The Boox Note Air6 C beats Kindle and Kobo in additional methods than one, however it’s not excellent

There are lots of issues I like about my job. I get to spend my days writing about expertise I’ve been obsessive about since I used to be a child, discover present flooring crammed with a number of the coolest devices on the market, and meet people who find themselves simply as nerdy (if not even nerdier) than I’m. Another underrated perk of my job is that from time to time, I get to curve up with a great guide, spend hours studying, and name it work.

That’s precisely how I’ve spent a great chunk of the previous few weeks, testing the brand new Boox Note Air6 C. While I’m not going to go so far as claiming it is the right eReader, I’ve grown to adore it over the previous few weeks.

About this evaluate: Onyx supplied MUO with the Boox Note Air 6C for evaluate. The firm had no enter on this article. All views are my very own.

8.5/10

OS

Android 16

Storage

64GB

Battery

3,700mAh Li-ion Polymer

RAM

6GB

Pros & Cons

• Noticeably sooner efficiency and smoother refresh charges
• Large 10.3-inch colour E Ink show with improved distinction
• More responsive handwriting expertise and improved stylus placement

• Battery life leaves rather a lot to be desired
• Pen3 stylus nonetheless has a irritating design
• Relatively costly, with restricted causes to improve from the Note Air5 C

Boox Note Air 6C Pricing and availability

You should buy the Boox Note Air6 C from Onyx Boox’s official website, in addition to retailers like Amazon. On Boox’s web site, the usual bundle retails for $579.99 and contains the pill itself, 5 substitute suggestions for the stylus, and a magnetic case. There’s additionally a Keyboard Cover Bundle, which usually retails for $689.98 however is at the moment discounted to $656.99.

If you are buying instantly from Boox, you possibly can select between the US and Hong Kong warehouses. The latter provides barely decrease costs, with the usual bundle costing $549.99 and the Keyboard Cover Bundle at the moment discounted to $629.99. Just understand that ordering from Hong Kong could incur extra customs charges relying on the place you reside.

It’s additionally value stating that the Note Air collection has gotten progressively costlier. The Note Air4 C launched at $499.99, adopted by the Note Air5 C at $529.99, and now the Note Air6 C at $579.99. That’s an $80 improve in simply two generations, regardless of the show, RAM, storage, and battery capability remaining unchanged.

One factor I discovered fairly humorous is that the Note Air5 C got here with an orange magnetic case, which felt completely aligned with the entire orange iPhone 17 Pro Max development of 2025. Given how virtually each firm appears to be hopping on the burgundy and darkish cherry bandwagon this 12 months, I half-expected Boox to comply with go well with.

Instead, the Note Air6 C comes with a way more understated grey case. I do prefer it much more than final 12 months’s orange one, however I’d have liked a burgundy possibility too.

The Note Air6 C lastly will get a much-needed efficiency enhance

This time, you possibly can truly really feel the distinction

When I reviewed the Note Air5 C earlier this year, one in all my greatest complaints was that there was barely something new on the {hardware} entrance. The Note Air4 C and Note Air5 C had basically an identical specs, proper right down to the processor, RAM, storage, and battery capability.

When you take a look at the specs of the brand new Note Air6 C and put them facet by facet with the Note Air5 C, you will initially suppose that not a lot has modified. Both gadgets function the identical 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 color E Ink display, 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and even the identical 3,700mAh battery. In reality, most of those specs have remained unchanged for the reason that Note Air4 C.

However, there’s one notable improve this time round: the processor. While the earlier two generations had basically an identical {hardware}, Boox has lastly geared up the Note Air6 C with a brand new processor. The processor continues to be an octa-core chip, however it may now attain speeds of as much as 2.9GHz, which is a forty five% improve in comparison with the Note Air5 C. According to Boox, this interprets right into a 40% enchancment in PDF page-turning pace. The firm has additionally upgraded the refresh mode, which is designed to make scrolling, internet shopping, and utilizing apps with dynamic content material a lot smoother.

When you place the Note Air6 C and Note Air5 C facet by facet, you possibly can truly see the distinction in on a regular basis duties like flipping by pages in books and even writing with the stylus (extra on that beneath). Opening and shutting apps additionally feels a lot smoother than earlier than. To actually put this to the check, I made a decision to get somewhat dangerous and play a YouTube video on each gadgets.

Yes, the Note Air6 C nonetheless is not an E Ink pill I’d willingly sit and watch YouTube movies on, however there was a noticeable distinction between the 2. The video performed somewhat extra easily on the 6C, with fewer of these awkward, uneven transitions that you simply’d usually count on from an E Ink display. It actually wasn’t wherever close to the expertise you’d get on a daily pill, however it was an enchancment nonetheless.

That mentioned, I’d be exaggerating if I referred to as this an enormous distinction. E Ink tablets have traditionally been slower than conventional tablets, and that is largely right down to how the show expertise itself works. A sooner processor could make issues really feel somewhat extra responsive, however it is not going to magically flip an E Ink display into an LCD or OLED panel.

If you are primarily using your device to read books, I extremely doubt you will discover a lot of a distinction in day-to-day use. You would possibly respect the smoother expertise in the event you’re utilizing it for note-taking or often switching between apps, however I would not contemplate the efficiency improve alone a compelling motive to exchange your Note Air5 C.

Android 16 is right here, however it’s not the star of the present

The identical Android flexibility I’ve all the time liked, just a bit newer

The motive why I’ve always preferred Boox eReaders over Amazon Kindles, Kobos, and PocketBook gadgets is that you simply’re not as locked right into a single ecosystem with Boox. Well, the recently announced Boox Picco is an exception, however that is a dialog for one more day.

Most Boox gadgets run Android out of the field, they usually’re basically common Android tablets with an E Ink show slapped on. This means you get entry to the Google Play Store and might obtain virtually any app you need. Whether that is Kindle, Kobo, Google Play Books, and even productiveness apps like Notion, Google Drive, and OneNote, you are not restricted to a single firm’s bookstore or studying app.

The Note Air6 C is not any exception. While the Note Air5 C received a reasonably important software program improve, leaping from Android 13 to Android 15, the Note Air6 C takes a a lot smaller step ahead with Android 16. Though that is actually a welcome improve, notably in the case of app compatibility and software program longevity, I would not say it is one thing you will discover an enormous distinction with in day-to-day use.

The battery life leaves rather a lot to be desired

An E Ink pill that does not fairly have E Ink battery life

Before I soar into the particulars, I do know E Ink devices are generally known for their incredible battery life. Unlike most gadgets we use proper now, which regularly must be charged daily or two, most eReaders can go weeks on a single cost. You can choose one up, learn a number of chapters, go away it sitting in your bedside desk for days, and are available again to it with out worrying about whether or not it is nonetheless received sufficient juice left.

Since Boox gadgets are basically Android tablets disguised as eReaders, they naturally devour extra energy than conventional E Ink gadgets. You’re operating a full-fledged working system, with the flexibility to put in and run third-party apps, multitask, and browse the online. On prime of that, Boox’s proprietary Super Refresh Technology (BSR), which makes scrolling and navigating the interface significantly smoother, additionally comes at the price of battery life.

So, whereas I actually wasn’t anticipating the Note Air6 C to final weeks on a single cost like a Kindle, I hoped for one thing somewhat extra spectacular. Unfortunately, the mixture of a extra highly effective processor, upgraded refresh expertise, and the very same 3,700mAh battery as its predecessor does not appear to have finished battery life any favors.

In the final week, I learn one guide on the Note Air6 C and used it for some very light note-taking. Think the occasional fast notice and the odd handwritten reminder, moderately than hours of taking notes throughout lectures. I began the week off on a full cost, and I’m at the moment sitting at 28%. That’s 72% of the battery gone in only a week of comparatively gentle use, which, frankly, is not notably spectacular for an E Ink pill.

The show is identical on paper, however not fairly in observe

Somewhat brighter, somewhat smoother, and rather less like paper

Just like its predecessor, the Note Air6 C incorporates a 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 colour E Ink show, able to displaying 4,096 colours. You get the identical 300 PPI decision for black-and-white content material and 150 PPI for colour, so there actually is not something new on the specs sheet.

However, after I put the Note Air6 C and Note Air5 C facet by facet, I observed two refined variations. For one, the newer mannequin’s show seems a tad bit brighter, or moderately, whiter. It’s not an enormous distinction by any means, however the background appears to be like barely cleaner, notably when the entrance gentle is turned off.

The second distinction is the writing expertise. I’ve all the time liked how writing on Boox’s Note Air gadgets feels surprisingly near placing pen to paper, however the Note Air6 C feels somewhat smoother than its predecessor. There’s barely much less resistance when shifting the stylus throughout the display, which, whereas it’d sound like a great factor, truly makes the writing expertise really feel rather less paper-like to me.

I’d examine it to writing on an iPad with a Paperlike display protector, whereas the older Note Air fashions felt a lot nearer to writing on precise paper. Writing on the Note Air6 C additionally feels noticeably extra responsive, with much less latency between shifting the stylus and seeing the ink seem on the display. So, whereas I do miss the marginally rougher, extra paper-like texture of the older fashions, I undoubtedly respect how a lot smoother and extra responsive handwriting feels this time round.

BOOX fastened my greatest stylus criticism

No extra by chance creating 200 pages of notes

When I used to be testing the Note Air5 C, there was one factor I used to be actually, actually, actually upset about: the position of the stylus. Boox had launched bodily quantity buttons that doubled as page-turn buttons, which gave the impression of a fantastic addition on paper. Unfortunately, the corporate determined to put them in the very same spot the place the stylus magnetically attaches to the pill.

This meant that each time I snapped the stylus onto the facet, it might by chance press the buttons. If I used to be studying a guide, the pages would begin flipping on their very own. And if I used to be taking notes, issues have been one way or the other even worse. In my first week of testing, I ended up with over 200 pages in a single pocket book with out even realizing it, all as a result of the stylus stored urgent the buttons!

I’ve been every day driving the Note Air5 C since I wrote my evaluate, and the position of the buttons is but to make sense to me. I received so annoyed with them that I began carrying my stylus individually as a substitute of attaching it to the pill, which just about defeats your entire objective of getting a magnetic stylus within the first place.

Well, it appears to be like like I used to be removed from the one particular person annoyed with the position of the stylus, as a result of Boox has lastly addressed the difficulty with the Note Air6 C. The magnetic attachment level has been moved barely decrease, so the stylus now sits beneath the bodily buttons as a substitute of instantly on prime of them. It’s such a small change, however one which makes a globe of distinction in on a regular basis use. I can lastly connect the stylus to the facet of the pill with out worrying about by chance flipping by pages or creating a whole lot of latest ones.

I nonetheless do not notably just like the stylus

Some issues, sadly, by no means change

Another level I introduced up in my Note Air5 C evaluate was how the brand new stylus, the Pen3, that got here with the gadget was somewhat… bizarre. Unfortunately, after practically a 12 months of utilizing it, I used to be fairly bummed to seek out out that Boox has determined to stay with the very same stylus for the Note Air6 C.

The stylus itself works completely positive, so I am unable to precisely complain. My situation is with its design. The Pen3 incorporates a hole prime with a detachable cap, which helps you to retailer substitute nibs contained in the stylus itself. It feels like a reasonably neat concept on paper, however the execution is irritating, to say the least.

The cap does not lock into place notably securely, and I’ve misplaced depend of what number of occasions it is popped off unexpectedly, sending the substitute nibs flying. I’ve needed to search my total room for them on a couple of event. You’d suppose that after practically a 12 months of coping with this, I’d have gotten used to it, however nope. It’s nonetheless simply as annoying because it was after I first reviewed the Note Air5 C.

I respect the concept of getting spare nibs saved contained in the stylus, however I’d a lot moderately have a daily pen with a cap that truly stays in place. Or maybe the cap may double as an eraser as a substitute. Now, that is one thing I’d truly discover helpful!

Should you purchase the Boox Note Air 6C?

You should purchase the Boox Note Air 6C if:

• You’re in search of a colour E Ink pill that mixes studying, note-taking, and the pliability of Android.
• You need a smoother, extra responsive E Ink expertise with improved efficiency.
• You’re shopping for your first Boox Note Air gadget or upgrading from a a lot older mannequin.

You ought to NOT purchase the Boox Note Air 6C if:

• You already personal the Note Air5 C and do not want the incremental enhancements.
• You count on Kindle-like battery life that lasts weeks on a single cost.
• You choose a rougher, extra paper-like writing expertise or need a stylus with out annoying design quirks.

8.5/10

Brand

Onyx

Screen

10.3″ Kaleido 3 (4,096 colours) glass display with flat cover-lens

Resolution

B/W: 2480 x 1860 (300 ppi)

Weight

Approx. 440 g (15.5 oz)