Amazons Kindle devices are often hailed as some of the best e-readers.
I think the Kindle Scribe is a great e-reader.
Let me tell you why.
Vlada Komar
Most e-readers focus on reading books, not writing or drawing.
The Kindle Scribe changes this by letting you write on it like its paper.
The Kindle Scribe has a big 10.2-inch screen perfect for taking notes.
It costs $339.99(if you choose Basic Pen).
Its writing capabilities are a nice touch.
Its not as advanced as some other e-ink tablets for writing, but Amazon has greatly improved it.
it’s possible for you to do more with it now, like keeping a journal or taking notes.
If youre into writing by hand, you might like the Remarkable 2 tablet more.
It has more choices for pen styles and backgrounds.
it’s possible for you to choose one of two pens.
Of course, the Premium Pen is better.
This one costs an extra $30 and has a quick button and an eraser.
Theres also a simpler Basic Pen.
You dont need to charge these pens because they use Wacom technology.
Choosing the 16 GB Kindle Scribe with the basic pen is a good deal for what you pay.
Pros:
Cons:
What about tech specs?
The Scribe features a 10.2-inch display.
Like all Kindles, it boasts a high-quality 300 ppi resolution screen with an anti-glare coating.
Besides the 300 ppi display offering sharp text and images, the Kindle Scribes front lighting includes 35 LEDs.
A big plus that caught my eye right away is being able to tweak the color temperature.
it’s possible for you to shift it from a warmer sepia tone to a cooler, bluish hue.
reMarkable 2
Like other Kindles, theres a dark mode for night reading.
The backlighting is uniformly excellent, and the touchscreen is quite responsive.
Its pretty thin and light, even though its made of cool-to-the-touch purple-bronze metal.
It feels strong and well-made, not flimsy at all.
At first glance, the Kindle Scribe seemed big to me.
But its so slim and fits perfectly where I usually put my tablet or laptop.
But the Scribe has a bigger screen and doesnt have those buttons on the side for flipping pages.
This makes it look more modern, while the Oasis seems old-fashioned.
The Scribes screen is smart.
The pen with it sticks to the side with magnets, which is handy.
The right side has magnets for the pen.
On the back, there are these little rubber bumps in the corners.
Theyre not very noticeable, but they stop it from sliding around when you put it down.
The downside I can live with is that the Scribe isnt waterproof like some other Kindles.
Its not a deal-breaker for me, so its all good.
But it might not be the best pick if you love reading in the bath or by the water.
Heres the deal: When buying a Kindle Scribe, you canchoose between two pens.
A little spoiler: Id recommend getting the Premium Pen, and I think its worth the 30 bucks.
The Basic Pen is just a straightforward stylus.
It does what you need, but its pretty basic.
Now, the Premium Pen, thats where things get a bit fancier.
Its got a quick access button and an eraser button.
The eraser acts just like a real eraser would.
Also, itd be better if you didnt have to press the eraser while using it.
I would like this action to be more automated.
I also liked how the Pen feels when writing.
It smoothly slides across the Scribes paper-like, non-glare screen.
For 32GB and the Premium Pen, the price jumps to $389.99.
The 32GB version doesnt come with the Basic Pen.
Similarly, the 64GB Kindle Scribe with the Premium Pen is priced at $419.99.
Wondering how much storage to pick?
Id say 16GB is enough for most.
It all depends on how many books and notes you want to store.
16GB should be fine unless youre downloading many audiobooks, manga/comics, etc., which tend to be larger.
An eBook in FB2, EPUB, or MOBI format takes up 13 MB.
A large, illustrated PDF guide could be heavier, up to 100 MB.
To give you an idea, an average eBook is about 2 MB.
So, on a 16GB Kindle Scribe, you could store around 8,000 such books.
Notes take up even less space.
Kindle Scribe: Reading
Alright, lets talk about reading on the Kindle Scribe.
Its a good experience.
Amazon has been working with e-ink for years, and it shows.
Theyve got this down.
The Kindle Scribe is all about that Kindle Store.
Got your own eBooks, comics, or reading materials?
you’re free to transfer them to the Scribe using Amazons Send to Kindle web service.
Reading on the Scribe feels the same as on other Kindles.
I often use the setting to adjust the backlight temperature for a more comfortable reading for my eyes.
With 16 shades of gray, its great for visual stuff like comics too.
One downside, though: reading with just one hand is not very comfy.
Kindle Scribe: Writing
In the Scribe, youll find a special section just for notebooks.
The writing interface is pretty straightforward.
I didnt like that it lacked basic stuff like zooming, layers, and ink opacity.
So, dont expect the Scribe to work as a full-on digital drawing tool.
Thats a big drawback.
I did enjoy making notes while reading eBooks.
Just hit the sticky note icon on the toolbar, and then I could write or handwrite notes.
These notes stay on the page and are easy to review all in one place.
However, this feature has its downsides, which are not deal-breakers for me.
You wont struggle to connect to Wi-Fi; the setup process is a breeze.
If you ever need to sign documents, the Kindle Scribe has a neat feature.
You get this unique @kindle.com email address.
From there, you might email it directly from your Scribe to whoever needs it.
But when it comes to connectivity, the Scribe keeps it basic.
A microSD slot could have been a handy addition, especially for moving and signing many documents.
The Scribe can last up to 12 weeks on a single charge if youre mostly using it for reading.
The iPad offers many features, while the Kindle Scribe is more of an e-reader with note-taking capabilities.
Sure youll be able to read using the built-in iPads iBook app, but its not as convenient.
And your eyes get more tired.
Reading is definitely more comfortable on the Kindle Scribe.
It makes more sense to compare the Kindle Scribe with the reMarkable 2.
Both are e-readers, making this a fairer match.
The reMarkable 2 is priced at about $400.
The Kindle Scribe is an e-book reader with a backlight that allows you to write and draw.
Thats the main difference.
For those keen on e-reader functions, the reMarkable 2 works well.
However, it lacks many features youd find in a Kindle e-reader.
It supports PDF, EPUB, JPG, PNG, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint formats.
If you focus on creating and editing documents, the reMarkable 2 might be better.
And the price of the unit is also higher.
So, should you get a Kindle Scribe?
And the battery life is pretty solid, too, giving you weeks of use from just one charge.
But its important to remember that the Scribe is quite straightforward with its writing tools.
Its great for basic note-taking and sketches, but only in grayscale.
It might be a bit too simple for digital art lovers or those needing advanced note-taking features.
In that case, something like an iPad or a reMarkable 2 could be a better fit.
But lets not forget that Amazon made the Kindle Scribe, and they really know their stuff in ebooks.
The Kindle Scribe boasts a massive collection of e-books and seamless integration with the Amazon ecosystem.
So, for basic note-taking and reading, its definitely the Kindle Scribe all the way.
