Tablets are not yet as important as smartphones and laptops, but they are still nice to have on hand. If you love reading, your tablet will change the way you read digital books and listen to audiobooks.
Whether you’re looking for an inexpensive no-frills tablet or a high-end tablet with all the bells and whistles, here’s a list of the best tablets for digital book readers.
Best Tablet for Reading Books
If you enjoy reading at the beach, by the pool, or in the bathroom, the Kindle Paperwhite is a tablet worth considering. It is super lightweight with a flat screen and anti-reflective coating, making it ideal for outdoor reading. The backlight is also sufficient for late night reading, even if all the lights are off.
Kindle Paperwhite
You can take Paperwhite and go to the next page with one hand. It is also easier to carry a stuffed backpack with you than a 400-page book.
The Paperwhite is rated IPX8 waterproof against accidental immersion in 2m fresh water for up to one hour. Battery life can last for several weeks, and there is enough memory to store comics, magazines, and audiobooks.
You can get Paperwhite in four colors: black, dusky blue, plum, and sage.
– /
The Good
- Waterproof
- Battery for several weeks.
- Great display.
- Slim and lightweight
- 8GB and 32GB storage options
- Sound support.
- Access to the Amazon eBook bookstore.
Not very good
- No physical buttons.
- No microSD card slot.
Kobo Libra H20
The Kobo Libra H20 is a lightweight hand-sized tablet for reading books. It has a high-resolution display, a responsive screen, and an updated interface that’s easy to learn and use.
The Libra H20 also features a redesigned interface that’s easy to learn and use, physical page-turning buttons that are easy to click, and offers Pocket and Dropbox integration. It’s also waterproof and has an IPX8 rating, making it useful for the beach, pool or bath.
With 8GB of built-in storage, the Libra H20 makes it easy to store and read around 3000 digital books. What’s more, the tablet also offers wide file format support and reduces eye strain with the built-in Comfortlight PRO, which adapts to all lighting conditions.
Good
- Durable
- Reasonably priced
- Waterproof
- Pocket and Dropbox integration
- Wide file format support.
- Select black or white color scheme.
Not very good
- Plastic body.
- No Bluetooth.
Apple iPad Â
Apple’s iPad is suitable for reading regular books, digital comics, and color magazines. It has a large display, bright screen and many applications that you can use to read e-books.
While the iPad is a more expensive reading option than other tablets, you will get more value for your investment beyond the reading features. You can use iPad to easily browse, draw with the Apple Pencil, play games, FaceTime a group, or work on projects on the go.
The iPad also has a large screen, Smart Keyboard support, a reasonably fast processor, and an Apple Pencil. 32GB of built-in storage is enough considering you can stream videos and music, and store your media in the cloud.
If you plan to use your iPad for more than just reading digital books, you may want to add more storage.
Good
- Excellent quality hardware
- Long battery life
- Wide range of outstanding applications
- Large screen
Not very good
- The anti-glare screen is missing.
- There is no True Tone display for adjusting color balance.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
If you want a feature-rich tablet from a trusted brand, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is a good choice. The Tab S3 is one of the best tablets for reading PDFs, comics and other digital books thanks to its large, high-resolution Super AMOLED display and long battery life.
Inside the tablet is a quad-core processor with a base storage of 32GB, which can be expanded up to 400GB via a microSD card You can enjoy videos, music and create media with the included S Pen, or pin your tablet to the keyboard for light work.
Good
- Available
- Lots of premium features
- Includes a microSD card slot.
- High performance
- Long battery life
- Rich and colorful display
- Physical navigation button
- Expandable storage
Not very good
- Outdated hardware and software
Nook GlowLight 3
The Nook GlowLight 3 tablet is a great alternative to the Kindle. It’s simple, lightweight, affordable, with an extensive eBook library containing millions of titles.
The tablet’s GlowLight is powerful enough to read in bright sunlight, and you can switch to night mode for more comfortable reading before bed.
Nook GlowLight 3 features a non-glare, scratch-resistant screen and a high-resolution display with sharper text and higher contrast. It’s easy to see why this is one of the best tablets for reading graphic novels and comics.
If you want to store your digital books, the Nook GlowLight 3 comes with 8GB of internal storage, but you can still use the NOOK Cloud to store all your purchased eBooks for free.
Although the Nook GlowLight 3 tablet is specifically designed for reading, you can still access the Google Play Store on your tablet and download movies, apps and games. If you enjoy discussing books and getting recommendations for your favorite books, the preinstalled Barnes and Noble Browsery app gives you access to their online community where you can connect with other readers.
The Good
- Simple and light
- Open visible display
- Long battery life
- Huge library.
- PDF files can be read
- Access to the online reader community.
- Physical page turning buttons for navigation.
Not very good
- Not waterproof.
- Works best with ePub files.
What to look for on a tablet to read books
- Screen. Many tablets for reading digital books use E-Ink Carta technology, which allows you to read like on paper and less strain your eyes. If the tablet you like has an IPS display instead, turn on Blue Light for better reading at night or in dimly lit environments.
- Battery Life: Few things can be more frustrating than reading your favorite book on a tablet, but the tablet will die within hours. Most tablets for reading books have excellent battery life, which means that the tablet can last long hours or even weeks on a single charge.
- Durability. Whether you’re planning to read in the pool, beach, or bathtub, get a tablet that’s waterproof and IPX8 rated and has a sturdy construction that can withstand accidental drops.
- Size and weight: The best reading tablet should be light enough to take on the go and use while reading with one hand.
- File formats. The most common file formats for digital books are PDF, EPUB, TXT, and HTML. If you want to read digital comics or magazines, choose a tablet that can play a variety of file formats.
- Capacity: The higher the tablet capacity, the more digital books you can store in it. Some tablets allow you to store your media in the cloud so you can use internal storage to store your favorite e-books. Other tablets are equipped with an SD or microSD card slot for more storage.
- Access to eBook shops: Not all eBook readers have direct access to eBook shops. If you need a tablet with store access for a wider selection of digital books, get a Kindle, Kobo or Nook tablet as they have direct access to Amazon, Borders and Barnes & Noble online bookstores, respectively. Other tablets come with e-book apps, but you can also visit websites that offer books that you can read online for free.
Walk around with a good digital book
Whether you’re looking for a basic tablet for reading books or a more versatile tablet for multitasking, you can find the right one for your reading life. We’ve also listed the best places to find free books for kids who love to read on their mobile devices and the best places to find free audiobooks.
What tablet do you read e-books on? Mute the sound in the comments below.
–