The ReMarkable 2 is an e-paper tablet designed for reading, note taking, and sketching. With its sleek, minimalist design and paper-like writing experience, it’s built for distraction-free work and study. But can you use the ReMarkable 2 in low light or complete darkness? Let’s take a look at how the tablet performs in dark environments.
How the ReMarkable 2 Display Works
The ReMarkable 2 uses an e-paper display technology called Canvas Display. E-paper displays work differently than traditional LED and LCD screens. Rather than using a backlight, e-paper displays reflect ambient light to create images and text. Tiny microcapsules with positively charged white particles and negatively charged black particles move up and down within the screen’s film to form images when connected to an electric current.
With no backlight, the ReMarkable relies entirely on external light sources to make the screen visible. The reflective display looks remarkably like paper, with crisp text and sketches. This makes it comfortable on the eyes for extended reading sessions.
Using the ReMarkable 2 in Dim Light
The ReMarkable 2’s screen is perfectly readable in dim indoor lighting. Since it reflects rather than emits light, it functions much like a printed page when ambient light is low. You’ll get the best experience by positioning yourself near a lamp, window, or other light source that can illuminate the screen.
In a dark room, you can turn on a bedside lamp, desk lamp, or reading light and adjust it to shine on the ReMarkable display. The tablet looks great in this type of directed indoor lighting. The display remains crisp and paper-like at angles where light can reach it.
Using the Front Light in the Dark
The ReMarkable 2 has a front light feature that temporarily illuminates the display to enhance readability. To activate it, swipe down from the top of the screen and press the light bulb icon. There are 10 brightness settings to choose from.
The front light works fairly well in pitch black environments where there’s no other illumination source. At maximum brightness, you can read and navigate the tablet’s interface. However, the lighting tends to wash out colors and contrasts on the screen. The display loses its natural, paper-like appearance. Because the light shines from the front, you may also notice more glare than when using an external light source.
The front light is designed for quick, temporary use rather than prolonged reading or writing sessions. Keeping it at maximum brightness will drain the battery charge fairly quickly. It’s best suited for occasional page turns or menu navigation in the dark before turning it off again.
Strategies for Using the ReMarkable 2 at Night
Here are some tips for making the most of your ReMarkable 2 when using it in bed at night or in other low-light situations:
- Place a compact, dimmable bedside lamp or book light near your position. Angle it to illuminate the tablet’s surface.
- Try using a small clip-on reading light attached to the back of the device.
- Take advantage of nearby light sources like streetlights shining through a window.
- Use the front light at a lower brightness setting for a more subtle screen illumination.
- Switch your interface to Dark Mode for better contrast.
- Increase the Marker Contrast under Display Settings.
- Sketch or take notes with white or light colored markers which show up better on the dark background.
Experiment to find the lighting conditions that work best for your eyes. You may be able to enjoy comfortable evening reading or writing sessions with just the right low-level light source and display settings.
Biggest Limitations in Complete Darkness
While the ReMarkable 2’s screen is legible with the front light on, operating the tablet in complete darkness presents some challenges:
- Text and drawings appear less defined and lower contrast.
- Colors are washed out and muted.
- You may experience more glare and reflections.
- The front light drains the battery charge faster.
- Your eyes are more likely to feel strained without ambient lighting.
For the best visual experience, avoid using your ReMarkable for extended periods in total darkness. The screen performs optimally when it can leverage at least some ambient lighting to maintain that natural, pen-on-paper quality.
Should You Use Night Mode?
The ReMarkable 2 has a Night Mode that shifts all the interface screens and menus to dark grayscale shades. It reverses the normal black text on white background to white text on black. This setting is designed to reduce eye strain in low light.
Night Mode may help improve screen visibility in dim conditions. But it can reduce perception of colors and contrasts in your documents. The high contrast of white lines on the black background may also create a distracting visual effect. Give it a try to see if you find it comfortable before using it long-term.
Does Page Refresh Rate Matter in the Dark?
The ReMarkable 2 has three screen refresh rate options that impact how quickly the display updates when you’re writing or drawing:
- Normal: 17-21 ms response time
- Fast: 14 ms response time
- Performance: 42 ms response time
The faster settings make writing and sketching feel more real-time. But they drain battery life quicker than Performance mode. Refresh rate doesn’t affect visibility in darkness significantly though. The front light illuminates changes as you write or draw regardless of speed. Choose the mode that best fits your needs and usage time available.
Should You Keep Wi-Fi On When Using it in the Dark?
Leaving Wi-Fi enabled on your ReMarkable 2 allows web-based services to sync. This includes automatic backups to ReMarkable’s cloud, document syncing to Google Drive or Dropbox, LiveView mirroring, and sharing notebooks with others.
But Wi-Fi and background syncing also drain the battery faster. When reading or writing at night, you may want to turn on Airplane Mode to disable Wi-Fi and extend battery life. Just remember to turn syncing back on later so your work gets backed up.
One exception is if you want to use the LiveView mirroring feature to view your ReMarkable 2 screen on another device like your smartphone in the dark. This lets a second display illuminate your work. But it will impact battery usage on both devices.
Does Temperature Impact Screen Visibility?
Extreme cold and heat can impact battery life and performance on any electronic device. But the ReMarkable 2 display itself functions normally across a wide range of temperatures. The e-paper screen works via reflected light rather than electronics, so it’s not directly affected by thermal conditions. You can use the tablet anywhere from 0° to 40° C and still expect great visibility.
One thing to keep in mind is that cold environments can make the pen tips brittle. So you may want to use the marker or pencil for drawing in freezing temperatures. But the display remains fully visible and usable.
Can You Read Ebooks in the Dark?
The ReMarkable 2 supports reading EPUB and PDF ebooks. Downloading books to the tablet allows you to read them just like any other document. In dim lighting, ebooks display perfectly on the reflective e-paper screen. You can also use the front light if needed to illuminate pages when reading in bed or a dark room.
Keep in mind that ebook images and complex layouts display in grayscale rather than color. But text remains fully legible. Turning on Night Mode reverses the dark and light contrast for better readability in the dark if needed.
Does the Dark Impact Pen Performance?
You can write, sketch, and draw seamlessly with the ReMarkable pen and markers in any lighting condition. The pen works by detecting its position on the display surface rather than relying on light. So it maintains full pressure sensitivity and precision whether in bright sun or pitch blackness.
The only limitation in the dark is being able to see your pen strokes on the screen clearly. But by leveraging the front light or a nearby lamp, your drawings will be visible as normal. The pen technology itself isn’t affected at all by low light or complete darkness.
Can You Place a Book Light on the Tablet?
Small LED book lights can be useful tools for directing focused light onto e-readers. However, the ReMarkable 2 tablet itself is not well-suited to having a book light physically attached to it. The tablet is relatively thin, so clipping on accessories adds bulk. The surface also lacks good points for attaching clip-on lights. Placing any object on top can also interfere with detecting pen strokes.
For the best experience, keep book lights or reading lamps separate from the ReMarkable 2 itself. Position them to cast light across the display from a short distance away without making direct contact with the screen.
Comparison to Backlit Tablets
Backlit tablets like iPads maintain full visibility in pitch darkness by emitting their own light. But prolonged use in the dark can strain your eyes due to the constantly lit screen. The ReMarkable 2 functions more like printed books, requiring external lighting but staying gentle on your eyes for nighttime reading thanks to its reflective display.
Here’s a quick comparison of key differences in low light use:
| ReMarkable 2 | Backlit Tablet | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen Visibility in Total Darkness | Very difficult without front light on | Fully visible |
| Front Light/Backlight Needed? | Front light optional | Permanent backlight |
| Eye Strain in the Dark | Minimal with adequate lighting | Higher due to constantly lit screen |
| Battery Usage in the Dark | Lower unless front light on max | Higher from backlight |
So while you can use your ReMarkable 2 in dim light or darkness with some adjustments, a backlit tablet may work better if you need to use it for hours with no external lighting available. But for occasional nighttime reading or writing, the ReMarkable 2 shines.
Conclusion
The ReMarkable 2’s reflective display allows comfortable use in dimly lit indoor environments by leveraging lamps, reading lights, or other nearby illumination. For pitch black rooms, the front light can temporarily enhance screen visibility at the cost of reduced contrast and faster battery drain. While total darkness limits the experience, with some adjustments you can read, write, or sketch on your ReMarkable 2 at night with ease.