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reMarkable 2: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-11-01

Summary

Battery runtime is the most common complaint: units two to three years old have been reported going from 100% to under 10% in less than four hours, while other four-year-old units still last for weeks. Keeping one running costs about $12.48 to $28.08 a year in pen tips, plus $39.90 a year if you keep the Connect subscription, at November 2026 prices. A used unit with a working Marker is worth buying at $200 or less, and above $399 the newer reMarkable Paper Pure is the better purchase. [6][7][12][19]

Common problems and fixes

Parts and consumables

Yearly running cost

Core handwriting and local storage work without a subscription. Connect costs $39.90 per year or $3.99 per month at the reMarkable US store, November 2026, and adds handwriting search, unlimited cloud storage and cross-device editing; without it, only documents used and synced within the last 50 days stay in cloud storage, while local notes keep working. Pen tips for a daily writer run 8–18 a year, which is $12.48–$28.08 per year at the Staples 25-pack price of $39. Electricity is negligible: with an 11.1Wh cell at 75% charging efficiency over 52 cycles a year at $0.20 per kWh, about $0.15 a year, using assumed rather than measured figures. Total yearly outlay after the supplied tips are used is $12.63–$28.23 without Connect, $52.53–$68.13 with annual Connect, and $60.51–$76.11 with monthly-billed Connect, before tax and excluding a replacement pen, case or battery repair. [1][12][13][15]

When it is a good buy

For a used reMarkable 2 with a functional Marker, $200 or less is attractive once the battery, display and USB charging have been tested; $201–$275 is reasonable only with low wear and a protective case; $276–$325 is marginal, because a manufacturer-refurbished bundle with standard Marker and Book Folio was $349 at the reMarkable US store in November 2026; $326–$399 is better spent on the official refurbished $349 and $399 bundles, standard Marker or Marker Plus with Book Folio, than on a random private-party unit; and above $399 an old reMarkable 2 is poor value unless compatibility with an existing Type Folio matters. A leftover retailer bundle was $569 at Best Buy US in November 2026, which is hard to justify against a new $399 Paper Pure. A unit sold without a Marker should be priced lower by $79, the replacement Marker cost. [3][4][19]

The better alternatives are the reMarkable Paper Pure, $399 at the reMarkable US store in November 2026 with Marker included, the better new black-and-white writing purchase with 32GB storage, 2GB RAM and longer rated battery, though it also has no reading light and reMarkable 2 pens and the Type Folio do not transfer; the reMarkable Paper Pro Move, $449 at the reMarkable US store in November 2026 with Marker included, the choice when a 7.3-inch colour screen and a reading light matter but full-size PDFs and drawings do not; and the reMarkable Paper Pro, from $629 at the reMarkable US store in November 2026 with Marker included, the choice for an 11.8-inch colour display with adjustable frontlight on large documents. [19][20][21]

Sources