Onyx Boox Note Air2 Plus

Video Review

Onyx Boox Note Air2 Plus: At a Glance

With the Boox Note Air2 Plus, Chinese eReader manufacturer Onyx continues its steady path of consistently upgrading its product portfolio. In plain terms: The device is almost identical to the Onyx Boox Note Air2, but a few small technical upgrades have been made in the details—making the “Plus” in its name well-deserved.

Visually, the Onyx Boox Note Air2 Plus, with its asymmetrical design, brings to mind devices like the Kindle Oasis or Tolino Vision 6. But that’s where the similarities end, since the Onyx device, with its massive 10.3-inch display, is significantly larger.

E-Ink tablet with Android 11

Thanks to its size alone, the Boox Note Air2 Plus falls much more into the tablet category, leaving the typical eBook reader format behind.

Even beyond that, the device—both in terms of software and hardware—feels much more like a tablet. For starters, it runs an open Android 11 operating system, which allows you to install your own apps. And it doesn’t end there: the Boox Note Air2 Plus also comes equipped with speakers and a microphone—something you rarely find on eReaders.

An octa-core processor with up to 2 GHz and 4 GB of RAM ensures plenty of speed. Combined with the modern Android version, you should be able to use almost any app without a hitch—as long as the E-Ink display can keep up, of course.

Familiar E-Ink Display Technology

That’s because, while E-Ink displays are easy on the eyes, they aren’t especially fast. Compared to a standard LCD, response times are slower, and with E-Ink, you always have to trade off higher refresh rates against display quality.

But it’s not just response time that could be an issue—the black-and-white display and the lack of full screen refresh (in standard mode) may also lead to display problems with some apps. As a potential buyer, this is definitely something you should keep in mind.

Essentially, the Boox Note Air2 Plus uses familiar E-Ink tech: The E-Ink Carta screen has a resolution of 1872×1404 pixels, giving it a pixel density of 227 ppi. Thanks to built-in front lighting and blue light reduction, the reflective display is easy to read not only in direct sunlight but also in the dark.

Even though the “Air” in the product name suggests it’s particularly lightweight, that’s actually not the case. Weighing in at 445 grams, this E-Ink tablet isn’t exactly a featherweight for a 10.3-inch device. That comes down to its powerful hardware, but also to the fact that it doesn’t use the lighter, flexible E-Ink Carta Mobius display technology—that’s found in the Onyx Boox Note5 instead.

Wacom Stylus Input

You can control the Boox Note Air2 Plus using the capacitive touchscreen or with a compatible stylus. The inductive stylus input supports up to 4,096 pressure levels.

The built-in apps allow for nearly lag-free input with the stylus. Third-party apps you install later, however, often respond to stylus input with a noticeably perceptible delay.

High Price, Niche Market

As a very well-equipped E-Ink tablet, the Onyx Boox Note Air2 Plus is in a very small niche. As the virtually sole supplier of such devices, Onyx can also demand a high price for it. The device costs around 520 euros.

For comparison: you can already get a PocketBook InkPad Lite with a 9.7-inch display from just 220 euros, or a PocketBook InkPad X with a 10.3-inch E-Ink Carta Mobius display (and weighing just 300 grams) starting at 410 euros. However, with both of these competitors, you’ll have to do without an open Android interface and Wacom stylus input.

Alternatively, you can also get a Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 FE Tablet starting at 440 euros as well.

Onyx Boox Note Air2 Plus: Technical Specifications

All information provided without guarantee.