Brief Summary
The video reviews the Remarkable 2 tablet, focusing on its paper-like writing experience and its potential as a distraction-free tool. The reviewer discusses the initial excitement and skepticism surrounding the device, the various upsells encountered during the purchase process, and the actual writing experience compared to paper and other tablets like the iPad. The review also covers the device's functionality, ease of use, and overall value proposition, ultimately questioning whether the high price tag is justified for its limited use case.
- The Remarkable 2 aims to replicate the feel of writing on paper with a distraction-free experience.
- The device has a sleek design and an e-ink screen that's easy on the eyes, with long battery life.
- Despite its advantages, the device has a clunky interface, slow refresh speeds, and other limitations that affect its usability.
Initial Impressions and Upsells
The reviewer was initially drawn to the Remarkable 2 by its promise of a paper-like writing experience and its potential to eliminate distractions. However, skepticism arose due to the device's high price and the numerous sponsored videos promoting it. After purchasing a refurbished model, the reviewer encountered several upsells, including a more expensive pen with an eraser and a separate keyboard, which were declined. The packaging was impressive, but it raised concerns about whether the cost was justified by the product's quality or merely its presentation.
First Use and Writing Experience
Upon unboxing, another upsell for cloud storage was presented, which the reviewer declined due to the device's ample built-in storage. The Remarkable 2 has a sleek, premium design with an e-ink screen, and is thinner and slightly larger than an iPad. The writing experience offers more friction than an iPad, mimicking paper, but didn't quite meet the reviewer's expectations. Palm rejection is handled well, although accidental menu presses can occur. The pen's pressure sensitivity allows for varied line thickness, enhancing the writing experience.
Screen Refresh Issues and Writing Quality
The screen's e-ink technology, while easy on the eyes and battery-efficient, causes the screen to flash or refresh, which can be distracting. This issue was resolved by ensuring the pen colour was set to black, as using other colours caused constant refreshing. A slight gap between the pen tip and the ink appearing on the screen is noticeable, reminding the user that they are not writing on paper. Overall, the writing experience is good and better than other devices, but not quite as paper-like as hoped.
Functionality and Ease of Use
The Remarkable 2 uses Linux, which makes the interface feel different from iOS or Android. The menus and gestures are more basic, requiring a learning curve. Simple tasks like deleting multiple pages are less efficient than on an iPad due to the slow refresh speed and clunky interface. The eraser function is also inferior to the iPad's, requiring slow scrubbing or circling, which can lead to accidental deletions.
Useful Features and Limitations
The ability to draw perfect shapes and manipulate objects is a standout feature, useful for tasks like drawing floor plans. The handwriting-to-text conversion is available, but it's slow. The device lacks essential functionalities like a calculator and has limited capabilities beyond drawing, writing, and document organisation. Importing PDFs requires using a desktop or phone app, and navigating documents is slow due to the refresh rate. The device's simplicity, intended for focus, comes at the cost of convenience, such as easy document access.
Battery Life and Overall Verdict
The e-ink screen is easy on the eyes and provides excellent battery life, lasting up to two weeks on a single charge. The reviewer found some use for the device in long-term planning and deep focus sessions, as well as for drawing blueprints. Despite its benefits, the reviewer finds it difficult to justify the £400 price tag for infrequent use and would not repurchase it. The technology needs to become more affordable before it can be widely recommended.
