As the Section Editor for Digital Trends’ Mobile team, the way I use smartphones, tablets, and other devices is a bit chaotic. I get something new in to review, I test it out for a while, and then I have to put it away to focus on whatever is next. That means I rarely have time to keep using one specific device for very long at a time.
But there’s one gadget that’s completely broken this rule. It’s the Amazon Kindle Scribe — Amazon’s weird tablet/e-reader/notetaking hybrid device. It’s on sale right now for Black Friday 2023, with Best Buy selling the Kindle Scribe for just $280 — a massive $110 discount from its normal $390 asking price. This is the model with 32GB of storage and Amazon’s Premium Pen stylus.
The Kindle Scribe is unlike most other tablets available today. It doesn’t run Android, it’s not very good at web browsing, and you can’t download apps on it. However, it’s the best Kindle e-reader and notetaking machine I’ve ever used. I started using the Kindle Scribe in November 2022, and fast forward to a year later, I’ve continued to use it every single day without fail.
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You get a 10.2-inch e-ink display on the Kindle Scribe — the biggest of any Kindle available today. It lets you easily read e-books with less scrolling, and thanks to 300 pixels per inch, text is razor-sharp. There’s also an automatic front light, meaning the screen automatically gets brighter or darker depending on your room. Combine that with an adjustable warm light to change the color temperature of the screen, and it’s one of the best you’ll find on a tablet e-reader like this.
This all creates a lovely reading experience, but that’s only part of the reason I love the Kindle Scribe so much. In addition to being my primary reading device, the Kindle Scribe is also what I use to take notes throughout each workday.
From jotting down notes during a press briefing to managing my daily to-do list, writing on the Kindle Scribe with the included stylus is an incredible experience. I’ve also lost track of how many times I’ve sent a PDF to the Scribe so I can quickly sign documents for work.
A subtle texture on the screen adds some resistance to the stylus, mimicking the feel of writing on paper with a pencil. There’s also zero lag when you’re writing, and you can choose from a variety of pen styles — including pen, fountain pen, marker, and pencil. And if you want to erase something you wrote, just flip the stylus over and drag the bottom of it over what you wrote. You know, just like a real eraser.
Compared to more traditional tablets — like an iPad or Amazon’s own Fire Max 11 — the Kindle Scribe is much more limited. But that’s precisely why I love it so much. When I use the Kindle Scribe, I know I’m only going to do one of two things: read a book or take notes. There’s no risk of getting distracted by scrolling through Instagram, watching YouTube, or playing Marvel Snap,
I’d happily buy the Kindle Scribe with the Premium Pen over and over again at its $390 MSRP. If you’re in the market for a tablet right now and are open to something a bit different from the norm, $280 for the Amazon Kindle Scribe is one of the very best tablet deals you can find.
Editor’s Recommendations
