Onyx Boox

The heart of the brand

If Onyx was a car manufacturer, they would probably be like Ford. A brand that has everything from mild mannered hatchback to a growling V8 Mustang.

They have a very diverse range of models to choose from – whilst brands like reMarkable and Supernote are aimed at specific markets. In fact, Boox not only have different models, they have several ranges with various models within that range.

In spite of their wide range of devices (or is it as a result of?), they also release new models at a prolific rate. Some models get upgraded versions within a year. Whilst the rate of change is to be commended, it is at great odds with Supernote and reMarkable, which prefers the sustainability play in stead of driving consumerism.

They do not claim to be only focused on note-taking – in stead, they aim to be productivity devices. They make us of Android, but in stead of limiting your options, they will give you access to the entire Play Store. Of course, not all apps work well with e-ink – but they let the consumer be the judge. Their eco-system has been well optimised for Android.

Despite the impressive regularity of change, the devices in the Onyx range have a really good build quality. They clearly realise that sub-par quality will get them to the bottom of the market very soon.

The software is very good, but as a result of the variety of apps, the experience is not as smooth as some of the competitors and the learning curve is a bit higher. Actually, it is my opinion that it is not only the the complexity of the eco-system – I often feel that Onyx could make simple tweaks to the user interface with positive outcomes.

One piece of technology that sets Onyx apart from their main competitors, is BSR (Boox Super Refresh). This technology eliminates ghosting, but at the expense of battery life.

Not all Onyx devices have BSR, though. Let’s delve a bit into the different series that they have to offer.

The Series