The BOOX Note Air6 C, a new version of one of the most capable e-readers on the market, has been launched, raising the question of whether it is a mere speed bump or a substantial upgrade.
The Air6 C combines a large colour E Ink display with handwriting recognition, document annotation and the flexibility of Android. Designed for readers, students, and professionals, it promises to make both reading and working with digital documents more comfortable.
Display and Design
The first thing to jump out is the 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 colour E Ink display. It offers a resolution of 2480 x 1860 pixels in black and white, equivalent to 300ppi, while colour content is displayed at 1240 x 930 pixels, or 150ppi. It can reproduce 4,096 colours, making it especially suited to reading illustrated books, magazines, comics and colour-coded documents.
Colours are inevitably more muted than those on a conventional LCD or OLED screen, but this is the trade-off for the more paper-like viewing experience. The screen also features an adjustable dual-tone front light, allowing users to switch between cooler and warmer illumination depending on the surroundings.
This is particularly useful when reading in the evening or in less well-lit environments. The anti-glare does a good job of minimising reflections, while the E Ink technology avoids the harsh appearance of a conventional backlit tablet. However, the display is naturally darker than a standard monochrome E Ink screen, and the colour resolution is noticeably lower.
Performance and Features
One of the biggest improvements over the previous version is the e-reader's responsiveness. Its Super Refresh (BSR) technology is designed to reduce ghosting and make page turns and scrolling smoother.
The Air6 C is powered by an upgraded octa-core processor and 6GB of RAM, which gives it a substantial performance improvement over its predecessor - according to BOOX, page-turning performance is up to 40 per cent faster than the previous generation. While it still cannot match the fluidity of a conventional tablet, the improvement makes navigating documents and using third-party applications more pleasant.
The included BOOX Pen3 stylus supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, making handwriting, sketching, and annotating documents feel natural. The writing experience is close to using a traditional pen on paper, and the ability to organise notes, add tags and search through handwritten material makes this a useful tool for students and professionals.
Android Flexibility and Battery Life
The Air6 C provides access to the Google Play Store, meaning users aren't restricted to BOOX's own reading applications. Popular ebook services, productivity tools, cloud storage platforms and note-taking apps can all be installed. It also supports a wide range of document formats, including PDF, EPUB, MOBI, DOCX and PowerPoint files.
The flexibility is impressive, although the interface has a learning curve. BOOX provides plenty of options for adjusting screen refresh rates, display settings and application behaviour, but the number of menus and settings can initially feel overwhelming.
Battery life will depend heavily on how the device is used, with intensive note-taking, wireless connectivity and frequent screen refreshing placing greater demands on the battery. Early independent testing has highlighted scope for improvement in power efficiency, so it is worth keeping this in mind.
Compromises and Verdict
There are a few other compromises. The colour display lacks the vibrancy of a traditional tablet, while the refresh technology cannot completely eliminate ghosting. The relatively high price also means it is a considerable investment, particularly if you primarily want a device for reading novels. An optional keyboard folio adds further versatility, turning the Air6 C into a more capable portable workstation, though it also increases the overall cost.
E-readers can be an acquired taste, so the review recommends seeing them in the flesh before making a purchase. But there's no doubt the Air6 C is the flagship device of its type. The BOOX Note Air6 C is available for £549.99 from Amazon.
