Amazon Kindle Scribe 2024 Review: This is not a tablet, so why is the price like one?

Table of contents

I meet you, commentator-reader, reader’s reader and labels are posted in every book. Digitalization with an e-reader may not be for you, but with all the advancements in the market, things are changing. From the most basic Kindle to the color e-reader, and now the Kindle Scribe, I’ve seen it all.

Amazon debuted in the second half of 2024, making its next-generation Kindle Scribe debut. It is the largest and only model in the brand’s lineup with pen and writing abilities. I spent a lot of time with the previous generation of scribes, so I wanted to see how Amazon can improve the device. Unfortunately… not many.

Here is my opinion on the Kindle scribe, if it’s worth it.

Kindle Scribe Price and Specifications

The 2024 Kindle Scribe is the same size as the previous generation, but has a redesigned screen with bezels around the screen.

These are the full specifications for the 2024 Kindle Scribe:

• 10.2-inch display, up to 94 NIT brightness and 300 PPI resolution

• USB-C charging port, battery life up to 12 weeks

• Starting with 16GB of storage, 32GB and 64GB options are available

• Includes advanced pen

• Appears in tungsten (dark gray) and metallic jade

• Not waterproof

All privileges of Kindle e-reader, as well as comments

Note my thoughts on the Kindle Scribe on the Kindle Scribe.
Credits: Samantha Mangino/Mashable

The Kindles are a great e-reader – actually, our favorite. So it’s no surprise that the Kindle Scribe has the same possibility. You can access books through the Kindle Store or Libby. Like all Kindles, there is also a seamless Libby integration that allows you to easily read your library books.

But it has no other Kindles that can be commented. With the included stylus (called “Advanced Pen”), you can write as a digital notebook using the notebook feature. Plus, this latest generation of Kindle scribes can get you annotated on the edge of your book. I use it to annotate long pdfs, write notes on the edges, and then hand-written line editing. Once done, I can send the annotated document from the Kindle to my email so I can easily send it back to my colleagues.

When not in use, the Advanced Pen is magnetically fixed to the Kindle scribe and keeps it within reach.

This is the slowest e-reader in the lineup

While it offers the same capabilities as other Kindles can read a lot of books, it’s significantly slower than other models in the Amazon lineup. When Amazon announced the new generation of Kindles in late 2024, the Kindle, Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature Edition were all touted as the brand’s fastest devices, and they certainly were.

Although the Kindle Scribe’s display has been redesigned, its processor has not been updated yet. Scribes usually lag when they start waking up or switch between journals and books. I also noticed some pauses when turning the page, which I’ve never experienced on other Kindles. This is especially disappointing considering the price, which is more than twice as white as paper.

I’m happy to write, but the monitor will be a ghost

After switching to the notebook section of the Kindle, you can still see the cover from my library via the screen.
Credits: Samantha Mangino/Mashable

When it comes to commenting and writing on Kindle scribes, I love the feeling of touch. The Kindle Scribe’s anti-transparent screen and premium pen have a texture that mimics the pen and paper writing feel. It’s very different from the slippery texture you write on your iPad with an apple pencil, and it takes precedence.

But despite the good feel of the monitor, it has a ghost problem. The back end of the Advanced Pen can be used as an eraser, so you can flip it when you want to delete some notes. However, the shadow of the writing you deleted does persist. When I exited the notebook, I had deleted it, and the shadows lingered even if I opened a new book and tried to read it.

It’s more expensive than iPad

The Kindle Scribe is not a tablet. This is an e-reader with writing skills. Why should I pay attention to this? Because it’s priced like a tablet. The 16GB model’s Kindle Scribe starts at $399.99, while the 64GB model is $449.99. Considering the recently launched 11th-generation iPad’s storage space is $349.99, the Kindle Scribe is a terrible value.

Tablets, such as iPads, have many features like browsing social media and the web, streaming videos, games, paintings and even reading, and have access to Kindle Apps, Apple Books, and even Libby there. At the same time, you are limited to reading or writing scribes only – no streaming, games or more. If you are looking for a distraction-free reader, it may be attractive. But otherwise, it’s too expensive.

Is the Kindle Scribe worth it?

The Kindles are usually excellent e-readers, but the scribes live up to the rest of the lineup.
Credits: Samantha Mangino

I think there is only one specific situation that the Kindle scribe is worth it. If you are an avid commenter and want a distraction-free e-reader, the Kindle Scribe is great. It allows you to write notes in the margins of an e-book or annotation PDF that you can then view on your computer.

But otherwise, if you’re excited about the idea of ​​an annotated e-reader, check out elsewhere. For $399.99, the performance and screen ghost issues of the Kindle Scribe are not worth it.

If you want an annotated e-reader, check out the Kobo Libra color for $229.99. The Libra has $170 less color than the base model Kindle Scribe and comes with twice as much storage space. Or, if you want to spend money on something you can do more than just read and write, Swing for the iPad 11th Generation ($349.99), still $50 cheaper than the scribe.