iPad Pro vs reMarkable 2: Which Tablet Suits Your Lifestyle Better?

Remember the time when productivity meant a well-worn notebook, a trusty pen, and a single-minded focus on the task at hand? Over the years, we've traded notebooks for tablets and pencils for styluses, chasing the promise of digital productivity. We were told that tablets would revolutionise the way we work and learn. That they'd help us take faster notes, manage calendars, attend meetings, and sketch out ideas, all in one sleek and powerful device. And while this was delivered as promised, something fundamental got left behind in this trade-off: the cognitive power of handwriting. Instead of simplifying things, most tablets brought with them a multiverse of apps, notifications, and distractions. 

Best Tablet Depending On Your Lifestyle Photo Credit: Pexels

But what if you didn't have to choose between digital convenience and focused work? That's where reMarkable tablets come in, designed to bring back the distraction-free writing in digital form. Its sole mission is to help you write, think and create without any distractions. Although the Apple iPad Pro, can serve the same purpose, it also tries to be a mini smartphone with bunch of apps and calling features. Today, let's compare two popular but fundamentally different productivity tools: the all powerful iPad Pro and the minimalist reMarkable 2. Which one fits your lifestyle better? Let's find out.

Also Read: How To Make The Most Of Your Tablet In 10 Simple Ways?

Meet The Contenders: iPad Pro v/s reMarkable 2

iPad Pro

iPad Pro is Apple's most advanced tablet yet, essentially a laptop replacement for many users. With it's powerful M-series chip, high refresh rate Liquid Retina display, compatibility with the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen), the iPad Pro is built for creators, designers, students, and professionals who want to do everything in one device. But the flip side? It's a mini-universe of distractions. Seeking focused work feels like a rebellion while using this tablet. 

reMarkable 2

On the other end of the spectrum is the reMarkable 2. Dubbed the 'paper tablet', its sole mission is to replicate the feeling of writing on paper while giving you the convenience of digital note storage. Its monochrome e-ink display feels like writing on a high-end notepad. You won't find an app store here. No social media. No browser. No game. Instead, you get distraction-free space for writing, drawing, mind-mapping, and sketching out thoughts. 

Which Tablet Matches Your Lifestyle?

In this comparison, we'll analyse the key difference between the iPad Pro and the reMarkable 2 to help you better understand which one is the best tablet for your needs.

1. Writing Experience:

iPad Pro paired with the Apple Pencil offers incredible responsiveness with ultra-low latency-perfect for digital artists or note-takers who want speed. But the downside? Writing on glass feels smooth and slippery. That's why many users invest in matte screen protectors like Paperlike to recreate even a fraction of that pen-on-paper resistance. The upside is that with apps like GoodNotes or Notability, your notes become searchable, colour-coded, and easy to organise across folders.

On the other hand, the reMarkable 2 is in a league of its own when it comes to natural handwriting feel. Its e-ink screen provides gentle friction under the stylus, mimicking real paper. There's almost zero lag, and the overall writing experience feels calm, making it perfect for people who love long journaling sessions, brainstorming, or annotating PDFs. 

2. Hardware & Display:

iPad Pro (powered by the M4 chip) offers performance that rivals many laptops. With up to 16 GB RAM, 10 CPU cores, and storage options going up to 2 TB, it's a productivity machine. The build is 5.1mm thick, making it ultra-thin and sleek. Its Ultra Retina Display pushes boundaries further and makes the experience worth it. 
Now contrast this with the reMarkable 2, which takes a completely different, minimalist approach. The reMarkable 2 has a 10.3-inch E-Ink display. The screen has a matte, paper-like surface friction and only displays in monochrome tones (black, grey, and white). With a dual-core ARM processor, 1 GB RAM and 8 GB storage, it's not competing on raw specs. But that's the point. It should feel like you're holding a slim notebook. Thanks to its CANVAS film layer that offers subtle resistance with every pen stroke, the display feels like paper. 

3. Productivity:

When it comes to ecosystem and functionality, the iPad Pro unlocks the full power of the Apple App Store, giving you access to millions of apps designed for work, creativity and education. From Microsoft Office and Google Workspace for work, to apps like Procreate for creative purposes, the iPad Pro is incredibly versatile. Pair that with multitasking features like Spilt View, Slide Over, and Stage Manager, it's easy to juggle multiple tasks on one screen. In contrast, the reMarkable 2 follows a deliberately minimalist philosophy. Its core functions remain note-taking, sketching and PDF annotation. There's no app store, no social media, and no web browser. For cloud integration, it offers limited syncing with Google Drive, OneDrive. The intent behind these limitations is simple, to help you stay focused without falling into the usual traps of notifications and app hopping. 

4. Battery Life:

The iPad Pro delivers around 8-10 hours of mixed use, depending on multitasking load, and whether you're streaming content or working on apps like Photoshop or Zoom. For most users, this translates to daily or every other day charging, especially with heavy use like video calls or creative work. The reMarkable 2, on the other hand, benefits from its power-efficient e-ink display. With minimal background processes and no backlight, it can stretch battery life up to two weeks on a single charge. This makes it perfect for people constantly on the move. 

5. Price Point:

When it comes to pricing, the iPad Pro (11'', Wi-Fi, 256GB, M4 model) currently starts at around ₹1,09,900 on Amazon India, with lower storage variants available from  ₹94,990, and higher-end configurations (like the 1TB or 2TB models) going up to  ₹1,49,900 or more, especially when you add accessories like the Apple Pencil Pro. In comparison, the reMarkable 2 is significantly budget friendly. On Amazon India, the Starter Bundle, which includes the tablet and the Marker Plus Stylus, is priced around  ₹44,999, while the more comprehensive reMarkable 2 Bundle with Folio cover ranges between  ₹53,799 and  ₹59,999.

To make your decision easier, here's a quick comparison table highlighting key differences between the iPad Pro and reMarkable 2 across features like writing feel, display, productivity, battery life, and price:

The Final Verdict: What's Right For You?

The iPad Pro and reMarkable 2 cater to two completely different mindsets. Choosing between them really comes down to what you expect from your device. If your day involves switching between tasks, running productivity apps, designing, editing, attending video calls, and occasionally streaming shows, the iPad Pro offers unmatched flexibility and power. 

But if you crave single-purpose focus, want to improve your learning or journaling habits, or simply miss the joy of handwriting, the reMarkable 2 feels like a breath of fresh air in today's hyper-connected world.

At the end of the day, the choice depends on your workflow and personality. Are you a multi-tasking digital native or a pen-to-paper purist seeking focus in a noisy world? Ultimately, your lifestyle decides your tech.