In today’s digital world, tablets have evolved far beyond being just entertainment devices. They are now essential tools for productivity, creativity, and learning. One of the most practical uses for a modern tablet is note-taking, whether you are a student organizing class notes, a professional sketching ideas in meetings, or a creative mind capturing inspiration on the go. With high-quality styluses, paper-like displays, and intuitive apps, today’s tablets can closely mimic the natural feel of pen and paper while offering the benefits of cloud storage, editing tools, and easy sharing. However, not every tablet is designed the same way.
Some focus on providing a distraction-free writing experience with e-ink screens, while others combine powerful hardware with versatile app ecosystems for multitasking and productivity. In this guide, we’ll explore the best tablets for note-taking that are not made by Apple, ideal for users who want alternatives to the iPad lineup. From the minimalist reMarkable Paper Pro to the feature-rich Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and the flexible Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2, we’ll cover what makes each device stand out, the key pros and cons, and how they fit different types of users.
Our Top Picks:
- reMarkable Paper Pro
- Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE
- Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2
reMarkable Paper Pro
The reMarkable Paper Pro is designed from the ground up for writing and sketching. It uses a colour E-ink “Canvas Colour” display (11.8″) which gives a strong paper-like feel and supports colour note taking. Reviewers repeatedly remark that the pen latency is very low and writing feels satisfying.
It’s also extremely distraction-free: unlike full tablets running many apps, the Paper Pro is focused on reading, writing, annotating documents, so you’re less tempted to switch into social-apps.
Ideal use cases:
If you favor the feel of writing on paper and want a dedicated device for note-taking, idea sketching, annotating PDFs, and minimal distractions.
Color makes it more versatile if you like highlighting, diagrams, or working visually (versus monochrome e-ink).
Good for professionals or students who prioritize writing comfort over full tablet versatility.
Reasons to buy:
- Outstanding writing experience, excellent stylus responsiveness and texture.
- Very good for long writing sessions or meetings where you don’t want distractions.
- Colour e-ink is a nice step up for note taking with structure or visuals.
Reasons to avoid:
- Higher cost relative to standard tablets. Many reviewers say price is steep compared to more general-purpose devices.
- Because it’s focused on writing, it lacks many of the “tablet” features you may expect (for example heavy app ecosystems, full multitasking, high refresh displays, etc).
- The colour e-ink, while appealing, may still have trade-offs in refresh speed or display smoothness compared to LCD/OLED tablets.
Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB)
Ideal use cases:
- If you already live in the Amazon ecosystem (Kindle books, etc) and want a device that can serve both reading and light note-taking.
- For users who primarily take notes but don’t need full tablet functionality—maybe for reading research papers, annotating books, scribbling ideas.
- Those who prefer e-ink over standard LCD/OLED for eye comfort and long reading/writing sessions.
Reasons to buy:
- Great for large-screen e-ink reading + note taking combo.
- Handwriting recognition and note export features have improved in the 2024 model.
- Light, comfortable for long use (in comparison to tablets with bright displays, etc).
Reasons to avoid:
- While it supports writing, it is not as feature-rich for sketching, drawing, multitasking, or full tablet apps as typical tablets. For example, some reviewers say it’s “still not the best option for serious note-taking” when compared with dedicated writing tablets.
- Being e-ink, refresh and responsiveness will differ from LCD/OLED; some apps or workflows may feel limited.
- Because it’s more reading-focused, you may miss the flexibility of full Android/Windows tablet environments.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is an Android tablet that bundles the S Pen stylus in the box, making it a very strong note-taking candidate at a more accessible price point. Reviewers note that it strikes a good balance of performance, stylus support and price. It supports Samsung Notes, S-Pen features, and decent display/overall tablet experience.
Reasons to buy:
- If you want a full Android tablet (apps, streaming, multitasking) and good stylus note-taking capability.
- Students, professionals who use tablet for reading/streaming plus writing, marking up docs, using Samsung’s ecosystem.
- If you value versatility: not just note taking, but media consumption, general tablet tasks, app ecosystem.
Reasons to buy:
- Very good value: stylus included, good screen size, decent hardware for note-taking and general use.
- S Pen experience is high quality and Samsung’s software supports stylus workflows well.
- Strong ecosystem and flexibility vs devices limited to only note taking.
Reasons to avoid:
- It is not as “writing-first” or paper-like as dedicated writing tablets (e.g., e-ink or ultra-light weight) – you may get more distractions and less of the pure writing feel.
- While price is reasonable, some compromises exist compared to top-tier models (e.g., display refresh rate, absolute stylus feel, latency) as reviewers note.
- Battery/weight might be more than ultra-slim notetaking devices; if you purely want “just notes”, might be overkill.
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2
This variant from Lenovo offers a strong display and stylus compatibility at a competitive price point. While it may not be absolutely bleeding-edge for drawing, reviews suggest it works well for note-taking and doodles. It also gets mentioned in “best tablets for note-taking” lists.
Ideal use cases
- If you budget-conscious but still want a large screen tablet with stylus support for notes, sketches, reading documents.
- Students or casual professionals who want one device for note taking plus general tablet usage (streaming, reading, light work).
- Users who may use a pen and app for notes but don’t need ultra-premium stylus sensitivity or features.
Reasons to buy:
- Very good value for note-taking and tablet use.
- Large screen, decent specs, and stylus support make it more than just a “budget note-taking tablet.”
- Great if you want more than just writing, e.g., multimedia or general tablet tasks.
Reasons to avoid:
- Stylus latency or pen-feel may not match the premium dedicated writing tablets – some users report palm rejection or writing smoothness issues.
- The Android tablet experience (especially stylus note apps) might not be as refined as dedicated note-taking hardware.
- If your primary use case is high-volume, serious handwriting/sketching (e.g., graphic design), you may find limitations versus the top tier.