The Truth About Boox - A Close Look at 4 Criticisms!

Onyx Boox are often criticised for their battery life, android versions, security credentials and for planned obsolescence. I'm going to give you my take on these four common criticisms of these e-ink tablets.
Here are the (affiliate) links to the Boox Website:
Tab Ultra C Pro:
shop.boox.com/products/tabult... (US and HK)
euroshop.boox.com/products/bo... (EU and UK)
Note Air 3 C:
shop.boox.com/products/noteai... (US and HK)
euroshop.boox.com/products/bo... (EU and UK)
Tab X:
shop.boox.com/products/tabx?r... (US and HK)
euroshop.boox.com/products/bo... (EU and UK)
Tab Mini C:
shop.boox.com/products/tabmin... (US and HK)
euroshop.boox.com/products/ta... (EU and UK)
The Note Air 3 C is available at Amazon: amzn.to/3M3thHS
Tab Ultra C Pro at Amazon: amzn.to/3Sc8Hcl
Bigme S6 Colour + (7.8" Kaleido 3 e-ink tablet) store.bigme.vip/products/bigm...
Bigme Inknote Colour Lite (10.3" Kaleido 3 e-ink tablet) store.bigme.vip/collections/c...
if you decide Bigme is right for you, then please check out their shop via my (affiliate) link here: store.bigme.vip/?ref=m70ez2cm
Here it is at amazon, but I think it is actually cheaper at the Bigme store: amzn.to/40kYLPS
Check out the prices and compare.
Tab Ultra C (Pro) is the tablet I most often recommend:
They might be sold out at amazon, and you can get the keyboard discounted in a bundle at the Boox Store:
shop.boox.com/products/tabult...
Tab Ultra C
amzn.to/3Ie5KSR
Tab Ultra keyboard case
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Check out the Tab Ultra at Amazon:
amzn.to/3Ekl6DA
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Tab Mini C at Amazon: amzn.to/3qRm32p
This is my new favourite small e-ink tablet!
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Check out the new website at evaluateeverything.co.uk
Check out the Tab X Amazon: amzn.to/3ye8R7M
And the Tab X case: amzn.to/3SV4Azu
Kindle paperwhite bundle:
amzn.to/3T355pH
Kindle paperwhite device only:
amzn.to/3fCsXTy
Kindle (basic 2022):
amzn.to/3NK9uNl
Kindle kids edition. Great value as comes with a case and cover!
amzn.to/3zLb1x4
Kobo Elipsa 2E: amzn.to/3Wak5pb
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Kindle unlimited trial.
amzn.to/3CqaRvA
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Kindle Scribe Device
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(no extra cost amazon affiliate links)
Check out xtiles, the productivity and personal knowledge management app that I use, at the link below:
bit.ly/3B618K2
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Support the channel and learn more about e-ink tablets in some of my most popular videos:
Eink tablet buying guide:
• The Complete E-Ink Tab...
Top 3 10.3" note taking e-readers
• Remarkable 2 vs Supern...
Get yourself a treat at no extra cost and buy through one of my amazon affiliate links:
Lamy EMR pen:
amzn.to/3tnIFpb
The Staedtler Norris Jumbo
amzn.to/3xur7tS
I love them all, I know which one I'd buy if I could only have more but...
This is more about your choice.

[@jeffreymoss]

Thanks for the shout out! The last thing I expected was to be referenced, so that was quite a surprise. Much appreciated.

[@KitBetts-Masters]

Very glad to do so. I think your videos are excellent pieces of journalism. The in-depth testing of the battery performance has really helped me to understand the reasons that these new devices are showing less than great battery life. And in fact for many people, who are still looking to be reading on the device 80% or more of the time, the test makes the battery less of a worry.

[@74357175]

Only 20 employees? That's amazing...

[@t0dd000]

We used to joke when I worked on a small engineering team that there were more people working on Excel icons than were on our team.

[@MarceloLopezJr]

You see that explains a lot of why I get push back whenever I mention about providing real updates. Honestly I think that if they grew their team a bit, and or updated their development processes they could do more with what they have and grow their market. It seems as though they are not actually interested in growing their market, just making new products and remaining Relevant.

[@lisar3944]

@@MarceloLopezJr First, I think you are underestimating their market in China, along with the requirements they need to fulfill to stay in the Chinese market (eg government requirements that make the word "security"...erm...well it's kind of a funny juxstaposition) Second, I can tell you from experience as a developer, the more people you throw onto a project, the more complicated the work gets, and that can actually slow things down. There are whole books written on this topic. It's a genuine problem. In terms of software, if they are basically able to "recycle" their code base across all these devices, and they are free to choose hardware that will work with their existing software platform, this is a GOOD thing because the software is actually what makes their devices appealing to their users. Chasing android versions for devices like these is questionable imo because the supported android version is 100% tied to the chipset. Consider, too, that the "latest and greatest" chips that support the latest and greatest android version are increasingly power hungry which is so contrary to "long battery life" that e-ink users value so highly. Meanwhile, most off the shelf chips that manufacturers have to choose from don't promise to support more than 3 major updates (some only two!) from the time they are brand spanking new, and the device manufacturer can't do squat about that. So ok you get a device with the "current" android version (by necessity several months into that version's lifecycle), then three years later **max** you're out of updates. End of. Because the chip won't support it! Is this endless cycle of android chasing dev effort (in hardware and software) worth it for devices that are primarily intended for reading, writing/drawing and light web browsing? I don't see the value there at all, personally. I don't want to do my banking on a Boox device. This is silly. I want to read and write and sometimes doodle. If someone "steals" this data, WHATEVER (and honestly I'm not even concerned about that from hackers or so. Google is the main culprit)

[@LouisGiliberto]

These are for sure fair. I don't need the latest Android version, but the latest patches for the version they ship I think is necessary. For the battery, a quick button that lets us toggle BSR might address that. I don't need a week out of the battery, tbh. But 24-36 hours would be good. The battery was a selling point of e-ink, but the main point for me is readability and the paper-like experience for note taking. Planned obsolesce isn't really an issue unless someone always needs the "best" every year. I buy the best at the time and drive it into the ground. What is a problem is their confusing product lines. It's hard to tell what's what especially when they have like 3 revisions of the same device. Focused product lines with clear differentiation would help people figure out what's best for them.

[@battybibliophile-Clare]

I have had no problems with my Boox tab ultra c except it used to turn off AVG antivirus, but I seem to have solved that now. I'd love a coloured A4 Boox. By the way I'm 77 so if an old woman like me can work it safely, anyone can.

[@2Old4Toys]

Hi Kit, I bought my son a used tab ultra non-colour and have been very impressed by it as a first eink tablet experience except for the chunky pro 2 stylus. I do have an old Samsung tab s lite and prefer using that slim stylus on the Boox and even has a much preferred delete side button and even magnets though not as strong as the Boox stylus ones. You should give the s6 lite stylus a try I think you will like it as a slim replacement.

[@doktorfaustus]

You missed one, critical item in the "Security" category: Boox offers no option for data encryption at rest. This is a major shortcoming; indeed, it is a deal-breaker for potential customers in many, highly-regulated industries. And Boox, if you're listening: Potential customers in highly-regulated industries tend to have a lot of disposable income to throw around. Think, for example, about doctors and other medical professionals who are subject to HIPPA and other institutional data privacy rules in the US, or the even stricter GDPR requirements in the EU. No Boox devices I am aware of offer WDE, and that rules it out as an option for a lot of otherwise interested parties.

[@edwards4425]

Kit, Thank you for all of your wonderful work. My professional friends and I have been trying different devices. We now have a Supernote, a remarkable, and a kindle scribe between the three of us. You have seemed to have gravitated towards boox for productivity. I choose the Supernote for organization over remarkable and because of simplicity and focus over boox. But here is my conundrum - I dont love the thickness or the writing feel of the supernote (I have not installed new film yet). I also dont love how it can be a bit of a pain to get content from supernote into my office 365 ecosystem for work. Can I get a boox to resolve those concerns and still stay focused when I am on it? I know it seems like a personal issue, but was curious on your thoughts.

[@PACotnoir1]

I still enjoy my Tab Ultra C. I've received it in April and I am right now upgrading its software with the new V3.5 Official Version. It is the Boox's device with the best battery life.

[@JeffreyLan]

Still running my first gen Note Air and not only is it still plenty adequate for my needs, it's still getting software updates too. I for one appreciate how much Onyx iterates, knowing that when I eventually upgrade, it'll be that much more polished than my old reliable

[@mjklein]

I found that on the Air 3C, when using the scribble erase, there is a miniscule delay before you can write again. I'm pretty sensitive to latency due to my professional work. Not really an issue; just thought it was interesting. The software might be originally based on the premise that one was switching the ends of the pen to erase.

[@angal26]

wow… interesting video! Genuine question: how many employees do the Remarkable or Ratta SuperNote have?

[@geetab9898]

Proud owner of Note Air! Still using it and functions perfect for my needs.

[@mjklein]

Hi Kit. I think I found a bug today. I'm making a notebook for exercise documentation and I have 5 days of exercises in separate PDF files, one for each day. I discovered that I cannot have a separate custom template per page. It works with the stock templates but not with the Custom templates. Even though I have "Current Page Only" checked, my Custom templates are applied to all pages in the notebook. Can you please verify this?

[@smaza2]

Thank you for your continued commentary. I think a lot of people assume that Boox is a large company and hold them to the standards of companies like Apple or Samsung, when in fact these are still niche products by a small company for a niche market. If anything, Boox seem to be punching above their weight

[@EdwardFinn]

Kit, another great video. I always appreciate your perspective. I also don't mind that you give your subjective opinions as long as you acknowledge them as such (which you do). The reason I am a subscriber to you, Voja, and Brandon is because you all understand the importance of context.

[@ACDC.]

Boox Ultra C Pro user here, (last firm update) battery must be improved drops so fast, and with wifi it's simply crazy !!

[@alejandromagdy3058]

So what does really annoy you in Tab Mini C, i am so interested but also confused cuz of different opinions 😅

[@74357175]

Thanks for addressing all these concerns!

[@Ikxi]

None of these are issues for me. Sounds like I know what I'll get. Also, planned obsolescence is when apple just puts a software lock on your phone after 2 years of use and says it needs to be "recertified" or whatever lie they had for the ipod (i think it was) Or just like, something's designed to break after repeated use, like some mechanical device. New devices always come out, everyone knows that, unless onyx boox is deliberately slowing older devices down/locking down features

[@MarceloLopezJr]

Updating the security patches on a frequent and regular it's not that big of a deal. It shouldn't be hard for them to upgrade to Android 12 either. Especially for devices that are only a year old.

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

You forget that they heavily modify the Android software on their devices. For a small company it can't be that easy. Even a giant like Samsung takes from 9 months to 18 months to upgrade their devices to the latest Android OS. And that is with fewer modifications than what ereaders require.

[@lisar3944]

@@enadegheeghaghe6369 exactly this. EXACTLY Plus, why are we assuming Boox's current chip sets even support android 12? The chips are the primary limiting factor wrt android versions (this is largely why manufactures can only promise x number of upgrades, it's limited by the chip) and I suspect Boox is not 100% free to throw a new chipset into their devices every year as the e-ink hardware landscape is on a completely different planet compared to what standard android chipsets are intended to support.

[@karlmunford7000]

I think they are amazing tablets, and if I was in a busy office environment I'd certainly opt for Boox device but I'm not. It may seem _'trivial'_ to many but the text-highlighter function would really bug me, as obscuring the very text you are attempting to highlight rubs me the wrong way. And as mentioned before, the rate many of the latest devices burn through battery cycle counts would be a concern with a device that doesn't offer the user a way to change the battery. The Supernote suites my purposes perfectly, but I certainly understand why many would opt for Boox device, and the environment where it excels over all others.

[@jaybee1570]

The Chinese ownership and associated privacy concerns is disturbing. There is a Reddit thread where a user states you cannot use the notes feature without being signed in to your boox account (notes disappear on sign out).

[@karlmunford7000]

That's worrying, but with the primary developer of the Android system that underpins everything, being Google, I think data collection threats come from both West and East, and the biggest threat to intellectual property rights... from those who have access to our files as well as hackers of corporate file storage. The best I can do regarding such threats on my Supernote, is, not sync certain folders but if any of us were targeted, there is little we could do.

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

I find it funny that people worry about the Chinese government spying on them but not the American and European governments who do the same thing. LOL

[@airlinemac]

As always lovely episode I’ve been enjoying

[@ASJkenan0]

Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C Pro. it's long, They need to update their naming system. The "Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C Pro Two" can't be their next device

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

Onyx tab ultra C pro max 3. LOL

[@lisar3944]

The thing that's bumming me out about Boox lately is that they seem to be neglecting the 8" black and white segment. I don't want a color device that pretty much requires lighting to have a decent reading experience. I don't need to write in color. I have other devices with which to browse the internet. Color e-ink is not my bag! I also don't want to be stuck with a 10+ inch bohemoth b&w device as I want to read/write in bed, or on my terrace, or during a break on a walk in the woods! I want some small updates in the direction of a nova air-thingy (expandable memory, page buttons, I'm not greedy) Don't leave us mid-size black and white users behind, Boox!

[@andershedstrom3048]

The screen is it fragile?

[@Moomtaz]

When are they coming out with a tab X C

[@KitBetts-Masters]

This is a good question. I think Tab X was launched early this year, so maybe similar time in 2024!

[@t0dd000]

I don't buy that they can't upgrade the OS rather easily. I would love to hear their reasoning. Maybe because they don't want a model spread between two or three OS versions.

[@mjklein]

If it's SOC (System On a Chip) it would probably require a chip flash.

[@chrisridd9423]

Kobo manages to support and keep multiple hardware versions up-to-date. So it *is* possible but it seems like Boox doesn’t have the interest or capacity in its software team.

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

Why would you need a yearly OS upgrade? How many new features does an ereader need from one year to the next? And remember that the Android OS on boox devices is heavily modified. It's not a simple act of taking the latest OS from Google and slapping it on boox devices. Especially when the latest OS may require specs that old boox devices don't have. For a small company like boox it's not a simple matter. Even giants like Samsung take 9 to 18 months to upgrade their devices to the latest Android version and that is with fewer modifications to the basic Google Android software and an army of engineers and developers. And they still have bugs after the upgrades. Samsung also does not bother with many older devices because it's not worth the trouble

[@t0dd000]

@@enadegheeghaghe6369 Android 11 will be unsupported relatively soon. What that means is that security vulnerabilities will go unpatched. (This is not a yearly upgrade, by the way. It's an upgrade before support is dropped.) It's simply not that complex to upgrade the OS. ... in normal circumstances. Now, if they are doing odd things with the architecture, then maybe it is. But then I question their design choices. The OS needs to be upgradeable. And no, it doesn't take hundreds of engineers to do this. The OS provider already did all that work to enable upgrades.

[@markdami]

I switched to a Note Air 3 C recently. My two gripes: (1) I use hyperlinked PDF templates as task and project planners. The performance of Boox Neo Reader is very slow compared to my old Remarkable 2. Page link execution, exit saves, lasso cut&paste actions in particular all take much longer than on RM2. (2) Where I don't need hyperlinks I use the note taking app. On RM2 I was able to organise these in the same folders as my PDF planners. In Boox I can't find a way to consolidate the two *except* by having all notes converted to PDFs. Very odd.

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

Why buy a boox device if you have an even more expensive Remarkable 2?

[@markdami]

@enadegheeghaghe6369 I'm asking myself the same question :) The boox has colour, a back-light, kindle, the play store. None of these are available on the RM2. But the latter has a beautiful hardware design and, in my opinion, better thought- through software.

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

@@markdami you obviously have a lot more disposable income than I do. LOL I couldn't afford the Remarkable even if I wanted one, much less buying the two devices

[@markdami]

@@enadegheeghaghe6369 Lots of disposal income but not much sense ;)

[@marthajones7430]

thank you for another great review and information. I purchased the Kindle Scribe great price to use just to read at home, and to take notes on what I am reading. I use my iPad with a keyboard case so I am leaning towards the Supernote for a digital planner and organizer. Boox are great however. Thanks again!!

[@garystuartwicks6322]

Tab Ultra C ProPlus Premium Platinum

[@dhc8guru]

My Tab Ultra is very annoying with its slow screen response with typing. Push a character and wait. Granted it’s fractions of a second but you also have to tap characters more than once to get them to register. My Kindle Scribe on the other hand does not have this issue.

[@PACotnoir1]

Change the refresh rate on your device...

[@Rkuuyam]

Thanks for the information. 👻

[@MarceloLopezJr]

Notice that most Microsoft apps now will also state that your device is rooted, and disallow access to those.

[@imacexpress]

Writing in Landscape mode is fabulous…except your hand can trigger (and mine does) the slide bar now at the bottom, which result in an UNDO or REDO action. Not something you want when un expected! I notice in the video your hand floating above the screen when writing. Most people have to place a palm to write. (I think this is your teacher experience showing through :). But seriously this makes the Landscape mode pretty unusable.

[@jackdltn]

My guess was that older versions were cheaper for boox🤷🏼‍♂️

[@josejoselete6156]

You left out, probably the most important of all: the poor customer service.

[@niksasrsen]

Please, can you share your experience about that? I ask genuinely, in Croatia where I live, all e-ink devices are costly for average person. Only Boox can be bought in a shop, si I can buy one, but I worry of what will happen if something goes wrong with a device.

[@josejoselete6156]

for start if you decide to return your product because you are not happy with it, they will not fully refund you. but you have plenty of examples in reddit.@@niksasrsen

[@loca2825]

Why cant you make video without filters, its looks like washed out video. More whitish filter makes video to be unreal. Products arent visible like in original color

[@MrTomHill]

3 years is not a lot of updates. 5 years has become the standard.

[@julieparadise9694]

3 years is what they commit to. -- Having bought a pre-loved Max2 that has been in use since January of 2018 (that's what the update log tells me) I can tell you first-hand that Boox updates the firmware for longer than 3 years. The Max2 now has V3.3.2 and I am hopeful it gets V3.5 in a while; also my TabX only got V3.5 yesterday as firmware updates are rolled out in batches. As long as the device does what's supposed to (which this Max2 does: functioning normally, synching with the App and BooxDrop etc.) all is fine. Sure, it's slow compared to newer devices, but this the user perception, not the device itself having become slower. BTW: Does anyone know why the old devices like the Max2 had a Micro HDMI port and a dedicated app to be used as a second monitor without any fuffling (plug it in, start the app, bamm! it works!) and the newer lines abandoned this? Has it something to do with the battery life?

[@Psychopatacek]

Streets ahead.

[@cryscavanaugh675]

"Pierce, stop trying to coin the phrase streets ahead!"