The best digital notebooks 2025: I tested notebooks from almost every price point

3 days ago 9
allison-murray

Whether you're a student or a moving professional, a integer notepad is simply a sleek solution to organizing notes effectively. With a integer transcript of your notes, you tin easy stock and person speedy entree to your writing. 

Our apical pick, the Boox Note Air 4 C, captures this feeling acknowledgment to its paper-like penning feel, transcription functions, and portable capabilities. Other awesome physics notebooks similar the Kindle Scribe, with its included pen, awesome artillery life, and Microsoft suite compatibility, are comparable to our apical pick. The champion integer notebooks volition support tasks and notes organized to your liking. 

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What is the champion integer notebook close now? 

To assistance you determine which astute notebooks are worthy the investment, we tested and researched the champion ones connected the market. We considered the device's wide feel, retention capabilities and options, peculiar features, and price. Based connected our hands-on experience, our prime for the champion astute notebook wide is the Boox Note Air 4 C thanks to its notetaking and productivity features and creaseless colour display. We besides included notebooks from brands similar Kindle, Rocketbook, and different brands that ZDNET unit usage and recommend. 

Also: Best Windows tablet successful 2025

The champion astute notebooks of 2025

Why we similar it: Based connected ZDNET's hands-on acquisition with the Boox Note Air 4 C, it is the champion astute notebook. While it doesn't person arsenic crisp a colour show arsenic a accepted tablet similar an iPad, this tablet's intent is for notetaking, and it does an fantabulous job. 

It has each the champion features of the champion apps, similar templates, audio recording, color-coding, inserting links and attachments to notes, and more. Plus, built-in artificial quality allows for substance recognition, signifier perfection, and a strikethrough erase diagnostic that makes erasing overmuch easier.

Some of its standout features heighten your productivity, similar the divided surface diagnostic that allows you to power betwixt 2 antithetic apps, truthful you tin instrumentality notes connected 1 broadside portion speechmaking an nonfiction connected the other. 

Review: Boox Note Air 4 C

Who it's for: In addition, if you request to usage this tablet for schoolhouse oregon work, you tin easy nonstop files to the tablet from your machine oregon smartphone utilizing BOOXdrop. It takes specified seconds, and you tin easy annotate PDFs and different Word documents. One Reddit idiosyncratic noted that the tablet is outstanding successful presumption of PDF files.

Who should look elsewhere: This Boox tablet is not cheap. In fact, it's a batch pricer than the cheapest iPad astatine $530. Those who are connected a fund should astir apt steer clear, arsenic determination are options that are cheaper and volition bash the occupation conscionable arsenic good, if not better. Plus, the included pen is precise bulky and is hard to support fastened to the tablet. 

Boox Note Air 4 C tech specs: Colors: Black | Storage: 64GB | Display: 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display, 1240 x 930 (150 PPI) for colour and 2480 x 1860 (300 PPI) for achromatic and achromatic | Connectivity: Wi-Fi + BT 5.1

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Why we similar it: The Rocketbook Fusion Smart Notebook has versatile leafage and template options for lone $40. The notebook's synthetic insubstantial allows you to constitute with the included Pilot FriXion pen, past hitch the leafage cleanable with a damp cloth to reuse it repeatedly.

In addition, you tin prevention your pages to the Rocketbook app's unreality by tapping your pen connected the icon astatine the bottommost of the leafage to marque them casual to find later.

Also: Best fund tablet of 2025: High quality, debased costs

Who it's for: I person gone hands-on with the Rocketbook Fusion. It scratches that itch of restitution erstwhile hand-writing notes/to-do lists portion besides letting maine cheque those lists via the app erstwhile I'm retired and about. I besides appreciated the antithetic leafage styles specified arsenic play and monthly planners, extremity setting, task trackers, an ideas page, dot grids, and lined pages. The Rocketbook Fusion meant I could transportation astir 1 notebook alternatively of three. 

Amazon customers who person bought and reviewed this astute notebook besides hold that the Rocketbook Fusion's easiness of use, quality, organization, performance, and penning acquisition marque it a large fund option. 

Who should look elsewhere: Sometimes, the ink smudges, and if you property hard enough, the pen tin indent the pages. Plus, if you're looking to bash enactment connected a much accepted tablet, this whitethorn not beryllium for you. Although this enactment is the astir environmentally friendly, and is besides 1 of the astir portable options. 

Rocketbook Fusion features: Color options: Nine | Pages: 42 | Page styles: Seven

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Why we similar it: The precocious updated Kindle Scribe is possibly the cleanable illustration of an e-reader-tablet hybrid to fulfill your reading and notetaking needs. Its updated AI features see a caller show with flush achromatic borders and a paper-like texture, and Active Canvas -- a caller acquisition for taking notes successful books. 

The Active Canvas allows you to instrumentality notes and scribble your thoughts straight onto the pages of your book. ZDNET exertion Kyle Kucharski enactment the Active Canvas to the trial and appreciated the diagnostic arsenic an avid note-taker. 

Read the review: The Kindle Scribe is the E Ink tablet I urge most

"The chill plan constituent present is that the notes you gully with the cookware beryllium connected different 'layer' than the publication text, allowing you to edit what you constitute without messing with the substance successful the book," Kucharski wrote successful his review. "I really recovered that I preferred utilizing the sticky notes function, which drops a tiny icon connected the substance that, erstwhile tapped, opens up a floating model with your notes that tin past beryllium closed."

Who it's for: The device's AI features tin besides summarize up to 15 pages successful a notebook, neatly extracting cardinal takeaways from the text. It tin besides transcribe handwritten notes into text, which mightiness payment those with questionably legible handwriting. 

The Kindle Scribe present comes with the Premium Pen, a measurement up from the Basic Pen, with tools similar a dedicated eraser and a shortcut button.

Who should look elsewhere: A batch of these features person a flimsy learning curve, making it a spot hard to maestro quickly. If you privation thing much familiar, a antithetic tablet oregon enactment whitethorn suit you more. Not to mention, the Scribe's is simply a small pricey, truthful you whitethorn not privation to tummy that terms tag. 

Amazon Kinde Scribe tech specs: Display: 10.2-inch 300 ppi Paperwhite show | Storage: 16 GB, 32 GB, oregon 64 GB | Weight: 15.3 ounces | Dimensions: 7.7 x 9.0 x .22 inches | Connections: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C | Battery life: Up to 12 weeks (at 30 minutes per day)

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Why we similar it: The Rocketbook Core has go the notebook I popular successful my purse oregon tote. If you're similar me, the champion mode to usage a notebook is to transportation it astir with you and constitute down thing that comes to mind. For example, my moving database of restaurants successful my country that I request to try. Or my database of things that bring maine joy, with items specified arsenic watching Wes Anderson films and making dill ranch from scratch. 

Who it's for: The astonishing happening astir the Rocketbook is that you truly ne'er tally retired of pages. When my lists commencement to overflow the page, I tin simply scan them with my telephone and upload them to the bigger moving lists connected my Google Drive. And erstwhile they're uploaded, the ink connected the leafage tin beryllium wiped distant with a damp cloth. It combines tech and contented successful a mode that inactive stimulates my brain, but keeps maine organized. And it's a triumph for the environment, arsenic you're utilizing little paper. 

Who should look elsewhere: My lone issues with the notebook were the smudging I encountered whilst passionately penning successful the notebook. The pen that comes with it needs a fewer moments to afloat dry, truthful it smears, particularly if you property down hard erstwhile you constitute similar I do. It besides lone comes with achromatic ink, truthful if you privation much color, you'll person to bargain much pens from the Pilot Frixion line, arsenic those are the pens that are compatible with the notebook. This Rocketbook Core size is tinier than its siblings; this notebook does amended with planning, lists, and doodles alternatively than a vas for notes during lecture. If you request it for class, I would urge getting the bigger size. However, it inactive works dang good, and I'll beryllium keeping it successful my purse for the clip being.

Rocketbook Core features: Color options: Ten | Pages: 12 | Page layouts: Dot grid and lined | Sizes: Letter and executive

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Why we similar it: If you admit the look and consciousness of Moleskine notebooks, past the company's Pen+ Smart Writing acceptable is the close astute notebook for you. 

The notebook features the signature dotted Moleskine leafage successful a "paper tablet" format, truthful the pages are tucked successful betwixt a sturdy tablet-like design. Ncoded exertion is embedded wrong each page, which enables the accompanying astute pen to admit wherever it is wrong the notebook and to transportation each your freehand notes from leafage to surface successful real-time.

Who it's for: You tin upload oregon stock your notes digitally done the Moleskine Notes app and stock them to Google Drive oregon Evernote. In addition, you tin usage the pen to grounds audio that lines up with what you've written, creating a multimedia note-taking experience.

Read the review: Moleskine Pen+ Ellipse: Smart note-taking cuts retired integer distractions

ZDNET enactment the Moleskine Pen+ to the trial and peculiarly appreciated the replay option, which allows you to re-run however your notes came together. "This mightiness not look precise utile for elemental note-taking," Steve Ranger, who wrote the review, said, "but if you're drafting oregon brainstorming, it's truly rather useful to spot however an representation oregon a acceptable of ideas travel together." 

Who should look elsewhere: We thought that artists, successful particular, whitethorn find playback utile to spot however their drafting process evolved. Customers who person bought the Moleskine agree, saying it's large for sketching, but cautions that the transcription process is simply a small slow. 

Moleskine Pen+ features: Color options: Black | Pages: 176 | Page styles: Ruled and dot grid

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Why we similar it: Those diligent note-takers looking to truly splurge connected a astute reusable notebook should see the reMarkable 2. This notebook is much of a large-screen tablet with a low-latency E-Ink penning acquisition that makes you consciousness similar you're penning connected insubstantial alternatively than connected a tablet screen. In addition, with reMarkable's Connect unreality app, you get entree to standout features similar surface sharing, handwriting conversion, and unlimited unreality storage.

Read the review: reMarkable 2 E-Ink tablet: Superb for on-screen writing, but cardinal features are inactive missing

Who it's for: ZDNET contributor Sandra Vogel was impressed with however it felt penning successful the notebook. "There's a 'gritty' consciousness to utilizing the stylus on-screen that's not dissimilar penning connected paper," she said. "Both styluses enactment 4,096 unit levels, and determination are plentifulness of pen choices and ink thicknesses to prime from."

The reMarkable 2 comes with the enactment of either the Marker oregon Marker Plus pen, which doesn't request charging and has a built-in eraser (only successful the Marker Plus). Customers complaint this astute notebook 4.6 retired of 5, citing its usage arsenic an organizational instrumentality for students and professionals alike.

Who should look elsewhere: There are a fewer caveats, though. There is nary backlight, truthful it whitethorn not beryllium perfect successful low-light areas oregon dimly lit lectures. It's besides costly for the constricted functions it has. For example, you can't link with your library's ebook system.  

reMarkable 2 features: Color options: Black, blue, red, gray, and achromatic | Storage: 8GB interior retention | Pages: Stores astir 100,000 pages | Resolution: 1872 x 1404 

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The champion astute notebook is the Boox Note Air 4 C. I made this prime based connected its prime for the price, mean rating, and standout features it offers, specified arsenic templates, split-screen, substance recognition, and more.

Smart notebook
PricePages/Storage
Boox Note Air 4 C$53064GB
Rocketbook Fusion$3842 pages
Kindle Scribe$40016GB, 32GB, oregon 64GB
Rocketbook Core$3212 pages
Moleskine Pen+ Smart Writing Set$279176 pages
reMarkable 2$400Stores astir 100,000 pages

*MSRP astatine the clip of writing. Please enactment that existent prices whitethorn alteration depending connected disposable sales, deals, discounts, and coupons.

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While immoderate of these astute notebooks are large options, it yet comes down to what size notebook you want, what benignant of notes you volition take, and what terms you're consenting to spend.

Choose this astute notebook...If you want...
Boox Note Air 4 CThe champion wide option. Its included templates and colour e-ink surface marque it a productive device.
Rocketbook FusionA budget-friendly astute notebook. It has 42 pages and 7 leafage styles for you to capable up.
Kindle ScribeA astute notebook that's besides a large speechmaking tablet. You tin easy marque notes wrong the books you're reading.
Rocketbook CoreA portable, reusable notebook that's environmentally friendly.
Moleskine Pen+ Smart Writing SetA stylish astute notebook from a classical brand. You tin adjacent grounds audio notes.
reMarkable 2A astute notebook packed with plentifulness of features worthy the splurge. You'll consciousness similar you're penning connected existent insubstantial acknowledgment to the low-latency E-Ink penning experience.

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If you're connected the obstruction astir buying your archetypal tablet:

  1. What precisely is simply a integer notebook?
    The sole intent of a astute notebook is precisely that: to digitize a mean notebook. A astute notebook volition heighten your basal note-taking acquisition to different level with amended handwriting integration and unreality services.
  2. What's the quality betwixt a integer notebook and a tablet? 

    A tablet usually runs connected a mobile operating strategy and offers a wider scope of functions specified arsenic browsing the web, multimedia, gaming, and different tasks. A integer notebook is much niche and designed specifically for note-taking and integer penning tasks. 

  3. Is a integer notebook worthy it?
    You tin find a integer notebook for good nether $20, making it a beauteous budget-friendly enactment for students oregon anyone looking to signifier their notes without breaking the bank. However, if you similar for each your devices to beryllium accordant successful presumption of software, past you mightiness beryllium amended disconnected spending a small much for a tablet.  

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When you're deciding which astute notebook to buy, deliberation astir the pursuing important factors: 

  • Notebook feel: Does the notebook person a accepted notebook feel? Does it person a solution that makes it consciousness much similar a tablet arsenic opposed to a notebook, oregon an due latency?
  • Storage capabilities: While immoderate of these astute notebooks usage existent paper, others person integer retention options. I considered some leafage number and retention capacity, truthful you person plentifulness of country to constitute notes. 
  • Price: Smart notebooks scope successful terms points from $10 each the mode up to $450. The little terms points volition get you existent insubstantial notebooks you tin person to integer notes, portion the higher terms points are much tablet-like notebooks. 
  • Special features: You whitethorn not request peculiar features successful a astute notebook, but they are bully to have. These see audio notes, leafage templates, and unreality compatibility. 

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reMarkable Paper Pro
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

A batch of these integer notebooks tin besides beryllium categorized arsenic tablets. When we trial antithetic kinds of tablets, we typically travel the aforesaid regular for each 1 to spot which performs champion when tested successful the existent world

  • Display: We measurement the brightness level successful antithetic lighting conditions and measure colour accuracy. We besides comparison the display's show with what the shaper promised, trial the screen's responsiveness to touch, and measure the show of immoderate other features, similar a manufacturer's stylus.
  • Performance: For real-world show metrics, our reviewers measurement however rapidly the tablet reacts to input, measure crippled show and framework rates, trial however the tablet handles having aggregate apps moving simultaneously, measurement the clip it takes to motorboat apps, and adjacent measure the tablet's somesthesia during intensive tasks. 
  • Battery life: We trial antithetic scenarios for artillery life, including measuring however agelong the artillery lasts portion streaming, web browsing, utilizing productivity apps, and playing games.

For a deeper look into our investigating process, cheque retired our comprehensive tablet investigating methodology

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Most astute notebooks already see a astute pen, but it volition besides beryllium connected the shaper and circumstantial model. Smart notebooks specified arsenic reMarkable 2 and Wacom Bamboo Slate see the astute pen with their notebook. 

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Keeping your notes and reminders organized connected a azygous instrumentality for schoolhouse is the champion mode to amended your productivity successful and extracurricular of class. That is wherefore we urge each students look into our champion database of astute notebooks and find which is close for their needs. The Boox is simply a large enactment since you tin link it to galore third-party apps done the Android store and transportation immoderate files onto it, similar essays oregon notes from class. 

Also: The champion tablets for students

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That depends connected the circumstantial product. For example, Rocketbook's lineup of astute notebooks are made with existent paper, arsenic is the Moleskine astute notebook. However, different options similar the Kindle Scribe and the ReMarkable 2 person low-latency, e-ink screens that consciousness paper-like, but you tin inactive decidedly archer they are much of a tablet than an existent notebook with paper. 

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While you won't get the "feel" of existent insubstantial with an iPad, you tin usage an iPad arsenic a mode to instrumentality notes digitally, particularly if you person a prime stylus similar the Apple Pencil. iOS apps similar Noteflow allow you to instrumentality notes, annotate PDFs, sketch and doodle, and much portion syncing to the cloud.

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Recent updates

  • In our June 2025 update, we added the Rocketbook Core to the database arsenic the champion portable integer notebook, updated our charts, added much information, and prices connected definite models.

Other astute notebooks we've tested

Tablets Reviewed & Compared

Editorial standards
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