Ever since I saw TCL's NXTPAPER-toting phones and tablets at MWC in Barcelona earlier this year, I've been a bit obsessed, so it's great to see that as part of the Amazon Big Deals Days event, TCL has not just cut the price of some of its best products, but it's also throwing in some handy freebies as well.

Some of the standout deals are the TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER Paper Tablet which is 25% off and now $449.99 at Amazon (was $599.99). There's also the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus tablet, which has had a 38% price cut, now $227.98 (was $369.99).

TCL has confirmed to me that every NXTPAPER tablet comes with a free stylus and flip case, making them even better value.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

TCL is also offering discounts on its smartphones, with the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro now $259.99 (down from $329.99). In my review of the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro, I was very impressed with the performance of this budget phone, and the 6.9-inch epaper-like NXTPAPER 4.0 display looked fantastic, and made reading ebooks and digital comics a joy.

As with the phone, TCL's NXTPAPER tablets also feature the same display technology, and because the paper-like screen offers vibrant colors, these devices are particularly great for reading comics on. The TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER Paper Tablet is also designed to be great for note taking, especially thanks to the included stylus, so for any comic book fan looking for a new tablet or smartphone that can double as an ebook reader, you'll definitely want to check out these deals.

Today's best TCL Amazon Big Deal Days offers

• PocketBook has announced the Verta and Verta Color
• These six-inch ereaders have changeable back plates
• They're shipping in November at competitive prices

Just a few days ago Amazon launched a new wave of Kindles, and now PocketBook is launching some new competing ereaders of its own — and these have some colorful customization options that Amazon’s don’t.

The ereaders in question are the PocketBook Verta and the PocketBook Verta Color, and while they’re each only sold in one color — Obsidian Black for the Verta and Dark Brown for the Verta Color — you can also buy a selection of five interchangeable back panels in different shades. So you can change the color of your ereader whenever you want.

That aside, these both have 6-inch 1072 x 1448 touchscreens, a front light, a 1,500mAh battery (offering up to two months of life on a single charge), 16GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, and an IPX4 rating for splash resistance. They also both support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, text-to-speech, and numerous book file formats.

And while they run a proprietary operating system, you can use Libby to borrow ebooks, or purchase books through “the world’s most comprehensive English-language UK digital eBook library, with its user-friendly LCP DRM-protected content of 4.5 million eBooks and 90,000 audiobooks.”

They differ in one major way though — the PocketBook Verta Color has a color E Ink Kaleido 3 screen, while the PocketBook Verta has a grayscale E Ink Carta 1300 display.

Color or grayscale at a great price

If you like the sound of these, you’ll be able to grab them from November, with the PocketBook Verta costing $185 / £159 (roughly AU$300), while the Verta Color is $195 / £169 (around AU$320).

That puts the Verta at a similar price to the standard Amazon Kindle 2026, and the Verta Color at a far lower price than the latest Kindle Colorsoft. So the Verta Color could be a bit of a bargain.

That said, color ereader screens tend to be darker than black and white ones, and while viewing color content they’re also lower resolution (with the Verta Color dropping to just 536 × 724 when displaying color).

So if you don’t overly care about a color screen, the standard Verta might still be the better choice.

Looking to buy a new black-and-white Kindle? You have plenty of options to choose from. In fact, perhaps too many, given that they all look roughly the same and it can be tricky to figure out the differences between them all. To help you out, I've put together this handy guide to your options.

There are a handful of key differentiators to know about before we start. The standard black-and-white Kindle has a 6-inch screen; the bigger version is the Paperwhite, which has a 7-inch screen. Opt for a Signature Edition and you'll get twice as much storage (32GB rather than 16GB). Right now, you can choose between the 2024 models and the brand-new-out 2026 models. There are options with homepage ads or you can pay a little more for a version without ads. Finally, there are different colors and materials to choose from. Not all combinations are available in all places, but I've rounded up all the options for the US and the UK below.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

To keep things (relatively) simple, I've focused only on the black-and-white options here. Kindle also makes a range of color ereaders, called the Kindle Colorsoft, as well as ereaders you can make notes on, called the Scribe. Learn more about the full Kindle range here.

Want guidance on which black-and-white Kindle to pick? Hop down past the product cards for my tips on which model(s) will suit different customers. Oh, and today's an especially good time to shop, because it's Amazon Prime Day and there are deals on quite a few Kindles — you'll see the lowest prices below.

US Kindle range

Jump down to the UK Kindle range

6-inch Kindle (2026)

6-inch Kindle (2024)

7-inch Kindle Paperwhite (2026)

7-inch Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

UK Kindle range

6-inch Kindle (2026)

6-inch Kindle (2024)

Kindle Paperwhite (7-inch)

Which black and white Kindle should I buy?

I want the biggest screen

There are only two screen size options in the black-and-white Kindle range: 6 inches for the standard Kindle, or 7 inches for the Kindle Paperwhite. As usual with tech, this is measured diagonally, from corner to corner. If you want the biggest screen, opt for any of the Kindle Paperwhite models.

I want a cool design

If you mean colors, you want to shop for a 6-inch Kindle, and the 2026 range in particular. The latest-gen versions are available in a range of tasty shades, including Ube (a soft purple), Seaglass Green and Alpine Sky (a grey blue). Those last two have an aluminum casing, too.

You can also pick up the Kindle Paperwhite (2024) in a metallic jade or raspberry finishes (in the US only), and the 2024 standard Kindles are available in a fetching Matcha. Otherwise, you're stuck with gray or black.

I want the cheapest option

In the US, most of the 2024 Kindles are all included in the Prime Day sale, with strong discounts across the board. That includes the 6-inch Kindle, 7-inch Paperwhite and Paperwhite Signature — but the slight kicker is that the deals are only available on the ad-supported versions. If you're after the cheapest option, it'd be the 2024 6-inch Kindle.

In the UK, the only discounts are on the 2024 6-inch Kindles, but both the ad-supported and no-ads versions are included. The discounts are big, and they're significantly cheaper than any other option. I assume these older versions won't be sticking around for too long, so bargain-hunters should probably pick one up now.

I want the most storage

You need a Kindle 6-inch (2026), aluminum, or — if you're in the US — any of the Paperwhite Signature models. These are the only options available with 32GB of storage. In contrast, the rest of the range is limited to 16GB of storage. I say 'limited', but if you're just reading regular books, a 16GB Kindle should hold around 6,000-8,000 books — surely enough for anyone.

Comic books and audiobooks take up more storage, but I wouldn't recommend a black-and-white Kindle for either of those, anyway. A color ereader is a better choice for comics and manga, and I'd use my phone for audiobooks.

I want the most convenient option

The 2026 Kindle range (regular and Paperwhite) has had one notable usability upgrade: the power button has shifted from the bottom to the top right, solving an issue that has irked many (including our Editor-at-large) for some time. The problem with having the power button on the base of the ereader is that it's all-too-easy to accidentally press when the Kindle is propped up for reading; the new position is happily tucked out of the way.

Those who like to prop their Kindle up to read on will appreciate another new addition to the Kindle ecosystem: the Kindle Click, a Bluetooth powered page-turn remote that can be held in the hand or laid down away from the ereader. It can also be used to adjust brightness and send the Kindle to sleep. This is sold separately, is compatible with Kindles from 2024 and later, and is available for preorder now.

• US: pre-order the Kindle Click for $34.99
• UK: pre-order the Kindle Click for £31.99

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.36
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $28
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $89
• Smartwatches: up to 36% off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $49

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: up to 67% off Fire, Ring & Blink
• Amazon Haul: extra 15% off for Prime members
• Appliances: up to 40% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: cleaning & groceries from £2
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: record-low Nintendo Switch 2
• Headphones: up to 50% off Anker & Sony
• Laptops: up to £800 off Microsoft & Asus
• Tablets: up to 50% off Fire tablets
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 50% off Shark & Dyson
• Wearables: Samsung & Oura from £31

Thinking of picking up a new color ereader? Now's a good time to shop: there's an Amazon Prime Day event coming up very soon (6-7 October), which means Kindle deals are more than likely. Amazon makes a number of color Kindles these days, and — of course — Kindle isn't the only color ereader option on the market.

In this guide, I'll run you through all the key color ereader options, including Kindles, Kobo ereaders (the main competitor), and a couple more alternatives. You can see all the current prices directly below, followed by a rundown of what you need to know about each model and if you should hang around for a Prime Day deal or not. Finally, there's a specs table to help you compare the models directly.

US color ereader links

UK color ereader links

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft

The Kindle Colorsoft is Amazon's standard color ereader — essentially, the color version of the Paperwhite. All Kindle Colorcofts have a 7-inch screen, battery life og around 12 weeks, and waterproofing to IPX8. None have writing capabilities.

There are a few Kindle Colorsoft options — the regular (with 16GB of storage) and Signature versions (32GB), both in 2024 and all-new 2026 versions. I'm not sure how long the 2024 versions will be sticking around. The 2026 versions are thinner and lighter, and the power button has been shifted so it's on the side rather than at the bottom. Some options are also available with or without ads.

Will there be a deal?

The announcement of the updated lineup at the start of October has confused things rather. Just prior to the appearance of the new models, Amazon discounted most of the previous range in the UK. These deals are still available, and they're good: up to 44% off. I'm not expecting prices to drop further on these models during Prime Day itself.

In the US, there were no deals to speak of on the now-old Kindle Colorsofts, and that's still the case at time of writing (2 Oct). I am hopeful that they will get a discount during the official Prime Day event.

As for the 2026 models — I'm not sure. A discount so soon after launch feels a little strange, but then again, Amazon almost always drops its Kindle prices during Prime Day events. I'll be watching closely to see what happens.

Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is a kind of blend of the Kindle Scribe and the Kindle Colorsoft, in that it's a color ereader with writing support. It has a generous 11-inch screen (the largest of any model here), and a price tag that's so lofty you could buy a Colorsoft and a Scribe individually and still get a bit of change from how much you'd spend on a Scribe Colorsoft. It's available in 32GB and 64GB versions, and it hasn't been updated for 2026 — but then, it did only launch in December 2025.

Will there be a deal?

Almost certainly. This ereader was included in the June Prime Day event, and because it's not brand new, there's no reason it wouldn't be included this time round too.

In fact, both the 32GB and 64GB versions are already on sale in the UK, each with 30% off — down to £399 and £439.99 respectively. For comparison, the 64GB version only fell to £492.99 in June, so this is a much better deal.

The US deals aren't live yet, but I am expecting them to appear at some point, although perhaps not until Prime Day itself. During the June event, the 64GB version dropped to $519.99 (was $679.99).

However, even with those discounts it's a very pricey tablet. In that bracket, it's worth weighing up whether a BOOX Go Color 7 Gen II, which is also a color ereader with writing support, and in fact operates like a full e-ink tablet, is a better buy.

Kobo Clara / Libra Colour

Kobo is probably the main Kindle alternative. The Clara is the ereader-only version, with a relatively small 6-inch screen, while the Libra can also be used for writing (stylus sold separately), and has a 7-inch screen. We have an article covering the differences between Kindle vs Kobo, but overall we rate this brand really highly. In fact, it's the Kobo Libra Colour that holds the top spot in our best ereader ranking.

Will there be a deal?

Perhaps. Over the most recent Prime Day, the Libra Colour ereader was discounted to $229.99 (was $259.99) in the US. In the UK it stayed at full price (£209.99), though. The Clara Colour didn't get a discount in the US or the UK. At time of writing, both are full price on Amazon.

PocketBook Verse Pro Color

The Verse Pro Colour from PocketBook has a 6-inch screen and 16GB of storage. The battery life is shorter than all the others here (aside, possibly, from the Boox Go Color 7 Gen II, which doesn't provide a runtime) although you'll still get around a month of reading per charge. There are no writing features.

Will there be a deal?

Possibly not. This is a smaller player in the ereader world, and not necessarily a model Amazon would focus on for discounts. We didn't see a deal in the US over Prime Day in June (unfortunately, I don't have the information for the UK).

BOOX Go Color 7 Gen II

BOOX, from parent company Onyx, is more of an e-ink tablet than an ereader specifically. Because these tablets run a full version of Android, you can use them for a variety of tasks, of which reading is just one. As a result, the Go Color 7 Gen II is a relatively pricey color ereader option. It packs 64GB of storage, supports writing functionality, and is not waterproof — so it's no good for reading in the tub.

In our Boox Go Color 7 Gen II review, we weren't too impressed with the display quality on this model. A benefit if you're a current Kindle owner looking to switch is that it's possible to download the Kindle app onto a BOOX, meaning you'd still have access to your current library of books. You'll find more information in my BOOX vs Kobo explainer.

Will there be a deal?

Perhaps not. We didn't see any deals in the US or UK during the most recent Prime Day event.

Specs compared

• Amazon has overhauled its entire Kindle ereader line
• They have new materials and a repositioned power button
• There are also new accessories, some of which will turn heads

Yes, Amazon has an all-new line of 13th-generation Kindle ereaders. Sure, they're marginally lighter and thinner than ever, with scant display upgrades, newly smooth, flush faces, and some with stamped aluminum unibodies that come in brilliant and quite trendy colors. But can we talk about buttons? Or, rather, one very specific one, the power/sleep button?

Every once in a while, a tech company makes me feel seen, or at least heard. I've been complaining for years about the placement of the Amazon Kindle e-reader's power/sleep button. It sits on the bottom edge, where it's too easy to trip when, say, I prop the Kindle Paperwhite up on a hard surface, or even on my lap or chest while reading.

When I asked Amazon's Kindle hardware lead Kevin Keith about the issue in 2024, he told me there was a need to put the button as close to the ereader's light guide as possible. I accepted that explanation, and grumpily moved on.

Turns out, though, that's not the full story. As I held the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2026 edition in my hands, and marveled at the newly repositioned power button (it's on the right side!) Amazon VP of Design Chris Green told me the reason for the original placement was to keep costs down.

"The reason why it was at the bottom originally was because it's the lowest-cost location. The main logic board was down at the bottom with the USB....We were trying our hardest to have the lowest carbon footprint, the lowest cost price, to push it all to the benefit of the customer," said Green, who told me he joined Amazon 19 years ago on the day the original Kindle launched. Since then, Green has designed every Amazon hardware product, including these new Kindles.

After I wrote the piece linked above, airing my frustration about the original button placement, readers dragged me for making a mountain out of a molehill. I ended up thinking I was alone in my take. Turns out, Green has been fielding similar complaints for quite some time.

"The amount of people that complained about it with [using it] on treadmills, while sitting, and putting it on the tummy, and all those kinds of things...the worst case is a treadmill, because if you don't tap it, you stab it. And so people were stabbing this display, and the button was moving," said Green.

Amazon's attempts to address the issue without moving the button, by recessing it, shifting it slightly, failed. "The long and short of it is, it's got to go on the side," said Green.

Now every new Kindle in the refreshed lineup has a power/sleep button, on the right side, relatively close to the top edge of the device.

Those new ereaders are:

• Kindle e-reader 6-inch entry-level
• Kindle e-reader 6-inch Aluminum
• Kindle Paperwhite 7-inch
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 7-inch
• Kindle Kids
• Kindle Colorsoft
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition

Across the line, Amazon introduces new colors (Graphite, Alpine Sky, Seaglass Green, Ube), thinner, lighter designs, and new materials. With the exception of the base model Kindle (140g, which is 13% lighter and 6.8mm thick), the lighter and thinner frames can usually be measured by a millimeter here and a gram or two there.

The Paperwhite Signature Edition and Colorsoft, notably, get accelerometers which will recognize if you've turned the reader upside down and will automatically rotate the text. The reader will also support reading in landscape mode, which might be kind of cool for graphic novels.

On the face of its most affordable Kindle, the 6-inch model, Amazon took away the raised bezel for a perfectly flat and smooth all-glass face, which matches the look of all the other Kindles in the new lineup. But Amazon has gone a step further by introducing matching colors to the bezels of the entire Kindle line. So a Ube (purple) Kindle's color will wrap from the back all the way to the front and quite close to the E Ink display.

There was, it turns out, a reason these bezels surrounding the E Ink screen have traditionally been black. That light-absorbing color ensures that the front lights don't bounce off a colored cover and obstruct or weirdly bedazzle your e-reader display.

The solution for this, Keith explained, was first used on Kindle Scribe devices.

"We invented a new edge color technology that does a black mask on the back and, in this case, Ube on the front, and so you're able to get the absorption of the light, but you're also able to get this beautiful color."

Some of the new e-readers (both entry-level and Paperwhite) feature a chassis material not seen on a Kindle since the discontinued Kindle Oasis: aluminum.

It's a rigid but strong and lightweight stamped aluminum unibody with a 6mm back and 1mm sides; however, it's how Amazon is making it that's interesting.

Where most tech companies are choosing to mill out their aluminum chassis with CNC machines, Green told me Amazon went with stamping. The benefit is that while CNC milling can take 30 minutes, the stamping process takes seconds.

"It's a three-stage process: when we start with a flat sheet, and you stamp it, and then you take this piece, and then you put it into a forge, and you press it... Then you do a light CNC to clean it up. Now what this means is you're literally wasting 60% less material, and you're also wasting 60% less energy," explained Green.

Amazon hasn't really upgraded the software or E Ink displays in any noticeable way, but when I asked Green about the E Ink partnership and how their close association impacts any design and development decisions, he said, "They are obviously a very important partner to us. We have looked at other types of technology. For these types of displays, they're just the best, and we have to work with them."

Green paused for a second and smiled almost wistfully, "Do I wish there were other people out there? Well, let's just say they're the only ones out there."

Amazon, by the way, has gone a little wild with physical buttons in this round of Kindles, or rather with this round of Kindle accessories.

For the new aluminum-backed (and magnetically ready) Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and Colorsoft models, both of which feature a series of connector pins on the back, there's now a cover that adds physical page-turn buttons: the Page-Turn Cover ($79.99).

That's right, Amazon is going full-on retro with a perhaps unintentional nod to the original Kindles, which featured a lot of physical buttons.

The Page-Turn Cover snaps onto the back of the Kindle, nestling a bar featuring forward and back page-turn buttons tightly against the right edge of the reader. The case also features a copy of the right-side power button on the outer edge of the case bar.

I gave the case a little test drive, rapidly pressing the forward and back buttons as I watched the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition quickly refresh and turn pages (it's reportedly 30% faster).

Amazon, though, isn't done with buttons. There is yet another accessory, and it takes page turning off the Kindle and puts it in the palm of your hand. It's called the Kindle Click ($34.99) and is, as the name implies, like a remote control for your Kindle.

Looking like a pale, undersized TV remote, it features two large, thumb-pressable buttons on the face for forward and back page turns. There are also two thinner and smaller buttons on the side for brightness control.

While I struggled to understand why anyone would need a remote for a device that's often just 10 inches from their face, Keith explained the thinking behind this unusual accessory.

With BookTok inspiring more and more young readers who are creating elaborate setups for reading (sometimes under the covers with special stands for the e-readers), Keith sees a need for gesture-free page turning and brightness control.

"My use case is I work out on an Elliptical, and I used to have to swipe, and now you can just turn the pages," he said, adding that it could be a game changer if you're flying on an airplane and just want to prop up the Kindle and sit back and casually turn pages by pressing the remote. If I start using it while reading on my Kindle, I'm sure to fall asleep reading that much faster; after all, raising my hand to swipe pages is usually all that's keeping me awake.

The 6-inch Kindles, in Ube and Graphite, arrive today (October 1) and are still $149 / £149.99 / AU$279 for the 16GB model. "We really were trying to bring innovation to the lineup and be able to absorb as much of the memory costs as we could to be able to keep our prices affordable," said Keith. The new aluminum chassis Kindle, in Alpine Sky and Seaglass Green, starts with 32GB of storage for $189.99 / £169.99 / AU$299.

The updated 7-inch Kindle Paperwhite (starting at $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$369), Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition ($249.99 / £229.99 / AU$399), and the 32GB Kindle Colorsoft, which starts at $289.99 / £259.99 / AU$449 ($319.99 / £289.99 / AU$499for the 32GB aluminum Signature Edition), arrive October 28.

• Samsung has announced the high-end Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and S12 Ultra
• The Ultra is slimmer and more powerful than ever
• The company has also announced the Galaxy SmartTag 3, complete with iOS support

Samsung’s flagship tablets for 2026 have just launched in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra.

The Ultra is, of course, the top model here, with a 14.6-inch 2960 x 1848, 120Hz AMOLED screen, a slim 5.1mm-thick build, a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset, an 11,600mAh battery with 45W charging, 12GB or 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.

It also has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, a 13MP wide camera, an 8MP ultra-wide, a 12MP front-facing camera, quad speakers, and an included S Pen stylus.

Samsung has highlighted that this is the company’s slimmest and most powerful tablet yet, with up to 61% faster NPU processing, 19% faster CPU performance, and 17% improved GPU performance compared to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.

So, in short, this should be about the closest an Android tablet can get to the iPad Pro M5 — and you can read our early thoughts on the new device in our Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra hands-on.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus is similar but with a smaller 12.6-inch 2800 x 1752 screen, a slightly thicker (but lighter) 5.3mm build, a 10,600mAh battery, up to 512GB of storage, no 16GB RAM option, and just a single 13MP rear camera. It’s also a Wi-Fi 6E device, while the Ultra is Wi-Fi 7.

Both of these tablets will be available starting October 7 in a choice of gray or silver shades, with prices starting at £1,199 / $1,200 / AU$1,999 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus and £1,399 / $1,400 / AU$2,299 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra.

Those are slightly higher prices than last year’s starting prices, but Samsung is throwing in various subscriptions, including six months of Google AI Pro and Notability, and four months of Photoshop.

From big tablets to a tiny tracker

And that’s not all Samsung has just announced; the company has also launched the SmartTag 3. The big news here is that, for the first time, it offers cross-OS compatibility, meaning it works with both Galaxy and iOS devices.

This AirTag-like tracker is also 35% smaller and 33% lighter than the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2, and it offers up to 550 days of battery with standard use or up to 790 days in Power Saving mode.

It also increases the range of ‘Compass View’ for precision finding, and has a new ‘Place Notification’ feature that lets you define an area and receive an alert when a tagged item moves in or out of it.

It will be available in both white and black, but you’ll have to wait a little longer to get your hands on this device than the new tablets, as while it’s going on sale in South Korea on October 7, it won’t go global until sometime in 2027.

Today Samsung debuted a pair of new Tablets: the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12+ and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra. I’ve been taking the Ultra for a spin ahead of its October 7 launch and have been loving the massive display.

But the price hike, and minimal upgrades leave me questioning if it really needed it launch.

There’s a lot that’ll be familiar here for owners of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra when it comes to the S12 series. The AMOLED screen is still 14.6-inches with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits peak brightness, the battery is still 11,600mAh with 45W charging (and boasts the same promised 23 hours of video playback as the S11 Ultra), and the S12 Ultra tablet is still IP68 rated meaning it could spend 30 minutes underwater at a depth of 1m and survive the experience.

The tablet is as thin (5.1mm) as it was before, with the same Silver and Gray color options to choose between as before. The only notable change is the chipset — the new 3nm processor boasts an up to 19% faster CPU, 17% better GPU performance, and a 51% improvement to its NPU processing for your AI needs — though there is also a new heat chamber for better heat dissipation, plus a new four-channel speaker setup for more immersive audio than last generation’s dual-speaker build.

I’ve been trying the Ultra model out and enjoying it so far — relying on it as a solid laptop alternative with the book keyboard cover attachment (sold separately), and also as a great mobile gaming and TV-watching device while I travel (a full review will be coming soon) — but considering how similar it is to the last generation, I am left wondering if Samsung should take a leaf out of Apple’s book and abandon its annual refresh approach to Galaxy Tab launches.

The Tab S12+ is an interesting beast. There was no S11+, so it’s a replacement for the S10+ from 2024, but there’s also no regular S12 launching alongside these models, so it's kind of the successor to the S11 too.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S12+ boasts a 12.6-inch AMOLED screen with the same 1,600 nits peak brightness as the Ultra. It also has the same chipset as the Ultra model, but there's a smaller 10,600mAh battery (unsurprising, since it's physically smaller).

Besides the lower battery capcaity and screen size it also lacks the Ultra’s 8MP ultra-wide rear camera — but otherwise has the same 13MP main on its back, and 12MP ultra-wide on its front.

Because the S12+ is billed as a step-up model, despite there not being a base S12 to step up from, it does mean Samsung’s cheapest 2026 model is a lot more pricey than its cheapest 2025 tablet (more on that in a second).

For someone on a budget thinking of upgrading, it’s a real shame the best option from Samsung might be a tablet that’s a year old, but unless we get a regular Tab S12 (I’m not holding my breath) that’s the position we find ourselves in.

Coming for the iPad Pro?

As we’ve come to expect in 2026 — though it still stings to see every single time — the tablets will cost more than what has come before. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra will set you back $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,299 — up from $1,299 / £1,269 / AU$2,099 – meanwhile the S12+ costs $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$1,999 for its cheapest model.

For both tablets the cheapest configuration comes with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, with both also having a 512GB model, and the Ultra boasting a 1TB model that also ups the RAM to 16GB, though these configurations will cost more.

At these prices, Samsung is pitching its S12 lineup against Apple’s iPad Pro lines, but thankfully the prices are a little cheaper. Compared with the 2025 iPad Pro launch prices, Samsung’s tablets would be pricier — however Apple hiked its prices by up to $200 / £200 / AU$400, putting its 11-inch iPad Pro on-par with the S12+, and making its the 13-inch iPad Pro $100 / £100 pricier.

There are factors to consider beyond price, of course. The Samsung tablets have larger screens than their respective rivals and a longer quoted battery life, and come with the S Pen stylus in the box, while the Apple Pencil is sold separately.

But Apple’s tech is lighter — 444g and 579g compared with 553g and 692g — and while we need to do some more testing, Apple silicon tends to outperform its rivals.

All that aside, there’s plenty to still love about the S12-series Galaxy Tabs. I’ve been using the Ultra for a couple of weeks now and it’s genuinely a very useful machine. I’m currently writing this story using the tablet and its keyboard attachment (multitasking across documents, web pages, and my photos app with ease).

But again I’m left wondering if it really needed to exist considering the lackluster hardware upgrades and price increase. Right now I’m not sure, but let’s see how I feel when my review is ready

• The next basic Amazon Kindle has seemingly leaked
• It looks to have some small design changes from the previous model
• But it's a shame there's no sign of a new smaller size

It looks like Amazon is gearing up to launch a new Kindle, as images of a new model — which you can see above and below — have been leaked by WinFuture. This is the Amazon Kindle 12th Gen, so it’s the basic model — not a Kindle Paperwhite or Kindle Colorsoft.

From the shared images, it seems this new device will have more rounded corners than the Amazon Kindle (2024), and the power button will be moved from the bottom to the top. The site has also shared that we can expect this Kindle to come in black, green, light blue, and purple shades, and that, interestingly, there might be two versions — one with a recessed screen and one where the display is flush.

Alongside this, Amazon is apparently planning a new Kindle for Kids, though no major changes are expected here, with it apparently being essentially the same as the current device, just shipping with a different cover included.

A smaller device could be a big hit

It remains to be seen whether the new 12th-generation Kindle will bring many spec upgrades, but regardless, it’s not the device I want. Lately I’ve fallen in love with compact ereaders like the ViWoods AiPaper Reader and the even smaller Xteink X4 Pro, and I'm spending more time reading on them than my Kindle Colorsoft — but Amazon doesn’t offer anything in these sizes.

So, that’s what I really want to see — especially something truly tiny like the Xteink devices, since one of their main issues is the difficulty in getting books onto them, which presumably isn’t a problem you’d have with a tiny Kindle.

And I’m not alone in this desire — a Reddit thread about this new Kindle leak included comments like “I was kind of hoping for a mini Kindle announcement,” and “I thought I would want a bigger size… until I got a smaller one and practically never touched my Paperwhite again.”

And while these tiny ereaders seem like they should be niche devices, they’re presumably selling well, given that an increasing number of brands like Onyx Boox and Honor have started getting in on them too.

So, hopefully we’ll see a tiny Kindle eventually, but for now, it seems you’ll have to make do with the standard sizes.

Thinking of buying a Kindle in the upcoming Prime Day? It's a good plan — Amazon reliably offers hefty discounts on its own devices during these sales events. The official Prime Day will take place on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October, but if you're in the UK you don't need to wait until then.

This particular event coincides with Amazon updating almost its entire Kindle lineup. We now have new basic Kindle (in regular and aluminum versions), a new Paperwhite (in regular and Signature editions), a new Colorsoft (regular and Signature) and a new Kindle Kids. Only the Scribe options remain the same. All this throws a slight spanner in my deal-predicting works.

In the UK, Amazon discounted almost its entire range (as it existed then), around a week before Prime Day — those deals/models are still live and available to shop, and you'll find them included below. However, when the new versions were added, they all appeared at full price.

In the US, we were still waiting for the Prime Day Kindle deals to appear when Amazon dropped all its 2026 models. Now the new range is live, and there are still no discounts to speak of.

I'm not sure that Amazon will discount its new 2026 models, or by how much, but I'll be keeping a close eye on proceedings and will update this page with any deals I do spot. Want more info? Further down the page I'll run through some buying tips to help you choose the right model for you, plus a guide to what counts as a good discount for a Kindle.

UK: Kindle models

Note: some models are currently on pre-order, for delivery 11 November. At time of writing, there are no aluminum Kindle and no 2026 Signature versions available in the UK.

US: Kindle models

Are the deals any good?

In the UK, the discounts on the previous range are strong deals — around the level I'd expect for Prime Day. I'm not expecting the discounts to increase over Prime Day itself, although it's not impossible. Of course, it might be that you'd prefer a latest-gen model, in which case I'd hang on for Prime Day proper to see if any deals do appear on the 2026 lineup.

Note, too, that there has been a bit of sneakiness on Amazon's part regarding the 2024 Kindle. A number of these models have had their list price inflated, thus making the discount look more significant. Some of the older US models have had a price rise, too.

For reference, here was the pricing (and discounts) on the full 2024 Kindle range during the most recent Amazon Prime Day, in June 2026.

In the UK:

• Kindle: £79.99 (was £94.99) — 16% off
• Kindle Paperwhite (no ads): £134.99 (was £169.99) — 21% off
• Kindle Paperwhite (with ads): £119.99 (was £159.99) — 25% off
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition: £114.99 (was £189.99) — 24% off
• Kindle Colorsoft: £154.99 (was £239.99) — 35% off
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition: £174.99 (was £269.99) — 35% off
• Kindle Scribe: £379.99 — no discount
• Kindle Scribe Colorsoft: £504.99 (was £629.99) — 20% off

In the US:

• Kindle: $84.99 (was $109.99) — 23% off
• Kindle Paperwhite: $124.99 (was $159.99) — 22% off
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition: $144.99 (was $199.99) — 28% off
• Kindle Colorsoft (no ads): $159.99 (was $249.99) — 36% off
• Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition: $219.99 (was $279.99) — 21% off
• Kindle Scribe: $379.99 (was $499.99) — 24% off
• Kindle Scribe Colorsoft: $519.99 (was $679.99) — 24% off

How to choose the right Kindle for you

Amazon Kindles are some of the best e-readers around, and there aren't really any bad options here. When choosing a model, I'd start by deciding between black-and-white (Paperwhite) and color (Colorsoft). If you're a fan of graphic novels, Color is a no-brainer, and it's also useful if you're studying and want to be able to color-code your highlights. However, if you're predominantly just reading text-heavy novels, a black-and-white Kindle might be perfectly fine.

After you've decided that, you'll want to figure out if you also want to be able to use your Kindle for note-taking. All the 'Scribe' options work with a stylus, so you can write as well as read. They have bigger screens than the reading-only options. You'll find more advice in my article exploring how to choose the right Kindle.

Below you can see how the specs compare for each model. All of these key specs remain the same for the 2024 and 2026 Kindle models — the 2026 versions are generally a little lighter and thinner, with smooth, flush displays and a repositioned power button.

• The Honor Life S3 is a new tiny ereader
• It has a 3.68-inch screen and a magnet to attach it to the back of a phone
• So far, there's no confirmed global availability

Not so long ago, tiny ereaders like the Xteink X4 Pro seemed like a novel concept, but now, we seem to be hearing more about them than standard-size ereaders; along with the Xteink line, there’s the recently announced Boox Picco, and now Honor is getting in on the act too with the Honor Life S3.

This device was announced alongside the Honor Magic 9 series of phones, and just like Xteink’s products, it can magnetically attach to the back of your phone, essentially giving you a second screen on your handset — though you can also use the Honor Life S3 separately if you simply want a tiny ereader on its own.

It has a 3.68-inch e-paper screen with 259 pixels per inch, and it weighs just 61g and measures 5.6mm thick. So whether you’re attaching it to your phone or just putting it in your pocket, it’s not going to add much bulk or weight.

Unlike most rival devices, the Honor Life S3 is entirely touchscreen, with no physical page buttons. Most alternatives either don’t have a touchscreen or have both.

According to GizmoChina it also has a “soft-light eye-protection feature” designed to make it easy on your eyes during lengthy reading sessions, and a battery that’s said to deliver 30 hours of run time in continuous use, and up to a week of life with typical use.

It uses a microSD card for storage, supports most common ebook and document formats, and runs a custom operating system, with the ability to transfer books wirelessly through the Honor Smart Space app.

So, as with most of these tiny ereaders you’re not getting Android, meaning there’s no access to the Kindle or Kobo stores.

Carving out a tiny niche

Overall, the Honor Life S3 sounds like some combination of the Xteink X4 Pro and the Xteink X3, with a touchscreen like the X4 Pro but a screen size that’s closer to the X3, and the magnets that both offer — but which some rivals like the Boox Picco don’t.

The Honor Life S3 is, however, marginally thicker and heavier than the Xteink X3, with that coming in at 5.1mm thick and 58g. There’s not much in it, but that could still make a difference if you want the slimmest and lightest device possible. The Xteink X4 Pro is a bit bigger and heavier, but you’re also getting a larger 4.3-inch screen there.

What the Honor Life S3 might have going for it is that it comes from a more recognizable brand, albeit one that doesn’t currently have a massive presence outside China. Indeed, so far it’s only been announced for China, so it remains to be seen whether you’ll even be able to buy it elsewhere.

Personally, there’s nothing here that would tempt me away from the Xteink X4 Pro that I already have, but if I didn’t already own that device and this was available, I’d certainly consider it.

• An 8th-gen iPad mini has appeared in Apple code
• The device could launch as soon as next month
• It might be joined by an updated HomePod mini

Does the official arrival of the iPhone Duo mean the iPad mini will be quietly retired? Not according to fresh Apple leaks that suggest the smallest iPad in the range will be getting a refreshed model sooner rather than later.

This will be the iPad mini 8 if you're keeping count, the successor to the iPad mini 7 that launched in October 2024, and references to it have been spotted in Apple code by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

The code reveals a couple of images of the upcoming iPad mini, with a landscape front-facing camera that puts it in line with the other iPads, and a small groove cut out of the top of the display glass, which is likely to be for a speaker.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the device could launch next month, matching the October scheduling for several previous iPad mini models. One of the upgrades we're expecting this time around is with water resistance.

Another HomePod mini is coming too

Of course, this will be the first iPad mini to launch in the era of the iPhone Duo, leading one Redditor to describe it as the 'iPhone Duo: unfoldable edition'. The 7th-gen iPad mini's screen measures 8.3 inches, while the iPhone Duo's main display is a similar 7.6 inches.

It seems there's still going to be space in the market for both of them — not least because the iPhone Duo's price starts at $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,499 (with 256GB of storage), while for the current iPad mini it's $599 / £599 / AU$949 (with 128GB of storage).

In further Apple rumor news, the same combination — hidden Apple code found by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris — has turned up some potential new colors for the HomePod mini 2: green, pink, blue, white, and black.

That's quite the departure from the current range (yellow, orange, blue, white, and midnight), and again an October launch is likely. The first HomePod mini was unveiled all the way back in October 2020.

Here at TechRadar, we have our own ranking of the best tablets around. So when I discovered it was possible to view a list of Amazon's best-selling tablets, I was intrigued to see if it bore any relation to the tablets we regarded most highly.

There are some obvious points of deviation. We tend to focus on tablets for adults, and there are a number of kid-focused models in Amazon's ranking. Similarly, whereas Amazon bundles ereaders in with tablets, we have them in a separate best ereader ranking.

It also makes sense that Amazon's own models sell especially well on the platform, given that they tend to get the best discounts. I'm not surprised to see the Kindle Paperwhite taking the #2 spot, for instance, when we put two Kobo models above it in our list.

Although the iPad (A16) 11-inch — Amazon's #1 bestseller — isn't our favorite tablet, we still scored it very highly in our review. We were less enamored with Amazon's #3 slate, the Fire HD 10 (2023), awarding it three stars and declaring it "only smoldering". It is, however, relatively cheap, which helps explain its popularity here.

Scroll down for a list of Amazon's best-selling tablets (as of 22 September, in the US), in order. Hit the View details button to see what we thought of them in our real-world testing — and learn which ones are worth buying.

Top tablets

Huawei, as a brand, is in a very interesting place right now. The company is genuinely innovating on a lot of fronts. It just launched the Mate XT2 tri-folding phone, which brings Samsung-like Privacy Display tech to the tri-folding form factor, as well as the Watch D3, which puts medical-grade blood pressure measurements into an even slimmer smartwatch.

But the problem with Huawei has always been that you can't buy a lot of the company's devices in markets outside Asia. And while that doesn't look like it's changing anytime soon, every once in a while, Huawei does launch some products in the West, and it reminds us (again) of what we're missing from other major hardware makers.

That's exactly what happened with the new Huawei MatePad Air. I usually use my still-going-strong M1 iPad Air (2022) as my main tablet, but I've spent the past month using the MatePad Air as my primary device. And it has shown me the one upgrade Apple could make that would probably convince me to finally buy the next iPad Air.

The MatePad Air itself doesn't look like some groundbreaking new tablet. In fact, Huawei has so many tablets in its lineup that you'd probably have a hard time distinguishing the new MatePad Air from some of the company's other models just by looking at the back.

But flip the MatePad Air around, and that's where, for me, it starts beating a lot of the competition. The MatePad Air comes with a 12-inch OLED display with up to a 144Hz refresh rate and a 1,200-nit peak brightness. But the model I've been testing for the past month is the higher-end PaperMatte version, which can reach up to 2,000 nits.

If you're unfamiliar with Huawei's PaperMatte display technology, it's essentially a special anti-glare treatment on top of the display that, Huawei says, eliminates up to 99% of ambient light reflections. It also gives the screen a more paper-like texture, which feels natural when you're writing with a stylus, while also helping reduce things like eye strain and smudges.

And this display alone is what has made me prefer using the MatePad Air over my iPad Air for the past month.

Think about what you actually do with a tablet. Whether you use an iPad Pro or the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, almost everything revolves around the display. You're watching content, taking notes, making video calls, or reading. For 99% of the time, you're looking at and interacting with a screen.

It's not like the iPad Air's display is bad. It's still a good-looking panel, and I've used my M1 iPad Air for years without any complaints. But Apple hasn't meaningfully upgraded the display technology in a while, and it's starting to show its age.

The iPad Air still uses an LCD panel. It's still stuck at 60Hz, and the bezels are quite thick as well. None of these things really bothered me before, but switching back and forth between it and the MatePad Air made the difference quite obvious.

The 144Hz OLED panel on the MatePad Air is obviously smoother, the colors look great, and the thinner bezels make watching content much nicer. And that PaperMatte display just makes everything twice as nice.

I've used the MatePad Air pretty much everywhere, be it the subway, airplanes, or my home, and not having reflections constantly bouncing off the screen has been great.

And it's not like Apple doesn't know how to do this. The company already offers its nano-texture display on the iPad Pro. The problem is that you need to buy one of the most expensive iPad Pro configurations (specifically, a model with 1TB or more) to even get the option, pushing the price to $1,899 / £1,899 / AU$3,249.

Huawei, on the other hand, makes the upgrade much easier to swallow. In the UK, you get the PaperMatte display regardless of which version of the MatePad Air you choose; the cheapest is just £699.99 (it's not available in the US). You're also getting 256GB of storage on the base model, compared to the 128GB starting storage on the iPad Air.

Of course, the MatePad Air isn't better than the iPad Air at everything. Apple's M-series chips still give the iPad a major performance advantage, and if I'm editing videos or doing other compute-heavy work on a tablet, I'd still rather have the iPad Air.

But most of the time, that's not what I'm doing on my tablet. I mostly use my iPad to watch content and browse the web, and for both of these things, I'd rather have the MatePad Air's display.

Plus, the hardware around the OLED display is pretty impressive, too. At 12 inches, the MatePad Air sits somewhere between Apple's 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models. It weighs just 509g and uses an aluminum frame and back, making it more than 100g lighter than the 13-inch iPad Air.

It's thinner too, measuring just 5.3mm compared to 6.1mm for the larger iPad Air, despite Huawei fitting a 10,100mAh battery inside compared to roughly 9,705mAh on Apple's tablet.

That said, none of this means I'm ready to completely ditch the iPad. I still prefer its performance, app ecosystem, and just how well it works with the rest of my Apple devices. But after a month with the MatePad Air, the one thing I desperately want to take back to my iPad is this display.

Give the next iPad Air an OLED display with (hopefully) an anti-reflective PaperMatte-like option that doesn't burn a hole in my pocket, and my M1 iPad Air might finally have a reason to retire.

Trying to decide between Kobo and Boox? This guide is here to help. These are two very popular e-ink tablet brands, and both feature in our ranking of the best ereaders. However, there are some distinct differences.

Kobo specializes in ereaders. It has a small range of different models, but all are geared towards reading — and in some cases, can be used for annotating and note-taking. They offer an offline-first experience, and they're almost all waterproof, which is great news if you like to read in the bath.

Boox (from parent company Onyx) is more of an e-ink tablet brand. Boox tablets run a full version of Android, which means you can use them in a wide variety of ways and for many different tasks. It's a particularly good option for those who have a Kindle but are looking to switch, because you can simply install the Kindle app from the Google Play store and then you'll still have access to all your books.

The Boox range is wide and sprawling, and includes a selection of options that are shaped and sized like a phone. It also just launched three new models earlier this week: the Note Air6 C, Note Mini C, and Palma 3.

Below, I'll dig into the two brands in more detail, starting with an overview of the different ranges and then moving into specs comparison and some buying pointers.

Kobo ereaders

Boox ereaders

Note for UK readers: some of these models are only available direct from Boox at the moment. On the Boox Europe store, prices are only provided in Euros, but there are UK versions available and it does not look like they're being shipped from abroad.

Boox vs Kobo: specs compared

Spec notes

There are a few specs I haven't included here, because they aren't helpful when it comes to making a decision between models.

I haven't included battery capacity. This is worth considering, of course, but how it relates to runtime depends heavily on what you're using the tablet for. If you're mainly just reading, with a low backlight, even a small battery will deliver many days of use without needing to recharge. Conversely, lots of note-taking or internet browsing will drain a larger battery relatively quickly.

You also won't find screen resolution here. In almost every case the resolution will be the same: 300ppi in black and white, dropping to 150ppi in color if the ereader supports that. There's a lot more variety in the display technology used, but the categories here aren't standardized so comparing them — especially across brands, using different terms — is very tricky.

Finally, I haven't included supported file formats. Pretty much all of these models offer a wide range of file support, including but not limited to: LIST, PDF, EPUB, EPUB3, MOBI, TXT, CBR, CBZ, and RTF. That's before we get into the support for image and audio formats. If you have a specific file type you're interested in, double check the specs on the brand's own site before buying.

Boox vs Kobo: product lineup

Kobo lineup

Kobo currently has four ereaders in its lineup. The Clara range is the most basic: the screens are the smallest (at 6 inches), the storage is limited to 16GB (which is lower than all the other options here but realistically will still enable you to store more books that you'll ever need), and there's no writing support. You can choose between black-and-white (BW) or color versions.

If you want writing support and compatibility with Google Drive and Dropbox, you can choose between Libra Colour or an Elipsa 2E. The Libra Colour is the smaller and more basic option. The Elipsa 2E has a large, 10.3 inch screen and comes with a Kobo stylus included. It's the only model in Kobo's lineup to not be waterproof.

Boox lineup

Boox has more options, and includes four main lines: Note, Go, Palma and Tab.

The Boox Note series is rather sprawling, encompassing Mini (small screen), Max (large screen), and Air (medium screen) options. These are billed as all-in-one productivity tools — they're on the thicker side and on the larger options you can snap a magnetic keyboard on. The newest models are the Note Mini C and Air6 C.

The Boox Go series also offers options with different screen sizes, the smallest of which is an ultra-compact 6 inches. These options are marketed as being travel-friendly, and are generally thinner than the Note series. The newest options are the Go 6 (Gen II), the Go 10.3 (Gen II), the Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi, and the Go Color 7 (Gen II).

The Boox Palma models have the size and shape of a phone, with a 6.2-inch screen. They're designed for on-the-go reading and note-taking. The newest options are the Palma 3 and Palma 2 Pro.

The Boox Tab series seems to be limited to just the Tab X C. It's a large ereader tablet with support for a magnetic keyboard.

Boox vs Kobo: buying advice

Buy a Kobo if...

✅ You want to read in the bath: Pretty much all Kobo ereaders are waterproof to IPX8 standard, which means they can withstand up to an hour in two meters of water. In contrast, Boox models are 'water-resistant' at best — which means anything more than a sprinkle of water could spell trouble.

✅ Your priority is reading: Kobo's slates are specialized for reading — and occasionally also annotating. If you aren't looking for a general-use tablet, Kobo is a better bet.

✅ You're on a tighter budget: Almost all of Kobo's ereaders are cheaper than Boox's options — and if you don't need the extra functionality offered by Boox, Kobo will be a more cost-effective option.

Buy a Boox if...

✅ You want tablet functionality: Boox ereaders run a full version of Android, which means you can download a variety of apps to unlock up a wide range of functionality, depending on your needs. These tablets aren't just for reading.

✅ You want a pocket-sized option: The Boox Palma models are around the same proportions as a phone — perfect for on-the-go reading and note-taking.

✅ You want the biggest screen: Boox makes a number of slates with 13.3-inch screens, whereas Kobo models top out at 10.3 inches. Boox is the place to go if you're seeking a generously sized ereader.

It's time for TechRadar's annual tech awards, and this year we're doing it differently. For the first time, we have a complete set of categories where the winners are chosen 100% by you, the TechRadar readers.

The TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 comprises nearly 100 categories, but we know that not everyone is interested in voting in every one, so on this page you can vote in just our Phones and Cameras categories.

These include tablets, ereaders, drones and more, as well as various phones and cameras awards. You can vote in the survey just below — or follow the links to see other specific categories, or to vote on the full list instead.

The shortlists were chosen by TechRadar's editors based on the best products we've tested or the most popular products of the year. You'll need to vote before 00:01am PST / 03:01am EST / 08:01am BST on Wednesday October 7th 2026 for it to be counted.

• All categories
• Computing & Gaming
• TV & Audio
• Fitness & Home Tech

Once the deadline has passed at 00:01am PST / 03:01am EST / 08:01am BST on Wednesday October 7th 2026, we'll tally your votes to find the winners in each category.

We'll announce the winners in our big TechRadar Awards 2026 Week, starting Monday October 19th. We'll reveal the winners of the Reader's Choice Awards, as well as the winners of our TechRadar Product of the Year Awards, which are chosen solely by our expert judges.

How many products will do the double? We'll be curious to see — but right now, all you can do is vote for what you think should win, so vote away!

• The Boox Palma 3 has been announced
• This is a phone-sized ereader with a 6.13-inch screen
• Key upgrades include Android 16, stylus support, and a more premium build

If you’re in the market for a phone-sized ereader, you now have another option to consider, as the Boox Palma 3 has just been unveiled — and this successor to the Onyx Boox Palma 2 has some of the key features found on the rival ViWoods AiPaper Reader.

For one thing, just like the ViWoods device, the Boox Palma 3 now has a premium build, with an anodized aluminum frame and a textured fiberglass backplate in place of its plasticky predecessor.

And it’s also had an Android upgrade, launching with a ViWoods AiPaper Reader-matching Android 16, which is up from Android 13 on the Boox Palma 2 and Android 15 on the Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro.

For me, that’s particularly important, as Android versions don’t tend to get updated on these sorts of devices, so you’re typically stuck with whatever software they launch with; old versions of software can mean security issues, and app incompatibility problems can crop up sooner.

Beyond that, the Boox Palma 3 also benefits from active stylus support, so you can use it with the Boox InkSense Plus stylus. The AiPaper Reader doesn’t have stylus support, nor does it come with a camera, whereas here you get a 16MP one, so those are two potential advantages of the Boox Palma 3.

Personally, I’m not sure I’d want to use a stylus on a device this small, nor do I have much use for a camera on an ereader — but it could be handy for scanning documents, if you’re so inclined.

Similar specs and a heavier build

That camera and the rest of the specs, though, are largely in line with those of the Boox Palma 2, including a 6.13-inch 824 x 1648 e-paper touchscreen with 300 pixels per inch, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a microSD card slot, a front light (supporting both warm and cold color tones), a 3,950mAh battery, a USB-C port, a fingerprint sensor, a speaker, and microphones.

But despite being marginally smaller than the Boox Palma 2 at 159 x 78 x 7.8mm, the Palma 3 is actually 25g heavier at 195g.

That also makes it heavier than the 138g ViWoods AiPaper Reader and the 170g Boox Palma 2 Pro — the latter of which additionally gives you a color screen and an extra 2GB of RAM.

So, this may not be a complete home run — or a total upgrade for anyone who owns the Palma 2 Pro.

Indeed, the Palma 3 is actually priced lower than the Palma 2 Pro, coming in at $339.99 (around £250 / AU$475), though a launch discount softens that price to an even lower $319.99 (roughly £235 / AU$450).

There’s no confirmed pricing for other regions yet, but for reference, while the Palma 2 has been discontinued, the Palma 2 Pro sells for $399.99 / $379.99 / AU$679, and its rival, the ViWoods AiPaper Reader, retails for $279 / £254.99 / AU$399.12.

You also can’t actually buy the Boox Palma 3 yet, but the company lists it as coming soon.

Apple has traditionally kept the iPad closer to the iPhone in terms of core functionality (even after it released iPadOS as a standalone software package in 2019), but iPadOS 26 marked a distinct shift towards making the iPad feel more Mac-like.

And honestly, this change in direction made sense. After all, iPads now run MacBook-level M-series chips; the iPad Pro (2025), for instance, uses the M5. They also let you run background exports in creative apps, switch audio sources while podcasting, and complete many more high-level productivity tasks.

One excellent addition in iPadOS 26 was the arrival of the Menu Bar, which acts as a facsimile of the macOS version of the same feature. But having used iPadOS 27, which launches today (September 14), since its launch in beta earlier this year, I can confidently say that this new software package makes the iPad feel more Mac-like than ever — and the Menu Bar is once again responsible for that.

Passing the bar

As mentioned, the Menu Bar is about as Mac as it gets, offering app-specific options at the top of the iPad screen. It’s as synonymous with macOS as the Dock, and it’s one of the core features that take some getting used to when switching from a Windows PC to a Mac.

On Mac, the Menu Bar is permanent. It sits at the top of the screen for easy access and highlights which app you’re currently using (something that’s particularly useful if you’re juggling multiple apps and keyboard shortcuts), but in iPadOS 26 it wasn’t, meaning it could be just as much of a hindrance as it was a help.

Thankfully, iPadOS 27 ensures the Menu Bar is always available, and while there are still some things I wish I could do on Apple’s tablet, the ability to affix the Menu Bar permanently is a change I welcome.

To do so, once you’ve updated to iPadOS 27, open Settings and select ‘Multitasking & Gestures’ on the left-hand sidebar. You’ll have to be on the Windowed Apps or Stage Manager option to be able to see the Menu Bar.

From here, look for a toggle labelled ‘Automatically Show and Hide Menu Bar’. If it’s on, turn it off, and you’ll see the Menu Bar consistently across apps, unless you’re watching something in full-screen mode. If you get fed up with it, just toggle that ‘Automatically Show and Hide Menu Bar’ option back on, and it’ll disappear again.

Still a way to go

Once you’ve toggled that setting, you can enjoy having the Menu Bar at the top of your iPad screen, but there are some caveats to be aware of.

For one, it’s not particularly useful if you use your iPad with your finger. The Menu Bar is much more suited to using a mouse, trackpad, or the Apple Pencil. I use the Magic Keyboard and, as ridiculously pricey as it was, this feature makes my whole iPad much more useful.

The other thing to be aware of is that the Menu Bar can’t be customized with third-party apps in the same way that long-running Mac ones like Bartender can. Sadly, it remains static in terms of what you can put on the right-hand side of it. Maybe one day that’ll change, but I can’t see Apple rolling out utility apps on its iPadOS platform anytime soon.

Finally, some nifty features to be aware of: you can still drag down from the right-hand side of the Menu Bar to access the Control Center (which is customizable, thankfully), and the left-hand side still takes you to your notifications (although I do wish this was a column on the side of the screen à la the macOS notification centre, rather than taking up the whole screen).

You can also drag down from the middle of the Menu Bar to access Siri AI, which is new in iPadOS 27 and makes Apple’s voice assistant much more useful.

So, what do you think? Is this the closest we’ll ever get to a MacPad? Or are you sticking with the Mac for now and leaving the iPad for content consumption? Let me know in the comments below.

iOS 27 is now rolling out to compatible iPhones, and this year, the list of models supported by Apple's new software update is impressively long.

Typically, Apple leaves a handful of iPhones out in the cold when releasing a new version of iOS — the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max, for instance, couldn't run iOS 26 — but refreshingly, the device requirements for iOS 27 are the same as those for iOS 26.

That means the iPhone SE (2020), iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max — all of which you might have expected to lose support this year — will still be able to run iOS 27, which is an impressive showing of software support on Apple's part.

Alas, the device requirements for Apple Intelligence and Siri AI aren't so straightforward, so in this guide, we've detailed the support list for iOS 27, Apple Intelligence, Siri AI, and iPadOS 27.

iOS 27

Here’s the full compatibility list for iOS 27:

• iPhone SE (2020)
• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 13
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone SE (2022)
• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 15
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 16
• iPhone 16 Plus
• iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro Max
• iPhone 16e
• iPhone 17
• iPhone 17 Pro
• iPhone 17 Pro Max
• iPhone Air
• iPhone 18 Pro
• iPhone 18 Pro Max
• iPhone Duo

iOS 27 is supported by a whopping 33 iPhone models, which, if I'm not mistaken, is the largest-ever single pool of latest-update-compatible models.

What's more, iOS 27 began rolling out to all 33 of these models in one fell swoop on September 14 — Apple didn't ask owners of older iPhones to wait, which is something we've seen Samsung do, for instance, with its One UI updates.

It’s worth noting, however, that even though older models like the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 support iOS 27, Apple Intelligence — which includes features like Clean Up, Live Translation, and Apple's new AI-powered voice assistant, Siri AI — remains locked to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer.

Siri AI

As above, only those iPhones that are already compatible with Apple Intelligence will support Siri AI. The full list is as follows (I've included iPads and MacBooks, too):

• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 16
• iPhone 16 Plus
• iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 16 Pro Max
• iPhone 16e
• iPhone 17
• iPhone 17 Pro
• iPhone 17 Pro Max
• iPhone Air
• iPhone 18 Pro
• iPhone 18 Pro Max
• iPhone Duo
• iPad models with M1 or later
• MacBooks with M1 or later
• MacBook Neo

Importantly, though, not all Siri AI features will be available on those iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.

Specifically, expressive voices and advanced dictation are limited to devices powered by Apple’s "most powerful on-device model," AFM Core Advanced. Those devices are as follows:

• iPhone 17 Pro
• iPhone 17 Pro Max
• iPhone Air
• iPhone 18 Pro
• iPhone 18 Pro Max
• iPhone Duo
• iPad Pro models from 2024 and later (7th generation onwards)
• iPad Air models from 2026 and later (8th generation onwards)
• MacBook Pro models from 2023 and later
• MacBook Air models from 2024 and later

Additionally, those iPads and MacBooks will need to be equipped with at least 12GB of memory to be capable of running advanced Siri AI features.

Importantly, Siri AI isn't available in any form on iPhones and iPads in the European Union (EU) or China: "Unfortunately, due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple will not be able to ship Siri AI in the European Union with the release of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. Over the past several months, EU regulators did not accept any of Apple’s proposed solutions to bring Siri AI to the EU while safely supporting other virtual assistants," Apple explained in a blog post.

Interestingly, though, EU users can access Siri AI on macOS 27 and visionOS 27.

So, frustratingly, you'll need to meet quite a few criteria if you're hoping to try the best version of Siri AI on your Apple device.

iPadOS 27

As for iPads, specifically, the only iPadOS 26-compatible models that don't also support iPadOS 27 are the iPad 10.2-inch (2020), iPad Air 10.5-inch (2019), and iPad mini 7.9-inch (2019).

Here’s the full compatibility list for iPadOS 27:

• iPad models from 2021 and later (9th generation onwards)
• iPad Air models from 2020 and later (4th generation onwards)
• iPad Pro models from 2017 and later (2nd generation onwards)
• iPad mini models from 2021 and later (6th generation onwards)

Side note: almost all iPad models are available in multiple sizes and in Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + Cellular configurations, so, in the interest of readability, I’ve grouped the above models into dated categories.

• Google has quietly pulled the Pixel tablet from its online store
• You can no longer purchase it from third-party retailers, or buy any accessories
• Users are disappointed, but not surprised that Google has axed another one of its devices

Google has seemingly pulled the plug on one of its most underrated devices, the Pixel Tablet, and in true Google style, it did this very quietly — leaving users bitterly disappointed.

For starters, the Pixel Tablet’s product listing has disappeared from the Google Store after launching in 2023, leaving users to believe that the company’s flagship tablet is no more. It’s also no longer available to purchase through third-party retailers such as Amazon, and while you can still view it on Best Buy, the listing states that ‘this item is no longer available in new condition’.

Even its array of accessories has run its course on the Google Store. Products such as the Speck SandyShell Case and the Charging Speaker Dock cannot be purchased, and you can only opt in to ‘Get notified’ if they ever come back into stock which, given the absence of the tablet itself, is highly unlikely.

Though the Google Pixel Tablet may not have been as popular as the iPad or other models in the pool of the best tablets, it was still a respected and admired device by those who habituate the Google/ Android ecosystem. Reddit has been a hotspot for users to air their disappointment, but that said, not everyone is entirely surprised about it: ‘It's a shame. It's one of the most underrated products they came out with,’ one user wrote.

For others, it’s more than that. Some believe that Google’s decision to axe its only tablet doesn’t help for maintaining a complete cross-device experience for users, which another user highlights in a Reddit thread (below). It doesn't help if you’ve been toying with the idea of getting a Pixel Tablet to use alongside your Pixel Phone and Pixel Watch.

It feels like Google is taking a step back, as opposed to enhancing the user experience. That said, the tech giant’s approach to its Pixel Tablets has always been a bit rocky, and other users are putting the device’s demise down to Google’s total neglect of its tablet range.

As mentioned, the Google Pixel Tablet was unveiled in 2023, starting at $399 / £399 / AU$649, then rumors of a second tablet started floating around, and naturally, we became excited. There were even talks of a third tablet, until word that Google had completely halted its production shut the rumor down. In the end, Google only released the one tablet, leaving both the Pixel Tablet 2 and Pixel Tablet 3 in the dust.

We’re just as disappointed as you, yet equally unsurprised, that yet another perfectly intact Google device has been wiped from the face of the planet. Given the company’s recent decision to retire its lineup of Nest Audio speakers to make room for its upgraded Google Home Speaker, it was only a matter of time before Google would put another device on the firing line.

As it stands, we don’t know what Google’s intentions are moving forward. It could be that, just like its audio devices, Google is either preparing to enter a new era and rethink its approach to tablets — or leave an open void.

We've contacted Google for a comment, and will update this story if/ when we hear back.

No, it's not Prime Day, and we're still a couple of months away from Black Friday. But out of nowhere, Amazon has dropped the 64GB model of the latest Kindle Scribe to a record-low price. You can head over to the retailer right now to pick up the Kindle Scribe at Amazon for £279.99 (was £429.99).

The previous generation model may have been cheaper than this, but this newer version offers the Premium Pen, new writing features and some genuinely useful AI additions as standard. And while the lower-capacity 16GB model has been discounted more as well, it's only been £15 cheaper, so you don't pay a lot extra for a lot more storage space.

The Kindle Scribe combines the functions of Amazon's immensely popular ereaders with the smooth and natural writing features of e-ink tablets. That means you can enjoy your favourite books while also making annotations, taking notes, reviewing documents, journaling, and creating lists using the included pen.

The device also sports a large 10.2-inch 300ppi glare-free high-resolution display, with an adjustable warm light and auto-changing front light like the Kindle Paperwhite to ensure a clear and comfortable reading experience in all conditions.

Ultimately, if you're looking for an advanced ereader and journal all in one, the Kindle Scribe is a top option.

Today's best Kindle Scribe deal

Bigme B6 Color: Two-minute review

If you’re looking for a cheaper Kindle Colorsoft alternative, then there’s a strong chance you’ll come across the Bigme B6 Color.

This ereader is cheaper but still boasts a six-inch color e-ink screen, 64GB of storage, and 4GB of RAM paired with a MediaTek Helio P35 processor.

That’s an entry-level smartphone SoC from 2018 and would be a poor choice for a standard tablet, but it is actually pretty powerful for an ereader, being significantly faster than the chip found in the Colorsoft or other similarly priced competitors like the Kobo Clara Color.

The Bigme B6 Color needs that added juice because, unlike mainstream options, it runs on a modified version of Android 14 like a standard tablet rather than a locked-down custom OS.

This means you can expect oodles of added functionality like downloading apps from the Google Play Store or reading online articles in the surprisingly capable web browser. If, like me, you’re coming over from a Kindle, you’ll still be able to access your entire library via the Kindle App in addition to exploring new options like Kobo Books or Google Play Books.

The freedom of Android means getting your own ebook files on the Bigme B6 Color is a breeze via the included Type-C cable or by making use of its microSD card slot.

The Bigme B6 Color also boasts a little mono speaker. It’s a bit tinny, but it means you can use the device to listen to audiobooks and podcasts in a pinch. It’s impressively versatile, and all of this functionality is packed into a sleek and premium form factor that is easily pocketable and can be used one-handed.

But what's the reading experience actually like? Text is sharp, and there is minimal ghosting when flicking between pages, so novels are a breeze — even at night, thanks to a backlight with a good level of brightness and adjustable warmth levels.

I’ve had a perfectly pleasant experience with comic books and manga as well. Monochrome illustrations look pin sharp, while the color screen elevates color splashes. I do wish the colors were a little richer, though, as they’re slightly more washed out than on the Colorsoft.

It’s sometimes spoiled by the many bugs in the operating system, but the biggest issue with the Bigme B6 Color is undoubtedly its battery life. Android is much more power-hungry than most ereader operating systems, and it really shows here. With the brightness cranked up, the battery meter steadily ticks down with every page turn.

I managed to squeeze only about five hours out of a single charge flicking through manga on the Kindle app. That was closer to ten hours for a basic PDF novel stored in the system files, which would at least see you through a full week of reading, but it's still a fraction of the multi-week usage a Kindle Colorsoft or Kobo Clara Color would give you.

To make matters worse, the battery life drops quickly when the ereader isn’t even in use. Tossed in my bag with its screen off, it lost about 10% charge each day, so you’re forced to shut it down fully every time you put it away or risk sitting down for a long train ride and finding it out of juice (something that happened to me more than once in even my relatively short testing period).

Bigme B6 Color review: Price & availability

• Costs around $179 / £149 / AU$280
• Available via the Bigme website and other retailers
• Comes with a case

At the time of writing, I can find the Bigme B6 Color on sale for around $179 / £149 / AU$280. You can find it on the Bigme website in all regions. Shoppers in the US can also find it at Amazon and Newegg, while in the UK it’s also available via JoyBuy. In Australia, you can find it on AliExpress too.

There are three colors available: black, white, and light green. It also comes bundled with a magnetic protective case. It’s a nice case too; my review unit came in black with a navy one, and it attaches neatly to the back via strong magnets and puts the ereader to sleep when closed.

The Bigme B6 Color comes with 64GB of storage, and the value is extremely strong when you consider that the Kindle Colorsoft costs $279.99 / £269.99 / AU$449 for just 32GB of storage and doesn't come with a case.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Specs

Bigme B6 Color review: Design & display

• Compact and lightweight
• Color display
• Physical buttons… sort of

The Bigme B6 Color is sleek and compact at 108 x 149.3 × 6.98 mm (or 4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches). It’s easy to slip into a pocket or bag.

The back and sides are a matte plastic material that feels pleasant in the hands, while the bezel around the screen is shinier and smoother. The black model that I’ve been testing is quite plain-looking aside from a silver Bigme logo on the rear and a red power button.

If you look closely at the top, you’ll see a small grille for the speaker and a microphone hole. Flipping it over to the bottom reveals the USB Type-C charging port, a small LED charging indicator, and a slot for the microSD card.

Given that Bigme is a smaller brand, I’m really impressed with the build quality overall.

It’s lightweight at under 200g / 7.1oz but reassuringly solid in the hands. The materials used feel equivalent to those by Amazon or Kobo-maker Rakuten — something really worth commending given just how much cheaper the Bigme B6 Color is than those brands’ equivalent models.

The ereader's six-inch color e-ink display sits above a little row of grey buttons. These aren’t proper buttons in the traditional sense, and they don’t click like those of a Kindle Oasis. Rather, they’re little shortcuts printed on the screen that are tied to certain system apps.

The first opens your library, which shows any ebooks or PDFs you have saved on the device’s storage. The next is an AI button tied to BigmeGPT, an AI assistant of questionable value, but I’ll get on to that in more detail later.

The middle one opens the file manager, and the next takes you to the home screen. The fifth and final button is a settings shortcut.

I’m in two minds about these. On the one hand, some of them are useful to have, like the home screen button or library shortcut, but others, like the AI button, haven’t been pressed more than once or twice in my entire time testing the device.

I couldn’t find a way to rebind the buttons in the system settings, sadly, though even if you could, you would still be stuck with the printed icons.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Android software & apps

• Freedom of Android
• Google Play Store access
• Stock apps are poor

Unlike a conventional ereader, the Bigme B6 Color runs on Android 14 and comes with the Google Play Store installed. This allows you to download a wide range of Android apps, all the way from chat services like Discord to social media apps such as Instagram and Facebook, or even some games.

Of course, the screen is a major limitation, and although you can technically watch the latest TechRadar YouTube video on your device, the low refresh rate makes for a pretty unpleasant experience.

That said, Android has some big advantages, namely allowing you to download a wide range of ereader apps. The Kindle app, for example, works fantastically and delivers a comparable experience to using an ereader made by Amazon. Favorites like Libby, which lets you access books from local libraries, are accessible too, and you can even use the ereader’s web browser to download files directly from sites like Internet Archive. Audiobook and podcast apps are also excellent.

The freedom is fantastic and will be a breath of fresh air if you’re used to locked-down ecosystems.

This isn’t a stock version of Android, though. Everything is wrapped in a custom skin created by Bigme, and it’s far from a smooth experience.

There are lots of stock apps, and some are quite buggy. The built-in BigmeGPT AI, for example, crashes instantly if you lose your internet connection. It’s not particularly useful when it does work either, offering only basic text and image generation features.

There’s also the screen saver app that lets you change the image on your lock screen. I used BigmeGPT to generate a few wacky pictures to use as screensavers, only to discover that it doesn’t seem to work very well when you select an image from system files, often defaulting to the default option (a childish cartoon of some bears sleeping in a forest) instead.

Other stock apps include a basic calendar, music player, dictionary, voice recorder, and translator. They all seem to work alright, but are so basic I can’t imagine them being very useful.

The overall interface also has some issues. System notifications will randomly pop up in Chinese from time to time, and it can all freeze up while you’re in menus. I even had the settings app crash entirely on a few occasions.

• Software score: 3/5

Bigme B6 Color review: User experience

• Reading is great
• But the battery life dampens the experience
• Not a tablet replacement

Despite the rough edges in the software, if your number one concern is the reading experience, the Bigme B6 Color does deliver. 300ppi resolution is more than sufficient for the small 6-inch screen and means that text looks very crisp. The backlight is effective too, offering sufficient brightness for reading in dimmer spaces or even a pitch-black room.

As I mentioned earlier, the colors could be better as they look more washed out than those of the Colorsoft, but they’re still decently accurate and help liven up illustrations. Browsing the web is also surprisingly smooth, though the refresh rate does hamper the experience. Even so, you can still browse news websites easily if you want to catch up with current events on the go.

The biggest issue encountered while trying to use the Bigme B6 Color as my main ereader was its battery life. It really does run out quickly, and I struggled to adjust to plugging it in for a top-up every night, having become used to only charging my Kindle every few weeks.

Although it does run Android, I wouldn’t view the Bigme B6 Color as a replacement for a conventional tablet. You technically can use productivity apps (WPS Office even comes installed out of the box to tempt you), but the experience is poor, again, thanks to that slow refresh rate. To Bigme’s credit, the brand advertises the B6 Color as an ereader rather than anything else — so I’m not deducting any points for this.

• User experience score: 3.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Performance

• Snappy performance
• Usable web browser
• You can even watch YouTube videos

The Bigme B6 Color performs fantastically with its 4GB of RAM and MediaTek Helio P35 chipset.

Don’t get me wrong, these would be awful specs for a phone — but on a relatively cheap ereader? Everything is butter smooth as far as an e-ink screen allows. Loading is fast, pages turn with no lag, and it doesn’t immediately lose your place if you send an ereader app to the background. It boots from sleep almost instantly as well.

I have had no issue accessing my favorite news websites (including TechRadar, of course) using the built-in browser. I even managed to get YouTube videos playing on it, which is pretty impressive for this kind of device. After using the Bigme B6 Color, my usual Kindle feels unbearably sluggish.

Storage is generous out of the box to boot, and, having downloaded a load of books and a handful of apps, I still have more than 40GB of free space left.

Not shabby at all for this price!

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Bigme B6 Color?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Bigme B6 Color review: Alternatives

How I tested the Bigme B6 Color

• Used as main e-reader for a month
• Popular e-reader apps tested
• Compared to similar models by brands like Amazon

To review the Bigme B6 Color I used it as my primary e-reader for just over a month. This meant using it for about forty minutes each way on my commutes to and from our office in London, during which I enjoyed a variety of novels, comic books, and manga.

Throughout my time with the e-reader I compared my experience to my hands-on usage of similar devices, including the Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle Colorsoft, and Kobo Clara Color.

Read more about how we test.

First published September 2026

• The Boox Picco has been shown off at IFA 2026
• It doesn't run Android or have magnets
• However, it does at least have a USB-C port

Boox is perhaps the most well-known alternative to Kindle and Kobo, and notably, its Android-powered ereaders don’t lock you into a specific ecosystem. Now, Boox looks set to rival Xteink too, with a new ereader that’s truly tiny.

We’re talking about the Boox Picco, an ereader first teased around six weeks ago that has now been shown off at IFA 2026, complete with far more details than had previously been revealed.

The Boox Picco has a 3.97-inch e-paper touchscreen, physical page-turn buttons (which can be customized to do something else if you prefer), a front light, a microSD card slot, and a USB-C port.

What it doesn’t have, though, is Android, as unlike Boox’s larger ereaders, this device runs a Linux-based operating system, meaning you presumably won’t have access to major apps like the Kindle and Kobo apps.

That means — as with rival devices like the Xteink X4 Pro — you’ll likely have to sideload books and may struggle to get some books running on the device if they have DRM.

Still, Android Police went hands-on with the device and claims the software is promising, complete with a reading stats page, a Pomodoro timer, and a handful of other built-in apps. It also provides several ways to get books onto the Picco, including via a microSD card, USB-C, the cloud, or a local LAN network.

And there are upsides to the Boox Picco skipping Android — its software will be simpler in some ways, and the device could have better battery life than Android-powered alternatives. Still, I’ve really been hoping for a tiny ereader with Android included, so while the lack of Android still leaves this device in line with its main competition, it’s a disappointment to me.

'No' to magnets but 'yes' to USB-C

The Boox Picco also lacks something that the Xteink line has — magnets. This won’t matter to everyone, but if you’re hoping for an ereader you can magnetically attach to the back of your phone, this isn’t it.

But the inclusion of a USB-C port is appreciated, considering the Xteink X4 Pro uses a proprietary charging port.

So this could give the Xteink line a run for its money — at least among people who don’t care about magnets. But a lot will come down to price, which remains unclear. Good Ereader reports that the Picco will cost around $100 (roughly £75 / AU$140), but various sites that went hands-on with the device say the price hasn’t been revealed yet, and instead, some speculate that it will hopefully be priced at around that, so Good Ereader may just have misread their reporting.

The Xteink X4 Pro itself is priced at around that level though, so it would certainly make sense for Boox to aim for something similar. We should find out by November at the latest, as that’s when the Boox Picco is set to begin shipping.

The Kindle Scribe is much more than an oversized e-reader, combining a 10.2-inch Kindle display with a digital notebook that you can actually write on. And right now, a Like-New 64GB Metallic Jade Amazon Kindle Scribe with Premium Pen is down to $320 (was $405) at Amazon.

It's one of those devices, like the reMarkable tablets, that we often recommend for professionals looking to take digital handwritten notes. If you're not too fussy about owning a brand new model, you can save a good chunk of money here. Our hardware editor purchased the same Like-New Scribe and, just as Amazon promised, it showed absolutely no signs of use.

In the UK? The same 64GB Like-New Kindle Scribe is down to £270 (was £387) at Amazon.

Why we recommend it

If you read a lot but also fill notebooks with ideas, lists, meeting notes or general scribblings, the Scribe can replace both your Kindle e-reader and a pile of paper. The 10.2-inch, 300ppi glare-free display is front-lit, while the Premium Pen requires no charging or setup.

You can write directly on book pages using Active Canvas, annotate imported PDFs and documents, and send files including DOCX and EPUB to the Scribe.

In his four-and-a-half-star review, our expert Philip was impressed that Amazon had "added AI features and… they’re good?!" He explained that "Kindle AI brings better handwriting recognition and note summaries, nothing untoward, and it makes the Kindle Scribe an even more competitive writing tablet, on top of being the best big e-reader you can buy."

Also consider

Price context & historical value

Amazon has reduced this 64GB Scribe from $404.99 to $319.99, which knocks $85 off the usual price and works out to a discount of about 21%.

This is a Like-New device rather than a brand-new Scribe, although Amazon says these units are refurbished, tested and certified to look and work like new, and they carry the same limited warranty as a new device.

This model has been cheaper in the past however. I've seen it sell for as low as $279 towards the end of 2025 and at the start of this year.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Kindle Scribe if...

You love reading on a Kindle but have always wished you could properly write on one too. The Scribe adds a large digital notebook and Premium Pen while keeping the distraction-free reading experience that makes a Kindle appealing.

❌ Skip the Kindle Scribe if...

You want a tablet that can organize your writing with dedicated apps. The Scribe is deliberately more like intelligent electronic paper, so an iPad will give you far more flexibility for apps and more complex workflows.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

The obvious question is whether “Like-New” should put you off. Our hardware editor Steven bought a Like-New Kindle himself and says it arrived in perfect condition.

That doesn't guarantee every unit will be cosmetically flawless, however, and Amazon notes that Like-New devices may arrive in generic Amazon-branded packaging.

If you're buying it as a gift, that might make the saving less appealing, but if you're buying for yourself, it will likely be fine.

Ever since the Xteink X4 landed in early 2026 I’ve been intrigued by this tiny line of ereaders — I loved the idea of sticking one to the back of my phone and carrying it everywhere, but at that point they just had a few too many missing features for my liking.

Then the Xteink X4 Pro launched, and with the addition of a touchscreen and front light, I decided it was finally time to take the plunge and try one for myself. As a tech lover and early adopter it’s a decision I don’t regret, but this still isn’t quite the device I want it to be.

First impressions — before I turned it on — were positive. This thing is extremely slim and light. It’s 111 x 69 x 5.95mm and 72g, numbers which may or may not mean much to you, but essentially this weighs almost nothing, and it’s thin enough that it doesn’t stick out much beyond the camera bump on my iPhone 16 Pro Max when I use its built-in magnets to stick it to the back.

Fragile and exposed

The Xteink X4 Pro doesn’t exactly look or feel expensive, but then few ereaders do, and at $109 / £84 / AU$159 (currently reduced to $99 / £76 / AU$145) it doesn’t need to. The back of your phone is also isn't really the place for a more expensive device — if that's where you plan to stick the X4 Pro, then it’s quite exposed.

It ships with a basic flip cover, but I found the magnets weren’t strong enough to securely attach it to my phone while in a case. So if I drop my phone, the Xteink X4 Pro is liable to break.

In fact, even with the magnets, it can shift around a bit and come loose in my pocket, or if I press a button too hard. Maybe it would stay in place better if my phone wasn’t in a case, but that’s not an option for me. So I sort of expect this thing won’t last long, especially as epaper displays tend to be very fragile.

That’s my first issue with it, as even at its fairly low price, it’s not something I want to constantly be replacing. Of course, attaching it to your phone is optional — some people will want to keep it separate, and it’s perhaps better suited to that. But I already have (and love) a phone-sized ViWoods AiPaper Reader, so I don’t really need another standard small ereader, even if this one is even tinier.

No, the magnets were the main draw for me, and coupled with a fairly crisp 4.3-inch touchscreen with a capable front light, this is a pleasure to read books on.

The battery seems long-lasting too, which is good, because — presumably in an effort to keep this as small as possible — this uses a slightly fiddly proprietary charger rather than USB-C.

Restrictive software

That extensive life is probably partly because of the software — unlike the ViWoods AiPaper Reader or some other compact ereaders, this doesn’t run resource-hungry Android. Instead, it uses Xteink’s own operating system, which is… not good. The interface is ugly and clunky, and it just makes the thing feel a bit unpleasant to use.

But it almost seems like Xteink realizes this, because the version sold on their site is a developer edition, which allows you to very easily flash alternative firmware onto the device.

I did this after all of about half an hour — I already knew I probably would, having seen most owners in the Xteink subreddit seem to ditch the stock software at the first opportunity. But while switching up the interface is easy, choosing which firmware to flash isn’t, as there are a surprising number of options.

So far, I’ve settled on CrossInk, and I’ll probably stick with that as I’m happy enough with it. It gives you a decent amount of customization options and offers more ways of getting books onto the X4 Pro. But that last point is probably my biggest issue with this device, as the lack of Android also means it can’t run the Kindle or Kobo apps.

That means you'll typically have to buy books on another device and then transfer them to the Xteink X4 Pro. And in many cases you’ll also have to remove their DRM first — something which recently became a lot trickier with Kindle books.

So, in other words, getting books onto this is a bit of a chore, and if you already have a library of Kindle books, you might find you can't read them on the Xteink X4 Pro.

That, coupled with the need to flash new firmware to get the most out of it, means I can’t really recommend this to the average ebook reader. It’s very much for people who are comfortable with tech — and ideally people who enjoy fiddling and configuring, rather than having a device that just does exactly what they want out of the box.

Plenty of potential

But I do fit into those categories, so I’m having fun with the Xteink X4 Pro — and right now it’s my main ereader.

I take it with me everywhere because it’s attached to my phone, and just like the ViWoods AiPaper Reader before it, that means I’m reading in moments when I wouldn’t otherwise, because it’s always present and easy to whip out even when I only have a few minutes to spare.

Still, phone attachment aside, it also fills a very similar role for me to the ViWoods, so I’m not sure I’ll continue using both much. Right now, given all the friction points above, I think I’ll probably find myself returning to the AiPaper Reader.

But the Xteink X4 Pro does almost make that device look big, so on days when I want to travel as light as possible, I might still turn to this. And if the Xteink X5 Pro runs Android, then I might rethink things.