I've been spending a few weeks with my ReMarkable 2 review unit, and I've been loving it. Last week, I even wrote an entire article using the tablet, and it was certainly an experience. I've grown to really love the ReMarkable 2, even more so than the more expensive Paper Pro, which I've also tried.

With that in mind, I wanted to highlight a few reasons I love the ReMarkable 2, as well as a few reasons why it might not be what you need. Let's get into it, starting with why I love it.

5 It looks and works like real paper

E Ink is amazing

First things first, I love how the ReMarkable 2 just looks and feels like real paper in terms of its looks. It uses E Ink, a technology that's made to simulate that paper look, and I love it. I really like how it acts like real paper, so you don't need any kind of backlight for it to work, and it just feels natural to look at. There's no sense of strain or tiredness when looking at this screen, and I love how comfortable it makes me feel.

I think I even prefer that it doesn't have a backlight like the Paper Pro, and the lack of colored ink is also not a downside at all for my use. Simple black and white is all I need. This is made even better by the screen's coating, too, with a matte finish that reduces reflections and makes this perfect for reading in daylight. I was at the beach a couple of weeks ago and read a few pages of my book, completely unbothered by the sun. It works great, and it really feels like a book, just more portable.

4 Writing feels very natural

The paper feel is more than just looks

Another thing I love about the ReMarkable 2, and even the Paper Pro, is how good to feels to actually write. Just like the looks, ReMarkable gave these devices the feel of writing on paper, and it's no joke. The ReMarkable 2 has a slightly smoother feel, similar to using a pen on paper, which I actually prefer to the Paper Pro, which feels more like using a pencil. Regardless, both of these feel amazing to write on, and words come so much more naturally when I;m writing on this rougher surface compared to a typical glass screen.

What's more, these tablets have great touch rejection, which isn't the case with a lot of the other devices I've tried to write on. This is defintiely more up to the implmentation of each device, but I do really love how well it is handled by the ReMarkable tablets, and it makes for a frictionless experience the entire time.

3 It's really thin and light

Portability at the forefront

When you're asking people to buy an extra device for one specific purpose, the least you can do is make it as portable as possible, and thankfully, the ReMarkable 2 delivers on that front. Again, in that regard, it's even better than the Paper Pro, which has a very large screen and a backlight adding some thickness.

The ReMarkable 2 comes in at a mere 4.7mm of thickness, making it thinner than basically any other tablet out there, and it weighs just over 400 grams. It's really easy to slip into a bag, and you can take it with you pretty much anywhere without much of a hassle. What also helps with this is that, because it's not a typical tablet with a camera on the back, you can easily put it down anywhere and never worry about scratches. The back has little rubber pads to raise the tablet slightly and keep it stable, but that's about it. It allows you to be a little more relaxed about using it, which also helps with portability.

2 Distraction-free writing

I can just focus on what I'm doing

Another thing that really helps the ReMarkable tablets stand out is the fact that they're exclusively designed for taking notes or reading. You can't browse the web or watch any videos online, but that's part of the appeal. When I'm using the ReMarkable 2 to write, I'm not tempted to go and find something else to do. I'm just writing, and that's all I can do unless I want to grab another device, which adds a barrier that makes it easier to tell myself "no, let's keep writing".

That natural feeling I mentioned above also helps, because writing this way is just more fun. It feels more engaging and active, so I'm not as tempted to look away as I would be on another device. It really helps my focus.

1 Extremely long battery life

E Ink has more than one benefit

As a result of some of the things I already mentioned, the ReMarkable 2 also has excellent battery life, usually going well over a week for me without having to be charged. Granted, I'm not constantly taking notes on it, but there are a few factors that help the tablet get this awesome endurance.

First, the E Ink panel. This type of display works by physically moving particles up and down to produce images, and while that naturally requires energy, once the particles are in place, the tablet doesn't need to spend any energy keeping them there. An image can stay on screen indefinitely without using any power, which helps these tablets last much longer, even without having to turn off the screen.

The lack of any fancy communication features also helps. The ReMarkable tablets do have Wi-Fi and sync your notes to your ReMarkable account, but otherwise, there's no constant wireless communication being used here, so if you're not using the tablet, there really isn't much to drain power from it. Again, portability is a key aspect here, and this helps a lot.

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There's a lot to love with the ReMarkable tablets, but in the same vein, there's also a lot these devices do (or don't do) that might be a problem for you. You can't make an informed decision without some downsides, so let's go over some problems with the ReMarkable 2.

3 No backlight

I like it, but it's not for everyone

I did mention I almost kind of preferred the lack of a backlight on this device to having one, but objectively, the lack of this feature can be a problem. I like that the ReMarkable 2 acts like real paper so I need an external light, but that might not be the case for everyone.

Sometimes, you might want to read something in the dark. Maybe you're in bed next to your partner and turning on the light isn't a viable solution, so a soft backlight can help. That's really the biggest scenario where I can see a use for this feature, and it's completely understandable if you need it. If you do, you'll need to look at more expensive options like the ReMarkable Paper Pro.

2 It's expensive

A lot of money for a single use case

When you're spending this kind of money on a device, you have to give some thought as to how useful it's going to be for you, and the ReMarkable tablets do have a downside in not being able to do anything that isn't writing notes or reading books. There are no apps, nothing else you can do, and considering this device costs $400 — as much as a mid-range Android tablet — it's a tough compromise to make.

And keep in mind, the base is just for the basic experience. If you want the higher-quality Marker Plus, you need to spend $50 extra, and the protective cover costs at least $79 for the cheapest model. Sure, those are optional upgrades, but still.

This is a product you should only buy if you're absolutely sure of why you want to use it. It's a luxury item, and while it definitely has value, the lack of versatility makes it a tough sell, especially if you've never tried one before. There are options like Boox that offer a full Android experience with an E Ink panel, so those may be a bit more appealing if you want those apps.

1 No e-book integration

Reading on this is harder than it should

Finally, it's worth mentioning that while you can read books on the ReMarkable tablets, they're not actually made for it. What that means is there's no integration with platforms that sell e-books, so getting books on it is a cumbersome process.

I tried to move one of my purchases on Google Play Books to it, and the DRM protection made this challenging, so I had to find ways to remove the DRM protection from that book. While it worked in the end, it's definitely not as seamless as using a Kindle or a similar device.

ReMarkable tablets are great, if you're the right person

I stand by my love for the ReMarkable tablets, and if you're looking for a way to take notes that helps you stay in the flow without distractions and that you can easily take and use anywhere the ReMarkable 2 is a nearly perfect device. You just need to have a good chunk of money to spend and be ready for the limitations that come with this sharp focus on taking notes. Not everyone is going to be in that camp, and that's okay.