What a membrane does that a carbon pitcher cannot, and the trade-offs worth knowing up front.
Carbon filtration works by adsorption, and it is genuinely good at reducing chlorine and the compounds behind a pool-like taste. What it does not do is remove minerals and salts that are dissolved at the ionic level.
Reverse osmosis takes a different approach. Household pressure pushes water through a semi-permeable membrane whose structure rejects most dissolved solids, which is why treated water measures dramatically lower on a dissolved-solids meter.
The trade-offs are practical rather than hidden. The system needs a drain connection, it produces some reject water, and the membrane and pre-filters need replacement on a schedule.
For households that drink, cook, and make coffee with tap water, the measurable difference at the drinking tap is usually what makes the decision.
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