Onyx Boox Note Air3 review

Key Takeaways

The Note Air3 offers impressive battery life and support for Android third-party apps, making reading and writing enjoyable and efficient.
The device’s sturdy build and comfortable design enhance the user experience.
For those new to ewriters or seeking a distraction-free reading and writing experience, the Note Air3 is highly recommended for its custom options.

I’ve searched for the perfect E-Ink tablet for reading and writing for years. I struggled to choose between what has quickly become a saturated note-taking tablet market and wanted an experience that would be easier on the eyes and worthwhile for the price. As a college librarian, I helped troubleshoot countless students’ tablets and seemed to hear an issue about every model I’d consider. Enter stage left, and somewhat steathily in 2024, the Onyx Boox Note Air3.

Boox sent me this E-Ink tablet to review, and I spent the last week and half using the Note Air3 as my main ereader, note-taking tablet, and audiobook entertainment device and came away with some notes myself. I read a ton, for entertainment, work, and school, and I think I have finally found an ereader/writer I can see making a significant difference in my day-to-day life.

Onyx Boox Note Air3

Recommended

Onyx Boox Note Air3 is a monochromatic E-Ink display tablet that supports third-party apps with Android 12 and launched with a faster CPU and a micro-SD card slot for greater storage as well.

Pros

Battery life doesn’t quit
Third-party Android apps
Sturdy build, comfortable design
Reading and writing is fast and enjoyable

Cons

Pen isn’t the most comfortable for long-term use
Some expected 300ppi display
Slight lag in line drawing

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Price, specs, and availability

Where does it fit in the ewriter market?

The Onyx Boox quietly came on the scene earlier in 2024 after its sibling’s splashier arrival, the Note Air3 C — the color E-Ink version of this reading and writing tablet. While the fervor over color E-Ink tablets is understandable, the monochromatic Note Air3 is everything and more than I expected. It does the E-Ink reading and writing extremely well, and includes Android 12, giving a functionality boost over many competitors.

The Note Air3 is listed at $399.99, while it’s color version lists at $499.99. It has a significant update to the CPU, storage, and battery life to its predecessor, the Note Air2 and Note Air2 Plus. It feels sturdy despite it’s absurd and impressively thin screen. The side panel grip makes holding it comfortable for long reading sessions and browsing.

Onyx Boox Note Air3

Screen: HD Carta 1200 glass screen with flat cover-lens
Resolution: 227ppi
Storage: RAM 4GB, ROM 64GB
Connectivity: Wi-Fi (2.4GHz + 5GHz) + BT 5.0
Front Light: Yes, with CTM (Warm and Cold)
OS: Android 12
Battery: 3,700mAh Li-ion Polymer
Buttons: Power button with Fingerprint Recognition
Weight: 450g
Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.6 x 0.23 inches
Format Support: Third-party apps
CPU: 2.4Ghz Octa-core
Document Formats: PDF, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, PPTX
Image Formats: PNG, JPG, BMP, TIFF
Audio Formats: WAV, MP3
Battery Life: Up to 4 weeks
Screen Size: 10.3 inch
Ports: USB-C charge port, microSD Card Slot
Audio output and inputs: 2 speakers, built in microphone
Waterproofing: None, do not expose to liquids

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Despite having many of the same features, these two devices couldn’t be more different. Here’s how they compare.

What I liked about the Onyx Book Note Air3

Battery, Android third-party apps, and PDF functionality

I used the Boox Note Air3 for ten days straight, and I haven’t topped up the battery once. I read two ebooks, took notes for multiple hour-long meetings, drafted my wedding guest list, listened to an entire 14-hour audiobook, tested the BOOXDrop file sharing features, and even used it as a scorecard for two intense game nights. I did this on one full charge, and the device still has 25% battery left. The note-taking was a surprising delight. It has the smallest of lags when drawing lines, but overall it really does write like paper.

I used the Boox Note Air3 for ten days straight, and I haven’t topped up the battery once.

The battery life on E-Ink readers is half the draw, the displays take up less power, and they traditionally do not need as much battery power as LCD, OLED, or AMOLED display tablets. The impressive Note Air3 battery is likely due to the company deciding not to include a feature that is present on the Note Air3 C and many of the Boox Tab series, Boox Superfast Refresh (BSR). This feature is great for smoothing that ghosting and lag effect present on most E-Ink readers, but it can diminish the battery life.

I don’t feel like I’m missing out on much without BSR though. With Android 12 and the CPU upgrades, I breezed through apps that even tend to slow down my iPhone — Kindle, Libby, Libro.fm, and Audible — without losing battery life. Additionally, as an avid user of ebook and audiobook apps outside the Amazon ecosystem, the ability to use all my favorite third-party apps is an unexpected delight. The addition of less distracted reading, listening, and writing is a big selling point for me. The Bluetooth connection is effective, and I found no issues using my earbuds, speaker, or even my car with a downloaded audiobook.

The note-taking and markup functionality worked well during meetings, and the microphone for quick recording to embed into notes is a great addition to its work/study functionality. I start graduate classes to finish my teaching certification in a few weeks and anticipate the PDF markup functions will get even more use. The BOOXDrop file sharing function connects to my personal Google Drive or my university’s OneDrive, allowing for cross-platform ease.

Two hands typing on a Freewrite Alpha on a lap.

Freewrite Alpha is a playful, distraction-free way for me to write first drafts

It’s not a typewriter or a laptop, and it makes writing as simple as possible.

What I didn’t like about the Onyx Book Note Air3

Minor critiques for my use, but might make a difference for you

The learning curve can be steep for new Boox users. Now that I’ve had a week and read the included intro book, I’m comfortable using the platforms and see value in how they are set up. I’ve seen some reviewers harsh on the “Store” in the Boox lineup, and the name could use some work as it’s actually filled with public domain books only. But as a librarian, I loved to see this. With Android 12 and the Google Play Store, you can add whichever other ebook or audiobook app libraries you would like, which is a delight compared to stricter systems like Kindles. It would be great to have a more recent Android onboard, but I didn’t have any issues while testing.

The lack of BSR (Boox Superfast Refresh) does mean ghosting is more present in this version than the color E-Ink model, but I never found it distracting, and I prefer the longer battery life and monochromatic reading experience. A quick manual screen refresh wipes away any ghosting that is overly concerning. Many Boox Note fans were anticipating a 300ppi E-Ink monochromatic display, but alas, it remains at 227ppi. To be clear, this isn’t a bad reading experience or display. Currently, the Kindle Scribe is the only E-Ink monochromatic tablet on the market with 300ppi, but it has been out for more than a year.

The last potential detraction is the included pen. It writes well, but is basic and doesn’t include extras like erasers or extra function buttons. It can get a bit uncomfortable for extended use, which is a bit disappointing given the price tag. If that’s a dealbreaker, you could buy a different pen or simply add a pen grip for greater comfort.

How I get free books for my Kindle without buying them from Amazon

How I get free books for my Kindle and Fire tablet without buying from Amazon

I have a book addiction, reading over 50 a year. It can get expensive, but I snag most of ebooks for free and still get to read them on my Kindle.

Verdict: Should you buy the Onyx Book Note Air3?

Is this your first ewriter or an upgrade?

onyx boox note air3 notetaking example 1

If you have the Note Air2 or Note Air2 Plus, you may want to wait to see if Boox releases a Note Air3 Plus this year or for the next generation for a more significant upgrade. The $399.99 price tag might not be worth it if you’re really holding out for that 300ppi monochromatic E-Ink display, but if this is your first Boox device or first ereader/writer, and you want a customized, distraction-free experience for reading and writing, I highly recommend it.

If this is your first Boox device or first ereader/writer, and you want a customized, distraction-free experience for reading and writing, I highly recommend it.

Additionally, the color offering is on the table, but personally, I’m in the in E-Ink tablet game for the long battery, third-party apps, and my eyes genuinely prefer monochromatic for reading. If you plan to use an E-Ink tablet for more color-intensive reading materials, and you have the additional $100 to cover the price difference, the Air3 C might be a better choice for you. But with my plans: four-five ebooks a week, an audiobook or two, multiple meeting notes, wedding planning, and graduate school, this is a fantastic device that fits my life and keeps me off my distracting phone.