--- source_url: "https://www.makeuseof.com/reasons-why-e-ink-tablets-are-better-than-ipads-in-2026/" title: "5 reasons why e-ink tablets are better than iPads in 2026" mirrored_at: 2026-08-27T01:00:59.553Z host: www.makeuseof.com cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/www.makeuseof.com/reasons-why-e-ink-tablets-are-better-than-ipads-in-2026/index" --- > **Original source:** https://www.makeuseof.com/reasons-why-e-ink-tablets-are-better-than-ipads-in-2026/ Published Feb 1, 2026, 9:30 AM EST Mahnoor Faisal is a tech journalist covering AI and productivity tools with bylines at [XDA](https://www.xda-developers.com/author/mahnoor-faisal/), [SlashGear](https://www.slashgear.com/author/mahnoorfaisal/), MakeUseOf, [Laptop Mag](https://www.laptopmag.com/author/mahnoor-faisal), and [Android Police](https://www.androidpolice.com/author/mahnoor-faisal/). She's been writing professionally since she was sixteen, and has since penned hundreds of articles. This includes in-depth coverage of AI tools like NotebookLM to breaking news across the AI space. Her passion for technology started when she received her first iPod Touch (4th generation) on her 8th birthday, and she's been deep in the tech world ever since. Currently pursuing a degree in computer science, Mahnoor brings both a journalist's eye and a technical foundation to her coverage of how AI is reshaping the way we work and learn. E-ink tablets and iPads have always sparked heated debates. As someone who fell into the iPad trap and blew hundreds of dollars on an iPad and then eventually became an e-ink convert, I've experienced both sides firsthand. Hear me out though: in 2026, e-ink tablets are crushing iPads in ways most people don’t realize. ## E-ink's "limitations" are actually features ### Modern devices compete for your attention, e-ink devices don't - ![IMG\_4360 2](https://static0.makeuseofimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2025/11/img_4360-2.jpeg?q=49&fit=contain&w=4032&h=2268&dpr=2) - ![notes e-ink tablet vs ipad ](https://static0.makeuseofimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2026/01/notes-e-ink-tablet-vs-ipad.jpeg?q=49&fit=contain&w=4032&h=2268&dpr=2) - ![e-ink tablet vs ipad display](https://static0.makeuseofimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2026/01/e-ink-tablet-vs-ipad-display.jpeg?q=49&fit=contain&w=4032&h=2688&dpr=2) - ![e-ink tablet vs ipad](https://static0.makeuseofimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2026/01/e-ink-tablet-vs-ipad.jpeg?q=49&fit=contain&w=4032&h=2268&dpr=2) - ![Boox Note Air 4c next to a waterbottle](https://static0.makeuseofimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2025/10/boox-note-air-4c-next-to-a-waterbottle.jpeg?q=49&fit=contain&w=4032&h=2268&dpr=2) We live in a time when practically every device (and even most software) is designed to do one thing and one thing only: compete for your attention. iPads aren’t an exception. In fact, iPads are one of the best examples of the point I’m trying to make. Nowadays, iPads have become the [go-to device for students](https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-use-ipad-as-a-student/) and professionals who want something portable, [offers Mac-like features](https://www.makeuseof.com/upcoming-ipados-features-make-ipad-main-device/), and works just as well for note-taking. I'm among the many students who ended up spending a couple of hundred dollars on an iPad for note-taking, hoping to keep all my resources in a single place. But here's the thing: it's been over two years, and I've spent more time on Netflix than on GoodNotes (my [favorite note-taking app](https://www.makeuseof.com/why-goodnotes-is-my-favorite-note-taking-app/)). Even as I write this, I'm using it as a second monitor! With devices like iPads, which are essentially iPhones with a bigger screen, and MacBooks in a smaller packet, you’re essentially carrying every distraction you own in a single device. While I vowed to keep my iPad strictly focused on academic apps, as I kept using it, I thought I'd rather watch Netflix on an iPad than on my MacBook and get side-tracked by an email or Slack notification. I don't need to explain what went down after that — one app became two, two apps became ten, and so on! I use e-ink tablets from Boox, and yes, they run Android. Technically, that means I can install every distracting app I want via the Play Store. The difference is, once you use an e-ink tablet, you wouldn't want to. This is because the screens of e-ink tablets are nothing like the vibrant, glossy displays of iPads. There's no backlight glare, no flashy colors, and these tablets have a refresh rate that simply doesn't work for scrolling through social media or streaming video. Try watching Netflix on e-ink! It's like watching a slideshow. E-ink tablets simply can't keep up with the distraction, and while you might find it insanely frustrating initially, it's in the best possible way. This exact limitation is what makes e-ink tablets ideal for any sort of productive work involving note-taking, planning, reading, etc. Without any of the distracting elements that come with an iPad, your focus stays on the task at hand. And in a world where attention is currently the most valuable currency, this matters a lot more than you'd think. ## Refresh rates have improved significantly ### The lag is (mostly) gone For the longest time, the reason why people steer away from e-ink devices is because of their obnoxiously slow refresh rates. Fair! Fortunately, that criticism is aging out. For instance, in January 2025, Dasung (a Chinese e-ink manufacturer) launched the Paperlike 103, a portable e-ink monitor with a 60Hz refresh rate! Previously, its devices had refresh rates of around 30Hz to 40Hz, which made fast scrolling and even basic animations feel sluggish. Toward the end of 2025, a startup called Modus debuted an open-source e-paper display capable of hitting 75Hz. While many of the e-ink displays available on the market haven't caught up yet, the technology is clearly headed in the right direction. In fact, it’s catching up much faster than most people realize. ## Color e-ink is finally good ### The "yeah but it's black and white" excuse is dead ![Ebook open on an Boox eReader](https://static0.makeuseofimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2025/10/ebook-open-on-an-boox-ereader.jpeg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2) While color e-ink technology has existed for years, it's only become more accessible and less disappointing in the last few years. For the longest time, the reason I avoided switching to an e-ink note-taking tablet was because the color options were limited. Given that my notes are always color-coded, this was a dealbreaker for me. But that excuse died sometime in the last two years. My Boox devices handle color-coded notes just fine, and I don't miss my iPad for a second! Even [Amazon launched its first full-color note-taking device](https://www.makeuseof.com/the-first-color-kindle-scribe-is-set-to-launch-on-december-10/), the Kindle Scribe Color, during its hardware event last fall. So if limited color options were holding you back, that excuse doesn’t work anymore. ## E-ink devices have insane battery life ### Charge it once, forget about it for a month ![e-ink tablet power page](https://static0.makeuseofimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2026/01/e-ink-tablet-power-page.jpeg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2) With devices like iPads and e-ink tablets that you expect to carry around from place to place, battery life is always a major consideration. This is another area where e-ink devices shine, even in 2026. While MacBooks dominate the battery life game in the laptop world, you can't really say the same about iPads. For instance, the iPad Pro (11-inch) with the M5 chip and the iPad Air (11-inch) with the M3 chip both strangely offer the same battery life (according to Apple's claims). The tech giant claims that both devices can handle up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi or watching video, and up to 9 hours of surfing the web using a cellular data network. Here's what's funny — my 5th-generation iPad Air has the same quoted battery life! E-ink tablets, on the other hand, last days (if not weeks). While it comes down to how you use them, the underlying technology is fundamentally different. E-ink displays only draw power when the screen changes, not every second they're on. This means you can leave a page open for hours without draining it! My e-ink tablets last a little less than 2 weeks on a single charge, which includes note-taking during classes and reading. ## E-ink tablets are better for your eyes and your sleep ### Finally, a screen that doesn't punish you for using it ![doing creative work on the Onyx Boox Note Air4 C.](https://static0.makeuseofimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/wm/2024/12/doing-creative-work-on-the-onyx-boox-note-air4-c.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2)Credit: Jowi Morales / MakeUseOf Finally, e-ink tablets are significantly better for your health compared to iPads. While it's unfortunate, the modern day definition of winding down in front of yet another bright, backlit screen. In my case, I work as a journalist (meaning hours in front of a screen writing) and I'm a CS college major (meaning hours note-taking digitally and coding). By the time I'm done with my day, my eyes are strained. But like most, I too, am typically inclined to spend a few minutes scrolling before bed. The truth is that this only makes it harder to relax, and e-ink tablets have helped me break this cycle. Given their screens don't blast blue light at your face, e-ink tablets are far less likely to mess with your sleep. When I'd read on my iPad before bed, instead of feeling relaxed and ready to go to bed, I often felt wired and restless. E-ink tablets replicate the experience of reading on paper, meaning it's much easier to wind down with them before hitting the pillow. ### The best investment you can make While an iPad might be better for you if you're looking for a device you can use for entertainment, an e-ink tablet is definitely a better investment if you want an all-in-one productivity device. I've started reading and studying more, and the health benefits are simply too significant to ignore.