I bought a used iPad 7 for ~$200 the other day, main reason being reading textbooks at a retail store where I work. What I found surprisngly enjoyable is what the parent mentions - reading HN threads, twitter, blogs. Even watching youtube is a different experience. All of those activities just feel easier and more relaxed than they do on my 14” Thinkpad or iPhone 12.

Have you tried reading content on the web on the kindle, as the ones I mention above?