reMarkable 2, the best way to write

We analyze the reMarkable 2 electronic notebook, the closest thing to writing on paper we’ve ever tried, with all the advantages of using an electronic device that integrates perfectly with iPhone, Mac, Android and Windows apps.

Accustomed to using an iPad Pro as a laptop and being able to access them from any device, switching to a MacBook Pro after convincing myself that the post-PC era was still far away only left me disappointed: having to go back to a traditional laptop. I miss it so much that I even considered buying an iPad mini for it. Until I came across what many consider to be the best electronic notebook out there: the reMarkable 2. After a month of daily use, I will tell you my impressions and whether it covers everything I need and what I create all expectations. I’ll give you the final answer: I fell in love with it.

Features

• Screen 10,3 inches (1.872 x 1.404, 226 ppi)
• 1,2GHz ARM processor
• 1GB memory
• Storage 8GB (not expandable)
• 3.000 mAh battery (2 weeks, varies based on usage)
• 2,4 and 5 GHz WiFi connection
• Dimensions 187 x 246 x 4,7 mm
• Weight 403,5 grams
• Port of Caraga USB-C

It looks very similar to an e-book, but the screen is much larger than we’re used to. Despite its size, it’s a very manageable device thanks to its lightness and thickness, which makes it perfect to hold with one hand while you’re reading content. Even with the Type Folio keyboard case, it’s still very thin. When you pick it up, the impression you get is that it’s very well built, with the aluminum chassis giving it a very high-quality feel. . Its design is very minimalist, with just a power button and USB-C port opposite, with no more elements that disrupt the chassis of the device. The USB-C port shows how thin the device is as it takes up almost the entire thickness of the device. We will place a magnetically attached pencil on one side of it.

This is a device that can be used while connected to the internet, although this is not required as you can use it offline so that once connected to a WiFi network it will sync everything you add or modify. There’s no way to add storage or content using a USB stick, and the USB-C port is only for charging the device, which you’ll have to do about every two weeks, though this will vary based on usage. Personally, I use it every day for writing and reading, and it has lasted the two weeks indicated by the manufacturer, so the promised autonomy is real. A USB-A to USB-C cable is included, but I used the one from my iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is the only cable I carry in my backpack and I use it to charge all my devices ( The day has finally arrived).

pencil with eraser

When you purchase the reMarkable 2, you can purchase a pencil. This is not necessary, you can buy other models from other brands, but then you will lose the possibility of using a magnetic connection with the tablet. There are two models of pencils you can purchase. The most basic is the “Marker” model, white, with tilt and pressure sensors, priced at 79 euros. The most advanced model is the “Marker Plus”, which comes in black and has the same sensor but also a (virtual) eraser. on the other end. It costs 129 euros, but for me it’s worth the extra cost. You can use the erase button on the notebook interface, but it’s much more comfortable to turn the pencil and erase, just like using a regular pencil.

The pencil includes 9 replacement nibs in addition to the one you already have. Each nozzle is very easy to replace and can last anywhere from 3 to 7 weeks depending on the use you give it. In my case, the tip is still in good condition after 4 weeks, so with 10 tips, I think it will last a year without problems. Replacement heads are available on the reMarkable website for €14 (9 heads) or €39 (25 heads). The weight and size of the pencil is perfect, similar to any good pen you’d use, it’s well balanced and the feel of writing with it is great. BTW, there are no batteries or anything like that in the pencil, it worked.

Screen

It’s an e-ink screen, making it monochromatic and allowing you to differentiate between different shades of black and gray. Its density of 226 pixels per inch provides us with enough quality to read any PDF document, e-book or anything we write on the screen. The screen looks perfect in broad daylight, as the front glass has a matte finish that prevents glare and reflections. Another thing is to try using it in low light since it lacks backlight. . This is the only flaw that can be pointed out, nothing that a small desk lamp can’t fix. I think that in order to achieve maximum autonomy and minimum thickness, they had to do without this backlight.

The screen’s bezels are quite large, especially the lower one. They perfectly simulate the margins of any notebook and are very practical when holding the notebook in one hand or writing while leaning against it. It has excellent viewing angles, and the tactile response is very good, although like the e-ink screen, it takes a few tenths of a second to become responsive. We could interact with the screen with our fingers to navigate or press buttons, but not write or draw. With the pen, you can access all functions, whether pressing buttons, writing or drawing. Finally, when I write, I always do everything with a pen, and when I read, I use my fingers. In addition to the navigation buttons, we can also perform some gestures with our fingers (just our fingers), such as zooming in or out, navigating pages, turning pages, etc.

folio case

To protect our reMarkable 2 we have several official cases. One is the “Folio” model, priced at 69 euros, which can hold notebooks and pencils. The other is the “Book Folio” type, made of synthetic leather (€99) or genuine leather (€159). The one we have here (Type Folio) is the most complete model, it is a book type and also includes a keyboard. It is made of synthetic leather and is available in two colors (black and brown). The laptop’s connection to the cover is via a magnetic connection, which is also used to connect to the keyboard, so no batteries or links are required to use the keyboard with our reMarkable 2. With the keyboard cover attached, the kit is still very thin, much thinner than the iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard. This Type Folio weighs 453 grams, so the keyboard and laptop set won’t weigh 900 grams.

The pleasant surprise is that they have a keyboard with a Spanish key layout, a detail that few manufacturers consider and is appreciated. Keyboards have keys of different sizes. While the letter sizes are the same as the Apple keyboard, the function keys, Shift, Enter… are smaller. Some training is required when using them, but the fact that the letters are standard sizes makes writing easier. The keyboard has no backlight, and the typing feel is almost the same as the Apple keyboard, which is quite good. By unfolding the keyboard case, we can place the reMarkable in two positions with different tilt angles, one ideal for typing with the keyboard, and the other, more horizontal, for use in conjunction with handwriting. In addition, when the keyboard is displayed, the interface automatically changes to a horizontal layout, and when we hide the keyboard again, the interface returns to a vertical layout.

Why do we need a keyboard in a device designed for handwriting? Many of you may be thinking this, but sometimes having this option is very convenient. I usually always have a backpack with my laptop in it, but now that I have this great notebook I just carry it with me sometimes, so sometimes I’m “forced” to use the keyboard to take notes for speed and compare them later with others People share. It’s optional anyway, so you can always choose another cover, but in my experience, if you’re going to use this device a lot, you’re bound to miss the keyboard more than once if you don’t have it.

Using reMarkable 2

It is clear that we are dealing with a well-made device, with great care in all details, but the best is yet to be said. The reMarkable 2’s primary use is writing, so there’s no possible competition. I’ve tried a lot of tablets, I’ve written on most of them, and I’ve always thought that writing on an iPad Pro works differently than writing on any tablet…until now. If you love writing, you love the sound of pen on paper and the feel of it, with reMarkable you’ll get that experience: the same feeling you get when writing on paper. The writing feels amazing, if they could manage to change the way they feel when using a pen or pencil, that would be entry level, which I know is impossible? But we have to set the bar very high when we talk about serious things. Forget the feeling of a pencil slipping against the tablet glass, here it “scratches” just like it does on paper.

To improve all this, we also provide a sidebar with a very complete set of tools, as well as a very simple and intuitive interface. At reMarkable, they want to keep things simple, and for me that’s been a success. The interface is that of a file browser, where our documents are organized into folders. The sidebar contains the different types of writing we can do (ballpoint pen, pencil, pen, paintbrush, highlighter…) and the colors and stroke thicknesses to choose from. There are also shortcuts for the eraser, selector, and undo and redo buttons. At the bottom there are tools for viewing pages, shares, tags, and other configuration options. It takes very little time to familiarize yourself with all the available features. The sidebar can be hidden, leaving you with a completely clean canvas for full-screen writing or reading.

Writing and gesture navigation work perfectly together, and the accidental touch protection is excellent because our skin has no other options. Being able to write, we quickly get used to writing, making gestures to zoom in and out, browsing, writing again… Our work becomes easier with everything this digital notebook has to offer. There are a huge number of templates available to us (I like the US Legal template with margins and horizontal lines), including a variety of designs, even a piano design. You can convert handwritten text to machine-written text, whether part or the entire document, move paragraphs, take notes on what you wrote on the keyboard… When you’re done, you can email the document in PDF, PNG format, via Email sharing with others, SVG or even text within the email.

The reMarkable also manages to turn a possible weakness into its strength: not being a tablet. In this notebook you will not be able to install apps, you will not receive notifications, there is no internet browser, and you will not be able to receive emails (only send). In many cases, when I’m working on my laptop, I now use Do Not Disturb mode to work without interruption, just like I used to do on my iPad Pro. reMarkable comes standard with Do Not Disturb mode active and no button to deactivate it. You’ll be able to focus on your work without any distractions and make the most of your time like before.

Read and take notes

Of course, in addition to writing, this notebook is also used for reading. As a reader, I do miss backlighting, but that’s what nightstand lamps are for. The screen quality is more than adequate for reading. It is compatible with EPUB and PDF formats. If you have a book with DRM, you must remove the copy protection before you can read it in Notebook. You can modify a book’s font size, margins and line spacing, and font type. A large screen is also a great help for reading. I would never take it to the beach to read, but I use it more than my Kindle at home.

Another feature I use more often is the ability to read and annotate PDF articles. You can send articles from your smartphone or computer directly to reMarkable to read later, and you can treat them as if they were printed on paper, adding underlines and annotations to them. All these notes will be synced to the corresponding apps on all platforms, and you can save, print or share them.

share link

Everything I’ve told you so far is just as important as integrating well with my other devices (iPhone and Mac). reMarkable doesn’t fail here either. We have apps, browser extensions, and even Word and Power Point for all platforms, so being able to send and sync content between all devices is another plus of this digital notebook, which again makes it far above Other notebooks. Everything you have on reMarkable will also be available on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac (among other platforms) thanks to its apps. You can start working in your notebook, continue working on your laptop or iPad, and access it anytime, anywhere.

When you purchase reMarkable 2 you get one year of free Connect, its cloud sync and storage services, which also includes up to 3 years of additional protection. After one year of free service, the price of the service is €2,99 per month. The unlimited cloud storage and extra device protection alone make it worth it, but since you have a year to use it, you’ll be able to see if it’s really worth it for you. If you don’t want to pay for Connect, you can always use a free account, which allows syncing between reMarkable and the app, but you won’t have unlimited cloud storage or annotate on your iPhone or Mac, just look See what you’ve already done on your notebook. This is not required, but recommended.

application

Not only do these apps allow you to view all content and edit it (if you have Connect), they also allow you to send content to your reMarkable. It’s not a problem if you don’t have an internet connection at the moment, when you restore it it will be in sync with all the changes you made. Read content on your device and send it to your digital notebook with just a few clicks on the screen. Additionally, the app even lets you perform live presentations from your reMarkable to your computer screen, showing everything you do in real time on your screen, perfect for team presentations.

In addition to reMarkable’s own cloud you can integrate other cloud storage services such as OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Drive. In this case, the only thing you can do is import content from these services into your notebook, not the other way around. When I have to export it to Drive, what I do is go to the app on my iPhone and you can choose to send it to the service. I think this is a feature reMarkable should consider adding, and with the number of improvements they’re adding in frequent updates, I think this option will come soon.

Editorial comments

The reMarkable 2’s build quality, finish, and performance are excellent, writing feels indistinguishable from pen and paper, and integration with my iPhone and MacBook is excellent. Can a device costing 349 euros (plus accessories) do more? There are definitely people out there who would say yes, not only would I personally not miss it, but I would actually vote “no” to the possibility of adding it. Everything is work-oriented, not distracted, doing what you are good at and not trying to do more, which to me is his strength. You can buy this digital notebook from reMarkable (link) for €349, but don’t forget the pencil.

• Editor Rating
• 4.5 stars
• Exceptional

€349

• Can be marked 2
• Review: Luis Padilla

• Posted on: April 16, 2024

• Last modified: April 16, 2024

advantage

• Excellent surface treatment
• Excellent writing feel
• Excellent autonomy
• Integrate with applications on all platforms
• High quality accessories