In our rapidly advancing digital age, effective note-taking and organization tools have become increasingly crucial. One highly sought-after solution is the reMarkable tablet, which functions as a digital notebook with a paper-like texture, facilitating easy note-taking, sketching, and document annotation.
The reMarkable tablet and similar devices are essentially digital notepads, optimized for use as a standalone tool.
Numerous excellent alternatives to the reMarkable tablet exist, boasting e-ink displays and electronic paper reading capabilities, each with their own set of distinctive features and advantages.
So in this article, we’re going to look at and break down the details of the wonderful alternatives to Magnus Wanberg’s ReMarkable tablet, and analyze just what we think about them. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!
Who are reMarkable and what do they do?
reMarkable is a writing tablet (not to be confused with a drawing tablet) that seeks to emulate the feeling of traditional paper. It uses an E Ink canvas and can be used for a variety of things, including note-taking, sketching, and reading books and documents.
reMarkable is the brainchild of Norwegian entrepreneur Magnus Wanberg. Who according to Magnus always loved taking a notebook with him to quickly jot down notes, and realized he wasn’t the only one.
And even in the age of the smartphone, many people still love the traditional pencil-on-paper experience.
It’s almost like our brains have adopted it as the de facto tool for thinking. It frees one up, and creates a strong connection between what’s going on in our thoughts, and the movements of our hands. Pen and paper also involve far fewer distractions than a fully-loaded iPad, if we’re being honest.
We compare the two tablets here
So in 2013, Magnus assembled a team and founded the company in early 2014, which began work on a first generation tablet that would try to emulate the experience of writing on paper as closely as possible, down to the familiar scratching sound.
The project was largely crowd funded, thanks to a campaign in 2016, and pre-orders began in 2017.
The first reMarkable, the RM100, was released in late 2017. Reception was a mixed bag, as it was criticized for its sluggish performance, lack of a backlight, and high price, despite its limited range of features.
And in late 2020, this was followed by the reMarkable 2 tablet, which features many improvements over its predecessor.
Is reMarkable made in China?
The short answer is yes. The longer answer, however, is a little more reassuring for those who like high quality merchandise.
Since their inception, reMarkable has collaborated with industry leaders. The custom paper display is supplied by Taiwanese company E Ink; the reMarkable Marker is the result of a partnership with Japanese company Wacom; the assembly is done by Chinese company Shenzhen Kaifa Technology.
Shenzhen Kaifa also manufactures products for Huawei and Samsung, so they are quite a big deal in the space. As for manufacturing consulting and quality assurance, reMarkable has partnered with Dragon Innovation.
Key and noteworthy reMarkable 2 features
So now that we have a good sense of the reMarkable tablet’s background, let’s talk about what it actually has to offer. In this case, we’ll be talking about the reMarkable 2.
Basically, a reMarkable is a thin electronic writing slate. We choose to call it a slate because it is remarkably (pun intended) thin. It’s just 4.7mm – which rivals even an iPad!
The reMarkable was made to emulate the writing experience of paper, and do away with as much clutter as possible. If you like the idea of digital paper, and want to just write and sketch, then this is the perfect product for you. If not, you might want to look elsewhere.
The design is very slim and looks great, appearing just like a piece of paper from a distance. It has a thin aluminum body and weighs just 0.89 pounds.
The older reMarkable had a rather stiff power button, but the new one has a more clickable one located on the top of the spine. At the bottom is the USB-C port, which means much faster charging.
Display
The reMarkable 2 has a generous 10.3-inch display, with a monochrome CANVAS display. The 226 DPI resolution, while pretty good, still falls slightly short of the iPad, which has 264 DPI. But it’s a little easy to understand that.
After all, you’ll be watching videos on your iPad, while the reMarkable will only be for reading and writing.
Reading ePUBs and PDFs is a pleasant experience, and reminds us a lot of the Kindle. The letters are crisp for sure. Images, however, might not be the clearest, and the lack of backlighting can make it hard to read in certain kinds of conditions, such as a really bright light, or intense darkness.
Again, these are forgivable issues, but there is plenty of room for improvement on the manufacturer’s part here.
Writing experience
Considering the writing experience was largely the reMarkable team’s focus when they designed this gem, it really excels here, and we have a hard time finding anything else on the market, including the iPad, that gets even close.
The writing feels so natural that it’s easy to fool oneself into thinking one is writing on traditional paper. We had such a great time that we began to do more note-taking on this device, and threw away our notebooks for a while.
If the reMarkable seeks to replace notebooks for note-taking, we can confirm that they were successful with us.
One particularly appealing aspect of the writing experience with this tablet is that we found it so easy to focus on the task at hand when we used it to write. It’s not quite the same when you’re using a writing app on an iPad or smartphone.
Too many other options within reach increase the chances of getting carried away. The uncluttered reMarkable made it just as easy, if not easier, to focus on our writing and reading as it would have been if we’d been using a physical medium.
The feel is also great. You can even hear the familiar scratching noises that you would if you were writing on paper. That’s a huge win over the iPad, which has a glass screen. Pressing the stylus against a glass screen doesn’t quite do it for us anymore, now that we’ve had a taste of what the reMarkable 2 has to offer.
On the software side, the reMarkable has some impressive features. There are lots of templates for writing different kinds of documents. You can also write on different layers, just like you would on Photoshop.
This makes it easy to build a movie with the storyboard templates, organize your week with the Dayplanner template, and draw on graph paper.
Some templates might not be very accommodating for people with large handwritings, but that’s a small issue, and most of the templates are pretty generous on space.
Turning pages also feels like it would on a traditional notebook, as all you have to do is swipe the page over to reveal another blank page. With a regular notebook, you run out of pages, the pages tear, get lost, and your writing fades.
The reMarkable 2, on the other hand, is an infinite notebook that suffers from none of these drawbacks.
You can also store your writings in places other than your notebook. reMarkable apps are available for iOS, Android, Windows 7 and later, and MacOS. You can also convert your handwriting to digital, editable text.
We can’t speak confidently of the accuracy of this feature, but it works pretty well for us. Just jot down what you need to, convert it to text, and email it to yourself so you can edit it later. Pretty cool!
As for the writing tools, you have 6: a ballpoint, fineliner, marker, regular pencil, mechanical pencil, highlighter, and even a paintbrush. The main difference between the regular pencil and the mechanical one is tilt-recognition, as you can shade with the regular pencil by tilting the Marker on the page.
The pen and marker let you draw in gray, black, or white. The pencils only let you write and draw in black. Apart from the highlighter, you can also choose the size of the stroke for your writing from one of 3: small, medium, and large.
Performance
The reMarkable 2 has a 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM processor, which is a significant improvement in power over its predecessor. The display has a 21 millisecond latency, which is better than the 55 milliseconds of the predecessor.
On the other hand, it’s a far cry from the 9 milliseconds offered by the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and iPad Pro. Hopefully, with time, the reMarkable will offer speeds to match.
Battery life
We love the battery life on this tablet. We’ve been using it for about an hour every day, and it still has over 50% juice left over at the end of the week. The company claims it can go up to 2 weeks before needing a recharge, so this is up to par with that.
It’s also a massive improvement over the first reMarkable, which only lasted up to 4 days on a single charge. This one is going for 3 times as long as that!
Accessories
Well, to be honest there aren’t that many accessories to talk about here. The reMarkable is focused on minimalism, and largely succeeds.
The reMarkable itself costs $400. If you want the regular Marker stylus, that will set you back about $49. The Marker Plus, which has an eraser at the back, costs $99.
It might not sound like much to tack on $50 extra for an eraser, but it is a great convenience. The Marker Plus black where the regular one is white, weighs 19 grams, which is 27% heavier than the regular one (15 grams), and has an eraser at the back.
There is also the regular Folio, which is made of polymer weave. The reMarkable slides comfortably into it. There’s also a little space at the top to store your Marker in.
And then there is the Book Folio, which costs $30. This one has a dust jacket and attaches magnetically to the reMarkable. It makes it look like a proper notebook too!
Who are reMarkable’s competitors and competing brands?
While the reMarkable 2 has a lot going for it, it also has some major drawbacks. The biggest one is that it is insanely expensive, despite not having that many features. Imaging paying $400 for a device that you can only read, sketch, and write on.
You’ll also have to deal with its design drawbacks, such as the lack of a backlight, the latency, and the fact that its handwriting-to-text feature isn’t perfect. Naturally, the question arises whether there is a better alternative on the market.
As it turns out, there are quite a few products trying to achieve the same ends as the reMarkable.
Wacom Bamboo Folio
As you might expect, the industry leader has something to offer in this space as well. The Wacom Bamboo Folio is actually pretty great! It’s also surprisingly way cheaper than the reMarkable, at less than a third of the price.
The Bamboo Folio works in an interesting way. It’s a pad on which you place paper. Any kind of paper will work just fine. You then use the special pen to write or draw on the paper and the pad underneath will capture the strokes and beam them to your computer, tablet, or smartphone via Bluetooth.
The biggest disadvantage with the Bamboo Folio is that you can’t make any fast adjustments or even erase your work. You would have to do that directly from the smartphone or other connected device.
There’s also the little issue that this isn’t exactly what people have in mind when they say ‘going paperless’.
Start with a pen in your hand and a clean sheet of paper. Capture your thoughts and ideas. Then turn them into digital, shareable files while you write. When you're ready to turn the page, just touch a button and Bamboo Folio saves your ideas
Sony DPT DIGITAL PAPER 3rd Generation
This one is about the same size as the reMarkable, but not the same price. It’s $300 pricier at $700. It also has surprisingly fewer options than the reMarkable.
Even the sync requires that you have a USB connection installed so you can transfer files to your computer, and then you can transfer them to the cloud from there.
We love that the DPT has 16 GB of internal memory, which is twice the reMarkable 2’s 8 GB. That’s a big win. However, there are many subtle wins for the reMarkable.
For example, Sony’s EULA (end user license agreement) does not allow users to opt out of data collection, which is very worrying. In fact, Sony allows themselves to collect data from your DPT and any device connected to the DPT.
The announced battery life of 3 weeks also isn’t very accurate. With just 1 hour of work a day, the DPT lasts just over a week, according to some reviews on Amazon.
World's thinnest, lightest letter-size tablet device: as thin as 30 sheets of paper. Projected captive touchscreen allows for “pencil or pen style” writing and erasing with provided stylus.
Moleskine Smart Writing Set
This is yet another cheap alternative at just $180. It looks fancy, as it is a digital notebook with actual paper and a Moleskine pen. However, it works just like the Wacom Bamboo Folio, and suffers from the same drawbacks.
You can’t adjust or erase anything while you work. You’ll have to do that from any device you send your work to.
The Smart Writing Set Ellipse is an instant-access kit containing the Pen+ Ellipse smart pen and a Large Ruled Paper Tablet. Together with the Moleskine Notes App, these smart tools allow your handwritten notes and thoughts to travel off the page and evolve on screen in real time.
BOOX Max Lumi 13.3 ePaper
The Boox seems to correct all of the major mistakes of the reMarkable 2. It allows you to install Google Play and download any apps you like.
That’s all thanks to its Android 10 OS, which also makes it more secure and compatible with other devices than the reMarkable’s custom OS. It also has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage – 8 times what the reMarkable provides.
The drawbacks, however, are just as pronounced. One of the things the reMarkable was trying to avoid is distraction. With its ability to install all sorts of third party apps, the Boox Lumi makes it easier to get distracted. It is also three times as heavy, at 3 pounds, and 7 times thicker at 1.54 inches!
The biggest drawback, however, is that it costs a whopping $879!
Front Light, Android 10, Fingerprint Recognition, 207dpi, BT 5.0 Digital Paper 4G 64G
Should you buy a refurbished reMarkable?
Well, think about it this way: a brand new reMarkable is already pretty much a prototype. The company is still working to build the perfect device, and there are a few misses in the process.
You have an ePUB reader and handwriting-to-text converter that often miss, the lack of a backlight, and a reading experience that, while close enough, doesn’t quite match the Kindle.
Now imagine buying a refurbished version of that! This Reddit thread is full of complaints from people who have bought refurbished reMarkable tablets. Check it out to get a sense of the kinds of problems you might face.
While you’re welcome to pick this option for the obvious savings, we strongly recommend against it.
Conclusion: Is the reMarkable tablet worth it, and is there anything better?
And with that we come to the end of our article. As you can see, the reMarkable 2 is a great tablet with ambitious aims. It achieves some spectacularly well, such as the razor-thin design, lack of distractions, and near-perfect emulation of the paper experience.
It gets partway there on some other aims, such as the handwriting-to-text feature and Marker stylus. It also spectacularly fails in some, such as the lack of a backlight and the rather high price.
There is lots of potential here. There will obviously be more iterations of the product, and we are confident the company will take market feedback seriously to improve upon it.
We think you should wait before buying one. Maybe the reMarkable 3 or whichever comes next. The reMarkable 2, in our opinion, is only great if you want to do nothing more than take notes and don’t mind forking out $400 for the ability to do so.
FAQ’s about reMarkable tablet alternatives
What could be the reasons for seeking out an alternative to the reMarkable?
Possible reasons why someone may want to consider an alternative to the reMarkable tablet:
- Cost: The reMarkable is relatively expensive, and some users may prefer a more affordable option.
- Features: While the reMarkable offers many features, some users may want additional functions that are not available on this device, such as audio recording, handwriting recognition, or voice commands.
- Compatibility: The reMarkable has its own proprietary file format and syncing system, which may not be compatible with certain other devices or software.
- Design: While the reMarkable has a sleek design, some users may prefer a different aesthetic or form factor.
- Support: The reMarkable company provides support for its device, but some users may want more extensive or responsive customer service.
- Availability: The reMarkable may not be available in certain regions, or it may be out of stock due to high demand.
- Personal preference: Ultimately, some users may simply prefer the look, feel, or performance of a different device, based on their individual needs and preferences.
What is like reMarkable but cheaper?
There are several alternatives to the reMarkable tablet that are more affordable. Here are some options to consider:
- Boox Note Air – This device features a 10.3-inch e-ink display, runs on Android, and comes with a stylus. It is priced lower than the reMarkable.
- Supernote A5/A6 – These devices have a 7.8-inch or 10.3-inch e-ink display, respectively, and offer handwriting recognition, audio recording, and PDF annotation. They are also less expensive than the reMarkable.
- Onyx Boox Nova 3 – This device is similar in size to the reMarkable, with a 7.8-inch e-ink display, and includes a stylus. It runs on Android and offers various reading and note-taking features at a lower price point.
- Likebook Ares Note – This device has a 7.8-inch e-ink display, runs on Android, and offers various features such as handwriting recognition, audio recording, and PDF annotation, all at a lower cost than the reMarkable.
Note that while these alternatives are more affordable, they may not offer the same level of performance or features as the reMarkable, so it’s important to do your research and consider your own needs and preferences when selecting a digital notebook.
What can reMarkable 2 do without subscription?
The reMarkable 2 tablet offers several features that can be used without a subscription. Here are some of the things you can do with the reMarkable 2 without a subscription:
- Write and draw: The reMarkable 2 comes with a stylus that allows you to write and draw on the device’s paper-like display.
- Annotate PDFs and e-books: You can open PDFs and e-books on the reMarkable 2 and use the stylus to annotate them with notes, highlights, and drawings.
- Organize your notes: You can organize your notes into notebooks and folders on the reMarkable 2, making it easy to find what you need.
- Sync your notes: The reMarkable 2 can be synced with a computer or smartphone, allowing you to access your notes from multiple devices.
- Convert handwriting to text: The reMarkable 2 can convert your handwritten notes into typed text, making it easier to share your notes with others.
- Customize your writing experience: You can adjust the pen and eraser settings on the reMarkable 2 to customize your writing and drawing experience.
Please note that some features, such as the ability to convert handwriting to text and cloud storage, require a subscription to reMarkable’s paid service, but the basic functionality of the device can be used without a subscription.
What app is similar to reMarkable?
There are several apps available that offer similar functionality to the reMarkable tablet. Here are some options to consider:
- Notability – This app is available for iOS devices and allows users to take notes, annotate PDFs, and sketch using a stylus or Apple Pencil. It also offers features such as audio recording and organization tools.
- GoodNotes – This app is available for iOS devices and offers note-taking and annotation features with support for handwritten notes, typed text, and PDFs. It also includes organization tools and the ability to search your notes.
- OneNote – This app is available for multiple platforms and offers note-taking, organization, and collaboration features. It includes support for handwriting, typed text, images, and audio recordings.
- Squid – This app is available for Android devices and offers handwriting and sketching features with support for note-taking and annotation. It includes organization tools and the ability to export notes to PDF or other formats.
- Nebo – This app is available for iOS and Android devices and offers handwriting recognition and conversion to text, as well as note-taking and organization tools.
While these apps may not offer the same level of performance or features as the reMarkable tablet, they are good options for users who prefer to use their existing devices and want similar functionality.
This Post Has 18 Comments
Appreciate the candid feedback I was drawn to the product when it originally surfaced and was finally ready to buy the 2 but after the common thread lack of support. I will stay with my paper and ink!
It’s really strange that you failed to mention the $7.99/mo subscription you need with reMarkable just to connect to third part services like OneDrive or GoogleDrive.
Agreed. I think the subscription is a huge drawback.
According to one of the reMarkable FAQ pages (linked below):
Using reMarkable without a subscription
Your reMarkable paper tablet comes packed with a wide array of features to help you focus, think, create, and do more with your notes, regardless of if you subscribe to Connect.
Here’s what’s included with your reMarkable if you don’t have a subscription:
Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive integration
Access the most popular cloud storage services from your digital notebook with Integrations. Browse stored files, copy them to your reMarkable, and upload notes and documents directly to your Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive accounts from your paper tablet.
https://support.remarkable.com/s/article/Using-reMarkable-without-a-subscription
There are more features that are included without a Connect subscription, and you can view them for yourself by clicking the link.
Blessings be,
R
I had the remarkable 1 and now the 2, I really love them, but my remarkable 2 is broken, and I won’t buy another one just because of the monthly subscription, it’s a shame because without the subcription I would buy one (note. I’m an early adopter so I have a free subcription plan on my R2)
Can’t you just ask their support for changing the broken one and leaving you with your free sub, you got it amongst the first ones after all so your trust was spent.
0.4mm thick? I seriously doubt that.
Thanks James, definitely a typo there and now amended.
This was helpful. I was really interested in picking one of these up, but I will not pay a monthly service just to sync my files with my own google drive. That’s bonkers.
I currently have a R2 but will be returning it due to the five main reasons. 1) the price is high this reason alone wouldn’t have been an issue I would have no problem as long as it performed the way I needed. 2) is its non-distracting design not allowing it to utilize extra features or apps limits its functionality to much. I work in an office where I am constantly taking notes, working excels, doing calculations, working on presentations and this device can only take notes. 3) the write to text works but it only works when you send your notes to Google drive ect It doesn’t work while taking notes, and you have to have a plan to have this feature. 4) in my free time I like to doddle and design woodworking project, the limited feature dont have pre-loaded shapes which sucks. There is a round about way of doing this by coping and pasting previously drawn shapes but it is time consuming and irritating. 5) goes along with 3 alot of the feature I bought this tablet for go away after your year trial unless you pay for one of its attached monthly plans.
I would like to say other than these I enjoyed the beautiful tablet and if these features get fixed in future I would love to get one again.
so which tablet are you going for Joe?
Customer service is very bad. Constantly passing the buck and no telephone contact.
I have the R2, love everything about it until it locked up completely and now I can’t use or retrieve my files. Customer service is really bad, I have sent 2 emails and no one will respond. Very disappointede
I’m a psychotherapist, and would love a tablet that I can write r/t notes into that reliably converts to text, and can save/organize those notes into client-specific data and categories aka MS word. Don’t really need it to browse, or other functions of most tablets. Is there a cheaper alternative? I’m thinking less than $200 cuz I need 2 of them.
This is kinda late but the Mobiscript might be good for you.
I love the list of alternatives to the reMarkable tablet! I’m currently using a Wacom Intuos4 and it’s been great, but I’m definitely considering an upgrade. Thanks for the list!
I am in the market for something to take notes and keep them organized. I am a professor and a scientist and have books full of notes for teaching, administration, service, and of course research. I feel the R2 is the best thing on the market for this. I find it odd the article above considers lack of a backlight as a drawback. The R2 is designed specifically for taking notes. It is not marketed as a reader. It is not marketed as a tablet. It is simply marketed as a niche product for taking and organizing notes. The reason I do not already have a note taking tablet is because I do not want something with a backlight. Screen lights are terrible for the eyes and ‘we’ humans are spending too much time in front of screens these days. I consider the lack of backlight as a huge selling point for this product. The subscription plan has been reduced to 2.99 per month so that really isn’t so bad.
If you sell a note taking tool, you can’t sell it without a stylus. This makes me feel as if you want to make the price appear lower than it actually is. So, you make it sound like you’re thinking I’m stupid. Not the best way to start.