BOOX BOOX 6.13" Palma 2 E-Ink Tablet (White) Review

So, the BOOX Palma 2. It's a weird little device, and I mean that in the best way. Imagine an e-reader, but shaped like a phone, running full Android 13. It's not trying to be a tablet replacement. It's for the person who's tired of their phone's glowing screen but still wants to check Twitter, read a Kindle book, or scroll through Pocket articles without the eye strain. The 6.13-inch E-Ink Carta 1200 screen is the whole point here, and it makes this thing feel like a digital notepad or a super-powered Kindle.

Performance is... interesting. That Qualcomm octa-core CPU and 6GB of RAM land in the 34th and 52nd percentiles, respectively. In plain English, this isn't a speed demon. It'll handle basic Android apps, web browsing, and reading apps just fine, but don't expect buttery-smooth scrolling in complex apps or to do any serious multitasking. The E-Ink screen is the bottleneck for anything visual, with a refresh rate that makes animations look choppy. That's just the nature of the tech. Think of it less like a tablet and more like a very smart, connected e-reader. The 128GB of storage is decent, and expandable storage is a nice bonus for loading up on ebooks and PDFs.

At $270, the value proposition is tricky. You can get a basic Kindle for under $100, or a very competent Android tablet like a Lenovo Tab M11 for around the same price as the Palma 2. So you're paying a premium specifically for that pocketable Android-on-E-Ink experience. If that's exactly what you want, it's arguably the only game in town at this size. But if you're just looking for a device to read books, a standard e-reader is much cheaper. If you need a general-purpose tablet, even a budget one will feel faster and more capable.

Let's stack it up. Against an Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab, there's no contest on performance or screen quality—those tablets wipe the floor with the Palma 2 for media, apps, and multitasking. But they also have LCD screens that can strain your eyes. The Palma 2's real competition is other E-Ink devices. Compared to a Kindle, you gain full Android app support but lose the seamless Amazon ecosystem and likely some battery life. Compared to larger BOOX tablets like the Note Air, you lose screen real estate for PDFs and note-taking but gain ultimate portability. The Lenovo Legion Go is a different beast entirely, focused on gaming, but highlights how specialized the Palma 2 is.

Here's who should buy the BOOX Palma 2: you're a voracious reader who wants to ditch your phone's screen at night, but you also want to use apps like Libby, Pocket, or even Slack on a non-backlit display. You value portability above all else and are okay with a slower, more deliberate user experience. Don't buy this if you need a primary tablet, want to watch videos, do digital art, or need fast performance. It's a luxury tool for a very specific job—protecting your eyes while staying connected. For that person, it's kind of brilliant. For everyone else, it's a confusing and expensive gadget.