Tablets - Organizer

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: an ereader that’s colorful and compact, but expensive

7:06 am | September 27, 2023

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C: Two-minute review

The Onyx Boox Tab Mini C joins the ranks of the many color ereaders that Chinese manufacturer Onyx already has. In fact, it’s also a note-taking tablet – a smaller version of the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C, but without a rear camera for scanning documents.

Going small from a 10.3-inch color E Ink screen to one that’s 7.8 inches is a good call in my opinion. You get everything that’s on the Tab Ultra C, with the sole exception of the rear camera to scan documents, making this a more compact, portable and more affordable alternative. And considering I found that camera superfluous on the larger tablet, I don’t miss it here at all.

Onyx has stuck with the latest E Ink Kaleido 3 screen tech for the Tab Mini C, so don’t expect all color hues to pop. Some will look good, others will be muted. I’m still waiting for someone to perfect the Gallery 3 screen and use it on a color ereader – it promises good saturation, but there’s no word on when it will be available on mainstream devices.

Reading and writing on the Tab Mini C is good, even in color. Despite the color screen resolution being just 150ppi – half that of its grayscale resolution – it’s a lot easier to read in any lighting condition than some other color ereaders, like the PocketBook InkPad Color 2, thanks to better contrast.

As with all of Onyx’s newer tablets, the Tab Mini C also runs Android 11, which means you get access to the Google Play Store and can download quite a few apps that you think you might use. This includes the Kindle or the Kobo apps, so you get access to bookstores. This is handy as Onyx doesn’t have its own to purchase content from. And given it’s got a web browser pre-installed, you can even buy content from other online stores as well.

There are other pre-installed apps that will be sufficient for most users, including a reading application. If you don’t like any of them, you can always get the Android version of your favorite apps off the Play Store. The note-taking app is a little complicated for most people, so if you use EverNote or any other app, you can have that on the Tab Mini C easily enough.

As good as it is, the Tab Mini C is not perfect. Despite being a smaller size, it’s a relatively heavy ereader by virtue of its big battery and metal chassis. Its weight and thin side bezels make it a little difficult to hold while reading, but I like its sleek, metal body.

Despite having four different refresh rates to choose from for different applications, I still found ghosting can be a problem, particularly in the default notes app. It’s a niggle that may not bother too many users, but I found it a distraction if I didn’t force a screen refresh.

Like most other note-taking ereaders that ship with a stylus, one side of the Tab Mini C allows the pen to stick on magnetically. As strong as the magnet is, it’s not the most secure way to stow the pen. Instead, a magnetic flap to close the optional sleepcover holds the pen in its spot on the side bezel. This additional expense can pinch as the Tab Mini C isn’t cheap – it carries a premium price tag to match its premium build.

The library setup on the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C ereader — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: price and availability

Retails for $450 / £450 / AU$765
Available to buy now directly from Onyx and resellers
Ships with a stylus but sleepcover sold separately

At $450 / £450 / AU$765 for the tablet and the accompanying stylus, the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C is an expensive investment, but it could be worthwhile if you use all its features. That includes taking full advantage of its color screen – as washed out as the colors might appear – and use its writing capabilities to the fullest. And considering you can use a plethora of Android apps as well, its price begins to make a little sense.

However, if you don’t need any writing features but would still like a color ereader, you can save money by opting for something like the PocketBook InkPad Color 2 (although I wasn’t too sold on its low-contrast screen) for about $329 / £345 / AU$595.

If note-taking capabilities are important but you don’t need a color screen, then perhaps the 8-inch Kobo Sage for $269 / £259 / AU$459 would be a good option. And if you do feel like splurging, you can go bigger and snap up the Amazon Kindle Scribe or the Kobo Elipsa 2E for their writing abilities and great (grayscale) screens for $339 / £339 / AU$549 and $399 / £349 / AU$629 respectively. They’re still cheaper than the Tab Mini C, but you aren’t getting a color screen with any of the other note-taking ereaders.

Keep in mind that you’ll want to consider the magnetic sleepcover for the Tab Mini C if you want to keep your stylus safe, and that will set you back an additional $43.99 / AU$79.99 (about £36).

• Value score: 3 / 5

The Onyx Boox Tab Mini C's stylus lying across the display showing grayscale text — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C key specs

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: Design and display

7.8-inch flush glass screen with great contrast
Metallic body with solid build
Stereo speakers

Onyx really knows how to make some good-looking e-paper writing tablets. I’ve had high praise for most of them, as they all feature metallic bodies that look pretty sleek. The Tab Mini C is no different, featuring a black chassis with a screen that sits flush with the bezels.

A layer of glass on the top gives it a smooth finish, but has no detrimental effect on the touch functionality, readability or the anti-glare nature of the display. While this gives a slightly glossy look to the top, the rear panel has a matte finish. Along with slightly rounded rear edges, the Tab Mini C gets a decent grip compared to its bigger brethren.

The sides of the device are clean, with just a small, slightly raised power button on the top left corner, and the USB-C port and two speaker grilles on the bottom.

USB-C port and speakers on the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

As I’ve already mentioned, the screen measures 7.8-inches, which is a good size for most users. It makes the tablet more portable than other writing ereaders, most of which are 10.3 inches. And the glass layer on the top makes writing on it a pleasure – it’s not as smooth as it feels on the Amazon Kindle Scribe, but it comes close.

Importantly, getting a full color display means you can enjoy comics and graphics novels as they were meant to, or just ogle at some book covers in color before you start reading. You can sketch and draw, with a few colors at your disposal when choosing your pen or brush type.

However, because of the limitations of the technology, the colors appear a little washed out. Some hues do look good, though, and the screen has excellent contrast to make reading a pleasure. This became evident to me when I was comparing it to the PocketBook InkPad Color 2 – another 7.8-inch color ereader, but with an older screen technology and no writing capabilities.

The Onyx Boox Tab Mini C stylus lying across the tablet — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Speaking of writing, the stylus that ships with the Tab Mini C is a basic option compared to what comes with the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra and Tab Ultra C – what you miss out on here is the eraser on the top of the pen. The stylus has a grippy, textured surface, with a flat side that attaches magnetically to one edge of the tablet. Strangely, the strongest way to attach the stylus is nib pointing down – if you attach it the other way, the magnet isn’t as strong. Either way, the pen can get dislodged when taking it in and out of a bag, for example, making the magnetic sleepcover an additional purchase to consider.

For an ereader in this size category, though, the Tab Mini C is heavy (as are most other Onyx tablets) by virtue of its large battery and metal body. While it’s not uncomfortable to hold, it can start to feel heavy after about 20-30 minutes, particularly if you’re using it with its sleepcover.

• Design & display score: 4.5 / 5

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: software and user interface

Runs modified version of Android 11 with access to the Google Play Store
Four refresh rates to choose from for individual apps
Plenty of ways to sync/transfer books and notes

Like all other Onyx ereaders, the Tab Mini C runs a modified version of Android 11. While I’ve previously said that Android 11 does feel dated now, and I still stand by the statement, Onyx isn’t alone in using it for its devices. Amazon’s latest version of its Fire OS is also a modified version of Android 11.

The default notes application on the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Running Google’s operating system means you get easy access to the Play Store and the good thing about that is you can download and use a huge number of Android apps on the Tab Mini C. This includes YouTube for watching videos. Yes, the video won’t look its best because of the E Ink screen and its limitations, but it’s just about watchable.

Where it comes in handy is being able to purchase content directly from the device via the Kindle or Kobo apps, as well as using third-party note-taking apps. In fact, you can link a number of accounts to gain access to your work – Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, OneNote, Everdrive and more. In my case, I had a bunch of ebooks stored in Google Drive, and linking it made it easy to transfer files to read on my Tab Mini C.

For most users, though, the default apps would suffice. You can use BooxDrop to transfer files (ebooks, audiobooks, PDFs, photos, music and more) and you just need your mobile number to set it up, you don’t necessarily have to open a Boox account if you don’t want to.

Color options for highlighting text on the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Within each app you use, there are four refresh rates available, each meant for different types of media – from HD for general reading to Ultrafast for watching videos – and these are accessible via the E Ink Center that appears when you swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to open up the device's Control Center. This is also where you can adjust volume and the frontlight, and take a screenshot, record your screen or get into split-screen mode. The setup is great, but there are a lot of features to wrap your head around and the settings can be far from intuitive if you’ve never used an Onyx tablet before.

There are several customizable gestures and functions that take time to delve into in the settings but, once you’ve gotten used to them all, they do make using the ereader easier. For example, swiping up from the bottom bezel takes you back to the home screen, while swiping down from the top opens up your notification center. The user interface isn't as streamlined as a Kobo or a Kindle ereader, but neither of the bigger brands have as many features as the Onyx tablets do, so kudos for the brand for trying to fit it all in. And I definitely prefer the Onyx interface to what PocketBook offers on its ereaders.

• Software & user interface score: 4 / 5

A crude color drawing of a boat on water on the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C ereader — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: Performance

Excellent reading and writing experience
Sluggish refresh rates, with significant ghosting
Remarkable battery life

The Tab Mini C is a great ereader and writing tablet. Despite its color screen resolution topping out at 150ppi, there’s very good contrast that makes it a much easier display to read on in any kind of lighting condition than the PocketBook InkPad Color 2. Admittedly some colors aren’t as good as they would appear on, say, an LCD display, but it’s important to remember that the Tab Mini C is not meant to be a multimedia tablet like an iPad. All the colors will be recognizable, though.

Onyx uses a powerful 2GHz processor and 4GB of RAM for the Tab Mini C, and it shows in how quickly the device responds to touch and stylus functionality. Page turns are rapid, pen input is excellent and apps open quite quickly too.

What doesn’t really work on the Tab Mini C is the significant ghosting visible in several applications. Despite four options to choose from for different purposes, having an imprint of the previous page or application is very distracting. Forcing a refresh each time is not ideal. Ghosting can occur when reading in color or black and white, but it’s most prevalent in the former. I noticed it in the default notes app when changing pen types and colors while drawing. I seen it on the home screen after I’ve used the Control Center to adjust volume or frontlight brightness. This is an issue I saw with the bigger Tab Ultra C and Onyx clearly hasn’t figured out how to minimize ghosting or optimize the refresh rates better.

Ghosting visible on a drawing on the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C — A significant amount of ghosting occurs on the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C despite four different refresh rates to choose from (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Speaking of volume… I have to say I am amazed at how loud the stereo speakers can get on this little tablet. While the sound quality isn’t comparable to some of the best headphones or best earbuds, it’s not bad for listening to audiobooks. And the volume far exceeds what the PocketBook Era or the InkPad Color 2 can hit.

Another good thing about investing in the Tab Mini C is the battery life. With a 5,000mAh pack inside, it feels like the tablet can go on forever. Battery management here is definitely better than what I experienced with the Tab Ultra C. Depending on how you use the Tab Mini C, you’ll likely get up to eight weeks of use between charges. Topping up will take a little while, but if you have a good USB-C to C cable plugged into a wall socket via a high wattage adaptor, the Tab Mini C could top up in about 2.5 hours from 35% battery.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

The sleepcover of the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C holding the stylus — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Should I buy the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

It’s not too hard to imagine the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C competing for your attention amongst the best ereaders you can get today, but it’s a very expensive investment. You can get better performers from more popular brands that will cost you less – you just need to be willing to forgo the color display.

How I tested the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C

Used as main ereader for a few weeks
Wrote notes on it, and used it to draw as best I could, plus listened to music and audiobooks
Compared with other ereaders in the same size class and with note-taking features

The Onyx branding on the boot-up page of the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C color ereader — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

As with all my ereader testing, I used the Tab Mini C for a few weeks before I started noting down my thoughts… on the device itself, by the way. I used it for an average of two hours a day most days, but occasionally that would be a lot longer (on weekends) or for less (on weeknights).

I used the BooxDrop feature to transfer some ebooks I own, but I also linked my Google Drive account – via the Settings pane – to download a bunch more. While I did a lot of my reading using the default reader app on the device, I also downloaded the Kindle and the Kobo apps to access my library on each of those platforms.

I absolutely cannot draw to save my life, but I gave it a go to see how the colors looked and how changing the pen type and size can help with sketching. I also made my own notes – this included editing existing notes I’d already made on other Onyx tablets that got synced to my account.

I used the Tab Mini C to browse the internet using the default browser, and downloaded a couple mobile games to see how they performed on an E Ink screen.

I compared the Tab Mini C with other ereaders, including the Kobo Sage and the PocketBook InkPad Color 2 that are in the same size class, as well as to the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C for a direct performance comparison. During my testing, I also had the Kobo Elipsa 2E and the Amazon Kindle Scribe for more comparisons.

Editor's Note

• Original review date: November 2022
• Add supported pricing tiers available
• Launch price: $119 / £94 / AU$179
• Official price now with ads: $99 / £84 / N/A

Updated: January 2024. The standard 2022 Kindle is an ereader that'll basically suit everyone. It's small, light, has a good battery life and represents an overall evolution over the models that came before it. It can now be had for a cheaper starting price in the US and UK if you're willing to put up with adverts. But paying a little more still gets you a very fine Kindle, hassle-free. Do bear in mind you can get a great price on the standard Kindle when seasonal sales are in full swing, but it's still great at full price. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Amazon Kindle (2022): One-minute review

Over 15 years after Amazon launched its first Kindle ereader, the retail giant has launched the latest Kindle (2022) model. Because Amazon is so huge these days, from turning into a shop where you can buy almost anything, while also making its own smart home Alexa-powered devices and even creating its own high-budget TV shows (such as the recent Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power), it can be easy to forget that it started out life as an online bookstore.

Still, with the Kindle range, it shows that books can still be a passion for the company, and with the launch of the Kindle (2022), you’d be forgiven for expecting an extremely accomplished ereader, considering the expertise and budget behind it.

The good news is that with the latest Kindle you get just that. While it lacks some of the bells and whistles offered by other ereaders – and even the more expensive Kindle models in Amazon’s growing range – if you want a simple and dependable device for reading ebooks on, the Kindle (2022) could be an excellent choice.

A higher resolution screen makes ebooks look fantastic, and as the most compact Amazon ereader, the Kindle (2022) slips easily into bags and some pockets, making it a good choice for travellers. However, the small screen size can be uncomfortable to read on for some people, as well as difficult to grip onto.

For people looking for a main ebook reader for home, the Kindle (2022) probably won't be the best ereader for your needs. However, starting at $99.99 / £84.99 / AU$179, it's one of the better value ereaders out there. It also comes with double the storage space (now 16GB), extended battery life, and its integration with Amazon's store and services remains excellent – as long as you don't mind buying from Amazon. If you do mind getting locked into Amazon's ecosystem, then look elsewhere. You'd be missing out on a decent and affordable compact ereader however.

Amazon Kindle 2022 inside its sleepcover — (Image credit: TechRadar)

Kindle (2022) review: Price and availability

Costs $99.99 / £84.99 for ad-supported model
No ad-supported version for Australia (RRP of AU$179)
More expensive than last model

The new Kindle (2022) is Amazon’s most affordable ereader, and costs $99.99 / £84.99 for the model with adverts on the lockscreen – there's no ad-supported version of the Kindle in Australia. For the non-advert version, you’ll need to pay $119.99 / £94.99 / AU$179.

While this makes the Kindle (2022) the cheapest current model, it does represent a price increase over the previous model, which sold for £69.99 / $89.99 / AU$139.

It remains more affordable than its chief competitor, the Kobo Clara 2E , although the rival offers a few more features that the 2022 Kindle misses out on. If you’re a regular user of Amazon's different services, though, then the Kindle’s integration with the huge retailer will likely appeal.

Price and availability score: 4/5

The USB-C charging port under the Amazon Kindle 2022 — (Image credit: TechRadar)

Kindle (2022) review: Design and display

Smallest Kindle yet
Ideal for travelling
May be too small for some

The Kindle (2022) comes with a new design, and some changes are very welcome… and some less so. It’s now smaller and lighter than ever before, and weighs just 158g, with measurements of 6.2-inches x 4.3-inches x 0.32-inches (157.8 x 108.6 x 8.0 mm).

This makes it an excellent choice for travellers who want to take something to read while they globetrot. The Kindle (2022) can easily slip into a bag, or even a pocket, and you’d hardly notice it’s there. For short-haul flights where you’re limited to the amount of luggage you can bring on board, this could again be a great feature, as it takes up less space than even a rather slim book.

However, some people may not enjoy holding and reading on such a small device. It doesn’t feel as secure to hold as some of the larger, and more expensive, ebook readers out there, and the lack of a textured rear panel can make it feel a little hard to grip onto. There are Kindle cases on sale that can mitigate this, but without one, the Kindle (2022) can feel a little too slight for some people.

That’s not to say the build quality is lacking, however. Quite the opposite, in fact, as despite its budget price, the Kindle (2022) feels like a well-put-together device.

Kindle branding on bottom bezel of theAmazon Kindle 2022 — (Image credit: TechRadar)

The design is minimalist, with a single power button and a USB-C port for charging. Most of the controls for the Kindle are done via the 6-inch E Ink Carta 1200 touchscreen. The USB-C is a new addition, and means you can quickly charge the Kindle (2022) – and you can use any USB charger to do so.

The new blue color is a nice change from the standard black or white designs of other ereaders and, thanks to an update that happened in April 2021, you can set the cover of book you're currently reading to display on the sleep screen instead of cycling through a few wallpapers that were available on Kindles by default.

The screen itself has had a lot of attention lavished on it. It’s now got a 300ppi (pixels per inch) high resolution screen that is crisp and sharp on the 6-inch display. As an e-ink screen, it feels comfortable to read on, though we ended up making the text smaller to fit more of a page onto the 6-inch screen.

The screen has an adjustable front light for reading in the dark, and the Dark Mode option makes it more comfortable to read in low-light conditions. However, the front light cannot be adjusted for temperature, meaning you're stuck with white/blue light at all times, so people sensitive to blue light may find the Kindle (2022) less appealing for bedtime reading.

Unlike more expensive Kindles, the standard Kindle (2022) isn’t waterproof, but it does have a handy sensor that lets you know if there’s moisture in the USB-C port, so you can unplug it and wait for it to dry. We tried it out during the review, and it does indeed work.

In some markets the Kindle (2022) also comes with a ‘Kid’ version that features a rugged cover, one year subscription to Amazon Kids+ and an extended two-year guarantee (the standard model has one year).

Design and display score: 4/5

Amazon Kindle 2022 in dark mode — (Image credit: TechRadar)

Kindle (2022) review: Specs and performance

Good looking (yet small) screen
16GB capacity should be more than enough

As well as the improved screen, the Kindle (2022) also features twice the storage space of its predecessor. While the new 16GB capacity may seem a little low when compared to a phone or tablet, ebooks don’t take up much digital space, with an average ebook file size of 2.6MB. That means there’s room for well over 7,000 books – so even the most ardent bookworm won’t have to worry about space. There’s no microSD card slot, so you can't expand the storage space, but we can’t see many people needing to.

You can also download and listen to audiobooks using Amazon’s Audible service, and these obviously take up a lot more space than an ebook – though 16GB will still be able to handle a ridiculous amount. There are no built-in speakers, so you’ll need to pair a Bluetooth device, which can be done through the interface. We did find this to be a bit difficult to set up, with the Kindle becoming unresponsive at one point, but once paired, it works well.

Of course, the main reason you’d want to use the Kindle for is reading ebooks, and the good news is that it does this very well. The e-ink screen is comfortable to read on and, while the dark mode makes things comfortable at night, we didn’t find it was bright enough to read on without a light on. However, in both dark rooms and out in sunlight, the non-reflective screen performed well.

However, at 6 inches, we felt it was too small to read at the default text size, as it meant we had to keep flipping pages (done via tapping the side of the screen you want to turn the page to). Making the text smaller fitted more of the text on the screen, which reduced the number of times we had to turn the page – but some people may find the text size too small to read comfortably. As an ereader for travellers, this is great, but people reading at home may wish they’d gone for something bigger.

Amazon Kindle 2022 control panel on top of screen — (Image credit: TechRadar)

The interface has been refreshed, and it takes a bit of getting used to. The minimalist design means there’s no buttons apart from the power button, and so if you haven’t used a Kindle before, you may be confused about how to get to your library. A nice touch is that when the Kindle (2022) goes into sleep mode, you can set the sleep screen to show the cover of the book you’re currently reading – though if you buy the ad supported version you’ll see adverts instead.

As you’d expect from an Amazon device, the Kindle is heavily integrated with the retail giant’s services. Once you’ve connected it to your Amazon account, you can buy Kindle ebooks and audiobooks through the Amazon website on other devices, and they will appear on the Kindle almost immediately, as long as it has an internet connection. This makes setting up the Kindle and filling it with books very straightforward, especially if you already have a Kindle library. You can also buy books directly through the Kindle’s interface. However, we prefer doing it on another device with a larger screen, such as a laptop.

While this means the Kindle is an easy and convenient gadget to use if you’re already invested in Amazon’s ecosystem – and many people are – but if you don’t use them or like Amazon as a company, then you may find the Kindle’s heavy reliance on Amazon frustrating. You can load non-Amazon ebooks onto it, but it’s not as easy and organizing them into collections aren't possible, leaving your library looking a tad dishevelled. So this really is only worth considering if you’re an Amazon customer.

When you purchase a Kindle (2022), you get three months of Kindle Unlimited free, essentially a Netflix-like subscription service for ebooks, which at least gives you a chance to check out the service and get access to a huge range of books before you spend any extra money. That said, you won't find a lot of big names (authors or publishers) on Kindle Unlimited but there is plenty to discover if you aren't too fussy about what you like to read.

Specs and performance score: 3/5

The settings pane on the Amazon Kindle 2022 — (Image credit: TechRadar)

Kindle (2022) review: Battery life

Better battery life than before
Drains slightly faster in dark mode

Amazon has not only upped the internal storage on the 2022 edition of the Kindle, but has also improved the battery life. Whether that’s due to improved efficiency of the same old battery or if it’s a bigger capacity is unclear as Amazon doesn’t ever reveal its battery secrets, but our guess is the latter.

The older 10th generation Kindle from 2019 offered up to four weeks of reading (according to Amazon’s own estimates), but we got about two weeks of reading for an hour each day on a single charge. Now, however, we’re getting a full 30 hours of reading – basically, four weeks of reading an hour each day.

In fact, we think you could get more. Our tests showed that there’s marginally more drain when using the Kindle in dark mode, and we measured battery life with the screen set to the usual view and dark mode. Not just that, we also set the front light to 7%, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth always on, a mix of browsing Kindle Unlimited, the Kindle Store and using VoiceView (we were really curious how it sounded). If you aren’t going to be doing so much on your Kindle, you could push that battery a little more, and that’s pretty impressive.

Amazon has updated the charging port to USB-C in keeping with the 2021 Kindle Paperwhite (and other ereader) models and this makes the battery top up quicker. In our tests, the Kindle went from 9% to full in 1 hour 25 minutes. This, however, includes a little bit of trickle charging, which is actually better than what any of the latest Kobo ereaders manage. Where trickle charging on the Kobo Libra 2, for example, is super slow (an hour to go from 92% to full), the Kindle went from 9% to 93% in 1 hour 10 minutes, then another 15 minutes to finish the remaining 7%.

Battery score: 4/5

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle (2022)?

The rear panel with the Amazon smile logo on the 2022 Kindle

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Amazon Kindle (2022) report card

Also consider...

If our Amazon Kindle (2022) review has you considering other options, here are three more ereaders that are great alternatives.

First reviewed November 2022

How we test

We pride ourselves on our independence and rigorous review-testing process, offering long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Editor's Note

• Original Scribd review date: February 2022
• Rebranded in November 2023
• Launch subscription price: $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$14.99
• Current price: $11.99 / £10.99 / AU$14.99

Updated: February 2024. Scribd, when it originally launched, was a subscription hub for ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, magazines, sheet music, various documents, slides and even the odd recipe. The platform has undergone a full overhaul, however, and has been broken into three different services. Everand is now the app for ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, magazines and sheet music. Scribd is exclusively for documents – so whitepapers, court filings, some scientific research, recipes, etc. All the presentations have been moved to SlideShare. The three platforms are still owned and run by Scribd Inc and you need only one subscription to access all three. The monthly subscription has gone up in the US and UK, but remains unchanged for Australia, and the extensive Everand library makes it worthwhile. In lieu of this overhaul, we’ve redone our original review, concentrating on Everand, but also touching upon Scribd and SlideShare too.

Scribd with Everand: One-minute review

Scribd began life as a document-sharing platform in 2007, but it grew from there to become an ebook and audiobook subscription service to rival Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus. In November 2023, however, the platform underwent a full overhaul, and parent company Scribd Inc separated the mainstream offerings like ebook and audiobooks from the documents and presentations that littered the service. The original Scribd has now been divided into three new platforms – Everand housing all the ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts and sheet music, Scribd is now the home for documents only (think whitepapers, court filings, etc), and all the presentations have moved to SlideShare.

The good news is that the one subscription gets you access to all three, and the price in some regions is still the same as before. For this review, I’ve concentrated on the mainstream Everand service, but it all works exactly as it did previously.

As before, there’s quite a decent library of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, podcasts and sheet music on Everand, with the app looking pretty much the same as the original Scribd. The only difference is some minor changes to the color schemes to differentiate between the three divisions of the old Scribd platform.

Compared to Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus, Everand has a more extensive selection of titles in its library but only if you take both ebooks and audiobooks into consideration. However, as with Scribd previously, there’s still more audiobooks than ebooks on the platform, although the number of titles has increased significantly compared to what I saw when I first reviewed it in 2022.

The headline here is the addition of Originals on Everand – titles written exclusively for Scribd Inc by some well-known authors like Magaret Atwood and Stephen King.

While Kindle Unlimited offers magazines to its US subscribers, other markets aren’t able to access those, and Everand can fill the void. However, the number of magazines is limited compared to what you’ll find on Readly. And while podcasts are a great addition to Everand (something you won’t find on Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus), several are available for free on other platforms. Still, they add value to the subscription.

There’s no native ereader integration with the Everand app, but you can use it on a desktop or a handheld device like your phone or tablet – apps are available for Apple and Android users. Owners of Onyx Boox ereaders – which run on Android and give you access to the Google Play Store – can download it for use on e-ink slates like the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C or Onyx Boox Page.

The Everand ebook and audiobook subscription service homepage — (Image credit: Scribd Inc)

Scribd with Everand review: price and availability

More expensive than Kindle Unlimited in some markets
Monthly subscription of $11.99 / £10.99 / AU$14.99
30-day free trial

A monthly subscription to any of Scribd Inc’s apps – Everand, Scribd or SlideShare – will cost you $11.99 / £10.99 / AU$14.99. That’s a touch more expensive than Kindle Unlimited in the US and UK, but costs the same in Australia.

Signing up for only Everand gets you access to the other two, or vice versa, adding value to the subscription if you’re a student or researcher, but the variety in the Everand library alone makes it better value than either Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus, but this is only if you take full advantage of both ebooks and audiobooks.

That said, if you already use an Amazon Kindle or Kobo ereader, you might be better off with the ebook subscription service associated with your chosen brand if you want to read on the device.

You can subscribe to Everand from anywhere in the world – you’ll just have to pay the equivalent of the US pricing if your country doesn’t have an official version of the site or application. Plus there’s a 30-day free trial available to test the waters before you commit to paying for the service when you sign up via either Everand or Scribd. Strangely, SlideShare offers a 60-day free trial, which might be the better option to test the waters for longer.

Scribd with Everand review: Content library

Lots of audiobooks
Limited ebooks compared to audiobppls
Decent collection of magazines and podcasts

Like I mentioned at the start of this review, there’s a lot on Everand. As versatile as it looks on paper, the individual libraries of each type of content is limited, although I found far more titles I’d like to read and listen to on Everand than I did on Kindle Unlimited and Kobo Plus.

An Everand save list with ebooks and audiobooks — (Image credit: Scribd Inc)

Let’s start with ebooks. While there’s a lot here to keep you occupied for a very long time, you could be disappointed if you’re looking for something specific. A couple of missing examples I found were David Graeber’s The Dawn of Everything and Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Trilogy. Fans of Brandon Sanderson, though, will be glad to know that several of his other titles are available on Everand, including his “secret project” books from his Kickstarter campaign.

What’s interesting about Everand, though, are the original titles. Started in 2019, the Scribd Originals program (called so they came into being before Everand was launched as a separate platform) was a way for authors to reach new audiences, but these are written exclusively by some well known writers like Magaret Atwood, Stephen King, Paul Theroux and Simon Winchester. Most of these are short stories or essays, and several are in audiobook format, but there are some very interesting titles amongst the Scribd Originals, none of which you’ll find anywhere else.

An ebook open on the Everand web browser application — (Image credit: Scribd Inc)

The number of audiobooks on Everand is much more impressive than its ebook collection, just as it was when it was still called Scribd. Some titles that don’t have the ebook versions on Scribd can be found in audiobook format instead. For example, Neil Price’s Children of Ash and Elm and Mary Beard’s SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome are only available as audiobooks. Another example of the deficit of ebook titles is Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series – all 10 are available as audiobooks but none as an ebook. It's the same with Martha Wells' Murderbot Diaries too – the first seven are available in audiobook format only.

Some of these missing ebook titles used to be available as user-uploaded documents in PDF format – likely from questionable sources – on the original platform, but those are no longer on Everand, having moved to the new Scribd.

When it comes to magazines and newspapers, you’re not going to get as extensive a collection as on Readly, but there are some very good options on Everand, like Time, Marie Claire and National Geographic. There are some obvious big names missing too, like Reader’s Digest and Cosmopolitan, although you can find a few individual articles from the missing mags. Despite the missing titles, the magazine stand does cover several genres including news and current affairs, tech, and lifestyle, with the News Rack including access to The Guardian, NPR, The Independent and Futurity. Some of TechRadar’s sister magazines can be found on Everand, including Kiplinger, Digital Camera World, Classic Rock, T3 and APC.

One of Future Publishing's Australian magazines on Everand — (Image credit: Scribd Inc)

There’s a pretty decent collection of podcasts across several genres as well, like Grounded with Louis Theroux, Day X, Revisionist History and Criminal. Practically every one I searched for, I found on Everand, however they’re also available for free on Apple and Google Podcast services.

I’m not certain what sheet music is doing on Everand – I think it should be on Scribd with other documents – but if you’re a keen musician, you could strike gold and that alone might be worth the subscription cost for you. There’s a lot of sheet music, from Disney songs to Broadway, Mozart to Frank Sinatra, even Beyonce, Adele and Taylor Swift.

Scribd content library

With all the mainstream items now on Everand, Scribd has gone back to being what it started out as – a repository of user-uploaded content, specifically documents like whitepapers, some research papers, court filings and the like.

The documents are categorized into several genres, including wellness, technology, business, religion and politics, and their usefulness will depend on what precisely you’re after. Each document can be rated by the user with a thumbs up or a thumbs down, and this becomes important when you’re looking for authenticity on a platform that can have some dodgy content from questionable sources.

The Scribd homepage with documents — (Image credit: Scribd Inc)

Most of the content on the new Scribd document platform, however, is good and could be useful depending on the subject. I found books on metabolism that were interesting, plus something on modern sewer designs that I never thought would hold me attention for longer than a minute. There are textbooks and test papers, even court filings against Donald Trump.

And, as I’ve already mentioned, you don’t pay extra to access Scribd – it’s included in the Everand subscription. Any document you save via Scribd is added to a common saved list that’s accessible via any of the three apps, but if you select a document via the Everand app, you will be redirected to the Scribd app. So if you do use all the Scribd Inc apps, you will need to download them all on your preferred device. If you only use the web browser option, then they open in a new tab.

SlideShare content library

As with Scribd, SlideShare is also niche, now home to the presentations that were previously uploaded to the original Scribd platform. There are a wide range of slide shows and decks to choose from, including business templates, guides to social media platforms, case studies in education and a heck of a lot more.

You can download an entire presentation if you need it offline, or you can choose specific slides from a deck to download. The uploader’s username is displayed against each presentation, plus the number of slides in each, how many views they’ve had and how long they’ve been available on SlideShare.

The SlideShare homepage, part of the Scribd-Everand revamp — (Image credit: Scribd Inc)

The presentations aren’t editable, although it might be possible to find the odd template that might allow you to do so after downloading for offline access.

Interestingly, when viewing SlideShare on a web browser, it gives you the option of signing up to all three apps to get a 60-day free trail, which doesn’t seem to be available via the other two. So if you really are keen to try Everand, it might be a good option to sign up via SlideShare.

Scribd with Everand review: user experience

Mobile apps are easy to use
Clunky browser interface
Formatting issues on some ebooks

Everand, Scribd and SlideShare can be used on a desktop browser, on a phone or a tablet, with apps available for both Apple and Android operating systems. Signing up is easy and there’s a 30-day free trial for you to road test the service before you need to cough up the monthly fee (60 days if you sign up via SlideShare).

Apps for all three on any platform are identical, so I’ll stick to Everand for the sake of this review. Using the app on mobile or tablet is quite easy and intuitive, with browsing the library made easy thanks to sections for different genres and categories. The different content types are neatly arranged on the top of the app and there’s even curated lists for anyone keen to find a new story to get lost in.

When you find something you want to read or listen to, you just have to save it by tapping on the bookmark icon. You can even download items for offline reading or listening and, in theory, there’s no limit to how many you can download at a time. I didn’t go beyond downloading five items at a time, but I have seen some users complain that Scribd Inc throttles how much you can download in one go.

An audiobook playing on the Everand desktop application — (Image credit: Scribd Inc)

Audiobook quality – based on the titles I listened to – is great, but if your device goes to sleep due to inactivity, the narration will stop unless you use the app’s sleep timer functionality (the crescent moon icon). Audiobooks require the screen to be on at all times for it to work nonstop.

Ebook quality, for the most part, is great but I did find some that had formatting issues – not the kind you’d expect from a page trying to automatically adjust to screen sizes. I found a number of them with just one word on a line or large chunks of empty space after a paragraph (with the next one starting on the subsequent page).

Note that the Everand app itself doesn’t have a dark mode option, but if your device settings is selected for dark mode, then all content will appear on a black background with white text.

Everand mobile app screenshots with podcasts and ebooks — (Image credit: Scribd Inc)

Reading magazines is a mixed-bag experience – none of the covers can be viewed full-screen and you can only read one article at a time, no scrolling through the whole issue here. That said, each article is nicely formatted, with any accompanying imagery placed very well to avoid weird line and page breaks, no matter what screen size you’re viewing it on.

The browser experience, however, isn’t as great as on mobile or tablet. The interface is easy to navigate, yes, but it’s just too clunky to be a smooth experience. That said, we reckon most users would prefer to read (or listen) on a handheld device, so the online interface shouldn’t really be too much of an issue.

Scribd magazine interface on iPad — (Image credit: Scribd)

The one drawback that could be a deal breaker for some potential subscribers is the lack of ereader support. If you already own a Kindle, then Amazon’s ebook/audiobook subscription service will be a lot more convenient for you. It’s a similar case with Kobo users – where Kobo Plus is available, that would seem like a better option.

However, as I’ve mentioned earlier, Onyx Boox ereaders with access to the Google Play Store will be able to open the Android version of the Everand app so you can read (or listen) on an ereader. Scribd Inc will probably have to go through licensing red tape to partner with some of the best ereader brands out there, but if that can be wrangled, then Everand might have a fighting chance to compete with Kindle Unlimited in terms of popularity.

Whether you should subscribe to Everand (or Scribd and SlideShare) is not an easy question to answer. If you’re an avid reader and don’t already subscribe to an ebook/audiobook subscription service, then Everand might be worth considering, particularly if you primarily do your digital reading on a phone or tablet. Considering you get access to a very diverse range of content types could just make that subscription price worth it.

In fact, it’s great for audiobook lovers who don’t already have an Audible subscription (which is cheaper in some markets but more expensive in others), considering there’s more audio titles than ebooks.

Having access to magazines and podcasts on the same platform is great too, but Readly has a better magazine collection (if that is your area of interest), and the podcasts can be found on other platforms for free, so it’s up to you to decide if they add value to your subscription cost.

If ebooks and audiobooks are your main goals, then at the time of writing, Kindle Unlimited has an extensive library of ebooks and offers you the convenience of reading on a Kindle device or on the Kindle app. You’ll also need to remember Everand won’t get new releases on its platform on day one.

Unlike any other subscription service of this kind, however, your Everand membership gets you some exclusive content in the form of the Scribd Originals, but there aren’t too many of these, but it’s possible this might grow. And if you take into account both ebooks and audiobooks, then the Everand library is arguably the best, but only if you enjoy both reading and listening to stories.

Also consider

[First reviewed February 2022]

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021) review

2:38 pm | February 1, 2022

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

Editor's Note

• Original review date: February 2022
• Newer 16GB version available as of 2022
• Launch price: $129 / £129 / AU$199
• Official price for 2022 model: $149 / £149 / AU$269

Updated: January 2024. Despite being somewhat aged in Kindle terms, the 2021 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is still a fine ereader. It has got a great display, has USB-C connectivity and makes for a very good digital reading experience. There's now a 16GB version, introduced in 2022, which offers a sweet spot of price vs space. And while you can score good deals on Kindles during sales events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, even at full price the Kindle Paperwhite is well worth your consideration. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite: Two-minute review

The Kindle Paperwhite remains the best ereader for those who are looking for a simple gadget that lets you read for hours on end. It isn’t the top of Amazon’s range and the new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition means some features aren’t included here.

Instead, the Kindle Paperwhite is built for those who want a comfortable reading experience with top-end tech but don’t need the extra features of an all-metal design or wireless charging.

Jump to...

Price and availability
Design and display
Reading experience
Battery life
Software
Should I buy it?

The design of the Kindle Paperwhite is largely unchanged from what we’ve seen before. There’s still a clear 6.8-inch E Ink display with 300 pixels per inch resolution at the core of the device that makes for enjoyable reading.

Its plastic rear isn’t a premium touch, but it’s easy to grip and the lightweight design means you can read this device without cramping your wrist.

Battery life remains strong on the Kindle Paperwhite with it lasting for around five weeks from a single charge. It’s not as long-lasting if you’re reading for long periods, but it’s still enough for most people’s library habits.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2021 — (Image credit: TechRadar)

A big upgrade is the introduction of a USB-C port for the first time. Amazon stubbornly stuck to the micro USB method for recharging its readers in recent years, but now you can use the more modern charging standard on this device.

That isn’t a reason to upgrade your recent Kindle, but it is a useful quality of life improvement that makes for a more well-rounded product.

If you own a Kindle Paperwhite from 2018 onward, you’re unlikely to see a big improvement on this device. If you’ve never owned an ereader, you want to upgrade from the standard Kindle, or you have an aging Paperwhite, this is the ereader to get right now.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Price and release date

This edition of the Kindle Paperwhite was launched in September 2021, and it went on sale soon after. It was unveiled alongside two new editions: the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and the Kindle Paperwhite for Kids.

This standard Paperwhite version is available directly from Amazon and a variety of other retailers. Its launch price was $129.99 / £129.99 / AU$199.99 (around £100 / AU$190) with ads included or $139.99 / £139.99 (about AU$260) without ads.

That’s the price for an 8GB model, which should be enough storage for hundreds of ebooks and some audiobooks too.

That Signature Edition comes with some premium features, including 32GB of storage, an auto-adjusting front light and support for wireless charging. This is a new addition to this series of Kindles, and it costs far more at $189.99 / £179.99 / AU$289.

(Update – September 20, 2022: Amazon quietly added a 16GB configuration of the standard Paperwhite, priced at $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$259)

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Design and display

The form factor and design of previous Kindles is relatively unchanged on this new model, but it’s a look that didn’t need changing.

The defining feature is its 6.8-inch display which means the device has a footprint similar to the average paperback book. It’s easy to hold as it only weighs 205 grams, which is just a touch more than the average smartphone.

That’s particularly helpful if you’re reading a hefty tome as it makes for a more comfortable reading experience.

Its overall dimensions are 174.2 x 124.6 x 8.1 mm. The rear of the device is a plastic material that doesn’t feel particularly premium but after some use you’ll find it allows for a stronger grip than the metal rear of the Kindle Oasis.

Image 1 of 3

Image 2 of 3

Image 3 of 3

The Amazon “smile” logo is emblazoned on the rear of the device, but otherwise it’s particularly limited in its design. This is only available in black, so you’ll have to buy a new case for your Kindle Paperwhite if you want a more vibrant look.

The left, top and right edges are all clear from buttons with the power button, LED light and USB-C port all sitting at the bottom edge of the device. That means you won’t accidentally hit any buttons during long reading sessions.

And this device is built for long reading sessions with bezels along the edges of the screen where you can rest your thumbs so you can grip the device without pressing on the screen to turn the page.

The screen is the most premium we’ve seen on a Kindle Paperwhite yet, with a 300 pixels per inch resolution and strong brightness levels. These are easily changed in the software, but you won’t get an auto-adjusting display.

That’s one of the biggest draws of the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, which makes that process much smoother. For example, if you’re reading outside but then you next open up your book when reading in bed the Signature Edition will realize you’re in a darker location and dim the screen.

The borders around the side of the display sit flush with the screen, which is something the company’s standard Kindle model doesn’t have. If you’re looking to upgrade from that device, you’ll notice this as a big difference.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Reading

The Kindle Paperwhite offers a very comfortable reading experience with a clear display that is easy to look at for hours at a time.

The E Ink technology means the screen is easier on the eyes for long periods than the one on your smartphone or TV.

You can easily edit the display options to find your optimum reading experience. For example, you can change the font style, the font size, the brightness of the screen, the dark mode setting, and much more.

Other features include a dictionary, so you can quickly look up words that you haven’t come across before, and Whispersync, which means it’ll sync pages across your ereader and any other Kindle apps you have (such as on your smartphone).

To navigate through the pages, you swipe on either side of the screen to go through to other parts of the book. This is useful, but some may miss the buttons that other ereaders provide if you prefer something more tactile.

You’re unlikely to fill the Kindle Paperwhite with ease. It comes with 8GB of space, but ebooks generally take up around 1MB of space each. Amazon claims this device will hold 1000s of books, and it’s right about that.

You can upload audiobooks (through Audible) onto the Kindle Paperwhite so you can listen to them through Bluetooth headphones. That will start to take up a lot more space though. If you’re worried about that you’ll want to opt for the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition as it comes with 32GB of space as standard.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Battery life

Amazon claims the Kindle Paperwhite will last for 10 weeks from a single charge, and we got similar results in our testing. If you’re reading every day, you may find the battery will run out quicker but it still lasts a long time.

Extra battery is a helpful element with an ereader as it allows you to have this in your bag without worrying about whether it has enough charge. It’s much more pick-up-and-go than your phone or a traditional tablet.

It’s charged with a USB-C cable (which is provided in the box) and this is the first time we’ve seen a Kindle move away from micro USB. That’s a big deal as it means most people can use their modern smartphone charger to recharge the ereader.

If you own an iPhone, it’ll mean you have to have a different charge for your Kindle but it’s still a much more common standard than micro USB that we’ve seen on previous ereaders.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has wireless charging built-in, which is unlikely to be a must-have for your Kindle but you may want to spend more on your ereader if you want that.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Software

Image 1 of 3

Image 2 of 3

Image 3 of 3

Amazon’s Kindle platform has become more mature in recent years, and it’s some of the best software you’ll find in an ereader. In addition, you’ll find a huge selection of books on the brand’s bustling estore to download directly to your Kindle.

If you buy books directly from the store they’ll appear on your ereader within a matter of seconds (if you’re on a solid internet connection).

Navigating around the Kindle Paperwhite is smooth for an ereader, and it’s always easy to find the different options you’re looking for.

Simply press on books in your library to download them, and then press on the right-hand side of the screen to cycle through the pages. If you want to go back, you’ll press on the right.

As with most ereaders, this can be slow but Amazon claims it’s 20% faster than previous editions. It isn’t noticeably faster on this edition, but it does feel smooth and it’s unlikely to be something you find frustrating.

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2021?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

First published: February 2022

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2021) review

10:30 pm | November 19, 2021

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

Editor's Note

• Original review date: November 2021
• No refresh on the horizon
• Launch price: $189 / £179 / AU$289
• Official price now: $189 / £179 / AU$299

Updated: January 2024. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition still fills the gab between the standard Paperwhite and the ageing Kindle Oasis. And it remains one of the ereaders to get if your an audiobook fan thanks to its 32GB of onboard storage as standard. If you can do without the extra space then you can save a bit by going for the standard Kindle Paperwhite. Overall the prices have remains broadly the same as they were at launch outside of sales events like Black Friday, only the price appears to have increased a bit in Australia. For 2024, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is still an ereader worth considering, but do think about whether you really need its few extra features over cheaper Kindle models. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021: Two-minute review

Among Amazon’s current ereaders, the new Kindle Paperwhite (2021) is a middle-of-the-road model that has everything you need to read – but the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has just a little bit more.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is essentially a rebranded version of the previous Paperwhite’s higher-storage configuration, with those aforementioned extras (wireless charging and an auto-sensing screen dimmer). We don’t feel the bonus perks justify the Signature Edition’s significantly higher price, but if someone did want to pay for more features, this is the model to choose.

The Signature Edition has the same design as the standard Kindle Paperwhite 2021, which is the first upgrade on the ereader since 2018. Both versions have some obvious improvements from the 2018 ereader, like smaller bezels around the screen and a bigger 6.8-inch display (up from six inches on their predecessor).

While the 2021 ereader doesn’t have a drastically different visual design than its predecessor, keeping the E Ink front display and plastic back, Amazon claims the screen is 10% brighter at maximum brightness than the 2018 model, though it keeps the same 300 pixels per inch density.

Kindle fans will cheer the addition of some long overdue Paperwhite upgrades including the swap out of the micro-USB for a USB-C charging port. The battery life has also increased to 10 weeks, per Amazon’s claims, which is significantly longer than the six weeks we got with the 2018 Paperwhite.

The Kindle Paperwhite 2021 still starts at 8GB of storage, which is enough space for plenty of books and some additional media. If you want the larger 32GB option, go with the Signature Edition.

The Signature Edition is an improvement for an ereader slightly more affordable than the luxe Kindle Oasis, especially with the wireless charging – a feature even the pricier model lacks.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021 review: Price and release date

The Kindle Paperwhite 2021 remains Amazon’s mid-entry ereader, between the basic Kindle and the Kindle Oasis, and the Signature Edition is a pricier version that costs $189 (around £139 / AU$250). For that price, you get a higher internal storage (32GB) and some premium features like wireless charging and auto-adjusting brightness.

Given the extra features, it makes sense that the new Signature Edition got a price bump from the 32GB version of the 2018 Kindle Paperwhite, which retailed for $159 / £149 / AU$249. It still costs more than the standard Kindle Paperwhite 2021 with 8GB of storage, which has a price tag of $139 (around £100 / AU$190), but if you want more space for books and a bigger display for reading them, the Signature Edition is right for you.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021 review: Design and display

The new Kindle Paperwhite 2021 hasn’t changed much from its predecessor in terms of looks, as it’s still an E Ink front screen and plastic black. It’s still a flat slate with no buttons, so you’ll have to swipe and tap to navigate around the display. This is fine for those with the patience to withstand the slow transitions when turning a page, but it can be annoying for faster readers trying to get through a real page-turner.

If you want buttons, you’ll want to opt for the Kindle Oasis, a more expensive model than the Signature Edition. But you should know that the Oasis hasn’t been updated since 2019, so the new Signature Edition has upgrades that its more expensive sibling lacks (the aforementioned wireless charging and an auto-dimmer).

New in the 2021 Paperwhites is a USB-C port at the bottom, which replaced the aging micro USB. Next to the port is the power button, which really only gets in the way if you’re standing the ereader up (say, for some product photos), so you’re unlikely to accidentally bump it and power off your device.

As previously mentioned, the new Kindle Paperwhite 2021 has a 6.8-inch E Ink display, which is noticeably larger than the 6-inch screen on the 2018 Paperwhite. But don’t expect the 2021 display to be any sharper since it still has the same 300 pixels per inch density.

Still, text is displayed clearly on the ereader. The Paperwhite’s front light allows users to read in the dark without harsh blue light. The ereader also features an adjustable warm light and a white-on-black dark mode to ease eye strain for those reading in dim surroundings.

The Paperwhite has an IPX8 waterproof rating (but no dust resistance), which means it can be submerged up to two meters for an hour – enough to save it from accidental spills or dips into the pool, but don’t leave it in water for too long.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021 review: Reading

Like most ereaders, the Kindle Paperwhite 2021 has a non-glossy E Ink display that looks like paper. This means reading on a Kindle is easier on the eyes than reading books or viewing media on the LCD or OLED displays on tablets. The Paperwhite is also easy to hold, and pretty light at 205g (the Signature Edition is only slightly heavier at 208g). These Paperwhites are only a bit heavier than most smartphones.

The Paperwhite 2021 has Amazon’s Kindle operating system and interface, with simplified swipe navigation and an animation when turning pages. Unlike other ereaders that have buttons for getting around, you’ll only be able to swipe when navigating the Paperwhite.

Being restricted to swiping can be annoying if you’re used to different ereader interfaces. Even the smartphone Kindle app has different touch controls: tap on the center of the screen and you’ll bring up menu and navigation bars when reading on a phone. With the Signature Edition, you’ll need to tap the top of the display.

The Paperwhite also features Amazon’s assortment of reading tools: you can look up word definitions, sync pages between Kindle devices and apps via the Whispersync feature, and keep track of characters and terms with X-Ray. Note that these features are only available for ereader formats, though there are limited format, sizing, and font choices for other file formats like PDFs.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition packs 32GB of storage, but with the OS and other core data taking up space, you’ll have about 27GB for storing media. Still, books usually only take up around 1MB apiece, so you can conceivably store tens of thousands of works without any issues. We downloaded our entire Kindle library and didn’t even use up a single gigabyte (full disclosure, we don’t have a lot of large-file formats like audiobooks or graphic novels).

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021 review: Battery life

Amazon claims that the Kindle Paperwhite lasts up to 10 weeks on a full charge. Whether that holds true for you will depend on various factors. In our experience, we were able to drain 4% in a 24-hour period by keeping the display at maximum brightness while we casually read. Under those conditions, the battery wouldn’t last longer than about 3.5 weeks without a charge. The battery range can also fluctuate depending on other factors, including the length of reading sessions.

Suffice it to say that it’s tough to fully verify Amazon’s claims, but using energy-saving methods like keeping brightness down and keeping the Power Saver mode switched on (on by default) will definitely help the battery to last longer.

The ereader includes a USB-C cable in the box, but not a wall charger – you’ll have to supply that yourself. The maximum charge speed of 9W isn’t that fast compared to other devices, but it might not be necessary to have a faster one since you can fully charge the device in about 2.5 hours, according to Amazon estimates.

Exclusive to the Signature Edition is wireless charging, which is compatible with any Qi charger, but it can be finicky to get working. We were able to charge our device on a pad sometimes, but at other times we couldn’t get it in the right position to allow the wireless charger to do it’s thing.

Should you buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

Buy it if…

You want a sleeker ereader with less bezel

The Paperwhite 2021 design is a step up from the 2018 model, with thinner bezels and a larger 6.8-inch display. The new model looks a bit sharper, too.

You want more storage space on your ereader

While you could surely store a ton of books in the 8GB standard Kindle Paperwhite 2021, the Signature Edition’s 32GB storage ensures enough space for plenty of audiobooks and graphic novels, too.

You want more premium ereader perks at a (relatively) lower price

The Signature Edition has several perks like USB-C, wireless charging, and an auto-adjusting display that not even the more expensive Kindle Oasis has, making this a more enticing option (if you don’t need button navigation).

Don’t buy it if…

You want to read comics (or anything in color) on your ereader

E-Ink screens like on the Signature Edition are monochrome, which is great for battery life but not for media that deserves to be seen in color, like comic books. If you like colorful graphic novels and vivid comic books, opt for a traditional tablet like the Amazon Fire HD 8 or even a cheap iPad.

You want a more premium-feeling ereader

The Signature Edition has smaller bezels, but still the same plastic case and back. If you want a more premium ereader, pick up the pricier Kindle Oasis (which has a more refined metal frame).

You want an ereader that’s easier to hold in one hand

The Signature Edition has a symmetric design that looks nice, but can be tough to use one-handed. If you like reading on the go or while you cook, opt for the Kindle Oasis or the Kobo Libra H20, both of which have asymmetric layouts conducive to holding with one hand.

First reviewed: November 2021

Amazon Kindle Oasis review

2:53 pm | November 17, 2021

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

Editor's Note

• Original review date: August 2019
• No refresh on the horizon
• Launch price: $249 / £229 / AU$399
• Now with limited availability

Updated: January 2024. One of the most expensive Kindle devices around, the Amazon Kindle Oasis remains one of the best premium ereaders around. It's a little long in the tooth now, having been released way back in 2019. But with no refresh on the horizon, likely due the the Kindle Paperwhite offering a great ereader experience, the Oasis is still relevant in 2024. It's availability appears to be limited however, so you may have to go hunting to find it in some regions. Nevertheless, the Kindle Oasis is still worth your consideration, though for most people the Paperwhite may be the better bet. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Amazon Kindle Oasis: One-minute review

The Kindle Oasis devices are Amazon's top-of-the-line ereaders, and the most recent one is this 2019 model. If you want a luxury reading experience (and don’t want those large, expensive, lumps of dead tree known as a ‘book’), the Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019) is where you should look.

In Amazon's hierarchy, the base Amazon Kindle sits as the most affordable device, with its basic screen, limited storage space and few features, and the Kindle Paperwhite bumps up the screen resolution and storage space and adding a few tricks like waterproofing. This Oasis is technically the top Kindle, though the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has lots of its features and is two years newer.

The Oasis has a range of features you won’t find in lesser ereaders, like its high-quality display and the range of customization options for screen color and brightness. The fact that you’re plugged into the Amazon Store doesn’t hurt either.

But how much value do you put on this experience? Are you willing to splash out on such an expensive device when you’re going to have to buy the books on top? We think for many people the Kindle Oasis is going to be prohibitively expensive.

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Price and availability

Given the status of the Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019) as Amazon’s most premium ereader, you should be prepared to wince at its $249.99 / £229.99 / AU$399 / AED 999 price tag. That’s for 8GB onboard memory; if you want 32GB storage the price goes up to $279.99 / £259.99 / AU$449 / AED 1,099.

There’s also a version with 32GB memory and free 4G for downloading books on the go in limited markets, which will set you back $349.99 / £319.99 / AU$559.

In comparison, the base Kindle costs $89.99 / £69.99 / AU$139 / AED359 for 4GB storage, and the Kindle Paperwhite will set you back $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$199 / AED649 for 8GB memory, so even the cheapest Oasis is still a big step up from the Paperwhite.

DEAL: try Kindle Unlimited for FREE in USA | UK | Australia

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Design

The Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019) doesn’t follow the mini-tablet design of most ereaders – one half of the device is noticeable thicker than the other, which gives you a ridge down the back so that it’s easier to hold (in theory).

In practice, we found the ridge wasn’t quite thick enough to offer a comfortable hold – at 8.4mm thick, it’s only 5mm thicker than the 3.4mm of the main body, which doesn’t provide a deep enough ridge to really get your fingers into. We found the Kindle Oasis a little hard to hold when only using this ridge, so we wouldn’t recommend it depending on what position you like to sit in to read.

The Kindle Oasis (2019)’s other dimensions are 159 x 141mm, so it wouldn’t be big compared to a tablet, but its display is bigger than those of the other Kindles – more on the display later.

One of the more ‘premium’ features of the device is the metal build, which you won’t find in other Kindles. This makes it feel more hardy, which offsets the fact the 3.4mm part of the device, and its relatively lightweight of 188g, can make it feel a little delicate – the overall effect is a device the looks and feels sleek.

The device is also water resistant, with its IPX8 rating meaning that in theory it can survive being immersed in two metres of water for a whole hour. We can’t imagine that you’d want to take it underwater for that long, but it’ll certainly be fine if you accidentally drop it in the bath while reading, or get it splashed here and there.

Something a little less premium is the micro USB charging port, as most tablets and smartphones have done away with it in favor of USB-C, which is faster for charging. You’re not going to be using that much power with an ereader, so it’s not a huge issue, but we could do without the inconvenience of swapping out the charging cables we use for the rest of our devices.

There’s no 3.5mm headphone jack either, nor loudspeakers, so if you want to listen to audiobooks you’re going to need to use Bluetooth headphones or speakers.

There are two buttons on the right of the Kindle Oasis, used for skipping forward or backwards through pages. It felt a lot more snappy using these to turn pages than touching the screen, due both to the fact they’re in positions that fall naturally under the fingers, and also because pages turned quicker when we pressed the buttons than when we touched the screen.

There were occasions, however, when the buttons didn’t register our touch, and other times they did but the device stuttered before the next page loaded, prompting us to press again then accidentally skip pages. This often happened when reading books that were complicated in terms of their layout and design, like comic books and our own PDFs, and we didn’t notice it as much for text-based books.

It’s worth noting that for the most part, the design is exactly the same as the previous generation of Kindle Oasis, and that ereader costs quite a bit less now.

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Display

The display is where you’re seeing the main improvements on the Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019), as there are quite a few additions and changes that improve its quality, and the reading experience.

The display is 7 inches diagonally, which is bigger than the 6-inch screens in the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite, so you can fit more words or comic book frames on the screen at once, and it’s also higher quality, with 300 pixels per inch, so content looks good too.

This screen is backlit by 25 LEDs, a big jump over the 12 LEDs in the 2017 Kindle Oasis, and you can see the different – max brightness is really high, so you can read in a variety of situations, and there’s better contrast between light and dark, which makes comic books in particular more vivid.

The brightness can be changed through the easily-accessible settings menu, but there’s also the option to have it automatically change depending on your environment, as on many smartphones.

It’s in the settings menu that you’ll find another of the Kindle Oasis’ big new features, in the form of the ‘warmness’ light setting. This gives the display an orange hue, which makes it more comfortable to look at during night-time reading, and protects your eyes over long reading binges.

The feature is primarily designed to make it more comfortable to read at night, but we also found that when we used it on a low setting we could read more easily in daylight. There’s not a huge range when you change the warmth, but it’s an appreciated upgrade anyway.

The refresh rate of the screen is appropriate – being an ereader display, you’re not seeing as snappy a refresh as on a smartphone screen, but it was far from slow. When zooming into parts of a document we could see the zoom increments, and this made it easier to zoom to the right part of the file.

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Battery life

Amazon estimates that the battery in the Kindle Oasis (2019) will last you for six weeks, but that’s with a few caveats: to achieve that figure you’ll need to limit your reading to half an hour a day, keep Bluetooth turned off, and the brightness setting on 13, which is roughly half brightness.

While that might sound slightly limiting, in practice, if you’re going to be reading for an hour or so daily, and with the display a little brighter than Amazon recommends, your ereader is still going to take a fair few weeks to run flat, and this is exactly what we found in our testing.

We read for a good two-three hours daily, and it took about a week for the battery to drop down to 50% – that’s roughly the rate of battery consumption quoted by Amazon. In short, the battery life is pretty impressive – this thing will last you for ages.

This is one of the perks of E Ink, as the tech uses barely any battery power to show content on the screen, and it’s certainly an eco-friendly alternative to reading books on your smartphone.

Charging via the micro USB port isn’t exactly snappy though – we found it took a few hours to charge the Oasis up to full power, but this doesn’t really matter too much if you’re only going to be powering up once in a blue moon.

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Software

The Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019) runs on software that’s very tightly integrated with the Amazon Store – so much so that it can be easy to get confused between which books you own as part of your library, and which are suggestions from Amazon.

Once you get the hang of the software, though, it’s easy to find your way between the home page, your library, the settings, the store, and everything else you’ll need.

As is the case with ereaders in general, it’s not the snappiest device in the world, and it can often take quite a while to navigate through menus. This sluggishness can be particularly annoying when you’re trying to type, but it’s a price you pay for using a device that’s optimized for reading books rather than for smooth navigation of the user interface.

cheap kindle oasis sale prices deals — (Image credit: Amazon)

As on other Kindles, you there are a few useful features you’ll find in the Oasis that make it a useful reading tool. One of these is the ability to change text fonts for ebooks, so if you absolutely must read your books in a sans serif font, you’re set. You can also change the page spacing, margins, and orientation, to fully customize your reading experience.

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Features

The Amazon Store is the biggest collection of ebooks around, so you’re almost certainly going to find the fiction or non-fiction book, comic book or audiobook with relative ease.

If you’re a keen reader you may be interested in Amazon Kindle Unlimited, a subscription service available in some parts of the world that lets you ‘rent’ ebooks. It costs $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$13.99 per month, and you can download and store up to 10 books or comics at any one time, so it’s perfect for quick readers.

Kindle Unlimited is particularly good for fans of comic books and graphic novels, as those are typically quite quick to get through but the physical versions cost quite a bit; and the Kindle library has many of the classics, so you can use Kindle Unlimited to make your way through lots of titles quickly.

The selection of books on Kindle Unlimited is rather limited, certainly compared to the standard Kindle store, but it’s great for classic novels like War of the Worlds and 10,000 Leagues Under The Sea, as well as comic books, and a smattering of other titles you may not have heard of but might want to try.

Depending on your tastes and reading habits, Amazon Kindle Unlimited may or may not be worth the regular outlay for you, so do have a look at which titles are supported before you commit.

Alternatively, Amazon Prime members can use Prime Reading, which is like Prime Video in that it offers you free reading of certain ebooks as part of your Prime membership.

You can access both of these services from your Kindle or computer browser, as well as the standard library of books which you can buy, and overall we were able to find any book we wanted.

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Oasis?

The Amazon Kindle Oasis is for people who value their reading experience above all else, and are willing to throw a good chunk of money at a device that will deliver that experience.

Should you buy it?

If you’re in the market for a premium ereader you could do worse than the Amazon Kindle Oasis (2019), but it’s not much of a jump in quality over the previous-gen Amazon Kindle Oasis, which has now had a price reduction thanks to there being an upgrade on the market.

If the upgraded screen quality appeals to you, and you’re willing to stump up the cash for it, buy the new Kindle Oasis – but if you can take or leave those features, the older version will serve you just as well.

First reviewed: August 2019

DEAL: try Kindle Unlimited for FREE in USA | UK | Australia

Competition

Kindle Paperwhite

If the high price tag of the Kindle Oasis puts you off somewhat, then you might want to take a step down in the Kindle range and look at the Paperwhite. It’s a simpler device in terms of build quality and screen customization options, but it has all the features and functions of the Kindle, so you’ll be able to read your books just as easily.

Read our in-depth Kindle Paperwhite review

Kobo Forma

Kobo is one of the best-known competitors to Amazon, and the Forma is basically its equivalent of the Oasis. Kobo’s ebook store may not quite rival Amazon’s in terms of choice, but it’s a sturdy device with a very long battery life.

Read our in-depth Kobo Forma review

Google Play Books

You don’t need to pay for an ereader at all if you have a smartphone, as the Google Play Books app, which is available on Android and iOS devices, is free, and gives you access to millions of cheap or affordable books. Of course, your smartphone doesn’t make for as great a reading experience as an ereader, but it’s certainly a more economical solution.

reMarkable 2 review: still the best e-paper note-taking device money can buy

4:00 pm | August 27, 2020

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

reMarkable 2: Two-minute review

It was launched back in March 2020, but the reMarkable 2 is still one heck of an e-paper tablet. So I’m not surprised that the company hasn’t bothered to release a third iteration of this popular device, instead improving on the second-gen model via firmware updates.

When we updated our original review from 2020 in August 2022, the reMarkable 2 was already a vastly improved tablet over the original model and had features that didn’t exist when the second generation launched – like Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive integration, a document drawer, screen sharing, and notes for PDFs and ebooks. In December 2022, reMarkable rolled out version 3.0 of its firmware which, since then, has made the second-generation tablet even more, well, remarkable – prompting us to update the review again.

At its heart, it’s still the same device we fell in love with – designed for creating and syncing your ideas to the cloud so you can access them no matter where you are. All the features that got added to it over the years makes it hands-down the best note-taking tablet money can buy. Some of the newer features I’m particularly fond of include the handwriting-to-text conversion software, the checkboxes on todo lists that strikethrough tasks automatically, and support for the Type Folio that was announced in March 2023. This last accessory, in fact, makes the reMarkable 2 a fantastic E Ink laptop, complete with keyboard shortcuts, although the lack of a browser on the tablet limits its use.

The eraser on top of the Marker Plus stylus is also now more precise, and I think it’s the best e-paper tablet for signing documents, with absolutely no input lag. This is also what makes the reMarkable 2 a great digital sketch pad.

It’s also the most good-looking 10-inch tablet I’ve tested, arguably the thinnest too. The silver-grey trim on one bezel of the metal chassis and the barely-there power button make it look really sleek and premium. I also appreciate the little pads to protect the rear panel. And the matte finish on the rear camoflages most of the fingerprint smudges.

Without a bookstore or access to other applications, that’s essentially all the reMarkable 2 is good for and in its single-minded note-taking functionality, it excels. However, it takes time and patience to discover all the useful features. reMarkable has guides and tutorials online and on the device and they don’t even begin to scratch the surface.

What really sets its back is the lack of frontlighting for the screen, which means you can’t use it to read before bed with the lights off – something I love to do and am disappointed that the reMarkable 2 won’t allow for it.

It’s also an expensive device, especially when you take into account the cost of the accessories, including the replacement pen nibs – putting it out of reach of many users.

reMarkable 2 with Marker Plus stylus — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

reMarkable 2 review: price and availability

Announced March 2020
Launch price of $399 / £399 / AU$679 for the tablet + pen bundle
List price of $299 / AU$499 tablet only; sold as bundle for £379 in the UK

When the reMarkable 2 launched back in 2020, it was only available directly from the company as part of a bundle that also got you a Marker (as the stylus is called).

Now you can purchase the tablet on its own directly from the company in some markets – it’s $279 in the US and AU$469 in Australia. The pens will set you back $79 / AU$119 for the Marker and $129 / AU$199 for the Marker Plus, the latter featuring a matte finish and an eraser on the top.

For the UK, however, reMarkable is still listing bundles only, with the Marker bundle setting you back £379 and the Marker Plus bundle costing £419. In the US and Australia, the bundles cost upwards of $378 / AU$618, depending on which pen you choose. Add in a folio and that price increases.

The good news is that the reMarkable works with other capacitive styli, so you can buy just the tablet and find a cheaper pen for it but the Markers are part of what makes the writing experience the best there is.

At this price, the tablet will be a hard sell for some – it’s more expensive than the entry-level iPad, for instance, which offers vastly more functionality through its color screen, App Store access and full multimedia support. Given the Amazon Kindle Scribe and the Kobo Elipsa 2E feature not just note-taking, but also access to bookstores on a front-lit screen, they offer more value than the reMarkable 2 at their respective prices of $339 / £329 / AU$549 and $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$629.95. They have more onboard storage too.

But for artists and note-takers, the ReMarkable 2 is a unique and focused experience worth considering – it doesn’t do as much as Apple’s tablet by a long shot, but what it does do it does incredibly well.

• Value score: 3 / 5

reMarkable 2 with keyboard folio and Marker Plus stylus — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

reMarkable 2 review: specs

reMarkable 2 review: design and display

Sleek, minimalist design
Only 4.7mm thickness
Screen lacks lights

There was a time when the reMarkable tablet would have been a novelty, one of the first note-taking e-paper tablets to make it to market. Not so any longer with competition from Amazon, Kobo and Onyx. Despite that, the design of the reMarkable 2 is still arguably the best, making it one of the most beautiful e-paper tablets on the market with a minimalist aesthetic.

Measuring 187 x 246 x 4.7 mm, it’s still the world’s thinnest tablet and tips the scales at 403.5g, which is 30g lighter than the Amazon Kindle Scribe, although a smidge heavier than the Kobo Elipsa 2E that weighs in at 390g. You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in real-world use though, with the white bezels and the dark silver edge of its aluminum frame giving it an airier feel over its clunkier-looking Kobo counterpart. The Kindle Scribe also sports a metal chassis and yet looks a touch bland compared to the reMarkable 2, which really does exude some serious oomph in the looks department.

The move to an aluminum frame from plastic in the original reMarkable is particularly handy, as it lets the reMarkable 2 make use of magnetic accessories, such as snap-on covers, as well as the more recent keyboard folio.

The rear panel features four tiny, slightly-raised rubber feet that stop the tablet slipping when writing on a table. A small power button sits on the top-left edge, while a USB-C port mars the bottom left corner.

Image 1 of 4

A book cover displayed on the reMarkable 2 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 4

Branding on the reMarkable 2 Marker Plus stylus — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 3 of 4

Connector pins on the reMarkable 2 to attach to the keyboard folio — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 4 of 4

reMarkable 2 rear panel with pads and branding — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The flush screen is a 10.3-inch modified monochrome E Ink Carta display that reMarkable calls Canvas. It’s been optimized specifically for stylus input. With a 226ppi resolution, it’s decently sharp, although it now looks a little lackluster alongside the Kindle Scribe’s 300ppi E Ink Carta 1200 display. Still, it’s easy on the eye, with just enough friction to make you believe you could be writing on paper.

Where the reMarkable tablet disappoints is in the lack of lighting for the screen – there are no LEDs here, so you can’t use this in the dark like you can other e-ink tablets.

A stylus called a Marker is included if you buy a bundle and it magnetically secures to the right edge or on the top of the right bezel. It’s very finely textured to provide some grip and the more expensive Marker Plus includes an eraser on the top. Both pens are of a comfortable thickness and length, and superbly weighted for longer writing sessions. However, like a real pen, their tips don’t last forever. Though each pack comes with 10 replacements, you’ll need to change them out after three to seven weeks of use according to reMarkable’s website, or longer if you aren't constantly writing – but it's an additional cost that could soon add up.

• Design & display score: 4 / 5

Kindle Scribe and reMarkable 2 e ink writing tablets — Without a front-lit screen the reMarkable 2 (left) appears lackluster compared to the Amazon Kindle Scribe (right) (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

reMarkable 2 review: Software and user interface

Minimalist UX
Useful tools available to enhance note taking
Handy smartphone and desktop software

The reMarkable 2 has a near-singular purpose – to make writing on a digital device enjoyable and it pulls that off in great fashion. And its user interface reflects that singular purpose.

The Linux-based Codex operating system kicks off with a quick tutorial that has you set up a reMarkable account for cloud document syncing, and walks you through some quick tips on how to use the tablet, and then you hit the home screen.

It’s here where a grid of your documents is shown, which can be organized into folders, as well as letting you start off new Notebooks (which auto-populates with as many pages as you need) or a Quick Sheet which lets you quickly start jotting away in an instant.

Image 1 of 3

reMarkable 2 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 3

Notes sharing feature on the reMarkable 2 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 3 of 3

reMarkable 2 home screen setup — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

All pages can start either blank, or have one of 35 preset page templates applied to them, ranging from storyboards to perspective grids, week planners and simple lined, margined pages. You’re then able to scribble all over them, add layers and more, with multiple pen types and sizes ranging from charcoal-effect pencils to paint-brush strokes at your disposal. As you’d find with a computer drawing application, there are buttons to zoom in to fine details, make area selections and undo or redo stay line strokes. It’s a great, well-featured drawing experience.

Perhaps even more impressive though is the experience when you start writing. The reMarkable 2 supports and recognizes 33 languages, and can not only identify block letters, but cursive input too. This means that it can read and interpret your scratchy handwriting, and convert it into a text document that you can email for editing in a word processor later. It’s not perfect, and the clearer your handwriting and grammatical marks the better. It was able to recognize my handwriting well, and it can handle some spidery scrawls, but I think Kobo’s handwriting recognition is superior.

Annoyingly, however, the handwriting-to-text function is only supported on the tablet, meaning you’ll have to decipher your scribbles manually if you’re viewing them on the mobile or desktop interface.

These apps speedily sync with your tablet, and are available on iOS, Android, Mac and PC. Though they don’t support any handwriting entry themselves, they otherwise more or less mirror the tablet interface, with the addition of being able to import and export files to and from the tablet wirelessly.

A person writing notes on the reMarkable 2 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Anything you make using the reMarkable 2 can be shared over a Wi-Fi connection, with the tablet supporting both 2.4GHz and 5GHz standards. While you can email documents directly from the tablet, you’re likely going to find the reMarkable mobile and desktop software more useful.

There are a heck of a lot of features that need a little delving into. For example, there's a Checklist feature that automatically strikesthrough an item you've finished when you select it, but figuring out how that works is not immediately clear. That said, reMarkable does have handy guides you can use to get started comfortably.

However, the reMarkable 2, like its predecessor, remains at its weakest as an e-reader. Though there are no complaints about the legibility of the screen, its feature set (beyond the novelty of being able to mark up a book) is limited – there’s no ebook store, so titles will have to be sideloaded using the accompanying apps. There are no bookmarking features, no dictionary definitions, nor any quick ways to jump back and forth between particular pages aside from scrolling through them as a list. Yes, you can read a novel on the reMarkable 2, and its large screen size will make it comfortable to do so – just don’t expect the mod cons you’d get from, say, an Amazon Kindle or a Kobo.

With no book store to tap into, it’s the apps that let you send eBooks and documents to your device too. But you’re limited to just ePUB and PDF file types – anything else will need to be converted prior to sending, which is a pain considering the prevalence of .doc file types in the workplace.

The reMarkable does support a Chrome Extension however, which will let you easily convert and send articles to your device for reading – a welcome, efficient way of getting new content onto your device.

• Software & user interface score: 4 / 5

Checklists feature on the reMarkable 2 — The Checklist feature on the reMarkable 2 is handy but it's not immediately clear how it works (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

reMarkable 2 review: Performance

Near-instant pen input
Works very well with keyboard folio
Good battery life

The reMarkable 2 excels in helping you go completely paperless when it comes to note-taking, whether it’s using the Marker pens or the optional keyboard folio. It’s a speedy interface overall, with even complex PDF files opening and ready to browse quickly.

The Markers are pressure sensitive and can work on a 50º angle for shading for those who want to get creative. There’s just enough friction here to make you believe you’re writing or sketching on paper.

Strokes are accurately inputted to the finest detail, and the lag between your movements being relayed on the screen is nearly nonexistent. That’s thanks to the combination of the 1.2GHz dual-core ARM processor under the hood and the 1GB of LPDDR3 SDRAM (or system memory if you’re wondering what all those letters mean) – these may not seem like much but, for just reading and note-taking, that’s plenty.

Even the Marker Plus’ eraser works a treat, although I found the Kindle Scribe’s Pen and the Kobo Stylus 2 to be a teensy bit more precise, but that’s me nitpicking.

Notebook settings on the reMarkable 2 — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

While writing on the reMarkable is a wonderful experience, reading isn’t as pleasurable. The roundabout way to sideload ebooks is the first thing that put me off using it as an ereader, but the lack of a light is my biggest complaint with this tablet. Moreover, there is no tap-to-turn page function on the reMarkable, you need to swipe, which isn’t the easiest of gestures if you’re trying to use the 10.3-inch tablet in one hand. There aren’t very many customization options for reading either, which really goes to show the reMarkable 2 was made specifically for writing.

8GB of internal storage is good for about 100,000 pages of notes, while USB-C charging of the 3,000mAh battery can give up to two weeks of usage between charges, based on two straight hours of use per day with Wi-Fi connection over a five-day working week.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the reMarkable 2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

If our reMarkable 2 review hasn’t sold you on the product, then consider the two other options listed below. We’ve also included a table comparing their respectives specs and prices alongside the reMarkable 2.

How I tested the reMarkarble 2

Used over a period of about 6 weeks for approximately 30 minutes to an hour each day
Made all my work-related notes on its during the testing period
Also typed an article using the optional keyboard folio

Given the reMarkable 2 is more a writing tablet than an ereader, I used it extensively to jot down notes while at work and at home. It was where I listed article ideas and also typed out an entire one that discussed the sustainability of ebooks vs paperbacks.

I did also sideload some ebooks in the EPUB format via the desktop interface, but the lack of a front-lit screen prevented me from using the reMarkable 2 as a reading tablet. I did spend about 45 minutes over my entire testing period using it as such though.

To test all the writing features, I created tags to search and filter my notes and articles and emailed documents to myself. I also used it to sign a work-related PDF document that I was able to email back to my work account.

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C: Two-minute review

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: price and availability

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C key specs

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: Design and display

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: software and user interface

Onyx Boox Tab Mini C review: Performance

Should I buy the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Onyx Boox Tab Mini C

Editor's Note

Amazon Kindle (2022): One-minute review

Kindle (2022) review: Price and availability

Kindle (2022) review: Design and display

Kindle (2022) review: Specs and performance

Kindle (2022) review: Battery life

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle (2022)?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Amazon Kindle (2022) report card

Also consider...

How we test

Editor's Note

Scribd with Everand: One-minute review

Scribd with Everand review: price and availability

Scribd with Everand review: Content library

Scribd content library

SlideShare content library

Scribd with Everand review: user experience

Should I subscribe to Scribd with Everand?

Subscribe if...

Don't subscribe if...

Also consider

Editor's Note

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite: Two-minute review

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Price and release date

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Design and display

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Reading

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Battery life

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite review: Software

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2021?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Editor's Note

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021: Two-minute review

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021 review: Price and release date

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021 review: Design and display

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021 review: Reading

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2021 review: Battery life

Should you buy the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Editor's Note

Amazon Kindle Oasis: One-minute review

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Price and availability

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Design

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Display

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Battery life

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Software

Amazon Kindle Oasis review: Features

Should I buy the Amazon Kindle Oasis?

Should you buy it?

Competition

Kindle Paperwhite

Kobo Forma

Google Play Books

reMarkable 2: Two-minute review

reMarkable 2 review: price and availability

reMarkable 2 review: specs

reMarkable 2 review: design and display

reMarkable 2 review: Software and user interface

reMarkable 2 review: Performance

Should I buy the reMarkable 2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the reMarkarble 2

Recent Posts

Archives