Remarkable Paper Pro First Impressions of the New Color E-Ink Tablet
The Norwegian company Remarkable, which has made a significant impact on the digital E-Ink notebook market, is now launching its first color E-Ink tablet: the Paper Pro.
In this article, I would like to share my initial impressions with you before providing a more in-depth review of the device.
What’s new with the Remarkable Paper Pro?
The Remarkable Paper Pro features the new E-Ink Gallery 3 technology, which can display up to 20,000 colors. Unlike earlier color E-Ink displays that relied on an RGB matrix, Gallery 3 uses four different color particles: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and White.
This technology allows for more vibrant colors, making the Remarkable Paper Pro one of the most exciting devices currently available.
High-quality aluminum casing reminiscent of an iPad (pictured: iPad Air 2024)
The first impression upon unboxing is promising: The tablet feels very high-quality thanks to its aluminum casing and appears even more robust compared to the Remarkable 2. Its flat sides and angular design give it something of an iPad Pro aesthetic.
Despite weighing 525 grams, the device sits comfortably in the hand—neither too light nor too heavy—thanks in large part to its larger 11.8-inch screen size. This results in a subjectively well-balanced feel.
High-priced accessories
In addition to the tablet itself, I also purchased the optional Marker Plus and the black leather case. This made for quite an expensive shopping trip: 850 euros for the complete set. Such a purchase definitely calls for careful consideration.
If you skip the leather case and select the less expensive stylus, you can save at least 200 euros. Currently, no third-party cases are available, but these should appear soon. Those options might be more reasonably priced, between 20 and 50 euros.
The Marker Plus is the premium stylus for the Paper Pro and features an eraser at the top end. It feels heavier and provides a notable tactile quality.
Tactilely appealing stylus – this time without WACOM technology
It is worth noting that Remarkable has replaced WACOM technology in the Paper Pro with the USI 2.0 standard. This means other compatible styluses can be used with this e-reader (with some limitations—see below).
The black leather case is quite expensive
The leather case is elegant and fits the device perfectly, but the 200-euro price tag seems excessive. While the tactile feel and craftsmanship are excellent, even the 150-euro bundle price is still steep. For comparison: The leather case for the Kindle Scribe costs 90 euros, which is often considered overpriced as well.
The Remarkable leather case emits a noticeably chemical smell when first unpacked, though I expect this to dissipate in time.
The display – Vibrant colors with compromises
Let’s discuss the heart of the Remarkable Paper Pro: the E-Ink Gallery 3 display. At first glance, the colors are vivid, with yellow standing out in particular.
However, the display is darker than the black-and-white E-Ink screens on models like the Remarkable 2, Kindle Scribe, and many other devices. While it isn’t as dark as the Kaleido 3 (e.g., Boox Note Air 3C, Tolino Vision Color), the reduced brightness is noticeable compared to traditional E-Ink devices.
The final color appears after several passes.
It’s also worth noting how colored lines drawn in notebooks appear on this e-reader: Initially, the lines show up black (or not in the intended color), and then the color gradually builds up. This effect takes some getting used to and could even be disorienting for certain users.
Comic representation: Good impression with minor weaknesses
Viewing comics on the 11.8-inch color screen of the Remarkable Paper Pro is especially interesting.
Good color saturation in comics
While flipping through several comic pages, you notice that the colors—particularly yellow—are very vivid. Red and blue shades are also well represented, while green tones appear somewhat weaker. This trend was also observed with the first device to use E-Ink Gallery 3 technology, the Bigme Galy.
The color yellow is especially striking
Despite minor drawbacks, such as a slightly grainy appearance upon close inspection, the comic display makes a good overall impression. The new Refresh system from Remarkable further helps ensure almost no ghosting, which is a significant improvement over the first generation of E-Ink Gallery 3 devices.
On closer inspection: Somewhat grainy color representation in PDFs
Writing experience and stylus latency: Setting new standards
One of the major strengths of the Remarkable Paper Pro is its exceptionally low stylus latency. According to Remarkable, the delay is just 12 milliseconds, resulting in an almost instantaneous writing experience. Whether this delay is truly lower, I will continue to test, but subjectively it is slightly improved compared to other E-Ink devices.
Low input delay with the stylus
However, not everything is perfect: The tablet’s surface feels noticeably rougher than its predecessor, and the sensation of placing the stylus on the display is more reminiscent of using an Apple Pencil on an iPad, rather than the familiar feel of a WACOM stylus on E-Ink.
USI 2.0 styluses work with limitations
Concerning the USI 2.0 stylus support: Styluses from devices like the Amazon Fire Max 11 do work on the Remarkable Paper Pro, but issues arise with tilt recognition. While these styluses’ tilt is detected, the e-reader does not reset this when the stylus is returned to an upright position. Therefore, for now, the original Remarkable stylus remains the only genuinely practical option.
E-Ink Gallery 3: A new era for color E-Ink?
The Remarkable Paper Pro is the first device to incorporate E-Ink Gallery 3 in a mass-market product.
This generation is a major technological leap, enabling significantly better color reproduction and supporting up to 20,000 colors.
Noticeably darker screen on the Remarkable Paper Pro (back) vs. Remarkable 2 (front)
However, there is still room for improvement. The screen is darker than black-and-white E-Ink displays, and the 229 ppi resolution is lower than that of some competing products.
Nonetheless, I see the Remarkable Paper Pro as a crucial milestone in advancing E-Ink technology. It is the first e-reader of its kind to bring this level of color E-Ink quality to a wider audience, and I am eager to see how the technology evolves in the coming years.
The front light: Room for improvement
The Remarkable Paper Pro comes equipped with an integrated front light that can be adjusted across five levels.
Unfortunately, it quickly becomes apparent that these limited brightness levels are not ideally calibrated. The jump from level 5 to level 4 is particularly abrupt, and a smoother progression would be preferable.
Front lighting with weaknesses
There is also minor “light bleed” at the edges of the frame, meaning light shines through the casing—an especially unappealing effect at the display’s outer borders. The overall distribution of light across the screen is not among the best available, as a noticeable color gradient from top to bottom is visible.
However, the front light is still a clear advantage, as this e-reader can now be used in the dark—an option not possible with the Remarkable 2 without an external light source.
Conclusion: An impressive first impression with minor flaws
The Remarkable Paper Pro makes an overall strong first impression. The craftsmanship is outstanding, and the color representation of the E-Ink Gallery 3 display is remarkable. In particular, the low stylus latency sets new benchmarks in the E-Ink tablet sector.
Note-taking now in color
That said, there are still several areas where improvements could be made—notably the brightness of the front lighting and the pronounced scratchy sound of the stylus. In my forthcoming detailed review, I will take a closer look at the software, color rendering, and the writing experience.
