Rather than carting around a bunch of books, save yourself some hassle and opt for a reading tablet instead. Books get heavy fast, especially if you’re looking to take a few on a weekend getaway or need to bring your textbook to class. Sure, you might miss the smell and sense of accomplishment when tearing through the crisp pages of a fresh novel, but eliminating that extra bulk in your bag while having an entire library at your fingertips can be a life changer. That’s why our experts have found a few of the best tablets to make reading on the go far easier.
Reading tablets come with varying capabilities. E-readers, like our top pick, the Kindle Paperwhite, are geared towards reading specifically, often featuring screens that look and act similar to pages in a book. These devices are more limited in what they can do, so don’t expect to be scrolling socials or streaming shows when taking a break from reading. On the other hand, your typical tablets, like the iPad mini or Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, can do a lot more, but the displays may strain your eyes and batteries deplete quicker. So, deciding which is best for your needs is a personal preference.
After choosing the type of reading tablet you’d prefer, finding something with enough storage is key. It’s handy to store a bunch of books on your device, so you don’t need a Wi-Fi connection to get reading. Of course, basics like size and weight can make a world of difference becuase if a tablet is replacing a book, it must be comfortable to hold for hours. Notetaking functionality, like the Boox Note Air3 offers, is also handy for students.
We’ve taken this all into consideration, bringing you the five best reading tablets out there. Rest assured that our team has done their due diligence, testing and researching a range of tablets, narrowing our picks to only exceptional options for reading.
When your primary purpose for a tablet is reading, there’s no need for a fancy screen or extra features. Instead, it’s often better to go basic to prevent eye strain and conserve battery life, which is exactly what the Kindle Paperwhite does. This e-reader keeps things simple, allowing you to focus on your book and eliminate all outside distractions such as app notifications, emails, calls, and so on.
Amazon opted for a 6.8-inch e-Ink screen with a 300 ppi resolution on this Kindle to help minimize glare and blue light. It’s perfect for scouring the pages of a new novel on the beach or at the park on a bright, sunny day, as you won’t be dealing with the brightness issues your phone or tablet often struggle with. The display really looks similar to your average book. Reading in the dark is equally pleasant, with 17 LEDs wrapped around the edge of the screen to illuminate it in adjustable warm light and a dark mode is available.
Other features are plentiful on the device for a better experience, like text font and size adjustments, letting you skip your reading glasses. There’s even a dictionary to look up unfamiliar words without fully being taken out of the story while flipping pages is as simple as a swipe of the screen. Though what you can do on the device is limited, the software is easy to navigate with a huge selection of books available when connected to Wi-Fi. Of course, you can download books for offline use. Unfortunately, it only comes with 16GB of storage. Luckily, each book doesn’t take up too much space. However, audiobooks will eat up more storage.
Being far lighter and keeping smaller dimensions than most books, the Kindle Paperwhite’s design is brilliant. Gone will be the fatigue of holding up a book while lounging. Sure, its plastic build isn't the most premium but it works. Even with the compact design, the tablet manages a 10-week battery life and easily chargers back up via USB-C.
If you’re caught in the Apple universe, then you’re going to want an iPad mini to read your books. It’s a smaller tablet, measuring just 8.3 inches, but it’s still an iPad. It has a Liquid Retina display, which is gorgeous and you can adjust the screen brightness to match whatever you need when reading. Thanks to the True Tone technology, the iPad will automatically adjust the display’s color temperature based on the ambient light conditions, which is always great.
At the same time, the iPad mini features Apple’s A15 chipset, which means it’s quite a powerful device, being able to run any app you want, from social media to streaming to games. This is also a super light tablet so you can easily carry it with you anywhere you go while also holding it in a single hand when lying in bed and trying to get through another chapter. The only downside is battery life – at least when compared to an e-reader – because you’ll need to charge the iPad mini pretty frequently. Apple boasts that it has battery life of about 10 hours, but if you watch videos and so on, you’ll get much less than that. You can check out our list of the best iPad models for more options like this.
The Kindle Fire 8 is an incredible budget tablet for reading, especially if you want to work comics into your rotation.
Product Specifications Screen size Screen resolution 1280 x 800 Pixels Front light 32GB or 64GB Dimensions 7.69” x 5.3” x 0.25” Affordable Long battery life Lower resolutionIf you’re looking for a budget-friendly tablet that will also serve as a great platform to read comics on, then the Fire HD 8 may be a solid option. Not only is this Amazon tablet compact enough to carry anywhere you want to go or to hold in one hand when you’re trying to finish another issue, but it’s also super affordable. Since you can get this one for as low as $65 during sale events, you can’t expect it to be a speed devil with a fantastic screen and fabulous battery.
So, while it may not be the best tablet out there, you can launch the Kindle app to read your books or comics, use Alexa to control various smart home devices or scroll through TikTok while still reeling from that one scene you just finished reading. The Fire HD 8 even has a decent battery life, so you’ll do just fine using this tablet for reading.
With a fast CPU and a bright display, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 will keep you reading for hours, and it's light enough that you'll stay comfy the whole time.
Product Specifications Screen size Screen resolution 2000 x 1200 Pixels Front light 64GB or 128GB Dimensions 9.63” x 6.07” x 0.28” Large and bright display Comes with an S-Pen for note-taking LCD screen could tire your eyes easilyIf you want an Android tablet to read on, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a great option. While it’s slightly larger than other tablets on our list, we picked it over other models for its screen quality. With a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels, you’ll get crisp and clear letters even if you do go for a smaller font size.
The Tab S6 Lite also comes with an S Pen, so you can easily take notes based on what you read. What’s more, since this is an Android tablet, you can do everything you do on your phone – watch movies, doomscroll through social media, play games, and so on. You also get a wide range of e-book and audiobook apps to choose from.
The Boox Note Air3 is an incredible little tablet if you are looking to write as much as you want to read.
Product Specifications Screen size Screen resolution 2388 x 1668 Front light Dimensions 8.9” x 7.6” x 0.23” Large E-Ink display Stylus support for note-taking Screen limitations when watching videos or playing gamesThe Boox Note Air3 is a bit more expensive than other tablets for reading, but it will easily cover all your reading and writing needs. This is an Android tablet with an E-Ink screen, meaning you get the same fantastic reading experience as a Kindle. There’s no glare and your eyes will be less tired than when reading on an LCD screen since there’s no blue light to speak of.
The Boox Note Air 3 will also replace your notebooks because you can use the stylus to write down your thoughts, make lists, and so on. You can install whatever Android apps you want to, but keep in mind that the E-Ink screen has loads of limitations when it comes to watching videos or playing games. So, while the tablet does have the power to do everything else an Android tablet can do, not even setting the maximum refresh rate available will help this screen deliver a decent video.
Choosing the best reading tablet requires careful consideration of several factors to ensure that the device meets your specific needs. Whether you're an avid reader delving into novels, a student reviewing textbooks, or a professional keeping up with all the files your boss keeps sending, selecting the right tablet can significantly enhance your reading experience.
One of the main things you have to look into is the display's quality. The screen is where your eyes will spend most of their time, making display quality paramount. Eye comfort is also crucial, especially for extended reading sessions. Tablets with blue light reduction features or e-ink technology, which mimics the appearance of paper, can help reduce eye strain. E-Ink screens are easier on the eyes, but LCDs are more versatile if you want to use the same tablet for multiple purposes.
Long battery life is essential for uninterrupted reading, especially when on the move. Looking into tablets with a solid battery life will ensure that you can enjoy your books, magazines, or documents without constantly worrying about finding the next power outlet.
Lastly, size and weight affect how comfortably you can hold the tablet for long periods. While larger screens provide more immersive reading experiences, they should not compromise the device's portability. A lightweight, slim design makes it easier to carry your tablet in a bag or even hold it with one hand.
If you're hoping to look to Reddit for advice on which tablet is best for reading, there are a few clear winners pointed out by the users on the r/androidtablets subreddit. The top commenter points out that the Aldocube 50 Mini and Mini Pro are great options for reading due to being lightweight with good screens at a decent size for reading. Other commenters recommended the Nook due to the e-paper technology that offers more of a similar reading experience you'd get from an actual book.
Sure they are, but you’re going to be well aware that regular LCD screens will tire your eyes much faster than an e-Ink model. Battery life is also something you’ll want to keep in mind because tablets don’t last as long as a Kindle, for instance, since their hardware is more demanding.
If you're looking to read your tablet on the beach or sitting at the park, the Kindle Paperwhite is what you want. Unlike many tablets, this e-reader features an E-Ink display, which acts and looks similar to printed paper. That means battling severe glare, brightness, eye strain, and battery life will be far less of an issue compared to LCD screens. The Kindle Paperwhite is also IPX8 water-resistant, unlike many tablets, so getting splashed poolside or caught in the rain won’t slow the device down.
