Boox Note Max Review: Versatile Android E-Paper Tablet with a Steep Price Tag

Onyx International, a Chinese company, has been in the business of creating e-paper tablets for quite some time. Their latest offering, the Boox Note Max, priced at $699, is one of their largest models to date.

The Boox Note Max features a 13.3-inch e-paper screen and runs on a relatively open Android 13 platform. It comes with a stylus, positioning it as a strong contender against the Kindle Scribe and making it a top choice for those seeking a sizable e-paper device that supports both content consumption and creation.

Having spent a couple of weeks with the Boox Note Max, I’m genuinely enjoying it. Initially, the Android interface on an e-paper device seemed complex, but after acclimating to it, I’ve come to appreciate the robust features of this tablet.

While the writing experience with the included stylus isn’t as tactile as that of ReMarkable’s tablets, the Note Max holds its own, surpassing the Kindle Scribe in several aspects.

The Boox Note Max, however, is nearly double the price of the Scribe and costs more than the ReMarkable Paper Pro, which offers a superior writing experience and limited color options. It even surpasses the cost of the entry-level iPad Air.

But does the flexibility of Android 13 and access to the Google Play Store justify the Boox Note Max’s higher price tag? I’ll delve into the specifics to help you decide in this review.

• What is it? A 13.3-inch monochrome e-paper device running Android 13, equipped with speakers, a microphone, and an included stylus.
• Who is it for? It’s aimed at users looking for a versatile e-paper tablet capable of running select Android apps for creating artwork, taking notes, annotating documents, and more.
• What does it cost? $699 on the Onyx website, though it has been spotted as low as $620. It’s also available from warehouses in the US, the UK, or Hong Kong, which helps avoid import tariffs.
• What do we like? The large display, comfortable stylus, and the ability to access a variety of Android apps make it a versatile tool for handling a wide range of e-books and files.
• What don’t we like? The absence of a backlight means it’s hard to read in poor lighting, and the screen’s dark display can make text and images difficult to decipher. I also feel it could be more affordable.

After spending some time with the Boox Note Max, there are several features I’ve grown to appreciate that I wish were more common on other e-paper devices.

Spacious Design Facilitates Easy Working, Even in Split-Screen

The expansive 13.3-inch e-paper display of the Boox Note Max offers ample space for reading, sketching, note-taking, and document annotation. Its size makes the device’s split-screen feature particularly effective, allowing for simultaneous PDF annotation and note-taking, which I found both practical and user-friendly.

The Note Max’s screen size significantly surpasses that of the Kindle Scribe and the ReMarkable Paper Pro. Notably, it maintains a slimmer profile than both competitors.

Access to Android Apps

Upon setting up the Boox Note Max, I was pleased to find it pre-loaded with several useful apps, including a web browser, gallery, music player, and various Boox-specific apps for document and file management, along with an RSS reader.

You can also access the Google Play Store, albeit in a monochrome format, and download virtually any Android app you desire. This includes watching videos on YouTube (albeit grainy and in black and white), listening to music on Spotify (albeit with tinny sound quality), or downloading games. Most apps, however, are somewhat challenging to use on the Note Max’s 13.3-inch (3200 x 2400) e-paper display, but the device offers software tools to help adjust the appearance of text and images for better readability.

While the input lag is not as immediate as on standard Android tablets and the slow refresh rate is not ideal for gaming, I found that slower-paced, black and white games can still be enjoyable. However, I would recommend using the Play Store to download apps that leverage the tablet’s strengths, such as sketching and note-taking applications, rather than for entertainment.

Apps like Google Drive, Google Docs, and Evernote have proven to be particularly useful on this e-paper device, making it a viable productivity tool for professional settings.

While I am quite fond of the Boox Note Max, it’s important to consider its slower refresh rate typical of e-paper devices and other potential drawbacks before making a purchase.

Lack of Backlight Can Be Challenging

The absence of a built-in light source in the Boox Note Max can make it difficult to use in low-light conditions. Although e-paper screens are generally easier on the eyes because they don’t emit bright light, the lack of backlighting often leaves me straining to read or see details on the device.

While you can attach an external light or use a lamp, I find this solution inconvenient, and it may not be feasible in all situations, such as during a flight or in a shared sleeping area.

This oversight seems minor, and it’s especially frustrating considering that other Boox models, including the more affordable Boox Palma 2, do include built-in backlights.

More Expensive Than an iPad Air, Yet Less Capable

Despite the advantages of the Boox Note Max, its high price tag of $689 makes it a tough sell, except for dedicated e-paper enthusiasts. While the device offers good value, especially for those who appreciate its note-taking and document-annotating capabilities, waiting for a price drop might make it more appealing.

It’s hard to ignore that a new iPad Air starts at $599 in the United States. Though these are fundamentally different devices with distinct uses, it’s worth noting that the basic iPad Air offers many features that the Boox Note Max cannot match, including a faster, brighter, and more colorful display, along with a camera, superior speakers, and a broader app ecosystem.

To equip an iPad Air with comparable functionality to the Note Max, you’d need to purchase an Apple Pencil, bringing the cost closer to $700. Even then, an 11-inch basic iPad Air M3 with an Apple Pencil would still be cheaper than the Boox Note Max.

However, the Note Max does fulfill a unique niche that the iPad Air does not: it caters to those seeking an e-paper device that’s gentler on the eyes and capable of handling a wide range of documents and apps more typical of Android devices.

Although the Boox Note Max has its shortcomings, it generally serves as an effective e-paper device with capabilities that extend beyond what you might expect from a Kindle.

And while it may not offer the same quality of writing or sketching experience as ReMarkable’s e-paper devices, in some ways, the Note Max better delivers on the core experience promised by ReMarkable because of its enhanced functionality.

Many e-paper devices, including those from ReMarkable, are marketed as less distracting alternatives to bright laptops or tablets, ideal for work or academic purposes. While this may be true, the Boox Note Max arguably offers a more comprehensive experience because it supports a wider array of activities, ranging from reading e-books in various formats to listening to music, accessing cloud storage services, and even gaming.

This added functionality might reintroduce the same distractions found on more conventional devices, but for those in the market for a large, versatile e-paper device that can handle both work and entertainment, the Boox Note Max is one of the best options available.