reMarkable reMarkable 2 Notetaking Tablet, 10.3” Digital Review
The reMarkable 2 nails the feeling of writing on paper better than any other tablet. But with slow performance and a high price, it's only for those who value focus above all else.
The 30-Second Version
The reMarkable 2 is the best digital paper substitute you can buy, with a writing feel that beats any iPad. But it's slow, expensive, and only does one thing. Only worth it if you're a serious note-taker who needs zero distractions.
Overview
The reMarkable 2 is a one-trick pony, but it does that trick incredibly well. It's a digital notebook that genuinely feels like writing on paper, thanks to its unique textured screen and no-lag stylus.
Forget about apps, videos, or color. This thing is built for one purpose: replacing your paper notebooks and PDFs. It's super thin and light, and the battery lasts for weeks, not hours. But you're paying a premium for that singular focus.
Performance
Performance is a mixed bag, depending on what you're measuring. For its core task—writing and drawing with minimal latency—it's fantastic. The pen-on-paper feel is in the 59th percentile for screens, which is impressive for an e-ink device. But everywhere else, it's slow. The 1.2 GHz dual-core ARM chip and 1GB of RAM put its CPU and GPU power in the bottom 10th percentile. Opening large PDFs can be a chore, and the interface isn't snappy. It's not built for speed; it's built for focus.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The writing experience is the closest you'll get to real paper on a digital device.
- Incredibly thin, light, and easy to carry all day.
- Battery life lasts for weeks on a single charge.
- Glare-free screen is easy on the eyes for long reading sessions.
Cons
- It's painfully slow for anything beyond basic note-taking. 7th
- The 8GB of storage is very limited, even for documents. 9th
- No backlight means you need a lamp to use it in the dark. 19th
- The subscription model for advanced features feels like a cash grab. 22th
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | 1.2 GHz |
Display
| Size | 10.3" |
| Resolution | 1872 |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 5 |
Physical
| Weight | 0.7 kg / 1.5 lbs |
| OS | Linux |
Value & Pricing
At $395 for a renewed model, the value proposition is tough. You're paying iPad money for a device that can't do 90% of what an iPad can. The hardware feels premium, but the specs are shockingly low for the price. The real cost comes with the optional Connect subscription, which unlocks cloud sync and other features. Without it, you're left with a very basic, and very expensive, digital notepad.
vs Competition
Stacked up against an iPad with an Apple Pencil, the reMarkable 2 loses on every spec. The iPad is faster, has a gorgeous color screen, and runs a million apps. But the iPad is also a distraction machine. The reMarkable wins on focus and paper-like feel. Compared to other e-ink tablets like the Kindle Scribe, the reMarkable's software is more polished for pure note-taking, but the Scribe is a better reader and often cheaper. The reMarkable is for the person who wants a digital tool that disappears and just lets them think.
| Spec | reMarkable reMarkable 2 Notetaking Tablet, 10.3” Digital | Apple iPad Pro Apple - 11-inch iPad Pro M5 chip Wi-Fi 256GB with | Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Samsung - Galaxy Tab S10+ - 12.4" 256GB - Wi-Fi - | Microsoft Surface Pro Microsoft - Surface Pro - Copilot+ PC - 13” - | Lenovo Lenovo - Idea Tab Pro - 12.7" 3K Tablet - 8GB RAM | GPD GPD Pocket 4: Mini Laptop with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 1.2 GHz | Apple M5 | Mediatek MT6989 | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 | MediaTek Dimensity | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 |
| RAM (GB) | — | 12 | 12 | 16 | 8 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | — | 256 | 256 | 512 | 256 | 2048 |
| Screen | 10.3" 1872x1404 | 11" 2420x1668 | 12.4" 2800x1752 | 13" 2880x1920 | 12.7" 2944x1840 | 8.8" 2560x1600 |
| OS | Linux | iPadOS | Android 14 | Windows 11 Home | Android 14 | Windows 11 Home |
| Stylus | false | true | true | false | true | false |
| Cellular | false | false | false | false | false | false |
Common Questions
Q: Can I read Kindle books on the reMarkable 2?
Not directly. It only supports PDF and ePUB files natively, so you'd need to convert or sideload Kindle books, which is a hassle.
Q: Is the Connect subscription necessary?
Not strictly, but you lose cloud sync, handwriting conversion, and screen sharing without it. The core device feels incomplete without the subscription.
Q: How does the writing feel compare to an iPad?
It's completely different. The reMarkable's textured screen provides friction and feedback like paper, while an iPad's glass screen is smooth. Most find the reMarkable more natural for long sessions.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this if you need a versatile tablet. If you want to watch videos, browse the web smoothly, use color, or run apps, look elsewhere. The reMarkable's slow processor and monochrome screen make it a terrible choice for general computing. An iPad or Android tablet will serve you much better.
Verdict
Buy this if you are a writer, student, or creative who fills notebooks and wants to digitize that workflow without the distractions of a full tablet. It's perfect for meetings, lectures, or drafting where you need to focus. If you want a single device for notes, media, and web browsing, this is not it. Look at an iPad or a Galaxy Tab instead.