by grasping the front of the Magic Keyboard, while Samsung’s expensive keyboard cover feels cheap and flimsy, with keys that are too shallow.

Design: 4/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: software

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing. all the apps Samsung adds to the tablet under a Samsung folder — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Still the best tablet software for multitasking
No significant enhancements for gaming

Samsung’s One UI software, running on top of Android 14, is packed with features, and maybe overstuffed for a smaller smartphone screen, but on a big tablet Samsung lets you cut loose. You can run up to four windows on screen at once, and it’s easy to tile and arrange windows by dragging them where you want them. You can open apps or conversations in pop-up bubbles, and we haven’t even got to the pop-up note taking and screen writing with the S Pen.

While Apple pays lip service to multitasking on the iPad Pro, Samsung really makes it easy to do two or more things at once. I could research on the web while taking notes in Google Docs, or chat on a webcam meeting on one side, play a game on the other, and doomscroll in a floating window.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra with two side-by-side windows and a pop-up window playing Star Wars Skeleton Crew — Taking notes (left) while surfing the web (right) while watching Skeleton Crew (bottom left) all at once (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

While Samsung’s operating system is great, I’m worried that a big, expensive tablet like this is let down by the Android ecosystem. What are the premium apps that require so much screen size and power? Well, maybe not power, since the MediaTek processor isn’t exactly a powerhouse. But it's pretty good at gaming, and Samsung has said this tablet is aimed at gaming enthusiasts.

So, where is the gaming software? When you buy an Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, our best gaming phone, you don’t just get top performance. You get a suite of software tools to help you control your game, tweak your system settings, and stream your sessions over your favorite social network. That’s what it takes to call your device a gaming device. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was great for playing games, but it’s not an excellent gaming device.

Software: 4/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: performance

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra playing Vampire Survivors with an Xbox controller — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Good enough for Android, but not competitive with the iPad Pro
There better be a Snapdragon 8 Elite in the next Tab Ultra

It’s a very weird time for Samsung to release a Galaxy Tab Ultra with a relatively underpowered MediaTek chipset. Apple offers the iPad Pro tablet with an Apple M4 chip that's more powerful than most Windows laptop computers. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra doesn’t come close to that level of performance.

Then we have Qualcomm, which followed up one of its best chips in memory, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with a chipset that could truly be a revolutionary step forward, the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite. The latter wasn’t available in time for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra launch, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has been the most powerful chip in smartphones over the past year. Samsung should know, that’s the chip inside the Galaxy S24.

For the same price, you can have an Apple M4-powered iPad Pro. Heck, you could buy a Samsung Galaxy Book 4 360 laptop with a Snapdragon X processor inside and you’d get more in just about every way for the same price. Why pay for a big, mid-range Android tablet when you can have a premium convertible laptop or professional-strength iPad?

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra multi window dragging an app to one half of the display — Multi-window is as easy as dragging an app to where you want it (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

If the answer is Android games, then the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra will satisfy hardcore gamers with its performance, but I wonder if a gigantic tablet is what the mobile gaming world wants.

Many games won’t work with a joystick. Genshin Impact, for instance, works with a joystick on the iPad, but not on Android tablets. That means I need to hold the huge tablet and manipulate the controls that were meant for a mobile phone.

There are quite a few games like this, and while I enjoyed playing games with my Xbox controller connected, I had a hard time manipulating onscreen controls while holding the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. Don’t get me wrong, I love the huge size of this tablet, but for some tasks it simply might be too big.

Performance: 3/5

Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: battery

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing USB C port — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Less battery life than last generation
Much less battery time than an iPad Pro

Battery life on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was, frankly, unacceptable. While the tablet lasted through most of a work day, I usually kept it plugged in or charging when I was working at a desk because the big display can chug through battery time.

Our Future Labs tests report the same. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra performed worse on our battery tests than the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. Both tablets came in behind Apple’s iPad Pro, but the Tab S9 Ultra lasted around 9.5 hours and the Tab S10 lasted just over 9 hours. A small difference, but battery life should never, ever go down year over year.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra showing battery Settings panel — Four days?! Not likely (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

In comparison, an iPad Pro 13-inch will give you almost 15 hours in the same test. That’s a huge loss for Samsung, and battery life needs to be a priority on the next generation of Galaxy Tab S devices.

I have to imagine that a Tab S10 Ultra with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 would have offered better battery life, based on tests I’ve seen comparing the Gen 2 and Gen 3 platforms. Too bad Samsung didn’t use that chipset here.

Battery: 2/5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra?

Buy it if…

You play a lot of Android games
If you’re playing a lot of games on your Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra offers impressive gaming performance and the best big screen for gaming.View Deal

You want a big office tablet that’s easy to use
An Android tablet is much simpler than a Windows tablet, and you have your work accounts loaded, just like with your phone. Go ahead, work on the Tab.View Deal

You want to draw and play and have fun
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a big tablet for fun, indoors and outdoors, for doodling and gaming and playing with AI. Don’t take it too seriously.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You need a serious productivity tool
If you need real power and performance, and real desktop apps, you might need an iPad Pro or iPad Air.View Deal

You can get a deal on the Tab S9 Ultra
This is almost the same tablet as last year, so if you find the Tab S9 Ultra for much cheaper, just buy it instead.View Deal

You want a laptop replacement
The Tab S10 Ultra doesn’t have any great keyboard options to help you replace a laptop, though you can use any desktop keyboard and mouse instead of Samsung’s accessories.View Deal

Also consider

Not convinced by the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra? Here are a few other options to consider:

Apple iPad Pro 13-inch
It costs a bit more, but Apple’s iPad Pro 13-inch is more powerful, much thinner and lighter, and even brighter than Samsung’s Tab S10 Ultra.

Read our full iPad Pro 13-inch review

Apple iPad Air 13-inch
The Air is Apple’s mid-range iPad, but it is still more powerful than Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, and it lasts longer on a charge.

Read our full Apple iPad Air 13-inch review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus
If you really just want a big Samsung display that’s water resistant and packed with OneUI features, the Tab S9 FE might be enough, and it’s battery life can’t be beat.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus review

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus

I have been using and reviewing tablets since the very first Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablet and the original Apple iPad, and I use tablets every day in my personal life and work environment. I carry two or more tablets when I travel for work and personal business, and I travel every month, often every few weeks.

I used the Galaxy Tab 10 Ultra for two months as my primary work tablet, using it when I traveled for business and as a second screen at my office when I was working. I loaded it with my work accounts and apps, including Slack, Google Meet, Airtable, and Vampire Survivors.

I tested the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra’s durability by dunking it in my sink filled with water and rinsing it repeatedly. I used the Tab S10 Ultra with Samsung’s keyboard with trackpad cover, as well as with my own SteelSeries USB-C keyboard, and a Bluetooth mouse. I also connected the Tab Ultra to my Dell monitor.

I played many games on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, mostly using an Xbox controller with Bluetooth. I played Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, Vampire Survivors, and games from my Xbox Series X console over Wi-Fi.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was also tested and benchmarked in Future Labs independently. Future Labs uses benchmark software like Geekbench and Crossmark, as well as proprietary tests for color gamut and battery rundown times. Future Labs runs the same tests on every tablet to compare them equally.

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

First reviewed January 2025

Onyx Boox Go 6 review: bugs and performance woes undermine a promising entry-level ereader

8:35 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Play Store, UI | Comments: Off

Onyx Boox Go 6: Two-minute review

The Go series is Onyx’s latest Boox range of ereaders and e-paper writing tablets, with the Boox Go 6 being the newest – and smallest – member. It was released a couple of months after the first two Go series devices, giving Onyx time to fix the software issues I had highlighted in my Boox Go Color 7 review. And given how much I like the Boox Go 10.3 as a writing tablet, I had high expectations from this 6-inch entry-level ereader.

Its design doesn’t disappoint at all, with a slim, compact and lightweight body that makes it very portable indeed. Despite this light build, it still manages to feel quite robust. It also uses the latest E Ink Carta 1300 screen that makes reading a far superior experience over the Amazon Kindle (2024), and can easily hold its own against the Kobo Clara BW and the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024), both of which use the same display. Plus, having a microSD card tray to expand the 32GB internal storage if you need more space is a bonus. And that’s where the positives end for me.

While it’s adequate as an ereader, Onyx hasn’t quite taken full advantage of that fabulous display because ghosting is still a problem on Boox devices, even though Amazon has seemingly found a way to completely eliminate this issue in its 2024 Kindles.

A book cover displayed on the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Then there are the software and performance woes. To be fair to Onyx, my issue with the unlinked Fonts folder has been rectified – you no longer need to manually create a separate folder within the Storage tab to make third-party fonts work – but I ran into other issues instead.

For starters, while I can connect to my Google Drive account, during my testing, files couldn’t be transferred wirelessly as it wouldn't give me access to anything other than the existing Onyx folder from previous Boox devices. As a Mac user, I couldn’t even use a wired connection to move ebooks onto the Go 6 as only Windows machines register the Boox tablets as external devices and, despite OTG (USB on-the-go) support and the device reading my external hard drive, I still couldn’t move my files. Thank goodness for BooxDrop!

I will admit that the Boox Go 6 powers on or wakes up much quicker than any Kindle or Kobo I have tested (even the latest ones), but page turns are rather slow. I found that pages with images on them can take over a second to flip over. While most users won’t necessarily be reading graphic novels, comics or history books with image plates, it’s still sluggish compared to the competition. Even battery life is disappointing here.

I’m also quite miffed that Onyx has chosen to use Android 11 as the Go 6’s operating system when the other devices in this series run on Android 12. And while not really a deal breaker, there’s no waterproofing here either.

As much as I admire Onyx for churning out ereaders and writing tablets every few months, I think the company ought to slow down to perfect the performance of its ereaders. It seems to be able to do that for its writing tablets, so why not its basic reading devices too?

Cartoon swans and an elephant on the start-up screen of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Onyx Boox Go 6 review: price & availability

Announced August 2024
List price: $149.99 / €169.99 / AU$279
Available now directly from the Boox Shop and select third-party retailers

Compared to Kindle or Kobo, Boox devices have always been a little on the expensive side. The Boox Go 6 is no exception, listed for $149.99 / €169.99 (about £143) / AU$279 at the time of writing. That’s significantly more than the equivalent Kindle or Kobo.

The Amazon Kindle (2024) costs $129.99 / £104.99 / AU$199 sans ads on the lock screen, although you only get 16GB of storage (half that of the Boox Go 6) and it uses the older E Ink Carta 1200 screen. On the other hand, the Kobo Clara BW – which also only comes with 16GB of storage – will set you back $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$239.95 at full price, but it boasts the E Ink Carta 1300 display and is IPX8-certified waterproof, which the Go 6 isn't. It also happens to be repairable.

In fact, the Boox Go 6 is only marginally cheaper than the 7-inch Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024), which costs $179.99 / £159.99 / AU$299 for the version without ads and 16GB of storage, but you get waterproofing and a larger Carta 1300 screen that has no performance issues.

• Value score: 3 / 5

A cartoon drawing of a sleeping rabbit on the sleep screen of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Onyx Boox Go 6 review: specs

Onyx Boox Go 6 review: Design & display

Very sharp and clear 6-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display
Robust build quality with microSD card tray
Lacks waterproofing

The one thing I’ve always been impressed by is the design of the Boox devices – they all look premium, and the Boox Go 6 is no exception. Despite being made from plastic, the black chassis appears metallic on the front – something Amazon and Kobo ought to learn to do – and, despite being the same thickness as the 2024 base Kindle, it feels a lot more solid in the hand… and much more secure too. That doesn’t imply the rear panel is textured – it’s a matte finish compared to the shiny front, but it attracts every single fingerprint, far more than any other ereader I've had the joy of using. Thankfully Onyx makes an optional sleepcover (identical to the one used with the Onyx Boox Poke 5) to keep the body smudge-free.

The only embellishment on the Go 6 is the Boox branding on the front and rear. The former is in grey printed on the large lower bezel, while the latter is embossed black on black. The power button is on the right corner of the top edge, and you’ll find the USB-C port, microphone and microSD card tray on the bottom edge. There are no speakers here, like you’ll find on some other Boox devices and that’s a good thing – I’ve never found the sound to be nice enough to use anyway.

While it looks very much like the Boox Poke 5, it’s lighter at 146g compared to 160g, which also makes it a touch lighter than the latest edition of the base Kindle (158g) and the Kobo Clara BW (174g).

Image 1 of 2

The USB-C port, mic and card tray on the lower edge of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

The power button on the top of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

This lightweight body houses what is arguably the best e-paper screen that E Ink (the company that supplies the displays to ereader makers) has made. And it makes reading a lovely experience. Everything is displayed sharp and clear, with very good contrast. However, compared to the Kindles released in 2024, ghosting remains a major problem on Boox devices, which tells me optimization isn't...well, optimal.

Like all current Boox devices, the frontlight is adjustable for both brightness and temperature. This makes the display comfortable to use in any environment, whether indoors or out, and even at night when yellow light can reduce eye strain.

Also like the Boox Poke 5, the Go 6 also misses out on any kind of waterproofing, which is a shame as it’s more expensive than the Kobo Clara BW, which does get you some security from accidental dunks in the kitchen sink, bath or pool. That said, waterproofing doesn’t seem to be too important to Onyx as even the Go Color 7 is listed as being just “splashproof” (with no rating provided).

• Design & display score: 4 / 5

Rear panel with embossed Boox branding on the Onyx Boox Go 6 — The rear panel looks good but it's a smudge magnet (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Onyx Boox Go 6 review: Software

Runs Android 11 – other Go series devices run on Android 12
Slightly more streamlined UI than older Boox devices
AI Assistant app is superfluous

I have to hand it to Onyx for trying to simplify the user interface on the Boox Go 6. There are fewer customization options in Settings as compared to older Boox ereaders, which makes it a little easier to use. Despite that, if you’ve never used a Boox device before, you’ll likely still need a little time to wrap your head around some of the settings. Other important ones, though, like for the library, are still hidden away.

The initial setup is also annoyingly complicated when it really doesn’t need to be. While you just have to follow the on-screen instructions, there are too many pop-ups, and being asked to set up Gestures even before you log in is unnecessary. You’ll also need to accept Onyx’s user agreement and privacy policy twice before you can connect to your Wi-Fi network – surely once would do. I was even presented with the keyboard audio recording pop-up before the full setup was complete, not when I needed to use the keyboard for the first time. These little bits and bobs are useful, I understand, but can be set up later rather than at the startup process.

Image 1 of 2

The gesture settings on the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

The System Display settings on the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

One thing I’m really pleased about is Onyx fixing one of the software issues that has plagued Boox devices from the start – having to create a new fonts folder within Storage to make third-party sideloaded fonts work. The existing Fonts folder has now been linked correctly and that extra step is no longer needed.

However, I’m surprised the company chose to use Android 11 as the OS, rather than the newer Android 12 that’s running on the other two Go series devices. Admittedly it’s a perfectly acceptable choice for an ereader's operating system, but disappointing nonetheless.

As with all Onyx devices, you can choose any of the five tabs as your home screen via System Display in the Settings tab: Library, Store, Storage, Apps or Settings. These are accessible at the bottom of the screen. Personally, I prefer Apps or Settings as my home screen as I find the library can tend to look a little messy, but that’s just me.

Apps is where you will find all the native applications, including a browser, the Google Play Store and the AI Assistant. While I find most of the apps useful, the last one is rather superfluous. You can use the built-in AI to write a short story or start a simple conversation, but I really found no need to use it on a basic ereader. In fact, I thought it was gimmicky on the Boox Go Color 7 too and I didn't take any advantage of it on the Go 10.3 either.

Image 1 of 2

The folders within the Storage tab of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — Onyx has fixed the issue with the fonts folder in Storage... (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

The Bookerly font within the Fonts folder of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — ..which is now correctly linked for third-party fonts (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The bookstore isn’t going to be much use to most readers as all you can find are classics and titles available in the public domain. However, you can purchase content via the browser or by installing the Kindle or Kobo apps, but then you will need to use the respective apps to read or listen to the content you purchase. These will not be added to the device’s library.

You will need to sideload titles if you want to use the native library application. Transferring files to the Go 6, in theory, can be done both wirelessly and via a USB-C cable plugged into your computer, although I ran into trouble in both cases. I’ve previously linked my Google Drive account to transfer files to the other Boox devices I've tested but, this time, although I could access Drive, it only presented me with my existing Onyx folder that had notes and files from older devices, nothing else. Even after moving my ebooks folder to within my existing Onyx subfolder within Drive, I was still unable to see it. Multiple restarts of the device didn't help, neither did a full factory reset. Which meant I couldn’t download any ebooks I had stored on the cloud. As a MacBook user, I’ve found that no Boox ereader gets registered, so there’s no way for me to use a wired connection either.

Applications within the Apps tab of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

There is OTG support here, which allows you to plug an external storage device directly into the Go 6 to access files. In my case, I tried both the Samsung T5 portable SSD and the T7 – while they registered as USB-C connected devices on the Go 6 and I can view the files, I was unable to transfer any of them, as has been the case previously on all other Boox tablets I've used.

I had to rely on Onyx’s own BooxDrop application, which allows me to use a web-based platform to ‘push’ files onto the ereaders for a wireless transfer. It’s not a bad way to do things, but when there are easier options, I’m saddened that bugs and software glitches don’t allow them to work as expected.

• Software score: 3 / 5

Ebook tiles within the library tab of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Onyx Boox Go 6 review: User experience

Easier to use but unnecessarily complicated setup process
Screen could be better optimized
Can have issues with wired and cloud transfers

With software bugs still plaguing Boox ereaders, the user experience, for me personally, is far from smooth, even though reading on it is wonderful. As I’ve already mentioned, the lackluster user experience begins right at the start, thanks to an unnecessarily complicated setup process that could throw off first-time users. Both Amazon and Kobo do a much smoother job of getting users set up on their new devices, so I don’t know why Onyx can’t adopt a similar approach.

File transfers also shouldn’t be as difficult as I found them to be. Sure, BooxDrop works a charm, but using a wired connection can be quick. And with no Windows machine at my disposal to use a cable to transfer files, or with OTG never having worked for me on any Boox device with support, I was hoping to use Google Drive. While that has worked for me previously, I'm not sure what happened this time round. It could be an isolated issue, but a full factory reset didn't help, so I can't be so sure.

Image 1 of 3

Book tiles displayed in the library tab of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 3

Onyx's Floating Toolbar in the libary app of the Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 3 of 3

A page of an ebook displayed on the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Fixing the fonts folder problem was fabulous, but then I had to restart the Go 6 three times to get the sideloaded Bookerly font to work. These are little things, but they do clock up for a user.

That said, I can't emphasize how good the display is for reading. I think it's better than the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024), which uses the same screen. I compared them both side by side, with the same Bookerly font for the same page on the same page – the smaller screen with a tighter pixel density definitely works in the Go 6's favor. I even compared it right beside the Amazon Kindle (2024 release), with both books covers and text looking darker and sharper. However, it doesn't offer as much joy reading as the overall user experience isn't as good.

While the user interface isn’t as complicated as it used to be on older Boox devices, a learning curve is still required if you’ve never used one of Onyx’s ereaders before. More so because many important settings, like those for the library (NeoReader) app, are hidden away. They’ll require a tap or two more on the top of the screen when the app is in use to bring them up, and it’s not particularly intuitive. What I really like about the Boox library app is the Floating Toolbar that can be customized for functions you use the most.

Image 1 of 2

The same book cover displayed on the Onyx Boox Go 6 (left) and the 2024 Amazon Kindle (right) — The Boox Go 6 (left) has a better, higher contrast display than the 2024 Amazon Kindle (right) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

The same page of a book displayed on the Onyx Boox Go 6 (left) and the 2024 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite — The Boox Go 6 (left) displays the same page of the same ebook just as well as the 2024 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (right) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Onyx really has the makings of a good ereader in the Boox Go 6, but until its user experience is refined and simplified, plus the software issues ironed out, it will be hard to recommend over a Kindle or a Kobo ereader.

• User experience score: 3 / 5

Onyx Boox Go 6 review: Performance

Ghosting is still a problem
Sluggish page turns
Middling battery life

When it comes to overall performance, the other two Go series devices are better devices than the Boox Go 6. I was critical about the Go Color 7 and loved the Go 10.3, but sadly the Go 6 disappoints in comparison and I’m struggling to find anything positive to say here.

Settings options within the native library app of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — Some important library settings are hidden away behind 2 taps on the screen (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Where the other two Go series tablets use the 2.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor, the Go 6 has an older 2GHz octa-core CPU. That shouldn’t have been an issue on an ereader, as it really doesn’t need too much processing power, but is seems to have had an effect here.

Page turns are sluggish even when only a single title is open in the library app (the library can have several tabs open). During my testing, I found that ebooks with images are particularly slow, sometimes taking up to a second to load the next page. Those with only text, though, are quicker, although at an average of 500ms per turn, they are a touch slower than what I’ve experienced on the 2024 Kindles and Kobos.

Image 1 of 2

Evidence of ghosting on an image displayed on the Onyx Boox Go 6 — Images on the Boox Go 6 invariably have a ghosting problem... (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

Pages with images also suffer from significant ghosting, where a dim overlay of the previous page is visible. In fact, I encountered ghosting even when trying to sign into Google Drive when setting up the device. In comparison, the Go Color 7 was more impressive with a lot less ghosting, although this has been a major issue with other Boox devices I’ve tried.

In use, I’ve found third-party apps can crash often. Both the Kindle and the Kobo apps, while quick to open, can crash immediately after, or while in the middle of loading a title. That said, other apps like CPU X, which I have used on all three Go series tablets to determine certain specs, have worked just fine.

A hand holding the Onyx Boox Go 6 showing a page with image displayed — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Another disappointment is the battery life. While it uses the same 1,500mAh capacity as the Boox Poke 5, the drain on the Go 6 is a lot more than the former. I found that the battery level drops 1% every couple of minutes when the display is on, but not being used (meaning, no titles are being read or any apps in use), which does seem excessive. And this is with the screen light set at low levels. When in use, the drain on the battery increases slightly, with about 3% to 4% dropping every couple of minutes.

That means I got no more than 2 weeks of use, reading for about 30 minutes per day with the brightness set to a low level and the system’s refresh rate set to per 5 taps. Wi-Fi, though, was always on, as was Bluetooth. Switching them off didn’t make too much of a difference during my testing. As a point of comparison, the Kobo Clara BW also uses a 1,500mAh battery and gave me about 4 weeks of use on a single charge, as did the Boox Poke 5.

Top-up time for the battery, however, is quick. Connected to a 67W wall charger via a good quality USB-C to C cable raised battery levels from 4% to 56% in 45 minutes. It was fully topped up in 1 hour and 30 minutes. Of course, charging time will be much longer if you use your computer or one of the best power banks to top up the Go 6, but if that isn’t much of an issue, I’d say the battery charging times of this ereader is the best I've encountered.

• Performance score: 3 / 5

The Boox branding on the lower bezel of the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Should I buy the Onyx Boox Go 6?

Buy it if...

You want a very portable ereader indeed
As one of the lightest ereaders I’ve tested, the 6-inch Boox Go 6 will pop into a jacket pocket easily enough or slip into any bag.

You want plenty of storage
If you’re an avid reader, the 32GB onboard storage will serve you well. And if even that is too little, you can always use a microSD card to expand it further. While Onyx hasn’t specified the maximum storage capacity for the card tray, previous Boox devices have been able to manage up to 1TB.

You have an existing library of ebooks and audiobooks
Given the built-in bookstore isn’t ideal, the best use case for Boox ereaders would be to sideload your own existing library you’ve purchased from elsewhere. Or you use the Kindle or Kobo apps on the device. And given the amount of storage you can get, you can carry around thousands of titles with you everywhere.

Don't buy it if...

You want an easy-to-use basic ereader
It’s not bad, but given the user interface isn’t the most intuitive there is, first-time users might have a hard time getting to grips with the Go 6, or any other Boox ereader. If it’s a simple reading device you want, consider a 6-inch Kindle or Kobo and they’ll be cheaper too.

You need top performance
There are too many little software issues and performance problems with the Go 6. If you want a smoother reading experience, you’d be better off looking at Amazon's ereaders or a Kobo.

You’re already part of the Amazon or Kobo ecosystems
If you’ve used either a Kindle or Kobo ereader before and are looking for an upgrade, you might be better off sticking to your already-chosen brand, particularly if you’ve got subscriptions to Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus.

Also consider

I’d be very surprised if you’d consider opting for the Boox Go 6 after reading my review, but if you are keen on a new ereader, the three options listed below would serve you better. I’ve also included another Boox device that I think is worth considering if you want don't want to get caught up within either Amazon's or Kobo's ecosystems.

Kobo Clara BW
Arguably the best 6-inch entry-level ereader on the market, the Kobo Clara BW not only takes full advantage of the E Ink Carta 1300 display, but has no performance issues at all. And, unlike other entry-level ereaders, it’s actually got IPX8 waterproofing.
Read my full Kobo Clara BW review to learn more

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
For a little extra cash, you'll get a much smoother user experience, the same screen but larger at 7 inches, and a bookstore that will keep you reading lifelong and still not let you finish scratching the surface.
Read my in-depth Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review

Onyx Boox Page
It might still have a relatively complicated user interface, but if you want a Boox ereader specifically, I'd recommend the Page. With physical page-turn buttons, it's ergonomic. It's also got far fewer software issues – at least it did when I tested it – than the Go 6. It's the older Carta 1200 screen but it's 7 inches, but these advantages will cost you more.
Learn more in my full Onyx Boox Page review

How I tested the Onyx Boox Go 6

Used as a daily ereader for about 6 weeks
Sideloaded books, music, image files and more via BooxDrop
Changed settings to test battery life for different scenarios
Downloaded different third-party apps via the Play Store

Image 1 of 2

The Onyx Boox Go 6 with its open sleep case — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

Onyx branding on the startup screen on the Onyx Boox Go 6 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

While I usually sign into my existing Onyx account to sync files across devices, I took a different tack with the Boox Go 6. I set it up as a new device first, then signed into my Google account to access Drive and the Play Store. While I could use both, the former only gave me access to my Onyx folder that had notes and PDF files from other Boox writing tablets, but wouldn’t allow me access to any other folder I had (like my ebooks), and that’s despite moving my book collection into the Onyx folder. Instead, I used BooxDrop to transfer ebooks, music files and some photos to the Go 6.

As for third-party apps, I downloaded CPU X to determine what hardware was under the hood of the Go 6, as well as the Kindle and Kobo apps to access my existing library on the respective platforms.

I used NeoLibrary to read the sideloaded ebooks, used the native music player to listen to the audio files and, out of curiosity, opened the photos I had transferred in the Gallery application to see what they looked like.

I read on the Go 6 for about 30 minutes to an hour each day during the trial period, although there were a few days when I exceeded 2 hours of reading. I kept an eye on the battery life as I use it, and also altered brightness settings to see how it affected battery drain.

While I didn’t use the AI Assistant app on the Go 6, my previous experience on the Go Color 7 wasn’t particularly good enough for me to want to try it again. Moreover, I found no need to use an AI for anything while I was reading, especially since the Go 6 is more an entry-level ereader rather than an advanced one like the Boox Note series.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed January 2025]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024): a perfectly adequate ereader

2:17 am | December 5, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Australia, UK, US | Comments: Off

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024): Two-minute review

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite has been our pick of the best Kindle for a very long time as it's managed to balance price and features quite well. The 12th generation Paperwhite maintains that same ethos to some degree, gaining a brand-new display that leverages the latest E Ink Carta 1300 screen tech.

This not only adds a touch more contrast, which makes the text on the screen darker and thus easier to read, but it also makes page turns a smidge quicker. Honestly, in real-world use, you won't find it all that different from the 11th-generation Kindle Paperwhite, but you will if you have them both side by side and look really carefully. So while I won't say it's a massive upgrade over the 2021 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, it's definitely worth upgrading if you're using an older Kindle.

I also appreciate the couple of millimeters more of display I get on the 2024 Paperwhite, which is now a 7-inch screen compared to the previous 6.8-inch, but again, it's not really that significant.

What is a little significant is the slight performance boost that Amazon has managed to inject into the 12th-gen Paperwhite. During my testing, I had no issues whatsoever – page turns were near instantaneous, I had absolutely no slowing down even after hours of reading, not a single instance of ghosting and, importantly, the battery life is truly impressive. After three weeks of use, I am yet to charge the Paperwhite for the first time.

A person tapping on the screen of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

My biggest issue is the Paperwhite's design: the rear panel is so darn smooth, that I often feel like it's slipping through my fingers. That means I'm trying to grip it tighter, which means my thumbs are extended further over the display and the number of accidental touches I have are a little annoying. Admittedly a case will solve that problem, but that's an additional cost to tack onto what is already an expensive ereader.

So while it still builds a case for still being the best Kindle, I think the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024) might represent better value for some users, offering more storage, some resistance to salt water and the option for wireless charging.

Amazon's penchant for hiking up the price of its Kindles with each new generation is disappointing. While I'm struggling to justify the cost of the base Amazon Kindle 2024, I suppose I can get behind the 12th-gen Paperwhite's price hike over its predecessor, but I'm not entirely convinced it represents good value anymore. This is compounded by the fact that, in some markets (like Australia), none of the 2024 Kindles support Audible playback.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: price & availability

Announced October 2024; available to buy now
Launch price of $159.99 (with ads) / £159.99 (with ads) / AU$299
A Signature Edition is available for a higher price but double the storage

As I've said above, Amazon keeps increasing the price of its Kindles with each new release and that means at $159.99 / £159.99 / AU$299, the 12th-generation Paperwhite is the most expensive yet and, in my humble opinion, no longer very good value. And that's the price of the ad-supported version in the US and UK (Australia gets only the ad-free model). If you don't want ads on your lock screen, you're shelling out $179.99 / £159.99 in the US and UK respectively.

You could argue that this price is fine for a 7-inch ereader with 16GB of storage, but for a little more money – $219.99 / £219.99 / AU$359.95 to be precise – you can get a color ereader with a screen of the same size, double the storage, a more ergonomic design (with page-turn buttons) and, importantly, writing capabilities with the Kobo Libra Colour. I suppose I might even be inclined to pay $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329 for the 2024 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for the metallic colors, double the storage and wireless charging, as well as performance just as good as the standard Paperwhite.

If you don't want all that, you can save money by opting for the Kobo Clara BW ($129.99 / £119.99 / AU$239.95), which gets you the exact same display, just in 6 inches, and very similar specs as the Paperwhite.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

A person reading a page of a book on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: Specs

Amazon has stopped listing some specs for its ereaders, so I have no idea what CPU the Paperwhite is using or the battery capacity.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: Design & display

Available in 3 colors in the US and UK, only one in Australia
Sharp, crisp 7-inch display
Very slim design with no grip

Hey, Amazon, what exactly has Australia done to not deserve the new colorways of the standard Paperwhite? I'm a little annoyed that I get only the black model Down Under (where I am based) and is the version I was sent for this review. It's not a huge complaint, but I do admit to a little FOMO. Other markets can get the Paperwhite in new Jade and Raspberry options.

Nothing else has really changed in terms of design, although the standard Paperwhite is now 7 inches (compared to the 11th generation's 6.8 inches). The body remains plastic which, incidentally, has some recycled materials in it – not as much as Kobo uses, though.

The plastic chassis does make the Paperwhite look cheaper than its price tag, but the real issue for me is the rear panel. It's so smooth that I can feel it slip through my fingers (literally) when the bus or train I'm on brakes suddenly. I love how slim it is, but that too exacerbates the lack of grip, making it far from ergonomic.

To compensate for its slipperiness, I found myself holding the device with my thumb on the screen itself as the side bezels are still very slim. As nice as that looks, it's not ideal for single-hand use and I kept suffering from accidental page turns from my finger on the screen. It's possible this won't affect all users, but it is an annoyance to me.

The power button and USB-C port on the lower edge of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Given how easy it might be to drop the standard Paperwhite, I'm glad it retains its IPX8 waterproof rating, which means it can stay submerged in 2 meters of water for up to an hour. Just don't drop it in the sea as the salt water will corrode the USB-C port first and, if it seeps in, will start eating away at the motherboard too. The Signature Edition, on the other hand, will survive a quick dunk in the sea.

The rounded corners and edges will be familiar to any Kindle user, as will the be power button on the lower edge. This placement of the power button bothers one of my colleagues, but I don't have any issues with it. In fact, I love the little feedback it gives when pressed. Beside the power button, in the center of the bottom edge, is the USB-C port for charging.

The only embellishments on the device are the word 'Kindle' on the lower bezel and the Amazon logo on the rear panel. As with most black ereaders and tablets, the 2024 Paperwhite is a smudge magnet, but I suspect the two colorways will also suffer similarly. The black one, in fact, begins to look very scruffy within days of use – even just leaving it on a table, it will pick up dust and the texture of the plastic is such that it's hard to wipe away.

If that bothers you like it does me, I think a case becomes a must, and it will add a little extra grip too, but it is an additional cost to bear.

The Amazon logo on the scruffed rear panel of the Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

The rear plastic panel is very smooth and is a magnet for smudges and dust (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The shift to the 7-inch display has allowed Amazon to update the display to the latest E Ink Carta 1300 technology, which adds more contrast to the text on the screen. The resolution remains at 300ppi though, which is standard and plenty for such a device. The screen supports a dark mode, has 16 levels of grayscale and hits a maximum brightness of 94 nits.

Compared to the 2024 entry-level Kindle, the Paperwhite has a naturally warmer hue (much like paper) which, when combined with the amber LED lights, can make the display very yellow indeed. It might look odd to someone who's not used an ereader with adjustable light temperatures, but it helps the eyes from getting strained too much. If you're like me, who reads for four to five hours a day (mostly at night), you'll appreciate the yellower screen. The LEDs do a good job of evenly lighting the entire display – I found no shadows or areas of excessive brightness during my testing.

• Design & display score: 3.5 / 5

The Kindle branding on the broad lower bezel of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: User interface

Linux-based operating system
16GB of storage, but only 11.5GB available for use
Easy-to-use UX, but home screen can feel cluttered

One theory I have for why the Kindles became so popular so quickly is their user-friendly interface. They've always been simple devices, with not a lot of extraneous options in Settings, and that ethos is still maintained today.

If you're already familiar with a Kindle, you won't find anything new on the 2024 Paperwhite. Even if you've never used a Kindle before, it won't take long to wrap your head around it, with setup being as simple as following the prompts on the screen. Once you've set up your Amazon account and logged in, there are only two tabs to explore – the Home screen and the Library.

I personally find the Kindle Home screen unnecessarily cluttered, constantly pushing me into the Kindle Store. If that doesn't bother you, it's a good starting point for finding your next read. However, keep in mind that once you start getting your content from the Kindle Store, you're stuck within Amazon's walled garden.

Image 1 of 2

The pull-down menu of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

The library view on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

You can sideload books of course, but you will need to jump through some hoops as Amazon no longer allows you to plug in a Kindle to drag-and-drop files via a wired connection. You will need to use the Send To Kindle platform, which allows you to wirelessly add content to your Kindles via cloud sync. The good news is that if you ever change (or upgrade) your Kindle, even your sideloaded titles will remain synced to your Amazon account and you can just tap them individually in the Library app of your new Kindle to download them again.

There's no specific tab for Settings, but swipe downwards from the top of the screen and you'll be presented with a few options, including turning on dark mode, cloud sync, flight mode and, of course, accessing all the Settings options.

The different Settings are simple and quite literally bare bones, although please note that if you are in Australia or any other region where there's no Audible support on the 2024 Kindles, you won't even see Bluetooth as a connectivity option (which is available in the US and UK).

There's decent file support on the Kindle now, although, with MOBI now mostly dead, Amazon has had to relent and allow native EPUB support, which is the format most ebooks come in.

As part of the Amazon ecosystem, Goodreads is available on all Kindles and American users will be able to borrow library books too. The latter option is, however, not available anywhere else.

• User interface score: 4 / 5

Image 1 of 2

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) screen set at the warmest yellow light — The warm light setting is good for long hours of reading (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

The brightness and light temperature sliders on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) set at maximum — The warm light setting is good for long hours of reading (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) review: Performance

Marginally faster than previous model
Speed enhancement seems mostly software related
Excellent battery life, even at higher brightness levels

Ereaders are such simple devices that there's really no benchmarking to run to determine performance. However, as someone who's tested several of the most recent ebook readers, it's fair to say I can judge by doing a comparison with the competition.

The 2024 standard Paperwhite wins in terms of screen responsiveness speed and overall performance over even the Onyx Boox Go series ereaders and the Kobo Clara BW too. The former, incidentally, has a more powerful processor than what Amazon has typically used for its Kindles (although the current CPU has not been revealed) and yet the Paperwhite surpasses the Boox Go 6 (which I have been testing alongside this).

Page turns are near instantaneous and not once did I have issues with ghosting (where a very light impression of the previous page remains on screen after a page turn). Reading graphic novels on its an absolute pleasure, especially since the Frame view also opens instantly when you double-tap.

Like the entry-level 2024 Kindle, I think the performance boost is purely software-based rather than being a new CPU. It could be both, too, but Amazon isn't revealing what chipset it's using under the hood here.

Image 1 of 2

A page of a graphic novel displayed on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — Reading graphic novels on the 2024 Paperwhite is fantastic because... (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

A single frame from a graphic novel page displayed on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — ..the Frame View feature expands each individual frame on the page (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I'm using the massive operating system as the basis of my performance theory here. As with the base 2024 Kindle, the OS on the Paperwhite takes up 4.5GB of the total 16GB storage available on the device – if memory serves, that's 2GB more than on the 11th generation Paperwhite.

While I am miffed about the lower available storage on the Paperwhite (which reduces its per-dollar value), I'm glad for whatever boost Amazon has given the tablet. Typing via the on-screen keyboard when setting up my Wi-Fi network or any other touchscreen functionality was seamless and quick. And by 'quick' I mean it's as good as it's ever gotten on an e-paper screen – don't expect the same performance as your phone or multimedia tablet.

A person at a table reading a page on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

What's probably the most impressive feat is the 2024 Paperwhite's battery life. I've had it for about three weeks now and I started using it immediately out of the box at 72%. Three weeks later it was just at 45%, and that's with about 2-3 hours of reading and the screen brightness level at 8 (warm light level of 4). Admittedly that's a low brightness setting that won't put too much pressure on the battery, but I only charged the Paperwhite once, just to see how quickly it topped up. At this rate, I could eke out at least 10 weeks of use between charges, more if I don't read as much as I usually do.

Amazon claims it will take the 12th-gen Paperwhite under 2.5 hours to go from empty to full when using a 9W power adaptor. That sounds about right to me – plugged into the USB-A port of my 65W charger (which offers up to 22.5W of power) and using a USB-A to C cable, it went from 32% to 50% in about 20 minutes. That might have been a touch faster if I was using a USB-C to C cable, but that was being used on another device at the time of testing. Still, that's not bad numbers at all.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

The Library tab on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)?

Buy it if...

You're upgrading from an old Kindle
If you've been holding on to a very old Kindle that's on its last legs and it's time for an upgrade, the 2024 Paperwhite is a worthy option if you want to stick with Amazon.

You want the best in e-ink technology
The E Ink Carta 1300 on the 2024 Paperwhite is fantastic. Not only is it the best grayscale e-paper display yet, but Amazon has optimized it well and made it snappier than before.

You'd love a lightweight 7-inch ereader
For its size, the Paperwhite feels ridiculously light in the hand, despite being a couple of grams heavier than the previous model (hey, the added millimeters have to go somewhere!). I'm just not quite sold on its ergonomics.

Don't buy it if...

You're already using the 2021 Paperwhite (11th generation)
Yes, the screen is better, but other than that, there's not a whole lot that's different. The older model is still pretty good when it comes to performance and, in real-world use, the slightly faster screen response time of the 2024 edition won't feel very different.

Value for money matters to you
While its price tag can be justified to some extent, you can get much more value from something like the Kobo Libra Colour. And if you happen to live outside the US, the Kindle won't even let you borrow library books and, in some markets, there's no Audible support either.

You'd prefer a color ereader
If you read comics, manga or graphic novels more, then a color ereader might be the better investment. After all, they were meant to be viewed in color. The Frame View feature on a Kindle makes it even better for graphic novel readers, which makes a strong case for the Kindle Colorsoft.

Also consider

Kobo Clara BW
Sporting the same screen tech, just in a 6-inch size, the Kobo Clara BW was previously my pick of the best mid-range ereader because it's not exactly 'cheap'. Other than its screen size, it shares most of the specs of the Paperwhite, which makes it good value even compared to the entry-level Kindle 2024 model and, arguably, is now the best budget ereader.
Read my in-depth Kobo Clara BW review for more details

Kobo Libra Colour
In the 7-inch screen size class, the Kobo Libra Colour is the best ereader overall. It balances price and features remarkably well, plus it's a lot more ergonomic than the Paperwhite. It's also got stylus support if you wish to use the writing features, but you will need to buy that separately. Even then, I still think it represents better value for money than the Paperwhite.
Read my full Kobo Libra Colour review to find out more

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024)
Admittedly it's more expensive than the standard Kindle, but the loss of 4.5GB to the OS on it makes me think there's better value in opting for the Signature Edition. Double the storage and the option of wireless charging justifies the higher price tag better, although I will admit the wireless charging is a little superfluous.
Read our full Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024) review to learn more

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

Used daily for three weeks to read
Borrowed titles from the Prime Reading service, plus downloaded existing books already available in my Amazon account
Tested battery life at various brightness levels

A person perusing the recommendations on the Home screen of the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

As soon as I received the 2024 Paperwhite for this review, I logged into my Amazon account, which promptly gave me access to my existing library that was cloud-synced when I sideloaded titles onto an older device. All I had to do was tap on the ebooks I wanted on the Paperwhite (so none of the ones I'd already finished reading) and I was off.

Unfortunately, because I'm based in Australia, I have no Audible access on any of the new Kindles, so I cannot comment on how easy it would be to pair Bluetooth headphones, but I hope it's smooth and once paired, you should be able to listen to audiobooks if you have a subscription.

I read on the Paperwhite daily for the three-week period I set aside for testing, spending about 2-3 hours each day with it. I used the Paperwhite at various light settings to check how that affected the battery drain.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed December 2024]

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: all the right improvements, with some AI on the side

5:00 pm | December 4, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: AI, Kindle Paperwhite | Comments: Off

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024): Two-minute review

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is a big step up in every way. It’s a big step up from the basic Kindle Paperwhite, though the existence of the Kindle Colorsoft begs the question of whether we could see a color Kindle Scribe in the hopefully near future. This Scribe is a big upgrade from the last Kindle Scribe (2022), with new AI features that – shock of all shocks – are incredibly useful. It also gets an unfortunate price increase, but there’s no doubt the improved features warrant a higher price.

The funny thing about the Kindle Scribe is that it could just be a large-screen e-reader and I’d be happy with it… although for a hundred dollars or pounds less, maybe. Adding the pen and writing capabilities felt like an afterthought with the last Scribe, but it’s clear that Amazon has put considerable thought and effort into improving the experience this time around.

The new AI features are so good that I actually asked Amazon why it didn’t just hide the fact that it’s AI. I’d almost prefer not knowing that AI is recognizing my handwriting better than any other device I’ve used, or creating useful summaries of my notes and notebooks. If Amazon just told me this was something the Kindle Scribe could do, for that alone I would have been thankful.

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) — Kindle Scribe (2024), left next to the reMarkable 2 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Instead, there’s an AI button, with the familiar stars that brands have started using to denote AI features. The Kindle Scribe can’t handle the AI chores itself, so there’s a slight delay as it sends my scribbles to the cloud. It’s worth the short wait, because the AI can interpret my worst chicken scratch, even when I forget letters or misspell words or use obscure proper nouns. It’s kind of remarkable what this writing tablet can do. And talking of remarkable…

It still feels like the Scribe could offer more writing tools, especially compared to the likes of the reMarkable 2 or an Onyx Boox Go 10.3 tablet running Android. It could use more pen styles and pen options; and you can never offer enough background templates to write on.

Amazon is addressing demand for the latter in a unique way: by offering templates as books in the Kindle book store. Since the Kindle Scribe launched the store has included a ‘write-on’ books section, and Amazon has been steadily offering its own titles for $0.99 or for free, depending on your membership. You can find daily planners, gratitude journals, and even score sheets for family game night; all created by Amazon, and all compatible with the writing tools on the Kindle Scribe.

What about writing in other books? That was a big problem with the last Kindle Scribe, and Amazon is edging closer to a solution. You can’t free-write in any book you like, but you can place a small ‘canvas’ for text and drawing anywhere on the page. Your Kindle will remember where you put each canvas, and then you can write next to the text. The text moves out of the way, and you can take notes on what you’re reading. It’s not perfect, but it’s much closer to what I want from a Kindle with a pen.

Amazon Kindle Scribe showing writing in canvas tool on book text — Writing on a book using the canvas tool (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Kindle Scribe (2024) has a deceptively simple new design that looks more stately and professional than before, but Amazon has pulled off an amazing trick. All of the old accessories work with the new Scribe. The same folios and cases work with both the Kindle Scribe (2024) and Scribe (2022), as well as the pen. My new Scribe stuck firmly to the magnetic folio I got with my old Scribe.

What a delight! It’s much more common to see writing tablet makers ditch the last generation and make you buy all new stuff. Kudos to Amazon for doubling the size of its ecosystem with two devices that fit every accessory, instead of cutting it in half.

The price increase hurts, there’s no doubt, and if you only wanted the Kindle Scribe as a large-screen e-reader, I’d suggest buying the older Scribe (2022) instead, especially if you can get a deal. The screen is just as sharp, and it’s excellent for reading.

If you want to write on your tablet, the new Kindle Scribe (2024) is much better than before, and for many reasons – its handwriting recognition, note-summary features, and the growing library of write-on books – the Amazon Kindle Scribe is the best writing tablet you can buy.

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: price and availability

$399.99 / £379.99 / AU$649 for 16GB with Premium Pen
$449.99 / $429.99 / AU$729 for 64GB and Metallic Jade color

Get the Metallic Jade color, it’s gorgeous. Sorry, let me start from the beginning. The Kindle Scribe starts at 16GB of storage with a boring Tungsten grey color that isn’t so bad, but it isn’t green. You can get the Kindle Scribe with 32GB or 64GB of storage, and then there’s the aforementioned beautiful Metallic Jade color that is really a standout hue, but it’s only available on the most expensive model with 64GB of storage, and besides more storage capacity there are no other benefits to getting that model.

The new Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is also more expensive than the old Kindle Scribe no matter which storage option you choose. Why does that matter? Because it’s gone from being slightly less expensive than an Apple iPad 10.9 to slightly more expensive than an iPad (in the US and Australia, at least). That feels like a move that needs to be justified by a much better device.

It’s not just a little better; it’s a lot better. It’s a whole new level of better. It’s enough to justify a price increase, I think, because this is no longer a big e-reader with some doodling features tucked away. This is a full-fledged writing tablet, and it does some things better than any other writing tablet I’ve seen.

So what has Amazon improved? Is it thinner and lighter? Nope. Bigger screen? By a decimal point. Oh, it must be in color now, I heard there was a color Kindle. Sorry, maybe next time!

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature edition e-reader showing a graphic novel — If I ask nicely can I please haz color Kindle Scribe? (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I’m going to give you three guesses as to which big feature Amazon added to the Kindle Scribe… yep, right first time, it’s AI. Except… it’s good?! It’s really good. It’s so good, I almost wish Amazon hadn’t told me the Kindle Scribe uses AI. I didn’t need to know! I could just think my new Scribe got much better at handwriting recognition on its own, by learning. Okay, that’s actually what AI is.

Does it compete with the reMarkable 2? I’ll get to that later, but the reMarkable 2 is similarly priced at $399 / £399 / AU$679, which is probably not a coincidence. The Amazon Kindle Scribe doesn’t give you the religious writing experience and Zen organization of the reMarkable, but that’s probably a good thing for most Kindle buyers.

Anyway, for $50 / £50 / AU$80 more than the base model Kindle Scribe you can have 64GB of storage instead of 16GB, and you can also have the Metallic Jade color, the color of my review sample. It’s stellar. The white border around the page gives the Scribe a more professional and polished look, and the Jade color really sparkles.

Thankfully, every model gets the so-called Premium Pen, which gives you a rubbery eraser tip. The old model had a cheap pen and you had to buy this upgrade, so that’s another justification for the price increase.

Value score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: Specs

Nearly identical size and shape to the last model, and that’s great
Screen is more sharp than competing writing tablets

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: display

E Ink display retains sharpness at larger size
Brighter than the competition by far

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) uses an E Ink display that's very similar to the Kindle Paperwhite's, with the same 300ppi pixel density, making it incredibly sharp for reading printed text. To compare, Apple’s latest iPad Pro 11-inch uses Apple’s most advanced display ever, and it’s only 264ppi.

What’s even more remark… noteworthy is that none of the other writing tablet competitors come close, likely because they aren’t as focused on reading as they are on writing. The reMarkable 2 uses a display with only 226ppi.

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (left) beside the Kobo Elipsa 2E (right) with their respective styluses — A Kindle Scribe (2022) next to the Kobo Elipsa 2E (Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

The Kindle Scribe is also the brightest writing tablet you’ll find. The Scribe is brighter than the Kobo Elipsa 2E, another E Ink tablet that's the same size, and it’s much brighter than the new reMarkable Paper Pro, which uses minimal lighting to be visible in darkness. The Kindle Scribe can get bright, and the light can also get warm if you want to read at night and avoid blue light.

Display score: 5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: design

Looks bigger than before, even though it’s not
More refined without changing much

The Kindle Scribe is a refined, premium Kindle, which is a relief, considering the higher price. Amazon’s smaller e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite, is plastic, which makes it lightweight, durable, and an inexpensive way to take hundreds of books on a month-long vacation. It also feels kind of cheap. The Kindle Scribe, on the other hand, is a super-slim slip of metal with a premium finish and dainty feet at the back corners. I wish more Kindle devices were like this.

The last Kindle Scribe was a lot like this, just a bit more boring. It came in a dark grey, which looked professional in metal, but it lacked character. The new Kindle Scribe has a white border around the E Ink that makes the display feel more like paper, and the whole device looks more like an electronic notebook than it did before.

The power button and USB-C port are both on the side of the device, which is hard to remember but it never got in the way, like the bottom-facing power button on the Kindle Paperwhite.

Connector pins on the reMarkable 2 to attach to the keyboard folio — A reMarkable 2 from the side... yes, it's very thin (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The Kindle Scribe is very thin. It’s only 5.7mm thick, compared to the iPad 10.9 at 7mm or the positively chunky Kobo Elipsa 2E, which is a 7.5mm porker. Of course, the reMarkable 2 stands out like a supermodel at only 4.7mm, but the reMarkable has absolutely no lighting on board. You can’t use it in the dark. It needs to eat something, the room is growing dim.

One of the most remarka… astonishing discoveries I made during my review period concerned the folio case. I forgot to request one from Amazon, but I discovered that the old cases are now listed as compatible with both the Kindle Scribe (2022) and Scribe (2024). What?! A tablet maker releasing a new tablet that fits in the old cases? My older leather magnet cover folio worked perfectly. All the little feet lined up.

This is almost unheard of in the world of consumer electronics, and Amazon should be commended for it. I know a few reMarkable Paper Pro owners who are fuming that they have to buy a whole new Type Folio and cover for their new tablets.

Design score: 5 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: software

It’s got AI... wait, hear me out, it’s actually pretty great
Like the rest of this Kindle, the AI doesn’t try to do too much

The Kindle Scribe is essentially a gigantic book with a pen attached, so there are very specific things I want it to do, and it doesn’t need to do much else. I want to read, write, and take notes. Everything else is a bonus, or a feature that helps me with my reading, writing, and thinking.

The last Kindle Scribe was missing one key feature, and Amazon has found an elegant solution that I appreciate. I wanted to write in my books, but that’s actually a really tough request, as there are legal rights issues that make writing in an e-book a tricky issue. I’ve seen two solutions to this problem, and I like Amazon’s best.

The Kobo e-readers with a pen will let you write in a book, directly in the book itself. The Kobo remembers your notation and where you put it. The problem is, the book is electronic. It changes depending on how you size the text, or other factors. When you change your e-book on a Kobo, it gives you a little indicator that a note exists around that location in the book. Then you have the e-reader return the page to the way it was, handwritten note and all. Ta-da! You’ve written in an e-book!

With the Kindle Scribe (2024), Amazon has created a new 'canvas' tool concept. When you're reading a book, you can use the pen and start writing anywhere. The Kindle Scribe draws a small box on the page, and all of your writing is contained within this. The size of the box is determined by what you write, and there's also a tool that lets you create a large box first, and then write in it.

When you resize text, the box stays near the point in the book where you added it. You can’t underline individual words this way, or circle specific turns of phrase, but I still like it. I think it’s a good compromise that acknowledges that the medium is electronic. If I want to write on a page with a pen, I have paper books for that, but we need a new idea that is extensible and flexible, and this is a good start.

And that’s it! Amazon has fixed my biggest complaint about the Kindle Scribe (2022). So, we can all go home now, right? Wait… what is that button at the top of the device? It looks like the stars that companies use to denote AI features. Is that AI on my Kindle? What? And why?

Calm down, me. Amazon has thankfully used a very light touch in adding AI to the Kindle Scribe, and as I said earlier, you wouldn’t even know it was using AI if Amazon didn’t tell you. The Kindle Scribe basically has only two AI tricks.

The first is handwriting recognition. Amazon is calling this writing refinement, but that’s inaccurate. It’s just handwriting recognition that works exceptionally well, better than I’ve ever seen on a writing tablet before. Then, it gives you a typed version of whatever you wrote, along with some clever fonts that look a bit like bubbly handwriting.

The other AI tool is note summaries. Once the software has recognized what you’ve written, it uses AI to create a summary, and these two tools together provide an excellent one-two boost for taking notes during meetings and classes, and then maybe sharing or reviewing your notes later.

And that’s it on the AI front. The Kindle Scribe (2024) is not using generative AI to draw for me, and it’s not telling me what to write. Amazon is only using AI to make one existing tool better, with handwriting recognition, and to add more utility to my note-taking with summaries. I hope it stops there.

It does leave me with a burning question though, and it was one I caught Amazon off-guard with. The Kindle Scribe can’t run large language models on the device (at the edge of your network as Qualcomm likes to say), it offloads every request to the cloud.

How much power does it all consume? How much power does it take to respond to my request, and how much power was consumed in training the models used to help improve my handwriting?

Amazon didn’t have an answer, because AI is not part of its sustainability commitment, but this is a question I’m going to be asking any device maker that uses generative AI to improve features. Is the cost of AI really worth the improvements? It’s unclear, but I worry that it is not.

Software score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: performance

Reading features are just as good as ever
Writing tools can be buggy, and AI is slow, but worthwhile

The Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) is almost two tablets in one, a dedicated reading tablet on one hand and a writing and journaling tablet on the other, except the two meet in the middle more than ever before. This is still a tablet that leans towards books, but the new writing tools make it incredibly useful for notes as well.

Still, the closer you stay to reading books, the more satisfying you’ll find the Kindle Scribe's performance. Reading is just as fast as on the latest Kindle Paperwhite, which got a performance boost that makes menus and page-turns more swift.

Taking notes and basic writing works as expected, and the Kindle Scribe falls somewhere between the reMarkable 2 and the Kobo Elipsa in replicating the feel of writing on paper. It feels good with the Scribe, especially erasing with the new rubber-tipped pen. It's a nice touch.

I found that writing in books was mostly a good experience, but there are still some kinks. When I put my pen to the page to write a note the canvas tool drew a box for me with no trouble. However, when I selected the canvas tool to draw my box first I often ended up wiping out whole pages of text with a big canvas. Maybe a software update could fix this.

Once you start using the AI tools, prepare for a delay. A long delay. The Kindle Scribe has to communicate with Amazon’s cloud for every request and response, and this isn’t a smartphone, with devoted networking equipment of every flavor. It can take many seconds to get a response from Amazon’s brain in the sky.

Is it worth the wait? If you were expecting an AI on board that would translate your scribblings into calligraphy, then you’ll be disappointed. If you don’t mind waiting a couple of beats after a long meeting while the computer makes your notes look pretty, it’s no trouble at all.

During my review period it took the Kindle Scribe up to 40 seconds to read a full page of my terrible handwriting and return a typed version, but it's arguably worth the wait. The Kindle’s version was so good that if it missed a word I was unable to go back and read my own handwriting well enough to figure out what I'd actually written. The Scribe with Amazon AI could read my own handwriting better than I could.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review: battery

Lasts as long as a Kindle Paperwhite for basic reading only
Writing drains the battery, but talking to the cloud is worse

If you never use the Kindle Scribe (2024), it could last forever. The more you do with it – and Amazon has given us a lot more to do with it – the faster the battery will drain. This sounds obvious, but the new features Amazon has added are going to make a big difference if you use them often.

Amazon offers lofty battery claims for the Kindle Scribe (2024) that sound just like those it makes for the Kindle Paperwhite: 12 weeks of reading (asterisk). Or three weeks of writing (asterisk). I’m not sure who could write for three weeks straight.

The catch, of course, is that you get those 12 weeks of battery life only if you read for just 30 minutes every day with the screen brightness set to 13 (the max is 24). You can write for 30 minutes a day for three weeks. That’s great! But what about the AI?

Amazon’s battery estimate accounts for the Wi-Fi being turned off, and using the AI features requires Wi-Fi. I’m not sure how much power the Kindle Scribe uses in between, but using AI features will drain the battery faster. I’ve only had my Kindle Scribe for a week and I’ve used the AI features a handful of times. It hasn’t made a huge difference yet, but I wasn’t really expecting three weeks of writing.

Unfortunately, the Kindle Scribe (2024) also charges very slowly. If you plug the USB-C port into a wall charger with 9W of power or more, it will charge fully in 2.5 hours. I didn’t try to charge it using my laptop’s USB-C ports, but Amazon says that process will take nine hours to fully charge the Kindle Scribe.

Battery score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)?

Buy it if...

You want a Kindle that you can write on
At its heart, the Kindle Scribe offers a simple, elegant proposition. You love the Kindle, now you can write in one

You want a writing tablet but your handwriting is terrible
Did you think computers would never be able to read your unique handicraft? I’ll bet this one can

You’ve were waiting for the last Kindle Scribe to get better
Putting AI aside, Amazon fixed the biggest issues I had with the past Kindle Scribe. This one is great, no major complaints

Don't buy it if...

You are devoted to the feel of a fine pen on luxury paper
This isn’t a reMarkable tablet. If writing is a religious experience for you, that’s the one

You want apps to help organize your writing
The Kindle Scribe is good as electronic paper, but if you want apps, you need an iPad or Onyx Boox tablet. Instead, you get write-on books from the Kindle store

You have a problem with AI
The environmental impact of using cloud-based AI and major LLMs is still unclear, and it’s best to proceed with caution and diligence if we’re concerned about the environmental impact

Also consider

reMarkable 2
The reMarkable 2 and reMarkable Paper Pro are writing tablets for restraint. They have very few features beyond excellent writing tools, and reMarkable prides itself on saying no to extraneous additions, like a clock.
Read our in-depth reMarkable 2 review

Kobo Elipsa 2E
The Kobo Elipsa 2E gives you more writing tools, but its pen needs to be charged, its screen doesn’t feel as nice, and its E Ink display isn’t as sharp for reading. Still, if your books aren’t all from Amazon, it’s worth a look.
Read our in-depth Kobo Elipsa 2E review

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)

Testing period - one week
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, Comixology Unlimited, Libby through OverDrive
Tested books, meeting notes, AI recognition, comics, audiobooks

I used the Kindle Colorsoft one week before I published my review. During that time, I read The Princess Bride by William Goldman, I listened to parts of The Return of the King from Audible, and I took extensive notes during work meetings, which I do not usually do but I’m testing a writing tablet so I was extra.

I read Attack on Titan in black and white on the Kindle. I read during the day and before bed, adjusting the color temperature to the time of day. I read in bed, on the couch, on the train, but not in the bathtub, because this Kindle is not water resistant like the smaller e-reader Kindle devices.

I tested the AI features by having the Kindle Scribe refine and then summarize meeting notes from work meetings. I wrote a few brief stories and had the Kindle Scribe refine those from my terrible handwriting. I had my teenage son write a few words on the Kindle Scribe in his own handwriting and had the AI refine his writing as well.

I wrote on books purchased from the Kindle Store using the new Canvas tool. I read and downloaded books from Amazon Kindle as well as books I got from my local library using Libby and the OverDrive book system.

I tested the web browsing features by visiting TechRadar and reading articles at our own site. It wasn’t a great experience. I connected Bluetooth headphones, Pixel Buds Pro, and listened to Audible audiobooks. I used the Kindle Scribe without a case for the entirety of my review, but discovered it fit perfectly in my older Kindle Scribe (2022) case just in time to take photos at the end.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed December 2024]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2024 review: faster, brighter, and that’s all there is to it

12:59 am | November 28, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Kindle Paperwhite | Comments: Off

Kindle Paperwhite SE: One-minute review

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a mainstay on our list of the best Kindles, and the new Paperwhite offers just enough improvements to keep the e-reader feeling fresh while still leaving me wanting a bit more. It’s a little brighter, a little sharper, and a lot faster, and it turns out that speed truly makes a difference if you read a lot.

The main factor behind your choice of e-reader is where you get your books. If you buy books from Amazon or subscribe to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service, the Kindle is your only choice, and the Kindle Paperwhite is the best Kindle for most people. It’s bright, durable, and even water-resistant enough to survive a splash of salt water if you want to read in the sand.

Of course, the color Kindle is here, but don’t look at the Kindle Colorsoft if you don’t yearn for color when you read. It’s hard to go back to black and white once you’ve seen it, and the Colorsoft costs a lot more than the Kindle Paperwhite.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature edition e-reader showing graphic novels, cookbooks, and fiction, as well as settings — The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft is basically a Paperwhite in color (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

That’s fine because the Kindle Paperwhite does everything you’d expect from a Kindle, no more and no less. If you want a bit more, my review sample was the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, which includes wireless charging and maxes out the storage. I didn’t once charge the Kindle wirelessly except to test that it works, but you can buy a dock from Amazon to prop your Kindle at your bedside and let it charge while it shows you the cover of the book you’re reading.

That’s if you pay a little extra for the Kindle Paperwhite without lockscreen ads. I’m not a fan of Amazon’s common lockscreen ad scheme. I don’t like my phone, tablet, or e-reader serving me ads as a privilege of ownership. It feels cynical, and even though you can save $20 / £10 (and why is it so much cheaper in the UK?!) by allowing Amazon to take over your Kindle lockscreen with advertisements, I’d rather see my book covers or even just Amazon’s pleasant reading-themed wallpapers. Thankfully, the Signature Edition doesn't have lockscreen ads.

If you get your books from the library (yes, your local library will lend you an e-book) or if you buy from a seller other than Amazon, you have more choices, but the Kindle Paperwhite is still one of the best. I wish it had real buttons to turn pages, like the Kobo Libra e-reader. Buttons just feel more reliable than tapping or swiping, especially if I’m in the tub and my fingers are soapy.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition held up by one hand showing book covers in a grid including Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky and Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition exceeds other e-readers in its speed and responsiveness. Turning pages feels fast now, much faster than it was on older Kindle devices, and zooming into a chart or a picture happens almost as quickly as it would on a smartphone. I didn’t think a performance boost would make such a huge difference for a Kindle, but it’s really noticeable and makes the e-reader better.

Besides the library, Amazon’s Kindle book store is also the most robust place to buy books. You’ll find every title you want, and the store is great at making suggestions. I was slightly disappointed by the Kindle Unlimited content offering, though, so I wouldn’t recommend the subscription service unless reading is your passion and not just a pastime.

The new Kindle Paperwhite is an easy e-reader to recommend because the Paperwhite wasn’t broken, and Amazon didn’t fix it. It’s just a bit better, but it does everything I need an electronic book to do. The only thing I miss is color, and I suspect that the next Paperwhite upgrade that comes along in a few years will satisfy that craving.

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: price and availability

Kindle Paperwhite showing the cover of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies in black and white — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

$159.99 / £159.99 for the Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage, with ads
$199.99 / £189.99 for the Signature Edition with 32GB and wireless charging
No Australia launch date yet

The Kindle Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition are a bit more expensive than the Kindle Paperwhite from 2021, and you don’t really get anything new. It’s a better device, to be sure, with a brighter screen and a more responsive interface, but I don’t like that it’s creeping up in price, especially since it’s an excellent vessel for Amazon to sell you more Kindle books.

Never fear! Because the Kindle Paperwhite will likely get discounted often. I’m finishing this review just before the 2024 Black Friday deals season starts, and the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition already has its first discount: it’s $45 / £35 off at Amazon. That’s a good start! I’m sure we’ll see this e-reader drop in price every time Amazon has a sale day, or a holiday, or a day that ends in 'y.'

Is it worth the price? Compared to what? There aren’t any other e-readers that synchronize perfectly with Amazon’s book store, unless you buy a more expensive device that runs Android and can load the Kindle app. That’s a bridge too far, on my reading journey.

A person holding the Kobo Clara Colour ereader with a book cover displayed — The Kobo Clara Color costs less than a Kindle Paperwhite (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

You can find a Kobo Clara e-reader with a smaller display for less money; you can even get a Kobo Clara Color e-reader for less than a Kindle Paperwhite, let alone the Signature Edition Paperwhite. The Clara has a smaller display, and you should definitely explore Kobo’s book library before you commit if you’re making a switch.

Value score: 4 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: Specs

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition showing settings menu for screen brightness and warmth, Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, and more settings — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: design

The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024) in Raspberry. — (Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Looks nicer with Signature Edition metallic paint
No page turning buttons, and power button is poorly placed

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a very simple e-reader, and Amazon hasn’t improved the design at all except to offer some brighter paint options, especially if you spring for the Signature Edition with its metallic paint. That’s the review sample I have, and I like the look much more than the basic matte black finish, as you’ll find on the Paperwhite and the Kindle Colorsoft.

What happened to Kindles that felt premium? The Kindle Oasis lingered for years as a premium model, clad in metal with real page-turn buttons. I guess Amazon gave that all up to cut prices, or maybe readers just didn’t want to pay more for a luxurious electronic book. In any case, I hope Amazon offers an alternative to the bland plastic Kindle Paperwhite slab in the future.

Kindle Paperwhite from the side in greet metallic finished help by one hand — The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition from the side (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I also hope Amazon brings back page buttons because pressing a button is easier than swiping or tapping on the correct spot. If I held the Kindle Paperwhite SE too high, I’d open a menu instead of turning the page. Just give me a button.

There's only one button on the Kindle Paperwhite SE, and it’s the unfortunately placed power button. If you rest the Paperwhite on a desk while reading or rest it heavily on a finger for balance, you might turn off the screen by accident.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is certainly simple; I just wish there were more elegance to be found.

Design score: 2 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: display

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition showing text from the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies on the top of the screen — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

E Ink Carta 1300 display
Full set of white and amber LEDs for reading at night

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition uses the latest E Ink black and white Carta 1300 display, which doesn’t offer more sharpness than past Kindle screens, but the Kindle already looks great when it’s displaying text and writing. Pictures look good enough in 16 levels of grey, but if you want better graphics, you should go for the Kindle Colorsoft.

The display does an impressive job keeping up with the improved performance inside. I expected to see a lot more ghosting and residual characters as I zoomed in and out of a page, but the Paperwhite SE gave me a lighter version of my screen for panning, then flashed briefly and gave me a darker, final version when I was steady.

The Kindle Paperwhite SE can get plenty bright, so be warned that the incredible 12 weeks of battery life only applies when you are reading at half brightness. If you are in a well-lit room you won’t need any light at all, but reading before bed is my personal habit, so I use the light frequently. There’s a full set of amber lights and white LEDs inside so that you can eliminate all the blue light before bedtime.

Display score: 4 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: software

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition showing Goodreads welcome screen and star reviews for recently read books including Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy — The Kindle has direct access to Goodreads to rate your books (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Amazon’s Kindle software keeps things very simple
Better performance makes menus and libraries move faster

If you buy books through Amazon, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition does a perfect job delivering those books to your device. The Kindle can synchronize your progress easily if you read across multiple devices. It can also report your reading to Goodreads automatically or connect you to the social service to write your own reviews.

There isn’t much more to the Kindle Paperwhite SE. If you have books from other sources, you can connect the Kindle Paperwhite to your computer directly or just synchronize through Amazon’s web-based software.

Kindle Paperwhite showing Kindle bookstore with a selection of book covers shown in Recommended for You sections — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

There is a web browser, but it’s dreadfully simple, maybe thankfully so. You won’t find yourself distracted and browsing your favorite websites on this e-reader. I could barely get TechRadar.com to load beyond some text boxes.

The big thing that I’m missing with Kindle software is the ability to annotate my books right on the page. The Kobo Libra can use a stylus to take notes on a book. Not just highlighting or sticky notes but actually drawing in the margins and on the page. It’s a nifty trick that Amazon really needs to adopt, especially for the Kindle Scribe.

User experience score: 4 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: performance

Kindle Paperwhite shown with warmth turned all the way up and amber LED lights lighting the display — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
Improved scrolling, moves faster than before

Amazon gave the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition a dual-core processor inside, which makes this electronic book more powerful than the Apollo 11 lunar lander. That means it can turn pages very quickly. I joke, but in fact, the difference is noticeable if you’ve ever owned a Kindle and been annoyed by slow page turns.

The only place where the Kindle still lags behind modern technology is in touch sensitivity. The E Ink display is not very sensitive, and I still felt a delay between tapping the screen, like when I needed to enter my Wi-Fi password, and when the character appeared. Menus were faster when I was scrolling, but still not totally reliable when tapping through them.

Frankly, there’s not much more I could ask for with Kindle performance. I’ve seen E Ink displays that try to do a lot more, and they overcomplicate simple technology like e-paper. I’m happy that Amazon made the interface more responsive. The next frontier is touch response.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Kindle Paperwhite SE review: battery

Kindle Paperwhite from bottom showing USB-C port and poorly placed power button — USB-C charging or go wireless with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Excellent battery life, if you follow the rules
Avid readers will get a week of battery life or more

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition will last for 12 weeks on a single charge, if you’re a casual reader. Amazon’s 12-week claim calls for 30 minutes of reading with the screen at just under half brightness. If you read all day in bright sunshine, the Kindle Paperwhite SE might last longer. If you read in the dark New England winter nights, the Paperwhite will need to charge more often.

The good news is that you will get over 40 hours of screen time between charges, and the battery won’t die if you put the book down for a few weeks. If you read at a good pace, you’ll be able to read a couple of books before you need to charge the Kindle Paperwhite, and that’s exceptional for any modern electronic device.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition features wireless charging. I like the wireless option as an elegant solution for keeping your Kindle topped up on a bedside stand, but it’s not essential at all.

Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

Buy it if...

You want a new Kindle
Amazon hasn’t given us a proper new Kindle for reading in years. Time to rejoice! New Kindles have arrived.

You’re a serious reader
You can buy the cheaper Amazon Kindle, but serious readers want brighter displays with better battery life, and the Paperwhite is the one.

You’ll be reading in harsh, beach-like conditions
The Kindle Paperwhite is IP67 rated, so it can resist sand and even salt-water (with a proper rinse after).

Don't buy it if...

You read comics or graphic novels
If you don’t care about color, don’t worry about the Kindle Colorsoft. But who doesn’t care about color?!

You want to take notes on your books
E-readers from Kobo can write directly on the pages, and there’s always the Kindle Scribe if you need a pen.

You expect a real web browser
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite still keeps things simple. This device is for reading without distractions, not doomscrolling.

Also consider

Kobo Clara Colour
You can save a bit of money and even check out a color E Ink display with the Kobo Clara Color. As long as your books aren’t all on Kindle, it’s worth a look.
Read our in-depth Kobo Clara Color review

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)
The base model Kindle Paperwhite doesn't have wireless charging, which I never needed, and it comes with only 16GB of storage, which is more than enough for most avid readers.

Check out the Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Testing period - three weeks
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology
Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading

I used the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for three weeks before I published this review. I read two novels, multiple short stories, Japanese manga, and a number of other materials, including cookbooks and magazine.

I used the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition for listening to audiobooks from Audible, and for listening while I read the same book. I used the Paperwhite in the bathtub to test its water resistance, and because reading in the bathtub is the main reason I like to review Kindle Paperwhite devices.

I did not have a dedicated wireless charging dock, but I tried charging the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition with a Qi-compatible wireless charging adapter that attaches magnetically to the back of a smartphone. Before my review period I charged the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition using the USB-C port, and I only charged it one more time before this review was completed, even though I read daily and usually for more than an hour a day.

I used the Kindle Paperwhite without a case, and the photos in this review reflect its condition after daily use without a case, which is pretty good. I subscribed to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited service and Comixology, and I also loaded books into my collection through the Overdrive library borrowing system and my local library.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: faster, brighter, and still the best Kindle

12:40 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite | Comments: Off

Kindle Paperwhite: One-minute review

Kindle Paperwhite held up by one hand showing book covers in a grid including Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky and Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Kindle Paperwhite exceeds other e-readers in its speed and responsiveness. Turning pages feels fast now, much faster than it was on older Kindle devices, and zooming into a chart or a picture happens almost as quickly as it would on a smartphone. I didn’t think a performance boost would make such a huge difference for a Kindle, but it’s really noticeable and makes the e-reader better.

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: price and availability

$159.99 / £159.99 for the Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage, with ads
$199.99 / £189.99 for the Signature Edition with 32GB and wireless charging
No Australia launch date yet

Never fear! Because the Kindle Paperwhite will likely get discounted often. I’m finishing this review just before the 2024 Black Friday deals season starts, and the Kindle Paperwhite already has its first discount: it’s $30 / £35 off at Amazon. That’s a good start! I’m sure we’ll see this e-reader drop in price every time Amazon has a sale day, or a holiday, or a day that ends in 'y.'

You can find a Kobo Clara e-reader with a smaller display for less money; you can even get a Kobo Clara Color e-reader for less than a Kindle Paperwhite. The Clara has a smaller display, and you should definitely explore Kobo’s book library before you commit if you’re making a switch.

Value score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: Specs

Kindle Paperwhite showing settings menu for screen brightness and warmth, Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, and more settings — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: design

Looks nicer with Signature Edition metallic paint
No page turning buttons, and power button is poorly placed

I also hope Amazon brings back page buttons because pressing a button is easier than swiping or tapping on the correct spot. If I held the Kindle Paperwhite too high, I’d open a menu instead of turning the page. Just give me a button.

There's only one button on the Kindle Paperwhite, and it’s the unfortunately placed power button. If you rest the Kindle Paperwhite on a desk while reading or rest it heavily on a finger for balance, you might turn off the screen by accident.

The Kindle Paperwhite is certainly simple; I just wish there were more elegance to be found.

Design score: 2 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: display

Kindle Paperwhite showing text from the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies on the top of the screen — (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

E Ink Carta 1300 display
Full set of white and amber LEDs for reading at night

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite uses the latest E Ink black and white Carta 1300 display, which doesn’t offer more sharpness than past Kindle screens, but the Kindle already looks great when it’s displaying text and writing. Pictures look good enough in 16 levels of grey, but if you want better graphics, you should go for the Kindle Colorsoft.

The display does an impressive job keeping up with the improved performance inside. I expected to see a lot more ghosting and residual characters as I zoomed in and out of a page, but the Paperwhite gave me a lighter version of my screen for panning, then flashed briefly and gave me a darker, final version when I was steady.

The Kindle Paperwhite can get plenty bright, so be warned that the incredible 12 weeks of battery life only applies when you are reading at half brightness. If you are in a well-lit room you won’t need any light at all, but reading before bed is my personal habit, so I use the light frequently. There’s a full set of amber lights and white LEDs inside so that you can eliminate all the blue light before bedtime.

Display score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: software

Kindle Paperwhite showing Goodreads welcome screen and star reviews for recently read books including Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy — The Kindle has direct access to Goodreads to rate your books (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Amazon’s Kindle software keeps things very simple
Better performance makes menus and libraries move faster

If you buy books through Amazon, the Kindle Paperwhite does a perfect job delivering those books to your device. The Kindle can synchronize your progress easily if you read across multiple devices. It can also report your reading to Goodreads automatically or connect you to the social service to write your own reviews.

There isn’t much more to the Kindle Paperwhite. If you have books from other sources, you can connect the Kindle Paperwhite to your computer directly or just synchronize through Amazon’s web-based software.

User experience score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: performance

Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
Improved scrolling, moves faster than before

Amazon gave the Kindle Paperwhite a dual-core processor inside, which makes this electronic book more powerful than the Apollo 11 lunar lander. That means it can turn pages very quickly. I joke, but in fact, the difference is noticeable if you’ve ever owned a Kindle and been annoyed by slow page turns.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: battery

Excellent battery life, if you follow the rules
Avid readers will get a week of battery life or more

The Kindle Paperwhite will last for 12 weeks on a single charge, if you’re a casual reader. Amazon’s 12-week claim calls for 30 minutes of reading with the screen at just under half brightness. If you read all day in bright sunshine, the Kindle Paperwhite might last longer. If you read in the dark New England winter nights, the Paperwhite will need to charge more often.

My review sample was a Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, which comes with wireless charging. I like the wireless option as an elegant solution for keeping your Kindle topped up on a bedside stand, but it’s not essential at all.

Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Colorsoft Signature?

Buy it if...

You want a new Kindle
Amazon hasn’t given us a proper new Kindle for reading in years. Time to rejoice! New Kindles have arrived.

You’re a serious reader
You can buy the cheaper Amazon Kindle, but serious readers want brighter displays with better battery life, and the Paperwhite is the one.

You’ll be reading in harsh, beach-like conditions
The Kindle Paperwhite is IP67 rated, so it can resist sand and even salt-water (with a proper rinse after).

Don't buy it if...

You read comics or graphic novels
If you don’t care about color, don’t worry about the Kindle Colorsoft. But who doesn’t care about color?!

You want to take notes on your books
E-readers from Kobo can write directly on the pages, and there’s always the Kindle Scribe if you need a pen.

You expect a real web browser
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite still keeps things simple. This device is for reading without distractions, not doomscrolling.

Also consider

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature (2024)
The Kindle Paperwhite Signature gives you twice the storage and wireless charging, plus nice metallic paint and no ads. It might be worth the upgrade.
Check out the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition at Amazon

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Testing period - three weeks
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology
Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: faster, brighter, and still the best Kindle

12:40 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers eReaders Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite | Comments: Off

Kindle Paperwhite: One-minute review

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: price and availability

$159.99 / £159.99 for the Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage, with ads
$199.99 / £189.99 for the Signature Edition with 32GB and wireless charging
No Australia launch date yet

Never fear! Because the Kindle Paperwhite will likely get discounted often. I’m finishing this review just before the 2024 Black Friday deals season starts, and the Kindle Paperwhite already has its first discount: it’s $30 / £35 off at Amazon. That’s a good start! I’m sure we’ll see this e-reader drop in price every time Amazon has a sale day, or a holiday, or a day that ends in 'y.'

Value score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: Specs

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: design

Looks nicer with Signature Edition metallic paint
No page turning buttons, and power button is poorly placed

The Kindle Paperwhite is certainly simple; I just wish there were more elegance to be found.

Design score: 2 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: display

E Ink Carta 1300 display
Full set of white and amber LEDs for reading at night

The display does an impressive job keeping up with the improved performance inside. I expected to see a lot more ghosting and residual characters as I zoomed in and out of a page, but the Paperwhite gave me a lighter version of my screen for panning, then flashed briefly and gave me a darker, final version when I was steady.

Display score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: software

Amazon’s Kindle software keeps things very simple
Better performance makes menus and libraries move faster

User experience score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: performance

Surprisingly fast performance on E Ink
Improved scrolling, moves faster than before

Performance score: 4 / 5

Kindle Colorsoft Signature review: battery

Excellent battery life, if you follow the rules
Avid readers will get a week of battery life or more

Battery score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Kindle Colorsoft Signature?

Buy it if...

You want a new Kindle
Amazon hasn’t given us a proper new Kindle for reading in years. Time to rejoice! New Kindles have arrived.

You’re a serious reader
You can buy the cheaper Amazon Kindle, but serious readers want brighter displays with better battery life, and the Paperwhite is the one.

You’ll be reading in harsh, beach-like conditions
The Kindle Paperwhite is IP67 rated, so it can resist sand and even salt-water (with a proper rinse after).

Don't buy it if...

You read comics or graphic novels
If you don’t care about color, don’t worry about the Kindle Colorsoft. But who doesn’t care about color?!

You want to take notes on your books
E-readers from Kobo can write directly on the pages, and there’s always the Kindle Scribe if you need a pen.

You expect a real web browser
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite still keeps things simple. This device is for reading without distractions, not doomscrolling.

Also consider

How I tested the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Testing period - three weeks
Subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and Comixology
Tested books, comics, audiobooks, and bathtub reading

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed November 2024]

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus review: a performance powerhouse for artists

8:09 pm | November 8, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Tablets | Tags: Mad Max, OS | Comments: Off

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus: One-minute review

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is the best of both worlds, sitting between a phone and a laptop. It has perks if you prefer writing text, with its included S Pen stylus, and it aces tasks that take advantage of everything the stylus has to offer. But to the casual consumer, these specialized features would likely be a waste, and I'd instead push you in the direction of the Tab A series.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus has exceptionally rich sound to match its beautiful AMOLED display, and it's comfortable enough to hold for a while in its landscape form factor. It's no surprise that streaming content and listening to music with the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is so satisfying.

Close rivals, particularly from Apple, also do this exceptionally well, and the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus's $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,799 price point puts it in heated competition with Apple’s iPad Pro ($999 / £999 / AU$1,699). Still, with the included S Pen stylus, and some retailers offering the Galaxy Tab keyboard as a bundle bonus , the Tab S10 Plus looks like a better deal all-around.

Samsung still sells the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, and its price is now more accessible, even though that tablet is a generation old. But if you want the best, you'll want the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, and if you want a bigger screen, then consider the Tab S10 Ultra, which is the same tablet just bigger.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus: price and availability

$999.99 / £999 RRP / AU$1,799 for the 256GB / 12GB RAM model
256GB, 12GB RAM and 512GB, 12GB RAM storage options available
Wi-Fi and 5G options available in Moonstone Gray and Platinum Silver colorways (not all colorways available in all markets)

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus lying on a table — (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly/TechRadar)

You get what you pay for with the Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus. The large, 12.4-inch screen surpasses most of its competitors (the similarly-priced iPad Pro is 11-inches), and if that is somehow not big enough, there's also the larger S10 Ultra (14.6-inches) to consider. The processing power – underpinned by a Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ SoC – is more than enough for an all-purpose device, but is especially capable when used to be creative.

If you’re more concerned about price, I would encourage you to consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, as it has received a price drop now that it's not the cream of the crop. If you're a more casual user that doesn't need an art slate, you should consider something far less powerful, such as the Google Pixel Tablet (it’s still my pick of the bunch for my style of tablet use), or the 10th-generation iPad.

The Tab S10 Plus includes an S Pen as well as Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite of features, though these may eventually cost a premium at the end of 2025. Some retailers are including the Book Cover Keyboard attachment as a bundle, which makes the Tab S10 Plus an even more attractive prospect and maybe a laptop replacement. Samsung has offered this bundle with its tablets before and it’s a wonder they don’t just make it a part of every purchase.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is still admittedly expensive. It costs as must as a 13-inch MacBook Air or a Microsoft Surface Pro 11. It's a brilliant device, but casual users should steer clear – it's more powerful (and more expensive) than you need. Professionals, this is for you.

Value: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus: specs

Though Samsung elected to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor in the Galaxy Tab S9 family, the tech giant has surprisingly chosen the Mediatek Dimensity 9300+ for the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus. It’s a confusing move that further separates its high-end smartphones from its high-end tablets. This year's tablet still launches at the same price as last year's.

I never noticed performance lacking. Putting quick images together in Canva, editing photos in Google Photos, and trimming and cutting up clips in CapCut never resulted in any hangups. Comparing performance through benchmarks, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor doesn't have a huge advantage. The Mediatek 9300+ chip performed better than, if not equal to, the Snapdragon on every test.

It’s worth noting that the Tab S10 Plus also comes with a MicroSD card slot in case you want to bump up the storage capacity or if you want to quickly transfer photos over from a camera. Additionally, during my testing over two weeks, I only charged the Tab S10 Plus a handful of times and it never felt like I needed to charge it every night. With such a big battery inside, charging speeds weren’t as quick as a smartphone, and 30 minutes was only enough to bump it up from 20% to 54%.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus: display

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus in landscape orientation — (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly/TechRadar)

Huge, bright display with tons of detail
Great space for multitasking
Four strong speakers placed around the device

I can’t fault the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus on its display – it’s brilliant and easily ranks among the best tablets as far as visuals go (though the Tab S10 Ultra takes the Tab S10 Plus’s 12.4-inch screen and bumps it up to 14.6-inches).

The content I watched on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus included various Twitch streams, YouTube videos, Mad Max: Fury Road and Arcane on Netflix, and Avengers Endgame and Light and Magic on Disney+. At no point did anything look bad, blurry or washed out, with the display more than capable of showing enough color and creating enough light to fill an interesting scene.

Outside of simply describing the display, Samsung’s approach to multitasking is second to none. The freedom you’re given to adjust apps running concurrently, side-by-side on the screen, with easily adjustable boundaries, feels like the real laptop-rivaling feature of the Galaxy Tab S series.

To match the strong display, the four speakers located around the device offer powerful, room-filling sound. Every piece of content I viewed felt like it had the audio to match. While cleaning my house, playing Spotify from the tablet sounded equivalent to using a smart speaker with a screen.

Display: 5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus: design

The back side of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus — (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly/TechRadar)

Slightly slimmer than the Tab S9 Plus
S Pen attachment is a bit odd on the back
Feels awkward in portrait orientation

It’s the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus’s bread and butter to be big, with a beautiful display to match and powerful performance for any task. But parts of the design feel… Too big. Big is good for a tablet positioned as a powerful laptop rival and artistic tool, but some elements feel like they’re rubbing up against others.

It’s difficult to use the tablet in portrait mode, which I prefer when reading news articles online and taking notes. The back of the tablet looks nice but it isn't easy to hold in portrait orientation. The charging area for the S Pen, located on the back, feels rough against my fingers whether or not the pen is magnetically attached. Trying to get a better grip from the other end caused my hand to come into contact with the cameras, resulting in a similar hand feeling issue.

The pen charging on the back of the device is another issue. When the pen is attached, the tablet won’t sit flat on its back. Though the pen can magnetically attach to the edge of the display, it will not charge there – but at least it's out of the way.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is meant to be used in landscape orientation, with the selfie camera located in the top middle, which is ideal for video calling. This mode feels perfectly comfortable.

Design: 3/5

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus: software

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus being used for writing text — (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly/TechRadar)

Brilliant tablet performance
Operating system is nicely designed
Not as casual as an iPad or Pixel Tablet

Samsung’s approach to tablets is probably my favorite. Having a persistent app tray at the bottom of the screen just rocks, especially for quickly switching between windows. I could get a lot of work done on the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, but it still has quirks here and there that make it a bit less user-friendly than its rivals.

My love for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus’ software mostly stems from multitasking. Being able to have two apps open concurrently, for example, having Spotify open on one side and Canva on the other, is brilliant. The Galaxy Tab S10 Plus let me drag windows freely around the screen to be placed wherever I want. I could also connect the tablet to a monitor to enable Samsung DeX, which makes the interface look a bit more like a desktop.

Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite is unimpressive. Circle to Search, which lets me circle something on the screen to instantly search for it with Google is something I use quite a lot, but I can’t think of a single other AI feature that I enjoyed using.

A lot of the features, such as Note Assist and Sketch to Image, are interesting for a moment but are ultimately inconsequential. The AI image generator feels particularly tacked on.

Handwriting Help, exclusive to the Notes app, is a handy feature for character recognition with the S Pen, cleaning up and aligning your pen handwriting and making it easier to read. A simple click in the app and your handwritten notes will convert to text. You can also convert writing to text on the fly, as you write.

As you'd expect, the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus aces its stylus support. It has good palm rejection, so I was more comfortable drawing. Navigating between tools feels simple in Samsung's native drawing and writing apps.

Software: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus: performance

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus being held in a hand — (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly/TechRadar)

Galaxy S Pen feels great in-hand
Doesn’t feel slow despite axing the Snapdragon chip

Not once did I have a problem with the performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus. Capable of smoothly running every application I opened, including Canva, Spotify, Twitter (X), Messenger, Instagram, Samsung Notes, PENUP, Google Photos, Netflix, Disney+ and Crossy Road, the Tab S10 Plus handled everything a power user would want.

That’s a relief, considering Samsung skipped the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, after including the previous Snapdragon in the Galaxy Tab S9 Plus. Instead, this tablet is underpinned by a Mediatek Dimensity 9300+, which doesn’t skip a beat.

Creating and editing images on Canva was an exceptionally fluid experience and the application was responsive and fast the entire time – even with Spotify running in the background. The same can be said for editing pics via Google Photos or writing with Samsung Notes: no hold-ups whatsoever.

Performance: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus: battery

The side of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus — (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly/TechRadar)

Gigantic all-day battery
Faster charging would be nice

The mighty 10,090 mAh Li-Po battery in the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is so immense that, during my review, I rarely had to charge it.

You’d obviously expect this from a device with such a large battery, but it comes with the obvious drawback of slower charging. From 0%, the tablet took one hour and 50 minutes to return to 100% charge.

In testing the battery against a fairly long movie, Avengers Endgame, the tablet drained to 59% after three hours of watching. Despite a shift to MediaTek, it doesn’t seem the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is more power hungry than previous generations.

Battery: 5/5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus leaning against a pot plant. — (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly/TechRadar)

Buy it if…

You’re a professional in search of a tablet

With brilliant character recognition and optimisation for digital artists, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus is an attractive device for a professional.View Deal

You want a big, beautiful screen that’s not too big

The 12.4-inch size feels just right, smaller than the Tab S10 Ultra’s gigantic 14.6-inch display.View Deal

You’re team Samsung

iPadOS is brilliant, but this is one of your best options if you want a tablet outside of the Apple camp.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You want the easiest to use OS

Samsung’s OneUI is brilliant, but it’s not as intuitive as iPadOS and Google’s version of Android.View Deal

You’re just going to watch videos

It’s a waste to use the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus for just streaming content, and if this is what you’d be doing, you could get a serviceable tablet for much cheaper.View Deal

You want to save some money

The high price point of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus makes it a tough sell to a casual user or even a professional, especially when differences to the Tab S9 Plus aren’t very dramatic.View Deal

Also consider

Not convinced by the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus? Here are a few other options to consider:

Apple iPad Pro 2024

While the entry-level iPad Pro isn’t as large as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, it is fairly competitive in terms of performance while priced extremely similarly. You’ll just have to buy an Apple Pencil separately.

Read our full Apple iPad Pro review

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Plus

There are very few differences between the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Plus and the S10 Plus, so if you want to save some cash, there’s no shame in going for the older model.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra

If the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus isn’t big enough for you, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra offers a gigantic 14.6-inch display, which may be a bit cumbersome for some, but would also function as an effective laptop or art tablet replacement for professionals.

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus

From the moment I received the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, I replaced my second monitor, a small 11-inch touchscreen monitor, with it as my companion screen, using it for Spotify, scrolling social media, and streaming content while I worked at my desk.

My time with the Tab S10 Plus didn’t include all-hours use, but I did find time to edit images with it via Google Photos and Canva. I edited a video with it in CapCut and streamed a lot of movies and TV shows with the device. As far as games went, I mostly played Crossy Road.

I brought the Tab S10 Plus with me on a trip to see my family where it functioned as a good distraction for my niece. On this trip, I touched base with friends on Messenger and Instagram and doomscrolled on social media often.

For battery testing, I avoided charging the tablet as much as I could, and ran my standard Avengers Endgame beginning-to-end test closer to the end of my review period. I’d check in on the tablet’s battery now and then on days where I wasn’t using it much, and kept an eye on it on days where I was. I also depleted the battery in its entirety and timed how long it took to charge to 100%.

Most of my performance relied on real-world use relative to how I use tablets in my day-to-day life.