Onyx Boox Go 10.3 assessment: A note-taking companion

I really like utilizing e-ink tablets as a distraction-free option to jot down notes, annotate PDFs, and particularly learn e-books. I’ve tried an honest number of e-ink tablets over the previous few years, and I take advantage of a number of in my each day life as e-readers. Many e-ink tablets and e-readers have considerably locked down methods, all within the identify of offering a ‘distraction free’ expertise, however this additionally means restricted file codecs and app compatibility. That is the place the Boox Go 10.3 is available in, an e-ink tablet that runs on Android 12.

Boox despatched me the Go 10.3 for assessment, and I’ve spent the previous two weeks utilizing it to learn e-books, PDFs, in addition to note-take, and I’ve come away with some notes on the Go 10.3’s efficiency. It is a productiveness pill that encompasses a minimalist design and an all-around nice 300 ppi show. Personally, I believe the Boox Go 10.3 is without doubt one of the greatest e-ink tablets available on the market for note-taking and e-reading.

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Boox Go 10.3

The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is an excellent productivity-focused e-paper pill that handles a number of file codecs with ease. It comes bundled with the Boox Pen Plus stylus, and might run apps from the Google Play Retailer because of Android 12 help.

Worth, specs, and availability

The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 was launched in the summertime of 2024 and is at the moment obtainable from Onyx and Amazon for $380. It comes with 4GB of onboard RAM and 64GB of flash storage, and solely is available in a monochromatic silver shade scheme. The Go 10.3 is powered by Android 12, so along with the built-in note-taking app, you possibly can obtain any note-taking app of your selection from the Google Play Retailer. A purchase order of the Boox Go 10.3 does embody Onyx’s stylus, which is critical for the expertise, so I used to be blissful to see it included alongside a magnetic cowl case and the USB Sort-C charging cable.

I beloved the sensation of holding the Boox Go 10.3 whereas studying and annotating PDFs and e-books. It is extremely skinny, measuring simply 4.6mm in thickness, it weighs 375g, which I discovered so as to add a little bit of weight to the gadget, but in addition made it really feel safer. It feels very premium, and the Boox eco-leather backing of the Go 10.3 provides some extra grip and a cushty stage of texture to the design. The ten.3-inch show on the Go 10.3 is excellent, that includes a 2480×1860 decision coupled with 300 ppi that ensures that textual content on-screen all the time appears sharp and readable.

What I like concerning the Onyx Boox Go 10.3

Whether or not I used to be studying an e-book or engaged on a PDF, the standard of e-ink distinction was spectacular with detailed strains and nice fill sections, particularly in pictures. I attempted a wide range of totally different file codecs utilizing the built-in Boox NeoReader utility, and every part appeared nice, from PDF information to .CBZ comedian strips. I discovered the built-in reader to be nice for all kinds of information — plus, you possibly can doodle or annotate pages with ease — and the built-in notes app has every part I want. You may, after all, obtain any most popular note-taking or e-reading app by way of the Google Play Retailer, however remember the fact that not all note-taking apps are optimized for e-writers, even when they do help tablets.

Whereas utilizing the Boox Go 10.3, I discovered a whole lot of similarities with the ReMarkable 2 e-writer, which additionally gives an important studying and writing expertise, however is almost 4 years previous at this level. The Go 10.3 undoubtedly felt like a worthy refresh and enchancment upon ReMarkable’s e-ink pill, and I’ve almost converted to the Go 10.3 now as my each day driver for note-taking and drafting. I additionally actually recognize that you would be able to entry your entire Boox ecosystem with the Go 10.3 all at no cost. In contrast to the ReMarkable 2, there is no subscription required to make use of any of the options of the built-in Boox apps. Aspect-loading information by way of BooxDrop is completely free and easy, so you possibly can switch information backwards and forwards very simply.

The writing expertise is totally incredible. Similar because the show, Boox bought the capacitive contact display completely right. It options the usual 4,096 layers of stress sensitivity that you will discover on some other high-quality e-writer, and I discovered it to be extremely responsive in my testing. Cursive handwriting is responsive, feeling and looking nice, and brush strokes really feel extremely pure. Among the many native Boox apps, there’s the built-in RSS reader, PushRead, together with the Boox NeoBrowser, which is a good way to entry the web from the pill. As I discussed earlier, the built-in Notes app has every part you want from sketch types, to-do lists, to each day planning and calendar capabilities.

Boox made customizing the Go 10.3 to tailor your personal wants straightforward, with accessible settings and pre-optimized refresh charges for the e-ink show which are geared in the direction of various kinds of content material. Boox has gone by the trouble to optimize most of the hottest Android apps for the Go 10.3, and whereas Android 12 could really feel a bit dated, it capabilities completely properly on the e-writer. Boox has constructed their very own personalized model of Android 12 for the Boox Go collection tablets, and I discovered no points or frustrations with the OS in my time with each the Go 10.3 and the Boox Go Color 7 that I additionally reviewed. Android 12 has been streamlined on the Boox Go 10.3, and you will find every part you want proper if you begin up the gadget for the primary time.

The Boox Go 10.3 encompasses a 3,700 mAh battery, however with no front-lighting, you possibly can rise up to every week’s price of cost with the Go 10.3. There’s a built-in microphone and audio system, and when you use the audio system regularly you would possibly drain the battery sooner. The microphone offered surprisingly clear audio seize, however the audio system weren’t my favourite. Fortunately, there may be Bluetooth help on the Go 10.3, so you possibly can pair your favourite wi-fi headphones with none fuss.

What I did not like concerning the Onyx Boox Go 10.3

No expandable storage and a weak pen

The Boox Go 10.3 solely comes with 64GB of inside storage, and in contrast to different Boox e-readers and writers, there is no expandable microSD card slot. It’s kind of shocking that an e-ink pill aimed toward productiveness would not embody an SD card reader, and whereas BooxDrop is a straightforward option to ship information backwards and forwards, it could be good to have expandable gadget storage. I additionally did not love the included stylus that Onyx ships with the Boox Go 10.3 — it is not a deal-breaker, however I did not discover it to be essentially the most snug stylus after I in contrast it with the ReMarkable 2’s.

With all Boox gadgets, you get entry to the Boox Retailer app, which is a little bit of a misnomer, as you possibly can’t really buy something from it. The Boox Retailer gives you with free entry to public area titles, so it is a good way to learn previous classics, nevertheless it’s not an actual retailer. Once more, with Android 12 help, it is not an excessive amount of a difficulty as you possibly can obtain any e-book retailer of your selection, however it’s one thing to maintain notice of when utilizing the Go 10.3.

Must you purchase the Onyx Boox Go 10.3?

The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is an excellent e-ink productiveness pill, and it may be the primary e-writer that I’ve examined that has satisfied me to modify over from the ReMarkable 2. I actually recognize the extra performance that comes with having Android 12 on the Go 10.3, and its total design is nice, with probably the greatest e-ink shows I’ve examined. The note-taking expertise is great, and whereas I did not love the included stylus, you possibly can convey your personal pen and nibs over to the Go 10.3, and there are a number of e-writer display protectors available on the market that can add an much more detailed paper really feel to the show.

At $380, there is no denying the Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is a premium e-ink pill, nevertheless it’s additionally in-line with — and cheaper — than most of the e-ink tablets available on the market. I imagine that the development of the Onyx Boox Go 10.3 and spectacular show justifies the price, and that is my new favourite productivity-focused pill. In case you are out there for a productiveness e-ink pill that is nice for note-taking and studying paperwork, I heartily advocate the Onyx Boox Go 10.3

Really helpful

Boox Go 10.3

The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is an excellent productivity-focused e-paper pill that handles a number of file codecs with ease. It comes bundled with the Boox Pen Plus stylus, and might run apps from the Google Play Retailer because of Android 12 help.

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