reMarkable Paper Pro: The perfect productivity partner

reMarkable Paper Pro is here, bringing the high end to low-fuss technology. Many people miss the feeling certain devices give, like the crackle of vinyl or the ding of a typewriter, and the reMarkable Paper Pro taps into this too. Unlike an iPad or Surface, it employs an e-ink display and pen so that you can write digitally while retaining the sensation of writing on paper.

It combines this with the convenience of connectivity. Though you may not be able to browse Facebook or play Candy Crush, you can take notes, annotate documents and organise files. There isn’t a more luxurious digital writing experience than this. Plus, it’s all in colour.

This is the biggest step forward in the Paper Pro (even with the whopping 11.8-inch display, the front light and the slim construction). By sacrificing frame rate, reMarkable have been able to get much richer colour displayed on the screen than other e-ink displays we’ve seen. Capable of rendering over 20,000 colours, this is a huge jump in e-ink display technology, particularly in an e-reader of this size.

Compared to reMarkable’s last outing, the reMarkable 2, many things have changed. Though it may have a little more depth than the last iteration (only an additional 4mm) it remains light and barely as thick as the USB-C port you use to charge it. With that, you get over an inch of extra colour display, a front light on the screen, a bigger battery, lower latency and over 8 times the storage. When they say Pro, they mean it.

The reMarkable Paper Pro saves many sheets of paper from being wasted, and its consideration of the environment doesn’t stop there. The tablet is made with repairability in mind, which will mean less e-waste, and ultimately better value for money for the end user. By using sustainably sourced components, publishing emissions data for each product, and generating less than half the CO2 emissions of a 13-inch iPad, reMarkable's commitment to the environment is clear.

With this premium technology comes a premium price tag. However, from what we’ve seen at What’s the Best, we feel this remains a remarkable e-reader choice.

What else can I use with the reMarkable Paper Pro?

Alongside the launch of the Paper Pro, reMarkable have also released a brand-new range of folios, as well as a Marker and Marker Plus.

The redesigned Marker Plus has a built-in eraser function and can be stored on the e-reader by just placing it on the side of the device. It is a little heavier than the previous version, but just like the Marker it doesn't need to be charged.

The folios are impressively thin and stylish, but also serve to protect the device. They come is a range of colours (all could easily pass for the front of an A4 notebook) and if you want to add more functionality to your reMarkable Paper Pro, the Type Folio offers a slim, battery-free keyboard option to make it function more like a laptop.

What is an e-ink display?

You’ll have heard 'e-ink' mentioned a lot so far, but what exactly is it?

It’s a case of chemistry mixing with electronics, which is what makes it so interesting. It’s different from your phone or computer screen, which uses bright RGB lights to show images. Instead, e-ink mimics the appearance of real ink on paper, using tiny capsules, each about as wide as a human hair. These capsules are filled with even tinier particles that are black and white. If you wanted to see a black letter on your display, the screen sends an electric charge to the capsules, making the black particles rise to the surface, while the white ones stay hidden. The black particles then form the words or images you see. If the screen needs to show white, it just brings the white particles to the top instead. This is one of the reasons the battery on e-ink devices lasts so long, because it does not require power to maintain the picture.

To achieve the colour, reMarkable have provided their own take on the Gallery 3 e-ink display: Canvas Color. It works the same as standard e-ink displays, but has 4 particles instead of just black and white. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and white are included, and so this allows a full CMYK colour gamut to display on the screen.

What is the difference between a front light and a backlight?

Back lighting is the way screens are traditionally lit. Smartphone screens are lit like this, for example. However, the front light system has been in use with e-ink devices for a while now and has proven to be the best method to illuminate these screens.

For e-ink displays a backlight is impractical. Instead, by projecting the light from the front of the screen, it illuminates the display and allows it to be used day or night. It acts much like a reading light and is a welcome addition in the new reMarkable Paper Pro.

What are the benefits of the reMarkable Paper Pro to other tablets?

In one sense, the reMarkable Paper Pro fits into a category of “dumb” technology, and that’s why it’s so appealing.

The concept of “dumb” technology typically means that a device is only capable of a few functions. In fact, this is far from dumb. Many people have been ditching their smartphones for older flip phones in a bid to reduce screen time, focus on productivity and to allow themselves a social media detox. The rising popularity of dumb devices shows it isn’t just a passing trend, but rather a sign of a healthier way of living with technology.

It’s part of reMarkable’s mission to give you the technology you require, but without distractions. The reMarkable Paper Pro is meant to allow you to focus on what you really need to, without feeling the pull of a quick scroll on social media. As well as providing a mental break it’s also beneficial in that the Canvas Colour display emits no blue light, and only minimal when the front is turned on. This could mean less eye fatigue and headaches when working. If you’re someone who works behind a screen every day, that can be invaluable.

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Olivia Sheed is a Tech Writer and Reviewer at What's The Best. Here she writes reviews, how-to guides and articles across all things technology.

Her interests align with "anything nerdy ". Olivia is an avid fan of TTRPGs, board games, miniature painting, and video games. Outside of that, she loves to discuss horror films, campy classics such as those from Hammer Film Productions in the 70s are her favourite for a comfy watch. An avid hiker, she visits the Lake District often, for both walking and wild swimming.

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