This is the third post in a short series exploring distraction-free writing setups. In the previous two posts I explored the Alphasmart Neo and the BYOK. Both of those devices have reflective LCD screens and virtually zero lag. They are great, but they aren’t the only options out there.
My introduction to the Freewrite was via a YouTube video in 2020. I fell in love with the idea of a digital typewriter with an e-ink screen right away. I went down a bit of a rabbit hole and watched every video I could find, plus spent weeks going to the Freewrite website dreaming of buying on of my own.
The Smart Typewriter is their original product and in my opinion their most beautiful design. It harkens back to typewriters of old with a mechanical keyboard and shell that is both beautiful and functional. Above the custom 60% keyboard sits a pill shaped e-ink window a few inches wide that shows status information. Above that sits a taller rectangular e-ink panel, where you type your text.
I’ve been an e-ink lover since I got my first Kindle back in 2010. As a migraine sufferer who also has photosensitive eyes, I appreciate how easy e-ink is on the eyes, especially after a long day at the office staring at computer screens. I also love how you can read it in direct sunlight with little to no glare.
I must say, the e-ink panel that Astrohaus (the company who makes the Freewrite) uses is exceptionally beautiful. It’s just the right size for seeing enough text while you write to keep your context, but not too much that it can cause unwanted distractions. The text also pops against the grey background in a very satisfying manner.
Other than the keyboard and screens, you have a physical toggle on either side, plus a simple power button. The left toggle allows you to choose which folder of three available options you want to write in. The right toggle is for WIFI.
With WIFI on, your writing will automatically sync to your Postbox account. This is a cloud based storage system that comes for free with the device. It works well in my experience thus far. The free account lets you store up to a million words in your account, fully synced to all your Freewrite devices. You aren’t able to upload files with the free account, but that doesn’t bother me, as I don’t use the Freewrite for reading or editing anyway. It’s purely a drafting tool.
Which is exactly how Astrohaus intended the device to be used. I actually quite enjoy the fact that it’s a single-use device. It does one thing very well and that’s distraction-free writing. While you can edit on the newer (gen 3) devices, it’s not recommended.
Personally, the most editing that I’ll do is fixing a spelling error if I happen to mistype a word while drafting. Some Freewrite users don’t even do that - they simply draft forward knowing that editing will catch those errors. I am of the opinion that deleting a word or two to correct a spelling error I notice isn’t going to be a waste of time or break my flow, so I just do it.
Fortunately, in the most recent software update a hotkey was introduced to delete entire words, which makes the process much faster.
Speaking of the new software, I should note that the Sailfish software release is an incredible leap forward for the Freewrite. When I first received my device, it was on a much older version of the software. That meant that I got to fully experience the e-ink lag that most reviewers will mention when reviewing a Freewrite device.
To be fair to Astrohaus, e-ink lag when paired with a keyboard is not unique to their devices. I’ve owned several e-ink tablets in the last few years (I’ll share reviews of those eventually) and they all experience the dreaded lag when you pair them with a bluetooth keyboard and type. The exception to the rule, in my experience, is the reMarkable 2 with their keyboard case. That combo had zero lag, but it also had a physical connection.
Either way, pre-Sailfish update, my Freewrite would have about a one second delay from the time I’d type a letter and it showing up on the e-ink screen. When you first hear that, it sounds like it would be absolutely unuseable, but it’s not really that bad in practice. It does take a little bit of time to adjust to it, but eventually you don’t even notice.
I used my Smart Typewriter with the older software for about three or four days. Each morning it would get a new software update and I’d expect it to be the newest Sailfish, but it took about five updates total to get there. I actually had written about five hundred words on a story pre-Sailfish update and then got the notification that a new software version was available.
I had a little time before work and the update had finished, so I fired it up and typed away. Let me tell you, I was shocked by how fast the typing is after that update. All their marketing material says there is virtually no lag and I can confirm, that is the case.
I have written over fifteen thousand words since that update and this thing just flies. It was the deciding factor for me in keeping the Freewrite over the other devices, actually. It’s so fast that I hardly even notice that I’m writing on e-ink.
Pair that with the very satisfying mechanical keyboard and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a great writing tool. Sure, the keyboard isn’t as good as a dedicated mechanical keyboard with gasket mounts and linear switches and custom keycaps, but it’s got great action and the sound is somehwere between clicky and thocky depending on what surface I’m typing on. In my lap, the space bar has the bassiest thunk of any mechanical keyboard I’ve personally used, while on my desk it’s definitely more clacky.
I’ve owned the device for a little more than a week at this point. I wish I had been able to buy one a long time ago, but it was well worth the wait. In addition to getting the Smart Typewriter, I was able to snag the special edition Ernest Hemingway edition, which is stunning. It’s also $1100 retail - which I most definitely did not pay. I got a crazy good deal on a like new unit from a random stranger on the internet.
That being said, if you have the cash to purchase a Smart Typewriter (the standard edition is $700), it’s well worth the investment. The body of the typewriter is made from aluminum and they are all hand assembled. In the hand, they feel very well made. I can’t say it’ll last forever, but in my opinion, if I can get a few years and several books out of it, I think it’s worth the investment. I know several reviewers on YouTube have had theirs for five or more years and they are still going, so that should be a clue to the longevity one could expect if you take care of the device.
One other note on the form factor. It’s hard to tell on the website and reviews exactly how big the device is, but it’s about the footprint of a thirteen inch laptop and at it’s thickest part is around four inches tall. It’s light as well and has a nice grab handle for carrying it around. It fits in my lap very nicely and the angle of the keyboard is great for that method of typing.
All-in-all, I think the Freewrite Smart Typewriter by Astrohaus is a solid contender for a distraction-free writing setup and will be my personal tool for drafting for the forseeable future. I think the BYOK and Neo are two solid options among several that exist today, but the Freewrite just won my heart over.
I am excited for a Kickstarter campaign that I backed for a new e-ink writing device called the Zerowriter Fold. That is set to release in Q1 of 2027 and I’ll be sure to write a review of that device once I receive mine. It’ll likely become my drafting on the go device, while my Freewrite will remain on my desk at home.