As a writer, one of the most useful tools in my tech collection is definitely my tablet. A portable device that’s lighter than a laptop but still has the functionality that I need and is comparable to a standard laptop when paired with some accessories is absolutely fantastic. I’ve found my table to be super valuable for all my work and when I was a student in university, it was definitely a life-saver. So, I’ve compiled a list of ten of the best tablets and included a list of accessories I recommend for those tablets so you can get started with your portable writing journey.
(affiliate disclaimer: some of the links in this post are affiliate links meaning that I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you when you purchase something through my link).
Why Own a Tablet?
It might seem like a tablet isn’t all that useful for writing, but it’s actually really helpful. First of all, if you’re someone that travels to work or school a lot and you have a long commute, you’ll often find that you’ll be bored while sitting on the bus or the train. I personally had a very long commute in university, so I didn’t know what to do sometimes and I often got bored watching Netflix. So, having my tablet and keyboard, I was able to get some writing work done while I was on the train.
Additionally, a tablet is great if you like to write on your bed or you enjoy moving around from place to place in your home or you like to write outside in the park or at a cafe, then it’s really nice to have a tablet. It’s something you can carry in a purse, it’s light, and you can just immediately get on your writing.
Also, a tablet was really helpful when I was a student and I would sit for long hours on campus between lectures (or inside of lectures, honestly I would write books when I was in class, not sorry). I could just use a smaller device to do everything I did on my giant gaming laptop at home. Many chapters in my books were written on a tablet!
So, what I’m trying to say is that a tablet is a super convenient way to get things done and it has a relatively decent amount of functionality in a similar way that a laptop does.
What are the Best Tablets for Writers?
Overall Best Option: iPad Air
First up on my recommendations list is the iPad Air. I’ve owned an iPad Air for quite some time now and I can confidently say that it’s been one of the best options out there if you want an affordable option from Apple while still having many of the features from the pro lineup of Apple’s devices, then the iPad Air is perfect for you.
The iPad Air has a really nice and vibrant screen with great colors and the speakers are absolutely fantastic. It also pairs easily with Bluetooth devices, meaning you can build a whole setup for a desktop with just your iPad.
I personally always use my iPad for writing my books. Oftentimes, I’ll come up with ideas and write out a draft of them in Google Docs or Microsoft Word and then at home I would take those ideas and paste them into my Scrivener document for further editing. If you’re someone that uses a software that’s based online like World Anvil or Dabble Writer, then you can easily use those on your iPad as well while you’re outside the house.
If you want to handwrite notes, you will need to buy the Apple Pencil 2 separately, but honestly, it’s 1000% worth the price. Without the Apple Pencil, my time with the iPad would’ve been boring. It makes it a much more full experience.
The iPad Air is a super thin and lightweight device while still packing a lot of punch! You can buy it at the below stores:
Affordable Alternative to Apple: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is a great competitor to the Apple iPad and is a perfect option if you prefer a bit more of the Android side of the technology table. I’ve personally used Android and Apple devices frequently in the past and I did find that although Android is nice because of the fact that you can download things easily and that it’s connected to Google, Apple’s UI is clean and easy to learn. However, they’re both great options either way.
One of the neat features about Samsung’s Galaxy Tab is the fact that you have the option to multitask, which means that if you’re writing something you can have tabs on the side showing you information and research and notes so that you can keep working on your writing without having to exit your program.
The Tab A9+ has a vibrant screen, a good amount of storage, powerful Dolby Atmos speakers, and it’s built to be durable and lightweight, making it a perfect choice to carry around pretty much everywhere you want. Unfortunately, there is no pen specifically made for the Samsung tablet, so you will need to find a third-party stylus.
If you’re looking for a more affordable tablet that still has a lot of positive features, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is the perfect choice for you! You can buy it at the following stores:
Gets the Job Done: Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet
If you’re a fan of Amazon’s Kindle e-reader lineup but you still want the benefits of the idea of a tablet, then Amazon’s Fire Tablet range is a perfect option for you.
The Fire HD 10 comes with a great, vibrant screen and an upgraded processor over the previous generation, which allows you to have an easier time using the tablet for your writing needs. It has about 13 hours of battery life and it’s also lightweight and easy to use, so it makes your life easier.
If you’re someone that enjoys Amazon’s products overall, then you might be more interested in this tablet. Additionally, it has Alexa support, so if you own other products like a Ring doorbell camera, then you might like this option more. There is also an official stylus pen for the Fire HD10 which means that you don’t have to get a third-party option and can use the best pen for your device if you want to jot down some notes by hand.
The few downsides are that the storage is pretty low in the Fire HD10 and the screen is not the best compared to some of the other options on this list. However, having a bigger screen is nice and it makes it easier to do things like writing your books online and through other apps that you may have.
Its price, however, is very affordable compared to other tablets on the market and if you just want something simple, then it’s probably a good idea for you. However, it’s running on Amazon’s Fire OS, which is based on Android but isn’t exactly Android, so keep that in mind.
You can buy the Amazon Fire HD10 over at the following stores:
For the Note Takers: Kindle Scribe
The Kindle Scribe is a bit of an oddball on this list because it’s quite limited compared to the other tablets. It’s not really like a computer where you can browse the web and connect a keyboard and type things up. The Kindle Scribe is more like an e-Reader that has the benefits of what a regular notebook would give you with things like a stylus and the feeling of writing on paper.
I would say that the Kindle Scribe is a perfect resource for someone that likes to handwrite a lot of notes but doesn’t want to lug around a lot of pens and paper while still getting the chance to read books on the side. I know that a lot of us writers and authors out there are also major readers (You can follow me on Goodreads to see what I’m reading currently).
The Kindle Scribe is also pretty good if you want to take notes directly on books and things like that without actually noting things down on a real physical copy of a book. This is great if you’re someone that likes to read your manuscript and take physical notes on changes. You can import PDF files and even Microsoft Word documents and add sticky notes on Word docs or notes directly on PDFs, which is honestly really neat.
I will say that the Kindle Scribe is a bit of a niche choice and probably won’t service all your needs as a writer, but if you want a sort of advanced Kindle, then it might be something worth looking into.
You can purchase the Kindle Scribe over at these stores:
A Laptop and Tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro 9
The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is an actual laptop, but it’s also basically just a Windows tablet. It’s very similar in its abilities to something like Apple’s iPad, but the Surface Pro 9 has a slightly more higher range of features compared to the iPad in that it’s a Windows laptop in a tablet form.
The Surface Pro 9 includes an Intel Evo chip, which is one of the fastest processors currently on the market, making it a great choice if you’re going to be using your laptop for a little more than just writing, but still being fast enough to get your writing done. It also has a built-in kickstand, which makes it a great choice if you want to use the keyboard you can buy separately with it and write at a bit of an angle without a whole other case.
The nice thing about the Surface Pro 9 is that you can buy a stylus pen for handwriting that was made specifically for the Surface Pro 9 so it’s the best compatibility you can get for the device, similar to Apple’s system with the Apple Pencil. The Surface Pro 9 is great because you can use Adobe apps on it with the same functionality as any other laptop, but its lightweight and slim form makes it so that you can benefit from it like any other tablet you may own.
You can buy the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 at these stores:
For the Enthusiasts: iPad Pro
The iPad Pro might be a bit overkill for writing needs, but honestly, if you want something that’s similar to a Macbook while being a tablet and having the benefits of a touchscreen device, then the iPad Pro is probably your best bet. The iPad Pro is a fantastic device that has so many features and benefits to it and the 13-inch version is basically the most similar to a Macbook experience.
With the iPad Pro you get the benefit of a vibrant, responsive and beautiful screen, a powerful chip within, and the speed of a Macbook all in a small tablet form. Additionally, everything is much more premium and powerful on the iPad Pro. It has all-day battery life and powerful Wi-Fi connectivity, making it easier to take your iPad anywhere and working from wherever you want on your writing.
The iPad Pro also has a high quality microphone and speakers, which makes it a more enjoyable experience to watch videos and conduct research on your tablet. It’s also lightweight and powerful, so you can enjoy the benefits of having a portable device with a lot of features.
You can buy the iPad Pro over at these stores:
Good Affordable Alternative: Amazon Fire Max 11
The Amazon Fire Max 11 is another Amazon tablet device that is more upgraded and more powerful than the HD 10 Tablet with a bigger and more vivid screen. It also has great Wi-Fi connectivity and good power behind it so that you can stream videos and play games easily. You can also get the case, keyboard, and stylus separately that will make the experience much more like a laptop while still being a tablet.
Since it’s an Amazon device, it’s great to use things like the Kindle app on and it’s also great to use Microsoft products and other apps that work on Fire OS that’ll make it much easier to write things on your device. As a tablet, it’s not super advanced compared to other ones on this list, but it still is an affordable option for more simple tasks if you don’t want all the extra bells and whistles in the other tablets on this list.
You can buy the Amazon Fire Max 11 at these stores:
My Recommended Accessories
Although some of these tablets do include their own official accessories, there are third-party options from very reputable companies like Logitech that are absolutely fantastic as well and work very well with all of these devices.
Firstly, for Apple devices, there are things like the Magic Folio which includes a built in trackpad so you don’t need an external mouse. However, you can use the Magic Mouse from Apple as well if you don’t want a trackpad keyboard.
For all the devices in general, including Apple, you can use the Logitech K380 keyboard which is separate from the device, but is one of the best keyboards to use on the market. It’s great even for a general productivity setup on your desk, but the K380 comes in a variety of colors and is very fast, lightweight, and durable. Additionally, the Logitech Pebble Mouse is one of the best productivity mice out there. It’s very silent, smooth, small, and can be taken pretty much anywhere.
If you want something more on the mechanical side of things, then the Logitech Pop Keys are a great keyboard, but you do need to note that the portability of mechanical keyboards is harder than a membrane keyboard. If you go with the Logitech Pop, there’s also a Logitech Pop Mouse to add for a full combo.
There’s also some bluetooth mechanical keyboards made for gaming, which are ten-keyless keyboards that are more portable than some other options, but all of them tend to be a bit bigger and bulkier.
Headphones are also really important in my opinion and there are lots of options you can pick. Firstly, Apple has the AirPods, which are fantastic earbuds. For earbuds as well, there are great options from Sony and Bose. If you’re like me and you’re more of a fan of over-the-ear headphones, Sony is my top pick, but there’s also Bose and Beats which are equally fantastic options as well. There’s also the AirPods Max by Apple if you’re more of an Apple person and you want to keep things in the same ecosystem.
Conclusion
I originally thought that I wouldn’t benefit a lot from having an iPad or really any tablet, but after using tablets for a few years now, I see that they are really helpful and very beneficial because I can stay up-to-date with my work, with my writing, and with anything else I want to do and it’s all in a very portable, slim and lightweight device that fits in my purse, in my backpack, and can be easily carried anywhere. I’ve been able to get work done on campus, in libraries, at cafes, and really anywhere else I’m going where I know I’ll be out for a few hours. It’s honestly a great option if you enjoy portability and I really recommend you invest in a tablet as a writer.
Before you head on out, be sure to check out my series, The Fallen Age Saga. Also, sign up for my newsletter below and you can receive updates about my latest posts, WIPs, book releases, and so much more!