Long battery life is one of the selling features on the reMarkable 2 tablet. It’s long battery life can be extended with a few settings so that you get the most of out this productivity enhancing device.
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Why am I qualified to comment on this product?
I’ve been using the reMarkable 2 tablet for more than two years for both personal tasks as well as professionally. This device has been come a cornerstone of my organizational method and I therefore seek to maximize it’s impact on my personal productivity.
How big is the reMarkable 2 tablet’s battery?
The reMarkable 2 paper tablet utilizes a 3000 mHA rechargeable battery (charged via USB-C plug). For reference, this battery size is approximately the same as what’s found on the latest iPhones. It’s worth noting that mHA is a measure of capacity, not amount of time a device can be used. Think about mHA as the size of the fuel tank on a car – how long you can drive it still depends on how fast and in what conditions you are driving said car.
In terms of hours (or days) or usage from the reMarkable 2’s battery – this is an area where the device clearly stands out against smartphones or traditional tablets. reMarkable advertises the battery to last ~14 days under normal usage. The operative term there is normal. In my experience, the battery life very much depends on how often you use the tablet and if you’re utilizing the WIFI.
How long does the reMarkable’s battery last?
I use my reMarkable 2 all day long – taking notes in meetings, prioritizing my to-do list, following up on action items, marking up slides, and reading PDFs. With this sort of 5-day-a-week heavy usage, I average a charge per week. When I charge weekly, I still find that my reMarkable has still has 20-30% remaining capacity.
If you are using functionalities that require significant WIFI usage (e.g., screen display, note syncing, hand writing conversion, Google drive sync), you should expect a shorter battery life.
Pro tip: the reMarkable starts to provide subtle reminders that the battery is running low with screen bottom notifications.
How can you maximize reMarkable 2 battery life?
The two biggest electrical draws for the reMarkable seem to be WIFI usage and refreshing the screen. This should make a good bit of sense since the WIFI device is broadcasting information (when enabled) and the screen requires outputting an electrical field to make the EMR stylus work. Targeting these two functionalities will allow you to extend battery life quite a bit (see next section).
Reduce wi-fi battery usage on reMarkable 2
There are two ways to turn the WIFI off on your reMarkable 2 tablet and both are accessed through the settings menu. Turning WIFI off is the best way to conserve capacity and extend the reMarkable’s battery life.
Flight mode – flight mode both disables WIFI as well as displays a plane icon to indicate that its engaged. To access the toggle for this mode, navigate to Menu >> Settings (very bottom) >> General
WIFI On/Off – you can also turn off WIFI separately (with the same effect as above though without the airplane icon). To do this, navigate to Menu >> Settings (very bottom) >> Wi-Fi
Note, when you have WIFI tuned off, you cannot access reMarkable Connect services like data syncing, hand writing conversion, and sharing notes. Personally, I only use these functions a handful of times a day, so toggling WIFI on and off is worth the extended battery life.
reMarkable automatic sleep setting
The reMarkable’s EMR function, as a part of being in active mode, is the other key function that burns the most battery power. The device has an optional 20-minute inactivity sleep timer that can help reduce screen and EMR-related battery usage when the device isn’t being used. To activate the reMarkable’s automatic sleep setting, navigate to Menu >> Settings (very bottom) >> Battery to enable the 20 minute inactivity sleep setting.
What are charging options for the reMarkable 2?
The reMarkable 2 uses a USB-C connection to charge it’s battery (and to sync through a computers internet connection). To charge the reMarkable, you simply need to connect a USB-C cable to the female port and let it charge. Note, you do not have to use the USB-C cable that was supplied with your device.
If you are missing your cable (or want to purchase a backup), I highly recommend the Amazon Basics USB-C cable. It’s ~$10 and is sturdy enough for daily use.
Pro tip: you can also use a USB-C laptop charger to charge your reMarkable. If you’re not carrying another USB-C cable during travel, this can be a convenient way to top off the battery. If you need an extra for travel or a replacement, this Universal 65W USB-C laptop charger is a great find at <$20 and works with the reMarkable.
Does the reMarkable 2 have wireless charging?
No, the reMarkable 2 tablet does not feature wireless charging capability. I’ve read about people ‘hacking’ a Qi wireless charger into a reMarkable but after looking at pictures I would not recommend it.
Wireless charging is a feature that we’ve added to our “reMarkable 3 feature wish list.”
Can you replace the reMarkable 2 battery?
No, you cannot easily replace the battery on the reMarkable 2 tablet. It might be possible, but the unit is not easily designed to be taken apart.
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