Why The Supernote Over The Competition
There are a few e-ink tablets available right now, but the big ones are the Kindle Scribe, Supernote, reMarkable 2, and any Boox device. Narrowing down which one I wanted back in November 2022 was a fun, weeklong spiral where I went from knowing absolutely nothing about any of this stuff to knowing enough to help one of my friends with her search as well. Narrowing to the Supernote ended up coming down to the following.
- The Kindle Scribe
- This was a brand-new product back then so there was no first-hand experience with it when I was wanting to buy an e-ink tablet. I ended up eliminating it due to this and also because it had a backlit screen. My main goal was/is writing a lot, and I didn’t want another lit screen in my face. Plus, I had a feeling that the software on the scribe would not be very good initially. Turns out, I was right, so yay! It has gotten better though, but still not up to par. Plus, I love my Supernote.
- Boox Devices
- There are a number of these available, and they are great devices. The problem here is that they are more complicated. They are essentially an android tablet with an e-ink screen. My goal was not to have a tablet but to replace my paper notebooks. Distraction-free writing is my goal so this just doesn’t work. Plus, it also has a backlit screen which is, again, not something I want.
- reMarkable 2
- This device is actually really cool. A friend showing me her reMarkable 2 is what jump-started this whole e-ink notebook thing. It also looks really awesome. So, why didn’t I get it?
- I didn’t like that I had to get a monthly subscription in order to access all the features. It is free for one year and then $3 a month. This isn’t a bad price, but my issue here boils down to two things: 1) I’m paying over $500 for the device, marker, and folio so why isn’t this just included? and 2) What’s to stop them from raising the price on this subscription in the future?
- I also didn’t like the writing feel as much since it feels like writing with a pencil on a single sheet of paper. I prefer pen and writing in a notebook.
- This device looks awesome, but that is partially due to it being a glass screen. There are reports of people who have broken their screens. I planned on replacing my notebook which I carry in my bag and it gets tossed around a lot. I would 100% break this thing without even trying.
- Lastly, it was just a little too simple. The reMarkable 2 doesn’t do a lot. It boasts being a minimalist device that does not get in your brain’s way and it excels at it. However, when I compared it to the Supernote, I found it a little too lacking for me. The Titles, Keywords, and Stars are just too good with the Supernote.
- This device is actually really cool. A friend showing me her reMarkable 2 is what jump-started this whole e-ink notebook thing. It also looks really awesome. So, why didn’t I get it?
And that is why I opted for the Supernote in lieu of the other options. I previously went through all the reasons I loved the Supernote in case you are curious about that device. Still super happy with my choice to get my Supernote so all good here. 😊
Feature Photo by evgeniia uuu on Unsplash