If you’re anything like us at Pixelsmith, you’re a hands-on kinda person who likes to be able to work, sketch, jot notes, and plan naturally while still being able to organize all your handwritten notes and store everything as digital files. Until a few years ago, this wasn’t really possible, or at least not ideal. Now, however, we’ve been proverbially saved by some of the best digital notepads of 2023.

Coming in all different shapes, sizes, and mechanisms, these digital notepads are a fairly new innovation in the tech scene. But they’ve started to catch on, and we’ve seen some interesting and innovative variations for the best digital notepads. These notepads serve all kinds of functions, from direct to digital notes, sketches that you can store both on paper and digitally, and even screens that feel and bend like paper. The possibilities are simply endless.

We’ve put together this guide to our ten favorite digital notepads of the year, all with their own pros and cons and special nifty features. We’ve chosen some top picks, compared them all by size, price, and features, and then reviewed each one individually with their pros and cons so you can find the best digital notepads for you. You might also be interested in these pen display tablets while you are here.

TLDR

Best Digital Notepad for Sketches

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Huion Kamvas 24 Plus comes in on top when we’re looking at digital notepads for sketching. Fitting into an already thriving product family, the 24 Plus delivers an amazing display and works well with various brush types. 

While its aim is to outshine the company’s biggest rival, Wacom, the Kamvas 24 Plus outdoes its competition by standing high on its own unique features. Some other amazing notepads include:

• Iskn The Slate 2+

Our Favourite Digital Writing Pad

The UGEE U Series is our top pick for a digital note-taking pad. We liked how it’s straightforward and easy to use, and when paired with an Android or iOS device via Bluetooth, all our notes or sketches show up immediately in real-time, where we could edit or adjust them.

This, we found, is a great way of organizing and storing your writing while still being able to jot down notes by hand. Some other amazing digital writing pads include:

• Boogie Board Blackboard
• Rocketbook Everlast Reusable Notebook
• Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook
• Newyes Robot Pad

Best Electronic Notepad Pen of 2023

The Moleskine Pen+ is a pretty innovative creation from one of the most common household names in ‘analogue’ notepads. Featuring a design that doesn’t look all that different from the original Moleskine pens, which clip onto the covers of their notebooks. We think that the Pen+ Ellipse is a technological advancement like no other.

We liked that it had an infrared camera alongside the pen tip, allowing it to trace and track all of our handwritten notes, sketches, and drawings. These can then be transferred to your device either live or whenever you’re ready to connect. The ink tip in the pen is simple, tiny, and replaceable. 

The pen itself also has a comfortable triangle shape. In addition, it comes together with one of the best digital notebooks we could find. 

Best Digital Notebooks Compared

Here is a quick breakdown of our journey to find the best digital writing pad for those who needed it yesterday. But read on for our more in-depth reviews of the different notebooks with some remarkable alternatives that we tested for digital devices.

Top Digital Notepad Reviews

These are our favorite digital notebooks in no particular order. You’ll notice they each have a handy short list of their main attributes or focuses that we found, as well as a pros and cons list underneath each product. This should help you get an idea of each tablet at a glance.

Huion Kamvas 24 Plus Digital Notebook Review

• Screen Size: 23.8”
• Battery Life: Externally powered
• Operating System: MacOS 10.12 or Windows 7
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: N/A

If you consider yourself a digital artist, graphic creator, or simply a photo hobbyist like many of us at Pixelsmith, chances are you’ve come across Huion before. While they make three versions of their 24 series notebooks, we’ve really fallen in love with the 24 Plus.

Sure, most digital notebooks deliver on their premise, but Huion has hit the sweet spot with this one. Stick with us on this one because even though there are distinguishable differences between the standard 24, the 24 Pro, and the 24 Plus, the latter takes note-taking and the creative process to the next level.

Something we aimed to establish right from the get-go was the delivery of elements such as color gamuts and contrast ratios. Effortlessly, the 24 Plus smashed our expectations. 

Technicalities aside, whenever it comes to the usage of a digital notebook, the accompanying drivers often cause more hassle than solution. However, we can confidently assure you that the HuionTablet driver app makes the 24 Plus even more enjoyable to use.

Back to the Huion Kamvas 24 Plus’ hardware – the pen. Welcome to what Huion calls PenTech 3.0. The included digital pen supports a 60° tilt function with 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. 

Alone, that’s not really special, but when we realized we were working on etched glass instead of the norm matte plastic screen, our opinions on usability and durability changed. We could go on for days about why we loved the 24 Plus and its amazing delivery geared toward our artistic sides, but it’s only with some hands-on time that you’ll really appreciate it. 

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UGEE U Series Drawing Monitor Review

 

• Screen Size: 9”
• Battery Life: Plugged-in power supply
• Reusable: Yes
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: N/A

Bringing something a little different to our review, this UGEE U Series is a great alternative to the more traditional digital writing pad. We liked how it worked straight away whether we had it connected to our Mac or Windows computer. Not only did we enjoy it for this reason, but we loved the versatility that this smart writing pad offers.

We feel that this is one of the best digital notebooks on the market, as it lets us not only take down notes but we could also do a little editing and design work as well. The screen is a good size with a quality resolution and sRGB. This makes it a great tablet for Photoshop as well. 

With the push of a button, we discovered we could change between a pen and an eraser. We noticed that it acts as more of an input device with a screen instead of an independent device with its own functionality.

The downside that we didn’t really enjoy was the fact that it has to be tethered to another device to be used. The stylus does require a battery, but there is an option for a battery-free version. Overall, it does feel as if we were writing on paper, which is what we were looking for.

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Boogie Board Backboard Writing Tablet With Stylus Review

• Screen Size: 5” x 11”
• Battery Life: Life of the product
• Reusable: Yes
• Pen Included: No
• Memory Size: None

The Boogie Board Writing Tablet is a little step back from the digital notepads we’ve already looked at in terms of its aims. It’s meant to be simple and straightforward – you write sticky notes, you share them onto your device if you need them, and you start another note.

We’d imagine it would fit best as part of a classroom or teaching program or for use on-site in various professions in place of a simple analog notepad. We liked its slick black display with bright, light writing, making it easy to read in any environment. Our handwritten notes were easy to share on our device via the Blackboard app.

We discovered that a small coin battery will power the device for its lifespan. We tested the sturdy, child-friendly build and small form factor, which makes for easy transporting, allowing us to easily take it wherever we needed to go. It’s a simple eWriter, but a good one, and if you’re looking for something simple, then this is likely the one for you.

The only downside is that it is somewhat of a one-use pad that will last until the battery runs out. Although it can be replaced, we noticed that the longevity of this writing pad is not the greatest.

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Rocketbook Everlast Reusable Notebook Review

• Screen Size: 5” x 11”
• Battery Life: No battery is needed
• Reusable: Yes
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: 32 Page book

The Everlast Notebook from Rocketbook is a hot take on digital writing tablets. We liked how it comes in at an incredible price point, but we noticed how it sacrifices some functionality for the price. However, Rocketbook has found great workarounds to a lot of these issues we picked up during our testing of this digital writing pad.

We discovered how it uses a combination of a Frixion erasable pen and a phone app for scanning pages. Once we drew anything or tried to write notes to completion, we then scanned them into the app and wiped the page clean with the included cloth – pretty neat, we think.

Each page also has seven different symbols along the bottom, which we found we could assign to apps like Drive, Email, Evernote, or Slack. A simple selection of one of these symbols instantly sends your current digital pages to the desired destination. We loved how this made our workflow a lot quicker and easier by sending our handwritten notes or doodles quickly.

You can, however, use any pens (including color) in this notebook, which we think makes it great for the creative on the go. If you’re looking for a quick and cheap way to take notes by hand and store them digitally with a real paper feel, then this is the best digital traditional notebook for you. It’s not terribly fancy or finicky, but in our opinion, very effective and useful for what it does as a digital notepad.

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iskn The Slate 2+ Review

 

• Screen Size: 5” x 7.3”
• Battery Life: 7 Hours
• Reusable: Yes
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: N/A

The Slate 2+ is a pretty standard take on a digital notepad with pen and falls somewhere between the Everlast and SmartPad in terms of how it works. We noticed that it is quite popular among artists, more so than those looking for the best digital paper tablet for the office or school, at least.

We liked that it’s a sturdily built tablet that works with all our own pens and pencils, not requiring any fancy digital pressure-sensitive pen to use it with. It takes paper up to 0.27” in thickness, which we could clip in and align and simply go ahead and draw on or start our note-taking.

We used the included Bluetooth sync or USB cable that came with the digital notebook on the Slate 2 to then sync it to our computer and personal devices to watch and edit our creations in real-time. You can also use it standalone and sync your creations at a later stage if you want to. 

We could use it with a stylus as a regular drawing tablet with Photoshop, Illustrator, and other similar programs. At the same time, it is tethered to our computer or tablet, something that we like.

We noticed that the battery lasts for around 7 hours and the Imagink app that it comes with offers a great selection of different artsy tools for drawing whatever you desire, a feature we discovered and liked quite a lot. 

Ultimately, we think its advanced features make it a great choice for those with a focus on art and design. The Slate 2 will easily find its place in your regular creative setup as it’s incredibly versatile, with functionality that can be tailored to your personal needs.

We love how unique this tablet is. We could draw with a real pencil; all we needed to do was add the iskn ring around our real pen. Which we found to be super easy and quick to do. Everyone has their favorite writing tool, and we were happy to be able to use ours with this digital notebook.

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Moleskine Pen+ Smart Writing Set Review

• Screen Size: 5” x 11”
• Battery Life: Lifespan
• Reusable: No
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: 176 Pages

So, as we previously mentioned, the Moleskine Pen+ works in two parts, with the pen forming one and the smart notebook forming the other. This means we couldn’t effectively use either of them independently, but together, the set is a quality piece of innovative digital notepad tech. 

Overall, we liked the different feel of the Moleskin Smart set when it comes to electronic notebooks, making our digital writing and note-taking feel as natural as possible.

We noticed that when writing or drawing, the actual pen uses an infrared sensor to detect our movements across the dotted Ncoded paper in the diary. When we synced with the Moleskine Notes app, we could transfer all our notes and sketches to organize and edit them digitally. 

The thing we liked the most was all the notebook features, such as handwriting-to-text transcription features, color editing options, and more, which are all stored on the app and connected to an Android device. When it comes to electronic notebooks, this is a remarkable tablet, in our opinion.

Our strokes were also paired with real-time audio, again making this a great tool to use for instructional or tutorial purposes, while we did a little digital writing and took it to another level. We discovered how easy it is to export and share our meeting notes as PDFs, images, vectors, or text files. Although we think this digital notebook is probably still best used as a fun drawing pad and a breakaway from solely using digital or analog for these kinds of purposes.

The included stylus pen will need an ink refill from time to time, but that is a trade-off for the paper-like experience. The writing area is a good enough size and is the perfect tool, we think, for quick notes or a pleasant journal writing experience.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t save any files to vector format, which could be a problem for specific actions. But it’s still an awesome digital notepad. A feature that we loved the most was the ability to recognize 15 different languages and that it would sync with our Google Drive cloud storage as well to save all our digital writing documents.

Something that we didn’t really like is that while this is a digital notepad, the pages in the book themselves are normal, and once filled, we had to buy a new electronic notebook from Moleskin.

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Newyes Robot Pad Review

 

• Screen Size: 5”
• Battery Life: 6 Months
• Reusable: Yes
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: 1 Page

The Robot Pad from Newyes is essentially just a digital whiteboard that we use as a digital writing pad. It’s got one-use note functionality, meaning that it doesn’t store our notes anywhere nor sync them but simply is a place to write things down, then erase and repeat. In many ways, it’s like the Boogie Board, only in a simpler form. When it comes to digital writing pads, this is probably the most basic one out there, with there being better tablets for note-taking.

We liked its super thin design and that it weighs nearly nothing, allowing for easy carry and use on the go (i.e., for shopping lists or something for kids to draw on in a restaurant). We noticed that it comes with two big magnets on the back so we could attach it to our fridge, something any other traditional tablet hasn’t been able to do.

It’s plain and simple, with no frills, and we found that it isn’t really a work or productivity-focused tool. It would be best used simply as a digital writing pad or as something for children to sketch on on car rides or on an airplane. 

We think that you could even use it for notes at a talk or something similar. However, be warned – the erase button clears everything, so don’t write anything important on it that you might forget, as we found out the hard way.

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Rocketbook Wave Smart Electronic Notebook With Pen Review

• Screen Size: 8.5” x 9.5”
• Battery Life: No Battery
• Reusable: Yes, limited number
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: N/A

We found the Rocketbook Wave to be an interesting variation on their Everlast notebook. While not a fully smart reusable notebook like the Everlast is, its mechanisms still piqued our interest, and we felt it deserved a place on this list. This was not only because of the name brand but also because we think that some of the tech in this electronic notepad could serve interesting uses in the future.

Unlike the Everlast, it’s not fully reusable – the manufacturers say it’s got a realistic 5-20 reuses available, depending on a number of factors. We can confirm that this is true. We used the included Pilot Frixion pen and similar smart note-syncing functionality (complete with the app-designated smart sending that was easy for us to test).

It has 80 pages, each with a dot grid pattern and a QR code that tells the app the page number. Like the Everlast, there is no sync but rather a page scanning via camera feature. We discovered this to be moderately accurate but could be better.

We think the microwave feature is the most interesting part, though. To clear the notebook, simply pop it into the microwave until the pages appear blank. Honestly not something you see in most digital notebooks, but it does set the Rocketbook apart. 

This heat-sensitive technology isn’t particularly groundbreaking or special. However, we found it’s a very interesting use, and we’d be interested to see where Rocketbook takes it in the future. This is a contender for the best electronic notebook, for sure.

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BOOX Tab Ultra 10.3 E-Ink Notepad Review

 

• Screen Size: 10.3”
• Battery: 6,300mAh Li-ion Polymer
• Reusable: Yes
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: 128GB

The Boox Tab Ultra 10.3 is one of the thinnest E-ink tablets on the market; we measured it at just 6.7mm thick. We liked how the 10.3” screen gives ample room for any of our scribbles with an adjustable front light to tailor to aid comfortable viewing in any lighting. We do have to give credit where it’s due, and when it comes to aesthetics, the Tab Ultra really impressed us.

We had some trouble going through different documents and making notes, but we found that we could load the documents and annotate them as we went. We loved the ability to add bookmarks and that the device could read 24 different file formats. When those creative juices get flowing, we can express ourselves and start sketching and creating our next masterpiece.

The gesture control allowed us to switch between the interfaces and take screenshots with just a swipe. We can’t talk about the Tab Ultra without mentioning its biggest selling point. That being its color E-Ink screen. When it comes to color publications, there’s simply no denying the allure of the feature.

On the downside, color variety and saturation aren’t that great, but overall, for its price point, the Boox Tab Ultra does the trick.

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reMarkable Paper Tablet Review

• Screen Size: ‎10.3”
• Reusable: Yes
• Pen Included: Yes
• Memory Size: 8GB

The reMarkable Paper Tablet is one of the most interesting and innovative takes on an electronic writing pad that we tested and stuck out to us for this very reason. While it’s got a very high price point compared to all the other devices we reviewed, nothing felt quite like the paper tablet to us when it came to a balance between functionality and niftiness.

The display is large and sunlight-friendly and uses CANVAS technology to produce a display somewhere between that of a Kindle and a piece of paper. We liked how it’s made for writing, note-taking, reading, and sketching, allowing us to import and export PDFs, eBooks, notes, and doodles via WiFi capability. A contender for the best smart digital notebook and best paper tablet.

It can convert our handwritten notes to typed text and sync over wifi, and without a backlight or a glass screen, it’s very easy to read, and we can use it for long periods of time in various kinds of lighting and brightness. 

We could also share our notes via email or annotate our PDFs by hand, saving them with our notes written on top. Of course, since we’re in the modern age, as soon as a note is saved to our Paper Tablet, it’s available via the cloud on all devices we have synced.

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Why Trust Our Reviews

At Pixelsmith, we’re not about publishing clickbait. Here, we aim to write in-depth reviews about products that we have actually tested and used. The purpose of this is to provide you with useful information so that you can make an informed purchase decision when looking for the perfect digital notepad for your various needs.

At Pixelsmith, we’re more than just experts—each member of our team has a strong passion for technology and design. Everything from tablets, laptops, and notepads to accessories like wireless mice and headphones—we have tried it all.

We also do not get paid to review products, nor do companies gift us products to write a positive review. We have gone out and bought nearly all the notepads on this list. While we rarely receive products from companies, we do use affiliate links. This way, we earn a small commission on sales made through our site.

For this reason, we are able to guarantee unbiased reviews. When looking for the best digital notepad, we sifted through many products before finding the ones mentioned in this list. This way, we were able to truly identify the best notepads, notebooks, and writing pads on the market.

Have any questions about our review process? Be sure to contact us—we’re happy to assist our fellow tech, design, and gaming enthusiasts!

Best Digital Notebook Buyer’s Guide

After writing these reviews, we decided to put together a short guide on what to look out for when shopping for a digital notepad.

More than just an electronic notebook with a pen, you’re going to want something that not only works for you in terms of what you’re going to use it for, but it helps if the technology helps teach you to work in new ways that you might not have otherwise discovered.

Does it have Sync Capabilities?

Firstly, you’ll want to check if it has sync capabilities. If you’re a creative, artsy tech head like we are, you’re going to want a notepad that has a simple sync function, so you can either move your notes onto a device to edit and share or store them on the cloud without fear of losing them.

What is the Digital Notepad Pen Like?

Secondly, and quite an overlooked factor, is the pen itself. It’s important that you look at the measurements and dimensions of the included pen to make sure it’s going to be something you can use comfortably without having to really adjust to the size and shape of it (especially when you’re using a pen in a new and innovative way).

A good way to do this is to go to an art shop, find the pen or pencil most comfortable for you, and write down the measurements – other than this, you could just pick one of the tablets that allows you to use your own pencil.

Check the Dimensions of your Digital Tablet

Lastly, always remember to check the dimensions of your tablet. It’s easy to think it looks bigger or smaller than it really is. This could lead to issues, either with you being disappointed by how small your digital notepad is or buying one that’s too cumbersome to be effectively portable.

Which Digital Notebook Tablet is for you?

You’ve now got a nice variety of options at various price points, all with different features and extras, to choose from.

If you’re still undecided, we’d recommend either the Huion Kamvas 24 Plus or Rocketbook Everlast. We felt these were the two best-made and most functional digital notebooks without too many frills that you’re paying an arm and a leg for.

Please send us over some of your creations from these nifty little devices. We’d love to see what you came up with and how you found them to use!

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