iPad vs Supernote - Best Handwritten Notes Tablet Showdown

The iPad is the "swiss army knife" of tablets — it can do it all. The Supernote, on the other hand, is an e-Ink tablet that was created with exactly one thing in mind: writing.

Note: we use affiliate links.

[Nesssssaaa]

Honestly iPad could kill the game by having a Note Taking Mode that turns it greyscale, turn off all the distractions and have a super battery mode that helps it last.

[purplecowideal]

The challenge with ipads and such is there are so many apps and notes one becomes overwhelmed. More time is spent searching the app store and updating apps less time is spent using them.

[LadislavVydra]

I am not sure if anyone mentioned it, but the main reason to go for eInk tablet is because of eye strain. I used iPad for multiple years and with annotating pdfs and reading documents, writing etc. My eyes got real issues.

On the other hand I had a problem with colors, because on iPad I used colors everywhere.
My go-to scenario now is:

Onyx boox air nova C - for notetaking (in color), reading and annotating documents
iPad - for consuming youtube and other productivity stuff

[bsmith]

I have both and love them both. Chris nails the strengths / weaknesses here.

I can take notes in meetings far more easily on the Supernote, even with a Paperlike on my iPad. The battery lasts forever and I have the screen lock set really long so I can keep reference material in front of me without the screen turning off. It's got no camera for settings where that's a problem which can be important for me too.

If I could only have 1 I'd have the iPad but in my consulting gig where I need to take notes and stay focused the Supernote's great. It's also really light and robust to bringing both when I need to is still not (much) heavier than a corporate-issue laptop.

One correction: You can use a bluetooth keyboard with the Supernote, although I don't.

[monochromios]

I bought an A5X six months ago with an HOM Pen for my research job and it really improved the way I do my job: in addition to what you said in the video, it is a non-programmed obsolescence device and it's an added value to me. Great video

[NguoiTuyet]

One thing about notetaking on an e note that i don't see a lot of people talk about that I dreaded and sold my reMarkable for is the sluggishness when you want to take notes in a canvas that you want to move around. It's laggy, you will feel every single interaction and that just bothered me for some reasons.

[ernestintownandjackintheco]

I've got them both! I end up using my SN because of eye comfort issues. I would use my iPad, but it really just isn't comfortable on the eyes, much to my chagrin.The SN really is awesome, though. Great notetaking, and has the Kindle app on a 10.3 inch screen.

[TheWyleECoyote]

My favorite parts of the SN are that it is a paper white, less eye strain reading ebooks, lasts for days or even weeks before it needs charged, custom templates I create for work like work orders customers can sign when I complete a job and time sheets. I was sold on it when I seen my boss using it and just had to get one, have never regretted it.

[kanefrieden]

This is really weird, I just today got really into these E-Ink devices and am thinking about selling my distraction-machine iPad. clicked on this video without even realising it's barely 3 hours old. Superb timing!

[rph_redacted]

One thing where e ink shines is outdoors.. It looks brighter if ambient is brighter

[Big-gpbi]

You are doing your eyes a favour by getting an e ink tablet like Supernote.

[karime]

It would be interesting to see a comparison between the iPad and the Onyx tab ultra.

[bondr]

No annotation or highlighting in color. Deal breaker for me. Love my M1 iPad Pro, Apple Pencil 2, and PaperLike though. Just use a focus mode to reduce distractions. Done deal... Thanks for the video Chris!

[picnicphoto]

Additional comment--I have an. Ipad Mini (5)and a 12.9 Ipad Pro. I carry the MIni with me to take notes--but because its a 5 have to use Pencil 1. Otherwise prefer notes on Pro and use Pencil 2--much better usage. I can see this for someone taking notes in meetings, class but for daily use, the Mini works fine for me (though will be happier once I can use Pencil 2 with it.

[stevebianchi]

I have an iPad Pro and SuperNote. LOVE my SuperNote, especially using the Digest functionality with ebooks.

[abuabdillah]

Iike “physical focus mode” term with condition physical distancing mode from your iphone.

I have booxnote2 and its true helping me to focus on reading just because you’r limited to do any other things on it. But surely iphone will distract you. Cant imagine more with such an iphone-like ipad with bigger screen which you can do more than iphone!.

I am not so much taking note in daily routine, but seeing my colleague notes using his ipad+goodnotes is really make me recon ipad again!.

Reading focus and simple note is e-ink.
Taking real notes with AIO function is ipad as you can get more real colorful note on it.

Great Job Man!

[ericsparkman]

The focus modes have really cut out the distractions on the iPad if you take the time to set it up right

[alsaikali]

I’ve been so curious about these e-ink pads and, as usual, Chris makes me want to open my wallet again. I’d been going “old school” recently (fountain pen and high-quality notebooks) for tasks, notes, and planning ideas. I just love the feel of a really good pen and paper. The problem is it’s harder to manipulate those analog documents (add things, remove things, maintain the notes with related things, search them). The fact that Lamy (one of the best analog pen manufacturers in the world) has created a pen for this device is an enormous plus. I guess I’d be curious to know how it compares to Remarkable (or other e-ink notepads) since I’d never heard of Supernote before this video. Based on the DailyTekk podcast though Remarkable sounds scared to provide a demo device. Anyway . . . Great review! I’m right there on the fence and giving it SERIOUS thought, where it wasn’t even on my radar this morning.

[rush]

Yes if you need to do the same thing your phone does on a bigger screen then get an ipad, if you need a great note taking device then e ink is it, and supernote has the best overall IOS for it so far

[mattflanagan]

Man, you always do such a great job. Thanks for all of the hard work you put into these. They do make a difference in real people’s productivity. Thanks man