Huion Word E Pocket book / Android Pill Evaluate – Reasonably priced e-paper-like pill

I’ve reviewed a number of tablets this 12 months which are both e-ink tablets or designed to duplicate the e-ink/e-paper show.

The iFLYTEK AINOTE Air 2 and AINote 2 had been correct e-ink tablets which had been additionally powered with on-device AI for voice transcription. They’re each glorious tablets for what they do greatest, taking notes and transcribing audio.

The issue with e-ink tablets is that the UI is sluggish as a result of refresh charges, and doing different pill issues with them is just not nice.

I then reviewed the TCL Word A1 NXTPAPER which aimed to offer the perfect of each worlds. The matte NXTPAPER show is far simpler on the eyes for studying, and writing with a stylus was moderately good, albeit not as pure feeling as on an e-ink show. It couldn’t compete with e-ink for both studying or writing, however it was rather more highly effective and the LCD show allowed it to operate as a correct pill, making it extra versatile.

At £479, it was not low cost, although.

The Huion Word E is an identical idea to the TCL. It’s a regular Android pill with a matte show and a customized UI geared in the direction of observe taking and productiveness.

Nonetheless, that is extra inexpensive at £299.

Huion is best recognized for its drawing tablets and pen shows than for shopper tablets, and that heritage reveals right here. Quite than utilizing a USI stylus like its Kamvas Slate tablets, the Word E makes use of Huion’s personal PenTech 3.0 battery-free EMR pen, the identical know-how present in its pen shows. It sits alongside the Huion Ink, a ten.3-inch E Ink pill, and the unique Huion Word paper-based sensible pocket book within the firm’s note-taking vary.

So, is it a viable e-ink various? And may it compete with the TCL Word A1 NXTPAPER?

Specification

Design

The Word E is roughly the dimensions of a hardback ebook, and it’s equipped in a PU leather-based folio case that makes it feel and look extra like a pocket book than a pill. The case has a textured end with a delicate Huion emblem within the nook, and it helps auto wake and sleep by way of the Corridor sensor.

The case is just not magnetic, which is probably going as a result of magnets can intervene with EMR pens. As an alternative, the pill clips in utilizing two hooks that slot into holes on the aspect of the pill. It’s safe, however getting it out and in is extra fiddly than a typical magnetic folio. The case additionally has no fold or stand operate, so you can not prop the pill up for watching video. The pen attaches to the aspect of the case and is held in place by a small elastic flap, and I discovered it stayed put properly.

The pill itself is 7.4 mm thick and weighs 348 g, with a metal-feeling matte again that’s liable to choosing up fingerprints. The bezels are pretty chunky, particularly on the left aspect, which has a textured backbone that makes it comfy to carry like a ebook. It’s a little wider than the likes of the iPad mini, so one-handed use is much less comfy as soon as the case is on.

There’s a single energy button with an built-in fingerprint scanner, which works shortly and reliably. There are not any quantity buttons in any respect, so quantity must be adjusted by way of the on-screen controls, which is an odd omission. There’s a USB-C port (USB 2.0 speeds), a single speaker that sounds moderately hole, and an 8 MP rear digicam with no flash. There isn’t a entrance digicam, so this isn’t a tool for video calls.

Within the field, you get the PW510 pen, the folio case, a USB-C to USB-C cable, 10 alternative nibs, a nib remover and a fast begin information. There isn’t a charger included.

Show

Very like the TCL Word A1 NXTPAPER, the show is the primary promoting level right here, and it’s designed to supply a paper-like viewing and writing expertise. Huion does this with a matte, anti-glare etched glass floor. It has a softer contact than a shiny LCD show, and it diffuses the sunshine and cuts reflections considerably, which makes it a lot simpler on the eyes for studying. The trade-off is that colors look slightly muted in comparison with a shiny pill, however that’s to be anticipated with any matte display screen.

The panel is an 8.4-inch IPS LCD with a 1920 x 1200 decision, which works out at 270 PPI. That’s sharp sufficient that textual content seems to be crisp at regular studying distances, and I didn’t discover any pixelation. Huion quotes 99% sRGB protection, and colors are moderately correct for an LCD of this value, even when the matte etched glass takes the sting off saturation and distinction in comparison with a shiny panel.

The show is totally laminated, so there isn’t any seen hole between the glass and the picture beneath. This helps with writing, as the road seems instantly underneath the pen tip moderately than barely offset.

The anti-glare remedy is efficient. Reflections are subtle moderately than mirrored, and you may nonetheless see what’s on the display screen when it’s going through a window. Not like some matte display screen protectors, it doesn’t wash the entire picture out or add noticeable sparkle or grain.

The primary limitation is brightness. At a typical 300 nits, it’s effective indoors, however it struggles outside or in very vibrant rooms, and there’s seen IPS glow and a few dimming when considered at an angle. The refresh price can be restricted to 60 Hz, which is regular at this value however means scrolling is just not as fluid as on dearer tablets.

Huion additionally highlights hardware-level blue gentle discount, which cuts a few of the harsher blue wavelengths on the panel degree moderately than relying purely on a software program filter.

Studying Mode

Out of the field, the Word E doesn’t provide you with a very e-ink-like expertise for studying. The default settings are far too vibrant, and it merely seems to be like a matte pill.

Nonetheless, there’s a Studying Mode toggle within the Android fast settings drop-down, which switches the show to greyscale. With this enabled and the brightness turned all the best way down, I discovered it produced a nice studying expertise, and I might be comfy studying a ebook on it all through the day. Because it sits within the fast settings, it’s simple to modify on and off as wanted. The 8.4-inch measurement works properly for novels and text-heavy paperwork in portrait, and internet pages usually load of their narrower pill format. It’s much less suited to comics or magazines, the place pages find yourself fairly small and you may be zooming out and in often.

The important thing distinction in comparison with e-ink is that that is nonetheless a backlit LCD. Even with the brightness low and greyscale enabled, it doesn’t have the reflective, front-lit high quality of an e-ink display screen, and it’s not as comfy in a darkish room. As I’m a horrible sleeper, I might nonetheless go for an e-ink pill for studying at evening.

Stylus & Writing

The writing expertise is a little bit of a weak spot. As you may anticipate with an LCD pill, the writing really feel is just not nice. The matte show makes it slightly higher than a typical shiny Android pill, however it’s nowhere close to an e-ink pill, and I might say it’s behind the TCL Word A1 NXTPAPER too.

The excellence right here is between how the pen feels and the way the pen performs. By way of really feel, the etched glass is smoother and extra slippery than I would really like. It lacks the slight friction you get from an e-ink pill or a great paper-like display screen protector, and the result’s nearer to writing on a matte pill than on paper. The tapping noise is no less than dampened, so it doesn’t have the laborious click on of a pen on shiny glass.

By way of efficiency, the PW510 is excellent. It makes use of Huion’s PenTech 3.0 EMR know-how with 8,192 ranges of stress, and since it’s EMR, it wants no battery and by no means wants charging. Accuracy is superb, traces seem the place you anticipate them to, palm rejection is dependable, and stress transitions are clean. It’s a noticeably higher pen than the USI styluses bundled with many finances Android tablets, and it’s nearer in behaviour to Wacom EMR pens than to capacitive options.

There are some limitations. Huion quotes a 30 ms response time, and there’s a small quantity of seen latency with the road trailing the pen tip, though it by no means affected the accuracy of my handwriting. The pen has an eraser on the again, which is beneficial, however there isn’t any aspect button. Tilt is supported, however the form of the pen means the plastic physique touches the display screen earlier than you attain a steep angle, which limits how helpful it’s for shading. There’s additionally no system-wide stress curve adjustment, so you’re reliant on particular person apps for that.

For drawing, the 8.4-inch display screen is on the small aspect, however the pen high quality means it really works properly as a conveyable digital sketchbook with apps like Ideas or Sketchbook from the Play Retailer.

Notes / Handwriting Recognition / Audio Notes

Writing notes is OK. It’s nothing like writing on an e-ink pill, however the stylus works completely properly and was responsive all through my testing.

The Huion notes app is constructed into the customized launcher and is the point of interest of the pill. Making a pocket book permits you to select a reputation, a canopy from a number of commonplace and enterprise designs, and a paper template. You can not add your personal cowl pictures. You can too import PDFs for annotation and organise notebooks into folders.

The toolbar consists of web page administration, audio recording, 4 pen sorts (fountain pen, ballpoint, highlighter and dashed line), an eraser, a lasso, textual content insertion, picture import, color and line width choice, and undo and redo. Strain sensitivity might be adjusted per pen, however past that the choices are pretty restricted. There isn’t a pencil instrument, and you can not change issues just like the sprint spacing on the dashed line pen. It covers the fundamentals, however it’s much less succesful than devoted apps equivalent to Samsung Notes, Noteshelf or the iFLYTEK observe software program.

To transform your handwriting, you faucet the three dots within the higher proper nook and choose handwriting recognition. It then inserts the transformed textual content into the observe, and you may modify it as wanted. Handwriting recognition was correct in my testing. My take a look at observe of “Hey That is James from Mighty Gadget” was transformed accurately other than the capitalisation of 1 phrase, which is an effective end result given my handwriting. The transformed textual content can then be moved, resized and reformatted. The popularity language defaults to English (US), and there’s a lengthy listing of different languages accessible.

The additional menu additionally permits you to share notes, play again how a observe was written, change the paper type and toggle a left-hand mode.

There’s additionally a microphone button within the toolbar, permitting you so as to add audio notes. Nonetheless, there isn’t any choice to transcribe these recordings. For me, as somebody with ADHD, it is a bit disappointing. I wish to file conferences and transcribe them so I can simply keep in mind what has been mentioned, and the TCL Word A1 NXTPAPER and each iFLYTEK tablets do that natively. The Word E does have entry to the Play Retailer, so there’s nothing stopping you putting in a transcription app to fill the hole, however it’s not built-in into your notes in the identical method.

For backups, the notes app connects to Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, which is extra versatile than counting on a proprietary cloud service. There’s additionally a cloud service node choice in settings, the place you’ll be able to select between International and Chinese language Mainland.

I did discover saving may very well be sluggish at instances, and there are just a few quirks, such because the notes app not at all times showing within the current apps switcher. These really feel like first-generation software program points that may very well be improved with updates.

To-Do

The To-Do performance is fascinating because it solely works with the stylus, and I couldn’t create new objects by typing. Nonetheless, it recognises your handwriting as you go, and I discovered it fairly correct, even with my horrible writing.

To-dos seem on the house display screen alongside your current notes, and they are often filtered by All, Right this moment, Overdue, Precedence and Accomplished. Every job might be starred, deleted or assigned a date. It’s a easy system, however it works properly for fast lists, and handwriting straight right into a to-do listing feels pure on a tool like this.

The dearth of keyboard enter is an odd resolution, although, and there’s no sync with providers like Google Duties or Microsoft To Do, so it’s a self-contained listing on the pill.

Apps

The Word E runs Android 15 with a customized Huion launcher. The aspect menu gives fast entry to House, Notes, To-Dos, Favourites, Apps and Recordsdata, with Suggestions and Settings on the backside.

This launcher is the place the Word E differs most from a standard Android pill, and it’s a combined bag. It retains the concentrate on observe taking, which fits the aim of the gadget, however app administration may be very fundamental. There are not any folders, apps can’t be grouped or sorted alphabetically, and uninstalling an app requires going into the Android app data web page. The search bar is the quickest solution to discover apps after getting just a few put in. The Huion settings web page can be very sparse, and it’s essential to go into the complete Android settings app for something past the handwriting language.

Out of the field, you get a wise number of Google apps, together with Chrome, Gmail, Drive, Hold, Calendar, Maps, Pictures, YouTube, Gemini and the Play Retailer, plus the Huion Retailer and HiPaint drawing app. Relying on the unit, it’s possible you’ll have to register the pill with Google utilizing the Google gadget license plate in settings earlier than the Play Retailer works correctly, however Huion features a card with directions and it solely takes a few minutes.

The Play Retailer entry is the important thing benefit over e-ink tablets. You’ll be able to set up Kindle, OneNote, Obsidian, MyScript Notes, Ideas, Sketchbook, streaming apps and transcription apps with none of the ghosting or sluggish refresh that comes with e-ink. Some apps, equivalent to Notein and Flexcil, could not seem within the Play Retailer for this gadget, so it’s price checking your most well-liked apps can be found.

Huion has not dedicated to a selected variety of Android model or safety updates, which is one thing to contemplate should you plan to maintain the pill for a number of years.

Efficiency and Benchmarks

The MediaTek Helio G99 is a well-recognized chip in finances tablets. It makes use of two Cortex-A76 cores and 6 Cortex-A55 cores on a 6 nm course of, with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. It’s an older chip now, and in Geekbench 6 it usually scores within the area of 700 for single-core and round 2,000 for multi-core, which locations it properly behind mid-range tablets however comfortably forward of the processors utilized in most e-ink tablets.

Paired with 6 GB of RAM, the Word E is clean for common use. Navigating the launcher, writing notes, shopping the online and streaming video all work with none important lag, and the pen stays responsive in drawing apps. The place you’ll discover the constraints is with heavier apps, bigger PDFs and multitasking, and gaming efficiency is restricted to lighter titles or decreased settings.

In comparison with an e-ink pill, the distinction is important. Scrolling, web page turning and app switching are on the spot moderately than ready for a display screen refresh, which is the primary motive to decide on a tool like this over an e-ink various.

Storage is 128 GB, however there isn’t any microSD card slot, so you can not increase it. The USB-C port can be restricted to USB 2.0 speeds, so transferring giant recordsdata is sluggish.

Battery Life

The Word E has a 4,500 mAh battery, which is on the small aspect for a pill, even an 8.4-inch one. Huion quotes roughly 6.5 hours at 50% brightness.

That’s the place the LCD method has its largest downside in comparison with e-ink. E-ink tablets just like the iFLYTEK AINOTE Air 2 can final for weeks with average use, whereas the Word E wants charging like a standard pill. For a full working day of observe taking and studying with the brightness stored low, it ought to be effective, however heavier use with video or increased brightness will see it drop sooner, and it would be best to cost it on daily basis or two.

Charging is supported at as much as 9 V / 2 A (18 W), with Huion quoting round 2 hours for a full cost. There isn’t a charger within the field, so you will have to make use of your personal USB-C charger.

Worth and Different Choices

The Huion Word E is out there from Huion and is listed at £329 RRP discounted to £299.

Huion has their very own E-Ink pill with the Huion Ink priced at £279.

The TCL Word A1 NXTPAPER is the logical various and a superior product, particularly as a result of voice transcription, however this prices £479.

The XP-Pen Magic Notepad is one other shut competitor. It makes use of the identical Helio G99 chip, an EMR pen and a matte TCL NXTPAPER show, however with a bigger display screen, and it’s accessible for round £280. For observe taking, the bigger show and barely extra textured writing really feel make it the stronger alternative for many individuals, though it lacks a fingerprint scanner and the Huion is the extra transportable gadget.

In case you would like a correct e-ink pill, the iFLYTEK AINOTE Air 2 prices £386 and the iFLYTEK AINote 2 is £521, with each providing native voice transcription. The reMarkable 2 with Marker Plus is £402, the Penstar eNote 2 is £326, and the BOOX Pill Go Coloration 7 Gen II is £270.

Or, you’ll be able to choose up regular Android tablets for much less. The Lenovo Thought Tab, which features a stylus, is out there for simply £189. It has a shiny show and a much less correct pen, however it’s a extra succesful general-purpose pill for the cash.

General

I believe if in case you have reasonable expectations of this pill, it’s good.

I like the shape issue, being in regards to the measurement of a ebook, and the matte show in studying mode with the brightness turned all the best way down does a great job of replicating an e-ink show for studying (although I in all probability wouldn’t use it earlier than mattress).

It is usually priced attractively, undercutting many e-ink tablets and quite a bit cheaper than the TCL. And, similar to the TCL, it’s extra highly effective than e-ink tablets, making it extra versatile for issues like media.

The pen is the standout characteristic. Huion’s EMR know-how provides it correct, predictable stress response that’s higher than most Android tablets at this value, and it by no means wants charging. The writing really feel is the place it falls brief. The etched glass is simply too slippery to really feel like paper, and the writing expertise is nowhere close to pretty much as good as e-ink and a bit behind the TCL. It is usually disappointing that there isn’t any native voice transcription within the note-taking app, although you can set up an app from the Play Retailer to realize this.

There’s additionally nothing else aside from notes and to-dos that’s natively constructed into it, so any further performance wants to come back from the Play Retailer. The launcher may do with higher app administration, and the dearth of quantity buttons and a non-magnetic case are minor frustrations.

General, the Huion Word E is a good choice if you would like a compact, note-focused pill with a great pen and full Android app help. In case your precedence is the absolute best writing really feel or lengthy battery life, e-ink stays the higher choice, and if you would like native AI transcription, the TCL Word A1 NXTPAPER or iFLYTEK tablets are price the additional cash.

I’m James, a UK-based tech fanatic and the Editor and Proprietor of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Captivated with all issues know-how, my experience spans from computer systems and networking to cellular, wearables, and sensible residence gadgets.

As a health fanatic who loves operating and biking, I even have a eager curiosity in fitness-related know-how, and I take each alternative to cowl this area of interest on my weblog. My numerous pursuits enable me to deliver a singular perspective to tech running a blog, merging way of life, health, and the most recent tech traits.

In my educational pursuits, I earned a BSc in Info Programs Design from UCLAN, earlier than advancing my studying with a Grasp’s Diploma in Computing.

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