Frame
What Onyx Boox is in 2026
Onyx Boox (often just called Boox) is the e-ink tablet brand from Onyx International, a Chinese hardware company that has been shipping e-ink reading and writing devices since 2008. In 2026, Boox is the most diverse and most app-flexible name in the e-ink category. While reMarkable, Kindle Scribe, and Kobo each commit to a single design philosophy, Boox spans phone-size pocket devices, 7-inch readers, 10-inch writing tablets, and 13-inch large-format flagships, all running full Android with Google Play installed by default.
The defining choice when you buy an Onyx Boox is what it lets you do that no other e-ink tablet allows. Kindle apps, Kobo apps, library OverDrive readers, third-party PDF tools, Notion, OneNote, Anki for spaced-repetition learning, and most cloud-storage clients all install on a Boox device alongside the native note-taking app. That flexibility is the brand’s moat. Whether it earns the price depends on whether you actually need it.
Lineup
The 2026 Onyx Boox lineup at a glance
Pricing is in US dollars and tracks roughly with EUR and GBP equivalents (with VAT adjustments). Stylus pricing is bundled on the Note Air family and most Tab models; Palma and Page are reading-only devices that do not include a stylus. Folio covers run separately at $40-90 depending on model.
Family #1
Boox Note Air: the 10.3-inch writing flagship
The Note Air family is the heart of the Onyx Boox lineup. The current Note Air 4 C uses a Kaleido 3 color e-ink panel at 10.3 inches and runs Android 13 with Google Play installed by default. Writing latency closes most of the gap with reMarkable, the panel handles full A4 PDFs comfortably, and the Android flexibility opens up apps that no closed e-ink device can match. The Note Air 5 C is the rumored Kaleido 4 successor; details below.
Our long-form Boox Note Air 4 C review covers the daily-use verdict on the current flagship, and the Note Air 5 C launch hub tracks what is shipping in the successor model. For the cross-brand comparison, reMarkable Paper Pro vs Boox covers the writing-feel and software differences directly.
Family #2
Boox Note Max: the 13.3-inch large-format flagship
The Note Max sits above the Note Air family at 13.3 inches, monochrome only, with a Carta 1300 panel. It is the Boox for users who do dense PDF work, large-canvas note-taking, or visual thinking that needs more drawing area than the 10.3-inch panels offer. The price reflects the size: ~$819 with the stylus included, putting it above every reMarkable or Kindle Scribe option.
The Note Max is a niche pick. For most Boox buyers, the Note Air 4 C at half the price covers the writing-and-reading workflow well. For the specific user who needs the larger panel (architects, technical engineers reading dense diagrams, students working with two-column textbooks), the Note Max earns the premium. Our Note Max review covers the verdict in depth.
Family #3
Boox Go and Tab: the smaller-and-mid Android tablets
The Go and Tab families fill the smaller end of the writing-tablet category and the keyboard-equipped middle. The Go Color 7 is the 7-inch color Android e-ink tablet (~$249) for users who want pocket-sized color e-ink with full app flexibility; our Go Color 7 review covers the verdict. The Tab Mini C at 7.8 inches and the Tab Ultra C Pro at 10.3 inches with a keyboard cover both target users who want Boox to also serve as a productivity tablet.
The honest tradeoff with the Tab family: at 10.3 inches with a keyboard, you start to ask whether an iPad or a Chromebook would do the same job better. Boox earns the price specifically for users who want e-ink for reading and writing and the Android flexibility for occasional app needs, not as a primary keyboard-driven productivity device. For productivity-first users, an LCD tablet still wins.
Family #4
Boox Palma and Page: the reading-first family
The Palma 2 and Page sit at the reading-first end of the lineup. The Palma 2 is a 6.13-inch e-ink device in a phone form factor, designed for users who want to replace doom-scrolling with reading on a pocket device that runs Kindle, Kobo, and Pocket. The Page is a 7-inch monochrome e-reader with physical page-turn buttons for users who want a Kindle alternative without the Amazon ecosystem lock-in. Our Palma 2 review covers the phone-form verdict.
Neither the Palma 2 nor the Page accepts a stylus, which makes them genuinely reading-first devices rather than reading-and-writing tablets. For users who want occasional handwriting alongside reading, the Go Color 7 is the smaller option that supports both.
The Android moat
Why Onyx Boox runs Android (and why that matters)
Onyx Boox runs Android with Google Play installed because that is the brand’s strategic moat. reMarkable’s argument is that closed software protects focus; Kindle Scribe’s argument is that integration with Amazon’s ecosystem pays off; Boox’s argument is that flexibility lets the device do whatever your workflow needs. Whether the moat earns the price depends on which apps your workflow actually needs.
The most-installed apps on Boox devices in 2026 are Kindle (for Amazon-locked ebook libraries), Kobo and library OverDrive (for non-Amazon reading), OneNote and Notion (for cross-device note workflows), Adobe Reader (for stamping and form-fill PDFs that the native reader does not handle), and Anki (for spaced-repetition study). Our Boox Android apps guide covers the install paths, what works well on e-ink, and what to skip.
Decision matrix
Which Onyx Boox to buy in 2026
The honest order to think about it: identify which app or workflow Boox unlocks that no other e-ink device offers, then pick the smallest device in the lineup that fits that workflow. Most Boox regrets come from buying the flagship Note Max when the Note Air 4 C would have done the job at half the price. For cross-shopping against the alternatives, our Boox vs Kindle Scribe piece covers the head-to-head against Amazon’s writing tablet, and reMarkable Paper Pro vs Boox covers the reMarkable comparison.
Bundle
Buying notes
What to check before buying any Onyx Boox
Three checks save the most regret on a Boox purchase. First, confirm the apps you need actually work on e-ink. Most apps run, but Android apps designed for fast LCD refresh sometimes feel sluggish on e-ink even with Boox’s refresh-mode tuning. Test a free trial of Kindle on a friend’s Boox if you can, before committing.
Second, plan for the accessories. The stylus is bundled on Note Air and Tab models but not on the readers (Palma, Page). Folio covers add another $40-90. Screen protectors are optional on Boox (the matte e-ink panel is durable) but commonly recommended for the writing-tablet line.
Third, consider refurbished. Onyx runs an official refurb store with occasional Note Air and Tab stock at meaningful discounts. Our Boox refurbished guide covers the official store, what to expect, and the third-party reseller options worth considering.
If you have run an Onyx Boox for a few months, drop the model and the verdict in the comments. Multi-month use surfaces things review-week pieces never can, and the comments are where this page actually stays current as the lineup evolves.