Review: The Remarkable Paper Pro offers a curious mix of improvements and compromises

01 Oct 2024, 22:00 by Matthew Sholtz · Android Police

The Remarkable Paper Pro sits in a strange spot, and that's primarily due to how Remarkable operates, trying to create a note-taking experience as close to real paper as possible, which means some of the paper's limitations come along for the ride. I can appreciate the minimalism of the device; there's something to be said about using a note-taking tablet designed to be as distraction-free as possible.

Remarkable gets as close as anyone to mimicking a paper-like experience with the Remarkable Paper Pro, but some of the caveats of this design can limit your use, like a needless subscription and the absolute lack of apps.

Remarkable has indeed changed the game with its customized Gallery 3 E Ink screen that it calls Canvas, bringing refresh rates to their lowest yet when compared to the best e-readers. But at the end of the day, using a Remarkable can feel limiting compared to E Ink devices that run Android, resulting in a tablet that's restricting at times, and freeing at others. It's a very well-made note-taking device with a very clear design, but this design may not suit everyone's tastes or needs.

Staff pick

reMarkable Paper Pro

8.5 / 10

The ReMarkable Paper Pro is the latest E Ink note-taking tablet from the manufacturer. This time, it offers a front-lit color screen, elevating the writing experience beyond the black-and-white screen of the ReMarkable 2.

Pros

Simple to use and understand
Best color E Ink refresh time currently available
Excellent build quality

Cons

Backlighting is dim
Minimal in functionality
Optional subscription is an added cost

$580 at Remarkable $629 at Best Buy

Price, availability, and specs

You can easily order the new Remarkable Paper Pro from Remarkable, or Best Buy; just keep in mind the Best Buy listing includes the Marker Plus, which is why it is priced higher than the base model on Remarkable's site.

While the cost is high, it's also understandable since the Paper Pro includes an aluminum casing, glass screen, front lighting, and a customized Gallery 3 E Ink screen. In other words, a lot of work went into the Paper Pro to improve upon the Remarkable 2, which is why it is on the pricier side, starting at $580.

Specifications

Dimensions
274.1 x 196.6 mm (10.8 x 7.8 inches)
SoC
1.8 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53
Display type
Canvas Color display
Display dimensions
11.8-inch
Display resolution
2160 x 1620 (229 PPI)
RAM
2 GB LPDDR4 RAM
Storage
64 GB internal storage
Battery
5,030 mAh
Charging speed
0-90% in 90 minutes
Ports
USB-C port, accessory port
SIM support
No
Operating System
Codex (Linux)
Wi-Fi connectivity
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Weight
525 g (1.16 lb)
IP rating
IP64
Colors
Silver
Stylus
Marker, and Marker Plus
Price
$580
Expand

What’s good about the Remarkable Paper Pro?

Improved latency, color screen, and front lighting, just to name a few

Quite a bit has changed since the Remarkable 2. The Paper Pro is bigger, with an 11.8-inch screen (compared to the 10.3-inch screen of the Remarkable 2). This screen is now color, and not only is it color, it's using E Ink's Gallery 3 tech. Still, it is fully customized for Remarkable's purposes, which is why the refresh rate is as low as 12ms, even beating the Remarkable 2's 21ms, and that screen was only black and white. Plus, unlike E Ink Kaleido screens, there is no separate color layer (which is what causes the screen door effect, like in the new Kobo Clara Colour); every pixel in the Paper Pro can offer color or black or anything in between, which is pretty remarkable.

Sure, you still have a layer between you and the E Ink screen for the front lighting, much like you'll find in the Kobo Libra Colour, so you won't find deep blacks (black actually has a blue hue to it compared to the Remarkable 2) like the new Carta 1300, but the text is certainly legible enough on the large 11.8-inch screen.

Kobo Libra Colour review: A new e-reader era in full bloom

Color is a cool feature, even if all you do is highlight text

Missing from the Remarkable 2, and clearly one of the more requested features, there is now front lighting with the Paper Pro. You will want to use this lighting since Remarkable's screen is on the gray side with the lighting off, and there are four levels of lighting you can adjust to suit your environment. This lighting helps to make the screen look more like white paper, plus it is very handy for reading or taking notes in a dark room (say, during a lecture at school). So, along with the color screen, the front lighting is one of the new additions that make a huge difference compared to Remarkable's older devices.

I am also a fan of the Type Folio keyboard. It is easily one of the better attachable keyboards I've used with a tablet. Not only do the keys offer just enough travel to ensure tactile typing, but the way the keyboard opens by sliding the tablet over its keys is pretty slick. Plus, if you've been looking for the ultimate minimal writing tablet, the Paper Pro with the Type Folio fills this niche perfectly.

Unlike the plastic chassis of the Remarkable 2, the Paper Pro uses an aluminum frame, which does mean more weight but also more durability. Since the screen is now glass, again, adding more weight to the unit, you will want this. Even though the Paper Pro isn't as light as its older brother, it's plenty more rigid and should handle bumps and scrapes better than plastic.

As for the reading and pen-writing experience, the exceptional refresh rate plays a large role here. Sure, this isn't a Kaleido screen, so you wouldn't want to attempt to watch video (not that you can), but when it comes to the refresh when reading color PDFs or drawing color images, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything better in the E Ink family. Drawing and annotating is a cinch, with a handful of color options for highlighting or leaving notes when annotating.

I find that ePubs also work well with the built-in reader. Since the device only supports PDFs and ePubs, competent ePub reading is necessary, at least for me. I own a lot of e-books I've removed the DRM from, and I can toss them on the Paper Pro with no problem. This is made even easier using the cloud storage included with the monthly subscription.

And yes, for many, the $2.99 monthly subscription will be worth it. There is an app for PC and mobile, which means all your files are easily accessible, no matter if you have your Paper Pro with you or not. This also makes it easy to add files to the device by tossing them onto the cloud first.

What’s bad about the Remarkable Paper Pro?

Despite many improvements, not everything is perfect

The added weight and heft of the Paper Pro (compared to the Remarkable 2) will likely turn a few fans off. Add the Type Folio keyboard to the mix; that's even more weight. Also, the new glass screen makes drawing and writing feel different compared to the plastic screen of the Remarkable 2, so for those upgrading from a previous device, these areas may not actually feel like an upgrade.

Also, I'm not a huge fan of the subscription model. Sure, it's an optional convenience feature, an upsell, if you will. Still, I very much dislike endlessly paying to use my hardware, especially when the competition offers no such added price. All it would take is Google Drive support for me to ditch the sub, which Boox and Supernote offer with no added cost, but thanks to the limited Linux OS running on the Remarkable, no such functionality exists (it did at one point, but was part of the subscription).

The limited Linux OS may be easy to navigate and control, but there's no app support, which means there is no way for me to add extra functionality to the device, say, like installing a Kindle app. This leaves us all dependent on Remarkable to add more features.

While a beta is currently being tested that does just that, how long can we expect to see new features show up, and will they be the ones I need or want in the first place? I don't like being dependent on companies adding features down the road, and a perfect example of this is the Kindle Scribe, a similar note-taking E Ink device that launched with half-baked software and is still playing catchup.

Onyx hits the target with its streamlined Boox Go 10.3 e-reader

Minimalist bliss

Speaking of limitations, the built-in reader could use more options. Reading text ePubs is fine, but if you like to read manga, you'll have to create your own PDFs (which isn't all that hard with Calibre's help, but still an inconvenience). Since there is no way to change the page turn direction, you'll have to read your manga in the wrong direction, which can be disorienting since you have to read them right to left, especially when there are double-page splashes (Calibre can help here too).

I'm not sure why so many note-taking e-readers can't account for manga when the platform is perfect for consuming black-and-white content, even Boox struggles with this (but you have the option to use what apps you want since it runs Android), so it's a problem that goes beyond Remarkable's limited reader.

I also think the front lighting is way too dim at its maximum, but the problem here is philosophy, not tech. Remarkable could have added lighting that gets much brighter, but instead, the lighting is limited as the goal is to emulate paper, and paper does not light up. What the lighting does is make up for the gray screen so that when it's on, it makes the screen look more white, like paper. I can attest this works as intended, but I'm still left wanting as reading darker color content can wash out into a haze of black, losing the definition of the image that may be necessary to the story.

Ultimately, my main gripes revolve around usability, which butt up right against Remarkable's philosophy. Similar to Supernote, Remarkable wants to offer an uncomplicated device that gets as close to emulating paper as possible, and paper sure isn't smart. This creates a situation where you are using a smart device that is purposefully dumb, at least when it comes to doing things outside of its intended purposes, like the inability to connect a Bluetooth keyboard (there is no Bluetooth radio to be found in the Paper Pro).

Should you buy it?

This is a tough question to answer. The Remarkable Paper Pro is easily the best note-taking tablet from the company yet. However, upgrading from a Remarkable 2 may not be necessary. The Paper Pro feels more like it was created for new fans instead of existing ones. This is a hefty device compared to the previous model, and the added lighting isn't as bright as expected. Plus, for some, a color screen is unnecessary for annotating PDFs. Then again, the ability to highlight text in a choice of colors is slick, and thanks to the quick refresh rate, you can read and draw without things looking bad. There's no screen door effect here; the screen is something to behold when compared to any Kaleido screen.

Still, compared to a device that runs Android, the Paper Pro may feel limiting. So whether you'll find the minimal experience helpful or hurtful depends on your specific needs. For those looking to write, annotate, and doodle without any distractions, the Paper Pro excels. Still, if you require more than the stock experience or are allergic to subscriptions for simple things like connected cloud storage, then you may want to look at the competition. All in all, I love my Paper Pro despite its faults. It's great for reading color comic books and text e-books, and especially for taking quick notes and drawing doodles, now in color with a front-lit screen.

Staff pick

reMarkable Paper Pro

8.5 / 10

The Remarkable Paper Pro is an impressive device whether you want to read, draw, or annotate. However, its functionality is limited to its strengths, which means it may not be a device for everyone. For those who are looking for one of the best note-taking tablets around, the Paper Pro is an excellent choice.

$580 at Remarkable $629 at Best Buy

Best tablets for taking notes in 2024

Productivity, portability, and affordability