This review was written about ReMarkable Paper Pro. What better way to test this than to use it as a distraction-free writing instrument? This digital notebook is technically the successor to the ReMarkable 2, which launched in 2020 However, the Norwegian company presents it as an “upgraded” model with more features and a higher price tag.
This tablet features a color E Ink screen, a front light for visibility in the dark, and an active stylus paired with a responsive display, bringing the entire package much closer to the pen-and-paper writing experience. I am. Considering the company continues to sell the ReMarkable 2 for $399 (still a great digital notebook), the ReMarkable Paper Pro has an eyebrow-raising $579 price tag (excluding accessories). Hardly worth it, and probably not worth upgrading if you already own one. Remarkable 2.
But if you find it hard to concentrate on your laptop and miss the feel of paper and pen, which has great memory retention benefits, Paper Pro can be an invaluable tool. Any updates to this model are welcome, and if it means I can write this review without hearing constant pings from Slack, it could just be priceless.
color me mine
Photo: Nena Farrell
I love taking notes, whether it’s a paper planner or a digital notebook. The Paper Pro is larger than most of these, with an 11.8-inch screen that feels much closer to having an A4 sheet of paper in front of you. It’s just the right size for my weird handwriting and ever-growing list, but not so large that it’s inconvenient to carry around. It’s thin enough to layer over your laptop or large books as you walk around the house. It’s just over a pound, so it’s manageable.
I also love adding color whenever possible and that’s what the heading does here. Color E Ink screens are becoming more and more popular these days. Kobo has a color e-reader, and you can expect Amazon to release one soon as well. But ReMarkable says its Canvas Color technology is built on an E Ink color display and has physical capabilities. Colored particles moving around on the screen. This isn’t a color filter on top of the black and white display that you’ll find on other color E Ink screens.
The colors aren’t electric, they’re muted, more like colored pencils than a set of bright pens or highlighters. Hues range from the classic primary colors of red, blue, and yellow to magenta and cyan. You can also choose gray or white, but the latter will only appear if you’re writing over another color. As with ReMarkable 2, there are seven pen styles to choose from, all with the same range of six colors and three neutrals, but the color options for highlighters and new shaders are slightly different.
The colors on the page are easy to see and identify. The experience of using them is also enjoyable. When you first write, it’s often black or gray, but when you release the pen, Paper Pro begins to change the color of the text. On the other hand, the text entered will only appear in black. I loved using color to mark needed edits and writing color-coded notes when proofreading my typed work. Black pen color is much darker than any other color, so use gray as a neutral option so your colorful writing doesn’t look washed out.
power up
Photo: Nena Farrell
Another big upgrade is the built-in light. It’s not backlit like a smartphone or tablet, but frontlit like many e-readers. Light is illuminated facing the display and reflects into your eyes, allowing you to read the display in the dark. If you’re in a brightly lit room, you might not even notice the light is on. If you’re sitting at a table with plenty of natural light, you’ll hardly notice the difference. But in a dark room, the screen’s gentle glow reminds me that I’m reading on my Kindle at night. Perfect for writing a novel on an evening flight or taking notes in a dimly lit presentation hall.
