The Everything-E-Ink Tablet: Boox Note Air 3 REVIEW

[@deadiemeyers1661]

Appreciate your perspective on the many choices available. Thanks!

[@impulsesystems]

Thanks for the detail, sir. I am hoping to get my NA 3 tomorrow. I live in a sunny country and I do want to read outside. I haven't seen any reviewers actually show this screen outside in sunlight.

[@tahirahmed33]

I have the original Boox note : Onyx Boox note 10.3 ( plastic screen ) I lost it somewhere in my house , been looking for it for the last 1 years ,finally found it today , still work , charged it and I am updating it to firmware v 3.3.2

[@dsm_796]

I was considering this as my next ereader because of being able to have all book apps in one device but I think I will just be overwhelmed with the options and settings. I am also not fan of the weight. I think I’ll stick with a normal ereader. Thanks for the review. 😊

[@fragslap5229]

"overwhelmed with the options and settings"? AMEN, brother! I got a "Max Lumi" and it is ABSURDLY complicated PLUS the manual is WORTHLESS. I can't even figure out how to transfer books from a USB drive to the thing.

[@maryhazlett]

Try the kindle scribe, then, and get the premium pen. It's very basic, and excellent. Reading and writing.

[@Mr911kira]

What’s the Star Trek screen in the background? Love it !

[@evilphuk]

I know I was like OMG love it

[@ChalidRaqami]

You can check it out on mewho.com (not made by me). Best part of making a new video is starting it up and putting it on the TV! :)

[@joshualetchford2034]

Thank you for this, very helpful!

[@maryhazlett]

I have this on order. You mentioned the rub-off on the back of the device. Don't you use a case? I have one on every device I own. Also, regarding the pen - I have the tab mini C, and tried my kindle scribe premium pen on it and it's great. I'll probably buy one for this device. I journal on my scribe, and love the eraser feature. I'm buying this to partly use as a sketchbook. I often take classes from KZbin or watch demos. After practicing on this e-ink device, I'll move to a hard copy sketchbook to paint.) 11:51 ❤

[@ChalidRaqami]

I use the case on and off, so that wear on the back was definitely a surprise because I didn't use it any differently than my other tablets. But if it's in the case all the time, I doubt you will have any issues with that.

[@keepitpeel]

Thanks for covering the privacy issues, one of the reasons why I'm rejecting the Scribe (the notebooks are synced with Amazon servers). Sounds as though the Boox allows you to keep everything local, though the contact with Chinese servers is worrying....

[@Buzznor]

Help please! Need an e ink device asap for heavy writing and note taking purpose. I badly wanted the A5X2 to get launched but its delayed atleast till June. Cant wait that long. Boox NA3 was not in my fav list due to the distractions it has. But if it has a good writing feel (closer to pen-paper than glassy ipad one), i can consider it. Would you recommend it?

[@ChalidRaqami]

It's a good writing tablet with a good writing feel, but as you said, it has much more distractions. The Remarkable 2 comes to mind as well, but that might seem a bit outdated hardwarewise in terms of performance nowadays. Kindle, Lenovo, Huawei, Bigme and PocketBook tablets don't offer as many note taking functions, and the Kobo Elipsa 2E's latency isn't really suitable for heavy note taking imho. So I'd say right know either Remarkable 2 or Boox Note Air 3 are good choices for heavy users. The only thing with the Note Air 3 I found to be slightly annoying is the lag after starting to right, I mention in the video.

[@Buzznor]

@@ChalidRaqami thanks for your help. Got my note air3 and so far I'm very satisfied with it.

[@DSOm42]

@@Buzznor have you tried it with OneNote? If so, thoughts?

[@papasmurf7122]

I bought the remarkable 2 and like it. It is the first digital note tablet I’ve used. The only issue is I would like to have more access to our company’s CRM and email. But I do like the lack of distractions with the remarkable. But any suggestions would be very much appreciated!

[@papasmurf7122]

I bought the remarkable 2 and like it. It is the first digital note tablet I’ve used. The only issue is I would like to have more access to our company’s CRM and email. But I do like the lack of distractions with the remarkable. But any suggestions would be very much appreciated!

[@ksu67337]

Thanks for this review! I am close to buying an e-ink tablet and I may be deciding on the Air Note 3. You mentioned you thought they may release a “plus” version in autumn of 2024. Is there any news on that recently? What kind of changes do they make when releasing a plus version? Thanks for the help!

[@ChalidRaqami]

No news on that potential Plus-version, but I still think it's coming. The Note Air 3 is sold out in the Boox store (you can still get it from resellers), which I'd say is a clear sign something else is being prepared and they won't restock (in larger numbers). I suspect the Note Air 3 Plus will have a higher resolution screen (300 ppi) and will otherwise be (mostly) the same as the current model. Just keep in mind, I'm speculating here ... ;)

[@ksu67337]

@@ChalidRaqami I won't hold you to it! When they release a plus version, is it usually a little more expensive? Wondering if I should go ahead and snag the normal note air 3 through a reseller or wait to get a slightly better version at hopefully the same price later this year. Also, since I've got you here, one of my larger hesitations/complaints about the air 3 from watching reviews is the fact they have "BOOX" in red on the front of it. I had a Kindle Scribe for a while and loved how clean and simple it looked while holding it; I would use it to read and feel like I was holding a piece of paper while doing so. Throwing a red "BOOX" logo on the front of the device takes away from that look and feel. Besides that, I am excited to try one out!

[@chess_and_tech]

Is there an equivalent B&W eink tablet with Google Play, but in the 7-8-inch size?

[@davidrutledge6215]

At 4:37 you start talking about the front of the Note Air 3, but mngle your comments with references to the Note Air 2 Plus - and in subsequent comments regarding the type of "glass" surface and the type of screen protector, it is unclear which tablet you are talking about. I've played it over and over and I am still confused. It is an important discussion since the whole point of the the Note Air 3 and 3 C is an emphasis on writing surface as differentiated from the Boox Tab series. Also, other reviewers have distinguished differences between the Note Air 3 and 3 C as well.

[@ChalidRaqami]

To clarify: The Note Air 3 has a paperlike screen protector that gives a good writing feel - but not exactly as good as on the Remarkable 2 imho. The glass underneath that Note Air 3 screen protector is super glossy and shouldn't be removed. And that screen protector is also not as scratch resistant as the screens on the Boox Tab series. Maybe Boox is using multiple suppliers for those screen protectors, which is why others noticed a difference between the Note Air 3 and 3C. I honestly don't see any differences when comparing them side by side.

[@davidrutledge6215]

@@ChalidRaqami Thanks so much for getting back. I have a Scribe (and love writing on it), but I'm considering going for the Boox system, either the Tab or Note Air lines, because the system is more robust and comprehensive. But I'm unsure how the writing will feel to me - It's something you pay a lot of attention to before purchasing if that is how you are. going to use the tablet.

[@treighpedroche1516]

Excellent analysis.

[@leoleroy405]

Thanks for the review! I have one question concerning the SD Card Slot. I have seen people complaining that their slot couldn’t be totally shut once the card is inserted. Is this happening to the device you have? So the slot might protrude out of the edge of the device a little bit? Thanks in advance!

[@ChalidRaqami]

Just tried it again and that's not an issue with my device. If anything I'd say the slot tray is very slightly recessed into the body (no difference if it's empty or loaded with a card). So you can notice the position when running your fingers over it, but I'd say not likely to cause issues in everyday use.

[@leoleroy405]

@@ChalidRaqami Thanks a lot for your reply! It’s very kind and gentle of you to especially try that out for me!

[@joserosado1842]

For reading and taking notes in scientific pdf papers and reports, Air 3 or Air 3C?

[@ChalidRaqami]

Depends on what kind of papers. If there are a lot of graphs and pictures, the Air 3C is probably better, with having colors. Otherwise I'd pick the Note Air 3 because of its longer battery life.

[@thabetaburass47]

Do you recommend it for summarizing lessons, reading, and writing comments on books? And does it support the Arabic language?

[@ChalidRaqami]

Yes, it works well for those applications. Arabic is also supported with the UI being mirrored. But when using the UI in Arabic, you might encounter some issues (E-Ink control center being on the wrong side) and translations aren't perfect.

[@aymancassim8944]

Hi, I need an information asap. Does the pen come along with the tablet if i buy through Amazon?? thanks in advance

[@dawnyfrogmouth]

Yes

[@rob_outdoor]

Vielen Dank für das Video. Hast du schon einmal den Google Chrome Browser getestet und kannst etwas zur Performance auf dem NA3 sagen?

[@ChalidRaqami]

Chrome selbst nicht, aber der vorinstallierte NeoBrowser sieht mir sehr nach einem Chrome-Fork aus. Ansonsten verwende ich Firefox ohne Probleme. Die üblichen E-Ink-Einschränkungen im Hinterkopf behaltend, gibt's an der Performance aus meiner Sicht nichts auszusetzen. Den "Fast"-Mode finde ich zum Surfen am besten, weil sich Ghosting in Grenzen hält, man opfert dafür allerdings FPS und das Ganze läuft nicht so flüssig wie im "A2"-Modus.

[@rob_outdoor]

@@ChalidRaqami vielen dank für die schnelle Rückmeldung. Diese Woche soll mein NA3 kommen. Bin schon sehr gespannt und hoffe, dass es richtig war mich gegen das NA3C entscheiden, zugunsten des Kontrastverhältnisses und der Batteriezeit 😊

[@coralof]

As much as I LOVE Lower Decks, I do NOT plan on watching any kind of video on an e-paper device... My phone or computer are fine for that purpose. My Note Air 3 was ordered yesterday, and I plan on using it for notes, ebooks, manga, etc.

[@rino6497]

Thank you for the review

[@davidt0504]

Where did you get your lcars wall hanging?

[@ChalidRaqami]

It's actually a TV with an "app". Check out the "Titan"-app on mewho.com (not made by me) - it's incredible!

[@vihaanyadu7033]

Hi Chalid, I was thinking to buy this as my first e-ink reader. I wanted this because it has Android in it which makes it much more user friendly, atleast for me. Should I go with this one? Also, I live in Oman, and by your accent, I think you live in the arab too, so is it safe to order from their site?

[@ChalidRaqami]

Hi, I think it's fine as your first E-Ink device. Just keep in mind, it's not an ereader but a tablet. So you can do a lot more with it, but might need to tinker a bit, depending on what you want to do. As for buying it: I haven't had any problems with ordering devices from the european Boox webshop. They always ship the devices promptly and without issues. However, I still recommend getting Boox devices from Amazon or a local seller, because I've read stories about people having issues getting warranty repairs directly from Boox. With Amazon that's typically not an issue in my personal experience.

[@AsherTech]

Weirdly my color doesn't have the tilt with the pen.

[@stephaniebrockmann4449]

Thanks for the review. Does the Boox Note Air 3 support handwriting recognition and/or conversion from non-Latin alphabets, especially right-to-left ones like Arabic or Hebrew? Thx.

[@ChalidRaqami]

Hi - no sorry, there's no handwriting recognition for neither arabic nor hebrew. The following are supported: English, Chinese, Afrikaans, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Bosnian, Catalan, Cebuano, Czech, Danish, German, Greek, Spanish, Estonian, Basque, Filipino, Finnish, French, Irish, Galician, Croatian, Hungarian, Armanian, Indonesian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Georgian, Kazakh, Korean, Lithuanian, Latvian, Malagasy, Macedonian, Mongolian, Malay, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Albanian, Serbian, Swahili, Turkish, Tatar, Ukrainian, Vietnamese

[@Eduardo-xl8hu]

Should I get this one or wait for the Supernote A5x2, or get the remarkable 2. For uni note taking and a bit of reading

[@ChalidRaqami]

Depends on how much you intend to read. Personally I'd go for the Note Air 3 in that case, simply because of the frontlight. If you don't need that, I'd recommending waiting for the Supernote A5X2 before making a decision. I'll do a side by side comparison of the Remarkable 2 and Supernote A5X2 when its available. But honestly, I'd say you can't go wrong with either one.

[@johnrallison1876]

Note air 3 uses Android and has Google Play store.

[@gomesgomes884]

Does this device have the "Speech to Text" feature, which converts speech to text, like the Bigme device has?

[@ChalidRaqami]

No, not natively, but you should be able to use an Android app for that

[@safargris815]

Would you go for Air 3 or Air 3 C ?

[@impulsesystems]

Other reviewers [see My Deep Guide or Kit Betts Masters, for example] show the 3 and 3C side by side. There is quite a difference in screen brightness, with the 3 looking brighter than the 3C, such that it seems impractical to use the 3C without the front light. This alone reduces the battery life. This is because the colour screen is like an overlay over the monochrome panel and it attenuates reflected light. I have ordered the 3 as I am not impressed by the colour saturation and prefer longer battery life and higher contrast. That said, you could order both and return the one you don't choose, as there is not a big price difference!

[@safargris815]

@@impulsesystems but is it worth the difference in performance, ive seen that there is a noticeable difference in drawing latency when using the pen between the 3 and 3C since the 3C has 300ppi vs the 3 that only has 227ppi.. to me battery is very important but i think the latency will bug me like crazy

[@Greye_Vernados]

I have the same dilemma. But will be going with the 3C. The battery life is good enough for me. I will charge it everyday regardless if it can go a week or a day without. I’m not going camping with this thing (and even then a powerbank works just great). The BSR and the color just add that extra. Yes the screen is more dark, but the benefits outweigh that con in my eyes.

[@safargris815]

@@Greye_Vernados agreed here, i think yes the battery is a con but its really the only con i can think of for the 3C which makes it easy considering the latency issues and the bad ppi on the 3.. i just ordered the 3C myself

[@matthewmaxwell-burton4549]

@@impulsesystemsunless you vampire read, or can’t see in candle light. It’s no way as bad as portrayed in some of these videos. With the light set at 50 you can easily read for 24h.

[@DSOm42]

What do you recommend then, in the same price range, of monochrome devices like this for reading/writing/daily planning? Heavy on pdf, epub, onenote? Would you buy an Air 3 today or would you wait?

[@ChalidRaqami]

I'd get the Note Air 3 with that use case. There's really no competition in that specific field. I suspect Boox will release a Note Air 3 Plus with 300 ppi in autumn, but that's pure speculation on my part and it might be more expensive as well. So I would only wait if you don't need a device right now. Otherwise the Note Air 3 is a great choice.

[@LIGHTISBURNING]

What is the best e-ink tablet for just reading? I don't need notetaking.

[@somnambulist6636]

Kindle paperwhite

[@ChalidRaqami]

If you want a large screen, than I'd suggest the Kindle Scribe. Otherwise the Kindle Paperwhite is a very solid choice, as @somnambulist6636 already mentioned. Boox devices for just reading are a bit of an overkill if you ask me.

[@nekadaracikdegilmi]

​@@ChalidRaqamiWhat about PDF reading?

[@davidr1431]

I have tried the scribe, the tab ultra (twice), the RM2 and the note air 3C. Now I have the note 3 I know this is the one I will keep.

[@SuperNova-bq2ge]

Why did you choose the note air3 over the note air 3c?

[@davidr1431]

@@SuperNova-bq2ge I could not live with the darkness of the 3C’s screen or the shorter battery life. The colour on the 3C was underwhelming to me and the 3’s screen just seems clearer even though the resolution is less.

[@eleutheria6035]

Does anyone know if BooktabZ application can be supported on this e-ink tablet?

[@diagramo]

I know that B&W is 300 dpi and Color is 150dpi but if I read a book that has pages with B&W texts and color images will that page be rendered in 150 dpi or the text will be 300 dpi and image 150 dpi?

[@ChalidRaqami]

Black content (including text) is always rendered with 300 ppi. Only colored content is rendered with 150 ppi, because the pixels of the color filter that sits on top of the E-Ink screen has this lower resolution.

[@dcpowered]

Android 12 is no longer supported as from 5 February 2024. Isn't that going to be a problem going forward? What if apps like Kindle are no longer supported?

[@ChalidRaqami]

I think you're talking about Android 11? But either way I'd say it's not a huge deal for the near future. Apps typically support older Android versions for quite a while. If I'm not mistaken the Kindle app still supports Android 8 and they even supported Android 4.4 up until 3 years ago or so. The main issue with Android support ending, is that it doesn't get any more security patches. But that doesn't influence app-support (directly).

[@user-ux3gh3nt8i]

Would you sell note 2 ?

[@ChalidRaqami]

No, if you got a Note Air 2 or Note Air 2 Plus, I'd recommend keeping it tbh. The Note Air 3 is a great E-Ink tablet, but it isn't that much better than the 2-series imho.

[@papasmurf7122]

I bought the remarkable 2 and like it. It is the first digital note tablet I’ve used. The only issue is I would like to have more access to our company’s CRM and email. But I do like the lack of distractions with the remarkable. But any suggestions would be very much appreciated!

[@ca177]

Thanks for good review.. I am also concerned with Chinese server, thanks for clarifying the Air 3 contacts Chinese Servers regardless of settings.. I am AS PARANOID as you 😊

[@joesm00th]

Can this be stopped?

[@dannydivine7699]

Have you done any ACTUAL REAL WORLD USE videos on the NA3?? I would love to ACTUALLY see someone show the new notebook creation process?? Can someone ACTUALLY load a CUSTOM template in native format (the RM2 would be PNG) what is the native format on the NA3?? Can I add pages that then use a different TEMPLATE than the previous pages in the notebook?? Does the NA3 actually do the obvious things the RM2 doesn't do as far as SUPPORT CUSTOM TEMPLATES that aren't pdf's with their limitations? Are there any "Gotcha's" using the Kindle app? That's one of the VERY few android apps I can see using on the NA3? Can I annotate / write in kindle books?? Is the actual active writing / viewing area the same dimensions the same as the RM2? The overall device appears to be wider and shorter than the RM2. YES I have an RM2 that is disappointing / frustrating me with it's software limitations. Is the NA3 the answer or just a different set of limitations??? How do the built in microphones work? Can it pair to an external bluetooth mic? How does the audio recording work while taking handwritten notes simultaneously?

[@nR-kv7xo]

Music drives Me crazy

[@deejia-li8zc]

Kindle scribe is as good in every way, if not better, for half the price...

[@Wariusdexter27890]

Is this a joke ? 😂

[@phil9902]

"promosm"

[@theOnederer]

Its freezing

[@user-ux3gh3nt8i]

Is boox a serious fucking lazy company?? This seems such a small upgrade

[@cristianmicu]

this is just a notebook for sketches.. anything he cant do???? how about talking without pauses after Mister HE CAN DO THAT?

[@nekadaracikdegilmi]

Oh well. Let's compare a newspaper with an oled tv.

[@kurtgodel5236]

Though I am Austrian myself, I can't stand Austrian English! Cringeworthy!

[@english1fun173]

Ok, but not. Without 300 ppm its a toy, not a tool in my eyes. But thanks anyway ❤️

[@psykro8282]

Which e-ink has 300 ppi ? I dont know none

[@johnrallison1876]

​@@psykro8282 color version has 300ppi. But I disagree with your presumption about the lower ppi. Reviewed indicate it's not an issue.

[@psykro8282]

@@johnrallison1876 ok thx, but i think the color one is toi expensive for not that much change, color is useless for my use.

[@-_whysoserious_-]

kindle scribe has 300 ppi ​@@psykro8282

[@mainguyen118]

Yes, I just bought one 3 days ago, didnt know thay 227DPI is crazily lagging.

[@fragslap5229]

I don't know about the "Air" but the "Max Lumi" has what must be the most WORTHLESS manual ever written. The device itself is absurdly COMPLICATED with icons someone must have thought up while on an acid trip. Why doesn't the company make a SIMPLE do nothing BUT ebook reader. I don't need to write notes, convert text to speech, or surf the internet , etc, I just want to READ books.

[@chiquita683]

It seems you have no idea why Boox exists. Buy a Kindle

[@fragslap5229]

@@chiquita683 If Kindle had e-ink, I would.

[@92AlexanderS]

😂