Amazon is asking M4 iPad Air money for a device designed to do less, and I still get the appeal
6 min read
Summary
Amazon’s latest 32GB Kindle Scribe Colorsoft improves upon the previous models and sells for 629.99.A128GB[AppleM4iPadAir](https://www.makeuseof.com/apple−launches−m4−ipad−air−and−iphone−17e/)listsfor749 after a recent 150pricehikeduetocomponentshortages.However,AmazonoftensellstheiPadAirforconsiderablyless—aroundthe650 mark at times, and much closer to the Scribe Colorsoft’s price point. It’s easy to see why people compare the two.
On the surface, the iPad Air is the obvious choice: it’s a fully fledged tablet with a great screen and an App Store full of apps. But I still think the Scribe Colorsoft is a better buy for some people. It might even be the best option for you, too.
The price math
What the gap actually looks like
If we consider the M4 iPad Air at the discounted price it can often be bought for, the gap between it and the Scribe Colorsoft is minimal. Sure, you’ll need to buy an Apple Pencil for your iPad Air, and the Scribe Colorsoft comes with a stylus in the box. But the iPad Air also offers much more storage, so there are wins on both sides.
Apple is famous for offering some of the industry’s best displays. The iPad Air isn’t its premium tablet, but its display is still big, bright, and colorful. It’s also backed up by the super-fast M4 chip, capable of heavy-duty video editing and AI workloads.
With just a glance at a specs sheet, it’s no contest. The iPad Air is the no-brainer of the two. But the Scribe Colorsoft also has some very good reasons for a price that, on the face of it, seems too high. 629.99isalotofmoneyforwhatsomewillconsidertobeaKindlewithstylussupport.ButthatdoestheScribeColorsoftadisservice.Thedisplaytrade−offE−inkversusLiquidRetinaForstarters,theScribeColorsoftusesacustomoxidethin−filmtransistorbackplanepairedwithacolorfilterlayer.Thisapproachgivesthedeviceitsdistinctivepaper−likereadingandnote−takingexperiencewhileaddingcolorsupport.Thatpaper−likedisplayiskeynotonlytoan[excellentreadingexperience](https://www.makeuseof.com/i−ditched−my−ipad−for−comics−thanks−to−this−ereader/),butalsotomakingnote−takingfeelasclosetousingarealpadofpaperaspossible.Ifyou′veeverusedastylustowriteordrawonaglass−screenedtablet,you′llknowthatitfeelsanythingbutpaper−like.Forregularnote−takers,Amazon′se−inkdisplaytechnologyisakeydifferentiatorthattabletsjustcan′tmatch.However,whileAmazon′sColorsofte−inktechnologyboastsaninputlatencyofjust12milliseconds,theiPadAirandApplePencilcombinationstillbeatsit.Latencyissolowthatitisimperceptible,aidingartcreation—somethingtheScribeColorsoftsimplyisn′tbuiltfor.Apple′sLiquidRetinadisplayalsohasanincrediblyhighresolution,makingitimpossibletodiscernonepixelfromanother.Bycontrast,theScribeColorsoft′s300pixelsperinch(PPI)monopixeldensityplummetstojust150PPIwhendisplayingcolor.TheiPadAir′s264PPIappliesregardlessofwhat′son−screen.Ultimately,theM4iPadAir′sdisplayisclearlybetterformosttasksandusecases.ButtheScribeColorsoftisthebigwinnerforaveryspecifickindofperson.Thesingle−purposecaseWhendoinglessismoreThecruxofthematteristhattheiPadAircandoeverythingthattheScribeColorsoftcando,andmorebesides.Butitdoesn′tdoallofthemassuccessfullyasAmazon′sdevice.TheAmazonKindleScribeColorsoftisbuiltfornote−taking.That′swhyitcomeswithastylus,andit′sbuilttotakenoteswithaplomb.Itse−inkdisplayisvitalhere.We′vealreadydiscussedhowtheScribeColorsoftfeelstowriteon.Butthelackofabacklight(it′sfront−litinstead)meanstheScribeColorsoftiseasiertolookatforlongerperiodswithoutstrainingyoureyes.ItalsoallowstheScribeColorsofttorunforlongeronacharge—nobodywantstheirdigitalnote−takingdevicetorunoutofjuicemid−meeting,right?It′salsoimportanttorememberthattheKindleScribeColorsoftisjustthat:aKindle.Thatmakesitanamazingwaytoreadebooks.Sure,there′saKindleappfortheiPad,butitjustisn′tthesame.ReadingonaniPadwiththatdisplayblastingyoureyesisfineatfirst,butit′snowaytoreadabook.TheKindledevices′e−inkdisplaysaretailor−madeforthiskindofthing,anditshows.Finally,sometimesadevice′slimitedfunctionalityiskindofthepoint.AScribeColorsoftdoesn′ttemptyoutoreadyouremailorcheckyoursocials.Itdoesn′thavealloftheiPad′sappsandgamesjustwaitingtodistractyou.AndthatalonecanmaketheScribeColorsoftthebetteroptionforsomepeople.ThefinaldecisionKeepthetaskinmindOnpaper,andatlistprice,Amazon′sKindleScribeColorsoftisn′toverpricedatall—Apple′s749 iPad Air sticker price makes the Colorsoft look a bit of a bargain. But buyers don’t need to pay the sticker price, and the iPad Air is often found for considerably less. Plus, Apple’s tablet has a fancier display, more storage, and more features.
But comparing the Scribe Colorsoft and iPad Air makes an oft-incorrect assumption: that people want to buy a touchscreen computer. The Scribe Colorsoft is for people who have already decided that isn’t what they want. They want a device that’s built to be the best digital note-taking device possible, with the bonus of being a great way to read books as well.
For those people, the Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is an easy sell, even with the $630 retail price.
Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (2025)
Brand
Amazon
Screen
11-inch color e-ink
Storage
32GB
Connectivity
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
The Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft brings a splash of color to this e-ink-based note-taking device. It has a large 11-inch display and comes with a stylus in the box so you can get started jotting down meeting notes and more right away.
Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (2025)