The Best Tablets For Reading In 2023: A Guide

Listen, if you’ve been around this blog for any amount of years you know I love the feel of a book in my hand. I love the smell of books. I love looking at them on my shelves.

However, I really also love reading on my Kindle or tablet. There are times and situations I genuinely prefer it — hello traveling so I can have ample amount of reading material (in addition to the couple physical books I’ve undoubtedly also packed).

I refuse, like some book purists, to hate on the tablet reading experience! We don’t discriminate when it comes to reading here though, right? Physical books, e-books, audiobooks — love them all and are all 100% valid reading experiences.

And honestly e-books have grown in popularity for more and more people! Sometimes completely replacing physical books.

That’s why I decided to look at the best tablet for reading – because how you read those eBooks can make a big difference!  Too small a screen and you can hurt your eyes, too big a device and your arm feel worn out. 

So let’s take a look at some different popular models to help you choose the perfect one based on my experience with several of them (and the fact that it feels like everyone in my family rolls with a different kind of tablet for me to test drive) as well as input from other readers I know.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click on a link and purchase something I’ve talked about or recommended, I’ll receive a very small percentage of the sale. Please see my disclosure policy for more info.

What to Consider Before Purchasing a Tablet for Reading

While budget will always be a factor when deciding on the best tablet for reading eBooks, there are a couple of additional questions to think about before you grab a product from the store.

Will you use it just for reading?

The first thing to consider is if you will use the tablet just for reading books or if you want extra features on it.  Do you need a multipurpose tablet that will have the ability to browse the internet, to take photos with a built-in camera, or even play games?  Or simple e-readers that cost less and are purely designed for reading eBooks and digital magazines.  Deciding how many features you want will help with the decision.

What’s a comfortable screen size for you?

The other thing to think about is the screen size – what feels comfortable? What I’m okay with isn’t necessarily a good match for my mother-in-law as she struggles to read on smaller screens.

 Added to that, where do you want to take the tablet to read?  For example, if you want to carry it in your purse to read on your work lunch break, you might want a smaller screen size than if is purely used at home for reading while sitting in bed. (I legit buy purses based on their ability to fit books in them so that is never a problem for me personally when it comes to being on the go).

Take a look at your smartphone and see what size this is.  Many of them have around a 6-inch screen size.  How does this work for the other ways you want to use a tablet?  This can then help you get an idea of the right size to choose.

Best tablet for reading

Now the answer to the question of what’s the best tablet for reading will depend a lot on what you like.  Some people are Apple fans while others prefer Samsung or an  Amazon device.  Others are more about the features and don’t care about the brand.  To start with, let’s look at some of the top-rated reading tablets and see what makes them stand out.

Apple iPad

As the best all-around tablet for reading and other tasks, the Apple iPad consistently tops the list and honestly for good reason (my husband will never stray from the iPad and I get it).  It also has the ability to double up as a small laptop with an external keyboard added and this makes it very popular for students and people who work in different locations.

You can download the Amazon Kindle reading app as well as reading through Apple Books, Libby app (if your library has it!) and other subscription services on this device.  It is more budget-friendly than the iPad Pro and is in the middle of the size range in terms of screen dimensions.

Best for people who are looking for a real jack of all trades where they can streamline their reading right into where they do everything else! If you want to read and possibly do work, peruse the internet and use it for entertainment and just in your every day life — this will do it all!

Kindle Paperwhite

If you want a simple e-reading tablet then go no further than the Kindle Paperwhite.  It offers the best possible reading experience for eBooks and digital magazines with the backlighting designed specifically to avoid eye strain and create a natural reading experience.  It really does look like text on paper and is easy on your eyes!

The device itself is thin and easy to carry with built-in waterproofing that makes it ideal for those beach reads somewhere sunny (and no glare in the sun!!) – save the packing space for more clothes but still have plenty of reading materials with you on vacation!

This is my OG favorite and I held out on getting the Fire for so long (and only did so because I wanted an inexpensive tablet also) because if you are solely looking for a tablet for reading, this is the best!

Best for people who are looking to use it solely for reading. Superior for reading outside and reading before bed!

Apple iPad Mini

The smallest member of the iPad family is perfect if you want something small and lightweight to carry around with you that still has the same powerful chip as the larger models.  With a thickness of around 1/4 of an inch and weighing around half a pound, it is perfect for slipping into your handbag, gym bag, or even in a backpack for camping trips.

A single charge of the battery can be around 10 hours and you can access all the main reading apps as well as the usual web browsers and extensive app collection in the App Store.

Great for slipping into a purse or traveling light! Also great for comfortable reading because the size being not so bulky or heavy. I got to test drive one of these on vacation when my mother-in-law let me give it a go and I was really impressed with just how comfortable it was for reading.

Amazon Fire HD 10

The Amazon Fire tablets offer an upgrade to the Kindle Paperwhite for people who want a tablet that’s more than just an e-reader.  The HD 10 lets you use the Kindle app easily as well as other reading apps, you can watch your favorite Netflix shows or even play games.  

There’s a strong 12 hours of battery life on it and the option to add expandable storage by putting in an SD card.  It is also a lot more budget-friendly than the Apple options.

The one con for me with this one (and can be frustrating for non-tech people) is that Amazon doesn’t have my favorite library app for e-books (Libby) in their store but there is a hack you can use to get around that and still use Libby. Libby is a must for me so I refused to get the Fire until I found that I could hack my way around the lack of Libby compatibility.

Great for people who mostly want to read but would love some entertainment apps and light web browsing without having two devices. Also integrated to all things Amazon.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7

If you are a hardcore Samsung fan or just prefer Android tablets, then the top-rated tablet for reading from their range is the Tab S7. 

This is an 11-inch screen size so a nice middle ground in terms of dimensions and comes with their S Pen so you can easily make notes as you are reading – also ideal for students or people reading for study (or people, like me, who love to underline and write in the margins of books I’m reading and feel less bad about it with a tablet). 

Battery life is around eight hours and it has particular fast charging speeds which is great because WHO HAS TIME TO WAIT when there are books to be read (or studying to do).

Great for students and people who love to take notes while reading.

Samsung S6 Tablet

The slightly smaller S6 tablet from Samsung is only around half an inch smaller in screen size but is very budget-friendly and comes at an affordable price for many.  It is ideal if you want a very simple tablet mostly for reading and a few other jobs.  It still does include the S Pen to make notes on the screen.  Note: there is no headphone jack for this, as my sister learned and had to also get wireless headphones for her daughter.

Great for people on a budget who are looking for an Android-based tablet!

Apple iPad Pro

If you want a powerful tablet with all the bells and whistles and have a little more budget to play with, this is the best tablet for reading and almost anything else you can imagine. 

The latest version of the iPad Pro makes it easy to read with high quality liquid retina displays and also up to 2TB of internal storage, perfect an endless supply of eBooks and media for a trip. 

It also has a larger screen size that makes it great for lots of things but especially if you have a hard time with the smaller e-reader screens. Plus it has night shift and True Tone to help be easy on the eyes.

With 10 hours battery life, it will be more than sufficient for even serious use and quick charging means it is ready to go in no time.  You can access all the usual apps for reading on the device, browser options, and all of the apps in the App Store.

Great for those who want it all in one device and for serious multi-taskers who want an ample screen to view it all on. Great if you are also reading for work and pleasure with its many abilities — especially if you are reading something with graphics or diagrams plus the ability to do some note-taking or annotating with an Apple pencil.

Best tablet for different types of reading 

Another way of looking at the question of what’s the best tablet for reading is to think about the types of reading that you want to do.  While most of us will be diving into eBooks, there are lots of other types of reading that can be done with a tablet – and different ones that tick the box as the best for each.

Best For Ebooks In General: Kindle Paperwhite

I’ve had a Kindle Paperwhite for pretty much as long as they’ve been out and it is hands down the best if you want to simply read your standard fiction or non-fiction book. If reading books is truly what you are wanting to use a tablet for, this is where it is at — it’s a simple, distraction-free way to read ebooks.

Also, for me, it is so much easier on the eyes than reading on a standard tablet and if you aren’t looking for a multi-purpose tablet it makes so much more sense to save your eyes and some money in your wallet.

Best For A Variety Of Reading Material: Amazon Fire HD 10

I’ve mentioned the Amazon Fire HD 10 before but when you look at something that is best for reading all sorts of things, then it comes out top.  The tablet is a comfortable size to read basically everything and has good battery life for lots of reading sessions.  It is also not too large if you want to take it on vacation or away on a work trip so it fits in a bag easily.

But the real plus here is if you read a lot of different type of media — comics, manga, magazines, picture books — this one can do it all. Anything in color or with pictures is out with a Paperwhite, so this one is great if you read a multitude of materials.

It’s also nice to be able to look things up while you read, thanks to the tablet capabilities, without needing a separate device since it’s not just an e-reader. (Is it just me or does anybody have to search places mentioned or interesting things?? I find myself doing that especially when I’m reading non-fiction).

Plus, with it being an Amazon device, it works flawlessly with things like Kindle Unlimited or Prime Reading so if you have these services, it is always simple to grab new books.

You May Also Like: Is Kindle Unlimited Worth It?

Best for Versatility: iPad Pro 

For reading and web browsing, the iPad Pro always comes out top.  The combination of high speed processing power, easy on the eye screen, and larger dimension means that it is the best all-round tablet for reading and anything else you need it for.  If you want your reading to be streamlined into the rest of your life and only carry around one device, this is it!

Best for Games and Reading: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

If you enjoy switching from reading to games, then the Galaxy Tab S7+ is the best tablet to consider.  It has a 12.4 inch HD display and the 120 Hz screen resolution makes it ideal for gaming as well as being comfortable when you are reading.

My teen niece has this one and she games AND reads quite a lot with this one. I’m not big on games so I interrogated her on this one.

Best Cheap Tablet for Reading: Amazon Fire HD 7

While this is an older model, there are still lots of them around and you can often grab them for around $50 or less, making it one of the most affordable options.  So if you want more than an e-reader but don’t want a big price tag for some of the fancier, newer tablets, then this is a great option.  It will handle all of your reading needs and basic web browsing as well.

Best Tablet for Reading with Kids: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids

Finally, if you are looking for a tablet that is great to read with kids, then Amazon’s Fire 10 Kids model is ideal.  It is specifically designed for kids, has strong parental controls and a range of kid-friendly apps installed.  It also works well to read books including picture books and activity books with your kids or to leave them to read by themselves.

My Tablet Of Choice For Reading

I prefer my Kindle Paperwhite and my Amazon Fire — for very different reasons which I will explain. If I could have only one, it would for sure be the Paperwhite (it’s what I personally use 90% of the time) but I can’t deny how much the Amazon Fire has helped in certain situations.

If I’m being honest, I’m a simple gal with simple reading needs.

I have no use for a high powered tablet like the iPads since I prefer my Macbook Pro when doing most things outside of reading — plus I just steal my husband’s if I really need one (he really, really loves his and uses it for SO many things).

I prefer reading on my Paperwhite because it doesn’t hurt my eyes as much, it doesn’t mess with my sleep with all the blue light crap when I read before bed, and there is no glare when I’m doing all the reading outside that I do.

But the biggest reason I prefer to read on my Paperwhite is LACK OF DISTRACTIONS. I am easily distracted by the internet or other media and I like that the only thing my Paperwhite does is give me books to read.

But why did I buy an Amazon Fire then if I have such a deep burning love for my Paperwhite??

It came down to two things:

1. I was sick of not being able to read comics and magazines on my Paperwhite PLUS I wanted to sometimes be able to look at picture books for my daughter if we were in a waiting room or on-the-go (which couldn’t do on the black and white screen of a Paperwhite).
2. Our roadtrip to Florida – I didn’t want to have to bring multiple devices for different things. Riley doesn’t use a tablet yet at 4 but I wanted a way for her to be able to watch some shows/movies when she reached her breaking point in the car, a way for her to listen to her audiobooks with headphones so we didn’t have to also listen and a plethora of picture books from the library to have on the go to save some packing space. It’s nice that I can use this for mostly reading but have the option of it doing other things for our entertainment needs.

Choosing the best tablet for reading

There’s no right or wrong answer to the question of what’s the best tablets for reading. 

You might want to consider things like:

• where you read, how often you read or what type of material you plan to read.
• What do you plan to use it MOST often for?
• Do you often struggle with eye strain from work/using screens for other things?
• what’s your price point?

In general what I like to tell people when they ask my advice:

• if you plan to ONLY read books (or already have a tablet you use but don’t like reading on it) — the Kindle Paperwhite all the way! It honestly is a favorite among readers. Nearly every single time I go into a reading-related group on Facebook and people are discussing this topic, the Paperwhite is mostly unanimously the fave.
• MOSTLY reading and a little bit of other entertainment/light web browsing — Amazon Fire
• if you want something super versatile — it’s best to go with an iPad or the Samsung because the Fire just isn’t going to be able to keep up if you are using it for a lot of things

The perfect tablet for one person might not be for you but looking at the different benefits these bring can help you choose! I also recommend asking anyone you know with a device if you can check it out or stop in a store to hold it and get a sense for what reading on that tablet would be like.

Need some reading material? Check out these posts:

• Upcoming Books Becoming Movies: A Guide
• Most Anticipated Adult Fiction Books For 2021
• Best Beach Reads
• Light & Easy Books To Read