Onyx Boox Go 10.3 assessment: A note-taking companion

I really like utilizing e-ink tablets as a distraction-free method to jot down notes, annotate PDFs, and particularly learn e-books. I’ve tried a good number of e-ink tablets over the previous few years, and I exploit a number of in my day by day life as e-readers. Many e-ink tablets and e-readers have considerably locked down methods, all within the identify of offering a ‘distraction free’ expertise, however this additionally means restricted file codecs and app compatibility. That is the place the Boox Go 10.3 is available in, an e-ink tablet that runs on Android 12.

Boox despatched me the Go 10.3 for assessment, and I’ve spent the previous two weeks utilizing it to learn e-books, PDFs, in addition to note-take, and I’ve come away with some notes on the Go 10.3’s efficiency. It is a productiveness pill that incorporates a minimalist design and an all-around nice 300 ppi show. Personally, I feel the Boox Go 10.3 is among the greatest e-ink tablets available on the market for note-taking and e-reading.

Advisable

Boox Go 10.3

The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is a superb productivity-focused e-paper pill that handles a number of file codecs with ease. It comes bundled with the Boox Pen Plus stylus, and may run apps from the Google Play Retailer because of Android 12 help.

Worth, specs, and availability

The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 was launched in the summertime of 2024 and is at present obtainable from Onyx and Amazon for $380. It comes with 4GB of onboard RAM and 64GB of flash storage, and solely is available in a monochromatic silver colour scheme. The Go 10.3 is powered by Android 12, so along with the built-in note-taking app, you’ll be able to obtain any note-taking app of your selection from the Google Play Retailer. A purchase order of the Boox Go 10.3 does embrace Onyx’s stylus, which is critical for the expertise, so I used to be completely happy to see it included alongside a magnetic cowl case and the USB Sort-C charging cable.

I cherished the sensation of holding the Boox Go 10.3 whereas studying and annotating PDFs and e-books. It is extremely skinny, measuring simply 4.6mm in thickness, it weighs 375g, which I discovered so as to add a little bit of weight to the machine, but additionally made it really feel safer. It feels very premium, and the Boox eco-leather backing of the Go 10.3 provides some extra grip and a snug stage of texture to the design. The ten.3-inch show on the Go 10.3 is excellent, that includes a 2480×1860 decision coupled with 300 ppi that ensures that textual content on-screen all the time appears to be like sharp and readable.

What I like in regards to the Onyx Boox Go 10.3

Whether or not I used to be studying an e-book or engaged on a PDF, the standard of e-ink distinction was spectacular with detailed strains and nice fill sections, particularly in photographs. I attempted quite a lot of completely different file codecs utilizing the built-in Boox NeoReader utility, and every thing regarded nice, from PDF recordsdata to .CBZ comedian strips. I discovered the built-in reader to be nice for all kinds of recordsdata — plus, you’ll be able to doodle or annotate pages with ease — and the built-in notes app has every thing I would like. You’ll be able to, in fact, obtain any most well-liked note-taking or e-reading app by way of the Google Play Retailer, however remember the fact that not all note-taking apps are optimized for e-writers, even when they do help tablets.

Whereas utilizing the Boox Go 10.3, I discovered a whole lot of similarities with the ReMarkable 2 e-writer, which additionally supplies an ideal studying and writing expertise, however is sort of 4 years outdated at this level. The Go 10.3 positively felt like a worthy refresh and enchancment upon ReMarkable’s e-ink pill, and I’ve practically converted to the Go 10.3 now as my day by day driver for note-taking and drafting. I additionally actually recognize that you may entry all the Boox ecosystem with the Go 10.3 all without spending a dime. In contrast to the ReMarkable 2, there isn’t any subscription required to make use of any of the options of the built-in Boox apps. Aspect-loading recordsdata by way of BooxDrop is completely free and easy, so you’ll be able to switch recordsdata backwards and forwards very simply.

The writing expertise is completely incredible. Identical because the show, Boox obtained the capacitive contact display screen completely appropriate. It options the usual 4,096 layers of stress sensitivity that you will discover on every other high-quality e-writer, and I discovered it to be extremely responsive in my testing. Cursive handwriting is responsive, feeling and looking nice, and brush strokes really feel extremely pure. Among the many native Boox apps, there’s the built-in RSS reader, PushRead, together with the Boox NeoBrowser, which is a good way to entry the web from the pill. As I discussed earlier, the built-in Notes app has every thing you want from sketch varieties, to-do lists, to day by day planning and calendar features.

Boox made customizing the Go 10.3 to tailor your personal wants straightforward, with accessible settings and pre-optimized refresh charges for the e-ink show which are geared in the direction of various kinds of content material. Boox has gone by way of the trouble to optimize most of the hottest Android apps for the Go 10.3, and whereas Android 12 could really feel a bit dated, it features completely nicely on the e-writer. Boox has constructed their very own custom-made model of Android 12 for the Boox Go collection tablets, and I discovered no points or frustrations with the OS in my time with each the Go 10.3 and the Boox Go Color 7 that I additionally reviewed. Android 12 has been streamlined on the Boox Go 10.3, and you will find every thing you want proper whenever you begin up the machine for the primary time.

The Boox Go 10.3 incorporates a 3,700 mAh battery, however with no front-lighting, you’ll be able to rise up to every week’s price of cost with the Go 10.3. There’s a built-in microphone and audio system, and for those who use the audio system regularly you may drain the battery sooner. The microphone supplied surprisingly clear audio seize, however the audio system weren’t my favourite. Fortunately, there may be Bluetooth help on the Go 10.3, so you’ll be able to pair your favourite wi-fi headphones with none fuss.

What I did not like in regards to the Onyx Boox Go 10.3

No expandable storage and a weak pen

The Boox Go 10.3 solely comes with 64GB of inside storage, and in contrast to different Boox e-readers and writers, there isn’t any expandable microSD card slot. It is a bit shocking that an e-ink pill aimed toward productiveness would not embrace an SD card reader, and whereas BooxDrop is a simple method to ship recordsdata backwards and forwards, it could be good to have expandable machine storage. I additionally did not love the included stylus that Onyx ships with the Boox Go 10.3 — it is not a deal-breaker, however I did not discover it to be probably the most comfy stylus after I in contrast it with the ReMarkable 2’s.

With all Boox gadgets, you get entry to the Boox Retailer app, which is a little bit of a misnomer, as you’ll be able to’t really buy something from it. The Boox Retailer supplies you with free entry to public area titles, so it is a good way to learn outdated classics, however it’s not an actual retailer. Once more, with Android 12 help, it is not an excessive amount of a problem as you’ll be able to obtain any e-book retailer of your selection, however it’s one thing to maintain word of when utilizing the Go 10.3.

Must you purchase the Onyx Boox Go 10.3?

The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is a superb e-ink productiveness pill, and it may be the primary e-writer that I’ve examined that has satisfied me to change over from the ReMarkable 2. I actually recognize the extra performance that comes with having Android 12 on the Go 10.3, and its total design is nice, with the most effective e-ink shows I’ve examined. The note-taking expertise is great, and whereas I did not love the included stylus, you’ll be able to deliver your personal pen and nibs over to the Go 10.3, and there are a number of e-writer display screen protectors available on the market that can add an much more detailed paper really feel to the show.

At $380, there isn’t any denying the Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is a premium e-ink pill, however it’s additionally in-line with — and cheaper — than most of the e-ink tablets available on the market. I consider that the development of the Onyx Boox Go 10.3 and spectacular show justifies the associated fee, and that is my new favourite productivity-focused pill. In case you are out there for a productiveness e-ink pill that is nice for note-taking and studying paperwork, I heartily suggest the Onyx Boox Go 10.3

Advisable

Boox Go 10.3

The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is a superb productivity-focused e-paper pill that handles a number of file codecs with ease. It comes bundled with the Boox Pen Plus stylus, and may run apps from the Google Play Retailer because of Android 12 help.

Associated

Do you care about color e-readers?

Kobo has launched two colour e-readers, together with the Kobo Libra Color and Kobo Clara Color, including a touch of vibrancy to the usually grayscale world of digital guide readers. The hues are muted, however they nonetheless look nice, permitting you so as to add colourful notes, doodles, and revel in guide covers in all their coloured glory. Nonetheless, this makes the gadgets costlier, and a whole lot of e-reader customers won’t care about colour of their books and notes. Amazon nonetheless hasn’t launched its tackle a colour e-reader, although the tech big is rumored to be engaged on a number of gadgets. With all of this in thoughts, do you care about colour e-readers? Or is it an addition you would like you did not must pay for?