reMarkable Vs Boox Vs Supernote
If you’re in the market for an e-ink tablet, you’re likely considering devices like the Remarkable 2, Supernote A5X, and Boox Note Air 2. These three devices are among the latest and most popular options in the world of e-ink devices. In this article, we’ll compare these devices across various categories to help you make an informed decision about which one suits your needs the best.
Comparison Table Remarkable 2 Vs Boox Note Air 2 Vs Supernote A5x
| FEATURES | SUPERNOTE A5 X | REMARKABLE 2 | ONYX BOOX NOTE AIR 2 |
| Release year | 2020 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Display | |||
| Screen type | Mobius Carta | Carta | Carta 1000 |
| Screen size | 10.3" | 10.3" | 10.3" |
| Screen resolution | 1404 × 1872 | 1404 x 1872 | 1404 x 1872 |
| Pixel density | 226dpi | 226dpi | 227dpi |
| Hardware | |||
| CPU | 1.3 GHz quad-core | 1.2Ghz dual-core | 1.8 GHz octa-core |
| RAM | 2Gb | 1Gb | 4Gb |
| Storage | 32Gb | 8Gb | 64Gb |
| Battery | 3800mAh | 3000mAh | 3700mAh |
| Thickness | 7.2mm | 4.7mm | 5.8mm |
| Weight | 375g | 405g | 445g |
| Connectivity | Wifi + BT | Wifi + BT | Wifi + BT |
| Stylus | Wacom/ Ceramic Tip | Cardboard Nip | Wacom/ Graphite Tip |
| Software | |||
| Operating system | Chauvet (Android-based) | Linux | Android 11.0 |
| Google Play Store | ⨯ | ⨯ | ✓ |
| Handwriting recognition | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Other Features | |||
| Backlit Screen | ⨯ | ⨯ | ✓ |
| Speakers | ⨯ | ⨯ | ✓ |
| Microphone | ⨯ | ⨯ | ✓ |
| Auto-Rotate | ⨯ | ⨯ | ✓ |
| Waterproof | ⨯ | ⨯ | ⨯ |
Aspect of Consideration
- Design
- Display
- Stylus
- Notetaking
- Reading
- Drawing & Sketching
- Ease of Use
- Hardware & Software
- Pricing
Design
All these devices have a tablet-like form factor and are equipped with greyscale E Ink screens. Notably, they feature bezels framing the displays, with a wider strip on the left side for more comfortable handling.
When it comes to design the reMarkable 2 is the most appealing probably because it thinner then rest of the devices and feels like a premium device.
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 (404g) and thickness makes it feel more nimble while holding
Onyx Boox Note Air 2
- Both the Note Air 2 and Note Air 2 Plus have the same thickness (5.8 mm)
- In weight Note Air 2 Plus is heavier (445g) when compared to Note Air 2 (420 g)
- The aluminum frame gives the device a very premium feel when holding.
Supernote A5x
- The Supernote has a wider bezel at the bottom with a touch slider on the right bezel.
- It has a plastic casing and screen, which makes it the lightest among rest (375g ).
- Supernote A5x is a bit thicker (7.2mm)
Display
The pixel density, screen resolution, and screen size are the same for all these devices. However the technology used for the screen is different. reMarkable 2 Screen is made of Canvas technology giving it Pencil over paper like feel, Supernote A5x has a plastic screen making it flexible and mailable and Note Air 2 has Carta 1000 Screen.
In terms of writing the best display is of reMarkable followed by Supernote A5x. However Onyx Boox display has a better refresh rate, warm lights and better contrasts.
reMarkable 2
- The reMarkable screen uses their patented CANVAS technology. The screen has more fiction and paper like feel to it.
- 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 Note Air 2
- Onyx Boox has backlit screen and adjustable warm lights.
- Refresh rate and gray scale has is highly customizable
- Refresh Rate is higher making it great for moving elements
Supernote A5x
- The Supernote A5x uses a plastic Mobius Carta screen. Its more flexible and lighter.
- Supernote A5x claims that its screen never breaks making it a better option for careless forks.
- The device has no backlight or 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.
The Onyx Boox Note Air 2 comes with the Boox Pen Plus Stylus in the box.
The Supernote A5x comes with a lot of Stylus options you can choose different styluses and different colors.
All of the 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 Note Air 2
- The nib is made of soft plastic and has a nice feel while writing
- The pen lacks a eraser but you can use alternate styluses as well.
- Tilt detection & accurate pressure sensitivity makes the writing highly enjoyable.
- Overall it has minimal lag and a useful range of stroke settings
Supernote A5x
- It 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 but it feels good in its own way.
- Supernote A5x 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 pen comes with a cap so the nip is more secure
Note Taking
When it comes to writing and note-taking, the Supernote A5X offers a unique writing experience with its ceramic nibs that mimic the feel of a ballpoint pen on premium paper. It also supports handwriting recognition and even allows you to start Word documents directly on the device.
The Boox Note Air 2 provides a solid writing experience, with options to use various apps like Microsoft Word and customizable pen tools.
The Remarkable 2 boasts excellent pen latency and a natural writing feel, particularly with its pencil tool. However, its handwriting recognition requires a subscription and lacks advanced text editing options.
In the writing and note-taking category, the Supernote A5X takes the lead for its unique writing experience, followed closely by the Boox Note Air 2, while the Remarkable 2 offers great pen latency but limited text editing features.
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.
- 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 more than 30 templates
- 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
- 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.
Supernote A5x
- The note taking UI has multiple brushes, shades and templates.
- 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.
- The annotations function includes actual text extraction.
- The text recognition while note taking is in real time
- Navigation on the Supernote A5x is made even easier with the side touch slider.
- 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.
Drawing and Artistic Abilities
For artists and those who enjoy drawing, the Remarkable 2 takes the lead with its excellent pen tools, including tilt sensitivity, layers, and export options. It offers a natural drawing experience similar to pencil on paper. The Supernote A5X also supports drawing, but its focus is on note-taking, and its pen tools are limited compared to the Remarkable 2.
The Boox Note Air 2 is suitable for drawing, especially with larger-sized screens available in other Boox models, but it’s not the primary strength of this device.
In the drawing and artistic abilities category, the Remarkable 2 stands out for its advanced drawing features, while the Supernote A5X and Boox Note Air 2 offer more basic drawing capabilities.
Reading
When it comes to reading, the Boox Note Air 2 stands out with its wide range of available apps. You have access to a variety of reading apps, including Kindle, which can make it a great choice if you have an extensive Kindle library.
The Supernote A5X also offers Kindle compatibility and supports a wide range of file formats, making it versatile for reading different types of content.
On the other hand, the Remarkable 2 is limited to reading EPUBs and PDFs, but it offers the unique feature of a Chrome extension that allows you to send web pages directly to the device for reading. This can be a powerful tool for quick access to online content.
In the reading category, the Boox Note Air 2 takes the lead due to its extensive app selection, followed by the Supernote A5X, while the Remarkable 2 offers a more straightforward reading experience.
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.
- 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.
Supernote A5x
- Supernote A5x 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.
- You can also scribble notes on them and annotate them
- The weight is lesser so its more comfortable for prolonged reading sessions
Organization
When it comes to organization, the Supernote A5X shines with its built-in table of contents, keyword tagging, and star marks for to-do lists. These features make it well-suited for structured note-taking and task management.
The Boox Note Air 2 offers note-taking capabilities comparable to using a physical notebook, with various pen and organization options.
The Remarkable 2 provides a simple notebook experience, requiring users to manually organize their notes with clear headings for easy navigation.
In the organization category, the Supernote A5X is the winner for its advanced features, followed by the Boox Note Air 2, while the Remarkable 2 offers a more straightforward notebook-style organization.
Workflow Integration
The Boox Note Air 2 has an advantage due to its Android-based system, allowing you to use various apps for tasks like email, calendar, and more. It’s more versatile in fitting into various workflow setups.
The Supernote A5X also supports email and a calendar, making it suitable for those who prefer using a digital notebook and planner.
The Remarkable 2 is best suited for those who primarily use a physical notepad or planner, offering limited digital workflow integration.
In the workflow integration category, the Boox Note Air 2 takes the lead, followed by the Supernote A5X, while the Remarkable 2 is more focused on replicating traditional notepad and planner use.
Ease Of Use
In terms of ease of use, the Remarkable 2 stands out for its simplicity and user-friendly design. It’s a straightforward device that’s easy to learn and use, making it suitable for less tech-savvy individuals.
The Supernote A5X offers a shallow learning curve and intuitive navigation, while the Boox Note Air 2 provides more advanced options but may require a steeper learning curve.
In the ease of use category, the Remarkable 2 is the most user-friendly, followed by the Supernote A5X, while the Boox Note Air 2 offers more features at the cost of some complexity.
Hardware & Software
The reMarkable 2 and Supernote A5x was launched in 2020 and the hardware is a bit outdated when compared to Onyx Boox Note Air 2 but they still packs and punch. The devices has their own own tailored android and Linux OS. They both adopts a pared-back approach, with clean visuals, tidy menus and neat icons for switching tools.
The Onyx Boox Note Air 2 has a far superior hardware. The device runs on Android 11. Overall it resembles quite a lot to aa traditional tablet.
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 Note Air 2
- Boox Note Air has a 1.8 Octa-core processor with 4 Gb RAM.
- The storage is only 64Gb which is more than enough.
- It has speakers and microphone along with Bluetooth for audiobooks
- The device also has G sensor and light sensor for auto brightness.
Supernote A5x
- Runs on Quad-core processor with 2 GB of memory and 32Gb of storage.
- Supernote lacks key features like backlit screen and g sensors.
- Supernote A5x has a larger battery (3800mAh) and the absence of Backlights and sensors makes its last longer then the Onyx Boox
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 . And You need the connect subscription for the complete reMarkable experience.
Whereas the Onyx Boox Note Air 2 and Supernote costs more but do not require a subscription plan.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, the choice between the Remarkable 2, Supernote A5X, and Boox Note Air 2 depends on your specific needs and priorities.
If you prioritize a versatile reading experience with access to various apps, the Boox Note Air 2 is a strong contender.
For a unique writing experience and robust note-taking features, the Supernote A5X is a top choice.
If you value a natural drawing experience and a straightforward, user-friendly design, the Remarkable 2 could be the best fit.
Each of these devices has its strengths, so consider your primary use cases and preferences to determine which one aligns best with your needs.
Before You Go…..
Check Out Boox Tab Ultra Vs reMarkable 2
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Check Out Detailed Reviews for reMarkable 2 or Supernote A5x
Comparison of All Onyx Boox Devices or Onyx Boox Vs Kindle Scribe
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