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

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fantastic has carved a niche for itself with its premium digital paper tablets, distraction-free ethos and dedicated following. Tools like Paper Pro offer a great experience but they cost more: up to $800 when bundled with accessories.

Sensing a change in the air, the brand has just (wisely) announced a new, accessible product in its lineup: Remarkable Paper Pure – A simplified tablet that clones the brand’s luxury digital paper display technology but removes some of the higher-end features to keep the price down to $399.

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

At that price, you get the tablet and Marker Basic (ReMarkable’s entry-level stylus). For $449, you’ll get the tablet, Marker Plus, and Folio carrying case — a step up in hardware and features for about $50 more. Either way, you’re looking at a premium digital paper tablet at 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 inches on the Paper Move). It removes the black and white e ink display and removes the backlight. The result is a digital paper tablet that looks a lot like the Amazon Kindle Scribe or the Boox Note Max (but is cheaper than both).

The physical design similarities here are no coincidence. Where Remarkable’s other tablet variants are unique, the Paper Pure speaks a more generalist language that is instantly recognizable to a broader consumer base.

Also: A worthy successor to my favorite E Ink tablet – with upgrades in creative ways

However, despite this new physical approach, the Paper Pure is still a remarkable product, with its focus on distraction-free work, notifications-free views, and a streamlined set of features. Most importantly, it 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 the exact thing.

all about the experience

Like other ReMarkable tablets, the Paper Pure is a note-taking, idea-sketching, writer’s dream come true. All the other features come second to 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 white, smooth glass screen instead of the rough-textured beige on the Paper Pro. Black e ink is rich and deep black with silky-smooth lines and zero pixelation. Even when your handwriting is zoomed to maximum, smooth lines and sharp edges are visible.

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

Also: I tested the Kindle Scribe 2 for months and it beats my Remarkable in many ways

The grabable margin on the left makes it easy to hold, and the pen sticks firmly to the right with strong magnets that automatically charge it when connected. On the back, the gray textured plastic doesn’t feel cheap, but it’s definitely different from the Pro.

a peaceful 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 distance between the tablet and the outside world. However, it’s very limited, and doesn’t have the app selection of the Google Play Store or Kindle’s vast ebook library. Yes. And it’s fresh.

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

You certainly don’t need 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 one-tap shares across connected accounts – a must-have for anyone using those platforms.

However, one of the best new features isn’t tied to a subscription. You can now screen-share your Remarkable to any computer by opening a browser window – providing a universal, no-fuss way to present whatever’s on the tablet and sketch or draw in real time. It’s impressive how smoothly it works after just a few taps.

Also: This Kindle has almost replaced my Remarkable tablet on display alone – 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 mentioned, along with the option to generate a unique URL that navigates to Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or Sketch. You can also set permissions for the URL, or delete it after sharing.

trading off

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

It is powered by a 1.7 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A55 processor, while the Pro has a 1.8 GHz quad-core Cortex-A53. Additionally, the Pure comes with 32GB of local storage, whereas it is 64GB on the Move and Pro. All three models have 2GB of RAM, but the Pure uses LPDDR3, which means a lower data transfer rate.

Writing on Pure is nearly flawless, but there is some lag, especially when writing fast. But this isn’t problematic and, at no point during my testing, did it detract from the experience. Similarly, the physical appearance of the tablet is much less important than that of the Paper Pro or Move. It is thin and light, and its body has some flexibility. On some surfaces, the tablet doesn’t lie perfectly flat, with a millimeter or two of wobble.

Apart from the hardware, the biggest trade-off is meeting user expectations. The instantly recognizable physical form of Paper Pure means it will be appreciated by a wide range 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 it has no browser or app store.

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

You can of course import e-book files in ePUB format through the mobile or desktop app or on the website through your Connect account. It’s not hard, but it is manual. Paper Pure is more geared towards work, with integration of your own accounts and a robust library of templates and forms. In that sense, it is designed to bring you to do, Do not consume.

ZDNET’s shopping advice

Remarkable Paper Pure Provides a 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 experience of writing with the pen to “paper” remains top notch. The tablet’s slightly more modest hardware becomes apparent at times, and despite its lightweight form factor, 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 people, and that’s understandable. But in the digital paper tablet market, it is competitive. Consider Amazon kindle scribeThat also starts at $399, but has 16GB of local storage and is paired with Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription for $12 per month.

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