It made me want to write things again.

When I was a kid, my favorite part of back-to-school shopping was picking out notebooks for the new year. Back then, they were color-coded by theme (according to the system in my head) and equipped with nasty coils that would almost certainly get tangled in my backpack. It’s been a long time since I bought a school supply list, but my love for notebooks hasn’t disappeared.

That’s probably why the reMarkable Paper Pure ($399 at reMarkable) won me over so quickly. While many E-Ink tablets try to include productivity features and Amazon’s Kindles still adding limitations and artificial intelligence tools, Paper Pure has the refreshing commitment to being exactly one thing: a really good digital notebook. After more than a week with the device, I’m in no rush to remove it from my tech rotation.

The Paper Pure doesn’t look like most modern tablets. At 360g and only 6mm thick, the device is exceptionally light. Its asymmetrical bezel gives me a place to hold the tablet without constantly covering the screen with fingerprints.

The 10.3-inch monochrome Canvas display reinforces the feeling that I’m carrying a laptop, not a tablet. There is also no front light, which is one of the boldest choices made with the device. Without another layer of lighting on top of the screen, the screen is cleaner and the typing experience is more responsive. On the other hand, I need a lamp (or in my case, a headlamp) to use it comfortably at night, like a pen and paper journaling session.

The device is also strictly grayscale, which stands out in contrast to the increasingly colorful e-ink market. Text looks sharp and the screen retains the bright, paper-like look that monochrome e-ink achieves even better. I didn’t miss the color as much as I thought I would, which is shocking considering everything from my brain to my wardrobe is organized by ROYGBIV.

Internally, the Paper Pure is powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core Cortex-A55 processor with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. None of that is especially impressive by tablet standards, but it doesn’t have to be. The interface is fast and the entire device feels focused in a way that many modern tablets no longer do. It also includes a 3,820 mAh battery that lasts up to three weeks on a charge, and I have yet to think about that.

Most importantly, writing on Paper Pure is good enough that you start looking for excuses to use it. The textured screen gives the pen enough resistance without overdoing the paper trick, and low-latency input keeps writing natural. I missed the compatibility with the brand’s Type Folio, but once I mentally committed to my messy penmanship, the simpler notebook-forward configuration felt nostalgic.

That sentiment is also based on the simplicity of reMarkable’s base software. I never got stuck digging into settings or modifying the interface. It’s a low bar, but optimization is surprisingly rare once you start using more feature-rich e-ink tablets.

Since Paper Pure is less intimidating than many of its competitors, I found myself using it more casually. Over the course of this review, Pure has taken up residence on my counter just like my nutcracker notepad that comes out for Christmas. I used the device for everything from jotting down quick shopping lists to recording details while on the phone with a frustrating customer service representative. And writing notes to my partner while on the phone, reminding him to ask me for the gossip he wanted. I scribbled deep, random thoughts throughout the day that turned out not to be very deep, and I took notes during Zoom briefings. I also used it to sketch nonsense during repetitive parts of said meetings.

In other words, the Pure fit into my routine as seamlessly as a notebook because it behaves more like an old-fashioned notepad than a productivity powerhouse. It’s not loaded with apps or a library, so I’m not tempted to dive deep into distractions. Compared to the brand’s smaller Move, the larger screen gives me enough space to write notes and review documents comfortably, and the Marker Plus feels even better than writing with a real pen. The pen itself feels great in the hand (probably my favorite of all the ones I’ve tried) and I love the built-in eraser. I was moderately disappointed with the conversion to text feature, which gets complicated when it comes to formatting. When I wrote a to-do list, for example, the template disappeared during the conversion and my tasks ended up mixed up.

It’s also worth noting that the Paper Pure isn’t completely bare. ReMarkable still includes useful organizational tools like folders, labels, templates, document markup, and cloud sync. An optional $3.99/month Connect subscription adds features like handwriting search, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook meeting integrations, AI-generated summaries, and deeper workflow tools. For jobs that are more demanding than doodling dinosaur breeds, I appreciate the ability to annotate PDFs and brainstorm directly on the documents. All of these tools are there when I need them, but they rarely compete for my attention.

The biggest caveat to this device is that it is not for everyone. If your goal is to replace your traditional tablet or read a bunch of e-books, there are objectively better alternatives. BOOX options are much more flexible thanks to Android apps and greater file support. The Kindle line offers much better pure reading devices, with the Kindle Scribe adding stylus support for note taking.

You can read books on the Paper Pure, but the device is much more document-centric than reader-centric. Annotating draft articles and reviewing media kit documents works great. But, as mentioned, there is no integrated library or developed ecosystem for reading. The lack of a front light is also a real compromise, even if I ended up appreciating the cleaner screen for it. I loved the paper look during the day, but there were also a few times where I switched to a different device at night instead of parking it under a lamp.

Then there is the price. The tablet itself starts at $399, but accessories take things up quickly. The Marker Plus stylus seems almost essential, the folio cases aren’t cheap, and the optional $3.99 a month Connect subscription adds another ongoing cost if you want features like handwriting search, AI summaries, and calendar integrations. I will always hesitate to add another subscription to my embarrassingly long list of monthly charges.

I will say, though, that I love the Pure’s folio case. The padded wraparound design makes Paper Pure feel really protected, like the egg I wrapped in 2 feet of bubble wrap for a science fair in elementary school. The deep ocean blue color is especially elegant. it is also It’s not cheap at $69.. It is definitely better to save money with the $449 packagewhich includes the Sleeve Folio and a Marker Plus (normally $129).

I no longer have to push my cart down the school supply aisle, but the Paper Pure gave me a similar itch. There’s something satisfying about a tool that exists for a specific purpose and does it well. For over a week, I would pick up the tablet, write something, and throw it on my counter, desk, nightstand, or right into my bag—no paper cuts. Instead of grabbing my phone to write things down in the notes app and inevitably getting distracted, I started writing things down more frequently, and that’s a luxury I’d forgotten about.

There are more capable options available, but while many brands continue to try to push more complicated devices, reMarkable Paper Pure stands out by being refreshingly simple. If you want a dedicated e-reader with Amazon’s built-in bookstore and reading ecosystem, you’ll be better off with the Kindle Scribe ($629.99 at Amazon). If you want maximum flexibility, apps, and customization, a tablet from BOOX makes the most sense. He Go 10.3 Generation II ($419.99 at Amazon) has a similarly sized monochrome display and access to the Play Store, and the Lumi model ($449.99 at Amazon) even adds a front light.

Compared to the rest of reMarkable’s lineup, the Pure feels like the cleanest expression of reMarkable’s philosophy. The movement ($499 at Amazon) still makes more sense if portability is your top priority, while the professional paper ($629 at Amazon) is the company’s most ambitious device.