Onyx Boox

Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro

D
Ranked #10 in E-Readers
252 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

The Palma 2 Pro is a high-end model that adds a touchscreen and a dual-tone front light, but the extra cost is not justified by the marginal feature set.

Consolidated from 19 cited sources across 16 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

  • 7 positive sources
  • 11 mixed sources
  • 1 unconvinced source
See the sources
Flagged as a product to avoid

2 of 7 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.

The extra cost is not justified by the marginal feature set.

Flagged 13 September 2026

1 earlier flag predates the point where runs began recording their reasoning, so its grounds were never written down.

Why the boards include products to avoid

Check price

Pros & cons

  • ✓ 10-inch tablet-style
  • ✓ 300-ppi display
  • ✓ Stylus support
  • ✓ Full Android OS
  • ✓ Phone-sized e-ink form factor
  • ✗ Extra cost not justified
  • ✗ Marginal feature set
  • ✗ Thin Boox warranty support
  • ✗ Software updates historically slow after year two
  • ✗ Glass-slab fragility versus a Kindle's rugged simplicity

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found. 1 outlet wouldn't let us check its link.

Evidence 5 articles, 13 video reviews and 1 community source

7 positive sources

E Expert Reviews Jonathan Bray · reviewer · Nov 2025
There’s nowhere to stow the stylus on or in the body of the Palma 2 Pro, either. It attaches magnetically to the clip on the case that comes supplied with the InkSense bundle, but that’s not the most elegant solution, and the pen is dislodged rather too easily for my liking. Plus, when it runs out of battery, you have to charge it via USB-C. Once again, the Remarkable Paper Pro Move deploys a more elegant method: its pen docks firmly to the right edge of the reader, and it charges while attached.
Read
K Kit Betts-Masters Kit Betts-Masters · 71.6K subscribers · Feb 2026
Yep, it works for calls and messages if you download the "#messages" app. I have no idea why that app works and others don't, but it's good news if you just want to be able to carry only the Palma 2 Pro and be able to be reached whilst you enjy the mindful carry that is this beautiful e-ink device
Watch
E Ewritable Article
In sum, the design and build of the Boox Palma 2 Pro strike a careful equilibrium between modesty and resilience. It doesn’t feel like a a luxurious object, but it is an honest one: solid, portable, and thoughtfully constructed, with few superfluous gestures. Its aesthetic restraint is not a deficiency but a kind of maturity – a design that serves its function with quiet confidence.
Read
S Shifting Spotlight Shifting Spotlight · 555 subscribers · Jan 2026
I love the Boox Palma 2 Pro. The one major issue out of the box was that the screen seemed sub-par to my other eink devices, which could destroy your experience. After some experimentation I have found a combination of a physical change (clear glass screen protector) and settings (high contrast mode especially) have taken the screen from zero to hero
Watch
Y YouTube Kit Betts-Masters · channel
I've said that the Boox Note Air5 C and the Boox Palma 2 Pro are the best e-ink combo you can buy right now, well, what do you think? Here's why I think I'm right!
Watch
B bookish rogue bookish rogue · 86 subscribers · Jun 2026
But the portability really motivated me to buy the Palma 2 Pro and use the webtoon. So take it. Take it. He is incredible
Watch
E Ewritable Article
The Boox Palma 2 Pro is one such device – although its integration into my daily routine happened gradually, almost stealthily.
Read

11 mixed sources

P Pocket-lint Ian Carlos Campbell · reviewer · Nov 2025
For anyone closely following Boox's devices, the Palma 2 Pro is a culmination of the work the company has done building smartphone-sized devices. It doesn't come without tradeoffs, though. Color E Ink isn't as crisp as a traditional black and white E Ink screen. And writing on the device isn't as comfortable as the company's other devices. If the thing you're most interested in is using the Palma 2 Pro as a phone replacement, or at least making it the main way you read when you're not at home, it really is the best option out there. Having a 5G connection makes a difference in how useful the device actually is. The only shame is that the feature isn't available on Boox's cheaper devices.
Read
H HardReset.Info HardReset.Info · 1.6M subscribers · May 2026
After a month of daily use, the Palma 2 Pro stops feeling like a gadget or and starts actually feeling like a very specific lifestyle device. It's partly the e-reader, partly a mini Android phone, and partly a diet distraction filter. It's very very powerful, but also interestingly imperfectly in ways that uh shape how I actually use it
Watch
Y YouTube Teoh on Tech · channel
The first thing I want to say is this looks like a phone, but I'm not sure if I can call it a phone. This SIM tray can support a micro SD card and a nano SIM at the same time. But the SIM it supports is a data SIM, not a cellular SIM that can make phone calls, send or receive SMS, and still has data. You can still make calls using WhatsApp, Messenger, Zoom. You can make Wi-Fi calls.
Watch
G Good e-Reader Good e-Reader · 164K subscribers · Dec 2025
The Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro is a unique, phone-sized color e-reader praised for its portability, responsive performance, and Android 15 flexibility for apps like comics/manga. Still, its Kaleido 3-color screen offers lower resolution and fuzzy images, making B&W reading superior and note-taking less satisfying due to a smooth screen that lacks friction for the stylus. Key features include 5G/LTE data (no calls), a decent processor for e-ink tasks, and a customizable smart button. Still, the color display's quality and subpar writing feel are major drawbacks for some users
Watch
O overkill.wtf Article
Despite the 5G connectivity, the Palma 2 Pro cannot do phone calls and cannot send text messages (in theory, because of course someone got it working ). You can, however, use any kind of messaging app out there for phone calls.
Read
G Good e-Reader Good e-Reader · 164K subscribers · Dec 2025
The Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro is a unique, phone-sized color e-reader praised for its portability, responsive performance, and Android 15 flexibility for apps like comics/manga. Still, its Kaleido 3-color screen offers lower resolution and fuzzy images, making B&W reading superior and note-taking less satisfying due to a smooth screen that lacks friction for the stylus. Key features include 5G/LTE data (no calls), a decent processor for e-ink tasks, and a customizable smart button. Still, the color display's quality and subpar writing feel are major drawbacks for some users
Watch
M My Deep Guide My Deep Guide · 68.3K subscribers · Dec 2025
Palma 2 Pro is the device everyone's been waiting for! Right? Well, for some that will be true, for others, not so much. While there is certainly a lot to like and even love about the Palma 2 Pro (mobie data, usable writing capability, colors, portability), there are some issues that may fall into the category of annoyances, or dealbreakers, depending on your priorities and needs. There is no question that Palma 2 Pro is an excellent and a genuinely useful device, but so was and is Palma 2, and at a considerably lower price point
Watch
C Chalid Raqami Chalid Raqami · 31.7K subscribers · Dec 2025
And, yeah, the intentionally missing phone functionality is still annoying, and hopefully we might get it back with rooting the Palma 2 Pro. But despite that, I really like what it brings to the table. Note-taking works well within the constraints of the small display and capacitive stylus, portability is great, the color E Ink display is generally useful, battery life is good overall, and I love having GPS on here for navigation outdoors. Besides the missing phone features, there's one other thing that makes this a not-so-easy buy, and that's the price
Watch
C Charlie Samways Charlie Samways · 6.9K subscribers · May 2026
The Boox Palma 2 Pro is stuck between two worlds. It's more than your Kindle but less than your smartphone, and it knows it. That's both its limitation and its charm. On the right day, for the right person, this device is brilliant.
Watch
J jenicaidk jenicaidk · 2K subscribers · May 2026
But yeah, that's basically how I use the Boox Palma 2 Pro, you know, as a dedicated e-reader. I wouldn't recommend it being your only one if that's going to be the only place you read anything ever just because it costs so much, but as an intentional intentionality device, it's great. It really has changed my relationship with my phone specifically and like how I consume media or how I pick up my phone to like do things. Basically, it really just has helped me with like intentional tech usage and I'm really glad that I have it for more of that like intentional/slow living aspect.
Watch
C cozy heather cozy heather · 571 subscribers · Nov 2025
A nice feature of the Palma 2 Pro is that you can actually insert a SIM card that allows you to use your phone's data. Basically, it's not like a full phone. This is not going to replace your phone. I mean, you could probably get away with using it, but personally, I really enjoy my iPhone, so this it just can't really compare to that
Watch

Frequently asked questions

It ranks #10 of 18 on our e-readers tier list, in D tier. That placement draws on 19 cited sources across 16 outlets.

1 of the 19 sources with a clear view is critical of it: r/Onyx_Boox. Extra cost not justified. Marginal feature set. Thin Boox warranty support. Software updates historically slow after year two. Glass-slab fragility versus a Kindle's rugged simplicity.

Ranked nearby in E-Readers