Why I love my Boox Palma e-reader

I'd not heard of this model, and amusingly my first hit (4th in an incognito) for `Boox Palma` is a lengthy reddit-user rant from 2y ago about build quality, sluggish performance, and woeful battery life.

That aside, totally agree on the form factor. My first ebook reader was a pocketbook 360, which came bundled with a rigid cover (would snap onto the back while reading) and a 5" screen, when most ebook readers were around the 6" diagonal.

The size delta was significant as it meant the difference between fitting in a jacket pocket vs needing to carry a bag, and that really changes your likelihood to take it with you / read a book.

I recently went with a Kobo Libra Color to replace my aging 10th gen Kindle. It’s a nice device, and the stock Kobo software is fine. The best part though is how well koreader runs on it (much more seamless than koreader on Kindle).

The killer features of koreader for me are sane PDF scaling/reflowing, the ability to handle large PDFs, and multiple export formats for annotations.

I bought a large format e-reader for the opposite reason - being able to read and study from large format textbooks while on long train journeys or in hotel rooms (or even camping). It handles stuff from arxiv fine too.

I really like my Boox Max, as it means that I can read textbooks at a good size without reflowing. It still holds charge for several weeks at a time after about 7 years

I wish I had it at university instead of 1000+ page hardback calculus textbooks.

I had a Kindle and quite liked it, but I also have an iPad and when the Kindle died I decided I didn’t need two devices in that form factor even though eink is great for the beach.

I would consider buying another eink device, but only if the price came down a lot. The market is still fairly small for eink, so there hasn’t really been much economy of scale. I just looked it up and apparently eink still costs 5-10x more than LCD to manufacture.

This Boox device would have to be closer to $50 (and not $200) to tempt me to add yet another gadget to my collection.

Here's a video I recorded of me reading Hacker News on my Hisense A9 eink smartphone (it came out before the Palma, and hardware has been rock solid.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onvSjhubvQ8

I recently jailbroke my Kindle 6th generation (which still works great!), installed KUAL, made a DeDRMed backup of my library, and installed a custom screensaver. It still works to buy titles off the Amazon store, too.

It's probably the single best electronic device I own. I once dropped it in a pool and it stopped working for a few weeks, but it came back on its own.

This device is very appealing to me, but I never pulled the trigger due to horror stories about screen cracking issues reported on reddit. (Sometimes the screen just breaks by itself despite sitting on a desk.) Repair is also expensive. This seems a risky purchase.

I read a lot, mostly ebooks, and have an extensive collection of DRM free ebooks. That said, e-ink devices are ridiculously overpriced, seemingly because e-ink tech is patent-encumbered. Fortunately I don't mind reading on LCD and OLED screens, have been doing that for 20 years, originally on PalmOS devices.

I'd love to get a Kobo to run Koreader but not until prices have come down to under $200 for a 8" device. I'm also consideeing the PocketBook Verse, the SD card slot means I could carry my entire 67GB collection with me..

I use the bigme hibreak pro as my primary device. Its an eink device but also just a full phone. Almost bought the boox palma, but held back because I only really want to carry a single device.

Nice find, I'll add the name to my list.

I don't know about everyone else, but I find that I hate having to hold my e-reader. Also some years ago when I had 3 months of recovery time for a back operation I bought a tablet holder, which I have since attached to what is now my reading chair.

You can also now get some really nice magnetic y-shape arms that you rest on a table or surface (or wrap around something) that can hold a light e-reader magnetically without trouble.

I've been using this for a long time- it stays in my pocket/bag most days, and it's so inconspicuous (looks exactly like a phone) that you don't think twice about doing some serious reading in public or on the train

Absolutely love my boox palma! Since getting it I’ve read dozens of books, just because it’s so easy to carry. The complaints I’ve read before on Reddit don’t seem to apply to my device which is good.

been so tempted to try one but concerned about long term updates and viability

if it runs android 13, how long will it get updates for? how long until the apps you're using won't be updated?

i'd like my ebook reader to last years without issue

my oasis from 2020 still does all the things i need it to though i'd like to get a good reason to leave the kindle ecosystem but still want to have access to all the books i've purchased to read on eink

i kind of also wonder if other companies, i.e. kobo, will jump into this form factor given the popularity of boox

I really liked my palma but the display broke randomly (not the screen) while in a soft pocket within 3m of getting it. Support was no help. I just won't trust them again

I still don't understand why this needs to run Android. If you're looking for a much simpler and much cheaper device ($70 vs $200-$300) I would recommend the xteink x4.

I'm still waiting for a rugged e-reader with a touchscreen that fits both A4 and letter sheets of paper without zooming in and out. 210x280mm

I’ve never used it but I have worked with people that love it and use it constantly. It is niche but AFAICT is love by people in that niche.

Boox Tab Mini C paired with Readwise Reader has been my go to for quite some time now and it hasn't slowed down in any noticeable way

If it is the size of my phone, I would avoid the future e-waste and just use my phone. In airplane mode, if distrations are a problem.

Amazon killed Kindle for me by changing collections layout: managing a large collection is impossible.

Have you seen the OBook5? Its similar form factor but only $89

I love my Boox Go, I run the Storyteller app on it.

After lots of hand-wringing and research and trying Kindle & Kobo, I decided to read on my iPad and iPhone. They have accessibility features like low light mode to make it easy on the eyes, I can always read on the go with my phone and they can handle large full color books and PDFs too. The iPad has basically all notifications disabled and no distractions installed so it feels like a reader.

Nice find, I'll add the name to my list.

You can also now get some really nice magnetic y-shape arms that you rest on a table or surface (or wrap around something) that can hold a light e-reader magnetically without trouble.

Have you seen the OBook5? Its similar form factor but only $89

I really like my Boox Max, as it means that I can read textbooks at a good size without reflowing. It still holds charge for several weeks at a time after about 7 years

I wish I had it at university instead of 1000+ page hardback calculus textbooks.

It's probably the single best electronic device I own. I once dropped it in a pool and it stopped working for a few weeks, but it came back on its own.

Here's a video I recorded of me reading Hacker News on my Hisense A9 eink smartphone (it came out before the Palma, and hardware has been rock solid.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onvSjhubvQ8

Amazon killed Kindle for me by changing collections layout: managing a large collection is impossible.

I really liked my palma but the display broke randomly (not the screen) while in a soft pocket within 3m of getting it. Support was no help. I just won't trust them again

I’ve never used it but I have worked with people that love it and use it constantly. It is niche but AFAICT is love by people in that niche.

I'm still waiting for a rugged e-reader with a touchscreen that fits both A4 and letter sheets of paper without zooming in and out. 210x280mm

been so tempted to try one but concerned about long term updates and viability

if it runs android 13, how long will it get updates for? how long until the apps you're using won't be updated?

i'd like my ebook reader to last years without issue

i kind of also wonder if other companies, i.e. kobo, will jump into this form factor given the popularity of boox

Boox Tab Mini C paired with Readwise Reader has been my go to for quite some time now and it hasn't slowed down in any noticeable way

The killer features of koreader for me are sane PDF scaling/reflowing, the ability to handle large PDFs, and multiple export formats for annotations.

I am on the fence between Libra and Clara (smaller than Libra). What do you recommend? Do you wish you had gone with a smaller version? Weight, easy to hold etc.

Price difference is negligible but I am confused by the size difference and ease of use

The size delta was significant as it meant the difference between fitting in a jacket pocket vs needing to carry a bag, and that really changes your likelihood to take it with you / read a book.

I had a Kindle and quite liked it, but I also have an iPad and when the Kindle died I decided I didn’t need two devices in that form factor even though eink is great for the beach.

This Boox device would have to be closer to $50 (and not $200) to tempt me to add yet another gadget to my collection.

I use the bigme hibreak pro as my primary device. Its an eink device but also just a full phone. Almost bought the boox palma, but held back because I only really want to carry a single device.

If it is the size of my phone, I would avoid the future e-waste and just use my phone. In airplane mode, if distrations are a problem.

I still don't understand why this needs to run Android. If you're looking for a much simpler and much cheaper device ($70 vs $200-$300) I would recommend the xteink x4.

I love my Boox Go, I run the Storyteller app on it.

It's a great device and actually pretty fast- reddit is just a place for people to moan and groan and not provide anything constructive now.

There isn't a single product on this world where top hits wouldn't be random reddit rants over them.

I take the opposite view about size. I am already carrying a phone which is acceptable for reading on (or TTS to my headphones). If I expect to have the chance to read at length then I am willing to pack a larger ereader.

I’m considering one of these $69 readers https://www.xteink.com/

The new Boox Palma 2 Pro is also a phone. And it runs Android 15! Has a stylus, but don't know how good it is (can be a super killer feature).

A eink screen is nicer to read on for long periods of reading.

The benefit for me with the boox series is access to the kindle app on play store. And obsidian.

The Xteink is almost two inches smaller than the Palma. I remember trying to read on early iphones that were 4.6-5 and hated the experience, the extra height matters.

More reasons/hooks to use the device that slow you down a little and make you more mindful

my $100 mobiscribe lets me read HN. I only read online on my eink devices. LCD is much less enjoyable

Why not just... read on your phone then?

FWIW I have a kobo Clara HD from circa 2018 with koreader and I see no reason to upgrade.

You can definitely get a used one for less than 200$

It has wifi, you can replace the SD card inside, and it has two backlights (cold and warm)

I have a Kindle, multiple iPads and an iPhone.

I only read on my iPad and iPhone because they are on-hand almost anywhere I am.

To me, the e-reading discussion is the same as the notetaking software discussion -- people obsess over the best form factor, but really most of the benefit comes from "just doing it" and keeping at it.

Most people gear up but they never end up doing it (reading continuous or taking notes).

I have a Kindle, multiple iPads and an iPhone.

I only read on my iPad and iPhone because they are on-hand almost anywhere I am.

Most people gear up but they never end up doing it (reading continuous or taking notes).

I am on the fence between Libra and Clara (smaller than Libra). What do you recommend? Do you wish you had gone with a smaller version? Weight, easy to hold etc.

Price difference is negligible but I am confused by the size difference and ease of use

I have Clara BW and Libra Color.

Clara: - Small form factor. Super convenient to read and bring it anywhere. - No issue to read any materials imo.

Libra: - It's slightly bigger and heavier. - I find it easier to read books with lots of graph, images since it's bigger. - I can also read comics with color. Pretty awesome.

Imo, boils down to your preference, hand size (I'm not a big guy). I like both devices. Libra main advantage to me is just color. Size is personal preference. If there's any store nearby, I'd suggest to just go and try it out first (or any ebook with similar size).

Make sure you understand the tradeoffs of color screen. I found it to be significantly less pleasant for reading. It's significantly darker to the point I had to had max backlight at all times and even then the content is fuzzy and less paper like.

I went back to BW after that.

(it's amazing for comics and note taking though.)

I went with the Libra for the bigger screen and physical buttons. My kindle is certainly more pocketable, but that’s not a huge factor for me.

I do agree with the sibling comment on the eink display a I find I always need the backlight on to some degree which wasn’t the case for the kindle.

I have a previous-generation Clara and quite like it. It's easy to slip into a pocket and bring with me wherever I go. The only thing I miss is physical buttons to turn the page.

One day I'll pick up one of the larger versions for home use, though.

It's a great device and actually pretty fast- reddit is just a place for people to moan and groan and not provide anything constructive now.

And its actually quite hard to get now as it has been replaced by Palma 2 which is even faster. You can actually watch youtube videos on it and it is better than one would expect.

There isn't a single product on this world where top hits wouldn't be random reddit rants over them.

The benefit for me with the boox series is access to the kindle app on play store. And obsidian.

A eink screen is nicer to read on for long periods of reading.

More reasons/hooks to use the device that slow you down a little and make you more mindful

The new Boox Palma 2 Pro is also a phone. And it runs Android 15! Has a stylus, but don't know how good it is (can be a super killer feature).

Just saw a review on YT. The stylus doesnt attach to the device, the writing experience seems ok but I wouldn't call it a killer feature.

Also it uses a color e-ink Kaleido which I personally find useless : the colors are still too washed out to be useful and the contrast is horrible with no backlight compared to B&W e-ink.

But it's still an interesting device.

It has a sim slot and can do data but no phone and no volte support.

I’m considering one of these $69 readers https://www.xteink.com/

I just bought one. I want the form factor, not for reading long form ebooks. Out the door with a case and screen covers it was about $120 USD. We shall see how it all goes.

Looks cool, but if I have to copy Epubs to it, then that severely limits it's use for me with library books.

Maybe one day they'll have a version with Android on it.

Actually seems like a really cool product, not sure if it would be that useful for any serious reading due to the small size but probably useful for displaying a calendar and other widgets.

The Xteink is almost two inches smaller than the Palma. I remember trying to read on early iphones that were 4.6-5 and hated the experience, the extra height matters.

my $100 mobiscribe lets me read HN. I only read online on my eink devices. LCD is much less enjoyable

I went back to BW after that.

(it's amazing for comics and note taking though.)

I have Clara BW and Libra Color.

Clara: - Small form factor. Super convenient to read and bring it anywhere. - No issue to read any materials imo.

Libra: - It's slightly bigger and heavier. - I find it easier to read books with lots of graph, images since it's bigger. - I can also read comics with color. Pretty awesome.

I have a previous-generation Clara and quite like it. It's easy to slip into a pocket and bring with me wherever I go. The only thing I miss is physical buttons to turn the page.

One day I'll pick up one of the larger versions for home use, though.

I went with the Libra for the bigger screen and physical buttons. My kindle is certainly more pocketable, but that’s not a huge factor for me.

I do agree with the sibling comment on the eink display a I find I always need the backlight on to some degree which wasn’t the case for the kindle.

And its actually quite hard to get now as it has been replaced by Palma 2 which is even faster. You can actually watch youtube videos on it and it is better than one would expect.

Why not just... read on your phone then?

Because the shiny phone screen is unpleasant for reading?

Wow what a novel question that nobody in this thread has ever considered...

FWIW I have a kobo Clara HD from circa 2018 with koreader and I see no reason to upgrade.

You can definitely get a used one for less than 200$

It has wifi, you can replace the SD card inside, and it has two backlights (cold and warm)

I ended up ordering a new PocketBook Verse from LaptopsDirect here in the UK, for £120, so about $160. I think it has the same e-ink generation as yours, and by all accounts B&W e-ink is crisper than the washed-out color e-ink displays.

I was referring more to the 8" to 10" e-readers, which are over $400, some over $700, for that price I'd rather get another iPad or Pixel Tablet. Hopefully e-ink tech is going to get cheaper when the patents expire, but that's 2032 or so, a long time away.

It has a sim slot and can do data but no phone and no volte support.

Just saw a review on YT. The stylus doesnt attach to the device, the writing experience seems ok but I wouldn't call it a killer feature.

Also it uses a color e-ink Kaleido which I personally find useless : the colors are still too washed out to be useful and the contrast is horrible with no backlight compared to B&W e-ink.

But it's still an interesting device.

I just bought one. I want the form factor, not for reading long form ebooks. Out the door with a case and screen covers it was about $120 USD. We shall see how it all goes.

Actually seems like a really cool product, not sure if it would be that useful for any serious reading due to the small size but probably useful for displaying a calendar and other widgets.

Looks cool, but if I have to copy Epubs to it, then that severely limits it's use for me with library books.

Maybe one day they'll have a version with Android on it.

calibre plus plugins solves for this

Wow what a novel question that nobody in this thread has ever considered...

Because the shiny phone screen is unpleasant for reading?

There are matte screen covers, I have one and it's great.

I mean, I can't reach into your brain and experience your perceptions but the literal billions of people who read for hours a day on "shiny" phone screens seems to show that as a rather rare view.

calibre plus plugins solves for this

There are matte screen covers, I have one and it's great.

I mean, I can't reach into your brain and experience your perceptions but the literal billions of people who read for hours a day on "shiny" phone screens seems to show that as a rather rare view.

That's a pretty weak argument, though. I use a vertical mouse because it helps my RSI tremendously. I don't think there's anyone else in my office with one. I'm in a tiny minority there. And yet, I like my vertical mouse and I'd rather use it than a normal one, no matter how many others prefer the horizontal kind.

They «read» for shorter amounts of time. Reading for hours on an OLED can be fatiguing, especially if you stare at a LCD at work for 8-10 hours everyday on top of your reading

Maybe a more acceptable statement than saying LCDs are unpleasant: eInk screens are generally more pleasant for reading than LCDs.

Luckly my parents got rid of socialism in the country to I could have a choice of products that fit me instead of being one-size-fits-all form shoved onto me.

I really don't understand why some of you really want that to come back.

They «read» for shorter amounts of time. Reading for hours on an OLED can be fatiguing, especially if you stare at a LCD at work for 8-10 hours everyday on top of your reading

Maybe a more acceptable statement than saying LCDs are unpleasant: eInk screens are generally more pleasant for reading than LCDs.

Luckly my parents got rid of socialism in the country to I could have a choice of products that fit me instead of being one-size-fits-all form shoved onto me.

I really don't understand why some of you really want that to come back.

Command economies are a component of some past socialist regimes. They are not a defining feature of socialism as a political and economic philosophy. I'm tired of socialist=bad and related categorical rhetorics. It's nuanced: where did worker unions, welfare programmes come from? And, to say that worker unions are a socialist thing is, in a way, lazy thinking too: there were specific initiatives, organizations and, above all, people that spearheaded these things we take for granted, but noone remembers them and some guy on a forum just lumps them into the "socialism" bag, which, again, is correct, but lazy and surely unuseful.

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02 Nov, 2025

I really like reading. It's an activity that I have rediscovered multiple times throughout my life. When I was a kid, I loved the Harry Potter books. Now that I'm older, I still mostly read for enjoyment. I try to incorporate reading into my routine, such as before going to bed or while waiting for the train.

I do like physical books, and I have quite a few of them, but I honestly really love e-ink. What I like most about e-readers with an e-ink screen is:

Backlight: Being able to read in the dark right before going to sleep is great.
Same font type and size: I like the consistency of it.
Contrast: When reading in direct sunlight, it really feels like reading a real book.
Portability: You can always have all the books you're reading with you. When reading really long books, I like to read something else in parallel.

On the 2019-11-19 I bought myself a Kindle Paperwhite 10th generation. It has been a trusty companion during countless reading sessions. After almost 6 years it still works very well, but with time I started having some issues with it:

Size: Although it's a small tablet, it still doesn't fit in my pocket. As a result, I rarely have it with me when I leave home casually.
Amazon policies: The recent policy of restricting the ownership of the books that you are buying really doesn't sit well with me.
Reading non-amazon books: It's not super easy to import e-books from other platforms.
Ads: I never minded the lock screen ads, but lately, ads seem to be everywhere, and it's just annoying. That said, I still really like the device itself, and I use it quite often.

This spring I was looking for a phone sized e-reader and came across the Boox Palma 1. After much thought, on the 2025-04-30 I bought it used for 140€. It arrived in mint condition, complete with the original case and pop socket.

Here are some pictures of it:

These are some of my favourite things about it:

Small size and lightweight: it's similar in size to my iPhone, and I usually carry both in my pocket. It's also super lightweight. I have no problem holding it in my hand for a long time. These two factors make it super easy to use it in not so comfortable situations (crowded subway).
Android: It's running full Android, so you can use every app you want and you are not locked into the Kindle system.
Screen quality: It has a screen similar/better than my kindle. You can control both the brightness and warmth of the light. Very useful when reading at night.
Wallpapers: one feature that I love is to personalize your lockscreen with whatever picture you like. It doesn't sound much, but it just makes me want to pick it up and read another chapter. In any case it's better than having ads.
No internet on the go: although this could seem like a weak point, it really makes the device single use. The only thing you can do is to read, no other distractions.
Turn page buttons: You can use the volume rockers to turn pages. This is super useful especially when you have gloves on and you don't have to fight the touch screen.

This is a comparison with my Kindle:

I have two covers for it. One is the original Boox Palma TPU case and the other one is a cheap folio case bought from AliExpress. I really like the TPU case, it's super comfortable to hold. The popsocket is really useful for reading, but it makes the device bulky in your pocket. The folio case I don't really use. It make the device too heavy and its not super comfortable to hold. Here are some pics:

Here are some pictures of me using the device on the wild:

Some final words:

I love this device because it makes it easier to read everywhere. I am currently reading a Clash of Kings - A Song of Ice and Fire, and I just love being fully immersed in this world.
If you have a Kindle, you probably do not need it.. unless you really value portability and the ability to have an alternative when wanting to pick up your phone.
The android skin on the palma is ok, but I just wish we could flash a custom rom on it, and bring it up to speed with the latest android versions and remove the bloat that comes with it.
The home screen wallpapers are from here.

Hacker Times

Hacker Times

Why I love my Boox Palma e-reader

Discussion

Discussion

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