Re Markable Paper Pure Tablet Review: Back to Basics | WIRED

Overview

If you're looking for a digital notebook, there's a changing of the guard underway. Re Markable is the most popular digital notebook maker, and its flagship tablet—the Re Markable 2—has been around for six years, launched in 2020. But, as of today, a new tablet will now take its place in Re Markable’s lineup: the Re Markable Paper Pure ($399). The Paper Pure is available to order starting today but will begin shipping in early June.

The naming convention changed from the simple numbers Re Markable used for its earlier models to one that matches Re Markable's more recent digital notebooks, the Re Markable Paper Pro and the Re Markable Paper Pro Move, from 2024 and 2025, respectively. The Re Markable Paper Pure is also named this way because the company intends it to be purely for writing notes. That means there are no extras: no built-in front light, no color, and no accessories beyond a protective folio you can add on.

Details

Overall, it's a good digital notebook and a solid replacement for the older Re Markable 2. But I'm sad to see that it doesn't have the same set of accessories, namely no keyboard folio, limiting some of the use cases that the previous model had.

Seeing the Re Markable Paper Pure side by side with the Re Markable 2, they look more different than they actually are. They both have the same 10.3-inch screen, but the Re Markable Paper Pure looks more compact, since it has a shorter bezel on the bottom. That shorter size helps make it a hair lighter than the 2; the Re Markable Paper Pure weighs 0.79 pounds, while the Re Markable 2 weighs 0.89 pounds. It's a fraction of a difference, but one I could feel when holding them up. The Paper Pure uses a recycled aluminum frame to achieve this lighter feel.

I like that the Re Markable Paper Pure kept the thicker side bezel, which the pricier Paper Pro and Paper Pro Move don't have. It's a perfect resting spot for my thumb to grab it and start writing, and it responds to rotations, so you can use it comfortably whether you're right- or left-handed (the stylus will only attach to the long side without the thicker bezel, though, which is a little inconvenient for lefties). It has a fast response time and a smooth writing experience that, like Re Markable models before it, feels incredibly paperlike with a touch of texture and resistance without making it feel slow or gritty to write on. Re Markable says that the writing experience from the Paper Pro was brought over to the device, and the two did feel similar to write on. Besides the pen-to-tablet experience, though, using these two devices feels very different with the weight and size differences, especially when you're holding the device up to write on.

I don't mind that the Re Markable Paper Pure skipped out on a color screen, especially since Re Markable has two other devices that offer one. I am disappointed that it doesn't have a front light, but in the daylight, the Paper Pure's screen actually looks brighter since it's designed to be brighter and whiter than before to look more like a piece of paper. Re Markable says it's the best white on the market, and compared to its own lineup it's a clear improvement. Still, the lack of front light may be a bummer if you're likely to use this in a darkened classroom or similar type of setting.

A big pro for the Paper Pure over Re Markable's color-screen models, and even the older Re Markable 2, is the battery life. These devices usually had about two weeks of battery life, but Re Markable says that the Paper Pure will have three weeks. It's still not as much battery life as you'd get on the Kindle Scribe, but it's a nice improvement.

There are some new Re Markable software features coming out in tandem with the Paper Pure. It's not only coming to that device, since Re Markable's devices are on a single platform, so any Re Markable device you have or get should include these features. There are two main new features: a calendar integration, and convert and share.

Convert and share is also a handy tool to give anyone access to the notes you take. You'll click on the option from the upper right-hand corner menu, and it'll immediately summarize your notes into a typed summary on a shareable link through Re Markable's web application. Anyone can view these links, even without a Re Markable account. It'll also include the original note content side by side if your colleagues want to read through your original notes as well as the summary.

Screen sharing is now available in the Re Markable web app, but it requires a few steps. You'd need to screen-share to the web app, then share your screen on your computer of said web application with your colleagues over a platform like Zoom. It invokes a feeling of a whiteboard brainstorm session.

The Re Markable Paper Pure overall works pretty similarly to the Re Markable 2, and I'd usually say it's an easy upgrade. But there is one clear loss: accessories.

The Re Markable 2 and Paper Pro both have similar accessories, including a protective book folio and a keyboard folio, but the Paper Pure will only have a protective folio. There's no magnet attachment for the folio. It instead has to slide out of the folio rather than fold open. I really like the look and feel of Paper Pure's folio, with a couple of colorful options that feel like a burst of personality but are not too distracting to bring to a work meeting.

Still, the loss of the keyboard folio limits its abilities. It can't transform into a makeshift e-paper laptop without it, and if I were a student or in meetings that required a lot of notes, I'd prefer to be able to switch to a keyboard attachment. A keyboard could come down the line, since Re Markable didn't say there will never be one, but I wouldn't be surprised if we never see such attachments, since they're offered for the pricier Re Markable Paper Pro instead. It creates a better separation between the offerings of the two halves of Re Markable's product line, but it forces you to spend a lot more if you want more capabilities.

Key Takeaways

If you're looking for a digital notebook, there's a changing of the guard underway
The naming convention changed from the simple numbers Re Markable used for its earlier models to one that matches Re Markable's more recent digital notebooks, the Re Markable Paper Pro and the Re Markable Paper Pro Move, from 2024 and 2025, respectively
Overall, it's a good digital notebook and a solid replacement for the older Re Markable 2
Seeing the Re Markable Paper Pure side by side with the Re Markable 2, they look more different than they actually are
I like that the Re Markable Paper Pure kept the thicker side bezel, which the pricier Paper Pro and Paper Pro Move don't have