The best digital notebooks of 2026: I tested notebooks from almost every price point

If you're looking for a light and thin note-taking tablet, the Boox Note Air5 C should be on your radar.

Why we like it: The Boox Note Air5 C is a color e-ink tablet that is built for note-taking. The screen has a 1240 x 930, or 150 pixels per inch (ppi), resolution in color. When used in black and white, it has a 2480 x 1860 resolution, or 300 ppi -- the same as the Kindle Scribe. Plus, it's super lightweight at just under a pound.

This tablet has all the best features of the top note-taking apps built right in. There are dozens of templates to use, audio recording, color-coding, and inserting links and attachments into notes. Plus, built-in artificial intelligence enables text recognition, shape correction, and a strike-through erase feature that makes erasing much easier.

Review: Boox Note Air5 C

Who it's for: I went hands-on with this tablet, and it is geared towards habitual note-takers looking to replace their daily planner, journal, and notebook of to-dos in just one device. It is completely customizable to exactly how I like you lists, instead of a planner that has limited pages and set out page types that might not flow with how you create and organize.

The Pen is also an upgrade from previous generations, with 4,096 levels of pressure and ultra-low latency and captive touch to make it feel like you are writing on actual paper with a real ballpoint pen. Also, an upgrade for this generation's model is an attachable keyboard you can buy, if you'd rather take notes by typing (or if you have messy handwriting).

Who should look elsewhere: If Android isn't your jam, you probably won't like the Boox Note Air5 C, since it's noticeably slower than a traditional tablet like the iPad.

Also, if you want AI features, the ones in this tablet leave much to be desired and are suited for basic tasks instead of optimizing your productivity.