Then there is the screen. It is the same size and resolution (1,872×1,404) as that found in the original model; there is still enough space to scratch and doodle. There are some key benefits that come with using the more modern view of the reMarkable 2: Text looks a bit clearer, and when used with the new Marker, the tablet can detect 4,096 levels of pressure for more accurate the damage. More importantly, thanks to a newer Canvas panel and somewhat improved internals, the latency between the Marker and the screen is almost halved, from around 40ms to 21ms here.
I have no doubt that some will benefit from that upgrade; artists, in particular, will notice the difference when they lay long, sweeping lines. I’m more of an insane notepad, so I mostly deal with short, staccato streaks. In situations where I was just trying to get everything done quickly, this combination of screen and marker did not feel significantly better. Still, I’m glad to mark that again at work. And I’m especially glad the company changed how the screen feels.
The company says it used a new structured resin on top of the glass to make writing on the reMarkable 2 more than writing on paper, which I do not buy. If anything, the screen of the original reMarkable had a more pronounced, paper-like grittiness that does not pass through here. However, that is hardly a dealbreaker, because writing on the r2 still feels very fantastic, I think this one has a better balance of tactility and flow.
There’s a subtle feeling to be written here that is missing on devices like the iPad Pro, and it goes a long way to making the action of using the Marker more natural.
Brian Oh / Engadget
Again, I really can not overestimate how beautiful this hardware is. reMarkable did a great job of enhancing the design of their tablet, and more importantly, all that work serves the purpose of keeping your eyes locked on this screen. It’s clean, it’s functional, and I’m here for it. But that does not mean that the reMarkable 2 is the upgrade that everyone was waiting for.
For one, there is still just 8GB of internal storage here, of which about 6GB is available to play with, out of the box. That’s enough so far, but considering the price of this thing, a little incentive here would not have been out of line. Meanwhile, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU replaces the pokey processor found in the original, and the 1GB of RAM is double what the first reMarkable shipped.
On paper, that sounds like the leg up that this tablet has long needed. In practice, the difference in performance feels negative. Dolls in and out of notebooks feel just as fast on both models, as through menus and all the typical navigation bits. Really, the only times I noticed a difference in performance was when it came to handling files I loaded on the reMarkable 2.
Like I mentioned, you can use the reMarkable 2 as a huge e-reader if you are ready to sniff out DRM-free ePub files. (In other words, do not bother to try to get your Kindle library on this thing.) In my experience, the format of ePub files tends to look a bit screwed up on the reMarkable, causing the font, margins, fairness is adjusted, and line spacing a must. This all happens a bit faster on the reMarkable 2, but unless you test an older model right next door, you will not notice the difference. Ditto for loading and reading PDFs: The reMarkable 2 will make certain pages (especially those with graphics or diagrams) but faster than the original model, but again it is almost a dead heat between the two.
