I tested ReMarkable’s ‘cheap’ Paper Pure tablet, and it hardly feels like a downgrade

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ReMarkable has carved out a niche for itself with its premium digital paper tablets, a distraction-free ethos, and a devoted following. Devices like the Paper Pro offer a polished experience but command a high price: as much as $800 when bundled with accessories. 

Sensing a shift in the wind, the brand has just (wisely) announced a new, accessible product to its lineup: the ReMarkable Paper Pure — a simplified tablet that clones the brand’s luxe digital paper display technology but strips away some of the high-end features to keep the price down to an accessible $399. 

Also: I tested the ReMarkable Paper Pro, and can’t go back to ‘real’ paper

For that price, you get the tablet and the Marker Basic (ReMarkable’s entry-level stylus). For $449, you get the tablet, Marker Plus, and the folio carrying case — a step up in hardware and features for around $50 more. Either way, you’re looking at a premium digital paper tablet for a competitive price.

The ReMarkable Paper Pure measures 7.4 x 8.9 inches and weighs 0.79 pounds, with a 10.3-inch display (compared to 11.8 inches on the Paper Pro and 7.3 on the Paper Move). It ditches the color E ink display for black and white and does away with backlight. The result is a digital paper tablet that looks a lot like an Amazon Kindle Scribe or a Boox Note Max (but cheaper than both).  

The physical design similarities here are no coincidence. Where ReMarkable’s other tablets have unique forms, the Paper Pure speaks a more generalist language that’s instantly recognizable to a broader consumer base. 

Also: My favorite E Ink tablet has a worthy successor – with upgrades in creative ways

Despite this new physical approach, however, the Paper Pure is still very much a Remarkable product with a focus on distraction-free work, ideation untethered from notifications, and a streamlined set of features. Most crucially, this means being locked into ReMarkable’s ecosystem, with no access to Google’s Play Store or third-party apps. However, if you’re a fan, you’ll know that’s precisely the point. 

All about the experience 

Like the other ReMarkable tablets, the Paper Pure is a note-taking, idea-sketching, writer’s dream come true. All other features come second to the Paper Pure’s focus on putting pen to “paper”, and its smooth, natural writing experience is still one of the best you can get. 

The black-and-white display on the Paper Pure is high-contrast, with a whiter, smoother glass screen rather than the rough-textured beige on the Paper Pro. The black E ink is rich and deep black, with silky-smooth lines and zero pixelation. Even zooming into your handwriting to the max reveals smooth lines and crisp edges. 

For sketching, taking notes, and organizing content, the Paper Pure offers a simplified — but no less enjoyable experience. The display is certainly on par with the Paper Pro and may even be preferred by some users for its higher contrast. No backlight obviously means you won’t be able to use this device in the dark, but on the flip side, it looks great in bright light. 

Also: I tested the Kindle Scribe 2 for months, and it beat my ReMarkable in several ways

The grippable margin on the left side makes it easy to hold, and the pen firmly snaps to the right side with strong magnets that automatically charge it when connected. On the back, the gray textured plastic doesn’t feel cheap per se, but it’s certainly a departure from the Pro. 

A quieter ecosystem

ReMarkable’s ecosystem is limited to its own UI and no third-party apps. I’m a big fan of its intuitive browser-based portal that bridges the gap between the tablet and the outside world. It’s very limited, however, and doesn’t have the app selection of the Google Play Store or the vast EBook library of the Kindle. Yeah. And it’s refreshing. 

There is an optional Connect subscription, which, all things considered, is affordable. It costs $3.99 a month or $39 a year, opening up a handful of smart integrations and unlimited cloud storage. 

You certainly don’t have to subscribe, as the device’s core functionalities aren’t locked behind a paywall, but the integrations are convenient. For example, the Send to Slack and Send to Miro features allow for one-tap shares to connected accounts — a must for anyone using those platforms. 

One of the best new features, however, is not tied to the subscription. You can now screen-share your ReMarkable to any computer by simply opening a browser window — allowing for a universal, no-fuss way to present what’s on the tablet and sketch or draw in real time. It’s impressive how seamless this works after just a few taps. 

Also: This Kindle nearly replaced my Remarkable tablet with just the display itself – but there’s more

Similarly, you can share sketches or notes from your ReMarkable with others in multiple formats. You’ve got the integrations I just mentioned, alongside Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or the option to simply generate a unique URL that navigates to the sketch. You can even set permissions to the URL, or delete it when you’re done sharing. 

The trade-offs

ReMarkable succeeded in porting the best features of its premium tablets to a more accessible device, but after spending more time with the Pure, its modest hardware became apparent in certain situations. 

It’s powered by a 1.7 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A55 processor, compared to the 1.8 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53 in the Pro. Additionally, the Pure comes with 32GB of local storage, compared to 64GB on the Move and Pro. All three models have 2GB of RAM, but the Pure uses LPDDR3, which means lower data transfer rates. 

Writing on the Pure is nearly flawless, but there is some lag, especially when writing quickly. But it’s not problematic and, at no point during my testing, detracted from the experience. Similarly, the tablet’s physical form is much less substantial than the Paper Pro or the Move. It’s thinner and lighter, and it has some flex in its body. On certain surfaces, the tablet does not lie entirely flat, with a millimeter or two of wobble.

Besides the hardware, the biggest trade-offs address user expectations. The Paper Pure’s instantly recognizable physical form means that it will be considered by a wider array of consumers, not just niche enthusiasts. Many of those consumers will need to understand that this device is not an e-reader with a one-tap library of thousands of titles at your disposal, and there is no browser or app store. 

Also: I found an E Ink tablet worthy of replacing my Remarkable, and it’s on sale

You certainly can import e-book files in EPUB format via the mobile or desktop app, or on the website through your Connect account. It’s not difficult, but it is manual. The Paper Pure is much more geared toward work, with integrations to your own accounts and a robust library of templates and forms. In that sense, it’s designed to get you to do, not consume. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

The ReMarkable Paper Pure delivers the premium digital paper experience at a more affordable price. The black and white display is hardly a downgrade, even if there’s no backlight, and the pen to “paper” writing experience remains top-tier. The tablet’s slightly more modest hardware occasionally becomes evident, and despite its lightweight form, it doesn’t feel flimsy. 

Also: Kindle Scribe vs. ReMarkable Paper Pro: I’ve used both E Ink tablets, and this one wins

The price will still be considered high for some, and that’s understandable. But in the digital paper tablet market, it’s competitive. Consider Amazon’s Kindle Scribe, which also starts at $399, but has 16GB of local storage and pairs with Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription for $12 a month. 

The ReMarkable Paper Pure is available to order now, with devices shipping in early June.