ZDNET Adds 3 Tablets to 2026 Note-Taking Picks, Naming iPad Air 7th Gen Best Overall
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jul 21
ZDNET Adds 3 Tablets to 2026 Note-Taking Picks, Naming iPad Air 7th Gen Best Overall
1 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jul 21
Summary
January 2026 updates added three new top picks—the iPad Air 7th Gen, Boox Note Air5 C and TCL Nxtpaper 11 Plus—to replace older note-taking tablet recommendations.
ZDNET named the iPad Air its best overall option after hands-on testing, citing Apple Pencil Pro support, Apple Intelligence features and an M3 chip in an 11-inch tablet starting at $459.
Boox Note Air5 C was highlighted as a lightweight color e-ink choice focused on writing, with built-in templates, OCR-style text recognition and a 10.3-inch display, though ZDNET said it feels slower than traditional tablets.
TCL's Nxtpaper 11 Plus entered the list as the cheapest main pick at $370, with paper-like display modes, handwriting-to-text tools and eye-strain reduction aimed at everyday note-taking.
The refreshed rankings still span dedicated digital notebooks and full-featured tablets, with Kindle Scribe and reMarkable Paper Pro remaining options for readers and productivity-focused users.