The article presents a study of the peculiarities of reading belletristic and scientific texts through various gadgets. Hypotheses about the influence of various gadgets on the speed of reading and understanding of belletristic and scientific texts were experimentally tested. 30 high school students aged 16–18 alternately read 4 scientific and 4 belletristic texts from a computer, tablet, phone (smartphone) and paper. It was revealed that the use of various gadgets when reading leads to different reading speeds and different degrees of understanding of the text, while using different media, the speed and understanding of belletristic and scientific texts are different.