Kindle Scribe (2025) review: An almost perfect e-reader and note-taker
The new Amazon Kindle Scribe ($499) delivers meaningful improvements over its predecessors. Featuring a more streamlined design, larger e-paper display, and easier-to-access notes, it’s arguably the best standard Kindle Scribe yet.
I’ve been a Kindle Paperwhite user for years, so reading my favorite novels on the expansive 11-inch e-paper display has been a revelation. The 300ppi resolution makes everything from written text to black and white comic books appear sharp and defined. I appreciate not being forced to adjust the font and spacing to get a better reading experience. I get that right out of the box.
The lightweight design is another highlight. The Scribe is so light in my hands that it makes the 11-inch iPad Air M3 feel bulky in comparison. I also appreciate the sturdy aluminum chassis that makes this device feel more premium than a Kindle Paperwhite. Though I wish the bezels were a tad thinner, they’re thick enough to let you comfortably hold the device without having your thumbs on the actual display.
Writing is generally satisfying thanks to the chunky included stylus and how there’s virtually no lag when you write. The Quick Notes section on the Home screen allows you to instantly jot down or draw whatever comes to mind at the moment. Unfortunately, annotating text is as clunky and unintuitive as ever.
Faults aside, the new Kindle Scribe is an overall satisfying update. If you’re a Kindle fan who wants a device for taking notes and drawing, this and the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft are excellent (if expensive) options. And if you’re not a notetaker or artist, you’ll have an enjoyable experience reading novels and black and comics on this device. I’ll explain further in my full Kindle Scribe review.
Kindle Scribe (2025) review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? The Kindle Scribe (2025) is an e-reader that allows you to take digital notes with its included stylus and to read books from the Kindle store. This updated model features a thinner design, a larger display, and a snappier interface.
- Who is it for? This tablet is for anyone who wants an e-reader that also allows them to take notes or draw.
- What does it cost? The Kindle Scribe (2025) starts at $499 for the 32GB model and $549 for the 64GB variant. You can purchase it from Amazon.
- What do we like? I like the lightweight design, sharp 11-inch display, and seamless integration with the Kindle store and Goodreads.
- What don’t we like? Annotating text is clunky and unintuitive. The Kindle Scribe also costs as much as an 11-inch iPad Air M3 but does less.
Kindle Scribe (2025) review: Specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Kindle Scribe (starting/tested) |
|
Price |
$499 |
|
Display |
11-inch e-paper display |
|
Storage |
32GB |
|
Front light |
Adjustable warm light |
|
Battery life |
Up to 8 weeks reading/up to 2 weeks writing |
|
Ports |
1x USB-C |
|
Dimensions |
9.6 x 7.4 x 0.2 inches |
|
Weight |
14.1 oz |
Kindle Scribe (2025) review: The ups
The Kindle Scribe (2025) impresses thanks to its thin and sturdy design, sharp 11-inch display, and generally enjoyable writing and reading experience.
Lightweight design
The new Kindle Scribe isn’t just a refresh, as it features a brand-new design. Besides a larger display, the tablet is thinner and lighter, and features a uniform look since it dropped the previous model’s asymmetrical handle design. The new Scribe has an aluminum chassis, which makes the tablet feel sturdy and more premium in hand.
The Kindle Scribe actually weighs less than an 11-inch iPad Air M3. Because of that, you can easily hold the e-reader for long periods of time without your hands or wrist getting tired. Sure, it’s not as comfortable to hold in one hand as a Kindle Paperwhite or Kindle Basic, but it’s still very light for its size.
As I said in the intro, the bezels are a tad thin, but they’re just large enough to let me hold the Scribe without my thumb touching the display. I still prefer this over the previous design, which might have been more comfortable to hold but was awkward-looking. The Kindle Scribe hits the sweet spot of comfort and elegance.
Gorgeous e-paper display
The first thing I do on a new Kindle is dive into a book’s settings to adjust the font, letter size, and margins. I entered the Kindle Scribe’s settings only to find that I didn’t need to change anything, since the out-of-the-box reading experience is practically perfect. This is a testament to how easy reading novels and comics is on the 11-inch e-paper display.
I typically read Titan Comics’ black-and-white Savage Sword of Conan comics on the iPad Pro M5, as its OLED panel delivers such inky blacks. While the Kindle Scribe doesn’t offer the same level of contrast and defined detail, black and white comics still look great on such a large and sharp canvas.
I normally keep the Kindle’s front light off to better simulate reading on paper, but when I want to read at night, the built-in front lights get the job done. Even if you crank the brightness all the way up, the lighting isn’t as harsh as on a typical tablet or monitor. The adjustable warm light is good for minimizing blue light, and the auto light feature smartly adjusts to your ambient lighting.
The Kindle Scribe’s large and sharp screen is so good that I don’t see myself going back to reading on a Kindle Paperwhite unless I want a smaller device for reading on a cramped plane. Pardon the pun, but the Scribe’s display is really a wonder to behold.
Comfortable stylus and easy note-taking
The included Kindle Premium Pen is a brilliant stylus that feels amazing to use and hold, thanks to its thick and chunky design. The tip easily lets you draw thick and thin lines, depending on how hard you push it against the screen. The texture-molded glass display creates a nice amount of friction when you write. There’s also an eraser on the end for when you need to correct mistakes.
You’ll also find a shortcut button that lets you highlight passages, at least by default. If you want, you can head into system settings and change the shortcut to perform other actions, such as changing the lines produced to simulate a pen or pencil. Conversely, you can also disable the shortcut button. I didn’t use the shortcut button much, but it’s good to have in case I do want to enable a specific function.
For easier note-taking, there’s a convenient Quick Notes option on the Home page. Tapping it will open a new note, which is useful for when inspiration hits or you want to jot something down before you forget it. You can create as many notes as you’d like, and the most recent will remain in the “jump back in” section on the Home page. You can view all your notes by clicking on the “Workspace” tab at the bottom of the Home page.
On a related note, the Scribe’s built-in AI does an admirable job of cleaning up your handwritten notes. This is especially true for my barely legible handwriting. The AI also lets you search for notes, and even has a “chat” feature, though I haven’t taken enough notes to try this myself. I can see this being useful if, for example, you’ve taken exhaustive notes on a sci-fi manuscript and want the AI to assist you in finding what you need.
Same great Kindle experience
Beyond the hardware upgrades and new features, the Kindle Scribe offers the same fantastic Kindle experience you’re familiar with. The Home page has selections from your library and recommendations from Amazon, along with your most recent notes. Navigating your library and settings is a snap thanks to the responsive interface.
Since this is an Amazon device, you can seamlessly connect to the Kindle store and Goodreads. I know some folks have justifiable reasons for disliking these services — DRM (digital rights management) and the amount of spammy self-published books being two of many. But I like being able to purchase digital books from the Kindle store with a simple tap, or updating my Goodreads followers on how far I am into the latest novel or comic I’m reading.
Kindle Scribe (2025) review: The downs
Using the Kindle Scribe for note-taking and doodling generally works as intended, but this e-reader has some notable setbacks you should be aware of.
Active Canvas feature is clunky
I share the same frustrations with annotating text as my colleague Alex Wawro, who reviewed the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. To be specific, I’m not a fan of the Active Canvas feature.
Sure, you can write or draw right on a document or page and have your annotation appear alongside the text. However, the way Active Canvas automatically inserts annotations breaks up the text of said document or page, which can make things extremely confusing and messy. I wish your annotations or drawings stayed exactly where you placed them without distorting a page, as they do on the ReMarkable Paper Pro.
The other way to take notes is to open the expandable margin and write them there. This is a cleaner option since it doesn’t warp pages, and you’re able to hide your notes when you want. I hope there’s a fix for Active Canvas awkwardly moving text around, but the margin is the best way to go right now.
Fewer features than a similarly priced iPad Air
For the same price, you can purchase an 11-inch iPad Air M3. You can read all of your Kindle books from the Kindle App for iPad, and even read those books (and comics) in full color. The iPad Air is also great for doodling, so long as you don’t mind the smooth, glassy display. Beyond those basic Kindle Scribe features, you can also watch videos, play games and surf the web much easier on Apple’s thin tablet.
If you’re already invested in the Amazon ecosystem, then it might be easier for you to justify the Kindle Scribe’s asking price. However, if you want a device that offers more features for the same cost, you might want to consider the iPad Air instead.
Kindle Scribe (2025) review: Verdict
The Kindle Scribe (2025) might not have the same robust note-taking features as some of its competitors, but if you like writing by hand or drawing, it will get the job done. Just don’t expect the best note-taking e-reader out there. For that, you might want to check out the ReMarkable 2 ($449).
While the Kindle Scribe might fall a little short when it comes to the scribing part, it’s a phenomenal e-reader for avid bookworms. The 11-inch display is perfect for novels and black and white comics, which you can comfortably read for hours — thanks to the device’s lightweight and sturdy design. Seamless integration with Amazon services like the Kindle store and Goodreads is also a highlight, especially if you’re invested in the company’s ecosystem.
I instantly fell in love with the Kindle Scribe when I unboxed it, and it will now be my main e-reader when I’m at home. The Kindle Paperwhite is still brilliant, but if you need a larger display that’s easier to read on, this is the Kindle to get.
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