Boox Palma 2 Pro Review: The $400 Phone-Sized E Ink Reader That Replaces Your Phone
TL;DR
- The Boox Palma 2 Pro is a $399.99 phone-sized E Ink reader with a 6.13-inch Carta 1200 display, Android 14, and full Google Play access in a 170g body.
- It adds flagship-level upgrades over the original Palma 2, including a faster octa-core chip, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, dual cameras, fingerprint unlock, and stereo speakers.
- It is not a phone replacement for everyone, but for distracted phone readers it is the most convincing carry-everywhere e-reader yet.
Why Your Phone Is a Terrible E-Reader
Reading books on your phone feels convenient until you actually try to do it every day. Notifications pull you away mid-paragraph, OLED glare strains your eyes on sunny commutes, and battery anxiety kicks in by evening. That is the exact problem Onyx set out to solve with the Palma line.
The Palma 2 Pro takes the same smartphone form factor people love and strips out the doomscrolling temptation. It slips into a jeans pocket, can be used one-handed on a crowded train, and its matte E Ink screen is readable in direct sunlight. For readers who never bonded with a 7-inch or 10-inch e-reader, this size finally clicks.
Design: It Looks Like a Phone, But Isn't One
At first glance, you could mistake the Palma 2 Pro for an iPhone. It has flat sides, a 6.13-inch display, a USB-C port, power button with fingerprint sensor, and a customizable side button.
Pick it up and the illusion breaks - in a good way. It weighs around 170 grams and is just 8mm thick, with a textured back that makes it grippier than glass phones. Onyx includes a protective case in the box.
Crucially, there is no SIM slot and no cellular calling. This is a Wi-Fi Android device first and foremost. You can tether to your phone, use Wi-Fi hotspots, or preload everything for offline reading.
Display: E Ink Built for Long Sessions
The centerpiece is a 6.13-inch E Ink Carta 1200 panel with 300 PPI resolution and front lighting with adjustable warm and cool tones. Text looks razor-sharp, close to printed paper, and page turns are noticeably faster than older Palma models.
Like all E Ink, it is not made for video or fast scrolling. Ghosting is visible in apps like X or web browsers, although Boox's speed modes - HD, Balanced, Fast, and Ultrafast - make a big difference. For books, manga, articles, and PDFs, leave it in HD mode and enjoy crisp, eye-friendly pages with virtually no battery drain from the display itself.
Performance and Software: Full Android 14
Unlike Kindle or Kobo, the Palma 2 Pro runs Android 14 with Google Play Store built in. That means Kindle, Kobo, Libby, Nook, Pocket, Instapaper, Readwise, Notion, and even Spotify all install normally.
Under the hood, Onyx upgraded to an octa-core Qualcomm processor paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, expandable via microSD up to 1TB. Multitasking is smooth for an E Ink device, app installs are quick, and split-screen reading and note-taking is actually usable.
Boox also includes its NeoReader for PDFs and documents with reflow, annotation, and TTS support, plus BooxDrop for wireless file transfers, adjustable refresh, and per-app optimization settings that let you tune resolution and speed for each app individually.
Cameras, Audio and Battery Life
In a surprise move for an e-reader, the Pro adds two cameras: a 16MP rear camera for scanning documents, whiteboards, and book pages, and a 5MP front camera for video calls. Paired with dual microphones and dual stereo speakers, it can handle Zoom, Audible, podcasts, and text-to-speech without headphones, though most readers will still prefer Bluetooth earbuds.
Battery life is solid but not Kindle-level. The 4,550 mAh battery lasts days of heavy reading rather than weeks, largely because Android, Wi-Fi, and backlight use more power than a locked-down Kindle. Standby is excellent, and USB-C fast charging gets you back to full quickly.
Price and Verdict: Who Should Buy It
At $399.99, the Palma 2 Pro costs twice as much as a Kindle Paperwhite and $100 more than the standard Palma 2. You are paying for pocketability, Android freedom, and premium hardware - fingerprint unlock, better chip, more memory, cameras, and speakers.
If you read primarily at home, a larger e-reader or tablet is still a better value. But if you read in line at the grocery store, on the subway, on lunch breaks, and in bed while your phone charges in another room, nothing else fits this niche.
For the phone reader who never thought they needed a dedicated e-reader, the Palma 2 Pro is the first one that actually makes sense to carry every day.
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