reMarkable Paper Pro Review: Best Writing Feel, Big Price
Quick verdict
The most paper-like writing feel and the calmest software of any e-ink tablet. It's expensive, it has no apps, and the battery drains faster than the claim.
Buy it if
- Handwritten notes are the main thing you'll do.
- You want zero distractions.
- You'd pair it with the Type Folio keyboard for writing drafts.
Skip it if
- You want apps or a Kindle-style store.
- You need multi-day battery with heavy use.
- You don't want another subscription.
Specs
| Screen | 11.8 in Canvas Color e-ink (Gallery 3) |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 2160 x 1620, 229 PPI |
| Front light | Yes, adjustable |
| Storage | 64 GB, 2 GB RAM |
| Apps | reMarkable only (no app store) |
| Pen | Marker Plus (with eraser) |
| Pen included | Yes (this bundle) |
| Battery | Up to 14 days of regular use (claimed) |
| Weight | 525 g |
| Thickness | 5.1 mm |
Pros and cons
Pros
- The best writing feel of any e-ink tablet.
- Big 11.8-inch color screen with a reading light.
- Simple, focused software.
- Premium build; excellent keyboard folio (extra).
Cons
- No third-party apps.
- Real-world battery well below the claim.
- Color mode lags more than black and white.
- Cloud features need a Connect subscription after the trial.
Real-world math
Battery claim vs. real use. reMarkable claims up to 14 days of regular use. eWritable measured about 2.6 days of typical use. That's roughly a fifth of the claim. Your mileage depends on the front light and color, but plan to charge it a few times a week.
Writing space. 11.8 inches at 4:3 is about 240 x 180 mm, or 431 square centimeters. That's the biggest of the three e-ink notebooks here, and close to a full sheet of paper.
Sharpness. 229 pixels per inch. That's lower than the Kindle Scribe at 300. You'll see it more in small book text than in handwriting.
Weight. 525 grams, or about a kilo with the keyboard folio.
Writing
This is why people buy it. eWritable described the feel as "chalk on a blackboard" in a good way: audible and tactile. Pressure and tilt are finely tuned. Writing in black and white feels better than in color, which lags a bit.
The trade-offs
There's no app store. It does notes, PDFs and EPUBs, and that's it. eWritable also mentioned a faint buzz on page refresh and some shadowing at the edges of the reading light. Cloud sync and handwriting search need Connect after a 50-day trial.
A smaller Paper Pro Move (7.3 inches) exists if you want something pocketable.
How it compares
| Spec | reMarkable Paper Pro | Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) | BOOX Note Air5 C |
|---|---|---|---|
| My rating | 8.1/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.6/10 |
| Screen | 11.8 in Canvas Color e-ink (Gallery 3) | 11 in black-and-white e-ink | 10.3 in Kaleido 3 color e-ink |
| Resolution | 2160 x 1620, 229 PPI | 300 PPI | 300 PPI black and white, 150 PPI color |
| Front light | Yes, adjustable | Yes, warm light, auto-brightness | Yes, warm and cool |
| Storage | 64 GB, 2 GB RAM | 32 or 64 GB, no card slot | 64 GB + microSD, 6 GB RAM |
| Apps | reMarkable only (no app store) | Kindle store and notebooks only | Android 15 with Google Play |
| Pen | Marker Plus (with eraser) | Premium Pen, no charging | BOOX Pen3, 4,096 levels |
| Pen included | Yes (this bundle) | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | Up to 14 days of regular use (claimed) | Up to 12 weeks reading, 3 weeks writing (claimed) | 3,700 mAh |
| Weight | 525 g | 400 g | 430 g |
| Thickness | 5.1 mm | 5.4 mm | 5.8 mm |
| Check price | Check price Review | Check price Review |
FAQ
- Is the pen included?
- Yes. This Amazon bundle includes the Marker Plus, which has an eraser on the end.
- Do I need a subscription?
- No, but Connect adds unlimited cloud storage, handwriting search and app syncing. New devices get a 50-day free trial.
- How long does the battery last?
- reMarkable says up to 14 days of regular use. eWritable measured about 2.6 days of typical use. Expect to charge it every few days if you use it a lot.
- Can I read Kindle books on it?
- No. It reads PDFs and EPUBs you add, but there's no Kindle app.
Bottom line
If writing by hand is your thing and you want nothing else getting in the way, this is the one. If you also read Kindle books or want apps, the Kindle Scribe or BOOX make more sense.