Onyx Boox Word Air3 evaluation

I’ve looked for the right E-Ink tablet for studying and writing for years. I struggled to decide on between what has shortly develop into a saturated note-taking tablet market and wished an expertise that may be simpler on the eyes and worthwhile for the worth. As a university librarian, I helped troubleshoot numerous students’ tablets and appeared to listen to a problem about each mannequin I might take into account. Enter stage left, and considerably steathily in 2024, the Onyx Boox Word Air3.

Boox despatched me this E-Ink pill to evaluation, and I spent the final week and half utilizing the Word Air3 as my essential ereader, note-taking pill, and audiobook leisure system and got here away with some notes myself. I learn a ton, for leisure, work, and faculty, and I believe I’ve lastly discovered an ereader/author I can see making a big distinction in my day-to-day life.

Onyx Boox Word Air3

Beneficial

Onyx Boox Word Air3 is a monochromatic E-Ink show pill that helps third-party apps with Android 12 and launched with a quicker CPU and a micro-SD card slot for higher storage as effectively.

Execs

• Battery life would not give up
• Third-party Android apps
• Sturdy construct, snug design
• Studying and writing is quick and pleasing

Cons

• Pen is not essentially the most snug for long-term use
• Some anticipated 300ppi show
• Slight lag in line drawing

Associated

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Worth, specs, and availability

The place does it match within the ewriter market?

The Onyx Boox quietly got here on the scene earlier in 2024 after its sibling’s splashier arrival, the Note Air3 C — the colour E-Ink model of this studying and writing pill. Whereas the fervor over shade E-Ink tablets is comprehensible, the monochromatic Word Air3 is every little thing and greater than I anticipated. It does the E-Ink studying and writing extraordinarily effectively, and contains Android 12, giving a performance increase over many rivals.

The Word Air3 is listed at $399.99, whereas it is shade model lists at $499.99. It has a big replace to the CPU, storage, and battery life to its predecessor, the Word Air2 and Word Air2 Plus. It feels sturdy regardless of it is impressively skinny display screen. The aspect panel grip makes holding it snug for lengthy studying classes and shopping.

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What I preferred in regards to the Onyx E-book Word Air3

Battery, Android third-party apps, and PDF performance

I used the Boox Word Air3 for ten days straight, and I have never topped up the battery as soon as. I learn two ebooks, took notes for a number of hour-long conferences, drafted my wedding ceremony visitor checklist, listened to a complete 14-hour audiobook, examined the BOOXDrop file sharing options, and even used it as a scorecard for 2 intense recreation nights. I did this on one full cost, and the system nonetheless has 25% battery left. The note-taking was a stunning delight. It has the smallest of lags when drawing strains, however general it actually does write like paper.

The battery life on E-Ink readers is half the draw, the shows take up much less energy, and so they historically don’t want as a lot battery energy as LCD, OLED, or AMOLED show tablets. The spectacular Word Air3 battery is probably going because of the firm deciding to not embrace a function that’s current on the Word Air3 C and most of the Boox Tab collection, Boox Superfast Refresh (BSR). This function is nice for smoothing that ghosting and lag impact current on most E-Ink readers, however it could actually diminish the battery life.

I do not really feel like I am lacking out on a lot with out BSR although. With Android 12 and the CPU upgrades, I breezed by way of apps that even are inclined to decelerate my iPhone — Kindle, Libby, Libro.fm, and Audible — with out dropping battery life. Moreover, as an avid person of e book and audiobook apps outdoors the Amazon ecosystem, the power to make use of all my favourite third-party apps is an surprising delight. The addition of much less distracted studying, listening, and writing is a giant promoting level for me. The Bluetooth connection is efficient, and I discovered no points utilizing my earbuds, speaker, and even my automobile with a downloaded audiobook.

The note-taking and markup performance labored effectively throughout conferences, and the microphone for fast recording to embed into notes is a good addition to its work/research performance. I begin graduate courses to complete my educating certification in a couple of weeks and anticipate the PDF markup features will get much more use. The BOOXDrop file sharing perform connects to my private Google Drive or my college’s OneDrive, permitting for cross-platform ease.

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What I did not like in regards to the Onyx E-book Word Air3

Minor critiques for my use, however would possibly make a distinction for you

The training curve may be steep for brand spanking new Boox customers. Now that I’ve had every week and browse the included intro ebook, I am snug utilizing the platforms and see worth in how they’re arrange. I’ve seen some reviewers harsh on the “Retailer” within the Boox lineup, and the title might use some work because it’s truly stuffed with public area books solely. However as a librarian, I beloved to see this. With Android 12 and the Google Play Retailer, you possibly can add whichever different e book or audiobook app libraries you prefer to, which is a delight in comparison with stricter programs like Kindles. It will be nice to have a more moderen Android onboard, however I did not have any points whereas testing.

The dearth of BSR (Boox Superfast Refresh) does imply ghosting is extra current on this model than the colour E-Ink mannequin, however I by no means discovered it distracting, and I favor the longer battery life and monochromatic studying expertise. A fast handbook display screen refresh wipes away any ghosting that’s overly regarding. Many Boox Word followers have been anticipating a 300ppi E-Ink monochromatic show, however alas, it stays at 227ppi. To be clear, this is not a nasty studying expertise or show. At the moment, the Kindle Scribe is the one E-Ink monochromatic pill available on the market with 300ppi, but it surely has been out for greater than a 12 months.

The final potential detraction is the included pen. It writes effectively, however is primary and would not embrace extras like erasers or further perform buttons. It will possibly get a bit uncomfortable for prolonged use, which is a bit disappointing given the worth tag. If that is a dealbreaker, you may purchase a special pen or just add a pen grip for higher consolation.

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Verdict: Do you have to purchase the Onyx E-book Word Air3?

Is that this your first ewriter or an improve?

You probably have the Word Air2 or Word Air2 Plus, chances are you’ll wish to wait to see if Boox releases a Word Air3 Plus this 12 months or for the subsequent technology for a extra vital improve. The $399.99 price ticket may not be value it should you’re actually holding out for that 300ppi monochromatic E-Ink show, but when that is your first Boox system or first ereader/author, and also you need a personalized, distraction-free expertise for studying and writing, I extremely suggest it.

Moreover, the colour providing is on the desk, however personally, I am within the in E-Ink pill recreation for the lengthy battery, third-party apps, and my eyes genuinely favor monochromatic for studying. Should you plan to make use of an E-Ink pill for extra color-intensive studying supplies, and you’ve got the extra $100 to cowl the worth distinction, the Air3 C is perhaps a more sensible choice for you. However with my plans: four-five ebooks every week, an audiobook or two, a number of assembly notes, wedding ceremony planning, and graduate college, this can be a unbelievable system that matches my life and retains me off my distracting cellphone.

Onyx Boox Word Air3

Beneficial

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FAQ

Q: Is the Onyx Boox Word Air3 waterproof?

Whereas the IPX score is considerably troublesome to find, within the person handbook and particularly the protection information, Onyx makes a transparent warning to not get the system close to any liquids, excessive humid environments, or rain. Maintain this system out of the water. It isn’t waterproof.

Q: Which Boox Word Air3 collection ought to I purchase, the monochromatic Air 3 or the colour Air3 C?

This relies on your pockets and your studying plans. They is a $100 distinction in price ticket, with the monochromatic Word Air3 being $400 and the Air3 C being $500. The Word Air3 C will get the 300ppi show and Boox Superfast Refresh expertise, however the battery performs a bit much less in different critiques I’ve learn.

Should you plan to learn a number of color-intensive supplies like graphic novels and PDFs with varied shade coding, the Word Air3 C is perhaps higher for you. I examined and reviewed the monochromatic Word Air3 and extremely suggest it for folk in search of a terrific E-Ink studying and writing expertise and a battery that may final a really, very, very very long time.