PocketBook’s new InkPad One pairs a 10.3-inch E Ink Mobius display with stylus support, transforming it from a simple e-reader into a tool for annotating PDFs and taking handwritten notes. It’s priced below most premium e-notes, aiming to make large-screen E Ink more accessible for everyday reading and productivity.
Small e-readers are perfect for sinking into a novel, especially when you’re on the go. But if you want to dive into a dense PDF, a research paper, or anything that demands margin notes, they quickly start to feel a bit limiting. Tablets are the obvious answer here, yet they introduce a new set of problems: glare, distractions, and a fraction of the battery life.
PocketBook
Large-format E Ink devices are steadily bridging that gap, combining the focus of an e-reader with the flexibility of a digital notebook. PocketBook’s new InkPad One is the latest such example: a 10.3-inch E Ink device with stylus support. The company pitches it not just as a bigger e-reader, but as an ‘active reading’ tool made for writing, highlighting, and productivity.
At first glance, the InkPad One looks more like a digital notepad than a traditional e-reader. Its 10.3-inch E Ink Mobius display sits on a flexible substrate rather than glass, making it lighter and potentially more durable than most rigid large-format panels. The device is just 5.15 mm (0.2 in) thick, with a clean aluminum body and a button-free front that reinforces its minimalist look.
The matte, glare-free screen is complemented by PocketBook’s SMARTlight adjustable front lighting, so you can use the device comfortably regardless of the lighting conditions. Its battery life is rated at up to an impressive two months per charge. All in all, this doesn’t feel much like a tablet at all – instead, it feels like a slim, digital writing pad.
The Stylus 2 is what really pushes this device from mere reader to e-note. It supports direct annotation on documents, with a Comment Mode that separates finger-based navigation from pen input. This means you can flip pages naturally with your hand, while leaving the writing, highlighting, and annotating to the stylus.
For PDFs, research papers, or textbooks, the larger canvas makes a difference. Instead of squeezing your notes into tight spaces, you can write more naturally, much like you would on paper. Unlike many standard e-readers that only track bookmarks and highlights, PocketBook’s latest E Ink pad captures your handwritten thoughts directly on the page.
We’ve seen large E Ink note devices from brands like XPPen and BOOX before – but the InkPad One positions itself as a more affordable, reading-first alternative with serious writing capabilities included, too.
PocketBook
PocketBook has long positioned itself around openness, and the InkPad One hasn’t strayed from that approach. The device supports 25 file formats, including EPUB, PDF, CBR, and CBZ, along with both Adobe DRM and LCP DRM. There’s built-in Libby integration for borrowing library books, plus PocketBook Cloud for syncing your content across devices.
For UK users in particular, the company emphasizes access to a large LCP-supported English-based catalog. Unlike more closed-off ecosystems, InkPad One focuses on freedom rather than exclusivity. It takes that freedom a step beyond traditional reading, too, with Bluetooth audio and text-to-speech support.
With its 10.3-inch display, included stylus, and price tag of US$360 (or €299 in Europe and £270 in the UK), the InkPad One clearly isn’t trying to replace a full-featured tablet, nor compete directly with ultra-minimalist or higher-end e-notes like those from reMarkable or Amazon. It simply aims to strike a balance between large-screen reading and practical handwriting at a more modest price point.
Product page: PocketBook InkPad One
