I keep seeing people at events taking notes on E-Ink tablets — so I tried one to see what all the fuss is about

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Occasionally, I step away from my office to journey to various cities for events such as HP Amplify 2025 or massive conferences like the Consumer Electronics Show 2025.

Or:

I occasionally take time off from my office to attend events like HP Amplify 2025 and big gatherings such as the Consumer Electronics Show 2025, which are held in different cities.

Both versions convey the same idea in a natural and easy-to-read manner.

Every time I observe, it appears that numerous professionals are using E-Ink tablets for jotting down notes and managing their timetables, rather than relying on smartphones or laptops running Windows. Intrigued, I asked a few colleagues about them, and they enthusiastically endorsed the devices.

I found that experience compelling enough to prompt me to join this distinct realm of technology myself, and coincidentally, a company named BOOX contacted me. Subsequently, I’ve been testing the BOOX Note Air4 C for several weeks to ascertain if an E-Ink tablet could fit into my lifestyle.

Straight away, I noticed myself using my laptop less for minor tasks, which frequently resulted in browsing through social media or emails instead. Now it’s clear to me – this is more like a guard against unwanted diversions.

This review was facilitated through a complimentary review unit supplied by ONYX. Neither ONYX nor BOOX played any role in its content or were privy to it before it was published.

The ideas behind E-Ink tablets

Upon learning that BOOX introduced an unconventional E-Ink monitor, I carefully analyzed its pros and cons, delving into the distinctive features of this innovative display technology. If you’ve had experience with devices like Amazon Kindle or other e-readers, you can roughly grasp the concept — E-Ink is energy efficient as it only uses power when screen content changes, mimicking paper more than other displays, and offering excellent readability even under extreme sunlight conditions.

It turns out that E-Ink is ideal for e-readers due to its characteristics, but it’s interesting to note that this technology has been applied in various other ways as well. For instance, in recent times, tablets have emerged that cater specifically to notetaking and productivity tasks (besides reading).

E-Ink tablets want to help you stay productive without worrying about battery life or distractions.

Long battery life alleviates battery worries, giving a writing experience similar to pen-on-paper, and while E-Ink’s limitations in color and responsiveness restrict its ability to distract with numerous device functions, this allows for increased focus on taking notes, reading, or any other tasks at hand.

As a tech-savvy individual, I can attest that an E-Ink tablet like the BOOX Note Air4 C is indispensable for students or professionals juggling multiple tasks. It offers a level of power and versatility far beyond a traditional paper notebook, allowing one to maintain focus even in the busiest of times. However, I must confess that merely knowing its benefits didn’t fully help me grasp its potential until I got my hands on it. And that, folks, is where the BOOX Note Air4 C truly shines!

The Note Air4 C shows how to do this right

The BOOX Note Air4 C doesn’t make a significant change from many other E-Ink devices, but it stands out due to its sleek design, being incredibly thin (approximately 6mm thick), and featuring a ledge on the left side that facilitates one-handed usage for writing or page turning.

At the forefront, there’s a 10.3-inch E-Ink touchscreen, powered by BOOX’s “Kaleido 3” technology. This screen offers two resolutions – 2.4K for black and white content and 1.2K for color content. The screen is protected by a distinctively textured glass panel and features a frontlight that adjusts to both warm and cool tones, offering various brightness levels. This is crucial for using an E-Ink device in dim lighting conditions.

On the right part, there’s a magnet for attaching and charging the provided BOOX pen, which offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. The magnets aren’t very strong, but you can opt for an additional magnetic cover equipped with a more reliable clasp. At the top, you’ll discover a combined power button/fingerprint scanner, which is a thoughtful addition.

The hardware of the Note Air4 C is impressively suited to its price point, particularly with its top-tier, vibrant color e-ink screen.

The BOOX Note Air4 is driven by an octa-core processor, boasts 6GB of RAM, offers 64GB of storage, and features a unique interface built on the foundation of Android 13. BOOX crafted this interface to deliver a more intuitive user experience specifically for E-Ink displays, and it undeniably surpasses the standard Android interface in this application.

The octa-core processor typically performs well, yet experiences occasional slowdowns, particularly when dealing with tasks such as editing or transferring numerous files or navigating extensive notes.

In simpler terms, the hardware on the Note Air4 C is genuinely impressive across the board, making its $500 price seem justified. What makes it even more appealing is that you get a top-tier color E-Ink display with faster-than-usual response times and refresh rates.

I find it inconvenient that the USB Type-C charging port is located on the left side and is covered by a magnetic cover, meaning I need to keep it open when charging, but considering its extended battery life, this issue seldom poses a problem for me over weeks.

The Note Air4 C doesn’t have a rating for protection against dust and water, so it may not perform well in such conditions. Additionally, you might notice light leaking from the edges of the screen when using the backlight.

When discussing drawbacks, you might notice that the stylus tips are quite delicate and tend to wear out rather fast while using it on the Note Air4 C. This issue may be more pronounced due to the textured surface, making it advisable to consider purchasing additional stylus tips for longer usage.

This is easily the best writing experience of any device I’ve used with a stylus.

In terms of practical applications like writing, sketching, or marking things up, this device truly shines. It offers an exceptional user experience, making it feel like the most intuitive tool I’ve ever used with a stylus. Writing on it feels as if it’s second nature.

The custom software on the Note Air4 C tablet is designed specifically for its stylus, allowing you to effortlessly annotate nearly any document or book. You can also synchronize your notes and different projects across multiple cloud services and note-taking apps, such as Microsoft’s OneDrive and OneNote.

Primarily, I utilized the BOOX Note Air4 for jotting down notes as I played the captivating puzzle game, Blue Prince. Essentially, this game necessitates having a notebook on hand to record progress.

In simpler terms, I accumulated numerous pages of notes spanning many hours of gameplay, and the Note Air4 C simplified connecting related sections, annotations, and sketches effortlessly through intuitive links (which automatically adjusted if linked notes were moved due to new pages). Moreover, the note-taking software was packed with various tools and gestures that encouraged creativity.

As an ardent admirer, I must express that the Onyx Boox Air4 C is capable of executing all tasks an Android tablet can handle; however, its E-Ink screen might temper your enthusiasm for engaging in extensive activities on it.

Although it may not have the same level of power as apps such as OneNote, this device is actually an Android tablet. You are free to install any application you desire from the Google Play Store. While many apps might not cooperate well with the E-Ink display, they will function properly.

The Note Air4 C allows for reading a multitude of ebook formats, enabling you to stock up on your digital books and engage in activities such as annotation. BOOX doesn’t just produce this hardware casually; it is a company that consistently works on enhancing and innovating E-Ink devices.

Indeed, BOOX’s Note Air4 C doesn’t have the ability to miraculously eliminate the limitations inherent in E-Ink technology, so it doesn’t rival a standard Android tablet in terms of performance. It’s not ideal for watching videos or playing games on, although technically you could do so if needed.

My final thoughts on the BOOX Note Air4 C tablet

✅You should buy this if …

  • You want an e-reader that does much more than just read books.
  • You take a lot of notes and want a capable dedicated device for it.
  • You need a productivity companion that won’t distract you.

❌You should not buy this if …

  • You’re looking for a tablet that you’ll also use for notes and reading.
  • You only need something for reading ebooks wherever you go.

BOOX manufactures numerous E-Ink items, including some that surpass the Note Air4 C in size, speed, and cost. They also offer more budget-friendly models with fewer features or less impressive displays. However, this tablet seems to be an ideal match for me, as well as many students and workers, due to its exceptional performance.

The 10.3-inch screen is spacious enough for effortless note-taking, yet compact enough to be conveniently handled with one hand. You can easily carry the Note Air4 C in any bag, thanks to its size. Android provides a wealth of adaptability when needed, but the unique interface emphasizes the capabilities of E-Ink, prioritizing stylus usage and note-taking experience over other features.

For those who read extensively, write frequently, lead active lifestyles that don’t sync with distracting smartphones/tablets, or dislike daily charging hassles, a device like the Note Air4 C offers significant benefits.

While there might be other possibilities, I find this one satisfactory enough that I’m not rushing to swap it for something else. If you’re intrigued, you can purchase the BOOX Note Air4 C for just $529.99 on Amazon. Additionally, you can buy a magnetic cover for $50.99 on Amazon and a pack of replacement stylus tips for $24.99.

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2025-07-06 16:10