After researching different paper tablet brands, I finally decided to give Penstar a try. I was hesitant initially, could I really justify the price for something so specialized? However, my primary goal was organizing all my work-related documents and note-taking, and Penstar seemed tailor-made for that at an affordable price. After several weeks of use, this device not only met my expectations but exceeded them in several ways. The value is outstanding, and it has quickly become a staple in my daily workflow! What Stands Out - Writing Experience The writing experience is phenomenal, way better than writing on my iPad. The screen’s paper-like texture and responsiveness make it feel natural, with virtually no latency! - Reading Experience The large screen has completely transformed my reading habits. Compared to my old Kindle Paperwhite, this device is a joy to read on, and I can’t imagine going back, sorry my kindle. - Integrations As an Android-based device, Penstar allows app downloads, adding versatility far beyond a typical note-taking tablet. The device syncs flawlessly with cloud platforms, which is really helpful for my work. - Note Organization As someone who used to rely on multiple physical notebooks, I now manage all my notes effortlessly in one place. The ability to categorize and organize notes is a huge timesaver, allowing me to build a “second brain” with ease! - Customizable Physical Buttons The physical buttons are a standout feature. I was criticizing it’s not touch screen, then after my research, those are like customized action buttons! I’ve customized them for quick navigation for my notes. Since the device isn’t touch screen, it avoids accidental touches as well. - Solid Hardware and Portability The device is ultra-thin and portable, with a USB-C charging port, and I’m surprised about the long-lasting battery, I have’t charged for two weeks, and it still showing 43%. The included case and stylus are well-designed, making it a complete and ready-to-go package. Things to Improve 1. No Backlight While this may be a downside for some, I appreciate the reduced glass layer, which improves the writing feel, but having the adjustable light will be a plus. 2. No Touch Screen Again, not a dealbreaker for me since I’m relying on the stylus and the buttons for navigation, but it might effect some people’s decision. 3. Lightweight Stylus The stylus comes in the kit, but it feels lighter than expected; a heavier option would improve the writing experience, and the magnet-touching function will improve the experience as well. 4. Fingerprint Access I turn on and off the screen really often, it will be huge improve if it supports fingerprint access. Final Thoughts The Penstar eNote has been an excellent investment for me. While I primarily use it for work, I can see it evolving into a tool for countless other applications as updates roll out. For anyone in need of a reliable, distraction-free digital note-taking and reading solution, this device offers great value and usability. Highly recommended! Read more

This is a really good e-ink notebook if you can get past a few things. First, the writing experience is excellent on this. I honestly enjoyed writing on this more than my Supernote. The pen it comes with is pretty good quality and it comes with a pack of nibs and there are also 4 more inside the pen. I did notice I wore down the felt tip really quickly, but most of the tips for these types of pens wear quickly. And, the pen has an eraser on the bottom or you can press the button on the pen. You can install apps by downloading the apk. I couldn't get the Kindle app or Adobe Acrobat to work, although I did install other apps that did. Honestly, I may have needed to look for an older version of those apps since this isn't running the newest Android. This also has a ton of built in templates for notes, but you can also make your own . You can also record while taking notes and it has split screen functionality. They really did add a lot of extra features to this device. But, the few things I didn't like ended up being a deal breaker for me. The touch screen only works with the pen. And it only uses the pen it comes with. I had hoped that I could adjust to this, but I just couldn't. If it's not something you'd be bothered by, then you probably would really like this tablet. Other than those issues, it really worked perfectly. Read more

I recently purchased this tablet with the full intention of using it at work to organize all of my note taking. First off, it has fulfilled my expectations with this and then some. I spent a lot of time watching videos reviewing and comparing different paper tablets and I ultimately settled on this device for multiple reasons. I find the value of the product to be excellent and so far I really enjoy working with the tablet. Pros: - Screen feels really nice under the stylus! It has a very nice tactile response when writing. - Android based (install extra apps) - Excellent hardware specs for a device of this type - Organize notes (categorize, title page, multi-page notes, search...) - Cloud for syncing notes across devices - Hardware control buttons including a Refresh screen hardware button (seems like a small thing but it makes a difference) - Wifi file transfer works fantastic! - More to list here than I probably should... Cons: - No backlight (not a big deal for me personally as not having that layer decreases the distance between glass and what is written) - No touch screen (again for the same reason above - doesn't bother me one bit since I use the stylus non-stop) - Stylus is lighter than I thought it would be; it would be nice if it was a bit heavier in the hand - At the time of this writing, the system could definitely use some updates with writing functions, app installation and customization, but forgivable since it is so brand new to the market. Once those updates come along (and I expect they will), this thing is going to be even greater than it is right now. - There are a couple of other small nit-picky things but those are simply personal preference and does not impact how much I like this device. Overall this has been a GREAT investment for my use. Again I mostly intend to use this with the work I do, but I can see this being used in many other ways, especially as the system evolves. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone needing a digital note-taking solution. Great value!! Read more

I had recently purchased the latest reMarkable ePaperPro with keyboard folio and upgraded stylus and she LOVED it and wanted on for herself, but I wasn't going to spend the better part of a $1,000 for a device like this for a child. So, I researched many ePaper Tablets and really was impressed with the reviews of the Penstar and some of it's extra capabilities over reMarkable (which is intentionally designed to be simple to eliminate distractions). Upon receiving the Penstar, I knew that it would be smaller than my reMarkable ePaperPro and it was, significantly, which is totally fine and it is also tremendously lighter which I actually really liked ALOT. I was curious about the use of the programmable side buttons and I really liked the layout of the dashboard and some of the innate capabilities such as the voice recorder, calculator, calendar, etc. I honestly feel that the menu(s) and navigation are much more logical and user friendly to me on the Penstar than on the reMarkable (which honestly is my largest frustration with my ePaperPro). Like other reviews it is true that the "cover" is more of a front cover only and the stylus pen is lightweight but not terrible. I'm not sure that I like that you have to keep it in a pen slot on the side of the tablet cover as I feel that it's just waiting to fall out and be lost. One great feature of the reMarkable is that it has an incredibly strong magnetic attachment for the marker (which also simultaneously charges it...albeit my market charging wasn't working so I had to send my upgraded marker back and am currently waiting on the new one to arrive). Also, the Penstar marker has a button down low that is kind of neat...it can be programmed for different things but it came from the factory preset to erase (as well as having an eraser at the end...which was a pricey upgrade for reMarkable...go figure). Anyway, the issue with the low button is it's almost too convenient and your fingers hit it all the time causing it to erase when you don't want it to...annoying. And from there, sadly, my review takes a steep dive off the cliff. Upon my daughters first use of the marker, it started writing before she even touched the page. When she did write, when she lifts the pen upon fininshing one word and to go write the next word, the marker still writes and draws lines connecting every word. I DO NOT see a way to fix this. I did the marker calibration and this did not fix the isse what-so-ever. Additionally, under the marker options it shows color options (shown not in color, however) and if you select "blue" for example, it just writes in grey. One reason I purchased the Penstar was to give my daughter the color option like I have on my reMarkable ePaperPro (I waited for the color version to come out before purchasing the ePaperPro). So, she's incredibly frustrated with the market tip issues and disappointed with the color options that don't give you color. I experienced all the same issues when testing the Penstar PLUS I felt tht when touching the pen tip to various icons they were nto responsive...I had to often try multiple times which was very frustrating. The included "Quick Guide" doesn't provide any troubleshooting and is not much of a "guide", quick or otherwise. Nor is there an email or phone number for Support. I haven't gone to Penstar's website yet, but this was a Christmas present for my daughter and is hugely disappointing to have a significant marker sensitivity issue which renders the ePaper tablet unusable. I don't see any other reviews stating this issue, but there aren't a ton of reviews overall either. I will try to reach out to Penstar support (which I read two reviews stating they are exception). I hope my experience is exactly that as I'd love my daughter to love this tablet. The reMarkable is for sure the "Cadillac" in this space and the product is highly refined and exceptional in doing what it was created to do. My daughter keeps telling me that I can have her Penstar if I swap and she'll take the reMarkable....honestly, as I wrote earlier, I really like the functionality options and menu/ease of navigation better on this Penstar...so her offer does make me think....for what it's worth. But the product has to function. So, off to contact Penstar I go. Wish us luck! Read more

This eink tablet checks a lot of boxes without charging an arm and a leg for it. I returned a Remarkable Paper Pro tablet that cost twice as much and purchased this. You have to be aware that the touch screen only works with the pen/stylus included with the tablet. Also, the pen, while a non-battery one, is not a typical EMR/Wacom pen. So, you better not loose it! The included case has a built in pen loop, luckily. Software is just the right amount of complicated. It is based on Android 11 (which is a bit old now, so probably don't connect to unknown networks with this tablet). The interface is clean, basic, just the right balance of sufficiency and complexity. The pen comes with a felt nib attached, but I like the writing feel of the plastic nibs much better. They are included in the package. There are also a few more extra nibs inside the pen (unscrew the top half to see them). The surface is a bit scratchy, mimicking paper. I enjoy writing on this more than writing on iPad Pro with a paperlike screen protector and Apple pencil pro. There is an ever so slight lag or latency while writing on it, but most people will not notice it as the lag is not noticable enough to make me stop writing. Reading is why I purchased this device. Because they removed two layers from the screen, the ink is closer to the surface, making this look a lot more like paper than other eink devices. The screen color is also significantly less gray than Boox Go 10.3, Supernote, or Remarkable Paper Pro. Amazon Kindle Scribe is the only superior screen, but that device is very lacking in functionality, especially for reading non-Kindle content like academic papers. Note, there is no back light on this device. So, just like how you would read a normal book, reading on this at nighttime when it is dark requires a light source. I personally use a $10 bookmark style small reading light (brand called Vtiger, which is fantastic). This light attaches nicely to the front cover when I fold the cover of Penstar under. I am hoping the company will improve the software a little bit more. For example, allow Lasso tool to do more than copy, cut, move, delete; and allow logging onto Dropbox etc. without having to log onto Penstar account first. All in all, I think this is a fantastic value for money. Did I mention, it has a huge battery, even with hours of daily use, this should last you at least a week. With typical use, two to three weeks. I would recommend Penstar enote N10 tablet to those who are eink curious, those with aging eyes who can't read on iPads anymore, students who want a companion device to their laptops for note taking and readings, and those who simply want a distraction free simple tool to write on and read from. Read more