Onyx Go 10.3 Review

If the aim of e-ink tablets is to mimic paper, then the Onyx Go 10.3 is amongst the best out there.

The tablet is:

One of the thinnest and lightest tablets at 4.6mm and 375 g (ousted only marginally by Viwoods AI-paper).
The e-ink is so close to the surface it tricks your mind into believing that you are actually writing on the tablet (there is no frontlight – this is the sacrifice for getting closer to the surface).
The writing feeling is really good. Some of the more premium tablets may claim a better writing feel, but bear in mind that this is subjective.
The contrast provided by the e-ink Carta 1200 screen is fantastic.
The tablet is competitively priced, typically a bit cheaper than the boutique competitors in this class.

Many of the e-ink tablet reviewers reckon that the Go 10.3 is the best tablet to get at the time of writing (2024). As with all things in life, it depends. But, if you are looking for something that is fairly minimalist, close to paper but does not skimp on productivity tools, then it may very well be the tablet for you.

Pixel Envy

The display on an electronic device, is likely to sway someone towards it, or towards the competition. With e-ink devices, two factors are important: contrast and pixel density.

The contrast on the e-ink Carta 1200 display is not the very latest available in the Carta range. But, it is almost the latest, and in my opinion, the difference between the 1200 and 1300 ranges are irrelevant. I have not seen a 1300 with my own eyes, but in pictures I see no difference and many who have seen them side to side can not see a difference.

Of much more importance, is the pixel density. This is the amount of pixels (or little units of display) in an inch, and 300 is more than adequate. On LCD screens, pixels don’t matter that much with video, but the moment you view static text, it becomes important. I’ve been told many times that I am a pixel snob, and that I value pixel density too much, but the fact of the matter is that when I can see pixels in letters, I don’t experience the same joy as when I can’t. On a 300ppi e-ink screen, I have to go and hunt for pixels to see them. I suppose I can, but it is difficult, not obvious, and that is good enough for me.

The Go 10.3 has a gorgeous display, that can not be faulted.

Software

The Go 10.3 is an Android based device, and has full access to the Android store. If you are looking for a completely distraction-free writing experience, then this can be achieved with the go 10.3. However, it’s detractors will be quick to point out that you will probably distract yourself if you are inclined to do so.

In order of frequency, I use my Go 10.3 for:

Note-taking (primarily)
- This includes both written notes and a lot drawing (an e-whiteboard if you will)
Annotating documents
Reading
The odd chess game
Browsing

I have not installed e-mail, Whatsapp or any other social media apps and I don’t plan to do so. In other words, if you keep the tablet clean, it can function as a distraction-free writing device.

Of course, if you are looking for something that can do e-mail etc., then that is most definitely an option with the Go 10.3.

Glowlight

The lack of a frontlight or glowlight (as it is often referred to) on the Go 10.3 is not an issue for me at all, but I was petrified that it would be. To be totally honest, I did upgrade my bedlamp somewhat so that it is more usable at night. But, given the choice between a shorter ink-to-glass distance and a frontlight, I would make the same decision again, in a heartbeat.

The writing experience is too precious to go and muck it up with a glowlight.

Ghosting

E-ink tablets suffer from an effect called “ghosting”. In essence, when the elements on the screen changes, some of the particles may not move completely away from the top layer.

So, over time as the text or pictures change, the ghost of the previous image can be visible, until you “refresh” the page (which is easily done, by the way).

My experience with the Go 10.3 is that there is ghosting, but it is minimal. The only app where I do manually refresh from time-to-time, is Lichess. The reader and note taking app never needs a refresh – I assume it does refreshes as part of page turns etc.

Onyx has some technology that can deal with ghosting (called BSR – “Boox Super Refresh”) but apparently this has such a negative effect on battery life, that it basically negates the battery advantage that is typically present on e-ink tablets.

Battery Life

I have not measured the battery life, nor do I plan to. According to the specs, the battery is a 3700 mAh battery – and the bottom line is that this is more than sufficient. My tablet typically lasts a week before a recharge, with fairly frequent note-taking (on week-days) and some night-time reading.

Bear in mind that I am not a student. If this is your primary note-taking device, and you basically spend most of your day on the tablet, you will charge much more often. However, I seriously doubt that there are LCD based tablets out there that can come close to the battery life on an e-ink tablet.

The primary reason for this is, that while the screen is not changing, there is almost zero battery use.

Stylus

I have the basic stylus that is bundled with the device (yes, for $379 you get a stylus included!). I must say, I neither love nor hate the stylus.

It is a bit bland – plain white plastic – but I like the size. A friend with a reMarkable upgraded the stylus because it was too thin. While trying the Go 10.3, he remarked that the stylus was much more to his liking, and that he would not have upgraded if he had the Onyx stylus.

I still find the feel of the plastic too cheap and will definitely upgrade the pen at some future point. However, the nib results in a really premium writing feel. I can’t say whether it is pen on paper, or pencil, but I would guess closer to a ballpoint pen. There is just the right amount of resistance to make writing audible and to make it feel real.

The nibs wear out quite quickly for me (I don’t show them much mercy). Your mileage may vary. Just remember to put the plastic cap onto the stylus when you carry it around in a backpack, otherwise the nibs wear out faster and even break off. Yup, learnt that the hard way!

Every reviewer (and their dog) will point out that the magnets on the side of the device don’t really hold the pen so well. In my experience, it is true but the magnet is till adequate. My tablet basically stays on my bedside table or is in a laptop bag. In neither of those cases is it of paramount importance to have the pen stick to the side, so I am not really bothered by the weak magnet.

I suppose that the trade-off of a stronger magnet would be a potential effect on the writing on the screen (some reviewers show lines that are not quite straight on some of the competing products). I would gladly compromise with a slightly weaker magnet.

Other Bits and Pieces

The tablet has the usual connectivity (bluetooth and Wifi). It has a built-in microphone, and dual speakers – I have not used either. There is a USB-C port for connecting peripherals, which is also the charging button. The power button is at the top but it has no fingerprint reader – a missed opportunity that would have been a nice touch, I think.

There is a standard Onyx Boox case for it, that uses magnets to hold the tablet in place. I bought an after-market one at Amazon for half the price, that I believe is perfectly adequate.

In Conclusion

The Go 10.3 is a fantastic e-ink tablet. The 10 inch form factor seems to be the sweet spot for me and the tablet is a quality product that can compete easily with more expensive devices. The screen is gorgeous, and I can’t get enough of writing on it.

Personally, I would redesign the user-interface to make it more intuitive, and try to make the barrier to entry somewhat lower by simplifying the many menu structures where one can easily get lost in the beginning. Let’s hope the company ups their game in this regard at some future point.

Nevertheless, I would highly recommend this tablet to anyone. Whether you are new to eink tablets or are a seasoned user, the Go 10.3 has a spark that draws you in and lets you create, mindfully.