Best Tablets for Reading and Large Text in Australia: Simple Buying Guide
When the print in a paperback starts to swim, a tablet can give reading back to you. The text grows as large as you like, the screen lights itself in a dim room, and a whole shelf of books, the newspaper and the library all sit in something lighter than a hardback. For anyone who loves to read but finds small print a struggle, that is no small thing.
The catch is choosing the right one. A tablet is brilliant for reading with large text, but for hours of book reading a dedicated eReader can be easier on the eyes. This guide explains what makes a tablet good for reading, which models suit, and when an eReader is the wiser buy. We do not quote exact prices, since they change. We point you to where to check.
Quick answer
For reading the news, magazines and library books with text as large as you like, the standard iPad is the best all-round tablet, with the clearest tools for enlarging text. A Samsung Galaxy Tab does the same well with Easy Mode if the family is on Android. If eyesight is the main worry, a 13-inch iPad Air gives the biggest page. But if you mostly read books, a dedicated Kindle or Kobo eReader is gentler on the eyes and worth considering instead. Buy from Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman or an Apple Store.
How the main options compare
| What they read | Better fit |
|---|---|
| News, magazines, library books and a bit of everything | Standard iPad |
| The same, on Android or a lower price | Samsung Galaxy Tab with Easy Mode |
| The largest possible page for poor eyesight | 13-inch iPad Air |
| Mostly novels, for hours at a time | A Kindle or Kobo eReader |
What matters most for reading
How easily the text gets bigger
This is the heart of it. A good reading tablet lets you make the text as large as you need across the apps you use. The iPad does this especially well, with a Larger Text setting that goes very big, a bold-text option, and a Reader view that strips a cluttered web page back to clean, large words. Samsung tablets enlarge the font and the whole display through Easy Mode. Whatever you choose, set the text up generously before you start, not as an afterthought.
A screen that is kind to the eyes
A bright, sharp screen makes reading comfortable, and you can dim it for the evening. The one honest drawback of any tablet is that it is a lit screen, which some people find tiring over long stretches, and it can glare in bright light. Turning the brightness down and using a dark or sepia background helps a great deal. If long reading still tires the eyes, that is the moment to think about an eReader instead.
Size and weight you can hold
Around ten or eleven inches suits most readers, with a generous page that is still light enough to hold comfortably. A 13-inch tablet shows the most text at once, which is wonderful for poor eyesight, but it is heavier and better rested on a lap, a cushion or a stand. Be honest about how it will be held. A tablet that is tiring to hold gets read less.
The reading apps you will use
A tablet’s real advantage is everything it reads. Libby borrows free eBooks and audiobooks from your local Australian library with a library card. Kindle and Kobo hold your bought books. Apple Books and Google Play Books do the same. You can read the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age or ABC News, and magazines too. All of them let you grow the text. That breadth is what a plain eReader cannot match.
The best tablets for reading
Standard iPad, the best all-rounder for reading
For most older readers, the everyday iPad is the one. Its tools for enlarging text are the clearest of any tablet, the screen is bright and sharp, and it reads everything, library books through Libby, your Kindle books, the newspaper, magazines and the web. It is light enough to hold and costs far less than the dearer iPads. For someone who reads a bit of everything and wants it all large and clear, it is hard to beat.
May suit someone who
Reads the news, magazines, library books and more, and wants the text large and the choice wide.
Things to check
Set up Larger Text and bold text first. Our guide on making an iPad easier to use shows exactly where.
Plain-English verdict
The best reading tablet for most people. Big text, clear screen, reads everything.
Samsung Galaxy Tab, the Android reader
If the family is on Android, a Samsung Galaxy Tab reads just as happily. Easy Mode enlarges the text and icons in one setting, and it runs Libby, Kindle, Kobo, news apps and the rest. The Galaxy Tab A is the affordable option and the Tab S10 FE a nicer step up with a lovely screen. It does not have quite the same one-stop accessibility polish as the iPad, but for a comfortable large-text read it is more than good enough.
May suit someone who
Prefers Android, or wants a capable reading tablet at a friendlier price.
Things to check
Turn on Easy Mode and set the font size large, and install Libby for free library books before handing it over.
Plain-English verdict
A fine, affordable reader, especially for Android families.
13-inch iPad Air, the largest page
For someone whose eyesight makes ordinary print a real struggle, the 13-inch iPad Air shows the most text at a comfortable size of any tablet here. A whole newspaper column or a recipe sits there large and clear without endless scrolling. It costs more and is heavier, so it wants a stand or a lap rather than a raised arm. But for failing eyesight, the extra room can be the difference between reading and giving up.
May suit someone who
Has real trouble seeing and wants the largest, clearest page possible.
Things to check
It is heavy to hold for long, so plan for a stand or to rest it on a cushion. Make sure the budget stretches.
Plain-English verdict
The kindest choice for poor eyesight, as long as you do not need to hold it up.
When an eReader is the better buy
If the reading is mostly novels, hour after hour, a dedicated eReader like a Kindle or Kobo may suit better than any tablet. The screen looks like paper rather than a lit display, so it does not glare and does not tire the eyes the way a bright screen can. It is also lighter and lasts weeks on a charge. The trade-off is that it only really does books. For a committed novel reader, that focus is the appeal. We cover the choices in our guide to the best eReaders for seniors.
Reading tablet checklist
- Text that enlarges easily and stays clear at large sizes.
- A bright, sharp screen you can dim for the evening.
- A size and weight comfortable to hold, or a stand if larger.
- The reading apps you want, such as Libby for free library books.
- An eReader considered instead, if the reading is mostly novels.
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Best overall tablet for reading
For most older readers, the standard iPad is the best tablet for reading with large text. It enlarges words more clearly than any other tablet, reads everything from library books to the newspaper, and is light enough to enjoy. A Samsung Galaxy Tab is the Android equivalent, and a 13-inch iPad Air gives the largest page for poor eyesight. And if the reading is mostly novels for hours on end, do consider a Kindle or Kobo, which is gentler on the eyes still.
Our recommendation
Start with the standard iPad, Wi-Fi version, from Officeworks, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi or an Apple Store, and set up Larger Text and bold text before you read. Choose a Samsung Galaxy Tab if the family is on Android, or a 13-inch iPad Air if eyesight needs the biggest page. If the reading is mostly books, weigh up a Kindle or Kobo instead. Ask about a Seniors Card or in-store discount before you pay.
Next steps
To get the text right once you have a tablet, see our guide on making an iPad easier to use. For the full range of tablets, see our best tablets for seniors guide and, for Apple, our best iPads for seniors guide. If books are the main thing, our best eReaders for seniors guide will help. All of our tablet advice lives on the tablets and iPads hub.
FAQ: tablets for reading and large text
Which tablet is best for reading with large text?
The standard iPad, because its tools for enlarging text are the clearest, and it reads everything from library books to the newspaper. A Samsung Galaxy Tab is the Android equivalent.
Is a tablet or an eReader better for reading?
A tablet does far more and enlarges text well, so it suits mixed reading. For hours of novels, an eReader like a Kindle or Kobo is gentler on the eyes, since its screen looks like paper and does not glare.
Can I borrow library books on a tablet?
Yes. The free Libby app lets you borrow eBooks and audiobooks from your local Australian library with a library card, and you can make the text as large as you like.
Will a tablet screen tire my eyes?
It can over long stretches, as it is a lit screen. Turning the brightness down and using a dark or sepia background helps a lot. If long reading still tires you, an eReader is worth considering.
What size tablet is best for reading?
Around ten or eleven inches suits most people, light enough to hold with a generous page. A 13-inch tablet shows the most text for poor eyesight but is heavier, so it is best on a stand or lap.
