reMarkable 2 Vs Boox Tab Ultra
reMarkable and Onyx Boox are two of the biggest names in the E Ink Tablet market.
Onyx Boox Tab Ultra is one of the best selling Android E Ink Tablets in the Market. Both the reMarkable and Boox Tab Ultra are a5 or 10.3″ screen devices so they are frequently compared. But to be honest both the devices are tailored for different users and are quite different.
Lets find out which device suits your needs.
Key difference between reMarkable and Onyx Boox?
The easiest way to differentiate between the two is to think of reMarkable as Apple and Onyx Boox as Samsung in the e Ink tablet market.
reMarkable 2 is a minimalistic and distraction free note taking E Ink Tabet. It runs on tailored Linux OS. Writing is what it is designed for and it has one of the best writing experience. Apart from that the device is quite restricted in use.
Boox Tab Ultra on the other hand is quite versatile device which runs on Android. With Play Store, higher refresh rate & customizability it is one of the closed thing that you can get to an android tablet in the E Ink Tablet Market. Its more then just a simple E-paper
Onyx Boox Tab Ultra is the only E Ink Tablet with a Camera (Used as a scanner)
Comparison Table Boox Tab Ultra Vs reMarkable 2
| FEATURES | ONYX BOOX TAB ULTRA | REMARKABLE 2 |
| Release year | 2022 | 2020 |
| Display | ||
| Screen type | Carta HD | Carta |
| Screen size | 10.3" | 10.3" |
| Screen resolution | 1404 x 1872 | 1404 x 1872 |
| Pixel density | 227dpi | 226dpi |
| Hardware | ||
| CPU | 1.8 Ghz octa-core | 1.2Ghz dual-core |
| RAM | 4Gb | 1Gb |
| Storage | 128Gb (Expandable) | 8Gb |
| Battery | 6300mAh | 3000mAh |
| Thickness | 6.7mm | 4.7mm |
| Weight | 480g | 405g |
| Connectivity | Wifi + BT | Wifi + BT |
| Stylus | Wacom/ Ceramic Tip | Cardboard Nip |
| Software | ||
| Operating system | Android 11.0 | Linux |
| Google Play Store | ✓ | ⨯ |
| Handwriting recognition | ✓ | ✓ |
| Other Features | ||
| Backlit Screen | ✓ | ⨯ |
| Speakers | ✓ | ⨯ |
| Microphone | ✓ | ⨯ |
| Auto-Rotate | ✓ | ⨯ |
| Waterproof | ⨯ | ⨯ |
Aspect of Consideration
- Design
- Display
- Stylus
- Notetaking
- Reading
- Hardware & Software
- Pricing
- Connectivity
Comparison: Remarkable 2 Vs Boox Tab Ultra
| FEATURES | KINDLE SCRIBE | REMARKABLE 2 |
| Release year | 2022 | 2020 |
| Display | ||
| Screen type | Carta 1200 | CANVAS with Carta |
| Screen size | 10.2" | 10.3" |
| Screen resolution | 1830 x 2460 | 1404 x 1872 |
| Pixel density | 300dpi | 226dpi |
| Hardware | ||
| CPU | 1Ghz | 1.2Ghz dual-core |
| RAM | 1Gb | 1Gb |
| Storage | 16/32/64Gb | 8Gb |
| Battery | 3000mAh | 3000mAh |
| Thickness | 5.8mm | 4.7mm |
| Weight | 433g | 405g |
| Connectivity | Wifi | Wifi + BT |
| Software | ||
| Operating system | Linux | Linux |
| Google Play Store | ⨯ | ⨯ |
| Handwriting recognition | ⨯ | ✓ |
| Other Features | ||
| Wacom compatible | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backlit Screen | ✓ | ⨯ |
| Speakers | ⨯ | ⨯ |
| Microphone | ⨯ | ⨯ |
| Auto-Rotate | ✓ | ⨯ |
| Waterproof | ⨯ | ⨯ |
Design
Onyx Boox Tab Ultra and the Remarkable 2 both have a tablet-like form factor and are equipped with greyscale E Ink screens. Both devices have rubber feet on the back to prevent sliding. Apart from that the Boox has an additional bulge at the back for the camera.
I find the reMarkable 2 a bit more appealing when it comes to design probably because it thinner.
reMarkable 2
- Its the thinnest E Ink Tablet in the market (4.7 mm)
- It has a white frame with a silver-accented grip strip and a thicker lower bezel
- Its lesser weight (404) and thickness makes it feel more nimble while holding
Onyx Boox Tab Ultra
- The device is 6.7 mm thick and when compared to reMarkable 2 it feels quite thick
- Despite the thickness and a huge battery (6700 mAh) it weights around 480g
- The aluminum frame gives the device a very premium feel when holding.
Display
The displays of the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra and Remarkable 2 are quite similar. The pixel density, screen resolution, and screen size are the same.
Both displays have a paper-like texture that mimics real paper and are glare-free. However the contract and greyscale of the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra is better than the reMarkable 2.
reMarkable 2
- The reMarkable screen uses their patented CANVAS technology. The screen has more fiction and paper like feel to it.
- However it is made of glass making it a bit heavier and prone to damage.
- The device lacks a backlit screen or warm lights.
- Screen has a textured finish that mimics real paper.
Onyx Boox Tab Ultra
- Refresh rate and gray scale are highly customizable.
- Higher Refresh Rate make it great for moving elements
- The best part of Onyx Boox is its backlit screen and adjustable warm lights.
Stylus
The Remarkable 2 stylus needs to be purchased separately. You can buy the standard marker or the Marker Plus. Both the styluses have a very natural feel to them.
On the other hand, the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra comes with the Boox Pen 2 Pro in the box.
Both the stylus have excellent latency and response and you hardly find any difference. Additionally both devices support 3rd Party Stylus.
reMarkable 2
- The standard Marker costs $79 and the Marker Plus with an eraser costs $129
- Tilt detection & accurate pressure sensitivity makes I writing highly enjoyable.
- The eraser tip at the end feels like real rubber and is really responsive on the marker plus.
- The cardboard stylus tip give it that peculiar pencil over paper like feel but it requires frequent replacements.
Onyx Boox Tab Ultra
- The nib is made of soft plastic and has a nice feel while writing
- The Pen 2 Pro has an eraser.
- Has accurate pressure sensitivity but tilt function isnt a match for reMarkable.
- Overall it has minimal lag and a useful range of stroke settings
Note Taking
The Remarkable 2 and Boox Tab Ultra both offer useful features for note-taking.
The Remarkable 2 has a minimalistic UI with decent templates and pen options but the writing experience is out of the world.
Boox Tab Ultra has more flexibility in terms of a lot of features and gives a decent note taking experience.
I think writing experience can be a bit subjective but in my opinion Remarkable is the winner when it comes to note taking as it provides a very realistic feel.
reMarkable 2
- Offers 51 templates for note-taking
- The pages can be layered and tagged individually which helps in better organization.
- Great Pen Response, different tips and pens styles, pressure and tilt sensitivity make the note taking experience premium.
- Handwriting recognition and convert to text are available. I found the results surprisingly accurate.
- You can take your notes directly on PDFs pages.
- Allows you to sign into cloud storage accounts like OneDrive and Dropbox for immediate access to your documents.
Onyx Boox Note Air 2
- It has tons of templates and you can add more as well.
- When creating multiple pages inside a notebook, we can add a different template for each page.
- You can add electronic text, voice recordings, photos, attachments, links to another note page, and a website link to your notes.
- You can create notes on any text and graphic files, in the calendar and external programs like OneNote or EverNote.
- Created notes can be exported to a PDF or PNG file, and transferred via Bluetooth, e-mail or applications like cloud service.
- The text recognition and conversion is great as well.
Reading
When it comes to reading experience, the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra is far better than reMarkable 2. With the addition of 3rd Party reading apps you can improve the reading experience drastically.
reMarkable 2
- Supports ePUB, PDF and Word documents.
- For annotating files are converted to PDF. But the good thing is you can take notes directly on PDFs.
- There is no backlight so you cant read at night.
- No in build dictionary
- No preinstalled book store, it means dragging and dropping EPUB files manually.
- You can also add sticky notes directly to Word docs, and from later this year you’ll be able to send documents to the Scribe from within Microsoft Word.
- Bigger sized files lag alot and give a poor reading experience.
- Supports all the major reading formats which can be increased with third party apps
- Has a build in dictionary.
- You can read your favorite books using the Kindle App.
- The refresh rate is one of the best even when reading on the web browser.
- The device has backlit screen with adjustable warm lights an essential for reading in the dark.
- You can also scan notes using the build in camera
Hardware & Software
The reMarkable 2 was launched in 2020 and the hardware is a quite outdated when compared to Onyx Boox Tab Ultra but still packs and punch. The devices has its own tailored OS and run on Linux. It adopts a pared-back approach, with clean visuals, tidy menus and neat icons for switching tools.
The Onyx Boox Tab Ultra has by far the best hardware in the E Ink Tablet Market. The device runs on Android 11. Overall it resembles quite a lot to a traditional tablet when it comes to hardware.
reMarkable 2
- The reMarkable 2 has a dual-core processor with 1Gb RAM.
- The storage is only 8Gb which can be a problem for some people.
- Doesn’t have Bluetooth.
- It doesnt have G sensor or light sensor.
Onyx Boox Tab Ultra
- Boox Note Air has a 1.8 Octa-core processor with 4 Gb RAM.
- The storage is only 128 Gb in addition to that it supports a micro SD Card as well.
- It has speakers and microphone along with Bluetooth for audiobooks
- The device also has G sensor and light sensor for auto brightness.
- It has a build in camera which is used to scan documents.
- The device also has Finger Print Recognition
Price
In terms of pricing, the Remarkable 2 is more affordable. However, when you factor in the cost of a stylus, the minimum price for the Remarkable 2 increases significantly.
reMarkable 2
- The Remarkable 2 has a single version with 8 GB of non-expandable storage.
- However, the tablet doesn’t come with a stylus in the box. You can opt for the standard or premium Marker for additional cost.
- Remarkable charges a monthly subscription fee if you want to use the “connect” feature.
Boox Tab Ultra
- The price of Onyx Boox Tab Ultra is aroud 500$ but the devices come with the pen and with a free case.
- There are no subscription charges.
Connectivity
Onyx Boox Tab Ultra beats reMarkable 2 when it comes to connectivity, with 3rd party cloud services you can utilize multiple platforms. You can also share files Via Bluetooth which isn’t available in reMarkable. The OTG can also be used for sharing notes. Being an fully function Android E Ink Tablet its connectivity is exceptional.
The reMarkable 2 does offers unlimited Cloud Storage for your documents but that requires a subscription. Overall the connectivity in reMarkable 2 is quite restricted to its ecosystem
Final Verdict
Onyx Tab Ultra performs in every conceivable measurable metric better than the Remarkable. But they target a different user altogether.
If you want something simple, minimalistic and distraction free to jot down your thoughts, take notes, sketch or just doodle then reMarkable 2 is the device for you.
Whereas if you a tech nerd who wants a tablet like E Ink device, which is highly customizable and versatile then Onyx Boox Tab Ultra would be the right option for you.
Before You Go…..
Check Out Onyx Boox Note Air 2 Vs reMarkable 2
More Comparison Of reMarkable 2. reMarkable Vs Supernote, Kindle Scribe Vs reMarkable 2,
Comparison of All Onyx Boox Devices or Onyx Boox Vs Kindle Scribe
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