Question: is it possible to search through your notes. I use Evernote at the moment, a great tool, but it would be great to use it on such a e-ink-device.
This was exactly the review I was looking for. Not so superficial that it just repeats the advertising lines, not so long that I have to watch ten 30-minute videos for each tablet. I am really grateful.
I had the remarkable for a week, as i bought it before a major business trip. I immediately saw that my notes would be hard to keep track of, and decided to return it. I was looking for a e notebook that would help me keep track of important notes. I have the A5X coming in, because of the search functionality.
Your reviewing style is outstanding. Few reviewers navigate the tightrope between subjectivity and objectivity with your degree of excellence. I chalk this up to your keen sense of the spectrum of e-ink user experiences (or user preferences) out there. Thank you for your valuable advice.
Yes, whole-heartedly agree! Your style is very easy to listen to and follow, without feeling like I have to speed things up or rewind a bunch of times. Thanks for your review...currently waiting for my Ax6 to arrive in a couple of days!
This was super helpful. The writing feel is exactly what I like and the way you explained it has helped me finalize my decision after weeks of research
Great review! I sold my RM2 for my Supernote A5x and could not be happier. The organization features alone are worth it and the write feel is still much better than trying to write on my iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil. I feel like they latest beta has a done a better job of improving the appearance of the written text as well. It's now very clean and better anti-aliasing.
My mom has reMarkable, and I have Supernote. I tried both and preferred the Supernote ten times over. I did not like reMarkable because of the scratchy feel and having to change the nibs. I've had Supernote for almost 3 years now and I use it almost every day for a variety of things. It is the best purchase I made for college and my professional life.
Fine review. TY! Agree with everything (I returned a ReMarkable and purchased the SuperNote A5X). I like writing on the SuperNote and disliked writing on the ReMarkable. The UX is, to me, not only a complete level above the ReMarkable, but has a more subtle, sensitive unifying intelligence behind it.
That’s the annoying thing with all these tablets. There’s never a brick & mortar store where you can touch them before buying one! For devices which are so expensive, and all about the feel of writing..that’s inexcusable
I'm gunna give the supernote a try. I hate writing on glassy objects, that flex I feel when using a Precision V5 Pilot pen is what I absolutely need. Very happy they have a 30 days money back guarantee!
I just want to point out that the writing experience changes based on the stylus that is used. The Samsung Tab S6 pen (flat on opposite sides) and the Staedtler Noris Digital EMR standard pen are great to use, and smoother than the HoM pen. For those considering an A5X, you should definitely consider getting a stylus with an eraser button. Thanks for your review - subscribed :)
I loved your review 🌟 The best review about e-ink Notebooks that I’ve seen. The fact that you approach each notebook from a subjective *and* an objective perspective makes me feel that your review is honest. Good job and great video 🫶🏾
So I have my Supernote A5X on its way. I agonized over my decision and have been really nervous but after seeing your video it makes me feel much more at ease with my choice. I’m excited for my cool nerd toy.
Dude you example of the difference between writing on the the Supernote vis-a-vis the others was perfect. I always want at least about 10 pages of nothing below my writing, because I want that damping. Writing on a single sheet of paper feels awful for me.
Brandon, thank you so much for this excellent review. I have been watching a few of your videos on e-ink pads and I'm getting a little concerned that for my purposes I am going to have to stick with analog pen and paper. I have boxes and boxes of journals going back 40 years, and I use their content as raw material for my writing projects (book author). You can imagine the nightmare and waste of time in trying to a) locate relevant material and b) typing it up (though the act of typing it up often leads me to expand on what I originally wrote and is actually sometimes an important part of the writing process). Would you take a moment to advise me? I bought a ReMarkable2 and hate the way it feels to write on it--too glassy, though it is greatly improved by using a Samsung S7 pen, which has a more rubbery feel. I also find the ReMarkable to be pretty much useless for the functions I want. So I have now ordered the SuperNote A5x. I am hoping I won't need to return that, too. :-( I want to write longhand as if writing with a pen in a bound paper journal, but then I want to be able to go back maybe even months or years later and search the journal entries for material that could be relevant to a book I am at work on. I will also do conversions to text the same day I write, but these entries are going to be three to ten pages long, and the material may be suitable for many different projects, or even just to do lists. Am I going to have to convert as I go? Or can I wait until my writing session is over for the morning? And will I be able to break up the content and slot it into differenty projects or files? Ultimately, I want all of the converted text in Word documents where I can edit and revise. I can do those functions on the SuperNote for as long as possible, but in the end it needs to get onto my laptop and get printed out and emailed to my editors. Is the SuperNote going to work for me?
I enjoyed the video and your comments and analysis. My preferences are opposite of yours in that I prefer the feel of writing on the SuperNote A5X. I agree with your thoughts about carrying the unit without worry of damaging it. It is currently my daily driver (vs. my Remarkable 2 and the Boox Note Air 2 Plus which I just gave to an employee because I'm waiting for the Tab X to arrive in a few days).
This is an exceptionally good review. A year ago, I was shopping for an e-ink device for my wife and for myself. In the end, I got the Remarkable for her and the Supernote for me. I have never used the Boox. But if you’re a person who has come here to find out which of these devices is best for you, I can tell you that what he describes here - both the praise and the criticisms - jibes almost 100 percent with my experiences, so I would also trust his assessment of the Boox. The only opinion different from mine is the assessment of the Heart of Metal pen. I have heard and read nothing but good things about that pen, so I bought one, and I hate it. It’s far too short, stubby, and light for my comfort. If I could place the cap on the top of the pen during use, that problem would be solved, but the cap in that “in-use” position just slips right off (at least it does on mine). If the cap would stay on, I would love the pen. Obviously that’s a highly subjective choice, but I think it’s an important point that I wish I had known before I spent the money. I’m sure I’m not the only person who likes to put the cap on the end of the pen for proper weight and balance while I use it. If you’re one of those people, I’d say try before you buy.
Your reviews have been super helpful-The kind of break downs I’ve been looking for! I *think* the SuperNote is going to be the winner, but I’m curious if there are other to-do list workflow options besides Starring (then going back to that page later and manually transferring that bullet to an actual to-do list)? Ideally for me there would be a way to mark something in real time as a to-do (box, star, etc.) and it would automatically add it to a list somewhere. Guessing that’s not a thing?
I just got my Supernote A5x. At first I almost regretted it because I didn't have a manual. Could not figure anything out, except to watch videos. Especially simply erasing. But, I finally am getting used to it. I like the writing feel. And the cost was affordable, where as RM2 was not. Thank you for your review.
Very helpful review. I’m trying to decide if I want to use an e-ink tablet for my note taking during therapy sessions. I want e-ink because it is less distracting, but I’m trying to gauge download options for documentation purposes. RM2 demonstrated a helpful text conversion option (…with $8 Connect subscription…), and it seems like SN might be able to do the same. Would you consider using the SN over other tablets for the medical /mental health fields?
Text conversion is now free with the recent Connect changes from reMarkable. The SuperNote has text conversion, but only it's Word document mode (not the standard notebook). If text conversion is a major use case, I think the reMarkable is the better of the two there (especially with the new 3.0 Software Beta).
Thank you for a very informative and equally well produced sum up of what the A5X is good/not good at doing. However, I was wondering if you could add a bit (perhaps just as a reply to this comment) on how it fares as an e-ink reader, especially as a large format PDF reader (academic papers and letter/A4 sized pdf books)? Thanks again
Hi there. This is not my use-case, so I'm probably not the best source here, but in my experience if you are dealing with large format PDF documents with multiple columns then the Boox has the most comprehensive PDF reader for that scenario. As far as I know, neither the reMarkable or the Supernote have tooling to help with making multi-column PDF reading fast and easy.
I have had the Supernote A5X for around 1.5 years and to be honest, I don't really like it. I would say to stick to pen & paper. This is coming from a student POV, not an employee. It is inferior to paper, because there is not much granularity and personalization you can place on your notes. There are no index tabs, colors, sticky notes, or shape presets. Only differing highlighter shades, titles, and writing thickness. It also randomly lags and glitches a lot, it isn't exactly a5 paper size, it's UI is terrible. Ugh, and for ~$500! It's only useful as a mobile dry erase board for mathematics, jotting down on the spot notes (like a secretary), and for pirating books--- and I still prefer buying real books.
Hi, I'm a therapist and want to write my client notes and store them conveniently and securely. Is this something you think the supernote would be suitable for? Thanks
Would you clarify; would super note update the old devices? I'm curious if I should wait for the device to come out with the newest version such as with the light option, and or being able to upload ones own android apps.
This is a fantastic review! Phenomenal job! I currently own an A6X and my A5X is coming in today! (So I’m stalking online videos, anxiously awaiting its arrival. Lol) Regarding pressure: I write HARD. Years ago in college, a friend borrowed my notes and joked, “Are you trying to write Braille or something??” There were many a times I tore holes through the paper with ballpoint pen, even. Well, I *LOVE* the Supernote writing experience, and can’t stand the reMarkable and BOOX devices for how they feel (and how fast I cranked through nibs). To note: One 45-minute writing session required a nib replacement with the reMarkable. I was able to return the BOOX, but I’m ready to sell my reMarkable now. Supernote, all the way! EDIT: To be clear, I’m ready to sell my reMarkable, and I’m one of the early adopters, grandfathered in with the highest tier subscription benefits…. LAST EDIT: Ratta support monitors and supports its Subreddit, and has made software changes based on user requests made in that forum. It’s got the best customer service of any e-ink device I’ve used. And as a former notebook user, the thickness of the Supernote didn’t even factor in my mind! I remember noting that it was thicker than my reMarkable when I got it early 2022, but that was the only time I thought of it. What mattered and matters to me is that I treat the reMarkable like it’s an infant with a chronic health condition-it’s fragile, and I don’t take it out of the house (or even away from my desk…). The Supernote is tough, and it comes everywhere with me! I plan to bring its bigger sister (the A5X) out with me constantly, too.
I was hesitant deciding between Boox Air 2 Plus and the A5X: thanks to your video I had clear in mind why I needed the A5X instead of the Boox. So thank you ever so much for your video. The A5X really has all I need in a e-ink tablet for my job (University Reasearcher). As you said in your video, it's really the way you can write on the A5X that suits me the best.
I haven't used the Dropbox support as I'm annoyed at using both Google Drive and iCloud. Google Drive connectivity is on the roadmap and Kindle support already exists and works well.
Hi there, I am an academic. I read and write comments on lots of papers mainly on pdf format. Standar e-books are to small and do not handle pdfs very well. In your experience, which device handle best pdfs and notes? Thanks a lot
Hi there. This is not my use-case, so I'm probably not the best source here, but in my experience if you are dealing with large format PDF documents with multiple columns then the Boox has the most comprehensive PDF reader for that scenario. As far as I know, neither the reMarkable or the Supernote have tooling to help with making multi-column PDF reading fast and easy.
I think if they could improve the sync with google calendar (or similar) I would buy this in an instant. To have something for notes and planning would really help me.
thanks so much for this! I am communications coordinator on the board of a non-profit dog rescue. I have pages and pages of meeting notes, to-do lists, etc that I have piling up and an e-ink book is the answer. I am slightly concerned about this device's grey-ish screen colour compared to the other 2. But I am also concerned about the pencil writing feel of the reMarkable 2. I will only be using a device for making notes and marking up documents. I write with fine point pens, never pencils. I don't sketch or draw. I will never need to export my notes, but I will need to import other documents for mark-up. Having said all that (lol), my question has to do with the different SuperNote pens.. The standard 'set' includes the standard set of pen, folio & device. I can't figure out the difference between the standard, the LEMY & the Heart of Metal pens. For what I'm looking for, I'm not sure which would be most appropriate. Any advice/comments would be appreciated.
Hi Laura, I don't have experience with the standard pen, but the writing feel is much better on the Heart of metal pen than the Lamy (on the Supernote).
I‘m hesitant to buy RM2 or SN. I like RM2 writing very much. The disadvantage is that I have to subscribe to many plans every month. 😢 SN’s sense of writing is not what I pursue. The advantage is that I don‘t need to subscribe to any more plans .
Thanks for your review! When you export a document as a pdf to Dropbox, can you still edit the original notes on the SuperNote? Or does it "lock" them as a pdf as well? (If I understand correctly, this is what happens with a ReMarkable 2).
I believe they both work the same where when you export a PDF it is exporting a copy of the notebook at its current state. If you continue editing the current notebook those changes won’t show in the PDF until you export them again.
Great video. I’d love to find a place where I can test these devices. I’m a lawyer and want the device for two main purposes. The main one by far is note taking. I write tons of handwritten notes and have binders for all of my matters. Having them all in one place would be awesome. The other is annotating cases and statutes. Is there a place to try out these devices? And can any/all directly sync to OneNote?
Only the Boox lets you use OneNote at the moment. Regarding places to test, I don’t know any, other than getting lucky and having a friend with a few. Let me know if you’re ever in Richmond.
As someone who has a connection to Ratta would you be able to ask about the development of the screen sharing feature as I can't find much info on a proper release date
I asked them about this as part of my review. It’s on the roadmap, but not imminent. I asked them about enabling ADB so that we can use scrcpy, but it sounds like that is coming after screen sharing. This is likely the biggest omission in their platform.
@@BrandonKBoswell Thank you so much for the reply, Im glad to hear its not a forgotten feature because im interested in using the device to teach online and use it for university work as well.
I write poetry. What would be your best pick. I need to be able to send to editor and KDP. As far as anything else I really don't care. Plus does it transfer hand written to typed and have alignment capabilities. Thank you in advance.
What templates are available for note taking and to do lists? Also I am a big planner and color coding calendars are important for me. How is the calendar feature?
Can anyone point me to a video talking about... taking notes/annotations while reviewing *non-protected eBooks* which I can transfer from my Mac to the device. I write with Scrivener but want to review my work on an e-ink device while not uploading my work to the cloud to get it onto the device, such as with the Kindle Scribe.
So it has no very powerful backlight? You didnt review the pdf editing. Has it an integrated dictionary when reading ? Can you write on other formats like epub ?
It's quite evident you are a reviewer who actually understands the real life use cases and rationale behind eink device choices. From the mirriad of other reviewers who are just in it for the clicks or the geek aspect, I appreciate finding a channel I can really rely upon for sound advice. Thanks for the time you put into these videos, it really helps I tell you.
onyxboox.com/boox_nova3color and bigmestore.com/products/bigme-b1-pro-color-e-ink-10-3-inch-e-note-with-free-case are the two I'm aware of. (I haven't tried either of these)
No mention of the writing to text conversion feature? This is the main deal breaker feature for me. Was looking forward to seeing what you had to say about it?
Thank you for the great review, I’m using my 20yr anniversary bonus to purchase this and get away from the MULTIPLE task notebooks that clutter my desk. Hoping this is the perfect toy for an executive admin.
Thank you for your in-depth review. It gave me great insight on Supernote. I have a question, as I am a leftie myself --- do you see any major inconveniences in any of these devices for a left-handed writer? Or maybe the other way: one of them is particularly good in covering that area? I want to mention that I don't write from the "above the line", I write in the same manner as a right-handed person, but with a left hand.
In general eInk devices are more lefty friendly than actual paper. The Supernote does a great job with this as they allow you to move the toolbar if it would get in your way. The reMarkable out of the box is mostly lefty friendly, but I find I had to hide the toolbar or I will rest my wrist on it and accidentally close the document. DDVK hacks make this a non issue, but if you don’t intend on doing that I would say the SuperNote is the more lefty friendly device.
I do a good bit of wire-framing and prefer the reMarkable 2. If you are only deciding between the Supernote and the Boox then hold out for the A5X2 this fall.
Got it thanks. The problem with the remarkable 2 for me is that I wanted a larger canvas for zooming out and zooming in it seemed slow. Is that true? Or did I not test drive it enough?
Oh sweet - I hate tablets because when you write on them they feel just like you said - writing on one page on a hard surface. I love the soft feel of writing on the first page of a notebook so that’s awesome
I will be honest, I only use ball pen. Studying post engineering books. And in just last year I filled like 16 -400 pages notebooks completely and that was all fair notes and no rough work practicing included. I starting to lose few of those notes and few of them are about to torn apart due to constent use. So is it time for me to move to digital notebook? I just want my notes to be safe. And quickly to find the topic am looking for. Can this device handle too much writing? Is the hard nib of Pen eventually pierce through the screen? Never had hand in experience with Digital notebooks before
You seem to be a good candidate for e-Ink and the SuperNote specifically. I have found that the Boox slows down with large notebooks, but the SuperNote and reMarkable do well in this regard. You're not doing to hurt the screen with the included stylus or other EMR stylus.
so ive been looking into e-ink readers lately because i want to take notes, but dont want to do it on paper, and like the idea of having it be digital. Few things I want, but not sure if these e-ink readers do. Id like it to convert my writing into text. Currently, i use a touch screen laptop with a pen, and use the Windows 11 writing feature and it converts it to text automatically. do e-ink readers have a feature like this, or is it just going to keep my handwriting as is? Can you read books on these? I've been doing studying for my job, and it would be great to be able to read documentation and take notes, but also read regular books, like off amazon. I dont currently e-read but if I'm going to get an e-ink device, I'd like to be able to do all the things. Is there an e-ink display that does all these things? do these do all these things?
Super helpful.Thanks. Still on fence, but leaning to Super Note. Wondering if I should wait for Lenovo to come out before deciding. Although, it looks like they will have a paywall similar to ReMarkable, which is a turnoff.
I do a lot of drawings using a ruler and angles and stuff..technical drawings.. are there any features to Help me drawing or do i need to bring my ruler, angle and other?
@BrandonKBoswell would you say (aside from your personal tactile preferences) that the Supernote would be a good device choice for journaling? Please let me know and thanks for all of your incredibly helpful and equally well done content!
You said you do wireframing. I'm training to become a UX Designer, and can see the value in the Supernote but am hesitant because of the price tag. What are your thoughts? Thanks.
As a fellow lefty, I'm trying to decide which pen/stylus to choose? I like smooth, easy glide of gel pens (and dislike the too slide-y and hard surface of tablets)
@@BrandonKBoswellthanks. How does it compare to LAMY? I've seen it recommended more often than their standard stylus. I need something with a cap so I can hook it into pockets etc, because I keep losing pens. Edit: just saw that LAMY has triangular shape. Nope!
Please share your thoughts on the video and help me grow the channel by liking and subscribing. Thank you for your help and support!
Question: is it possible to search through your notes. I use Evernote at the moment, a great tool, but it would be great to use it on such a e-ink-device.
Great video, thank you. One idea is a follow up of all the new features since 2022, or at least the ones with the biggest impact.
This was exactly the review I was looking for. Not so superficial that it just repeats the advertising lines, not so long that I have to watch ten 30-minute videos for each tablet. I am really grateful.
Thank you!
So happy to see another crabclaw left hander - with recommendations on writing. Subscribed.
We need to stick together!
The most useful review I've seen about this topic... Well done. And thank you very much!
I had the remarkable for a week, as i bought it before a major business trip.
I immediately saw that my notes would be hard to keep track of, and decided to return it. I was looking for a e notebook that would help me keep track of important notes.
I have the A5X coming in, because of the search functionality.
Indexed Search on the SuperNote is really nice. I'm surprised reMarkable hasn't added it yet.
Your reviewing style is outstanding. Few reviewers navigate the tightrope between subjectivity and objectivity with your degree of excellence. I chalk this up to your keen sense of the spectrum of e-ink user experiences (or user preferences) out there. Thank you for your valuable advice.
Thank you so much for your kind comment! It made my day.
Yes, whole-heartedly agree! Your style is very easy to listen to and follow, without feeling like I have to speed things up or rewind a bunch of times. Thanks for your review...currently waiting for my Ax6 to arrive in a couple of days!
+1 for for this comment
Agreed!
This was super helpful. The writing feel is exactly what I like and the way you explained it has helped me finalize my decision after weeks of research
Great review! I sold my RM2 for my Supernote A5x and could not be happier. The organization features alone are worth it and the write feel is still much better than trying to write on my iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil. I feel like they latest beta has a done a better job of improving the appearance of the written text as well. It's now very clean and better anti-aliasing.
How’s the note syncing?
My mom has reMarkable, and I have Supernote. I tried both and preferred the Supernote ten times over. I did not like reMarkable because of the scratchy feel and having to change the nibs. I've had Supernote for almost 3 years now and I use it almost every day for a variety of things. It is the best purchase I made for college and my professional life.
Fine review. TY! Agree with everything (I returned a ReMarkable and purchased the SuperNote A5X). I like writing on the SuperNote and disliked writing on the ReMarkable. The UX is, to me, not only a complete level above the ReMarkable, but has a more subtle, sensitive unifying intelligence behind it.
The Supernote UX is fantastic. Two finger erasing for the win ;)
bro I just installed one note apk for custom ROM ANDROID7 HahAhhaa. 10 year old tablet no lags when drawing.
That’s the annoying thing with all these tablets. There’s never a brick & mortar store where you can touch them before buying one! For devices which are so expensive, and all about the feel of writing..that’s inexcusable
I'm gunna give the supernote a try. I hate writing on glassy objects, that flex I feel when using a Precision V5 Pilot pen is what I absolutely need. Very happy they have a 30 days money back guarantee!
Super review. I watched 3 reviews by others already, but I think you focus more on issues that are also important for me. Thank you.
I just want to point out that the writing experience changes based on the stylus that is used. The Samsung Tab S6 pen (flat on opposite sides) and the Staedtler Noris Digital EMR standard pen are great to use, and smoother than the HoM pen. For those considering an A5X, you should definitely consider getting a stylus with an eraser button. Thanks for your review - subscribed :)
So you don’t like the two finger gesture to erase?
@@e.carroll6164 did you set your device to left handed dominance? I am also left handed and love this feature
As a student this seems like the right choice for me. Can’t speak for office workers or anything like that but for a stem major I think it’s perfect
I loved your review 🌟
The best review about e-ink Notebooks that I’ve seen. The fact that you approach each notebook from a subjective *and* an objective perspective makes me feel that your review is honest. Good job and great video 🫶🏾
So I have my Supernote A5X on its way. I agonized over my decision and have been really nervous but after seeing your video it makes me feel much more at ease with my choice. I’m excited for my cool nerd toy.
Dude you example of the difference between writing on the the Supernote vis-a-vis the others was perfect. I always want at least about 10 pages of nothing below my writing, because I want that damping. Writing on a single sheet of paper feels awful for me.
Brandon, thank you so much for this excellent review. I have been watching a few of your videos on e-ink pads and I'm getting a little concerned that for my purposes I am going to have to stick with analog pen and paper. I have boxes and boxes of journals going back 40 years, and I use their content as raw material for my writing projects (book author). You can imagine the nightmare and waste of time in trying to a) locate relevant material and b) typing it up (though the act of typing it up often leads me to expand on what I originally wrote and is actually sometimes an important part of the writing process).
Would you take a moment to advise me? I bought a ReMarkable2 and hate the way it feels to write on it--too glassy, though it is greatly improved by using a Samsung S7 pen, which has a more rubbery feel. I also find the ReMarkable to be pretty much useless for the functions I want. So I have now ordered the SuperNote A5x. I am hoping I won't need to return that, too. :-(
I want to write longhand as if writing with a pen in a bound paper journal, but then I want to be able to go back maybe even months or years later and search the journal entries for material that could be relevant to a book I am at work on. I will also do conversions to text the same day I write, but these entries are going to be three to ten pages long, and the material may be suitable for many different projects, or even just to do lists.
Am I going to have to convert as I go? Or can I wait until my writing session is over for the morning? And will I be able to break up the content and slot it into differenty projects or files?
Ultimately, I want all of the converted text in Word documents where I can edit and revise. I can do those functions on the SuperNote for as long as possible, but in the end it needs to get onto my laptop and get printed out and emailed to my editors.
Is the SuperNote going to work for me?
Hey Perri, you are in luck! The newest beta update just added support for indexed notebooks that are fully searchable.
I enjoyed the video and your comments and analysis. My preferences are opposite of yours in that I prefer the feel of writing on the SuperNote A5X. I agree with your thoughts about carrying the unit without worry of damaging it. It is currently my daily driver (vs. my Remarkable 2 and the Boox Note Air 2 Plus which I just gave to an employee because I'm waiting for the Tab X to arrive in a few days).
You do a great job with your reviews!
This is an exceptionally good review. A year ago, I was shopping for an e-ink device for my wife and for myself. In the end, I got the Remarkable for her and the Supernote for me. I have never used the Boox. But if you’re a person who has come here to find out which of these devices is best for you, I can tell you that what he describes here - both the praise and the criticisms - jibes almost 100 percent with my experiences, so I would also trust his assessment of the Boox. The only opinion different from mine is the assessment of the Heart of Metal pen. I have heard and read nothing but good things about that pen, so I bought one, and I hate it. It’s far too short, stubby, and light for my comfort. If I could place the cap on the top of the pen during use, that problem would be solved, but the cap in that “in-use” position just slips right off (at least it does on mine). If the cap would stay on, I would love the pen. Obviously that’s a highly subjective choice, but I think it’s an important point that I wish I had known before I spent the money. I’m sure I’m not the only person who likes to put the cap on the end of the pen for proper weight and balance while I use it. If you’re one of those people, I’d say try before you buy.
Your reviews have been super helpful-The kind of break downs I’ve been looking for! I *think* the SuperNote is going to be the winner, but I’m curious if there are other to-do list workflow options besides Starring (then going back to that page later and manually transferring that bullet to an actual to-do list)? Ideally for me there would be a way to mark something in real time as a to-do (box, star, etc.) and it would automatically add it to a list somewhere. Guessing that’s not a thing?
Thanks for reaching out! As of now that’s not a thing.
I just got my Supernote A5x. At first I almost regretted it because I didn't have a manual. Could not figure anything out, except to watch videos. Especially simply erasing. But, I finally am getting used to it. I like the writing feel. And the cost was affordable, where as RM2 was not. Thank you for your review.
Can't you change the ink color?
The screen on the Supernote is Black and White
Very helpful review. I’m trying to decide if I want to use an e-ink tablet for my note taking during therapy sessions. I want e-ink because it is less distracting, but I’m trying to gauge download options for documentation purposes. RM2 demonstrated a helpful text conversion option (…with $8 Connect subscription…), and it seems like SN might be able to do the same. Would you consider using the SN over other tablets for the medical /mental health fields?
Text conversion is now free with the recent Connect changes from reMarkable. The SuperNote has text conversion, but only it's Word document mode (not the standard notebook). If text conversion is a major use case, I think the reMarkable is the better of the two there (especially with the new 3.0 Software Beta).
Writing feel description was awesome! …. I love writing on the first page of a notebook, a single sheet of paper is a loathe for me … thanks
Thank you for a very informative and equally well produced sum up of what the A5X is good/not good at doing. However, I was wondering if you could add a bit (perhaps just as a reply to this comment) on how it fares as an e-ink reader, especially as a large format PDF reader (academic papers and letter/A4 sized pdf books)? Thanks again
Hi there. This is not my use-case, so I'm probably not the best source here, but in my experience if you are dealing with large format PDF documents with multiple columns then the Boox has the most comprehensive PDF reader for that scenario. As far as I know, neither the reMarkable or the Supernote have tooling to help with making multi-column PDF reading fast and easy.
@@BrandonKBoswell thank you for your reply
All your points are really great, I hope you have suggested them on the Trello from Ratta?
Yes, Ratta is aware of them. Thank you for watching!
This+Trello would be the dream!
I have had the Supernote A5X for around 1.5 years and to be honest, I don't really like it. I would say to stick to pen & paper. This is coming from a student POV, not an employee.
It is inferior to paper, because there is not much granularity and personalization you can place on your notes. There are no index tabs, colors, sticky notes, or shape presets. Only differing highlighter shades, titles, and writing thickness. It also randomly lags and glitches a lot, it isn't exactly a5 paper size, it's UI is terrible. Ugh, and for ~$500!
It's only useful as a mobile dry erase board for mathematics, jotting down on the spot notes (like a secretary), and for pirating books--- and I still prefer buying real books.
Hi, I'm a therapist and want to write my client notes and store them conveniently and securely. Is this something you think the supernote would be suitable for? Thanks
Sold me. I like the review details. Great communication
Thinner always feels cheaper to me. I don't want to hold a clipboard.
Would you clarify; would super note update the old devices? I'm curious if I should wait for the device to come out with the newest version such as with the light option, and or being able to upload ones own android apps.
Very nice review and comparison. The only thing I don't care for in Mr Boswell's reviews is the vocal fry at the end of many sentences.
This is a fantastic review! Phenomenal job!
I currently own an A6X and my A5X is coming in today! (So I’m stalking online videos, anxiously awaiting its arrival. Lol)
Regarding pressure: I write HARD. Years ago in college, a friend borrowed my notes and joked, “Are you trying to write Braille or something??” There were many a times I tore holes through the paper with ballpoint pen, even. Well, I *LOVE* the Supernote writing experience, and can’t stand the reMarkable and BOOX devices for how they feel (and how fast I cranked through nibs).
To note: One 45-minute writing session required a nib replacement with the reMarkable.
I was able to return the BOOX, but I’m ready to sell my reMarkable now. Supernote, all the way!
EDIT: To be clear, I’m ready to sell my reMarkable, and I’m one of the early adopters, grandfathered in with the highest tier subscription benefits….
LAST EDIT: Ratta support monitors and supports its Subreddit, and has made software changes based on user requests made in that forum. It’s got the best customer service of any e-ink device I’ve used.
And as a former notebook user, the thickness of the Supernote didn’t even factor in my mind! I remember noting that it was thicker than my reMarkable when I got it early 2022, but that was the only time I thought of it. What mattered and matters to me is that I treat the reMarkable like it’s an infant with a chronic health condition-it’s fragile, and I don’t take it out of the house (or even away from my desk…). The Supernote is tough, and it comes everywhere with me! I plan to bring its bigger sister (the A5X) out with me constantly, too.
What an excellent comment! Supernote definitely sounds like the right fit for you!
I hope I could earn a Redmi note 13 pro .... I really hope 😢😢😢😢😢😢I want to buy Redmi note 13 pro
It is my big dream ❤❤❤❤
I hope I could earn a Redmi note 13 pro .... I really hope 😢😢😢😢😢😢I want to buy Redmi note 13 pro
It is my big dream ❤❤❤❤
I was hesitant deciding between Boox Air 2 Plus and the A5X: thanks to your video I had clear in mind why I needed the A5X instead of the Boox. So thank you ever so much for your video. The A5X really has all I need in a e-ink tablet for my job (University Reasearcher). As you said in your video, it's really the way you can write on the A5X that suits me the best.
I’m glad to hear it was helpful!
I totally agree after spending a couple of months researching these devices. There is no perfect device!
Yeah brightness could be better.
Thank you for the video but I really don't understand why there isn't a single minute to talk about reading.
You never said if the Supernote converts handwriting to typed text. Remarkable does, but not Amazon's.
It didn’t when I reviewed it, but it does now.
I don’t know why I thought it would be more affordable
Excellent review. What about connectivity to drop box? Any sense is google drive connectivity is on the roadmap? And kindle reader capability?
I haven't used the Dropbox support as I'm annoyed at using both Google Drive and iCloud. Google Drive connectivity is on the roadmap and Kindle support already exists and works well.
Just returned my Boox Note air 2 plus. Was very unimpressed with the lagging. Ordered the SN A5x last night. Can wait to try it out
I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the differences between the two.
Hi there,
I am an academic. I read and write comments on lots of papers mainly on pdf format. Standar e-books are to small and do not handle pdfs very well. In your experience, which device handle best pdfs and notes?
Thanks a lot
Hi there. This is not my use-case, so I'm probably not the best source here, but in my experience if you are dealing with large format PDF documents with multiple columns then the Boox has the most comprehensive PDF reader for that scenario. As far as I know, neither the reMarkable or the Supernote have tooling to help with making multi-column PDF reading fast and easy.
The a5x is externally very similar to Remarkable 1.
A year later, have they added any of your wishlist items?
I want to buy Redmi note 13 pro
It is my big dream ❤❤❤❤😊
I think if they could improve the sync with google calendar (or similar) I would buy this in an instant. To have something for notes and planning would really help me.
Hybrid is really interesting, but it doesn’t feel like any of the tablets have really cracked it just yet.
thanks so much for this! I am communications coordinator on the board of a non-profit dog rescue. I have pages and pages of meeting notes, to-do lists, etc that I have piling up and an e-ink book is the answer. I am slightly concerned about this device's grey-ish screen colour compared to the other 2. But I am also concerned about the pencil writing feel of the reMarkable 2. I will only be using a device for making notes and marking up documents. I write with fine point pens, never pencils. I don't sketch or draw. I will never need to export my notes, but I will need to import other documents for mark-up. Having said all that (lol), my question has to do with the different SuperNote pens.. The standard 'set' includes the standard set of pen, folio & device. I can't figure out the difference between the standard, the LEMY & the Heart of Metal pens. For what I'm looking for, I'm not sure which would be most appropriate. Any advice/comments would be appreciated.
Hi Laura, I don't have experience with the standard pen, but the writing feel is much better on the Heart of metal pen than the Lamy (on the Supernote).
Been thinking of these tablets in my PARA/Evernote workflow.
Can the software on any of these three devices be set to automatically synchronize with Evernote? Thanks for the great reviews!
I don’t think so. You might be able to do something exotic with Google Drive and Zapier, but nothing out of the box.
I‘m hesitant to buy RM2 or SN.
I like RM2 writing very much. The disadvantage is that I have to subscribe to many plans every month. 😢
SN’s sense of writing is not what I pursue. The advantage is that I don‘t need to subscribe to any more plans .
Thanks for your review! When you export a document as a pdf to Dropbox, can you still edit the original notes on the SuperNote? Or does it "lock" them as a pdf as well? (If I understand correctly, this is what happens with a ReMarkable 2).
I believe they both work the same where when you export a PDF it is exporting a copy of the notebook at its current state. If you continue editing the current notebook those changes won’t show in the PDF until you export them again.
Great video. I’d love to find a place where I can test these devices. I’m a lawyer and want the device for two main purposes. The main one by far is note taking. I write tons of handwritten notes and have binders for all of my matters. Having them all in one place would be awesome. The other is annotating cases and statutes. Is there a place to try out these devices? And can any/all directly sync to OneNote?
Only the Boox lets you use OneNote at the moment. Regarding places to test, I don’t know any, other than getting lucky and having a friend with a few. Let me know if you’re ever in Richmond.
As someone who has a connection to Ratta would you be able to ask about the development of the screen sharing feature as I can't find much info on a proper release date
I asked them about this as part of my review. It’s on the roadmap, but not imminent. I asked them about enabling ADB so that we can use scrcpy, but it sounds like that is coming after screen sharing. This is likely the biggest omission in their platform.
@@BrandonKBoswell Thank you so much for the reply, Im glad to hear its not a forgotten feature because im interested in using the device to teach online and use it for university work as well.
@@zalid9088 uss
They're launching it next week. I just asked this yesterday and that's what the CS team told me.
Good vid, more vid of the devices rather than yourself, it’s a little off putting, always looking at your face.
👍
I just got the SuperNote A6x and I love it so far. Great video.
from the 3 devices (supernate, boox, remarkable) supernote has worst display. And display is the main component we seen 100% time using device.
I write poetry. What would be your best pick. I need to be able to send to editor and KDP. As far as anything else I really don't care. Plus does it transfer hand written to typed and have alignment capabilities. Thank you in advance.
Just a side note. The HoM doesn't come standard in the box. You will need to pay a little extra for that.
Good call
What templates are available for note taking and to do lists? Also I am a big planner and color coding calendars are important for me. How is the calendar feature?
Can anyone point me to a video talking about... taking notes/annotations while reviewing *non-protected eBooks* which I can transfer from my Mac to the device. I write with Scrivener but want to review my work on an e-ink device while not uploading my work to the cloud to get it onto the device, such as with the Kindle Scribe.
What's your favorite e-ink tablet then? I'm interested to know 😊
Right now it's between the reMarkable 2 and the Super Note A6X2
So it has no very powerful backlight? You didnt review the pdf editing. Has it an integrated dictionary when reading ? Can you write on other formats like epub ?
It's quite evident you are a reviewer who actually understands the real life use cases and rationale behind eink device choices. From the mirriad of other reviewers who are just in it for the clicks or the geek aspect, I appreciate finding a channel I can really rely upon for sound advice. Thanks for the time you put into these videos, it really helps I tell you.
Is there a tablet that has the option to write in colors ? That’s what I’m looking for . Thanks
onyxboox.com/boox_nova3color and bigmestore.com/products/bigme-b1-pro-color-e-ink-10-3-inch-e-note-with-free-case are the two I'm aware of. (I haven't tried either of these)
Note if your only goal is to export in color, most of the tablets support that, but if you need to see color on the device see those above.
Now I'm just waffling between large and small size SuperNote.
No mention of the writing to text conversion feature? This is the main deal breaker feature for me. Was looking forward to seeing what you had to say about it?
Thank you for the great review, I’m using my 20yr anniversary bonus to purchase this and get away from the MULTIPLE task notebooks that clutter my desk. Hoping this is the perfect toy for an executive admin.
How can i buy it in india
Thank you for your in-depth review. It gave me great insight on Supernote. I have a question, as I am a leftie myself --- do you see any major inconveniences in any of these devices for a left-handed writer? Or maybe the other way: one of them is particularly good in covering that area? I want to mention that I don't write from the "above the line", I write in the same manner as a right-handed person, but with a left hand.
In general eInk devices are more lefty friendly than actual paper. The Supernote does a great job with this as they allow you to move the toolbar if it would get in your way. The reMarkable out of the box is mostly lefty friendly, but I find I had to hide the toolbar or I will rest my wrist on it and accidentally close the document. DDVK hacks make this a non issue, but if you don’t intend on doing that I would say the SuperNote is the more lefty friendly device.
@@BrandonKBoswell Thank you Brandon :) Now I am finally convinced on getting the Supernote.
Which e-ink device do you prefer the most for wireframing? I was debating between this and the Boox 13.3" tablet device. thanks
I do a good bit of wire-framing and prefer the reMarkable 2. If you are only deciding between the Supernote and the Boox then hold out for the A5X2 this fall.
Got it thanks. The problem with the remarkable 2 for me is that I wanted a larger canvas for zooming out and zooming in it seemed slow. Is that true? Or did I not test drive it enough?
Oh sweet - I hate tablets because when you write on them they feel just like you said - writing on one page on a hard surface. I love the soft feel of writing on the first page of a notebook so that’s awesome
Thank you for the review.. which one has the lowest lag while writing?
Excellent review video. It helped a TON.
Very helpful - thanks! I ordered one and now can't wait ... : )
❤❤❤❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤
I agree that they should let you change high lighter size.
I will be honest, I only use ball pen. Studying post engineering books. And in just last year I filled like 16 -400 pages notebooks completely and that was all fair notes and no rough work practicing included.
I starting to lose few of those notes and few of them are about to torn apart due to constent use. So is it time for me to move to digital notebook? I just want my notes to be safe. And quickly to find the topic am looking for.
Can this device handle too much writing?
Is the hard nib of Pen eventually pierce through the screen? Never had hand in experience with Digital notebooks before
You seem to be a good candidate for e-Ink and the SuperNote specifically. I have found that the Boox slows down with large notebooks, but the SuperNote and reMarkable do well in this regard. You're not doing to hurt the screen with the included stylus or other EMR stylus.
so ive been looking into e-ink readers lately because i want to take notes, but dont want to do it on paper, and like the idea of having it be digital. Few things I want, but not sure if these e-ink readers do.
Id like it to convert my writing into text. Currently, i use a touch screen laptop with a pen, and use the Windows 11 writing feature and it converts it to text automatically. do e-ink readers have a feature like this, or is it just going to keep my handwriting as is?
Can you read books on these? I've been doing studying for my job, and it would be great to be able to read documentation and take notes, but also read regular books, like off amazon. I dont currently e-read but if I'm going to get an e-ink device, I'd like to be able to do all the things.
Is there an e-ink display that does all these things? do these do all these things?
IIRC, Supernote does the handwriting to text conversion. Most e-ink tablets allow you to read e-books, just depends on the format you prefer
Brandon what a wonderful video… you created the desire in me… from where (trust shop) can I send one to Portugal? Tk you.
Thank you. Does Supernote ship to Portugal?
Hi there, thank you for a great video. I'm trying to figure out how does supernote store my notes? Is there a hardrive? Thank you!
Yes there is onboard storage on the device itself.
Hey Brandon, your assessment is probably the most objective on UA-cam.
❤️Thank you so much!
Excellent review. This is now my front runner.
Thanks for this video. I'm concerned about having my stuff on the cloud in case the device gets damaged or lost. What is the solution for this?
The SuperNote has great cloud support, which makes a great backup in case your device ever dies. Please let me know if I missed you question!
Thank you for the information. Which screen is whiter between RM and SN?
The reMarkable is slightly whiter.
Why Supernote takes 10GB for operating system?
High levels of Functionality and constant improvement?
Thank you for the review, Brandon! None of them got coloured highlighter?
The Boox color devices do, but none of these Black and White devices do.
Still using an original A5 🥰
Super helpful.Thanks. Still on fence, but leaning to Super Note. Wondering if I should wait for Lenovo to come out before deciding. Although, it looks like they will have a paywall similar to ReMarkable, which is a turnoff.
If you're curious for the Lenovo, then I would say wait and see.
Really wish there's a way to feel and try out all these bwfore buying. Not really a store that might cater to these devices.
Agreed. Supernote would benefit from people being able to experience it before buying. If you're ever near Richmond, VA let me know ;)
I love the thinest of RM when comparing with others, wait for RM3 with higher ppi & the backlight.
🤞
I do a lot of drawings using a ruler and angles and stuff..technical drawings.. are there any features to Help me drawing or do i need to bring my ruler, angle and other?
It’s BOYT, Bring your own tools. The reMarkable software is very barebones.
@BrandonKBoswell would you say (aside from your personal tactile preferences) that the Supernote would be a good device choice for journaling? Please let me know and thanks for all of your incredibly helpful and equally well done content!
Definitely!
You said you do wireframing. I'm training to become a UX Designer, and can see the value in the Supernote but am hesitant because of the price tag. What are your thoughts? Thanks.
For wireframing and sketching, I prefer the reMarkable 2. It's also significantly cheaper if you pair it with a non-reMarkable stylus.
As a fellow lefty, I'm trying to decide which pen/stylus to choose? I like smooth, easy glide of gel pens (and dislike the too slide-y and hard surface of tablets)
In the Supernote go with one of their Stylus. The Heart of Metal has great weight, but I think all of the Supernote stylus have the same writing feel.
@@BrandonKBoswellthanks. How does it compare to LAMY? I've seen it recommended more often than their standard stylus. I need something with a cap so I can hook it into pockets etc, because I keep losing pens.
Edit: just saw that LAMY has triangular shape. Nope!