This page discusses the Ratta Supernote brand of E-Ink tablets (e-readers that provide note-taking functionality by writing on the screen with a stylus).
Overview
+ Great customer service
+ Innovative
+ Focus on sustainability
+ Discounts for students, first responders, veterans etc.
+ HIPAA-compliant
- Mainly focused on the writing aspect
- Some delays with product release schedules
- Occasional slow responses from customer service (during busy periods)
Supernote's core values are based on transparency, sustainability, and innovation.
They have a unique vision for their products that seems to be focused around creating an experience that is as close to using a real notepad and pen as possible, only utilising digital technology when it makes sense to enhance rather than detract from the experience.
They are a smaller company, and they truly seem to value each and every one of their customers and genuinely take on board all feedback.
However, their small size means that there are sometimes delays with their product launches, and, whilst their customer support is generally really good, they can take a little longer to respond to support requests at busy times.
Ratta* is a small, independently-owned manufacturer with offices in the US, China, and Japan. They design and manufacture the Supernote brand of e-ink tablets.
As a company, Ratta have been around for a couple of decades, working on Point of Service (POS) terminals but have branched out into e-ink tablets during the last few years.
Supernote tablets are primarily designed for writing and note-taking and this is the area that they focus most of their development efforts. Whilst there are native apps for e-reading, drawing, email, tasks, and calendar, these should perhaps be considered secondary features.
Business Ethics
I consider Ratta Supernote to be the most ethical e-ink tablet manufacturer, and there are several reasons for this.
First of all, they strive to make their products as sustainable as possible. Supernote tablets are designed for longevity, favouring software updates to add additional features and functionality rather than releasing new hardware every year. In addition, the latest generation of Supernote tablets have replaceable batteries that can be easily swapped out by the user when it reaches the end of its life (the motherboard can be swapped out, too). Whilst there is an EU directive that will force all electronics manufacturers to make batteries replaceable by 2027, Supernote are the first (and currently only) e-ink manufacturer to have implemented this.
They have policies that make the world a better and fairer place, such as a zero-tolerance to Modern Slavery and sweatshops, partnering with charities and educational institutions, and providing discounts for first-responders, students, and veterans. In addition, Supernote tablets are HIPAA compliant.
Like all organisations, they do get things wrong from time-to-time but the difference is that they own the issues rather than ignoring them or lying to their user base.
In 2023/2024, their level of transparency actually caused their business harm because they announced release dates for their next generation tablet (the Supernote A5 X2) that kept being delayed for various undisclosed reasons for nearly a year. This caused frustration with potential buyers that had been holding off on making a purchase until the new product was released, but then had to wait even longer. The delays of the A5 X2 must have also caused further harm to their bottom line because they had ceased manufacture of its predecessor (the A5 X), which meant that they had no 10.3″ (the most popular screen size) product to sell for almost a year. And this is obviously a concern for existing users because if Ratta don’t have enough money coming in, there are less resources for further improvements and it casts doubt on the company’s longevity.
They listen to and value customer feedback and are always striving to improve their products and service. They are also the only brand that has publicly published a roadmap of software development plans, which adds a certain level of accountability to their work.
Ecosystem
Supernote tablets are not reliant on any third-party ecosystem – you do not even have to connect it to the Internet if you do not want to (you can download and install firmware updates via USB).
You can sync your note and document files with the Supernote cloud, or alternatively with Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.
Supernote have developed a mobile app, which can be used to view your notes and tasks from other devices, however, this only works if you sync with the Supernote Cloud (not the aforementioned third-party clouds).
As mentioned previously, there is no planned obsolescence with Supernote tablets, and this is backed up by their latest generation of tablets which has replaceable parts – with other brands, if the battery dies you need to replace the whole tablet or send it back to the manufacturer for a very costly repair.
Customer Service
On the whole, my experience of Supernote’s customer service is very good.
They have an online knowledge base, and also provide support via email.
Because they are a small team, response times can be a little slow on occasion (a few days), but their customer support representatives are very knowledgeable and always happy to help. They seem to have a genuine appreciation for their user base (they have said several times that they value satisfying existing customers over gaining new ones) and they truly value user feedback (you actually feel like you are being listened to rather than fobbed off).
They’re not perfect, but what sets them apart from the competition (for me, anyway) is that when they encounter issues, they acknowledge what has happened, apologise, and do their best to resolve it as quickly as possible.
If there is a hardware defect, Supernote will provide a full refund or replacement. This includes return shipping, however if you buy from outside the US, customs duties cannot be refunded. There is also a 30-day return policy for any reason, but you have to pay for shipping yourself.
Tablets
Supernote have two products in their lineup; a 10.7″ (A5-sized) tablet (the Manta), and a 7.8″ (A6-sized) tablet (the Nomad).
There are also plans to release a 13.3″ (A4-sized) tablet in the future.
Previous generations (the A5 X and A6 X) are no longer being manufactured.
Supernote tablets do not have a frontlight.
The list of Supernote tablets is provided below:
| My rating | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Supernote A5 X2 Manta* | 10.7" monochrome | |
| Supernote A6 X2 Nomad* | 7.8" monochrome | |
| Older Ratta Supernote tablets may be found here | ||
Firmware
All Supernote tablets run pretty much the same firmware. There are slight differences between each generation, but on the whole they have virtually the same features and capabilities.
Supernote releases fairly regular updates to their firmware each year and they often include a several improvements and additional features.
| My rating | Firmware version | Tablets using this firmware |
|---|---|---|
| 3.24 (current version) Sep 2025 | Supernote A5 X2 Manta Supernote A6 X2 Nomad Supernote A5 X Supernote A6 X | |
| Older Ratta Supernote firmware versions may be found here | ||
Buying options
Supernote tablets are only available direct from Supernote* or from a small selection of distributors, the largest of which is Supernote.EU* (for European customers excluding the UK).
Pre-used units may be available from eBay or other second-hand marketplaces.
