Kindle Scribe review: The most versatile e-reader yet
I’VE spent the past few weeks testing out Amazon’s Kindle Scribe, its largest and priciest e-reader yet.
I’ve looked into how easy it is to use, the quality of the screen, and how it handles various reading and writing tasks to see if it delivers enough value to justify its higher price tag.
- Kindle Scribe, £329.99 – buy from Amazon
Released in late 2022, the Kindle Scribe is the most recent addition to Amazon’s e-reader family.
This device marks a significant leap forward though, blending the traditional appeal of an e-reader with the capabilities of an e-ink tablet.
As an avid follower of Amazon’s tech products, I’ve compared the Kindle Scribe to the Remarkable 2 and was curious to see if it lived up to its promise.
After spending some time with the Scribe, I can affirm that the Scribe is an excellent piece of tech, but it might not be the perfect fit for everyone.
For those interested in understanding more about how Amazon’s devices compare, you can check out my head-to-head explainer where I pit the Kindle Paperwhite against the Kindle Oasis.
Overall rating: 4/5
Pros:
- The biggest Kindle screen available
- Automatic ambient light
- Adjustable text size and font
- Quick to start
- Glare-free e-ink screen
- Intuitive interface
- Natural writing experience
- Completely ad-free
Cons:
- The monochrome display takes time to adjust to
- It’s an expensive option
- No IP rating
- The scrolling experience is a tad clunky
Kindle Scribe review: How we tested
I’ve spent the last couple of weeks getting to know the Kindle Scribe, testing it in full daylight and during the quieter hours of the night, noting how it fairs in both lighting extremes.
Being pretty new to e-readers, I focused on how easy the Kindle Scribe was to use, looking at everything from the quality of the e-ink screen and how user-friendly the interface was, to the battery life.
I chose ‘The Song of Achilles’ by Madeline Miller for my test read, a great story, which gave me a chance to see just how engaging the Scribe is for a newbie.
Kindle Scribe review: At a glance
I recently got my hands on the Kindle Scribe, Amazon’s priciest Kindle yet at £329.99.
Naturally, with such a steep price tag you’ll need to consider if this is the right fit for you, but after using it, I can say its dual function as both an e-reader and a notebook really makes it worth the investment.
The e-ink screen on the Scribe is like writing on real paper, and it’s glare-free and boasts a 300 ppi resolution, making everything word sharp.
What’s more, the Scribe offers customizable text sizes, which is a godsend for anyone with vision problems who can no longer read physical books.
It also has adjustable brightness and ambient light settings, so whether I’m out in the bright sun or curled up in my room at night, I can read comfortably without straining my eyes.
However, it’s not all plain sailing. The interface can be a bit slow at times, which can get a bit frustrating, but it’s a minor annoyance when weighed against the benefits.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend the Kindle Scribe if you’re looking for something that serves as both a large-screen e-reader and a digital notebook.
It might not be the best value if you just need a straightforward e-reader, but for those who appreciate the extra functionality, it’s fantastic.
Kindle Scribe review: Price and availability
Let’s be upfront, the Kindle Scribe isn’t exactly budget-friendly, ringing in at £329.99, it’s the priciest Kindle Amazon offers.
That said, it does bring something unique to the table, doubling as a notebook with an e-ink stylus, which might make the steep price easier to swallow.
If you’re considering an upgrade, you can switch from the Basic Pen to the Premium Pen for an extra £30.
From my experience, though, the Basic Pen does the job just fine, though it lacks the fancy shortcuts and built-in eraser of the Premium model, for everyday use it’s more than adequate.
If you’re looking to buy the Scribe, it’s not only available on Amazon, you’ll find it at other well-known retailers such as Currys, John Lewis, and Very too.
I’d highly recommend keeping an eye out during Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday sales events.
These periods are excellent opportunities to pick up a Kindle for less, and having covered Amazon’s device deals for a while, I’ve often seen them drop as much as 50%.
- Kindle Scribe, £329.99 – buy from Amazon
- Kindle Scribe, £329.99 – buy from Currys
- Kindle Scribe, £329.99 – buy from John Lewis
- Kindle Scribe, £329 – buy from Very
Kindle Scribe review: Design and screen
As a relative newcomer to the Kindle ecosystem, the Scribe’s large display, measuring in at 10.2 inches, was the deal clincher for me.
It’s just a tad larger than your average paperback, and I have to admit, I find myself whipping through books quicker on it than I ever did with physical books or on smaller devices.
I’m also taken with its sleek ‘Tungsten Grey’ metal body, which gives it a premium feel. Plus, that larger screen is a necessity for the note-taking side of things.
Now, let’s talk about the screen on the Kindle Scribe, which features an e-ink display, which Amazon has invested heavily in, and it shows.
Though, admittedly, it was a bit of a curveball moving from the bright responsive screens of other devices, then again, that’s the point.
The real gem of these screens is their paper-like quality, which is not just a pleasure to look at but feels wonderfully responsive under the pen.
It’s like writing on actual paper, bringing a touch of nostalgia, reminiscent of doodling on an Etch A Sketch, though far more sophisticated.
One thing I definitely recommend picking up with the Scribe is a Folio Case. It not only protects your device, but it’s super handy for propping it up for hands-free reading and writing.
Kindle Scribe review: Reading experience
Reading on the Scribe is genuinely a joy, largely because of how customizable everything is.
The screen’s glare-free and boasts a 300 ppi resolution. I can tell you firsthand, that this makes every word clear and sharp.
I must admit, my recent need to start sporting specs has made me more appreciative of adjustable text sizes.
On the Scribe, you can tweak the font from 1 to 14. This changes the display from roughly 45 lines per page at its smallest to 10 lines at its largest. It’s invaluable for anyone with vision issues, offering them the joy of reading once more.
One feature I found incredibly helpful was the adjustable brightness and ambient light settings. I really put these to the test. On sunny days, I’d sit outside in direct sunlight, and unlike my iPhone, the Scribe’s screen remained perfectly visible.
At night, the ambient light setting shone. It eased the strain on my eyes significantly. The automatic adjustment didn’t quite cut it for me, so I ended up manually setting it to suit my preferences. You can even customize it to activate between specific times and adjust the warmth to your liking.
The choice of nine different fonts is another plus, with the preset ‘Bookerly’ font being my go-to, I guess I’m not very adventurous on the font front.
The built-in dictionary was a delightful surprise. I found that when you press and hold a word, the definition pops up right there.
My only bugbear is, unlike its cheaper counterparts, the Scribe lacks an IP rating and isn’t even water-resistant. So while I haven’t had the chance to try this out poolside yet, the Folio Case is a necessity.
Kindle Scribe review: Interface
I’ll start with what I love about the Kindle Scribe’s interface, as It’s one of the most user-friendly gadgets I’ve ever used, boasting an intuitive layout that felt familiar right away.
When you power it up, everything you need appears on the home screen: your latest books and notes are front and centre, along with personalized reading suggestions.
I appreciate how it keeps my e-reading and note-taking experiences separate. There’s a dedicated tab for both my ‘Library’ and ‘Notebooks’, which helps keep things organized.
At the top of the screen are the settings, this is where I adjust the brightness and warmth of the display. I’ve become a fan of the dark mode, especially during the evening as it’s easier on my eyes.
After spending a couple of weeks with the Kindle Scribe, I’m quite familiar with its interface. However, this is also where I have some critiques.
It’s tough to fault the device too much since e-ink screens aren’t meant to be as smooth as our smartphone displays. Still, the interface feels rigid and can be frustrating at times.
Scrolling through book suggestions, for example, can be a challenge. The transitions from one row to another are abrupt, and too often, I find myself tapping multiple times just to get a response.
Searching for a book in a monochrome display also proved more difficult than I’d like. But then again, they say not to judge a book by its cover, right?
Despite this, the Scribe has so much to offer, and these minor issues haven’t soured my overall experience.
Kindle Scribe review: Battery life
When I first powered up my device, it was at 35% battery, and I was eager to see how long it would last before needing a charge.
I’m not ashamed to say, I was like a kid at Christmas when I got my new gadget and used it extensively over the first few days.
Surprisingly, the battery only dropped to 18%. At that point, I decided to charge it, and it was back to full capacity in less than two hours.
Kindles are famous for their long battery life, although your mileage may vary. Amazon claims that it can last up to 12 weeks on a single charge, but that’s assuming you only read for 30 minutes a day on low brightness.
From my experience, there’s no denying it’s long-lasting. I’ve been using my Scribe for about an hour every other day, and after a week, the battery has only just dipped below 60%. Which is far better than what I’m used to with other devices.
Kindle Scribe review: Verdict
Would I recommend buying the Kindle Scribe? Absolutely, I believe it’s well worth the investment, though with a few reservations.
I’ve been genuinely impressed with its large screen and the paper-like quality of the e-ink display. While features like adjustable text size and customizable brightness make extended reading sessions a pleasure under any lighting conditions.
However, I do have a couple of gripes. The user interface can be a bit sluggish at times, and getting used to the nature of an e-ink screen was a bit of a curve for me. But, these are minor issues when weighed against its overall benefits.
Now, would I suggest this to someone solely in the market for a large e-reader? It depends. The Kindle Scribe isn’t the cheapest option out there.
If you’re not planning to make heavy use of its notebook features, you might find better value in something like the Kindle Oasis.
In summary, given its strengths and a few manageable drawbacks, the Kindle Scribe stands out as an excellent choice for those who appreciate jotting down notes and cherish a book-like experience from their device.
Here is everywhere you can pick up the Kindle Scribe:
- Kindle Scribe, £329.99 – buy from Amazon
- Kindle Scribe, £329.99 – buy from Currys
- Kindle Scribe, £329.99 – buy from John Lewis
- Kindle Scribe, £329 – buy from Very
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