There have been several E Ink tablets or e-note devices that got to see the light of day this year. In fact, there have been more e-note devices launched than e-readers. Now, as we move towards the end of the year and with no new e-note devices likely to be launched in the remaining few weeks, Here is a quick recap of the best e-note devices that we have had so far.
Hanvon N10 Flagship (honorable mention)
The Hanvon N10 Flagship may not have a stellar spec sheet but it still impresses with the sheer number of stuff that is included as part of standard packaging. You not only get a stylus with a hidden nib canister but there also is a transmitter-receiver lapel clip microphone and a scanner device that comes bundled with the device. All of this makes the N10 Flagship with all the accessories a very handy office aid. The reading and writing feel are right up there and can match the best in class.
However, there is no Wacom layer on top which makes the device to be closely tied to the supplied stylus. The UI is in English but this isn’t omnipresent as some bits such as the side menu are in Chinese. You have very limited app support as well while glowlight too is missing. But then, what still sets it apart from the rest is the number of accessories it comes with by default.
1. Bigme InkNote Color+
With a 2.3 GHz octa-core processor under the hood that is coupled with 6 gigs of memory and 128 GB of storage, the Bigme InkNote Color+ is easily one of the best performing E Ink tablets out there. Build quality is rock solid and the list of features it comes with can take care of almost everything that you might want out of an e-note. With the Google Play Store available, you can always have the app you need. Even the included stylus comes with a laser pointer to add to your convenience.
Other noteworthy features of the Inknote Color+ include a fingerprint sensor, global handwriting recognition, and voice dictation. There is an adjustable dual front light available too, as are four speed modes. On the whole, the InkNote Color+ is easily the best e-note device to come our way this year, something that the competition could be hard-pressed to live up to.
2. Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C
Onyx Boox sticks to a definitive standard with its device offerings and the same is equally applicable to the Boox Tab Ultra C as well. It is easily one of the most well-made E Ink tablets out there. The display is sharp and crisp while the performance is top-notch. The different speed modes onboard will let you adjust the page refresh rates as per your needs.
The e-note runs Android 11 out of the box and offers Play Store support as well, which means you can have access to hundreds of both free and paid apps right away. It allows for storage expansion to up to 1 TB via microSD cards. Reading experience is one of the best that you can have, be it e-books, magazines, or PDFs. On the whole, the Tab Ultra C comes across as one of the most well-rounded e-note packages in 2023.
3. iReader Smart X3
One of the biggest USPs of the new iReader Smart X3 is its E Ink Carta 1300 display which happens to be the latest that the e-paper company has to offer. In fact, the Smart X3 happens to be the only e-note device currently available to offer the new Carta 1300 display. The e-paper panel impresses with its display qualities that are not only faster and refreshes quickly but offer a markedly better visual experience thanks to the whites being more whiter and the blacks being more deeper.
While the superior display allows for a more enriching reading experience, the other qualities of the e-note include an enhanced note-taking experience as well. With almost zero latency, you have almost a paper-like writing feel. The device is well made too and is thin and light. It offers some nice and intuitive features as well which include shaping and a blackboard mode. However, the store or app experience is quite dismal while there is no internet browser onboard too.
4. Hyread Gaze Note Plus CC
You might be forgiven for not being acquainted with it just yet but the Taiwan-based company is slowly but surely making its presence felt with a steady stream of exciting E Ink e-readers and e-note devices. Of them, the Hyread Gaze Note Plus CC comes across as a nice well-rounded package that does most things well without being extraordinary at anything. This applies to reading as well as note taking and you should not have any qualms with either.
Further, thanks to the Wacom layer on top, you can use any stylus you like as you aren’t tied to the one that the company provides by default. Also, unlike most others mentioned in the list, the Hyread Gaze Note Plus CC comes with a 7.8-inch color Kaleido 3 e-paper display and should appeal to those looking for a relatively smaller e-note device.
5. Kobo Elipsa 2E
The first-gen Kobo Elipsa wasn’t too impressive a note-taking device and it’s good to see Kobo following that up with the new Kobo Elipsa 2E. This one isn’t perfect yet but is still quite a considerable upgrade over its predecessor. The large screen is great for reading e-books as well as PDFs. If also offers a nice drawing experience with the pen now coming with a rechargeable battery. In fact, the pen itself comes across as a hefty upgrade over the previous-generation pen but is still a proprietary unit.
However, the Elipsa 2E can be sluggish at times and does not offer expandable storage either. Still, it offers a solid overall experience, enough to make it to this list.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
