Ratta Supernote A6x Overview
Unlike other android based E Ink Tablets like Onyx which release multiple models each year. Ratta Supernote have focused on limited products with optimum performance. For now they have only two devices in their product line up. Super Note A5x and Supernote A6x.
Supernote A6x is newer device released in 2021 whereas A5x was released in 2020. However, the software updates are regular and both devices are updated.
Supernote A6x is an A6 sized (7.8”) device. Making it fall in the smaller sized E Ink devices similar to a note pad. And to be honest you do not find great competition in this segment of devices making A6x stand out.
Supernote takes writing digitally to a whole new level. The surface of the Supernote is coated with FeelWrite soft film, inspired by the highly elastic automotive v-belt. It’s like magic, because when you write with the stylus, it actually leaves an impression on the page, just like real paper!
The ceramic nib mimics the smooth, effortless writing experience of a ballpoint pen. As most of us use ballpoint pens or fountain pens more often than pencils in our daily lives. The Supernote team knows what’s up!
Does Supernote A6x suits you?
Before jumping into the features. We need to consider does Supernote A6x suits you or not:
A6 sized devices are primarily for reading with limited note-taking. If your main use is reading with occasional note-taking, a smaller 7.8-inch size tablet, is better suited for you.
- They are lightweight, portable, and can easily fit into a handbag.
- A smaller E Ink Tablet is always cheaper.
- A6 sized devices do not fit well for sketching as the screen is a bit smaller.
- However, if your preferred format of reading is PDFs then you might need to reconsider as the size is a bit smaller for PDFs especially if they are graphic heavy. But other then that its great for ePubs and Mobi.
If you fulfil the following criteria then Supernote A6x is the device for you. We also have a comprehensive guide to help you decide better.
Supernote A6x size comparison
Ratta Supernote A6x Specifications
| FEATURES | SUPERNOTE A5 X | SUPERNOTE A6 X |
| Release year | 2020 | 2021 |
| Display | ||
| Screen type | Mobius Carta | Mobius Carta |
| Screen size | 10.3" | 7.8" |
| Screen resolution | 1404 × 1872 | 1404 × 1872 |
| Pixel density | 226ppi | 300ppi |
| Hardware | ||
| CPU | 1.3 GHz quad-core | 1.3 GHz quad-core |
| RAM | 2Gb | 2Gb |
| Storage | 32Gb | 32Gb |
| Battery | 3800mAh | 2900mAh |
| Thickness | 7.2mm | 7.2mm |
| Weight | 375g | 255g |
| Connectivity | Wifi + BT | Wifi + BT |
| Stylus | Ceramic Tip | Ceramic Tip |
| Software | ||
| Operating system | Android-based | Android-based |
| Google Play Store | ⨯ | ⨯ |
| Handwriting recognition | ✓ | ✓ |
| Other Features | ||
| Wacom compatible | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backlit Screen | ⨯ | ⨯ |
| Speakers | ⨯ | ⨯ |
| Microphone | ⨯ | ⨯ |
| Auto-Rotate | ⨯ | ⨯ |
| Waterproof | ⨯ | ⨯ |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Minimalistic UI with all essential tools & organizational features
- The Ceramic tip doesn’t need replacement
- Gel Pen and Paper like great writing feel
- The handwriting recognition is quite accurate
- Excellent after-sales service
- The Screenshare feature is great for designers
- In build Kindle app for reading all Amazon Books
- The plastic screen is quite durable
Cons
- No Backlit Screen
- Though its run on android but no third party app supported
- A bit bulky and the plastic design doesn’t feels as great as other devices
Aspect of Consideration
The Features of the device are more or less the same and we will be discussing all the features common in both the devices:
- Design
- Display
- Hardware
- Software
- Stylus
- Notetaking Experience
- Reading Experience
- Service
- Pricing
Design
Ratta Supernote A6x is very well-designed and pleasing to the eyes. The feel is minimalistic and premium. The device has a plastic body with edges with right angle design, making it look a bit chunkier.
Key takeaways
- The Supernote A6x has a wider bezel at the bottom with a touch slider on the right bezel which can be used for multiple functions
- At the back side we have a rove for sliding in the cover.
- The backside doesn’t have rubber feet, which means the tablet does have a tendency to slip around on the desk when using it without a folio.
- It has a plastic casing and screen, which makes it very light in comparison to same sized devices.
- The USB-C connector on the Supernote A6x is located centrally on the bottom edge and the power button is on the top right edge
Display
The Supernote A6x features a 7.8 inch monochrome display with 300ppi resolution, The displays has a premium paper-like texture that mimics real paper. The screen is glare-free and has transreflective properties, making it suitable for outdoor reading.
Key Takeaways
- Supernote uses a plastic Mobius Carta screen. Its more flexible and lighter. Supernote claims that its screen never breaks making it a better option for careless forks .
- The flexible screen helps the ceramic stylus to glide over it and gives a very nice feel while writing over it.
- The device has no backlight, which is big problem when using the device in low light.
- Personally I feel the screen is a bit dull. I wish it was brighter. The fact that it is missing a backlight is one thing, but combined with a low whitepoint screen makes it feel even darker.
Hardware
Supernote A6x was launched in 2021, so the hardware is a bit outdated when compared to latest E Ink devices but it run perfectly fine for its intended job. Yet when it comes to additional features like backlit screens, light and g sensors than Supernote is lacking behind. I think not adding backlight was aimed at increasing the battery life.
The device isn’t waterproof but almost all E ink tablets aren’t waterproof.
Key Takeaways
- Lacks key features like backlit screen, warm lights and g sensors.
- With its plastic body it’s one of the lightest device in A5 category, weighing just 255g.
- It runs on Quad-core processor with 2 GB of memory and 32Gb of storage.
- Supernote battery life: It has a larger battery (2900mAh) one of the biggest in this segment.
Software & UI
Supernote runs on android based OS but Google play store is not supported. However, Supernote A5x has started adding third-party apps, beginning with Kindle and I have heard that more apps and developer support are in the works.
For now, apart from reading and writing, Supernote has all essential features required from a good Tablet like Email Client, Calendar & Web Browser (For me E Ink Tablets are really bad for web browsing due to slow refresh rate)
Supernote screen mirroring:
A great feature that I think can be excellent for sharing Ideas is its screen mirroring or screen sharing . However both the devices need to be on the same Local Area Network
The Organizational Feature:
Its divided in folders and subfolders which I found really easy to navigate. Split-screen option is not available on the Supernote but the quick-access menu does allow you to switch between documents and notebooks very swiftly.
File Transfer:
The Files can be transferred using the Android/IOS app, web browser app, USB-C cable, Supernote cloud, or LAN sharing facility. I found the file transfer of Supernote far more efficient when compared to reMarkable 2.
Stylus
The Supernote stylus application is highly customizable and give a great writing experience, making it ideal for those who want to personalize their note-taking experience. The supernote a5x latency and pressure sensitivity is great but tilt function is not present as in Kindle Scribe & reMarkable 2. However the ceramic tip and gel pen like pleasant feel makes up for it.
Which is the best pen for Supernote & are there other Supernote compatible pens?
Apart from the standard pen a variety of different pen are available in the market. If you have the budget, then nothing is better than the Lamy series. Heart of Metal Pen is great as well. Though Supernote is Wacom supported but the soft screen isn’t great for other pens, ceramic tips are the best for it.
Read This for other Supernote Pen Alternatives
Key Takeaway
- Uses hard ceramic tips that do not wear down and never need to be replaced. The feel is more like a gel pen over a high gloss printed paper. Personally I love this feel (Though its subjective)
- Supernote stylus is magnetic, the tablet itself is not. Therefore, a case/folio with a pen loop is needed to keep the tablet and stylus together.
- The standard pen comes with a cap so the nip is more secure.
- The Stylus lack an eraser but the two finger erase gesture works really well and once I got used to it, it felt easier than using an Eraser.
Note Taking Experience
Ratta Supernote offer all essential features for note-taking, as its primary function is note taking. The device has numerous templates for note taking but the brushes are limited to a ballpoint pen, needlepoint pen, and marker. As tilt function is limited it has no pencil or calligraphy pen.
When it comes to sketching reMarkable 2 is way better followed by Onyx Boox devices. But in Note taking it beats both of them.
Related: Check out these Supernote A6x Templates
Key Takeaways
- The note taking UI has multiple shades and templates but limited brushes.
- Several Gesture features while note taking make the experience worth while
- It has folder/sub-folder hierarchy and files can be sorted by name, modified date and size.
- The tagging system is much advanced with keywords set at the notebook page level. You can search by folder/filename, file type and keywords.
- The annotations function includes actual text extraction. Also you can read & edit word documents as well. It also has a lasso feature
- The text recognition while note taking is in real time
- Navigation through notes is made even easier with the side touch slider.
- You can view and compose emails (though I won’t recommend that as its too slow) and a calendar app that syncs with Google/Outlook calendars.
- The Supernote can export notebooks as PDF, PNG, DOCX or TXT file formats. These are stored in an Export folder, which can then be synced or shared.
Reading Experience
When it comes to reading experience, the device lack behind devices like the Kindle and Onyx Boox. But the kindle app comes preinstalled making the reading experience quite decent.
You can also take notes while reading within a document / book but while doing so I found out that when exporting the marked document only PDFs show the annotations. EPUB doesn’t support export of these annotations.
Key Takaways
- Supernote A6x supports ePub, PDF, and Word documents, as well as PNG and JPG image formats.
- However, you can install the Kindle app on the Supernote to get access to almost all of these reading features.
- There is no backlit screen, light and G sensors in the device for landscape view.
- You can also scribble notes on documents and annotate them
- Another advantage that I found and is often overlooked is that weight of Supernote is lesser when compared to other E Ink Tablets, so its more comfortable for prolonged reading sessions
- The Page flips are incredibly fast and make the ReMarkable 2 and Onyx Boox note experience feel slow.
Services
In my experience Supernote’s customer support is great, its small but solid community is always active. They also provide regular updates and are eager for customer feedback. Ratta Supernote has a one-year warranty and a 30-day returns policy.
Pricing
When it comes to price, the prices are somewhat in par when compared to similar sized devices. The standard set (Includes standard pen and Canvas Folio) is quite cheaper whereas the premium set (includes Heart of Metal Gen 2 Pen and cowhide folio). You can also buy the premium Lamy stylus which can further increase the price.
Where to buy Supernote A6x From?
You can buy it from their official store at supernote.com
Before You Go......
Supernote A5x review
Best A5 or 10 Inch Screen E Ink Tablets
Check out Supernote Vs reMarkable & Supernote Vs Kindle Scribe
Find out the best Pens for Supernote
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