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The Supernote A5 X2 Manta Changed my Life for the BETTER

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

I’ve been getting into eInk gear for a while now! I’ve reviewed the Light Phone 2, the Penstar eNote N10, and even the Supernote Nomad. All have been amazing devices in their own right, but nothing has felt quite so… right, more than the Manta does. Now, it isn’t perfect by any means, as every device has its tradeoffs (which we’ll cover in detail in this review), but the Supernote A5 X2 Manta might just be the best digital notebook that I’ve ever used.

So, in this article, I’ll be going over why I very much like it! But then I’ll talk about the things that irk me and who I think this expensive notebook replacement is really for.

Oh, and by the way! Thank you to Ratta Supernote for giving me this tablet to check out.

What is the Supernote A5 X2 Manta?

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

4.9
Pros:
  • 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
Cons:
  • 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
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

First off, I think they should do away with the A5 X2 naming scheme, it should just be the Supernote Manta, so I’ll be referring to it as such from here on out. The Supernote Manta is a 10.7″ (diagonal) eInk notebook tablet. It was never meant to be a full-fledged all-purpose tablet, but instead, it is supposed to bring all of your notebooks (and books) into one place. That means drawing, notetaking, calendars, to-do lists, and reading (and randomly emailing).

Because of that, you don’t have a browser, you don’t have social media, and you don’t have any other time-wasting apps, making this a minimalist device.

As for specifications, it weighs .83 pounds, is .24″ at its thickest point (device only), and can be optioned with a half folio and a stylus of your choice (I primarily use the LAMY safari Vista EMR Pen, but they also sent me the LAMY safari twin EMR Pen).

Now, moving to the display itself, it offers a 1920 × 2560 resolution, touch sensitivity (but is able to reject your palm resting on it), a FeelWrite 2 Self-recovery Soft Film (which gives it a pen-like drawing experience, as opposed to a pencil).

While it may seem like a device like this may not need much power, it still has a respectable 1.8 GHz Quad-Core processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, all powered by a 3600 mAh replaceable battery.

All right, that’s all I’m going to say about this thing, as you can find it on their website! You are here for what I do and don’t like, so let’s chat about that.

What do I like about it?

1. The best size for writing notes

I was incredibly impressed with the Supernote Nomad I had tested before, but I often found myself wishing I had a bit more screen real estate for note-taking and especially for drawing. The 7.6″ screen was great for throwing in your backpack but wasn’t quite enough for what I felt I needed.

Well, I have to say, I was right. Taking notes and drawing are SO MUCH BETTER with the now massive feeling 10.7″ screen (Paid Link). Any bigger, it would have been too large, and any smaller, you would have felt too cramped.

This site also makes you feel like you are truly writing on a normal piece of paper, just due to its similarity in size to a standard USA-size printer paper (yes, it’s not exact, but it’s close enough).

2. The writing experience is very pen-like and feels amazing.

Think to yourself, do you find yourself writing with a pen or a pencil on normal paper? Are you in the pen camp? You’ll be right at home with the Supernote Manta (or any of Ratta Supernote’s tablets), as they are designed specifically to feel like you are writing on paper with a pen rather than a pencil. (if you like writing with a pencil, maybe the Penstar?)

This also generally means the surface of the tablet will feel a bit gummy when you first start using it. However, this isn’t noticeable after a few days of using the tablet. Of course, now it ruins the feel of just about any other notetaking tablet I’ve ever used. It’s just that much better than the rest.

3. The new LAMY pens are nearly perfect

I was a big fan of the Heart of Metal Pen 2 that I had with my other Supernote Nomad, but I have to say, my preference has quickly moved to the LAMY Safari Vista EMR Pen that was sent along with this Manta.

This stylus still utilizes a ceramic tip, which is incredibly durable (no issues at all yet), but uses a LAMY clear-style body. It’s lightweight yet still feels high quality, and the flattened sides of the stylus make it comfortable to hold. While I thought that this might feel incredibly cheap in comparison to the Heart of Metal 2 pen I was used to, it was the opposite.

4. Very thin for the size of the tablet

There’s no way around it, this is one large tablet! With a 10.7″ screen, its slightly larger (with the bezel) than a normal printer paper. However, what is most impressive about its size is just how thin it is. In comparison to the Nomad (which is a smaller screen size), this one feels much, much thinner than the Nomad.

Why is that? Supernote did away with the full-size folio (as seen on the Nomad), instead opting for a detachable half-folio. They also built the tablet with a tapered side, leaving the edges thin while keeping the bulk (if you could call it that) in the middle of the tablet.

In fact, this is why the tablet is called the Manta, as it comes from the resemblance to a Manta Ray, which is thicker in the middle and tapers out, except for its eyes (and horns), which are very similar to the power button and USB-C port on this tablet.

5. The half folio is so much better

We already touched on this in the section above, but I’m quite impressed with the half folio on this digital notebook. Instead of adding considerably to the bulk of the tablet like in the Nomad, it really only adds a small amount in this case.

They also made the smart choice of removing the pen (stylus) from the folio and instead attaching it directly to the body of the Manta, making it so you don’t flip around the stylus every time you open the Manta.

While the half folio doesn’t quite seem as premium of an option, I think the usability is lightyears better than the already awesome Nomad.

6. I’m liking the operating system more every day

While I still think Supernote should have a home screen of sorts, I’ve gradually gotten more used to the software side of the Supernote. I now understand how to link things throughout documents (so you can create a table of contents of sorts), and after setting up shortcuts to different documents in my menu, I don’t feel like I’m sorting through all of my documents every time I need to access something.

Once you get used to the UI of a Supernote (Paid Link), which is very different than a smartphone or computer, it becomes second nature. However, let’s just say there is a bit of a learning curve of sorts.

What do I not like about it?

1. Screen Reflection is annoying

Yes, while the Supernote Manta has completely changed my workflow, to-do lists, and even reading, there are some downsides. Considering the idea behind these digital notebooks is the ability to replace anything you use paper for, the biggest complaint I have is the glare on the screen.

The main time I notice the glare is when I’m reading and have overhead lights. I’m constantly having to adjust the position of the e-ink screen to make it readable again. This is definitely less of an issue when I’m writing, just because of its nature. However, when you compare this to a piece of paper (which has no glare at all), it is a bit of a constant annoyance.

2. Screen is darker than normal paper

Another annoyance, when compared to a piece of paper, is the color of the screen. When you set a standard printer paper next to the Manta, you’ll notice that the screen is considerably darker than the paper.

While this may not seem like too big of a deal, it does make it harder to use than normal paper in less-than-ideal lighting situations, especially if you are someone who likes the lights dimmed in the evenings. This tablet doesn’t offer a backlit, or a front-lite screen, meaning you are relying on external lighting to help you out.

3. A bit too larger for smaller tech pockets, and has to live with your laptop

One of my favorite things about the Nomad that I also tested was its size (yes, there are both upsides and downsides to both size options)! Not only was the Nomad considerably better for reading e-books, but it also was easier to put into pockets of my backpack. Most backpacks offer two pockets, one for your laptop and then a tablet pocket in front of it.

However, because of the size of the Manta, it becomes a bit more annoying to fit it in the tablet compartment of your pack, and it may have to live in the same pocket as your laptop (which means they rub up on each other). That means if you are someone who enjoys neatly organized things, you might want to think about going for the Nomad instead.

4. The Manta is crazy-expensive

Alright, we haven’t talked much about pricing quite yet, have we? Well, there’s no way around it; the Supernote Manta is expensive. Sure, the base price is $459.00 (at the time of writing), but when you add the nearly mandatory accessories (the stylus and half-folio), you are sitting at a price point north of $600. This puts it squarely in the league of the much more general-use iPad Air 11-inch.

So, really, instead of saving money by going with an e-ink tablet, you very much have to decide between a nearly computer-like capability or the minimalist, scaled-back Supernote. Now, I personally do think the Manta is the better option, purely to give you distraction-free work (as I’m so tired of spending my life looking at a normal screen); it might be a hard one to stomach for a lot of people.

5. It isn’t great for reading Kindle while lying down or sitting on the couch

The Supernote Manta and Nomad are among the very few e-ink tablets outside Kindles that offer the ability to read Kindle natively on the tablet (which is a HUGE benefit). However, I’ve found that the smaller form factor of the Nomad is much more conducive to reading on the Kindle application. The larger Manta can be annoying to read on when laying on your side or slouching on the couch, as it’s just so much bigger.

The ability to magnetically remove the full-folio of the Nomad is also a much easier process when you are purely going to be reading a book for a while. There are definitely trade-offs for having a bigger screen. That said, I think the trade-offs are well worth it, but if you are 90% using this to read and 10% using it to write, you might want to go with the Nomad.

6. The Manta is a little more prone to damage

Something that was a huge benefit of the full folio on the Nomad, was that the tablet wasn’t very prone to damage. The folio kept it save on all sides, which was fantastic! However, in an attempt at cutting down on bulk (which very much worked), the half folio leaves the rear and sides of the device a bit more prone to damage.

In fact, the second day I had the Manta, I already had a ding on the corner, which lightly raised up the screen protector off the screen and even separated the body from the screen a bit. Thankfully, the screen and body easily snapped back into place, but there was still a little bubble from that. It’s just something you have to be a bit more careful about.

Who is the Supernote Manta for?

If you want a digital notebook that is of extremely high quality, has a large display, fantastic writing and notetaking capabilities, calendars, email, and especially the ability to have Kindle installed on the device, this is the one for you. Having this Manta has completely changed how I work, how I task manage myself, and how I read. It’s simplified my life, kept me off my phone (and computer), and has added a lot of peace to my life.

That said, if you are someone who is going to primarily use this for reading, you might want to look at the Nomad instead. Now, if you are only looking for an e-reader and have no intentions of needing to take notes, you might want to think about just getting a Kindle instead, as they can be bought for around a quarter of the price of this one.

Where should you buy the Manta?

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Supernote A5 X2 Manta
4.9
Pros:
  • 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
Cons:
  • 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
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
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