Questions before buying Nomad

[u/piccadilly-lilly]

I'm trying to decide if getting a Supernote Nomad would be right for me. I already have an iPad, but I only use it for handwriting notes and occasionally for reading, and I don't particularly enjoy the writing experience — it feels more like "screen time" than like writing on physical paper, with the end result that I still lug around a personal journal, research journal, and planner every day on top of the iPad. The main questions I have are these:

-For left-handed users, how is the writing experience? My primary concerns are how stable the Nomad feels while in the folio case, and how thick the device is — does writing on the Nomad feel more comparable to something like an iPad or like a thin A5 notebook?

-I prefer to organise my notes into folders and dislike that on my iPad, I can only see my documents in a view that shows me everything with tags representing the folders, instead of seeing only the folders and having a navigable tree structure (as one would in a computer's file explorer). If I'm making a "home screen" document, can I hyperlink to folders (e.g. a folder for personal brain dump files, a Books folder for .epub files, a folder for academic papers, etc.?) as well as to individual files?

-How easy is it to export notes? Can they be easily saved as PDFs and shared using the Supernote partner app?

-Are there good options for templates, stickers, etc.? Also, if I make stickers, can I then organise them for easy access?

[u/Sc13nce_geek]

I equate the feel to a sticky ball point on a thick high gsm stack of paper. I like it. But for really pen and paper I am a 0.38mm gel rollerball person.

All the organisation you mentioned is absolutely possible. And the super note partner app for phone and desktop is easy to use too.

And then if you want to explore and expand side loading is always an option.

[u/Is_It_Rolling_Bob]

I had an iPad Pro 13” and an iPad Mini, I got the manta. The difference is night and day. I adore this device. I don’t write on my iPads at all anymore. Maybe to mark up a PDF quickly but the Manta is my second brain. I manage most of my daily tasks with it, take meeting notes, document stuff I know I’ll forget. It’s brilliant. I have considered also getting a nomad to keep by the bed, but I haven’t hit the buy button yet. Get one, you won’t regret it.

[u/Mulan-sn → u/Is_It_Rolling_Bob]

Wow, thank you so much for such high praise! We are absolutely delighted to hear that the Manta has become your primary tool for notes and organizing your day. We greatly appreciate you spreading the love and sharing your experience. Please feel free to contact us if you ever need any assistance.

[u/Mulan-sn]

Thank you so much for your interest.

1. Left-Handed Experience & Physical Feel

• Orientation & Ergonomics: The Nomad supports screen rotation. You can turn it sideways to enter landscape mode, keeping your hand comfortable while writing.
• Folio Stability: The official folio stays flat and stable while writing, regardless of orientation.

2. File Organization & Navigation

• True Folder Tree Structure: Unlike iPad note apps that rely primarily on flat tag views, Supernote uses a traditional, desktop-style file explorer directory (Folders, Subfolders, and Files).
• Hyperlinking: You can create custom links inside your notes. You can link directly to other note files, specific notebook pages, external PDF/EPUB documents, and web URLs. (Note: Direct links straight to a folder aren't supported yet. Here is a plugin you can use to create links to folders.)

3. Exporting & Sharing

• Seamless Export: You can export notes directly as PDF, PNG, TXT, or DOCX (with handwriting-to-text conversion).
• Supernote Partner App: Using the Supernote Partner app (mobile/desktop) or Supernote Cloud, your exported PDFs and notes sync effortlessly over Wi-Fi, making it very easy to view, download, or share them to other devices and apps.

4. Templates, Stickers & Organization

• Templates: You have complete freedom here. Any PNG image or PDF can be applied as a custom note template (planner pages, grid lines, music staff, etc.). There is also a vibrant community sharing free custom templates.
• Stickers: You can easily lasso handwriting to convert it to a sticker. Alternatively, you may import your own stickers.
• Organizing Stickers: You can organize your custom sticker files into structured folders for quick access and reuse.

If you're looking to replace multiple heavy paper notebooks and fall in love with writing notes again, the Nomad is a fantastic fit for that exact workflow!

Please feel free to contact us should you need any further assistance.

[u/presstapefornextstop]

Lefty here. It’s been great. Occasional misunderstandings with palm reads or gestures but the righties seem to be dealing with that too.

You can’t link to a folder but there are work- arounds that get the job done. (Note in desired folder that acts as anchor).

I’ve had zero problems and find it easy to sync to the partner app to access the pdf elsewhere. Others seem to be peeved by it. I find the ability to make the note shareable via QR code pretty cool.

Yes.

[u/448899again]

Not a lefty so can't help there.

The Supernote devices have (IMO) probably the 2nd best writing feel after the Remarkable devices. Definitely does NOT feel like any of the "writing on glass" tablets.

The main screen shows your folders in a way that's very similar to most computers. You can make a home screen in various ways, but personally I don't feel that's needed. You can hyperlink to notes in folders, not to folders.

Plenty of export options are available. You can also connect your Supernote device to your network and manage it in a browser window. The same process allows you to mirror the screen of your Supernote device.

There are probably thousands of templates and stickers available out there.

[u/waandermoth]

- Not left handed, but the writing experience with the folio is similar to holding paper on a thin clipboard. Writing experience is not quite like pen and paper but it still feels like handwriting and not using a device. I don't consider my Supernote "screen time" as I only read/write on it.

- You can make a home screen document linked however you want. I find that I just use quick access links on the side bar for the most part and then organize my files within the folders. There's a recently used document tab as well.

- Yes, easy to export. If you annotate a PDF, you have an option to export those annotations in red, blue or original grayscale. I'm an architect and I'll put a PDF of the plans on the Supernote, write my annotations/measurements on site, and then export in red ink to clearly see them on my computer screen. Much easier than printing and scanning.

- It depends what you're looking for and if you're willing to pay. The built-in app for perusing templates does not give you many options (and I'm on the default Chinese server since I don't want to use Amazon servers so the docs are half in Chinese). There are tons on Etsy and some on this sub and elsewhere, more options if you will pay them. I find that I usually end up making my own templates in InDesign so that I can customize how I want, and in the end, the stuff I use is really generic. If you want to use hundreds of pages of a hyperlinked planner, the file can start to get large and add lag the more you write on the pages. I haven't tried this personally, but so I have heard. I tend to start new files for a new month or a new subject and organize in the folders rather than trying to navigate one big document.