[smburdick]

For me, reading papers requires deep focus. I have to have it physically printed out if I'm going to really read the whole thing.

[ildon]

I suggest you try new devices to read papers. Often the perception that paper is a better support is due to a lack of more convenient devices. Paper is better than a 15'' screen for sure, for many reasons including size and posture while reading. But have you tried larger screens (> 27''), large tablets (>= A4) or as large as possible E-Ink readers? Depending on your preferences, you might find that some of these work actually better than paper also for you :-)

[ykonstant]

There is no way I can perceive reading on an expensive device as more comfortable than paper. Paper is fairly cheap, lightweight and resilient; I can carry it around, fold it, toss it aside, sit on it by accident while thinking, annotate it with scribbles, and pour coffee on it with aplomb and finesse. I can flip it, half-tear it in anger, drool on it when I reach my brain capacity. I can take it hiking with me without fear of breaking or losing it. In other words, paper is a tool that gets out of my way.

I did try all the devices you listed above, even had my department pay serious money, and ended up barely using them for all those reasons. I am a mathematician, I am clumsy and I want to focus on my problem-solving; I want to think, and babysitting devices and tools is not what I want to spend my brainspace on.

[cttet]

Paper enables non-vision based(scroll bar) random access to content, when you keep going back an forth between two pages, it is very annoying on all current devices except paper. Vision pro/VR/AR or a particular multi-screen set-up can achieve that, but so far all alternatives are not as good.

[smburdick]

I’m typing this comment on an iPad ;-) Which I love using for marking up papers and other documents for quick feedback. But doing research is another story.

[benrapscallion]

Remarkable 2 tablet is very good for reading papers.