The recently released reMarkable 2 tablet is an ambitious experiment in reinventing pen and paper for the digital world, and it largely succeeds.

The $399 reMarkable arrives at a time when digital note-taking options are on the rise. Many people are turning to note-taking gadgets because they feel like traditional paper and are easier on the eyes than computer or phone screens. For those with this goal in mind and aren’t looking to replace their iPad, the reMarkable 2 won’t disappoint.

I got my hands on the reMarkable just as the flood of news that was 2020 was starting to break my body. My eyes felt like someone had rubbed sand in them from staring at grim headlines. A disturbing numbness was creeping up my wrists and arms from spending too much time working remotely at a keyboard in my living room. The reMarkable offered a respite from my misery.

Turning on the reMarkable was an instant relief. The 10.3-inch E Ink display is much easier to read for extended periods of time than a traditional LED screen. The reMarkable uses the same screen technology as Amazon’s Kindle and other e-readers, which is glare-free and has a long battery life. However, it lacks a backlight, which seems like a big miss.