Summary
- Kindle Scribe combines e-reader and note-taking capabilities with a new design and Premium Pen.
- Writing on the 300 PPI screen feels like paper, but pricey compared to other Kindle models.
- Note-taking abilities have improved, but new features may not justify the high cost.
Amazon’s Kindle lineup still remains the best way by far to enjoy an ebook. But the second-generation Amazon Kindle Scribe wants to bring an e-reader together with the ability to take notes and more. It’s generally a mixed bag and not worth the high price tag.
Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)
The Amazon Kindle Scribe combines an e-reader and note-taking tablet into one package. The second-generation modes feature a new design with a front-flush display and uniform white borders to better mimic writing on paper. The included Premium Pen feature a customizable shortcut button and eraser. You can now write notes directly on the page of a book with Active Canvas
- Large, easy-to-read 300 PPI screen
- Can write notes directly in books
- Writing on screen feels very much like on paper
- Premium Pen feels great in the hand and features shortcut button
- Most new features are also available on cheaper first-generation model
- Expensive compared to other Kindle models
Price and Availability
The Kindle Scribe retails for $400 for the 16GB version, $420 for a 32GB model, and $450 for a 64GB edition. It is available in two colors: tungsten or metallic jade. The Kindle Scribe can be found through Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers. All models come with the Premium Pen.
An Improved Design
The Kindle Scribe looks much better than the first generation thanks to its new design. Along with a front-flush, 10.2-inch display, white borders better mimic writing on a sheet of paper.
There are two colors to choose from—tungsten and jade. The hue will only be noticeable on the border of the front, the back, and the Premium Pen.
The 300dpi screen is by far the best on any Kindle I’ve used. The auto-brightness setting worked well to provide the best backlight for a dark room or even outside. The warmth is even adjustable, and you can create a schedule to change that as well.
Weighing a little more than a pound and very thin, I found the Kindle a little difficult to hold for long periods of time. The aluminum back feels very slippery, and I was always adjusting my hand for a more comfortable position. Amazon, as you might expect, sells a wide variety of cases that cover the back with other materials, but that just adds to the cost of the experience.
On the left side of the Kindle Scribe is the power button and USB-C port for charging. Amazon advertises up to 12 weeks on a single charge. But in reality, especially when using the screen at a higher brightness level and frequently, that will be much less. After using the Kindle Scribe heavily for around a month, I only needed to charge it once.
I would like to see the Kindle Scribe offer the same wireless charging found in the lower-cost Paperwhite Signature Edition and Colorsoft Signature Edition. Unlike most of the other high-end Kindles, the Scribe isn’t waterproof, so be careful around the pool or in the bath.
When not in use, the Premium Pen is made to magnetically attach to the right side. In practice, you’re better off using a case or just finding a safe spot for it. When placing the Kindle Scribe in my backpack, it detached every single time, forcing me to fish in the bottom of my backpack. Even while adjusting my hand during reading, it always had a way of detaching.
While the magnetic connection isn’t a strong spot, I really enjoyed using the pen itself. It feels great in the hand and is not slippery like an Apple Pencil. There’s also no need to worry about charging or pairing the pen.
I’ve used a number of stylus models, but using the tip feels as close to writing on paper as I’ve experienced. The Pen also has a customizable Shortcut button. You can press and hold the button to use tools like a highlighter, pen, fountain pen, and sticky note. It’s very well-placed and easy to use. On top of the pen is an eraser—just press it on the screen to erase text. It feels exactly like using a real-world eraser, and there was no lag at all.
Finally, Take Real Notes While Reading
One of the biggest additions is the much-requested ability to actually write a note in a book you’re reading. In the first-generation model, you could write a small sticky note on a book, and you’d have to come back to it later and press the icon to see what was written.
Now, you can write directly on the book using the Active Canvas feature. Just start writing anywhere and the book will adjust to fit the text. As an extra-added caution, once the note is written, you’ll press a check mark to add it to the page. The note is tied directly to the text, and you will see them in the same place even if you change font sizes. The entire process is quick and without any lag.
In early 2025, Amazon will allow you to also write notes in expandable book margins, but that feature wasn’t available yet for me to test.
I’m more of a book highlighter than a note-taker, but I was pleased with the overall experience. It’s nice to be able to flip through the pages of the book and see exactly what I’ve written. I’m interested to see if the margin writing will allow me to write more notes to see on a single page.
While you can take notes, you still can’t circle or underline a word or passage, which is still a bit of a disappointment.
Using AI for Better Notes
The note-taking abilities from the first-generation device transfer over to the model with some new smarts.
You can create a notebook to write on with a number of customized templates, everything from a ruled page to a daily planner and storyboard. You can even import your own template or find additional options on the Amazon site.
All the notebooks aren’t confined to just the Kindle Scribe. With just a single tap, you can create a PDF to send to your email or others. When taking notes, you can choose from a wide variety of pens and ink sizes.
And since AI technology is pretty much everywhere now, Amazon couldn’t resist adding some AI smarts to the Kindle Scribe. AI can be used to do two tasks—summarize your notes or refine your handwriting.
I had mixed results with both features. You’ll need an Internet connection to send the information to the cloud, and even when you do, it takes anywhere from 30 to 40 seconds to return results. Even though my handwriting can be atrocious at times, the AI somewhat accurately handled my scribbling.
Both of the tools convert your handwriting into an easy-to-read font. The summary or handwriting is attached to the front of the notebook for easy access. I would love to see the same AI features being used on in-book notes.
Should You Buy the Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)?
The second-generation Kindle Scribe is by far the best Kindle I’ve ever used. I’ve truly enjoyed reading books on such a large and natural-looking e-ink screen. It’s light and great to read anything you can imagine. But I’ve been far less impressed with the note-taking abilities.
While it’s great to finally be able to actually write notes in a book and look back at them later, the other writing features are less impressive and are also available on the lower-cost first-generation Scribe. With a minimum retail cost of $399.99 for the Kindle Scribe, I could spend a little more and purchase an entry-level iPad and Apple Pencil, take notes, and do much more.
Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024)
The Amazon Kindle Scribe combines an e-reader and note-taking tablet into one package. The second-generation modes feature a new design with a front-flush display and uniform white borders to better mimic writing on paper. The included Premium Pen feature a customizable shortcut button and eraser. You can now write notes directly on the page of a book with Active Canvas
