We were mighty impressed by the reMarkarble 2 e-note tablet for our review in 2020, but the E Ink world has been moving to color in the years since. Now the Norwegian company has joined the productivity party with the 11.8-inch Paper Pro.
The original reMarkable ePaper tablet launched in 2016, at a very attractive introductory price of US$379. It featured a 10.3-inch fast-response touch display, shipped with a battery-free stylus input with a high-friction nib for paper-like feel, and synced with other devices via the cloud.
A second edition based on E Ink's Carta technology landed in 2020, which we got to try along with a new pen input with digital eraser function. We summarized by saying that the updated e-note "takes the best bits of working on paper and using modern connected digital devices, and mashes them up in a single slate that also dispenses with many of the modern distractions that go with the latter."
It's been four years since that one dropped, so the timing would seem about right for a new version. And here it is, the reMarkable Paper Pro – "designed to help knowledge workers capture, refine, and elevate their thoughts in a world full of distractions."
The first big change over the previous model is an increase in display size to 11.8 diagonal inches. Then there's the new custom-made Canvas Color display stack that's based around E Ink's Gallery 3 technology and offers nine different colors for writing and sketching – which can be blended and layered – while serving up thousands when reading.
The display boasts 2,160 x 1,620 resolution at 229 ppi. The textured surface has been improved for an even more natural writing feel. Built-in palm rejection nips accidental smudging in the bud. And the Paper Pro is reported to be the most responsive reMarkable device so far, with the company managing to get latency down to 12 milliseconds.
The e-note – which is wrapped in aluminum and glass – also gains an adjustable front light to continue productivity after dark without needing to rely on sufficient ambient light. It's claimed to be the thinnest device of its kind in the world too, at just 5.1 mm (0.2 in).
Rounding out the key specs are 1.8-GHz quad-core processing brains supported by 2 GB of low-power RAM and 64 GB in internal storage. As before, the e-note comes pre-packed with a bunch of useful productivity templates. It includes a 2-week battery (5,030-mAh) for extended doodles away from a wall outlet. And there's dual-band Wi-Fi wireless, and USB-C cabled, connectivity.
As well as new Markers, there's also a Folio keyboard for those who prefer to type rather than scribble. The device encrypts files automatically, and supports secure booting plus passcode protection for peace of mind.
The reMarkable Paper Pro is up for order now for $579 with a standard Marker input pen or $629 with a Marker Plus flavor (with eraser feature) – should users of the previous generation be wondering, the reMarkable 2 Marker pens are not compatible with the new model.
Folios can also be optioned in, and those who want use mobile/desktop devices running the reMarkable app will need to stump up $2.99 per month (or $29.90 per year) for a Connect subscription, which includes unlimited cloud storage, auto sync and more.
Product page: reMarkable Paper Pro
