Boox Palma 2: The E-Ink Reader That's Changing the Game

I am an avid reader (and audiobook listener), so when news broke about the new Boox Palma 2, my interest was immediately piqued. When the company offered to send me a review unit, I was beyond excited.

The Palma 2 was announced in October 2024, just a little over a year after the first Boox Palma was released. It has a few technical upgrades and all the capabilities of the first version. But I have lots of e-ink devices and e-readers. How is this one different?

You may remember that I reviewed the Boox Note Air3 C right around the time the Palma 2 was announced. So, if I already use one Boox device, why would I want another? The answer is pretty simple: it's more portable. But there are nuances to that answer, too. Here's what I've learned during the weeks that I've been testing the Palma 2.

Boox Palma 2: What's Changed?

Let's start with a quick overview of the tech. The Palma 2 is a smartphone-sized e-book reader. Its predecessor had a Snapdragon 460/662 processor, while the Palma 2 has a Snapdragon 690/750 5G processor. Ultimately, however, both are 8-Core/2 Ghz processors, so if you're comparing the performance of the two, you're not likely to see a huge difference.

The Palma 2's other specs are mostly the same as those of the original Palma device. It still has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There's still a microSD card slot, but no SIM card slot and it has the same 3950 mAh battery.

What's different is that aside from the slight processor upgrade, the Palma 2 now has a fingerprint sensor and runs on Android 13, which is probably the most significant update. I'm still a little confused about why the Android version can't be upgraded without a whole new device, but that's an investigation for another time.

How Useful Is the Boox Palma 2?

Now, let's get to the fun stuff. I coveted the Palma 2 because I love to read. What I don't love is having to juggle a larger device. The Boox Note Air3 C has its place in my daily routine, but while I could read ebooks and listen to audiobooks on it, it's just bigger than I want to deal with. The same holds true for my go-to Kindle Paperwhite. Even as small as it is, it's still too big sometimes. As a result, I found that I often default back to my smartphone for reading.

The phone is easier to hold and carry around than a larger tablet-style e-reader. That's where the Palma 2 comes in. First, because it has Android 13 and the Google Play Store, I can download any reading app I want to the device. Then, because it's only slightly larger than my phone, I can tuck it in a pocket and take it with me, which means I'm not draining my phone battery while I'm reading.

I love the device for reading. It has adjustable brightness and temperature controls so I can make it brighter when I'm outside or dim it down at night so I experience less eye strain. I've already mentioned that I can load whatever reading apps I want on the device. Personally, I use Kindle and Nook more than anything, but there's also a built-in reading app that provides access to public-domain books. You can also add Hoopla, Libby, and many other reading options.

Next up is audiobooks. I probably physically read about 30-50 books a year, but I also listen to 50 or so audiobooks each year, and Audible is my preferred service for audiobooks. I was able to load Audible on the Palma 2, and after a couple of fits and starts, it's working great. Initially, I struggled with the screen cutting off and ending the book, but I tweaked some settings and now that's not an issue.

The Things Boox Plama 2 Doesn't Do

The main selling point of the Palma 2 is that it's a cross between a dedicated reading device and a smartphone, with the idea being that you can enjoy your reading (or audiobooks) without distraction. So, you can download apps to the device, but you'll find it's not great for anything that's graphic intense. Images and videos just look grainy, which is to be expected with an e-ink device. That's okay for me, I didn't buy the device for its graphical prowess.

You'll also find that connectivity with the Palma 2 is limited. It has Bluetooth, so you can connect it to headphones if you want to listen to audiobooks with them or use it with apps like WhatsApp for messaging. But it doesn't have SIM capabilities, so you can't access mobile networks. I'm not sure why anyone would want to, but if that's your vibe, know this isn't the device for you.

You also can't use the Boox stylus with the device. This is a feature that I think could be useful; unfortunately, it's not currently available.

Is the Boox Palma 2 Worth It?

At $286, the boox Palma 2 is about $35 more than the current price of the original Palma if you buy it with the protective case. That's a chunk more than you can get an Amazon Kindle tablet for, but for the form factor alone, I think it's worth it. Once you add in the extra functionality of having the Google Play Store at your fingertips, the ability to read and listen to books on multiple platforms, and the newer operating system, you get a solid e-book reader that is useful for more than just reading.

I would also encourage you to spend the extra $35 and get the device with the newer operating system, just to be as current as possible. Either way, though, this is a solid e-reader with some extra features that make it completely worth the spend.