5 Best Note Taking Tablets In 2024

Tablets offer a wide range of functionalities, but one of their most popular uses today is for note-taking.

These devices provide a convenient way for students and professionals to record important information while being highly portable and powerful enough to replace the laptop.

Given tablets' diverse capabilities and price ranges, it's important to consider your specific needs beyond just note-taking.

A tablet might be a viable alternative to a traditional laptop for students heading back to school or starting college in the fall. 

Meanwhile, professionals often opt for tablets for their portability, making them ideal for use during commutes.

There are various note-taking tablets available that cater to both of these needs.

The 5 best note-taking tablets of 2024

1. Boox Note Air 3 C

The Boox Note Air 3 C is a color e-ink tablet explicitly designed for note-taking.

It features a 1240 x 930 resolution (150 PPI) screen for color displays and a 2480 x 1860 resolution (300 PPI) screen for black-and-white, comparable to the Kindle Scribe.

Weighing just under a pound, it is exceptionally lightweight.

My hands-on experience with the Boox Note Air 3 C, it significantly boosted my productivity and reignited my creativity.

 The included stylus, which boasts nearly zero lag, 4,096 pressure levels, and a smooth writing experience akin to using a high-quality ballpoint pen on paper, was particularly impressive.

The tablet integrates top note-taking app features directly into its system. It offers a variety of templates, audio recording, color-coding, and options for inserting links and attachments. 

Additionally, its built-in AI facilitates text recognition, shape correction, and a convenient strike-through erase function, simplifying the editing process.

The Boox Note Air 3 C also enhances productivity with its split-screen capability, allowing users to multitask between two apps. 

The BOOXdrop feature is another highlight, enabling swift file transfers from your computer or smartphone to the tablet.

This makes annotating PDFs and Word documents quick and easy.

Specs:

• Display: 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display 

• Processor: 2.4Ghz octa-core + BSR 

• Storage: 64GB 

• Memory: 4GB 

• Colors: Black 

• Weight: 0.95 pounds 

• Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.6 x 0.23 inches 

• Connections: Wi-Fi (2.4GHz + 5GHz) + BT 5.0

• Battery life: 3,700mAh Li-ion Polymer

2. Amazon Fire Max 11

Starting at $245, the Fire Max 11 offers an 11-inch display, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, expandable up to 1TB with a microSD card.

For those needing a versatile tablet for work and leisure, the Fire Max 11 Productivity Bundle is available for $370. 

This bundle includes a keyboard, touchpad, protective case, and stylus featuring 4,096 pressure levels.

Cipriani, who reviewed the Amazon Fire Max 11, praised it as “the best Fire Tablet Amazon has ever produced.”

He noted that the stylus allows for convenient writing in the Silk Browser's search field or the tablet's home screen. 

The handwriting recognition was highlighted for its accuracy in converting messy handwriting into text. The tablet boasts a remarkable battery life of up to 14 hours.

The Fire Max 11 has received high praise from Best Buy customers, with 94% recommending it and an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.

Specs:

• Display: 11-inch, 2000 x 1200, 410 nits brightness, 213 ppi 

• Processor: MediaTek MT8188J, 2.2Ghz octa-core processor 

• Storage: 64GB or 128GB 

• Memory: 4GB 

• Colors: Gray 

• Cameras: 8MP rear and 8MP front-facing camera 

• Weight: 490 grams 

• Dimensions: 259.1 x 163.7 x 7.50 millimeters 

• Connections: 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C port 

• Battery life: 14 hours

3. Apple iPad Air (5th generation)

Even Android enthusiasts might find the Apple iPad Air appealing. This lightweight tablet excels in a variety of tasks, including note-taking. 

With compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil, the iPad Air is perfect for jotting down notes during classes or meetings and can also handle virtual seminars effectively.

Apple offers a high degree of customization for this tablet, allowing you to choose from five colors and select the storage capacity that suits your needs. 

Additionally, the iPad Air can be equipped with cellular data for those who require reliable internet access while on the move, whether for classes or commuting.

Regarding customer satisfaction, 98% of Best Buy buyers would recommend the iPad Air, with an impressive overall rating of 4.8 out of 5.

Specs:

• Display: 10.9-inch Retina display 

• Processor: Apple Silicon M1 

• Storage: 64GB or 256GB 

• Biometrics: Touch ID 

• Colors: Space gray, starlight, pink, purple, blue 

• Cameras: 12MP rear, 4K video. 12MP Ultra Wide camera 

• Weight: 1.02 pounds 

• Dimensions: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches 

• Connections: USB-C port 

• Battery life: 10 hours

4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S9

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, part of Samsung's newest tablet lineup for this year, offers impressive features. 

It comes with options for 8GB or 12GB of RAM and starts with 128GB of storage, expandable up to 1TB via microSD card.

Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, the Tab S9 boasts an 11-inch LCD that balances portability with functionality. 

Included with the Tab S9 is the S Pen, which is ideal for writing or drawing within your preferred applications, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note series.

Miller's review of the base model praised the tablet, highlighting the updated S Pen with its IP68 waterproof rating and a low 2.9ms latency.

He commended Samsung for including the S Pen with the tablet, noting that it enhances the overall experience. 

The Samsung Notes app, which syncs seamlessly with OneNote, was also appreciated. “Samsung’s approach to note-taking surpasses Apple's,” Miller commented.

Reddit users have similarly praised the Samsung Notes app, calling it “fantastic” for taking notes.

Specs:

• Display: 11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2560 x 1600 display 

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 

• Storage: 128GB or 256GB (expandable with microSD) 

• Memory: 8GB or 12GB 

• Colors: Graphite or Beige 

• Cameras: Front: 12MP UW, Rear: 13MP 

• Weight: 1.10 pounds 

• Dimensions: 10.01 x 6.53 x 0.23 inches 

• Connectivity: USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 

• Battery life: 8,400mAh

5. Amazon Kindle Scribe

The Kindle Scribe is an ideal blend of e-reader and tablet functionalities. It features a 300 ppi glare-free display, long-lasting battery life, and adjustable warm light, all characteristic of Kindle devices. 

Additionally, it's compatible with Amazon's Basic or Premium Pen, allowing for handwritten notes and underlining key passages in your reading material.

Your notes are conveniently organized by book, making it easy to browse, review, and export them via email. 

The Kindle Scribe includes preset templates for creating notebooks, journals, and lists and supports sticky notes in Microsoft Word and other compatible documents.

While the Basic Pen is included with the Kindle Scribe, many users recommend upgrading to the $30 Premium Pen for its advanced features, including a dedicated eraser and a shortcut button.

Specs:

• Display: 10.2-inch 300 ppi Paperwhite display 

• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB 

• Weight: 0.96 pounds 

• Dimensions: 7.7 x 9.0 x 0.22 inches 

• Battery life: Up to 12 weeks (at 30 minutes per day)

What is the top tablet for note-taking?

The iPad Air is the top choice for note-taking tablets due to its affordability, high ratings, impressive display, and features. Its lightweight design also makes it highly portable.

Note-taking Tablet	Price	Display	Pen/Stylus
Apple iPad Air	$559	10.9-inch Retina display	Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
Boox Note Air 3 C	$500	10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display	BOOX Pen Plus
Kindle Scribe	$390	10.2-inch 300 ppi Paperwhite display	Amazon Basic or Premium Pen
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9	$800	11-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 2560 x 1600 display	S Pen
Amazon Fire Max 11	$329	11-inch 2000 x 1200 display	Amazon Stylus

Key Considerations For Selecting The Ideal Tablet For Note-Taking

Before purchasing a tablet for note-taking, consider the following factors:

• Display Quality: The overall note-taking experience hinges on the tablet's display. Look for models with high-definition resolutions or a paper-like screen for a more natural writing feel.

• Stylus Support: Since most note-taking involves a stylus, choose a tablet that either includes one or allows you to purchase it separately. Many universal styluses are also compatible with a range of tablets.

• Size: The tablet's size should align with its intended use. Smaller tablets are ideal for note-taking due to their portability and lightweight design, while larger tablets might be better suited for replacing a laptop.

• Price: Tablets come in a wide price range, from around $150 to over $1,000. The cost typically reflects storage capacity, display quality, and processing power.