E Ink tablets gain ground as reading and note-taking devices, but still trail the iPad on color and speed

The difference starts with the display itself. Unlike the OLED or LCD panels used on most devices, an E Ink screen carries no built-in light source and does not need power to hold an image once it is on-screen; instead, millions of tiny physical particles are charged and oriented whenever the image has to change. Engadget describes the result as markedly paper-like, low in power consumption and more comfortable than conventional displays over long sessions, because E Ink is reflective rather than emissive and the eyes are not adjusting to light emitted directly from the screen.

That reflectivity also favors outdoor use. E Ink relies on external light to make content visible, while lower-end iPad models tend to struggle in direct sunlight because their backlit displays lack the brightness to overcome glare. Engadget notes that the iPad Pro fares much better in this respect, crediting the high brightness of its tandem OLED display. Many E Ink tablets also use matte surfaces rather than the glossy glass found on the iPad and similar tablets, adding to the paper-like look and feel under a finger or stylus.

Battery life is another point in favor of E Ink. Engadget cites the reMarkable Paper Pro as delivering better endurance than an iPad, at least in active use, since the panel draws power only when refreshing or displaying new content; an iPad, by contrast, must continuously power its screen while a reader works through a page. The simpler construction and lower power requirements also let manufacturers build lighter devices.

The advantages come with clear limits. Color E Ink panels now exist, but even the best of them fall short of an iPad in color volume and vibrancy, so comics, images and web content will almost always look better and more accurate on Apple's tablet. E Ink also struggles with motion: some panels leave a visible trail behind moving elements, which Engadget says makes watching video nearly impossible, and even on the latest models navigating menus and switching between apps feels noticeably less responsive than on a modern iPad. The publication attributes this to the technology itself, since the display's physical particles must move and reposition each time the image changes, a difference in refresh rate that can produce flickering or other visual anomalies.

Processing hardware adds to the gap. Many E Ink tablets ship with relatively underpowered chips because they are not expected to run graphically intensive apps or complex animations, and combined with the slower refresh rate the performance difference against an iPad is hard to miss. The Engadget writer said he often reaches for a smartphone rather than wait for an E Ink tablet to load a complex webpage, which he said almost negates the device's purpose.

Engadget concludes that E Ink tablets suit relatively static uses such as reading, drawing and note-taking. For buyers whose priority is media consumption with only occasional reading, it recommends an iPad or an Android tablet; for those willing to accept the trade-offs or who mainly read text, E Ink tablets have become a viable alternative.