Onyx Boox Nova Air Review: Best 7.8-Inch eReader and Writing Tablet of 2021

[@ertemesiner]

His sound is too calming and his excitement can be felt under his calm tone. Very comprehensive review, which led me to order the device, and a very nice video overall. Thank you.

[@annvoy7698]

Your review was a nice surprise for me, who has almost watched every My Deep Guide video ;-) Yours is comprehensive and to the point and you're one of the very few reviewers who has mentioned the lack of security patch updates. Well done.

[@savedfaves]

Several eReader reviewers on KZbin also sell them, which I personally find is a bit of a problem in terms of how someone would ordinarily describe something if their income didn't depend upon it. Sure, everyone needs to earn a living but you just don't get the sincerity you see on other tech reviews such as phones.

[@annvoy7698]

@@savedfaves tbh most reviews I've seen have been honest reviews and the one I mentioned doesn't sell ereaders, but has a deep interest in them. Still, this has been a concise, refreshing review.

[@vinoto]

Hi Voya!

[@Ian-ko1wh]

According to goodereader website, since Android 10 (which Nova Air uses) Security Updates are pushed out automatically through Google Play. Worth a read.

[@savedfaves]

We need more 8 and 9-inch eReaders. I don't need to take notes and I find Kindle displays too small. 9-inch eReaders would be ideal as it's the size of a DVD case and closer to the size of published books.

[@kannony5393]

I used to prefer larger format eReaders for this reason, but text reflow (if implemented properly) can make most eBooks fit inside of a smaller eReader. Unfortunately, reflow isn't perfect. Even so, comics pretty much require about nine inches or larger.

[@aseuvella6102]

completely agree, i would even ask for a simila model but smaller 6 inch, more portable..

[@pedecia]

Thanks for the review. After 4 months do you still think it is a good buy or there are better products on the market for 8 inch android ereaders? I was thinking in ordering one but I will hardly use the note taking feature. I need a good reador to read books and manga and to be also able to borrow ebooks from libraries. The battery also is a of a concern for me traveling alot via airplane. Ordered a Kobo sage but send it back for the battery lasting less then a day. I also didnt want to be constraint in ordering only kobo or kindle books. With an android ereader I can use books from both companies. A little disappointed that it comes only in white... I would habe preferred it in black or at least a darker color. Is the Nova e Note similar which comes in black and looks awesome?

[@mscargill1]

Great review. I guess it is still a good buy simply as an e-ink e-reader if you want to swap between reading both Kindle and non-Kindle content?

[@elsizzle2000]

Love this guy. Thanks for the review. I just purchased it with a free case!

[@1974ekn]

Hi! Where did you buy it with a free case? Thanks

[@kannony5393]

@@1974ekn I think the case might be the folio. If it came with a free case-cover, they got a really good deal. That's like 60 off.

[@disneytoysr4fun975]

Do you experience extreme battery usage when taking notes? I saw a youtuber do a comparison and the Nova Air battery dropped way faster than the Nova 3 when taking notes in comparison to just reading. He said it is a software issue.

[@kannony5393]

That's a great question. I've already shipped the review unit out, but I didn't observe the same battery life loss. If it is a software bug, it may have already been ironed out.

[@stevenprosser8813]

Why did my phone not notify me of this!! Another great review from Kannon; one of the most trustworthy, honest reviewers in the business!! 😁🤩 I am considering possibly buying Boox's latest release the Leaf and I have a question about the magnetic case with physical page turning buttons (I'm guessing it would work similar to the Nova Air). I'm assuming the buttons will only work on the native Boox neo reader app, or is it possible that you can also use the physical buttons to turn pages on Kindle, Kobo, etc. apps? Do the physical buttons replace a gesture like tapping right or left on the screen and can be used in various apps or is it limited to the neo reader?

[@kannony5393]

Hey Steven, thanks for the comment! :-) Unfortunately, I did not specifically test the buttons in the Kobo or Kindle apps, so I can't say with 100% certainty. But the page turn buttons IIRC can be customized, so if it doesn't work by default, it should be possible by changing their function to volume control (and then setting volume control to page turn in the app). But I don't have the unit on hand anymore and cannot test to verify this. I'm sorry!

[@stevenprosser8813]

@@kannony5393 Interesting! I'm excited to tinker around with one of these cases at some point 😁. I wasn't sure if it would be a one off with the Nova Air, but seeing it included with the Leaf it appears they'll be sticking around on Boox devices!? I could see the page turning features being handy if I'm trying to use the device one-handed, like reading while walking my dog 😁. I've tried justifying the purchase of the new Leaf, but I think I need to give my bank account a rest for now; maybe I'll find one used in the coming months 😅 Thank you for another solid review! 😃

[@kannony5393]

@@stevenprosser8813 :-D Thanks for reading! Regarding an upgrade, my thoughts on this are that you should always run your current equipment into the ground or sell it before upgrading. eReaders are usually robust enough that you might only need to upgrade maybe every 5 to 10 years, such as whenever Google stops supporting the Play Store on that platform.

[@marcin6386]

Google should by law allow at least security support for this devices.

[@AngelosGeorgopoulos]

Hello beautiful people! Does anybody know how is this device handling bluetooth keyboards and if it is possible to download and run smoothly Evernote from the Google Play Store? Thanks a lot !

[@kannony5393]

I've run Evernote on other Onyx eReaders before without any issue. And I tested this unit with a Bluetooth keyboard. I used a Varmilo VB87M Bluetooth 4.1 or 4.2 keyboard. Like with all E Ink devices, there's a small amount of latency when typing, but it's otherwise fine for using external input. A mouse, however, is difficult to use with all E Ink panels.

[@AngelosGeorgopoulos]

@@kannony5393 thanks a lot!

[@Martin-delta]

What do you recommend for a ereader only?

[@kannony5393]

It depends on what you need. But if you don't need to run Android apps or take handwritten notes, the PocketBook Lux series (I think they're on the 5 now) is probably the best in terms of value. It's not the crispest text or the most performant but is has broad compatibility with books and comic books, is cheaper, and it is CRAZY lightweight and a joy to read on. And if you don't mind not being able to use ePub and having trouble with PDF files, the latest Amazon Paperwhite is a really good device.

[@Martin-delta]

Kannon Y thanks. I will check out the pocketbook lux. I prefer a non-Amazon deceive for my next reader.

[@savedfaves]

@@kannony5393 Paperwhite display is too small. eReaders in general I find are too small at 6 or 7 inches.

[@Doviruses.existbaileyonodysee]

How do you do. Would you by chance know what the real world and functional difference between the nova air 1 vs 2? Thankyou for your reviews.

[@aseuvella6102]

THis review is way better and enlighting than the ones from the boring Deep guy

[@kannony5393]

I made an error in the review: Onyx has an EU and UK warehouse, NOT a US warehouse! I'm sorry for this mistake.

[@John-iu8lm]

Can i view photos from my phone on it?

[@MakeUseOf]

In black and white, yeh. :)

[@John-iu8lm]

@@MakeUseOf Yes of course. I need that cause I take photos of sheet music so... Thanks.

[@viktor.madarasz]

nice review well done

[@mouhamedayoub1068]

Good 💓

[@Chemy.]

not bad but pricey for me

[@kannony5393]

The price is steep. The PocketBook Lux series is a good, low-cost alternative IMO. Although it can't take notes, is slower, has a smaller screen. But man, is it lightweight and nice to hold.

[@savedfaves]

@@kannony5393 6" is too small and Nova Air at €414 is too expensive. This reader product category needs help.

[@kannony5393]

@@savedfaves I think the cheapest 7.8-inch is $200 or so. Although that may change if Amazon ever releases an ad-supported 7.8 (which I doubt they'd do anytime soon).

[@1974ekn]

@@kannony5393 Hello! What do you think about Pocketbook color 7.8""? ( need good e- reader with modern design) Thank you very much for your review!

[@kannony5393]

​@@1974ekn I love Pocketbook's minimal and lightweight design methodology. Their color eReader is everything that I've liked about their products and it's only something like $230. That low price makes it the most affordable color eReader on the market. But it's not nearly as capable as an eReader with full Android. It has a notes app, by the way, although it's not nearly as good at taking notes as devices with Wacom touchscreens. IIRC, it has a capacitive-only screen, but you should double check that. Overall, it's easier to use because of its good user interface but it's also less capable compared to an Android eReader. However, because it uses a custom Linux OS, it's also a more secure system. When it comes down to it, it depends on what you need it for. If you only need an eReader and not a digital notepad, the Pocketbook Color is a good option. On the downside, it's a bit slow for reading comic books. Also, the resize option isn't as good as Onyx's resize option.