Do you take a lot of notes? Whether it’s daily to-do lists, notes for class, or just jotting down the various thoughts in our brains, it’s nice to have somewhere to write everything down. Sure, you could just open your Notes app, but physically writing something down helps you remember and learn more. It also feels nice to stop typing for a minute and write out the thoughts in your mind. If you worry about losing those notes if they aren’t digitized, then good news: We’ve got the best digital notebooks and more for you.
There are E Ink tablets, smart pens, and notebooks made to save digital files of your handwritten notes or drawings. You can save files as PDFs, images, and Word docs, or transcribe them to a text file in Google Docs to make all your notes searchable. Some of these devices can record too, which is great for lectures and interviews. If your notes need an upgrade, we recommend giving these a try. If you’re looking for true paper options, don’t miss our Paper Planners guide, and if you’re looking for more home office upgrades, catch our guides to the Best Work-From-Home Gear, Best Computer Monitors, and Best Mechanical Keyboards.
If you’re considering buying one of these, now is the time to do it. Supernote has already made a statement on Reddit that it plans to raise prices at the end of April due to the tariffs, and ReMarkable has also announced a price increase in May. We’ll likely see similar action from other picks in this guide. There have been some increases already, with Kobo Libra up $10 since earlier this year. Don’t miss your chance to get one of these before prices hike.
Updated April 2025: We’ve moved the Kindle Scribe (2nd Gen) up in this guide and included details about tariff pricing affecting Supernote and ReMarkable products (and possibly other picks in this guide). We’ve also removed the out-of-stock Boox Note Air3 C as a pick.
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Do You Need a Digital Note-Taking Device?
The short answer is no. These devices are expensive, usually costing several hundred dollars when a simple notebook and pen costs a few bucks. But if you like the physical act of writing over typing but need to have digital copies, they’re worth considering.
Pros:
- Digital notebooks are thin and light but hold hundreds of notes.
- You can transcribe your notes into text files, making them easier to read and manipulate.
- Depending on the device, you can export files as PDFs, Google Docs, Evernote files, and more.
- Instantly digitizes your art too.
Cons:
- Expensive.
- Need to be charged.
- Have a learning curve.
- Most smart pens need to be paired with an accompanying notebook. The upcoming Nuwa Pen promises smart notes on any paper. We’ll try it as soon as it’s available. As of this writing, it’s projected to start shipping in January 2025.
