The best digital notebooks 2025: I tested notebooks from almost every price point

Why we like it: 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.

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. 

Review: Boox Note Air 4 C

Who it’s for: 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.

Who should look elsewhere: This Boox tablet is not cheap. In fact, it’s a lot pricer than the cheapest iPad at $530. Those who are on a budget should probably steer clear, as there are options that are cheaper and will do the job just as good, if not better. Plus, the included pen is very bulky and is hard to keep fastened to the tablet. 

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

Why we like it: 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

Who it’s for: 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. 

Who should look elsewhere: Sometimes, the ink smudges, and if you press hard enough, the pen can indent the pages. Plus, if you’re looking to do work on a more traditional tablet, this may not be for you. Although this option is the most environmentally friendly, and is also one of the most portable options. 

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

Why we like it: 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.”

Who it’s for: 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.

Who should look elsewhere: A lot of these features have a slight learning curve, making it a bit difficult to master quickly. If you want something more familiar, a different tablet or option may suit you more. Not to mention, the Scribe’s is a little pricey, so you may not want to stomach that price tag. 

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)

Why we like it: The Rocketbook Core has become the notebook I pop in my purse or tote. If you’re like me, the best way to use a notebook is to carry it around with you and write down anything that comes to mind. For example, my running list of restaurants in my area that I need to try. Or my list of things that bring me joy, with items such as watching Wes Anderson films and making dill ranch from scratch. 

Who it’s for: The amazing thing about the Rocketbook is that you really never run out of pages. When my lists start to overflow the page, I can simply scan them with my phone and upload them to the bigger running lists on my Google Drive. And once they’re uploaded, the ink on the page can be wiped away with a damp cloth. It combines tech and tradition in a way that still stimulates my brain, but keeps me organized. And it’s a win for the environment, as you’re using less paper. 

Who should look elsewhere: My only issues with the notebook were the smudging I encountered whilst passionately writing in the notebook. The pen that comes with it needs a few moments to fully dry, so it smears, especially if you press down hard when you write like I do. It also only comes with black ink, so if you want more color, you’ll have to buy more pens from the Pilot Frixion line, as those are the pens that are compatible with the notebook. This Rocketbook Core size is tinier than its siblings; this notebook does better with planning, lists, and doodles rather than a vessel for notes during lecture. If you need it for class, I would recommend getting the bigger size. However, it still works dang good, and I’ll be keeping it in my purse for the time being.

Rocketbook Core features: Color options: Ten | Pages: 12 | Page layouts: Dot grid and lined | Sizes: Letter and executive

Why we like it: 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.

Who it’s for: 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’re drawing or brainstorming, it’s really quite handy to see how an image or a set of ideas come together.” 

Who should look elsewhere: 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

Why we like it: 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

Who it’s for: 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 styluses 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, which doesn’t need charging and has a built-in eraser (only in the Marker Plus). Customers rate this smart notebook 4.6 out of 5, citing its use as an organizational tool for students and professionals alike.

Who should look elsewhere: There are a few caveats, though. There is no backlight, so it may not be ideal in low-light areas or dimly lit lectures. It’s also expensive for the limited functions it has. For example, you can’t connect with your library’s ebook system.  

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