If distraction-free digital notetaking is your thing, reMarkable paper tablets have been the easiest recommendation. After six years, the reMarkable 2 is finally being replaced with the reMarkable Paper Pure as the new $399 entry-level paper tablet in the company’s lineup. I could see it being popular with students who want a more focused notetaking and reading experience than an iPad.
The first thing I noticed about the Paper Pure as soon as I got hands on it a few weeks ago was its very plasticky build quality. It looks and feels much cheaper compared to the materials on the reMarkable 2, which will be discontinued as soon as supply runs out. The whole gray backside is made of 73% plastic, while the ribbed midframe is constructed of 90% magnesium. This is by design for several reasons: 1) It uses 38% recycled materials, and 2) all of the internal components are held together with screws and snaps instead of being glued down, which means it’s more repairable. If you like your devices having a sustainable story, the Paper Pure has one.
That’s not to say the plastic, fingerprint-prone design doesn’t have its upsides. I could see it being more durable jostled around in a backpack or if it were ever accidentally knocked off a table. The materials also don’t take away from its thinness (6mm) or lightness; at 360g it’s reMarkable’s lightest full-sized paper tablet to date.
When it comes to reading and notetaking, the Paper Pure is superior to the reMarkable 2 in every way. The black-and-white “Canvas” screen is whiter and refreshes up to two times faster, which may be more important to you than what the back is made of. Yes, it’s a bummer that reMarkable wasn’t able to put a color E Ink screen into its entry-level paper tablet. You’ll need to step up to the more expensive Paper Pro that starts at $629 if you want a similar screen size. The Paper Pro Move also has a color E Ink screen, starting at a lower $449, but its screen is also smaller and narrower at 7.3 inches.
The Paper Pure comes with an included Marker Plus stylus that attaches to its right side via magnets. If you already own a Marker or Marker Plus, those will work with the new paper tablet.
Battery life is also longer compared to the reMarkable 2. The company says the Paper Pure can last up to three weeks on a single charge. The reMarkable 2 could only hold a charge for up to two weeks.
What you won’t find on reMarkable’s new device is any kind of front lighting. You won’t be doing any notetaking or reading in the dark without a lamp nearby. It also doesn’t support any of reMarkable’s “Type Folio” keyboards for the reMarkable 2 and Paper Pro. The company will happily sell you its Pro-series paper tablets if you desire either of those features.
Software-wise, you’re looking at the same experience on reMarkable’s other paper tablet devices. The new stuff is all in the company’s Connect subscription service, which costs $3.99/month or $39/year.
There’s now a way to connect Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook and AI will generate meeting notes or actionable suggestions. The previous AI feature that reformats websites into PDFs now supports images. Imported documents from services like Google Drive, Microsoft Word and OneDrive, and Dropbox can be converted to reMarkable-format digital notebooks for markup with the stylus. There are a bunch more that make consuming and sharing content to and from reMarkable paper tablets and other devices easier, too. All of them show restraint in how they make use of AI, which I appreciate. It’s not adding AI features for the sake of AI, but thoughtfully including stuff that fits into reMarkable’s values of focused-use and simplicity.
The Paper Pure is a very simple device to grasp. reMarkable sought out to make the best black-and-white paper tablet with stylus support it could for $399. What you lose in build quality, you gain elsewhere in hardware and software. $399 will get you the Paper Pure and an included Marker. A $449 bundle that includes the device, Marker Plus, and Sleeve Folio is the better value. Not only does the Sleeve Folio protect the device, it also has magnets that put the device into a deep sleep state to conserve battery and immediately turns on the screen as you take it out. The Paper Pure is available for preorder at reMarkable’s website immediately, but won’t ship until early June.
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