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The reMarkable 2 e-ink tablet is an impressive piece of tech that managed to significantly slim down the original version of the doodler’s notepad replacement. Rather than acting like a big smartphone, the way most tablets do, reMarkable’s focus has been on creating a distraction-free work tablet that replaces messy legal pads in your workflow by creating an organizable document-oriented tablet that allows you to “replace your notes and printed documents with a digital notebook that feels like paper.”
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There are a lot of things that consumers enjoy about this tablet. The 10.3″ e-ink screen is much easier on the eyes than a backlit LED screen, its ability to convert type to text allows for easy transference from handwritten notes to digital documents, and the organizational and synchronization features make it easy to keep track of all your work across all of your connected devices.
But as impressive as the reMarkable 2 is, it’s far from the only tablet of its kind. There are several alternatives out there that you might want to look at before committing to a purchase. One of the best ways to find them is to take a look at similarly specced models, compare their features, and see what professional reviewers have to say about them. Here are a few of the other options that are currently available.
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Kindle Scribe
Kindle is easily one of the most popular e-reader brands on the market. The brand was part of the first generation to use e-ink for reading tablets and having the backing of its parent company, Amazon, has given its developers resources that other manufacturers can’t hope to match -– such as access to Amazon’s extensive library of digital media. That said, most of the Kindle models have primarily stuck to their role as e-readers, leaving Amazon’s Fire tablets as an alternative for those who were looking for a larger scope of utility.
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The Kindle Scribe is different though. In addition to being an e-reader, this tablet also serves many of the same digital notebook functions that you would find on the reMarkable tablets. You can write directly in the books you’re reading, take notes, create to-do lists, and convert handwritten notes to text. The newest models also come with AI integration that allows them to summarize text with generative technology.
The Scribe is backlit and has a 10.2″ glare-free display–the largest that Kindle makes. It comes in three storage capacities: 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB. You can get it in Tungsten or Metallic Jade and all models include Amazon’s Premium Pen. The Scribe is a bit more expensive than the reMarkable 2 and it might not have all of the features that some dedicated notebook tablets do. “The big perk here, though, is that Kindles are super reliable and have one of the largest ebook libraries,” said Medea Giordano of Wired in her review. “That makes it one of the better propositions out there”
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Onyx Boox Go 10.3
Onyx Boox is another brand that makes several Android-based electronic readers. The company has a wide range of products, from the smaller and more affordable Go 6 all the way to the $799.99 premium Tab X. It even makes a couple of e-ink monitors that can be used with all kinds of Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS powered devices. But the Go 10.3 is the model that is closest to the reMarkable 2.
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The Go 10.3 is the same size and price as the reMarkable 2 and offers many comparable features, such as the ability to take handwritten notes while also functioning as an e-reader. According to the company’s description, “The model is equipped with a high-resolution E Ink Carta Plus (Carta 1200) screen with two sensor layers: a capacitive layer for finger touch and an inductive layer for working with a pen.” This inductive layer was actually developed by Wacom, which is one of the most well-regarded drawing tablet brands on the market.
The tablet itself is powered by an 8-core processor, has 4 GB of RAM, and comes standard with 64 GB of storage, speakers, and a microphone. It also supports dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. Stephen Radochia of Android Police praised the tablet’s functional minimalism in his review. “If you can use the extra functionality and versatility, the Boox Go 10.3 is a wonderfully designed notetaking and productivity machine, with everything you need and nothing you don’t.”
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Sony DPT-CP1
Sony is one of the biggest names in the world of electronics, but it often gets overlooked in the tablet community even though the company has manufactured several impressive e-readers and e-ink tablets in its time. The Sony “Digital Paper” DPT-CP1 is one such tablet. This is a 10.3″ version of the larger and more expensive 13.3″ Sony DPT-RP1, making it the first digital paper tablet from Sony that non-professional consumers might want to use.
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Rather than pushing features and connectivity, it seems that Sony’s biggest focus with this device was recreating both the visual and tactile feel of using actual paper. “To recreate the basic paper interface, we opted for a display that would render letter-size documents in just about full size,” Sony states. But the texture of the surface is the real secret. The DPT-CP1 has a slim profile and a unique non-slip panel with a modified surface texture that’s designed to make writing on the tablet to feel exactly like writing on paper.
The DPT-CP1 is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz. It includes 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. So it isn’t the highest-spec option on the market, but its interface certainly makes it an option worth considering. “The Sony Digital Paper is a tool that makes working with “paper” more effective, without compromising the experience that makes it preferable to using a PC or tablet,” said Brad Moon of Forbes in his review. He commented that the feel and utility of the tablet were fantastic, but the $599.99 starting price could be a hard pill to swallow.
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Kobo Elipsa 2E
Another option is the Kobo Elipsa 2E. Kobo is a Canadian company that is owned by Rakuten and is one of the more popular e-book manufacturers alongside other big names such as the Amazon-owned Kindle and the Barnes & Noble-owned Nook. Like its competitors, it also has a massive catalog of e-books and audiobooks in its online storefront that is accessible directly from the company’s tablets or through any smart device that features the app.
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The Elipsa 2E is similar to the reMarkable 2 in that it’s a tablet with a 10.3″ touchscreen and an included stylus. It allows you to write on epub and PDF files as well as write in and organize note apps. You can also make edits with a laso tool and convert handwriting to text. The screen has a ComfortLight Pro backlight which reduces blue light to help mitigate eye strain and fatigue while also allowing you to adjust both brightness and temperature. Kobo also has integrated cloud services that work across connected devices.
The tablet is powered by a 2 GHz CPU, comes with 32 GB of storage, and supports 15 different file formats. Giordano reviewed this tablet for Wired as well. “If you’re looking for a simple ebook reader, the Elipsa 2E isn’t the model to buy,” she said, noting the price. “However, if you want to be able to take notes on an E Ink screen, like a notebook minus the physical paper, then I think this Kobo is a fine alternative to Amazon’s Kindle Scribe. It’s particularly great if you really want to be able to write on any ebook.”
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Fujitsu Quaderno A5
You might also be interested in checking out the Fujitsu Quaderno A5. Unlike most of the other brands on this list, Fujitsu Quaderno only has a couple of tablets in its inventory. The A4 and A5 are both 2nd generation e-ink tablets, with the smaller 10.3″ A5 being the more affordable option and the one most similar to the reMarkable 2.
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The company describes it as a “digital note-taking device that excels at viewing and editing PDF files, taking notes, freehand drawing and keeping track of all of your schedules and meetings. It has a new E INK screen technology that increased page turn speed and contrast.” One of the more unique features that this device offers is the ability to use it in split-screen mode which allows you to view multiple projects at the same time, or use a side-by-side mode to view two pages from the same document like you would with a paper book.
In terms of specs, the A5 has a Cortex A53 Quad-core 1.8 GHz processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of internal storage. Like the others, it can be controlled by touch or with the included stylus, but its secondary use as a drawing tablet seems to set it apart. “Drawing on a plastic screen feels more natural than a glass-based one,” said Michael Kozlowski when he reviewed the tablet for Good E-Reader. “The stylus has some heft, which makes it easier to draw. Drawing has enough options and settings to keep you busy for years.”
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Haoqing MeeBook P78 Pro
Most of the tablets we’ve covered in this list have been relatively close to the reMarkable 2 in terms of both size and price, but those who are looking for a smaller and cheaper option might want to consider the 7.8″ Meebook P78 Pro. This tablet is made by the Chinese company Haoqing and has many of the same notebook features that you would find on the reMarkable 2, such as handwriting, highlighting, drawing, and serving as an e-reader, but it is a couple of inches smaller and can currently be found on Amazon for $259.00.
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The P78 Pro has an e-ink Carta Screen and an adjustable smart light. It runs on Android 11 OS with a quad-core Cortex A55 CPU, 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of integrated storage (with an SD slot to expand storage further.) It also has access to the Google Play store which can be used to download apps Like Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Boox.
Kozlowski reviewed this tablet for Good E-Reader as well. He found that the tablet made for a decent budget option, while not exactly blowing its competition out of the water in terms of its overall performance. “The Meebook P78 Pro provides a ton of value,” he said. “It doesn’t excel at any one thing, but does a bunch of things in a satisfactory way. Reading comics, books and manga is fluid and responsive. Writing on PDF files is passable, but not excellent.” So this might make a good alternative for someone who is looking for a functional and affordable jack-of-all-trades tablet.
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Our methodology
I’ve been a professional tech reviewer for five years and I’ve been using e-ink tablets for over a decade. In making this list, I started by making a list of the biggest brands that make e-ink tablets that can be used as digital notebooks with a stylus. From there, I narrowed the list down to those that had a similar screen size and similar functions to the reMarkable 2. I also specifically searched for tablets that had functionalities that would make them stand out as worthy alternatives to the reMarkable 2 for those who had specific needs that the tablet might not address.
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Once I had the six e-ink tablets that I believed were the most similar to the reMarkable 2, I looked at their specifications, feature sets, and prices in order to see how they stack up. I then searched for professional reviews of these products online so that I could verify how well they work in real-world conditions.