It's come and gone far too quickly, but summer vacation is rapidly approaching its end, and back-to-school season is here.
I'm talking about E Ink or ePaper tablets, such as the ReMarkable tablets or the Boox Go 10.3 I recently reviewed.
Since I'm out of school, I love to use my ePaper tablet to write down scripts for some of my YouTube videos.
Boox, specifically, makes ePaper tablets that run full Android apps, so you can install almost anything you want on it.
ReMarkable current sells the 10-inch Paper Pure tablet and the 11-inch Paper Pro, which also adds a backlight and color E Ink.
It's come and gone far too quickly, but summer vacation is rapidly approaching its end, and back-to-school season is here. You're no doubt hearing plenty about things you should buy for the coming school year, but I have a recommendation of my own, and it's one I wish I had during my own school years.
I'm talking about E Ink or ePaper tablets, such as the ReMarkable tablets or the Boox Go 10.3 I recently reviewed. The brand isn't really the point; what matters is that any one of these devices is a perfect way to take notes during the school year.
Taking notes with minimal distractions
A true digital notebook
Close
When I was going to school, we hadn't quite accepted that everything was digital yet, so most people were using paper notebooks, myself included. And while it wasn't impossible to use something like an iPad, it did feel like something of a distraction. After, it's a bright, colorful screen that can do far more than take notes.
A device like any of the ReMarkable lineup can serve as a true replacement for a proper notebook for a few key reasons. For starters, the screen doesn't a need a backlight, so it truly looks like paper, and wouldn't stand out on a student's school desk. That means fewer prying eyes from classmates and teachers, but also something that's easier to read and use for longer periods, making it a perfect all-day tool.
Plus, for you, the lower refresh rate of the display means you're less likely to be tempted into doing anything else on it, even if you go with an Android tablet like the Boox Go. It allows you to stay focused on your class and taking notes, rather than zone out while you scroll through TikTok or whatever else you might be drawn to.
Writing on these devices feels much closer to paper, too. You can buy dedicated screen covers for some tablets to give them a paper-like feel, but with these, that rougher texture and feel is built right in, especially with ReMarkable devices (Boox does fall slightly behind in this aspect). It may not seem like much, but the writing feel makes it a much more rewarding experience to actually write things down. Just hitting a stylus on a regular glass surface is nowhere near as comfortable or satisfying.
Since I'm out of school, I love to use my ePaper tablet to write down scripts for some of my YouTube videos. It really allows me to narrow my focus to what I want to work on, while also providing a satisfying feeling as I write. I would have loved something like this when I was in college.
Perfect for all-day use
Thin and light, yet ready to last all day
Another major benefit of these dedicated tablets is that they're very thin and light, both when compared to traditional tablets and regular paper notebooks. That means your school backpack can be far lighter than if you're carrying one paper notebook for each class, and more organized than trying to use a single notebook for every class.
These tablets let you create folders with notebooks and split notebooks into pages so you can keep all your thoughts organized and sectioned without all the heft of carrying multiple notebooks. It just makes it easier to get through the day with a lighter bag and without having to stop by a locker to swap books in and out. Plus, you never have to worry about running out of space on a notebook. Just create another page or scroll down, and you're good to go.
Plus, that ePaper (or E Ink) display also means extremely low power usage, which in turn means you have a device that will comfortably last you all day on a single charge, potentially even multiple days in a row. No need to sit near an outlet or carry a power bank to ensure your notes are always accessible.
You can use them for research, too
But you'll need proper Android for that
Note-taking by itself is great, but if you do want something a little more versatile, some of these tablets can do more than just take notes. Boox, specifically, makes ePaper tablets that run full Android apps, so you can install almost anything you want on it. Because of the ePaper screen, video apps like YouTube or TikTok are still a no-go, but this can be hugely useful for research or for killing time between classes.
If you need specific study books for a class, you can carry them in digital format and read them while you follow along to a specific lecture, and even swap between taking notes or reading as necessary. You can even make web searches if you need some research in a pinch, all without being drawn to more potentially distracting apps.
And for when you're waiting between classes, these apps can be great for reading a book, or catching up with some news. You still benefit from the paper look that removes the need for harmful blue light, so you can comfortably read at any time during the day without damaging your eyes.
Less is more
Skip the big color models
As with everything tech, it can be tempting to go for the devices with the highest specs, and even within the ePaper tablet market, that can happen. ReMarkable current sells the 10-inch Paper Pure tablet and the 11-inch Paper Pro, which also adds a backlight and color E Ink.
However, my advice is to actually stick to the basics here. Those color models are noticeably heavier and more expensive, and for a lot of classes, there's not much in the way of real benefits. A cheaper and smaller black-and-white model is honestly a safer investment, and it will prove its worth just as well as a fancier model would.
The ReMarkable Paper Pure does lack a backlight, which might be a problem at nighttime, but you can always go with a Boox Go Gen II Lumi if you'd like that particular upgrade without a huge price increase.
And overall, these tablets tend to be cheaper than a lot of other tech you might consider for the new school year. Any laptop worth owning will cost you at least double the base price of a ReMarkable Paper Pure, and even the cheapest iPad (which isn't a great tool in the first place) costs $30 more when accounting for student discounts. An iPad Air goes up to $699 with student discounts, which is $300 more than the Paper Pure or the Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II).
It's a small investment, but it's completely worth it
If you're setting your child (or yourself) up for the upcoming school year, I can't recommend an ePaper tablet enough. I use mine for both taking notes and reading, and it's easy to see how perfectly this would fit into a student's life. Personally, I'd pick the Boox Go 10.3 for its added versatility with Android apps, but no matter your choice, you'll be glad you got one.
