Onyx has managed to carving out a distinct segment within the e-reader class on the again of thrilling launches, with gadgets just like the Boox Palma serving a singular use case. It is aiming to do one thing related with the Boox Notice Air 3, a big e-reader that has a number of differentiating options.
The Boox Notice Air 3 is designed to take notes, and it does an excellent job in that space. However you additionally get a full-fledged model of Android, and that allows you to set up apps from the Play Retailer and use it as a pill. Whereas I am testing the monochrome model of the gadget, Onyx sells the Boox Notice Air 3 with a colour display screen as nicely.
Clearly, there’s rather a lot on supply with the Boox Notice Air 3, and after utilizing it for 2 months, I am satisfied that this is likely one of the finest e-readers if you need a big display screen.
Onyx Boox Notice Air 3: Pricing and launch date
Onyx unveiled the Boox Notice Air 3 in October 2023, and the e-reader is now accessible in all world markets the place the model has an official presence. The usual variant of the Boox Notice Air 3 comes with a stylus and magnetic case (which is basically good), and it prices $399. There is a stylus bundle that features a better-quality stylus along with the usual one, and this variant is available for $447 at Boox’s website.
Onyx makes a variant of the Boox Notice Air 3 with a colour display screen, and that is known as the Boox Notice Air 3C. This prices $499 for the usual mannequin that features the stylus and magnetic case, and the stylus mannequin is $547.
Onyx Boox Notice Air 3: Design
The Boox Notice Air 3 seems to be each bit as premium as its price ticket suggests, with the e-reader that includes an aluminum chassis that is nice to carry and use. The brushed metallic design is elegant, the rounded edges make it comfy to carry the e-reader, and whereas it’s fairly heavy at 450g, the load is balanced nicely.
I just like the orange accents on the again and across the USB-C charging port, and this provides some vibrancy. The Boox Notice Air 3 has an asymmetrical design — much like the Kindle Oasis — and this makes an enormous distinction in every day use. That mentioned, there are not any bodily web page flip buttons, and that lack of tactility when turning pages makes studying books on the e-reader rather less enjoyable.
One other function that is lacking is ingress safety; the Boox Notice Air 3 is not immune to mud or water, and that limits its versatility to an excellent extent. That mentioned, the sheer measurement of the e-reader means it is not precisely sensible to hold it to the pool — such as you would a Kindle — however it’s nonetheless a letdown.
You get sizeable bezels across the 10.3-inch display screen, and whereas it’s greater than double the load of the Kindle Oasis, you get a significantly bigger display screen. The USB-C port is mounted on the left, together with two audio system. Whereas they’ve giant drivers, the sound high quality is not significantly detailed, and they do not get loud. They’re serviceable for podcasts, however if you wish to take heed to music, you need to actually use earbuds.
What I significantly like is that there is a case bundled within the package deal, and it’s of a superb high quality. It attaches magnetically to the e-reader, folds into two totally different configurations, and presents satisfactory safety when the Boox Notice Air 3 is not in use.
Onyx Boox Notice Air 3: Show and {hardware}
I used over a dozen e-readers up thus far, however they’ve all had medium-sized screens. The Boox Notice Air 3, then again, has a ten.3-inch panel, and the distinction was completely evident from the second I began utilizing the e-reader.
The panel itself is an E Ink Carta 1200, and with a decision of 1872 x 1404, you get an efficient pixel density of 227PPI. That is greater than satisfactory for an e-reader, and within the two months I used the Boox Notice Air 3, I did not discover any points with the panel.
Switching over to the {hardware}, the Boox Notice Air 3 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680, and when you will not discover it on any telephone, it does a superb job on the e-reader. You additionally get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, Wi-Fi ac, and Bluetooth 5.0. There’s an accelerometer that switches the orientation of the display screen based mostly on what hand you are holding the e-reader, however it is not as clean because the Kindle Oasis. You additionally get a MicroSD slot if you wish to lengthen the storage.
The Boox Notice Air 3 has a 3,700mAh battery, and the e-reader lasts per week between prices even with heavy use. I learn two books over the course of per week and took notes every day, and the battery was nonetheless a really affordable 30%. The e-reader prices at 15W, and it takes nicely over 90 minutes to cost the battery.
Onyx Boox Notice Air 3: Efficiency
Studying on the Boox Notice Air 3 is an absolute pleasure; the massive 10.3-inch display screen is terrific on this regard. It does not have the identical pixel density because the Kindle Oasis, however that does not actually make an enormous distinction in every day use, and textual content is obvious. There may be some ghosting at instances, however it is not noticeable, and this is a matter with all e-readers that use E Ink panels anyway.
The e-reader has a built-in NeoReader utility that works with all main codecs — together with EPUB, MOBI, PDF, AZW3, CBR, and so forth — and you may change the font measurement, select from a collection of fonts or set up your individual, and a lot extra.
NeoReader has a tabbed interface that is excellent in the event you’re switching between paperwork, and you may simply annotate through the bundled stylus. On that notice, the stylus has 4,096 degree of stress sensitivity, and it’s excellent at taking notes. I usually use a Lamy Safari and Leuchtturm1917 notebooks to journal and take notes, and whereas the e-reader does not fairly match the sensation of a fountain pen, it comes mighty shut.
It is also significantly good at sketching. My spouse is an artist, and he or she makes use of an iPad Air together with an Apple Pencil to color digitally. She talked about that the Boox Notice Air 3’s stylus has a slight delay when creating strokes, and that there is not any method to duplicate a layer of copy giant drawings.
On the entire, the Boox Notice Air 3 is a superb alternative in the event you’re searching for a big e-reader that doubles as a note-taking gadget.
Onyx Boox Notice Air 3: Software program
Onyx presents a customized model of Android on the Boox Notice Air 3, and whereas Android 12 is outdated at this level, the gadget will get three platform updates. Whereas it is nice that the e-reader runs Android, you possibly can’t do a lot with it exterior of studying, note-taking, and sketching. The E Ink tech simply does not play nicely with video content material, and even scrolling by way of internet pages, you may make out distinct afterimages.
You get 10GB of cloud storage as commonplace with an Onyx account, providing you with loads of storage for your entire books and notes. Onyx has numerous pre-installed utilities — together with a clock, recorder, calculator, and so forth — however the truth that you get the Play Retailer means you possibly can set up absolutely anything you need.
Onyx Boox Notice Air 3: The competitors
The Kindle Scribe is a superb different in the event you want a big e-reader to take notes. It offers you quick access to Amazon’s ecosystem, comes with loads of helpful options, and at $255, it’s reasonably priced.
Then there’s the reMarkable 2. It’s the definitive note-taking gadget, and whereas it’s costlier, it’s lighter, has a sleeker design, and does a fair higher job at taking notes.
Onyx Boox Notice Air 3: Do you have to purchase it?
You can purchase this if:
- You need a big e-reader that is nice for studying and taking notes
- You want the extensibility of Android
- You need an e-reader that lasts per week between prices
- You want a bundled stylus
You should not purchase this if:
- You need bodily web page flip buttons
- You want ingress safety
Apart from the shortage of ingress safety and bodily web page flip buttons, I can not actually discover any faults. Onyx clearly is aware of what it is doing, and the Boox Notice Air 3 is likely one of the finest e-readers at present accessible. The massive 10.3-inch display screen is nice for studying e-books and shopping, and it doubles as a implausible digital note-taking gadget— all due to that bundled stylus.
The truth that you’ve got full entry to the Play Retailer is an added bonus; you simply do not get that versatility with many different e-readers. Battery life is excellent, the metallic chassis is sturdy, and there is loads of customizability — way more so than what you get with different e-readers.