This sits in our Supernote hub. If you are cross-shopping the range, weigh it against the larger Supernote Manta, and set up your pages with our Supernote templates guide.
The device
What the Supernote Nomad is
The Supernote Nomad, officially the A6 X2, is the compact model in Supernote’s line, made by Ratta. This Supernote Nomad review starts with the one number that defines it: 7.8 inches. Where the Manta is a full-page 10.7-inch slab, the Nomad is a small, one-hand device closer in size to a large phone or a compact e-reader. It shipped in early 2024, ahead of the Manta, and it remains the cheapest door into Supernote’s ecosystem at $329 for the device on its own.
Under the compact shell, the Nomad shares most of its parts with its bigger sibling. It runs Chauvet, Supernote’s Android-11-based but locked-down system, on a quad-core Rockchip RK3566 with 4GB of memory and 32GB of storage expandable by microSD. The screen is a glass monochrome E Ink panel at 1404 by 1872 and a sharp 300 ppi, with no frontlight. It weighs just 266 grams in a body 6.8mm thick. Those numbers describe a notebook built to be carried, and the rest of this review is what that means in daily use.
| Spec | Supernote A6 X2 Nomad |
|---|---|
| Price | From $329, pen sold separately (from about $65) |
| Display | 7.8″ mono glass E Ink, 1404×1872, 300 ppi, no light |
| Size / weight | 191.9 × 139.2 × 6.8 mm, 266 g |
| Operating system | Chauvet (Android-11 based, locked, no Play by default) |
| Chip / memory | Rockchip RK3566, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB (microSD to 2 TB) |
| Battery | 2700 mAh, weeks of use, replaceable |
| Build | Modular, replaceable battery |
| Pen | Ceramic nib, sold separately from about $65 |
In use
Writing and reading on a 7.8-inch screen
The writing feel is the reason to buy any Supernote, and the Nomad keeps it. The ceramic-nib pen on Supernote’s textured film is rated among the best writing experiences in e-ink, and the nib barely wears, so you are not replacing tips every few weeks. We have not tested a unit ourselves, so treat feel notes as third-party impressions, but Supernote’s reputation here is consistent across the range, and the Nomad uses the same pen technology as the Manta. On a device this size, that means you can hold it in one hand and jot like a paper pocket notebook.
As a reader, the Nomad is capable but not its main job. The 7.8-inch panel is a comfortable size for books and documents, and 300 ppi keeps text crisp. The catch is the same one the whole Supernote line shares: there is no frontlight, so you cannot read or write in the dark without external light. Supernote leaves the light out on purpose to keep the surface paper-like, and many owners prefer it, but it is a fixed choice you should be sure about before buying, not a setting you can switch on later.
The OS
Chauvet OS and the software
The Nomad runs the same Chauvet system as the rest of the line: Android-based but deliberately walled off, with no Google Play by default. You can sideload a handful of apps through stores like F-Droid or Aurora, but it is far less open than a Boox. There is no color and no on-device AI transcription. What you get instead is Supernote’s genuinely good writing software: real-time keyword search of your handwriting, document linking, a thoughtful side-of-screen navigation system, and InkHub, the community library where owners share templates and stickers.
Because the software is identical to the Manta’s, everything in our Supernote templates guide applies here too: built-in pages, MyStyle PNG backgrounds, and imported PDF planners all work the same way. The only difference is sizing, since a template drawn for the Nomad’s 1404 by 1872 panel will not match the Manta’s larger screen, so pick templates made for your model.
Portability
Portability and build: the whole point
At 266 grams and under 7mm thick, the Nomad is the Supernote you actually carry. It slips into a coat pocket or a small bag in a way the 10.7-inch Manta never will, and that portability is the entire argument for choosing it. If your notebook only helps when it is with you, a device this light and small is with you far more often.
The build carries Supernote’s best trait: it is modular, with a replaceable battery, so when the cell ages after a few years you swap it rather than the whole device. In a category of sealed slabs headed for a drawer once the battery fades, that design saves money over time and cuts e-waste. The one hardware step down from the Manta is the panel: the Nomad uses an older glass E Ink screen rather than the Manta’s newer flexible one, which is part of how it hits its lower price.
Price
Pen, price, and what is in the box
The $329 price is for the device only. The Nomad does not include a pen, so budget for one: the standard ceramic-nib pen starts around $65, which brings a usable setup to roughly $395. That is still the cheapest entry into Supernote, and well under the Manta’s $505 device-only price. For a compact e-ink notebook with this writing pedigree and a repairable body, it is fair value, as long as you go in knowing the pen is a separate line on the receipt.
Verdict
The verdict on this Supernote Nomad review
FAQ
Common questions, answered briefly
How much is the Supernote Nomad?
What is the difference between the Supernote Nomad and Manta?
Does the Supernote Nomad have a frontlight?
Does the Supernote Nomad come with a pen?
Can the Supernote Nomad run Android apps?
People also ask
Other questions, briefly answered
If you carry a Nomad every day, tell us in the comments what you use it for and whether the 7.8-inch screen ever feels tight. We keep this review current as Chauvet updates and new pens and accessories land.
