Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ReMarkable just announced its new digital paper tablet for note-taking and sketching, called the Paper Pure. It comes to market at the same $399 starting price as one of its biggest competitors, Amazon’s Kindle Scribe. If you’ve had your eye on either tablet and are confused about which one is better, I don’t blame you.
The Kindle Scribe from 2024 is not the newest model — but it’s the version I recommend and one of Amazon’s top-rated tablets for its price point and functionality. It’s also the same starting price of $399 as the Paper Pure, and the closest in features.
Also: I’ve tested several ReMarkable tablets, but its new cheap E Ink tablet had me fooled
In fact, there’s evidence to suggest these two devices’ designs are influenced by one another. After the success of ReMarkable’s Paper Pro, Amazon took a page from ReMarkable’s pro-minded features that emphasize distraction-free work. In turn, the Paper Pure seems to have taken a few design cues from Amazon: the left-aligned grip, the crisp, white display, and a more accessible price.
Both tablets have crisp, black-and-white displays, robust capabilities for sharing documents quickly and easily, and, most importantly, excellent pen-to-“paper” writing experiences. But despite all this, they’re very different devices. Let’s break down what each one excels at and where they fall short.
Specifications
|
Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) |
ReMarkable Paper Pure |
|
|
Display |
10.2-inch Paperwhite display, 300 ppi, with backlight |
10.3-inch Canvas display, 226 ppi, no backlight |
|
Weight |
0.95 pounds |
0.79 pounds |
|
Processor |
1 GHz dual-core MediaTek MT8113 |
1.7 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A55 |
| Storage/Memory | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB / 1GB | 32GB / 2GB |
| Battery | Up to 12 weeks for reading, 3 weeks for writing (3,000 mAh) | Up to 3 weeks (3,820 mAh) |
| Subscription | Kindle Unlimited: $11.99/month (optional) or select eBooks through Amazon Prime | ReMarkable Connect: $3.99/month (optional) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Price | Starting at $399 | Starting at $399 |
You should buy the Kindle Scribe if…
1. You want all the e-books
This is the biggest reason. If you’re looking for something to read e-books on, the Kindle Scribe is the way to go. The Kindle practically invented the e-book device genre, and Amazon’s library of digital content is second to none. If you want to annotate and take notes on the books you’re reading, the Scribe has a great feature called Active Canvas that lets you organize your handwritten notes onto text documents in a variety of ways.
Also: I tested the Kindle Scribe 2 for months, and it beat my ReMarkable in several ways
The Scribe also has more configurations, going up to 64GB of local storage (double that of the ReMarkable Paper Pure), which is more than enough space for a lifetime of reads.
Note that you certainly can read eBooks on your ReMarkable Paper Pure; you just don’t have the convenience of Amazon’s library at your fingertips, and will have to drop the EPUB files onto the device manually.
2. You need a backlight
Whether you like to read on the porch at night or have trouble seeing a dim screen, the Kindle Scribe automatically adjusts to ambient lighting, whereas ReMarkable’s Paper Pure forgoes any backlighting on the display and can be hard to see in dim lighting. Conversely, the Kindle Scribe gets bright — up to 110 nits, one of the brightest digital paper tablets I’ve tested.
You should buy the ReMarkable Paper Pure if…
1. You primarily want to write and sketch
The writing experience on both of these tablets is good, but the Paper Pure has a richer toolbox of brushes, colors (shades of gray on the device, but they show up when you share to the web), and a huge library of “Methods” (templates and e-books you can fill in). We’re talking journals, lists, creativity exercises, and practical templates like grid layouts.
Also: Kindle Scribe vs. ReMarkable Paper Pro: I’ve used both E Ink tablets, and this one wins
The writing experience is centered on the ReMarkable, and the steps to turn it on and reach a blank page are minimal. For example, turning on the device opens right back to the page you left off on, and the whole process takes seconds without navigating menus.
It’s also easy to share anything you create with a few taps: you can send your work to a specified email address, or as a universal URL that can be shared with anyone with an internet connection. This makes it easy to quickly show off designs or sketches with little friction.
2. You want a distraction-free UI
ReMarkable’s entire ethos is to keep things as distraction-free as possible. There’s no app store, no browser, and no notifications. While you’re using the device, nothing pops up to prompt you to buy anything, and the UI stays out of your way.
Compared to a laptop (or other tablets), the ReMarkable is a quieter experience (both literally and figuratively — there’s no speaker) that is great for keeping you focused on what you’re working on. It’s incredibly refreshing. The Paper Pure has a singular purpose, and it does it well.
This distraction-free format does come with limitations, however. If you’re looking for a digital paper tablet that isn’t so walled off, check out the Boox Note Max — a tablet with a lot more customization (but also potentially more distractions).
3. You’re a casual user, or don’t want a subscription
You may not see yourself using the tablet every single day, and that’s totally fine. For casual users who bust out the tablet occasionally, I’d suggest going with the Paper Pure at $399 and skipping the Connect subscription. You’ll still have access to the device’s core features, just without unlimited cloud storage, access to Methods, and handwriting search.
Also: I tested the ReMarkable Paper Pro, and can’t go back to ‘real’ paper – especially at this price
You’ll still be able to share your screen, convert handwriting to text, use third-party storage like Google Drive and Dropbox, and access your notes in the web app — all the main features. Conversely, the Kindle Scribe without a subscription is a bit more limited since you won’t have access to new e-books, the device’s biggest draw.
Writer’s choice
Both devices provide a fantastic writing experience. The Kindle Scribe is more of an e-reader with Amazon’s extensive library of e-books and a more sophisticated annotation feature. The ReMarkable Paper Pure, on the other hand, is a minimalist device with a distraction-free aesthetic and a focus on productivity.
Also: I’ve tested dozens of E Ink tablets, but this Android checks the most boxes for me
Personally, I prefer Paper Pure’s streamlined UI and gorgeous digital writing experience. I appreciate how it serves as a conduit for your creativity without getting in the way, and its integrations and screen-sharing features are smart and frictionless. I use the device to sketch, take notes, and iterate on ideas, and have to say, it’s impressive how ReMarkable nailed the balance of features and trade-offs for $399.
The ReMarkable Connect subscription is very optional and, for many users, not necessary — bringing the overall price of the Paper Pure down to a one-time cost. Just note that if you want to read e-books on your Paper Pure, you can, but you’ll have to acquire them elsewhere and download them to the device.
