I Threw Out My Notepads And Started Using the Kindle Scribe Instead: Here’s How It Went

All of Amazon’s popular Kindle e-readers serve two purposes and handle them extremely well: Namely, these devices can be used as an e-reader and for playing audiobooks. The redesigned and upgraded version of the Kindle Scribe that was released in late 2024 offers a larger form factor and includes a pen-shaped stylus, transforming the device into a powerful note-taking tool. The Amazon Kindle Scribe can also be used to read, annotate, and share PDF files.

So, if your desk is cluttered with sticky notes and to-do lists written on unorganized scraps of paper, and you use separate notepads to jot down your meeting notes and ideas, these can all be eliminated using the Kindle Scribe. As someone who’s an avid reader and notetaker, I was excited to take the new version of the Amazon Kindle Scribe for a test drive and see how it performed in my daily life. 

Amazon provided me with a 64GB version of the device with the Metallic Jade housing and Premium Pen stylus. Keep reading to discover my thoughts and learn about my experience using this sleekly designed device, that can serve as a feature-packed e-reader and so much more.

Specifications

MSRP: $399.99 (16GB), $419.99 (32GB), $449.99 (64GB).

Display Type: Paperwhite (Monochrome).

Display Size: 10.2 inches.

Display Resolution: 300 dpi.

Max. Display Brightness: 94 nits.

Storage Capacity: 16GB – 64GB.

Average Battery Life: Up to 12 weeks.

Product Dimensions: 7.7 inches wide x 9 inches long x 0.22 inches deep.

Weight: 15.3 ounces.

Waterproof Rating: None.

Stylus: Premium Pen included.

Housing Color Options: Tungsten or metallic jade.

Pros

• Ultra-thin design.
• Versatile functionality.
• Long battery life.
• 16-level gray scale display is glare-free.
• Highly responsive touchscreen display (compared to other Kindle devices).
• Offers a paper-like feel when writing or drawing on the screen using the stylus.

Cons

• Lacks a full-color display.
• Folio cover sold separately ($69.99).
• It’s not waterproof or even water resistant.

Who the Amazon Kindle Scribe Will Appeal To

First and foremost, I recommend the Kindle Scribe to anyone who’s an avid reader, enjoys listening to audiobooks, and wants the ability to create and organize notes, to-do lists, and other documents on a single device. As an e-reader and audiobook player, the Kindle Scribe uses the same intuitive interface as the other Kindle e-readers. You also get seamless integration with the Kindle Store eBookstore (offering more than 15 million titles), as well as subscription-based access to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited (offering more than four million titles) and Audible services (which provides paid access to more than one million audiobooks). These optional services have a monthly fee of $11.95 and $14.95, respectively. 

As someone who has been writing about consumer tech gadgets for more than 30 years, I’ve had the opportunity to try most of the e-reader and digital notepad devices on the market, and I’ve always been a fan of the Kindle devices when it comes to using them as an e-reader and audiobook player. However, for the past year or so, whenever I’ve needed a digital notepad, my go-to device has been the reMarkable Paper Pro. This device offers a full-color and glare-free e-ink display. It also relies on a well-designed interface for creating and managing virtual notebooks that can contain any number of individual pages.

The Kindle Scribe lacks a full-color display. Instead, it displays content using 16-levels of grayscale. It’s also smaller and lighter than the reMarkable Paper Pro, but almost the same thickness. The Paper Pro can also serve as an e-reader, although this is not its primary purpose: It’s much better suited for note-taking and annotating PDF files. Thus, the device caters more to business people and others who require more advanced note-taking tools. Priced at $579, the reMarkable Paper Pro is also more expensive than the highest-end version of the Kindle Scribe, and it lacks the ability to play audiobooks.

For someone who wants an e-reader, audiobook player, digital notepad, and a device that allows them to view, annotate, and share PDF files, the Kindle Scribe is wonderfully affordable. The overall performance and design is considerably better than the original Kindle Scribe released in 2022, plus you get plenty of creative freedom when customizing and organizing digital notebooks and individual virtual pages.

The Kindle Scribe Is a Powerful E-Reader

The aspects of the Kindle Scribe that allow it to function as an e-reader are virtually the same compared to other current model Kindle devices. You get the ability to shop for eBooks and audiobooks from Amazon’s Kindle Store and to purchase one title at a time. An ever-growing selection of more than 15 million titles is offered, and prices for eBooks are similar to what you’d pay for a traditional paperback or hardcover book. 

Alternatively, the Kindle Unlimited service is available. For a monthly fee of $11.95, you get unlimited access to more than four million eBooks, audiobooks, digital magazines, and digital editions of newspapers. As long as your subscription remains active, you can store downloaded content within your device and have offline access to it. 

If you prefer listening to audiobooks, the Kindle Scribe also works seamlessly with Audible. Here, you’ll find audiobooks, podcasts, and other audio programming that’s accessible for a monthly fee between $7.95 and $14.95, depending on the plan you choose.

Another option for content is to acquire eBooks and audiobooks from your public library (for free) using the Libby service. However, if you choose this option, you’ll need to download content to your computer and then transfer it to your Kindle, as opposed to acquiring and downloading it directly to the Kindle.

It’s Easy to Adjust the Appearance of On-Screen Text

Once content is stored, it can be accessed from the Kindle Scribe’s Library. After opening a title, you can read it on the screen using the Scribe’s e-reader toolset, which includes the ability to customize the text’s appearance by selecting a font, font size, and the level of boldness used to display the text. Various other on-screen formatting options are also available. As you’re reading, you can highlight text, add notes, look up words, and perform a handful of other functions. Any time you stop reading, the Kindle automatically adds a virtual bookmark, so you can easily pick up where you left off.

Thanks to the Kindle Scribe’s 10.7-inch Paperwhite display, the pages of a traditional printed book are nicely replicated, and it’s possible to see text clearly displayed in virtually any lighting situation, from direct sunlight to a pitch black room. The display has an auto-adjusting light for night viewing and an anti-glare feature that’s useful when reading outside in direct sunlight. 

The reading experience is enjoyable, especially since the larger screen size (compared to the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition) better emulates a printed book’s full page. The Scribe’s screen refresh rate and performance speed has also been improved and exceeds what the other Kindle models offer.

Playing Audiobooks Using the Kindle Scribe

Just like all of the latest Kindle models, the Scribe can be used as an audiobook player, as long as you pair the device with any Bluetooth headphones or earbuds. The audiobook player interface appears as soon as you select an audiobook or audio content (such as a podcast) from the device’s Library. The provided controls are intuitive, while the listening experience is as good as any audiobook/podcast player app you’d find on a smartphone or tablet.

Using the Kindle Scribe As a Note-Taking Tool

Compared to all other Kindle devices, what sets the Scribe apart is its ability to serve as a versatile note-taking tool. From the Scribe’s home page, access the notebook functionality by tapping on the Notebooks option. You can then create as many custom-titled virtual notebooks as you need. Each notebook can contain any number of pages, limited only by the device’s storage capacity. 16 page templates are included: You can choose between a blank page, one of several ruled page designs, a daily or weekly planner template, graph paper, a template that’s ideal for managing to-do lists, or a storyboarding template, for example.

After creating a notebook or individual note page, use the stylus to handwrite or draw directly on the screen. This nicely replicates the experience of writing on paper using a pen, pencil, fountain pen, marker, or highlighter. One of my favorite features is that if you don’t like the appearance of your own handwriting, the Scribe can take what you’ve written and convert the text using an elegant and easy-to-read script font which is easier to read, especially if you have messy handwriting. Once you’ve written one or more pages of notes, the Scribe can also summarize your text. 

All of your notes automatically sync with your free Amazon cloud account, but at any time, you can share notebooks or individual pages with selected other people via email. Whether you’re holding the Scribe in your hands or have it lying on a flat surface, note-taking, creating to-do lists, writing journal entries, or creating drawings or sketches is a comfortable and straightforward process. The entire note-taking process runs smoothly and works exactly the way Amazon promotes it. 

Working with the Amazon Premium Pen Stylus

The Premium Pen that comes with the Kindle Scribe attaches to the side of the Scribe via magnets, so it’s always readily accessible when it’s needed. The stylus is about the same size and weight as a typical ballpoint pen. It offers a replaceable tip and has a conveniently located shortcut button on the side. On the top of the stylus is a soft-tipped eraser that serves the same purpose as a pencil’s eraser when writing or drawing on the Scribe’s display.

The stylus feels extremely natural when being held and used, so the experience nicely replicates writing with a pen on paper. However, because the Scribe is a digital notepad, with a few on-screen taps, you can change the virtual wiring tool so it replicates a ballpoint pen, fountain pen, marker, pencil, or highlighter. You can also choose between five ink thicknesses for each virtual wiring tool. This gives you a tremendous level of creative control when handwriting or drawing. 

What I like best about the Premium Pen is that there’s no learning curve or adjustment period when you first begin using it: If you’re comfortable writing with a traditional pen or pencil, the experience is virtually the same.

Annotating PDF Files Using the Kindle Scribe 

Another useful feature is the ability to view, annotate, sign, and share PDF files that are imported into the Scribe. This can be a draft of a report that you choose to annotate as you’re reviewing it, a piece of digital correspondence (or a contract) you need to hand sign, or any other type of document that’s been converted into a PDF file. The PDF file can contain any number of pages and include photos, graphics, charts, or graphs, for example. I found the biggest drawback to this feature is the lack of color: If the PDF file you’re viewing contains full-color content, it will be displayed in 16 levels of grayscale. 

The ‘Send to Kindle’ Feature Is Extremely Convenient

When it comes to transferring PDF files to your Kindle Scribe, the easiest way to accomplish this is using the ‘Send to Kindle’ feature. Your Kindle is assigned its own email address, so you (or anyone else with this address) can email PDF files that will appear within minutes and become accessible via the Scribe, as long as it has Wi-Fi internet access. 

Once a PDF file has been annotated or signed, for example, it can be shared with others directly from the Scribe using email. All PDF files can also automatically stay synced and secure using Amazon’s cloud-based storage. I found this workflow to be straightforward and efficient. 

Send Documents Directly from Microsoft Word

For anyone who subscribes to the Microsoft 365 service and uses Microsoft Word to compose and share text-based documents, when you use a Kindle Scribe, it’s possible to share documents wirelessly directly using Word’s Share feature. Documents can then be viewed, annotated, and shared with others directly from the Scribe when it’s connected to the internet via Wi-Fi.

The Kindle Scribe’s Hardware

Since the content stored within the device (eBooks, audiobooks, digital notes, and PDF files) all take up internal storage, it’s important to choose a Kindle Scribe configuration that’ll best meet your individual needs. The device’s internal storage is not upgradable after purchase, but Amazon offers unlimited cloud-based storage for all of your Kindle Scribe content. Whatever is stored in the cloud can be accessed as long as the Scribe has Wi-Fi internet access.

Regardless of how you plan to use the Scribe, I suggest opting for at least the 32GB version ($419.99). Yes, it’s more expensive, but it provides plenty of internal storage for your entire eBook, audiobook, and virtual notebook library, as well as individual PDF files. If you’re a serious note-taker, or plan to view and annotate large PDF files using the device, then the 64GB version ($449.99) is the way to go. Most users will likely fill up the 16GB version of the device too quickly, and then be forced to rely on cloud-based storage.

Choosing between the tungsten or metallic jade housing color is a personal choice. The cover adds a small amount of thickness to the device, but offers adequate protection for the display, especially when you’re transporting the Scribe within a briefcase or backpack, for example. 

How the Scribe Compares to Other Digital Notebooks: Is It Worth It?

The Kindle Scribe does it all, while many competing devices from other brands just handle specific tasks. Thanks to its color e-ink display, the reMarkable Paper Pro is a superior note-taking device and PDF annotation tool, but it’s not great for reading eBooks and lacks the ability to play audiobooks. 

Meanwhile, the Boox Note Air 4 C ($529.99) also has a full-color e-ink display and is designed to be a digital notebook, but its user interface is not as intuitive or customizable as what the reMarkable Paper Pro or even the Kindle Scribe have to offer. The Boox Tab Ultra C Pro ($629.99) can be also used as a note-taking tool with a color e-ink display, plus it runs Android-based apps. But, this device lacks the ability to clearly display video or animations and doesn’t do that great of a job showcasing detail in digital photos.

Meanwhile, the Kobo Clara Colour ($159.99) is a low cost e-reader with a full-color display, but it lacks note-taking capabilities — as such, it’s better compared to the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition e-reader. The Kobo Elipsa 2E ($399.99) can serve as an e-reader, audiobook player, PDF viewer, and digital notebook. With its 32GB of internal storage and 10.3-inch e-ink display, this is the closest device to what the Kindle Scribe offers, but it lacks the seamless integration with Amazon’s Kindle Store, Kindle Unlimited Service, and Audible. Instead, users must rely on Rakuten’s less robust online-based content store and cloud service to acquire and store content.

It’s true that all of the functionality offered by the Scribe can be replicated using an Apple iPad or almost any Android tablet. However, a traditional tablet’s display does not offer the same virtually glare-free viewing experience as the Scribe. Any tablet user knows that trying to view what’s on the screen when outdoors in direct sunlight is virtually impossible, and when indoors, after a long reading session, it’s common to experience eye fatigue. On the Scribe, neither of these problems exist thanks to its Paperwhite display. Plus, instead of mere hours, the Scribe’s battery lasts up to 12 weeks between charges.

My Final Thoughts

The redesigned Kindle Scribe is ideal for someone who wants a versatile note-taking tool at their disposal, so they can create and share content that’s handwritten or hand drawn. The device is also extremely useful for viewing, annotating, and sharing PDF files and Microsoft Word documents. Plus, you get all of the functionality people love about Kindles, which includes an easily readable display, long battery life, access to a vast selection of eBook and audiobook content, and a design that’s thin and lightweight. It’s important to understand, however, that the Scribe is not waterproof (or even water resistant) like most other Kindle models.

After experiencing first hand all that the Kindle Scribe has to offer, my overall impression is that this is a well-designed, reliable, and powerful device that’s relatively easy to use. The redesigned Kindle Scribe is a nice step up from the original Scribe: It’s also a great option for someone who wants to begin using a digital notepad for the first time. As an incentive to try out this device, if you purchase it directly from Amazon and have an older e-reader to trade in, you will receive a 20% discount off the Scribe’s purchase price, plus an Amazon gift card for the value of your old device. 

Out of all the digital notebooks on the market, the Kindle Scribe currently offers the best value for the investment, especially since you can use it as an e-reader and audiobook player, too.