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Jun 04, 2025

The best digital notebooks you can buy in 2025: Expert tested and reviewed | ZDNET

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

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Whether you're a student or a working professional, a digital notepad is a sleek solution to organizing notes effectively. With a digital copy of your notes, you can easily share and have quick access to your writing.

Our top pick, the Boox Note Air 4 C, captures this feeling thanks to its paper-like writing feel, transcription functions, and portable capabilities. Other impressive electronic notebooks like the Kindle Scribe, with its included pen, impressive battery life, and Microsoft suite compatibility, are comparable to our top pick. The best digital notebooks will keep tasks and notes organized to your liking.

To help you decide which smart notebooks are worth the investment, we tested and researched the best ones on the market. We considered the device's overall feel, storage capabilities and options, special features, and price. Based on our hands-on experience, our pick for the best smart notebook overall is the Boox Note Air 4 C thanks to its notetaking and productivity features and smooth color display. We also included notebooks from brands like Kindle, Rocketbook, and other brands that ZDNET staff use and recommend.

Also: Best Windows tablet in 2025

Based on ZDNET's hands-on experience with the Boox Note Air 4 C, it is the best smart notebook. While it doesn't have as crisp a color display as a traditional tablet like an iPad, this tablet's purpose is for notetaking, and it does an excellent job.

It has all the best features of the best apps, like templates, audio recording, color-coding, inserting links and attachments to notes, and more. Plus, built-in artificial intelligence allows for text recognition, shape perfection, and a strikethrough erase feature that makes erasing much easier.

Review: Boox Note Air 4 C

Some of its standout features enhance your productivity, like the split screen feature that allows you to switch between two different apps, so you can take notes on one side while reading an article on the other.

In addition, if you need to use this tablet for school or work, you can easily send files to the tablet from your computer or smartphone using BOOXdrop. It takes mere seconds, and you can easily annotate PDFs and other Word documents. One Reddit user noted that the tablet is outstanding in terms of PDF files.

Boox Note Air 4 C tech specs: Colors: Black | Storage: 64GB | Display: 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display, 1240 x 930 (150 PPI) for color and 2480 x 1860 (300 PPI) for black and white | Connectivity: Wi-Fi + BT 5.1

Based on ZDNET's hands-on experience with the Boox Note Air 4 C, it is the best smart notebook. While it doesn't have as crisp a color display as a traditional tablet like an iPad, this tablet's purpose is for notetaking, and it does an excellent job.

It has all the best features of the best apps, like templates, audio recording, color-coding, inserting links and attachments to notes, and more. Plus, built-in artificial intelligence allows for text recognition, shape perfection, and a strikethrough erase feature that makes erasing much easier.

Review: Boox Note Air 4 C

Some of its standout features enhance your productivity, like the split screen feature that allows you to switch between two different apps, so you can take notes on one side while reading an article on the other.

In addition, if you need to use this tablet for school or work, you can easily send files to the tablet from your computer or smartphone using BOOXdrop. It takes mere seconds, and you can easily annotate PDFs and other Word documents. One Reddit user noted that the tablet is outstanding in terms of PDF files.

Boox Note Air 4 C tech specs: Colors: Black | Storage: 64GB | Display: 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display, 1240 x 930 (150 PPI) for color and 2480 x 1860 (300 PPI) for black and white | Connectivity: Wi-Fi + BT 5.1

The Rocketbook Fusion Smart Notebook has versatile page and template options for only $40. The notebook's synthetic paper allows you to write with the included Pilot FriXion pen, then wipe the page clean with a damp cloth to reuse it repeatedly.

In addition, you can save your pages to the Rocketbook app's cloud by tapping your pen on the icon at the bottom of the page to make them easy to find later.

Also: Best budget tablet of 2025: High quality, low costs

I have gone hands-on with the Rocketbook Fusion. It scratches that itch of satisfaction when hand-writing notes/to-do lists while also letting me check those lists via the app when I'm out and about. I also appreciated the different page styles such as weekly and monthly planners, goal setting, task trackers, an ideas page, dot grids, and lined pages. The Rocketbook Fusion meant I could carry around one notebook instead of three.

Amazon customers who have bought and reviewed this smart notebook also agree that the Rocketbook Fusion's ease of use, quality, organization, performance, and writing experience make it a great budget option.

Rocketbook Fusion features: Color options: Nine | Pages: 42 | Page styles: Seven

The Rocketbook Fusion Smart Notebook has versatile page and template options for only $40. The notebook's synthetic paper allows you to write with the included Pilot FriXion pen, then wipe the page clean with a damp cloth to reuse it repeatedly.

In addition, you can save your pages to the Rocketbook app's cloud by tapping your pen on the icon at the bottom of the page to make them easy to find later.

Also: Best budget tablet of 2025: High quality, low costs

I have gone hands-on with the Rocketbook Fusion. It scratches that itch of satisfaction when hand-writing notes/to-do lists while also letting me check those lists via the app when I'm out and about. I also appreciated the different page styles such as weekly and monthly planners, goal setting, task trackers, an ideas page, dot grids, and lined pages. The Rocketbook Fusion meant I could carry around one notebook instead of three.

Amazon customers who have bought and reviewed this smart notebook also agree that the Rocketbook Fusion's ease of use, quality, organization, performance, and writing experience make it a great budget option.

Rocketbook Fusion features: Color options: Nine | Pages: 42 | Page styles: Seven

The recently updated Kindle Scribe is perhaps the perfect example of an e-reader-tablet hybrid to satisfy your reading and notetaking needs. Its updated AI features include a new display with flush white borders and a paper-like texture, and Active Canvas -- a new experience for taking notes in books.

The Active Canvas allows you to take notes and scribble your thoughts directly onto the pages of your book. ZDNET editor Kyle Kucharski put the Active Canvas to the test and appreciated the feature as an avid note-taker.

Read the review: The Kindle Scribe is the E Ink tablet I recommend most

"The cool design element here is that the notes you draw with the pan exist on another 'layer' than the book text, allowing you to edit what you write without messing with the text in the book," Kucharski wrote in his review. "I actually found that I preferred using the sticky notes function, which drops a tiny icon on the text that, when tapped, opens up a floating window with your notes that can then be closed."

The device's AI features can also summarize up to 15 pages in a notebook, neatly extracting key takeaways from the text. It can also transcribe handwritten notes into text, which might benefit those with questionably legible handwriting.

The Kindle Scribe now comes with the Premium Pen, a step up from the Basic Pen, with tools like a dedicated eraser and a shortcut button.

Amazon Kinde Scribe tech specs: Display: 10.2-inch 300 ppi Paperwhite display | Storage: 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB | Weight: 15.3 ounces | Dimensions: 7.7 x 9.0 x .22 inches | Connections: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C | Battery life: Up to 12 weeks (at 30 minutes per day)

The recently updated Kindle Scribe is perhaps the perfect example of an e-reader-tablet hybrid to satisfy your reading and notetaking needs. Its updated AI features include a new display with flush white borders and a paper-like texture, and Active Canvas -- a new experience for taking notes in books.

The Active Canvas allows you to take notes and scribble your thoughts directly onto the pages of your book. ZDNET editor Kyle Kucharski put the Active Canvas to the test and appreciated the feature as an avid note-taker.

Read the review: The Kindle Scribe is the E Ink tablet I recommend most

"The cool design element here is that the notes you draw with the pan exist on another 'layer' than the book text, allowing you to edit what you write without messing with the text in the book," Kucharski wrote in his review. "I actually found that I preferred using the sticky notes function, which drops a tiny icon on the text that, when tapped, opens up a floating window with your notes that can then be closed."

The device's AI features can also summarize up to 15 pages in a notebook, neatly extracting key takeaways from the text. It can also transcribe handwritten notes into text, which might benefit those with questionably legible handwriting.

The Kindle Scribe now comes with the Premium Pen, a step up from the Basic Pen, with tools like a dedicated eraser and a shortcut button.

Amazon Kinde Scribe tech specs: Display: 10.2-inch 300 ppi Paperwhite display | Storage: 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB | Weight: 15.3 ounces | Dimensions: 7.7 x 9.0 x .22 inches | Connections: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C | Battery life: Up to 12 weeks (at 30 minutes per day)

If you appreciate the look and feel of Moleskine notebooks, then the company's Pen+ Smart Writing set is the right smart notebook for you.

The notebook features the signature dotted Moleskine page in a "paper tablet" format, so the pages are tucked in between a sturdy tablet-like design. Ncoded technology is embedded within each page, which enables the accompanying smart pen to recognize where it is within the notebook and to transfer all your freehand notes from page to screen in real-time.

You can upload or share your notes digitally through the Moleskine Notes app and share them to Google Drive or Evernote. In addition, you can use the pen to record audio that lines up with what you've written, creating a multimedia note-taking experience.

Read the review: Moleskine Pen+ Ellipse: Smart note-taking cuts out digital distractions

ZDNET put the Moleskine Pen+ to the test and particularly appreciated the replay option, which allows you to re-run how your notes came together. "This might not seem very useful for simple note-taking," Steve Ranger, who wrote the review, said, "but if you are drawing or brainstorming, it's really quite handy to see how an image or a set of ideas come together."

We thought that artists, in particular, may find playback useful to see how their drawing process evolved. Customers who have bought the Moleskine agree, saying it's great for sketching, but cautions that the transcription process is a little slow.

Moleskine Pen+ features: Color options: Black | Pages: 176 | Page styles: Ruled and dot grid

If you appreciate the look and feel of Moleskine notebooks, then the company's Pen+ Smart Writing set is the right smart notebook for you.

The notebook features the signature dotted Moleskine page in a "paper tablet" format, so the pages are tucked in between a sturdy tablet-like design. Ncoded technology is embedded within each page, which enables the accompanying smart pen to recognize where it is within the notebook and to transfer all your freehand notes from page to screen in real-time.

You can upload or share your notes digitally through the Moleskine Notes app and share them to Google Drive or Evernote. In addition, you can use the pen to record audio that lines up with what you've written, creating a multimedia note-taking experience.

Read the review: Moleskine Pen+ Ellipse: Smart note-taking cuts out digital distractions

ZDNET put the Moleskine Pen+ to the test and particularly appreciated the replay option, which allows you to re-run how your notes came together. "This might not seem very useful for simple note-taking," Steve Ranger, who wrote the review, said, "but if you are drawing or brainstorming, it's really quite handy to see how an image or a set of ideas come together."

We thought that artists, in particular, may find playback useful to see how their drawing process evolved. Customers who have bought the Moleskine agree, saying it's great for sketching, but cautions that the transcription process is a little slow.

Moleskine Pen+ features: Color options: Black | Pages: 176 | Page styles: Ruled and dot grid

Those diligent note-takers looking to really splurge on a smart reusable notebook should consider the reMarkable 2. This notebook is more of a large-screen tablet with a low-latency E-Ink writing experience that makes you feel like you're writing on paper rather than on a tablet screen. In addition, with reMarkable's Connect cloud app, you get access to standout features like screen sharing, handwriting conversion, and unlimited cloud storage.

Read the review: ReMarkable 2 E-Ink tablet: Superb for on-screen writing, but key features are still missing

ZDNET contributor Sandra Vogel was impressed with how it felt writing in the notebook. "There's a 'gritty' feel to using the stylus on-screen that's not unlike writing on paper," she said. "Both styli support 4,096 pressure levels, and there are plenty of pen choices and ink thicknesses to select from."

The reMarkable 2 comes with the option of either the Marker or Marker Plus pen that doesn't need charging and has a built-in eraser (only in the Marker Plus). Customers rate this smart notebook a 4.6 out of 5, calling out its use as an organizational tool for students and professionals alike.

reMarkable 2 features: Color options: Black, blue, red, gray, and white | Storage: 8GB internal storage | Pages: Stores about 100,000 pages | Resolution: 1872 x 1404

Those diligent note-takers looking to really splurge on a smart reusable notebook should consider the reMarkable 2. This notebook is more of a large-screen tablet with a low-latency E-Ink writing experience that makes you feel like you're writing on paper rather than on a tablet screen. In addition, with reMarkable's Connect cloud app, you get access to standout features like screen sharing, handwriting conversion, and unlimited cloud storage.

Read the review: ReMarkable 2 E-Ink tablet: Superb for on-screen writing, but key features are still missing

ZDNET contributor Sandra Vogel was impressed with how it felt writing in the notebook. "There's a 'gritty' feel to using the stylus on-screen that's not unlike writing on paper," she said. "Both styli support 4,096 pressure levels, and there are plenty of pen choices and ink thicknesses to select from."

The reMarkable 2 comes with the option of either the Marker or Marker Plus pen that doesn't need charging and has a built-in eraser (only in the Marker Plus). Customers rate this smart notebook a 4.6 out of 5, calling out its use as an organizational tool for students and professionals alike.

reMarkable 2 features: Color options: Black, blue, red, gray, and white | Storage: 8GB internal storage | Pages: Stores about 100,000 pages | Resolution: 1872 x 1404

The best smart notebook is the Boox Note Air 4 C. I made this pick based on its quality for the price, average rating, and standout features it offers, such as templates, split-screen, text recognition, and more.

Smart notebook

Price

Pages/Storage

Boox Note Air 4 C

$530

64GB

Rocketbook Fusion

$34

42 pages

Kindle Scribe

$400

16GB, 32GB, or 64GB

Moleskine Pen+ Smart Writing Set

$279

176 pages

reMarkable 2

$400

Stores about 100,000 pages

*MSRP at the time of writing. Please note that actual prices may vary depending on available sales, deals, discounts, and coupons.

If you're on the fence about buying your first tablet:

A tablet usually runs on a mobile operating system and offers a wider range of functions such as browsing the web, multimedia, gaming, and other tasks. A digital notebook is more niche and designed specifically for note-taking and digital writing tasks.

While any of these smart notebooks are great options, it ultimately comes down to what size notebook you want, what kind of notes you will take, and what price you're willing to spend.

Choose this smart notebook...

If you want...

Boox Note Air 4 C

The best overall option. Its included templates and color e-ink screen make it a productive device.

Rocketbook Fusion

A budget-friendly smart notebook. It has 42 pages and seven page styles for you to fill up.

Kindle Scribe

A smart notebook that's also a great reading tablet. You can easily make notes inside the books you're reading.

Moleskine Pen+ Smart Writing Set

A stylish smart notebook from a classic brand. You can even record audio notes.

reMarkable 2

A smart notebook packed with plenty of features worth the splurge. You'll feel like you're writing on real paper thanks to the low-latency E-Ink writing experience.

When you're deciding which smart notebook to buy, think about the following important factors:

A lot of these digital notebooks can also be categorized as tablets. When we test different kinds of tablets, we typically follow the same routine for each one to see which performs best when tested in the real world.

For a deeper look into our testing process, check out our comprehensive tablet testing methodology.

Most smart notebooks already include a smart pen, but it will also depend on the manufacturer and specific model. Smart notebooks such as reMarkable 2 and Wacom Bamboo Slate include the smart pen with their notebook.

Keeping your notes and reminders organized on a single device for school is the best way to improve your productivity in and outside of class. That is why we recommend all students look into our best list of smart notebooks and find which is right for their needs. The Boox is a great option since you can connect it to many third-party apps through the Android store and transfer any files onto it, like essays or notes from class.

Also: The best tablets for students

That depends on the specific product. For example, Rocketbook's lineup of smart notebooks are made with real paper, as is the Moleskine smart notebook. However, other options like the Kindle Scribe and the ReMarkable 2 have low-latency, e-ink screens that feel paper-like, but you can still definitely tell they are more of a tablet than an actual notebook with paper.

While you won't get the "feel" of real paper with an iPad, you can use an iPad as a way to take notes digitally, especially if you have a quality stylus like the Apple Pencil. iOS apps like Noteflow allow you to take notes, annotate PDFs, sketch and doodle, and more while syncing to the cloud.

Professionals who are serious about digital notetaking should consider reMarkable's Paper Pro, which has a large, colored screen and a host of integrations for popular productivity software.

This color e-reader can also double as a digital notebook, thanks to the included stylus and various templates. You can customize the device, whether you need to make a to-do list, keep a daily journal, or have a calendar handy.

This smart notebook from Huion comes with a pen with 8,192 pressure levels, making it perfect for sketching or drawing.