Let’s be real: most writing tools are overrated. They’re overpriced, buggy, and most of all, they’re usually marketed as a way to somehow magically “fix” your writing. The truth is nothing can take the place of learning how to write well, not even the fanciest writing gadget in the world. But find the right tool, combine it with your practised skill and accumulated knowledge, and your whole writing process might change for the better. 

The reMarkable is one of those writing tools that seems too good to be true. Actually, when I first heard about e-ink tablets, I honestly couldn’t believe that they were real. All my life I’d been waiting for tech like this to come around. As someone who has always enjoyed handwriting but hated all the time wasted in typing up handwritten pages, it was like a miracle. I dove into research to find the perfect tablet for me, and in the end, the reMarkable 2 won. I was so taken with it from the start that I wrote a glowing review after owning it for three months. 

But it’s been a year since that post and it’s time to set the record straight now that the “new shiny toy” feeling has worn off. 

The reMarkable’s Best Features 

It’s the thinnest tablet in the world. That means it’s super light and easy to carry anywhere. 

The screen. Firstly, it isn’t backlit, which allows you to have a screen break while you’re writing. Secondly, it’s textured, providing a pretty accurate “writing on paper” experience.

Distraction-free. This is the biggest marketing phrase that the reMarkable team uses, and for good reason. With no apps or notifications and the whole screen filled from corner to corner with only the page you’re writing on, it truly does provide a more focused experience. 

Handwriting to text. This is the whole reason I chose the reMarkable as my e-ink tablet. The feature skips a very lengthy part of the writing process for us “handwriters” with about 95-99 per cent accuracy (even with my sloppy handwriting!) and a wait time of one or two minutes. 

It’s an e-reader, too. You can easily send PDFs to your reMarkable to read and/or markup. 

Work between devices. With a Connect subscription ($2.99/month), all the work on your reMarkable will be uploaded to a cloud so you can pick up where you left off on the reMarkable app for your phone, computer, or even a tablet. 

The type folio. While an add-on to the reMarkable tablet and pretty darn pricey, the type folio is a saving grace if you 1) type on the go and/or 2) get headaches from typing in front of a screen too long. You might baulk at the type folio’s price, but when you see it in person, it really is impressive. 

A responsive support team. Again, not part of the tablet itself, but I do enjoy knowing that my feedback is always heard by the support team. Not only are they quick to respond, but they really do create software updates based on feedback from users. Once, I gave feedback about an old feature I wanted back. Guess what was in the next update? That very feature, restored! I’m sure I wasn’t the only user who brought it up, but it’s comforting to know that you’re heard. 

The reMarkable’s Worst Features

Formatting. Sadly, this is one part of the reMarkable that used to be better than it is now. With new updates made to accommodate typing features and such, formatting in handwriting-to-text recognition was thrown out the window somewhere along the way. It no longer recognises separate paragraphs and instead creates one big block of text—except when it singles out a random word as a heading, for some reason. 

Update bugs. Updates have been pretty frequent on the reMarkable in recent months, though they’ve slowed down a bit since the type folio came out. With some of the updates come bugs that I have to bring to the support team, including one awful bug that froze the tablet and made you lose tons of work (fortunately, they dealt with that one right away!). 

No off-brand accessories. reMarkable is one brand you can definitely call “exclusive.” Because the reMarkable is such a unique tablet and the company is very keen to keep it that way, you can only buy accessories like markers and keyboards from the company itself—and they charge quite a lot. Pretty much the only thing you can purchase outside the reMarkable site is a case.

Who Is the reMarkable For?

First and foremost, writers! There’s no point in getting one of these if you don’t do a lot of writing, but that doesn’t mean this tablet is for all writers. Here are some signs your writing process may benefit from having a reMarkable: 

• You like to handwrite
• You want more efficiency when converting handwriting to text
• You take notes/write on the go often
• You’re running out of room for/spending too much money on notebooks
• You want more screen breaks

Bottom Line: Is It Worth It?

So, I might have exaggerated a bit earlier. The “new shiny toy” feeling still hasn’t worn off for me when it comes to the reMarkable, and I don’t think it ever will. It’s absolutely the best writing tool I’ve ever invested in. I use it every day, and my content comes out better when I have the luxury of handwriting it first, which I couldn’t do before because of the time-consuming handwriting-to-text typing process. It saves me time, enhances the quality of my writing, and provides a distraction-free space for me to work. 

And by the way, I’m not paid to say any of this; I really like it that much!

Tips from a Current reMarkable User

If this all sounds pretty good to you, let me give you some pro tips from someone who’s been using the reMarkable for a year now (that’s me, by the way, in case you skipped here from the top). 

• Make sure you save up enough—the accessories are all add-ons and not included in the advertised price of the tablet
• The basic marker works fine; the upgrade is more for aesthetics (though I can’t blame you if you want it!)
• The marker nibs last forever, so don’t worry about running out anytime soon
• The reMarkable-sold cases are more for decoration than protection
• Strongly consider buying a case from somewhere else, even if you get the type folio. I still use this case when I’m transporting my reMarkable and don’t need the type folio
• The type folio is fantastic and has one of the best keyboards I’ve ever used
• Get the Connect subscription. It’s worth it.
• The file organisation system is a bit confusing at first and really up to personal taste, but I like to create a new notebook for every new post or story I write
• If you have issues, suggestions, or questions, contact the support team!

What’s the best writing tool you’ve ever purchased? Let me know in the comments!

Happy writing!
—E.J.

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Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash