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Minimalist tech has been at the top of my mind over the past year or so! I’ve found myself more and more distracted by the immense amount of information that my iPhone 15 Pro can deliver to me, to the point it stresses me out like no other.
Because of that, and the fact brands are willing to give me products to test out (which is what has happened with the gear found in this article), I wanted to see what minimalist tech helped me pull away from my phone and focus more on both my work, but also live more in the moment in my personal life as well!
So here you have it: this is the culmination of all of my minimalist tech reviews, and exactly which I think are the best!
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1. Supernote Nomad
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- Everything is one place
- Drawing feels mostly like paper
- It's a really well-built unit
- The pen feels like something you want to use
- The clear back is cool
- The size is great
- The pen wobbles around in the folio
- The file system could be better
When it comes to THE BEST minimalist tech I’ve ever used, I think that the Ratta Supernote Nomad (Paid Link) has to be the most well-rounded device I’ve ever used. Its purpose is essentially to replace anything you would normally use paper for.
That means calendars, books (it’s one of the few digital notebooks that have the Kindle app), notebooks, drawing pads, and more. All of the applications that replace those paper alternatives are well thought out, and the combination of the high-end ceramic nib stylus makes it feel like you are writing on a normal piece of paper with a ball-point pen.
The compact size of the device makes it a great replacement for a standard Kindle, and also makes it easy to stow away in a backpack (without taking up the laptop pocket).
Now, of course, it isn’t perfect, as the more compact sizing makes it a little less convenient than larger alternatives for taking more comprehensive notes or drawing. I also found that I wished it had a more standard home screen, as the OS seems to hide things in different places and takes quite a bit of getting used to.
That said, I truly do believe this has to be the BEST piece of minimalist tech I’ve ever used. It does a fantastic job of giving me just about everything I need to keep me away from my phone and from the overload of information that it gives. You can of course read my full review here!
2. reMarkable Paper Pro
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- The writing (drawing) experience is the best I've used
- Fantastic templates, with more possibilities
- The large display works well
- The front light is a welcome feature
- No access to the Kindle App
- This thing is a heavyweight
- It's incredibly expensive
The reMarkable Paper Pro is easily the most expensive digital notebook I’ve tested to date. However, it also has the best build quality and, by far, the best writing experience. It does an amazing job of emulating an actual pencil and even changes depending on how much or how little you tilt the marker. Its build quality is at the level of Apple products, and its templates have no comparison in the industry.
However, keep an eye on the price, as the one I tested was over $1000 with accessories, and the lack of Kindle app functionality might turn people back toward less expensive options that may have slightly more functionality in the reading department (which these tablets, in general, are amazing for). You can read my full review here!
3. Light Phone 2
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- Removes distractions that keep you on your phone, but keep the necessary!
- Extremely compact (you don't feel it on you)
- Only two types of notifications, texts and phone calls
- Includes podcasts and hotspot functionality (Speaker is quite decent)
- The sound quality is better than expected.
- Battery life is respectable.
- No more blue light
- Texting can be a bit of a pain!
- You miss out on some crucial apps that are built into our world.
- Keeping your existing service is iffy
- Scrolling isn't great
- Lack of camera
The Supernote Nomad (and reMarkable) may be a fantastic minimalist tablet, but it’s still just that: a tablet that doesn’t have any phone functionality! If that is more what you are hoping to get, the Light Phone 2 (Paid Link) is the best minimalist e-ink phone we’ve tested and reviewed to date. This takes away everything a smartphone can do (even if it is technically based on Android) and gives you the bare minimum functionality. You can make phone calls, use basic navigation, listen to podcasts, text, and use a calculator, and that’s about it.
If you switch to one of these you can’t be inundated with a barage of notifications, information, or time-wasting applications, because well, you can’t have those thiungs here. It’s amazing how great you feel after a couple days of using this extremely small, and light on features phone.
The biggest issue I have with this device is not the fact that it’s still micro USB, but rather that there are certain apps in this tech-focused world that almost feel mandatory. Some examples are cameras, 2-factor authentication apps, payment apps, and more. You’ll have to find an alternative to those apps if you want to go this route.
Of course, I have so much more to say about this phone (in fact, this review of it here is one of the longest I’ve ever written).
4. Supernote A5 X2 Manta
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- The best size for writing notes
- The writing experience is very pen-like and feels amazing.
- The new LAMY pens are nearly perfect
- Very thin for the size of the tablet
- The half folio is so much better
- I’m liking the operating system more every day
- Screen reflection is annoying
- Screen is darker than normal paper
- A bit too larger for smaller tech pockets, and has to live with your laptop
- It's crazy-expensive
- It isn’t great for reading Kindle while lying down or sitting on the couch
- A little more prone to damage
While I think that the Supernote Nomad is technically the best all-around minimalist e-ink tablet out there right now, its newer and larger version, the Supernote Manta (Paid Link), is actually the tablet that I personally prefer! It upgrades the screen from 7.8″ to 10.7″, forgoes the fancy clear back for a slimmer profile, and the leather full folio for a half folio. This means you have a thinner yet larger e-ink digital notebook that is amazing for note-taking, drawing, and for more work-based usage.
As for capabilities, it carries all the same capabilities of drawing, writing, calendars, to-dos, and more that the Nomad has (including its inclusion of the Kindle App).
That said, its size does come with some drawbacks, which is why the Nomad is my over-all pick for most people! Its size makes it less usable as an e-reader, along with making it more difficult to fit into your backpack. That’s why I think it might be a better solution for work, and the Nomad is probably a better solution for play.
Either way, for my personal usage, this is the one that I use the most and has stayed in my collection the longest. You can read my full review here!
5. Penstar eNote N10
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- Drawing on the screen is the best yet
- The price point is compelling
- The home screen is fantastic
- It comes with everything you need in the box (no upgrades)
- I like the large 10.3″ screen
- The software side of writing isn’t as good as it should be
- No multi-touch capabilities
- It doesn’t come with many built in applications (no Kindle)
If you liked the other e-ink tablets on this list but wish they felt more like a pencil than a ball-point pen (and are looking to save a few bucks), the Penstar eNote N10 (Paid Link) is an amazing alternative. While it may not have the Kindle App installed (you can technically sideload it), it has just about all of the other capabilities that the higher-end Supernotes above have. It has calendars and note-taking apps and even has a better home screen layout than the tablets higher on this list.
The other big upside of this, is the fact that everything comes with the tablet, rather than being an add-on for an up-charge. It comes with its own half-folio, and stylus (that feels more like a light-weight pencil when writing) all in the package.
That said, its biggest drawback for me is lack of multi-touch support. The only way you can interact with the device are some programmable buttons on the side, along with the stylus. I also found that it tended to lag a bit every once in a while while drawing or writing, and its lack of Kindle App support made it difficult for me to enjoy it as much as the alternatives above. Make sure to read my full review of it here!
