Is the Kindle Scribe better than the Remarkable 2?

OPINION: Of all the tech I’ve tested in my tenure at Trusted Reviews, nothing has surprised me more than the Remarkable 2. A device I once derided as ‘pointless’ is now part of my everyday carry – and I rarely leave the house without it.

It is now my go-to device for note-taking, whether for brainstorming a project at work or writing up a quick to-do list for the weekend.

During the recent Amazon Prime Day sale however, I noticed that out of all the deals we covered, it was a price cut for the Kindle Scribe (one of the Remarkable 2’s closest competitors) that absorbed a huge amount of reader interest, leading me to ask the question of this week’s Fast Charge column: is the Kindle Scribe better than the Remarkable 2?

The Scribe has come a long way

Those who have read Max Parker’s for the Kindle Scribe review will know that the device didn’t quite meet the mark upon release, missing features like the ability to search for specific words in your handwritten notes, or even the chance to draw directly onto a Kindle book, instead presenting digital sticky notes that can then contain doodles and observations.

Still, the Scribe has been subject to several software updates since that review, and so I wanted to see if the experience was any better than what Remarkable had to offer in 2024.

After spending nearly two weeks with the device, I have to say that I’m quite surprised. For one thing, Max was bang-on about the writing experience on the Kindle Scribe – it’s so smooth and responsive that it just about manages to outdo the Remarkable 2, which I did not expect.

Furthering that experience is the backlit display, which means you can write, even if the lighting around you isn’t very good. With the Remarkable 2, I’ve had to reach for the bedside lamp to jot down any last-minute ideas before calling it a day.

You don’t get quite as many notebook templates as you do with the Remarkable, but there’s a respectable collection here, including a daily planner and even a storyboard. In this regard, the core note-taking experience is great, and the fact that the Scribe can be used to read Kindle books is easily the device’s trump card.

The process of loading ebooks onto the Remarkable 2 is just a bit too cumbersome for my liking and so the feature has gone unused.

On the Kindle Scribe however, it’s just a case of hopping over to a different menu, tapping on the desired book in your library and that’s it. The 2-in-1 value proposition of the Kindle Scribe is genuinely impressive, and so for some friends and colleagues, I will be recommending the Scribe to them – but I will be going back to the Remarkable 2.

When it comes to looking at your notes on other devices, the Scribe really falls apart.

For instance, you can’t quickly make an edit to a note on your phone or tablet, whereas that’s something you can easily do on the Remarkable 2 (via a subscription). That’s been a huge pain when I’ve had an idea that I want to jot down but haven’t had the Kindle Scribe with me at the moment.

I’ve also dearly missed the Remarkable’s Type Folio keyboard case. Even though it is an added expense, it’s been a huge help when I’ve wanted to type up documents away from the distraction of notifications. In a rush, my handwriting can end up being a tad illegible so the ability to swap over to print-level clarity has always been much appreciated, and I would love to see Amazon bring out a similar accessory for the Kindle Scribe.

What it boils down to is that the Remarkable 2 is just a better note-taking device for professionals who aren’t tied to a budget. For everyone else however, but particularly students and teachers, I think the Kindle Scribe is the more tempting purchase. It’s cheaper, and with access to books from the Kindle store, you’re also getting a solid e-reader for your money with the ability to add notes as you go.

As a graduate of English Literature, the Kindle Scribe would have been a huge help during my studies, but in the here and now as a working professional, the Remarkable 2 better suits my needs.