Boox Tablets: Oversize E-Reader Options

The Expanding World of E-Paper Devices: A Look at Boox

When considering e-paper devices, the Kindle is often the first brand that comes to mind. However, brands like Kobo and reMarkable offer compelling alternatives. Boox, a Chinese e-reader manufacturer, represents a newer entrant into this space, providing experimental yet practical options within the niche market of monochrome tablets. In fact, their devices have become my preferred choice for smaller-form factor reading.

As a subsidiary of Onyx, Boox boasts a diverse product range, perhaps even an overly extensive one. Their offerings span from pocket-sized e-readers to medium-sized devices and even A4-sized tablets. The brand’s identity isn’t particularly striking, and updated versions are frequently released—a device I intended to review was superseded before I could finalize my assessment.

A unifying element across all Boox devices is their operating system: a customized version of Android 10, coupled with specialized applications designed for reading and productivity. These services are primarily geared towards Chinese consumers and may be unfamiliar to many.

My testing encompassed several Boox models, beginning with the straightforward Poke 3 e-reader, progressing to the more sophisticated Note2, then the sleek Note Air, and the expansive Max Lumi. Most recently, I’ve been evaluating the Nova3 Color, which incorporates E Ink’s latest Kaleido Plus color screen technology.

Without powering them on, distinguishing between these devices as originating from the same company would be challenging. They exhibit distinct hardware designs, though the inherent limitations of a black tablet with a grayscale screen naturally constrain stylistic expression.

Small and Large Form Factors

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

Let's start with the most conventional format: the 6-inch e-reader. The Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Clara HD are prominent examples in this category. While the Paperwhite is arguably Amazon’s best offering, I personally favor the Kobo Clara HD, despite its somewhat subpar build quality.

Boox’s contribution to this segment includes the Poke 3, a name that may not immediately resonate, but it compensates with its exceptional form factor—essentially the ideal design for a compact reader. I was so impressed with it that I dedicated a separate review to it, but here are the key highlights.

The 6-inch, 300-PPI screen rivals the quality of both the Kindle and Kobo displays. Like the Clara HD, it features a frontlight with adjustable color temperature. The device’s front is completely flush, a design element I particularly appreciate, and the bezel provides sufficient grip without being excessive. This seamless design enhances portability and offers resistance to crumbs and spills, although no water resistance is claimed.

Regarding hardware, I struggle to identify any significant drawbacks. It could potentially be lighter, but reducing its dimensions further would likely compromise ergonomics. A minimal reduction in thickness might be possible, but the impact would be barely perceptible.

The operating system is a heavily modified version of Android, presenting both advantages and disadvantages. I’ve always valued the simplicity of Kobo’s interface, though they seem intent on increasing its complexity. Boox’s OS is powerful but somewhat cluttered, exhibiting uncertainty in prioritizing user options and accessibility.

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

The NeoReader app supports a wide range of file formats and provides extensive controls for customizing your reading experience, highlighting text, annotating books and PDFs, and more. These features are more relevant for the larger devices, as the smaller ones primarily require basic font adjustments.

If your sole intention is to read e-books already stored on your computer, the process is as simple as dragging them into the “Books” folder on the device’s storage. This tab is immediately visible upon powering on the device and is easily accessible. A built-in store occupies a dedicated tab, though it is not available in the U.S., followed by a file manager tab for browsing directories, and tabs for apps and settings.

The app ecosystem is unique: being a Chinese device, it lacks the standard Google-authenticated App Store. Instead, it features its own store with a selection of popular reading apps, including Pocket, GoodReader, and the Kobo and Kindle apps. However, these apps are essentially sideloaded, with the Kindle app being several months out of date. This isn’t a critical issue, but it requires a degree of trust in Boox and its app store.

Alternatively, Google Play services can be enabled in the settings, adding the official store to the mix. However, this process may be too complex for many users. We are accustomed to the simplicity of e-readers, and someone unfamiliar with Android might prefer a Kobo or Kindle.

Despite this, the possibilities are numerous for those willing to explore. I am particularly fond of the Poke 3’s form factor and am willing to navigate its OS to enjoy it. Ultimately, 99% of your time on these devices is spent reading, so as long as that core function is well-executed, the rest is secondary.

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

At the 6-inch scale, the extensive features may seem excessive. However, on Boox’s larger devices, the added flexibility becomes more justifiable. The Note 2 (now 3), Note Air, and Max Lumi aim to provide nearly all the functionality of an Android tablet, combined with the benefits of an e-paper screen. While racing games may not be ideal, this could appeal to users who utilize their reMarkable more frequently than their iPad.

Reading documents on a bright tablet screen can be straining. An e-paper screen offers a superior experience, but the reMarkable, the leading device for this purpose, deliberately limits its capabilities to promote focus. Therefore, some users desire the versatility of an Android device with the readability of an e-paper display. Boox believes there is a market for this combination.

The Note 2 and Max Lumi share a similar design: unremarkable black tablets with impressive dimensions and, in my assessment, excellent build quality. The Note Air, however, stands out—it initially reminded me of the reMarkable 2!

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch

This initial impression proved somewhat unfair, as while the two devices share design similarities, they are distinct. Boox’s broader device portfolio has led me to give them the benefit of the doubt. The blue and orange color scheme isn’t the most appealing, but it helps differentiate the devices, and all models (particularly the Air) are thin and well-designed.

All tablets feature frontlights, and I was pleased to find that my concerns about their effectiveness on larger screens were unfounded. They function well, and like the Poke 3, the light is adjustable in both brightness and temperature, although the controls can be somewhat finicky.

Color E-Paper: Still a Work in Progress

Image Credits: Devin Coldewey

The Nova3 Color features a 7.8-inch screen with E Ink’s latest color e-paper technology. I’ve long been enthusiastic about the potential of this technology, but color e-paper screens have historically suffered from poor contrast, slow refresh rates, ghosting, and other limitations. While this latest iteration addresses some of these issues (and a software update provided further improvements), it remains a compromise.

The hardware is comparable to other Boox devices, solid and unassuming. The primary difference lies in the screen, which displays color even when the device is off. Color e-paper works by combining microscopic black and white beads with a layer of color filters that can be altered. This model, like others, includes a frontlight, which significantly enhances color vibrancy, as the colors are otherwise rather muted.

Ghosting remains an issue, but when reading content like comics, you can easily set the screen to refresh with each page turn (a process that takes only a fraction of a second), eliminating the problem. This is less practical with dynamic content like webpages, though navigating the web on an e-reader is already a niche use case.

The color e-paper display still lacks saturation, if not contrast. Image Credits: Devin Coldewey

More concerning is the reduction in contrast and effective resolution caused by the color layer. When displaying color content, a noticeable screen door effect appears, resembling LCD aliasing. Furthermore, when viewing grayscale content, moiré patterns and other interference can be observed in mid-tones.

Books appear acceptable but lack the clarity of a standard monochrome E Ink display. The screen door effect is always present and reduces contrast. While still readable, it’s difficult to justify the cost when cheaper devices offer superior performance.

Text is less clear and high contrast on the color screen than on the monochrome one. Image Credits: Devin Coldewey

I commend Boox for making E Ink’s latest screen available, and it may be beneficial for those seeking a blend of tablet and e-reader functionality. However, for most users, the color enhancement doesn’t outweigh the drawbacks.

Jack of All Trades, or Spread Too Thin?

The operating system is consistent across these devices, but the focus shifts towards interactivity on the larger models. Boox offers a Wacom-like pen for writing on the tablet surfaces, and it performs adequately, though it lacks the responsiveness and precision of the reMarkable.

The resulting sketches and handwriting were pleasing, although the OS requires a moment to catch up and smooth the lines. I particularly appreciated the brush’s nuanced gradations.

A key advantage of Boox tablets over competitors like the reMarkable, the discontinued Sony Digital Paper Tablet, and other specialized devices is their PDF handling capabilities. Boox devices allow for easy navigation and annotation of PDFs, with original files being directly updated with your notes and doodles. While annotating documents on the reMarkable is straightforward, its somewhat cumbersome app makes sharing and organizing them more challenging. I prefer the simplicity of modifying the original file and emailing it directly from the device.

In addition to the reader and notebook apps, several pre-installed applications may be useful to tablet users, including a browser (which functions as expected—Chromium-based and renders well but exhibits ghosting), a voice recorder, a music player, and a calendar. You can download additional apps from the built-in or Google app stores, further enhancing the device’s versatility.

I’m uncertain about the size of the market for this type of e-paper tablet. However, I believe these devices offer a unique and interesting proposition, even if they are… it’s difficult to ignore the fact that you can purchase an iPad for half the price of the larger Boox tablets and accomplish most of the same tasks, and more.

These e-paper devices possess a certain appeal, and if you intend to read and annotate lengthy documents, they offer a superior experience compared to an iPad for several reasons. With Boox’s diverse lineup, there are more options available than ever before, which is undoubtedly a positive development.