Remarkable Paper Pro and MarkerPlus

PROS+ Writing on the reMarkable Paper Pro feels natural, responsive, and accurate; much better than writing on any tablet I have ever used+ Display supports color in addition to the traditional e-Ink black & white+ Text and reading material is very stable, and “newspaper-like” is quality+ Several stylus software styles/options (such as Pen, Marker, Highlighter, Pencil, etc.), that all look and feel different+ Supports connection to cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, & OneDrive+ Can load and markup a variety of documents like PDFs+ Able to easily send notes to/from the Paper Pro+ ~46GB of usable onboard storage+ Cloud storage syncing & screen share through the reMarkable app+ Stylus charges wirelessly when magnetically attached to the Paper ... MorePROS+ Writing on the reMarkable Paper Pro feels natural, responsive, and accurate; much better than writing on any tablet I have ever used+ Display supports color in addition to the traditional e-Ink black & white+ Text and reading material is very stable, and “newspaper-like” is quality+ Several stylus software styles/options (such as Pen, Marker, Highlighter, Pencil, etc.), that all look and feel different+ Supports connection to cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, & OneDrive+ Can load and markup a variety of documents like PDFs+ Able to easily send notes to/from the Paper Pro+ ~46GB of usable onboard storage+ Cloud storage syncing & screen share through the reMarkable app+ Stylus charges wirelessly when magnetically attached to the Paper Pro+ Battery life on the Paper Pro is very good+ Large screen yet very thin, lightweight, and comfortable to use+ Comes with spare marker tips for the stylus+ Backlight is a nice addition for low-light scenarios, and while not blazingly bright, does help tremendously if working in darker environments, and is gently on the eyesCONS- Color options for drawing are a bit limited & less accurate when it comes to reds (which look more orange on the device, although print/render fine when shared to other screens)- Screen responsiveness to the pen is great, but scrolling and typing with your fingers has a noticeable delay before the screen refreshes- Most colors don’t sync/display fully until after you are done editing and the screen can refresh fully- For screen sharing & automatic cloud syncing you need a reMarkable account and app for syncing with reMarkable’s cloud services, which may raise security concerns around storing sensitive and/or secure content/notes in the cloud- There is an additional subscription fee for the reMarkable Connect serviceSO-SO* At this premium, I wish it came with even a basic carrying case* Some ghosting/slowly fading impressions of content, specifically colored content, after being erased which can still be seen for a short period time on the display before slowly fading awayTHE LONG AND SHORT OF ITThe reMarkable Paper Pro is a very good device, that has a lot expected of it and largely delivers. As someone who has always preferred pen and paper note taking, but has long gone the way of transitioning to digital notes, I have had a lot of fun using the reMarkable Paper Pro to bridge the gap using digital notebooks. The stylus looks and feels like a real pen, and when writing, feels almost like pen & paper, or at least as close to it as I have ever experienced over many years of using digital writing tools. The screen has a matte, almost paper-like texture to it, that when combined with the low-latency of the stylus, software, and feedback, feels extremely natural. There was almost zero learning curve for me as I got up to speed taking notes, drawing pictures (which I am far from an artist at), marking up content, and more. I found that connecting lines, filling in gaps, and staying in place with continuous drawing is all seamless.There are assistance features when working with content. You can do things like connecting two points with a straight line quickly, using the back of the stylus as an eraser, being able to circle content to edit it, move it, convert it to printed text based on your handwriting, and do bulk erasing based on marked-up areas. When working in notebooks, there is a toolbar you can pull-up which has a variety of stylus pen styles you can choose from, colors, line widths, eraser styles, notebook settings, layers, and more. There is a lot of control and customizability you can do, if you spend the time to learn and find what works for you and your uses. ReMarkable also provides some nice on-device guides for getting started and learning the ropes of the device.From an integration standpoint, it is easy to add notes/documents to the device through cloud syncing and/or sideloading content, as well as creating your own folder/notebook/file structures. You can choose different paper types like lists, line paper, empty canvases, or grid paper for your projects, and can build notebooks/content however you would like to organize it, then save it all to the cloud or email it to your other devices. There is also a screen share option where you can share your content to a device in real-time using the reMarkable desktop app, however in this case you do need to be using the reMarkable cloud services, which brings me to my first complaint, which is the online nature of the device. You can get a lot of utility out of the device without being connected online, but once connected and creating an account, the device will automatically start syncing with the reMarkable cloud, which can be an issue if you are concerned about taking confidential notes for example. I wish reMarkable did a better job of communicating where and how cloud data is being stored/used & encrypted, as it takes a bit of digging to understand. For the average user this likely won’t be an issue or something you think about, but for others it may be a deal-breaker depending on your needs.Aside from that, the rest of the device hardware and software is top-notch. One nice additional feature is that you can display color with a version of the Gallery “Canvas Color” display that the device uses. While colors can sometimes look a bit muted (like they would be printed on newspaper for example), they do have a very natural quality to them. The one noticeable limitation is in the number of colors you can use (in most cases up to 9) and while they are all of the primary colors you would expect, reds tend to be the most impacted, coming out closer to orange on the display (but they look fine when displayed on a normal LED screen). Also, you do tend to get a bit of ghosting/fading with content, specifically colored content, after it is erased/moved on the screen. It doesn’t get in the way of new content, but it can look a bit like a “dirty screen effect” you might see on a TV screen, where shadows of older content remain for a bit before the screen refreshes enough times and they clear.Which speaking of screen refreshes, also is a bit of a pro/con. While the screen is very responsive for editing, when scrolling/moving objects, there is a noticeable delay in the screen, followed by a full screen refresh which, when paired with colors other than black and white, leads to colors “resetting” for a few seconds before they take on their normal color. Maybe a nitpick, but if you are an artist or creative who is highly dependent on color, this is not the device I would recommend for those reasons alone. This device is clearly made for business first, and color is geared more towards mark-ups and labeling, rather than true creative designs & artwork.Finally, in terms of the battery life, backlight, and other hardware, it is all excellent. ReMarkable quotes around 2 weeks of battery life, and while I haven’t tested this fully, I do personally find I am getting less than that, but still more than enough (about 1-1.5 weeks), with my heavier usage of the device. The backlight is pretty good, and while not transcendently bright, does make the device easier to use in low light conditions. The back of the device is also magnetic, so if you want to buy an official or aftermarket magnetic case/keyboard for example, it works great.Overall, I do really like the reMarkable and I have been enjoying using it a lot as my daily notetaking device and portable whiteboard. There is no getting around that it is a premium device though, if it justifies that price is going to be a pretty personal question to your needs. This is not a full featured tablet, and will not replace a computer or tablet for any kinds of serious computing needs. This is strictly positioned to be a notetaking and mark-up focused device first, and that is what you should go in expecting. It melds pen and paper with technology and cloud sharing better than any device I have ever used, but I would recommend doing your research to understand if this is something you really need. It isn’t perfect, and I can see several ways reMarkable can improve on this in the future with more iterations, but it is great in most cases and I would recommend it if budget is not an issue.

I’ve read all the articles about how handwriting is actually better for retaining information, and since then I’ve been in pursuit of the perfect tools for taking notes by hand, yet integrating with my digital lifestyle. I’ve tried apps that scan paper pages, physical notebooks with dedicated apps, handwriting apps on Windows 2-in-1 laptops, Chromebook apps, and handwriting apps for my iPad. Each of these have things to commend their use, but ultimately all had some fatal flaw. That’s when my attention turned toward e-ink tablets.The release of the Paper Pro brought what seemed like the perfect device for writing: excellent hardware utilizing a robust set of tools, and now in color! I picked one up and put it through its paces. If you are in the market for one of ... MoreI’ve read all the articles about how handwriting is actually better for retaining information, and since then I’ve been in pursuit of the perfect tools for taking notes by hand, yet integrating with my digital lifestyle. I’ve tried apps that scan paper pages, physical notebooks with dedicated apps, handwriting apps on Windows 2-in-1 laptops, Chromebook apps, and handwriting apps for my iPad. Each of these have things to commend their use, but ultimately all had some fatal flaw. That’s when my attention turned toward e-ink tablets.The release of the Paper Pro brought what seemed like the perfect device for writing: excellent hardware utilizing a robust set of tools, and now in color! I picked one up and put it through its paces. If you are in the market for one of these devices, I hope I can help your decision process.Unwrapping the Paper Pro gives your first glimpse of color on the e-ink screen. The build quality of the Paper Pro is impeccable. It’s a little thicker than the reMarkable 2, but that’s probably due to the frontlight. The aluminum back and sides feel smooth and solid, and there are 4 rubber feet on the back to keep it from moving on a table.Setup was easy and the step-by-step walkthrough takes you through the entire process. After connecting to wifi and checking for software updates, you’re good to go. Two things are immediately apparent: the large size of the screen and the feel of the Marker Plus on the screen. Other e-ink tablets have textured screens, but compared to the Paper Pro, they feel much smoother. The Paper Pro has a “scratchier” feel and some additional resistance that is actually quite pleasant. I know that not everyone will like this, but I felt that it made my writing more accurate with more definite feedback, so I prefer what reMarkable has done with their latest screen.The Paper Pro features a wide array of writing instruments, including ballpoint pen, fineliner, highlighter, pencil, mechanical pencil, calligraphy pen, marker, shader, and paintbrush. Each of these has 3 thicknesses and 6-9 different colors. More on color later. The Paper Pro uses an e-ink panel that is not used by other manufacturers, so it behaves a bit differently than others. It is noticeably grayer than others I've used, but not negatively so. It also seems to have a bit less contrast, so I found it necessary to use a thicker line. This is one area that is a bit disappointing—contrast. Using a very fine pen thickness makes it harder to see, and while I can use a thicker pen to help with that, the bottom line is that the panel just has less contrast.The writing experience is excellent. The Marker Plus feels good in the hand, and it includes a built-in eraser for a more natural experience. Once I found the pen style I liked, I got busy taking notes. The reMarkable operating system is pretty intuitive. It was easy to create folders and notebooks. There is almost no lag while writing, but the screen refreshes are more noticeable than other e-ink screens. That didn’t bother me, but it may be a bit disconcerting at first. Palm rejection is perfect. There seems to be a bit of inconsistency between times when a finger touch works and when you need to use the pen. Moving objects around on screen can be done with a finger, but the pen is required to complete the operation. A similar thing happens when selecting the pen type. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, but thought I’d mention it.One of the big things introduced with the Paper Pro is color. Highlighting on an e-ink tablet without color was always unsatisfying, so it’s very nice to see highlights in color. Highlights initially show up in gray, then switch to the chosen color after the screen refreshes. Be aware that while the colors are very nice, they’re not bold and vivid like you might see on an lcd tablet or computer screen. That’s just the nature of e-ink, and the colors are still very effective, and much better than not having them. This is one of the best features and one that I intend to use a lot.Here are a few features that I really like having:• Settings stay with the document! Things like page orientation, pen style, thickness and color are remembered from document to document—very convenient!• You can have different page styles within the same document• The ability to add layers to make sets of changes that can be reversed without affecting the base document.• Ability to add typed text with formatting, together with handwritten text. This allows for much more flexibility.• Ability to email documents to anyone directly from the Paper Pro.Another new feature over the reMarkable 2 is the addition of a frontlight. This version of e-ink panel has a noticeably gray tinge, as I mentioned earlier, and this impacts the level of perceived contrast. Using thicker pen styles is one way to combat that, but the frontlight helps as well. Too bad the Paper Pro is equipped with such a weak frontlight. There are 4 levels of brightness, but I would only ever use anything less than maximum if I were in a completely dark room. The frontlight definitely helps, but sometimes I couldn’t tell if it was on. It’s nice to have and definitely makes this a better device, but it’s just underwhelming and makes you wish for more.The companion apps (desktop and mobile) provide the ability to view your notes on other devices, and the optional Connect subscription also allows editing those notes on other devices. You can also do live screen shares with the app, allowing better collaboration with your notes in a meeting. This is a nice feature. Integrations with OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox are a very nice touch and allow for seamless sharing of documents back and forth with those services. Note, however, that this does not mean you’ll have live synch with those services. Documents saved back to your cloud service will need to be renamed to retain your changes.For me, my main use for a device like the Paper Pro is as my daily planner/to-do list. That means that I need to be able to see those things at a glance, without having to take a deliberate action to do so. That alone eliminates the most traditional tablets from contention, unless you’re willing to leave it plugged in all day. The Paper Pro features “light sleep”, which puts the unit to sleep after 20 minutes with the last-used page still showing, for up to a few hours. I love this! It’s also possible to set the device to never turn off. With the frontlight turned off to save battery, this could be a viable option.Battery life is good, but not great. With my usage pattern, I can get through almost a week pretty comfortably. The light definitely impacts that, as does the need to charge the Marker Plus, which is done through its magnetic attachment to the side of the unit.What about reading? Writing is the main purpose of the Paper Pro, but you can also read books in Epub format (if they’re not protected) or PDFs. With the larger screen size, both of these look great. This is especially useful for larger technical documents. It doesn’t feature all the reading-friendly features of a dedicated ereader, so you may not be able to get rid of your e-reader just yet, but if you have a lot of DRM-free material, the Paper Pro is more than adequate as an e-reader.The biggest roadblock to adoption for the Paper Pro has to be cost. At $629 with the Marker Plus, this is a very expensive writing tablet. While the overall experience is better than what you can get elsewhere, is it $300 better? If you’re most excited about color and the larger size, then perhaps you’d say yes. There are some significant features that are better on the Paper Pro, but again, those have to be weighed against the cost. While I recommend the Paper Pro, it’s really only for those who can afford to pay for the latest and greatest and don’t care about the expense. The first iteration of a color reMarkable is excellent, but it does feel a little like a 1.0 release, so I expect it to improve in future iterations.

On a consumer level the ReMarkable Paper Pro model is a fantastic digital notebook – maybe the best available now. It’s a sleek, slim design with a large writing surface and an exceptional in-hand feel. Its backlight makes it usable in almost any lighting condition too.As a true professional device though, at least for those who need to keep their work product and client information private and secure, it has an obtrusive Achille’s heel. ReMarkable’s cloud service, just like most other consumer-oriented cloud services, is only End-To-End Encrypted rather than the stronger Zero Knowledge End-To-End Encryption, where the hosting company has no access to the encryption key or ability to read your files. Companies hold keys for a legitimate reason as explained in the ... MoreOn a consumer level the ReMarkable Paper Pro model is a fantastic digital notebook – maybe the best available now. It’s a sleek, slim design with a large writing surface and an exceptional in-hand feel. Its backlight makes it usable in almost any lighting condition too.As a true professional device though, at least for those who need to keep their work product and client information private and secure, it has an obtrusive Achille’s heel. ReMarkable’s cloud service, just like most other consumer-oriented cloud services, is only End-To-End Encrypted rather than the stronger Zero Knowledge End-To-End Encryption, where the hosting company has no access to the encryption key or ability to read your files. Companies hold keys for a legitimate reason as explained in the terms of service. Nonetheless, it’s a security risk, even if small, to the owner of the stored material because anyone, say a hacker, who gets hold of the key can access those files.Many of the Paper Pro’s features relies on ReMarkable’s free or premium cloud service including syncing to your computer and phone and handwriting to text conversion. In fact, the only way to transfer files without using the Internet is a clunky, time-consuming process of connecting a USB cable between devices and entering a specified IP address into a web browser on your computer, similar to setting up a Wi-Fi Router.I have to use my Paper Pro this way to keep my files as secure as possible. It is an annoyance, but I like the Paper Pro enough to put up with it. Many businesses and professions have strict security protocols so I wanted to shine a light on this before delving into other details so the Paper Pro’s limitations are understood as it could be a non-starter for some.Putting cloud services aside for a moment, the Paper Pro’s hardware itself can be secured by an optional four or six digit log in passcode. After the passcode is set you are presented with a recovery key in case you forget your passcode. You’ll want to save that in a safe place.HARDWARE HIGHLIGHTSThe standout features of the Paper Pro are its 11.8” screen size (approx. 7” W x 9 5/8” L) and the ability to write and highlight in color. The total design is phenomenal and is the reason I decided to use the Paper Pro even if it meant forgoing features and conveniences by using it only offline. Its all-metal back and slim profile is so sensual I love holding it. And no more paper cuts. For desk use it has molded feet to prevent the back from getting scratched if not using a case, which is a nice touch. The stylus-on-screen is as close to a tactile replication of pen-on-paper I’ve ever experienced on a digital device.The larger screen closely resembles an actual note pad allowing for a more natural and comfortable experience compared to smaller digital pads. I appreciate being able to write for longer periods before having to start a new page. In turn, that also means fewer pages to “flip” when reviewing notes. Everyone hates bezels, and there is a chunky chin at the bottom, but I don’t find it distracting and much prefer it here than on the side. The bezel blends in well with the screen, though it does glow a bit when the backlight is on. The screen has excellent palm resistance too and I’ve yet to trigger an unintended action..Speaking of the backlight, it’s adjustable to five levels. The top level is pleasing but not especially bright. For sure the Paper Pro is versatile enough to be used outside on a sunny day or a softly lit auditorium or somewhere in between. In normal room light the backlight is unnecessary.One drawback of e-paper screens in general is their visible refresh rate. ReMarkable says the Paper Pro is its fastest screen yet. I can’t compare, but whatever lag there is when writing in black I don’t notice it. However, when using color, especially highlighting it does take a couple seconds for it to register. It can be distracting as it flashes colors. I’d still rather have color than not. Switching pages or screens it’s also noticeable and to be expected.Being able to color code notes is nice productivity boon to have now on e-paper and a relief for my aging eyes. I find the colors are similar in brightness to a real highlighter. That’s dim compared to what an OLED screen can offer, if that’s what you are expecting, but an LED/OLED glass screen can’t provide either the reduced eye strain or credible simulated pen-to-paper feel of e-paper. In both reading and writing text is crisp and easy to read.Reading long documents on an OLED/LED screen or monitor burns my eyes. So reading and annotating PDFs with the Paper Pro is a joy and my #1 use of Paper Pro. Highlighting, for example, is smart enough to convert a quick swipe into a sharp rectangle over the marked words.The Marker Plus stylus came with my unit. It’s similar in size and grip of a standard ballpoint pen with the heft of a pencil. I prefer thicker and heavier pens, so this is a slight drawback to me. It’s texturized and grippy though. The tip is pressure and tilt sensitive which is handy when you want to bold a word or you like to doodle. The top acts as an eraser which is kind of cool, though from a workflow perspective I’d prefer a physical or haptic button to allow the pen tip to erase. The Marker Plus magnetically attaches to the side of the Paper Pro for safekeeping and charging. The magnet is quite strong but still can get knocked off, so be aware.Internal storage is adequate if you won’t be subscribing to ReMarkable’s unlimited cloud storage or one of the other integrated cloud services: Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft One Drive. Officially the Paper Pro has 64 GB of RAM but the actual storage available on my unit is a bit more than 46 GB. That may seem small but the reality is text documents are a few MB unless they are heavy on color photos. If you are editing big color catalogs or photo books this isn’t the device for you anyway.USER INTERFACE, APPS & THE CLOUDThe user interface is mostly intuitive but there is a learning curve. Menu icons are displayed vertical down the left side. They can be hidden if desired. There is a variety of pens, highlighters, widths, ink colors from which to choose. Other functions include adding layers to pages the ability to apply tags to aid organization. Also in the organization realm, folders can be set up at any time to house specific notes for easier reference. Navigation can be controlled via common gestures like the one finger horizontal swipe to move between pages.At first use I was confused how to get back to the main file from a note as there is no common “return” or “menu” icon. Instead, there is an “x” on the upper right. I assumed this was to delete a note, but no, it was to go back to the file menu. Strange, but now I know and you to do.Notetaking is available in two different methods. Quick Note offers a blank slate brainstorm, doodle, whatever. For more formal writing, a notebook is available. In this mode a number of templates can be selected from lined paper, grid paper to music writing sheets and weekly planners. With the Paper Pro’s color ability, it tremendously broadens the use of e-paper pads. For organization, documents can be stored in a folder. This is another area that isn’t intuitive but easy to understand. Simply long press the document, a menu appears, hit move and then select the folder. Being a color screen I’m a bit surprised folders can’t be color coded.Much of the Paper Pro’s functionality requires ReMarkable’s cloud service and its apps, which are available for Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android. This includes handwriting-to-text, syncing, emailing, and using the aforementioned 3rd party cloud service integrations.A “free” basic cloud service is provided and stores documents for 50 days and requires manual syncing (press a button) between devices. For additional features there is a “Connect” subscription that provides automatic syncing, unlimited storage and the ability to edit files in the ReMarkable app. I tested these features out before going “offline” and they work as advertised. New users get a 100-day trial to try them out.Handwriting-to-text conversion does a good job as long as the writing is readable to another human. It even reads mixed block and cursive, as I often write. The weak point of the conversion is that it format isn’t always retained so you have to go back and tweak it to make it look right.As noted at the start of this review there is no way to do anything in this section without going through ReMarkable’s service. The only non-Internet option to transfer files is by using the USB cable. While the Paper Pro has a USB-C port it’s not possible to save directly to a thumb or other storage drive. Regardless of how you export your files they will be in .PDF format. The Paper Pro can read Microsoft Office files, but it can’t write to them -- a bit odd and inconvenient. It also can read non-DRM EPUB.CONCLUSIONIn short, the Paper Pro is a winner, but not a “professional” all-star due to its heavy reliance on ReMarkable’s cloud service that requires ReMarkable to hold a copy of the encryption key. But the device itself is still the best electronic handwriting pad I’ve experienced by far. It’s everything I’ve wanted; an elegant build, roomy screen, and life-like pen-to-paper feel. Its color ability is a bonus, but one I’ll never be able to do without again. I look forward to using it to read and markup documents and brainstorm, albeit offline. Perhaps, since the cloud service is separate from the Paper Pro, ReMarkable will introduce a “Zero Knowledge” service at some point. Either that or make it easier to transfer files between personal devices without an Internet connection. That would elevate it as a true pro writing pad and the one to beat.