Tablets and e-readers have revolutionized reading and made digital note-taking popular. Two of the most popular digital paper tablets are the reMarkable 2 and Rocketbook.
These reusable notebooks aim to recreate the pen and paper experience digitally. But which one is better for note-taking and sketching?
A Brief Comparison Table
| Features | reMarkable 2 | Rocketbook |
| Page Feel | Paper-like | Glossy |
| Pen | Marker style | Frixion pen |
| Template Pages | Yes | Yes |
| OCR | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud Sync | Yes | Yes |
| Size | 10.3” | Letter/Executive |
| Weight | 0.68 lbs | 0.77 lbs |
| Battery Life | 2 weeks | N/A |
| Price | $399 | $32 |
Overview of the reMarkable 2
The reMarkable 2 features a 10.3″ Canvas display with 226 PPI for crisp, paper-like writing. It’s lightweight at 0.68 lbs with a sleek, minimalist design. The Marker Plus pen has a unique friction tip and latencies under 21ms for a natural feel.
Some key advantages of the reMarkable 2 include:
- Paper-like writing experience with CANVAS display and Marker Plus pen
- Extremely lightweight and thin
- IncludesTemplates for note-taking
- Automatic cloud sync to reMarkable cloud
- Handwriting converted to text via OCR
- 29 templates for notes, documents, sketches
- Custom templates and notebooks
- Share notebooks as PDFs via email
- Up to 2 weeks of battery life
- Simple user interface
The reMarkable shines with its paper-feel display and ultra-low latency pen. The simple interface helps avoid distractions. It lacks a backlight though, so you’ll need external light to write. Storage is also limited to 8GB with no expandable storage. At $399, it sits at a premium price point.
Overview of the Rocketbook
Rocketbook stands out with its clever dot-grid pattern pages and emphasis on sustainability. It looks like a regular notebook but uses erasable FriXion pen ink.
Some excellent features of Rocketbook include:
- Clever dot-grid pages allow uploading written notes to the cloud
- FriXion pens erase cleanly for reusable pages
- Integrates with cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, OneNote
- Lets you email PDFs of pages
- Comes in various page sizes like letter, executive
- Affordable at $32 for letter size
- Soft-touch cover with inner storage pocket
- Pen loop for FriXion pen included
- Magnet binding keeps book flat
- Fun templates for common note-taking
- Microwave to erase when pages fill up
Rocketbook’s cost and cloud connectivity make it handy for notes. But the glossy pages don’t provide a paper-like feel. Having to manually erase pages is also inconvenient compared to the reMarkable.
Also Read: Comparison Between Wipebooks And Rocketbooks.
Key Differences Between remarkable 2 and Rocketbook
In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll delve into every aspect of two popular e-notebooks, the reMarkable 2 and the Rocketbook, evaluating their writing experience, design, features, ease of use, pricing, and battery life.
Writing and Drawing Experience
The writing and drawing experience is a crucial aspect when choosing an e-notebook. Let’s dive deeper into how the reMarkable 2 and Rocketbook compare in this regard:
- reMarkable 2: This device provides a highly paper-like feel due to its canvas display and the friction tip Marker Plus pen. It boasts minimal latency, making it exceptional for both note-taking and drawing. The matte display reduces reflections and closely simulates the experience of writing on actual paper.
- Rocketbook: In contrast, the Rocketbook offers a smoother, glossy surface that feels more like writing on a whiteboard. It lacks the tactile feedback and paper-like feel of the reMarkable 2. Additionally, the ink tends to bead up a bit more on its slick pages. To achieve smoother writing, you’ll need to use a plastic sleeve with the pen. While the writing experience is usable, it doesn’t come close to replicating the sensation of writing on paper.
Design and Portability
When considering e-notebooks, their design and portability play a significant role in their overall usability. Let’s explore how the reMarkable 2 and Rocketbook differ in this aspect:
- reMarkable 2: This device is exceptionally portable, weighing a mere 0.68 lbs and measuring a slim 4.7mm in thickness. Its minimalist design prioritizes the writing experience, eliminating distractions by omitting buttons or ports. This makes it incredibly convenient to carry around, whether in hand or bag.
- Rocketbook: The Rocketbook is somewhat less portable, weighing 12 ounces and measuring 0.75” in thickness. It comes in both executive and letter sizes, offering a bit less versatility in terms of portability. However, its stiff covers and inner storage pocket allow you to toss it into a bag without worry. The simple and professional design adds to its appeal.
Features and Ecosystem
The features and ecosystem of an e-notebook can significantly impact your productivity. Let’s delve into how the reMarkable 2 and Rocketbook differ in this regard:
- Rocketbook: One of Rocketbook’s standout features is its seamless integration with various cloud services. It offers the ability to easily back up your notes to platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, OneNote, and email. The Rocketbook app further enhances digital organization, making it convenient to access and manage your notebooks.
- reMarkable 2: In contrast, the reMarkable 2 primarily relies on its proprietary cloud service for cloud backup. However, it compensates with superior templates, notebook options, and document organization capabilities. You can share notebooks as PDFs via email, and it excels as a standalone digital notebook.
Ease of Use
The ease of use is a crucial factor in determining how quickly you can adapt to and maximize the potential of an e-notebook. Let’s explore the learning curves and user-friendliness of the reMarkable 2 and Rocketbook:
- reMarkable 2: Using the reMarkable 2 is intuitive and straightforward. Simply write with the Marker Plus pen, and your notes are automatically saved to the cloud. The tablet interface is simplified, designed primarily for note-taking and reading, with no steep learning curve.
- Rocketbook: The Rocketbook has a slightly steeper learning curve due to the need to understand the dot-patterns and use specific pens. However, its clever QR code system simplifies the process of sending pages to the cloud—just scan and you’re done. The friction dots on its pages also provide guidance for smoother writing.
Also Watch This Review Video:
Pricing and Value
Price and value are essential considerations when choosing between e-notebooks. Let’s examine the cost-effectiveness of the reMarkable 2 and Rocketbook:
- Rocketbook: The Rocketbook Executive, priced at $32, offers excellent value for those with light note-taking needs. Additionally, the notebooks are reusable, leading to long-term cost savings by reducing the need for paper.
- reMarkable 2: In contrast, the reMarkable 2 is a premium product with a price tag of $399. If achieving a natural writing feel is critical for your note-taking and drawing, it delivers on that promise. It justifies its higher cost with unlimited notebook templates and comprehensive cloud access, particularly appealing to frequent handwriting users.
Battery Life
Battery life can be a critical factor for users who value extended usage without frequent recharging. Let’s compare the battery performance of the reMarkable 2 and Rocketbook:
- reMarkable 2: The reMarkable 2 boasts an impressive advantage in battery life, lasting for weeks on a single charge. This extended battery life offers the flexibility to use it anytime, anywhere, without the hassle of frequent recharging, making it an ideal choice for travelers.
- Rocketbook: The Rocketbook relies on pen batteries and has no electronic components, eliminating concerns about device battery life. However, the reMarkable 2’s remarkable battery longevity provides a more convenient and worry-free experience for extended usage.
Also Read: Comparison Between Livescribe and Rocketbook
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The key differences are the reMarkable 2 providing a paper-like feel with zero latency writing and weeks-long battery while Rocketbook offers cloud connectivity and reusable dot grid pages at an affordable price.
For a reusable notebook, the reMarkable 2 provides a superior natural writing experience thanks to its canvas display and Marker Plus pen. But it comes at a higher $399 price tag.
Rocketbook lacks the paper-like feel of the reMarkable 2 and requires manually wiping pages clean. The glossy surface also causes some pen friction and inking issues. Integrating notes into other apps can also be a hassle.
Yes, Rocketbook is very handy for reusable, affordable note-taking. The clever dot system makes it easy to blast handwritten notes to the cloud. For non-critical meeting notes or classroom use, it provides utility.
Also Read: Comparison Between Boogie Board and Rocketbook
Final Thoughts
For those seeking the absolute best digital writing experience, the reMarkable 2 brings paper feel into the digital world. But if affordability is key, Rocketbook provides reusable notebook utility at a budget price.
Either device can benefit students, professionals, and hobbyists alike. With their unique innovations, reMarkable and Rocketbook make handwriting digitally versatile for modern needs.