Of course, now we have smartphones and tablets that can pretty much do everything we can imagine, then why to look for the best tablets for reading? Well, the display on these traditional devices are actually not suitable for our eyes for reading and can cause eye-strain on a longer session of reading.
For reading purpose, E-Readers have been ruling the market globally and have won the hearts of many bookworms who just can’t get over their passion for reading.
Well, there are many reasons to consider an E-Reader for reading purpose over a traditional tablet. E-Readers feature a small and compact design with an easy-on-eyes display that doesn’t harm our eyes, moreover you can also store 1000 books at a time and they don’t break the bank as well, as most of the E-Readers come at a budget-friendly price.
If you were planning to buy or gift someone an E-Reader then here are our top picks for best tablets for reading which consists of some of the best E-Readers from the market.
However, if you like the idea of using your tablet for reading as well as for watching videos or browsing the web then we also have few traditional tablets on the later part of the list which will definitely quench your thirst for the reading tablet.
Starting at $80, Amazon’s Kindle lineup has been dominating the market since very long as they provide all the necessary features that enhance the reading experience in a small and compact form-factor. Hence, for most readers, these Kindles will be the perfect choice.
However, there are some points which you should consider before buying the best tablet for reading.
Few Things To Consider While Buying a Tablet For Reading
This section will help you to understand the features and specifications of an E-Reader so that you can make a perfect choice while buying a tablet for reading. If you wish to skip this section and move to the list of best tablets for reading then click here to skip.
What type of Screen & Size?
E-Readers feature E Ink screens to display texts. E Ink looks just like a paper and feels easy to eyes while longer sessions of reading. On inexpensive models, the display is not backlit, meaning you will need an external light source to read texts, just like reading a printed book, while some high-end models also feature a display with LED edge lighting with which you can adjust the brightness of panel according to your needs.
In case if you choose to buy one of the traditional tablets for reading then you will need to suffer from distracting reflections as they don’t come with a glare-free display like E-Readers. However, these traditional tablets do offer colorful screens, means you will be able to read more than just a book like magazines and comic books. Best of all, the Amazon Fire 7 tablet which is definitely one of the best cheap tablets for reading, watching videos and browsing the web.
Do you need a waterproof device?
If you like to read by a pool or sea, then you might need to consider buying a Waterproof tablet, and none of the E-Readers from Kindle’s lineup provide Waterproof resistivity. However, we have two E-Readers in our list, Kobo Aura One and Barnes & Noble Nook which are water resistant with HZO Protection™ IPX8.
Wi-Fi or wi-fi + LTE?
An E-Reader with cellular connectivity will enable you to download and buy books from anywhere, which comes available in most of the expensive models, whereas budget E-Readers only offer Wi-Fi connectivity. An E-Reader with only Wi-Fi connectivity should work fine for you if you don’t mind waiting until you are at home or have a hotspot nearby.
How much should you spend?
If you are quite low on budget then you should go with the base model of Amazon Kindle which is priced at $80. For most people, it has got all the necessary features. However, the more you spend the more features you will get, in-built LEDs lighting, high-resolution screen, more battery life, charging cover, cellular connectivity and much more. While, if you wish to buy a traditional tablet then you have a lot of good options for price less than $200 for reading purpose which can also suffice your other everyday requirements.
So, hereby I assume that now you have a clear idea of the specifications and features of E-Readers & Traditional tablets for reading purposes. Still, if you cannot figure it out, we recommend checking this tablets vs e-books guide. So let’s start with our top picks for the best tablets for reading.
Best Tablet For Reading – Top Picks
| BEST TABLETS FOR READING | SIZE |
| Kindle E-Reader (#1 New Release) | 6″ |
| Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader (Most Recommended) | 6″ |
| Kindle Voyage E-Reader | 6″ |
| Kindle Oasis E-Reader (Latest Model) | 7″ |
| Boox Nova Pro E-Reader | 7.8″ |
| Kobo Clara HD E-Reader | 6″ |
| Amazon Fire 7 | 7″ |
| Apple iPad Mini 4 | 7.9″ |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 | 8″ |
| Apple iPad 10.2 (Latest Model) | 10.2″ |
1. Kindle E-Reader
- 167PPI Glare-Free Display
- Adjustable Brightness
- Battery Lasts Weeks
- Massive Selection
- Supports Bluetooth Headsets
Amazon’s Kindle series of tablets are globally-renowned as digital books, for the ease and features it offers for reading lovers. This device is one of the latest in the Kindle’s series and is built elegantly to fit in the palm. The device weighs around 174 grams making it one of the lightest devices in the segment.
It sports a 6-inch glare-free display with Amazon’s E-Ink Pearl technology for an enhanced and better viewing experience. The tablet comes with 16-level of grey scales, which aids the readers to adjust the color brightness accordingly while reading. Speaking about other specifications, it is powered by 4GB on-device storage, which can be further expanded through the cloud storage.
The tablet also comes with access to Amazon’s huge content of ebooks, which is a delight to any reader. The tablet comes with other connectivity features such as W-Fi and also supports WPA and WPA2 for authentication. On a single charge, the device can stay juiced up for unto 4 weeks, which is phenomenal considering the usage, i.e reading books.
All in all, this is going to be an ideal device if you wanna free yourself from carrying a bundle of books along with you. This pint-sized pocketable device is all that you’d need.
| Built-in Light | 4-LEDs |
| Page Turns | Touchscreen |
| Display | 6″ Glare-Free |
| Resolution | 167 PPI |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Battery Life | Weeks |
| Charging Cover | No |
| Waterproof | No |
| Colors | Black, White |
| Weight | 6.1 oz (174 g) |
2. Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader
- 300PPI Glare-Free Display
- Comes with 32GB Storage Option
- IPX8 Rated Waterproof
- Brighter than Kindle
- Supports Cellular Connectivity
Kindle Paperwhite is one of the feature-packed, yet affordable offerings in Amazon’s Kindle series of tablets. The device is available in black and white color variants and comes with well-built ergonomics. The tablet is again a light-weight offering, which perfectly serves the cause it’s meant for.
It sports a 6-inch high-resolution display with a pixel density of 300 PPI. The display on the device comes with absolutely minimal screen glare, even under bright sunlight. On the connectivity front, the device comes with both Wi-Fi and 3G options to stay connected.
Speaking about the internal storage, it boasts 4GB of internal storage, which is pretty much sufficient for reading lovers. The device can be fully charged from 0 to 100 in under 3 hours, and the device is expected to last for weeks on a single charge. All in all, the Kindle Paperwhite is one of the best tablets for reading, providing tons of features at an affordable price.
| Built-in Light | Yes – 5 LEDs |
| Page Turns | Touchscreen |
| Display | 6″ Glare-Free |
| Resolution | 300 PPI |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Cellular |
| Battery Life | Weeks |
| Charging Cover | No |
| Waterproof | IPX8 Rated |
| Colors | Black, White |
| Weight | 6.4 oz (182 g) |
3. Kindle Kids Edition with Parental Controls
- Free 1-Year Amazon Kids+
- Kid-Friendly Cover
- Parental Controls
- Vocabulary Builder Function
- 2-Year Worry-Free Guarantee
The Kindle Kids Edition is focused on kids, and it comes with Amazon’s 2-year worry-free guarantee. It’s the same Kindle with some minor tweaks to make it perfect and easy to use for kids.
The tablet has a black and white glare-free display on the front that is perfect for reading purposes and offers decent sharpness for reading out texts. The main difference between Kids Edition and stock Kindle is a folio case on the Kids Edition. It protects the tablet from drops and doubles up as sleep mode for the tablet.
Apart from that, the tablet comes with a host of E-book collections that include Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, and some titles from Disney for kids to enjoy. Parents can get access to more collections if they want for their children from Amazon Kids+.
Moreover, it also comes with parental controls to set goals and filter your library to protect your child from adult content. Overall, the Kindle Kids Edition is an excellent tablet for your child to enjoy books on an electronic platform.
| Built-in Light | 4-LEDs |
| Page Turns | Touchscreen |
| Display | 6″ Glare-Free |
| Resolution | 167 PPI |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Battery Life | Weeks |
| Charging Cover | No |
| Waterproof | No |
| Colors | Blue, Pink, Rainbow, Space |
| Weight | 6.1 oz (174 g) |
4. Kindle Oasis E-Reader
- Flush-Front Display
- Adjustable Warm Light
- IPX8 Waterproof
- Thin & Light Ergonomic Design
- Page Turn Buttons
This is one of the highly-specced devices from the Kindle series which comes with physical buttons to effortlessly manage the device while using. The device comes with a 6-inch high-resolution anti-glare display which comes with adequate brightness levels to accommodate reading.
The tablet comes with tons of ebooks’ access from the Kindle store, and to store them offline, it comes with 8GB of onboard storage. The device also comes with free cloud storage to store your favorites. The tablet comes with a hump on the back, which provides an additional grip to carry around while giving it a premium look as well. Kindle Oasis has been a best-seller globally and comes with WiFi and 3G connectivity options.
The Kindle Oasis has over 16-depths of grey-level shades, which can be adjusted as per the user’s comfort. It comes with best in class, vocabulary builder, parental control, and also allows you to set up personal goals in reading.
These reading-specific series of tablets from Kindle are globally-renowned and are the global-best sellers. The reason being, their powerful specs and really long-lasting battery backup, which lasts over weeks on a single charge.
| Built-in Light | Yes – 25 LEDs for enhanced page consistency |
| Page Turns | Touchscreen + page turn buttons |
| Display | 7″ Glare-Free |
| Resolution | 300 PPI |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + Free Cellular Connectivity |
| Battery Life | Weeks |
| Charging Cover | No |
| Waterproof | Yes – IPX8 (2 meters, 60 minutes in freshwater) |
| Colors | Graphite, Champagne Gold |
| Weight | 6.6 oz (188 g) |
5. BOOX Note 2 Android E-Reader
- Based on Android
- Supports Stylus
- Fingerprint Recognition
- Useful PDF Built-in Features
- 5 GHz Wi-Fi
Boox Note 2 is a unique tablet in the E-readers industry. It has much more to offer than just reading e-books. It comes with a stylus that enables its users to take note right inside the PDF or in a new document.
The display is a 10.3″ panel with 1872×1404 resolution, which feels very sharp and crisp to the eyes. There is a dedicated setting for changing the hue and brightness to your preferred level, so you can adjust the colors to warm at night for a comfortable viewing experience.
Moreover, the Boox Note 2 has Bluetooth with which you can connect external speakers to listen to your favorite music and audiobooks. Under the hood, the tablet is powered by a 2 GHz Octa-Core processor paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage.
Furthermore, the E-Reader runs on the Android operating system. Hence users can run most of the supported apps from Play Store. On the connectivity front, the tablet is equipped with the latest standards which include a USB Type-C.
Overall, the Boox Note 2 is an excellent device for those who want to read books and take notes while in the classroom or business meetings. The addition of a supported stylus within the package makes it an even more attractive option for buyers.
| Built-in Light | E Ink Screen |
| Page Turns | Touchscreen |
| Display | 10.3″ Glare-Free |
| Resolution | 1872 x 1404 Pixels Higher Resolution 227 DPI Display |
| Connectivity | USB Type-C |
| Battery Life | 4 Weeks |
| Charging Cover | No |
| Waterproof | No |
| Colors | Black |
| Weight | 31.36 Ounces |
6. Kobo Clara HD 6″ E-Reader
- 6″ E-Ink Touchscreen
- 300 PPI
- Holds up to 6000 Books
- ComfortLight Pro
- Weeks of Battery Life
Kobo Aura ONE is one of the hot-selling premium reading tablets from the manufacturer. Although the device costs close to $143, it still is worth of every penny you’re gonna spend on it. That said, the device comes preloaded with a lot of features and options, which is sure to bolster and ease the reading experience to the users.
The tablet sports a 6-inch Carta E-Ink touchscreen display. The display on the device is sharp, crisp, and provides the essential levels of grey to adjust as per the reader’s comfort. Under the hood, the device comes with a dedicated processor to provide a seamless user experience.
It comes with 8GB of internal storage, which pretty much suffixes the usage. However, the device doesn’t come with waterproof IPX certification which is a huge downside considering the cheaper Kindle Paperwhite’ splash-proof certification.
The display on the Kobo Clara HD comes with an additional blue-light night reading adjustment to comfort the reading in darker environments without straining the user’s vision. The battery backup is yet another core element in this tablet and is expected to deliver up to Weeks on a single charge.
| Built-in Light | 6″ Carta E-Ink |
| Page Turns | Touchscreen |
| Display | 6″ HD |
| Resolution | 1280 x 720 Pixels |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Battery Life | Weeks |
| Body Protection | N/A |
| Colors | Black |
| Weight | 6.1 oz (174 g) |
7. Amazon Fire 7
- Hands-Free with Alexa
- 2x Storage than Before
- Dual-Band Wi-Fi
- 7 Hours Battery Life
- Discover 570,000 Apps & Games
Fire 7 holds the record of being the best selling Fire tablet in the Amazon’s portfolio globally. The device sports a 7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Under the hood, the device is powered by a 1.3 GHz Quad-Core processor paired with 1GB of RAM for multitasking.
On the storage front, it comes in two different variants to choose from i.e 16/32GB of internal storage, which is further expandable up to 512GB through a microSD card. This Fire tablet is basically a multipurpose device with specifications and features to accommodate most of the everyday usage. In addition to that, it comes with the Kindle store’ access to download, store, and read all your favorite ebooks at the go.
The Fire 7 comes in a varied color option to choose from including the Black, Twinlight Blue, Plum, Sage. The device gets fully charged in about 2 hours and is expected to deliver 8 hours of reading, surfing the web, watching video, and listening to music.
All in all, this tablet is ideal for every user, who needs a reading device and a device to handle most of their daily essentials to give the productive touch.
| Built-in Light | 6″ Carta E-Ink |
| Page Turns | Touchscreen |
| Display | 6″ HD |
| Resolution | 1280 x 720 Pixels |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Battery Life | Weeks |
| Body Protection | N/A |
| Colors | Black |
| Weight | 6.1 oz (174 g) |
8. Apple iPad Mini 4
- A12 Bionic Chip
- Touch ID
- Stereo Speakers
- Retina Display with True-Tone
- Also Supports Cellular
Apple iPad mini 4 as the name suggests is the latest and a rather compact edition in the Apple’s iPad Mini series. Accordingly, the tablet comes with a very compact form-factor and weighs just close to 10 ounces.
The iPad Mini 4 sports a 7.9-inch Retina display which is crafted to perfection in terms of providing excellent viewing angles. The screen resolution of the tablet is 2048×1536 pixels. Under the hood, the device is powered by a Hexa-Core A12 Bionic with Quad-Core Apple Graphics paired with 3GB of RAM and a massive 64GB / 256GB of onboard storage.
On the imaging front, the device comes with an 8 MP iSight camera to capture the moments with clarity. The iPad gets charged from 0 to 100 in under 2 hours and can deliver over 10 hours of continuous usage.
The form-factor, the weight, the beautiful display, and an excellent battery backup are the primary reasons to consider this Apple’s iPad Mini is an ideal choice for reading purpose.
iPad Mini is one of the best tablets for reading ebooks & other everyday requirements.
| Processor | Apple A12 Hexa-Core Processor |
| RAM | 3 GB RAM |
| Storage | 64 GB / 256 GB |
| Display | 7.9 Inch Retina Display with 2048 x 1536 Resolution |
| Camera | Rear – 8 MP | Front – 7 MP |
| Operating System | iOS 12.1.3 |
| Battery Life | 10 hours |
| Weight | 0.66 lbs |
9. Samsung Galaxy Tab A8
- A12 Bionic Chip
- Touch ID
- Stereo Speakers
- Retina Display with True-Tone
- Also Supports Cellular
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A is a light-weighted, portable, and a budget-friendly tablet. The device comes with a 7-inch bright HD display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The device under the hood, is bolstered by a 1.3GHz mobile processor paired with 1.5GB of DDR3 RAM.
On the storage front, you get an 8GB of onboard storage, which is further expandable using a microSD card slot. bolstered with all these decent specifications along with a price tag of under $150 makes it a worthy contender in the segment.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 is light as mentioned earlier and comes with both the Google’s PlayStore and Samsung’s exclusive content to browse through and download. The device also comes with an exceptionally good battery backup, which lasts for over 10 hours on a single charge. All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is the best android tablet for reading you can get for the price.
| Processor | 1.3 GHz Snapdragon 430 Quad-Core Chipset |
| RAM | 1.5 GB RAM |
| Storage | 8 GB (expandable upto 256 GB) |
| Display | 7 inch HD IPS Adaptive Display with 1280 x 800 Resolution |
| Camera | Rear – 5 MP | Front – 2 MP |
| Operating System | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop (upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow) |
| Battery Life | 11 hours |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs |
10. Apple iPad (Latest Model)
- A12 Bionic Chip
- Apple-Pencil Support
- Keyboard Cover Support
- Wi-Fi & Wi-Fi + Cellular
- Night Shift Display
If you have been looking for a reading tablet that can suffice your other daily requirement, this iPad is for you. It’s a complete package for any basic to medium power user. It has an excellent screen and battery-life for reading, a fast processor for working, and it comes with an LTE option to stay connected to the Internet all the time.
On the front, you get a 10.2″ Retina IPS LCD which is quite big giving you sufficient screen space. The texts appear super sharp and crispy so long reading sessions will be super productive, thanks to its 264ppi. It also supports Night Shift to reduce strain on the eyes at night. The display gets super bright so outdoor visibility is great on the iPad, and it also gets dim as you would expect it to be at night.
As far as performance is concerned, the iPad houses an A12 Bionic chip under the hood that offers a great mixture of performance and efficiency. It gives sufficient power without sacrificing much battery life by limiting the background processes that are no longer needed. Overall, the iPad 2020 is an excellent tablet to buy for reading purposes as it checks all the boxes to becomes a perfect all-purpose tablet.
| Processor | Apple A12 Bionic |
| RAM | 3 GB RAM |
| Storage | 32GB / 128GB |
| Display | 10.2-inch Retina Display with 2160 x 1600 Resolution |
| Camera | Rear – 8 MP | Front – 1.2 MP |
| Operating System | iPad OS 13.1.2 |
| Battery Life | 10 hours |
| Weight | 1.08 lbs |
11. Lenovo Yoga Book 10.1″
- Thinnest & Lightest
- High Performance
- 360° Hinge
- Cinema Level Sound & Video
- All-Day Battery Life
Lenovo Yoga Book is the world’s most slimmest, thinnest, and lightest tablet in the world with a weight less than 2 lbs. Although the device is lightweight in terms of its weigh, its a fully loaded powerful tablet when it comes to features and specifications. The device sports a beautiful 10.1-inch large Full-HD display with a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels.
The Lenovo Yoga Book is powered by a 2.4 GHz Intel Atom processor paired with a massive 4GB of RAM. It comes with an internal memory of 64GB, which is pretty sufficient for almost all the users. The key aspects to consider this 2-in-1 tablet as an efficient reading device is due to its easy to carry form-factor, the ease of making notes, sketching, and highlighting texts using its Halo keyboard, and more.
The Lenovo Yoga Book runs on Android 6.0-Marshmallow out of the box and is expected to receive the Android 7’ update soon. All-in-all, this device from Lenovo is for those who seek versatility and productivity on a daily basis, without compromising on performance.
| Processor | Intel Atom X5, 2.4 GHz |
| RAM | 4GB RAM |
| Display | 10.1″ inch IPS LCD with 1920 x 1200 Resolution |
| Camera | Front – 2MP | Rear – 8MP |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Operating System | Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Battery Life | 12 Hours |
| Weight | 1.52 lbs |
So these were our top picks for best tablets for reading. As we have seen that the Amazon Kindles have the best collection of books and they also provide all the necessary features at budget price. For those who need a waterproof tablet for reading they can go for the Kobo Aura One and Barnes & Noble Nook E-Readers.
While some of you may want more than just an E-Reader, they can buy a multimedia tablet which can be used as a reading device as well as for other everyday requirements. Now it is up to you to make a perfect choice based on your requirements and budget.
Happy Reading!
