The 7 Best tablet for reading books that you can buy

The tablet field is filled with many different tablet types that are meant to serve different functionalities. You can choose Apple iPads or Android-based tablets that can run on an Android OS. Amazon Fire and Kindle tablets are slightly different compared to iPads and Android devices.

Choosing the best tablet for reading and a drawing or gaming device will differ a lot. It is important to clearly understand what to consider as you choose.

In this article, we have picked the best tablets for reading that you can buy plus their different types and most important specifications to check for a good reading experience.

The best reading tablets of 2024

When choosing the best reading tablets, we took into consideration some important specifications to compare tablets. The tablet’s price, screen size, night light reader setting or screen brightness adjustability, battery life, and storage space were some of the key factors on top of our list.

From the above and more specifications, we found the Kindle Oasis to be the best. Its large 8 GB or 32 GB space was able to save many PDF and book files for future reading.

Fast charging and long battery life will allow you to read for very long without having to always recharge. This makes it flexible and a huge time saver when working remotely or out of the office.

1. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite: Best Overall 
2. Kindle Oasis – Runner Up
3. Amazon Kindle Scribe – For reading and note-taking
4. Apple iPad mini – CompactApple Tablet for readers
5. SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A 8.4 – Best Android
6. Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet – Best Budget
7. Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite: Best for Comics

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite: Best Overall

1. Screen size: 6.8” Paperwhite
2. Built-in light
3. 300 ppi
4. Optimized font technology
5. 16-level grayscale
6. Water Proof
7. 16 GB storage

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is the best available option. It features Up to 10 weeks of battery life, after taking only 5 hours of full charging. Overall the tablet is waterproof making it durable and usable for many years without damage.

If you like reading away from the office, you have a light 205 grams weight on the small size 7-inch tablet. The screen, just like many other E-readers is bright with high contrast between black and white areas for maximum book-like reading capability.

It is 6.8 inches in size with 300 ppi resolution. To save your readable books, you will have 16 GB which is more than you need because most PDFs are usually small in size.

Kindle Oasis – Best Runner Up

1. Screen Size: 7 inch
2. Resolution: 300 ppi e-ink screen
3. Battery life: Up to 6 weeks
4. Weight: 6.6 ounces
5. Storage: 8 GB or 32 GB

Kindle Oasis (3rd generation) takes the spot as the Best reading tablet. You will use it for reading books as its core function since it is made as an e-book reader, not a multipurpose tablet.

It features a 7-inch screen size with a 300 ppi resolution display that is perfect for reading. The white and grayscale book-like display causes a high book-like contrast between the text and background.

If you are reading your books at night, it has a night light mode that you can set to protect your eyes. For people traveling to the beach or near water, the Kindle Oasis tablet comes with a waterproof body, durability is therefore assured.

For 30 minutes of daily reading time, the battery will go for up to 6 weeks without having to charge it.

Unfortunately, it lacks a USB-C connector and audio jack for those who like listening to their books as they read. Storage is low at 8 and 32 GB but will be enough for many books because of their small file sizes.

Kindle Scribe: Best for reading and Taking Notes

• Screen Size: 10.2-inch 
• Resolution: 300 ppi Paperwhite display
• Battery life: Up to 12 weeks
• Weight: 15.3 ounces 
• Storage: 16/ 32 or 64 GB

The Kindle Scribe is another e-book reader similar to the Kindle Oasis (3rd generation), only bigger. It comes with a slightly larger  10.2-inch screen size but the same 300 ppi display resolution.

It also features a long battery life with up to 12 weeks at 30 minutes per day usage. If you like marking as you read, the Kindle Scribe comes with a pen that you can write on the screen with and is also compatible with MS Word.

You can therefore use it as both a reading and note-taking tablet. Unlike the previous tablet, the Kindle Scribe is not waterproof and faces a risk if you are using it near the pool.

It comes with a larger storage space but is still low with 16 and 32 GB sizes plus a maximum of 64 GB. This is enough for books but is very low compared to multipurpose tablets.

Apple iPad mini: Best reading Tablet for Apple

• Screen Size: 8.3-inch Liquid Retina 
• Resolution: 2266 x 1488 pixels with (326 PPI) 
• Processor: A15 Bionic chip
• Battery life: 10 hours
• Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Storage: 64GB or 256GB 

If you prefer a tablet that you can use for reading and many other professional functions, we recommend the Apple iPad mini.

It features a large 8.3-inch screen and 2266 x 1488 pixels with 326 ppi resolution and a unique liquid Retina display. This is crisp and clear and will display images and colors in a rich vivid output.

For processing power, the Apple iPad Mini comes with an A15 Bionic chip that makes it process information faster than all the tablets in this review. Storage space comes in 2 sizes between 64 GB and 256 GB which is more than you need.

However, the size is not expandable and if you need an upgrade, you have to buy the next iPad. It works with Apple Pencil 2nd gen and Magic Keyboard, but you have to buy them separately, adding to its overall price.

Overall a good multipurpose tablet but you will pay far more for these features that you don’t need for reading, compared to other reading tablets.

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A 8.4″: Best Android Tablet for reading

• Screen Size: 8.4-inch
• Resolution: 1,920 x 1,200 Pixels with (270 PPI)
• Battery life: 10 hours
• Weight: 10.93 oz
• Storage: 32 GB

If you prefer an Android Operating system, the SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab A 8.4 is our top pick. It comes with an equally as large 8.3-inch screen size but is not as clear as the iPad Mini. 

It features a full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 Pixels with 270 ppi almost 300 ppi. This is good enough for reading books.

The best thing about this tablet aside from the screen, is that it comes with only 32 GB storage that is expandable up to 512 GB using an external Micro SD card.

Just like the iPad Mini it is a multipurpose tablet and will feature a shorter 10-hour battery life compared to the Kindle devices.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet (12th generation) – Best Budget

• Screen Size: 8-inch
• Resolution: 1280 x 800 Pixels with 189 ppi
• Battery life: Up to 13 hours 
• Weight: 1.14 pounds
• Storage: 32 GB or 64 GB
• Processor: Hexa-core 2.0 GHz

If you are looking for a tablet for your kids, we recommend the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet (12th generation). It is a large 8-inch tablet with 1280 x 800 Pixels and 189 ppi, made with kids in mind.

On purchase, it has a 2-year worry-free guarantee and a free 1-year Kids content subscription. You will however start paying for it after 1 year, which can be costly.

The initial purchase price of the tablet is low and very affordable. One downside is that the tablet runs on Amazon’s Fire OS and has compatibility issues when using Google Play.

All is however not lost because the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet (12th generation) works perfectly with Amazon accessories such as Alexa.

13-inch iPad Pro (2024): Best iPad for reading

1. Screen size: 13 inches
2. Display: Ultra Retina XDR
3. Resolution: 2752 x 2064 pixels
4. Chip: Apple M4
5. RAM: 8 GB/ 16 GB
6. Storage: 256 GB 512 GB 1 TB 2 TB
7. Nonexpandable
8. Weight: 1.28 pounds
9. Rear Camera: 12MP Wide
10. Front Camera: 12 MP Ultra Wide with Center Stage
11. Audio: Four speakers, four studio-quality microphones
12. Battery Life: Up to 10 hours 
13. Connectivity: USB-C (Thunderbolt or USB 4), Wi-Fi 6E
14. Security: Face ID

The new 13-inch iPad Pro (2024) and 11-inch iPad Pro (2024) are the only OLED iPads available. Their M4 Chip processor is also the most powerful of all iPads as well.

This model, part of Apple’s latest release, boasts an Ultra Retina XDR Tandem OLED display with a high resolution of 2064 x 2752 pixels and a pixel density of 264 ppi. 

The display also includes True Tone and an anti-reflective coating, making it suitable for reading in various lighting conditions. With brightness levels reaching up to 1600 nits (HDR), it ensures clear visibility even in bright outdoor environments.

Weighing 579 grams and with a thickness of just 5.1mm, the 2024 13-inch iPad Pro is lighter than its predecessors and the thinnest product Apple has ever made. This slim, sleek build makes it easier to hold for extended periods, enhancing its suitability for reading books, magazines, and comics on the go.

The tablet’s 120 Hz screen refresh rate provides a smooth scrolling experience, which is particularly enjoyable when flicking through pages. Additionally, the M4 chip, which is the most powerful processor ever in an iPad, ensures that even though you might primarily use it for reading, it can handle more processor-intensive creative tasks with ease.

While the iPad Pro 13 is priced higher and includes features that extend beyond reading, it is the best choice for those who want the ultimate tablet experience. 

The combination of the Ultra Retina XDR OLED display, lightweight design, and powerful performance makes it an unparalleled device for reading and much more. 

If reading is your primary use case, you might consider a more budget-friendly and portable iPad. However, if you want the very best tablet available, the 13-inch iPad Pro (2024) is the one to get. We have previously compared the 13-inch iPad Pro (2024) and iPad Air.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite: Best Tablet for Reading Comics

• Screen size: 8.7 inches
• Resolution: 1340 x 800 pixels and 5:3 aspect ratio
• Processor: MediaTek Helio P22T octa-core processor
• RAM: 3GB or 4GB of RAM
• Storage Space: 32 GB/64 GB
• Cameras: 5 MP front and 8 MP rear cameras
• Operating System: Android 11 OS

The Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a great budget pick for a Samsung tablet, slightly under $170. This is a decent device for basic tasks such as reading, writing, and gaming.

However, it has its limitations in terms of functionality, especially compared to its bigger, more powerful A7 predecessor.

Regarding the body options, you will have a choice between a silver and white option or a grey and black alternative. You will get a standard USB A to USB C cable and a standard Samsung plug.

One thing to note, however, is that this plug is slower and will charge at only 15 watts per second, which means it charges a little slowly.

The basic price option gets you 32 GB of storage space and 3 GB of RAM. Just like most other Samsung tablets, you can spend a little more to get more features, such as 64 GB of memory and 4 GB of RAM.

One standout feature is a durable metallic body with plastic accents at the top and bottom. This makes it strong and sturdy, especially compared to other tablets in its price range with a full plastic body, such as the Amazon Fire HD.

The screen on the S7 Lite has an unusual 5:3 aspect ratio and 1340×800 pixels of resolution. It is small at 8.7 inches in size, but it is still fair for its low price range.

Speakers are good and ergonomically placed on both sides so that you do not cover them with your hands as you watch your video on the colorful screen.

3 GB and 4 GB of RAM are good and match up to most laptops, but its processor will be a little slow on complex tasks because it uses an older MediaTek Helio P22T processor.

Generally, most of its features are okay for a budget pick but might prove short if you need it for complex tasks.

What to Look for When Choosing a Reading Tablet

1. Price
2. Screen and resolution
3. Battery Life
4. Storage Space
5. Operating System
6. Tablet Type
7. Screen Type

There are several factors you need to consider when choosing the best reading tablet. First, you need to consider your budget. Most e-book readers are not expensive. You will spend more than 100$ on the best one.

If you however want a multipurpose tablet that you can use for different functions apart from reading, you will have to spend extra. Under this category, you will choose between Android-powered devices and iPads.

iPads have a better screen and resolution, on the other hand, Android tablets are cheaper and come with expandable storage using a MicroSD card.

Battery life is another important consideration. The longer the battery life, the more reliable a tablet is. 10 hours and above is recommended.

You need a reasonable screen size that is not too large that you can not hold it as you read and not too small to cause difficulty while reading. The most ideal option falls between 7 inches in size to 10 inches. For optimum performance around 300 ppi is best.

Types of reading Tablets

If you want a portable reading device, you can either use, E-readers, Multipurpose Tablets, or budget-level tablets. For Music readers check out our earlier posts.

E-readers are made for easy e-books and digital book reading. You can use them in high sunlight without issues because they are made to make your reading experience like a pen on paper.

Antiglare technology reduces eye strain while the overall design is made to maximize reading. Most E-readers have a black-and-white screen display with no color.

They feature a long battery life and minimal application pop-ups and interference on the screen. Kindle series and Kobo devices are the best examples.

If you need a tablet that you can use to read colorful and illustrated comics or view colorful images, a Multipurpose Tablet is the best. It has a high-resolution display with rich color display capability. They can be used for diverse functions like drawing or streaming depending on the type you buy. Samsung Galaxy Tab, iPads and Lenovo tablets are perfect examples.

If you are a beginner, you can consider choosing a budget tablet. They are not as good as high-end tablets but can be used for some diverse tasks for a fraction of the price. You can use them for basic reading or streaming functions but you will face challenges when you try using them for professional tasks like gaming or drawing. Many Amazon Fire Tablets are perfect examples.

Frequently Asked Questions