The Boox Palma 2 Pro is a $400 e-reader built to fit where a phone fits. After two months of testing, reviewer Aisha Malik found that the device solved a problem she had accepted for years: reading on an iPhone left her eyes strained, and the Palma 2 Pro did not.
A phone-shaped reader with a different screen
At 175 grams, the Palma 2 Pro is lighter than an iPhone. It slips into a pocket and fits inside small purses, which is why Malik carried it everywhere, including to a doctor’s office and through an airport. The device is meant to be picked up in the moments people normally spend scrolling on a phone.
Its front-lit E Ink display can be set to cool or warm lighting and dimmed to unusually low levels. That combination made bedtime reading more comfortable than holding a phone, and it produced less eye strain than reading on a phone screen. Malik previously read on her iPhone because it was comfortable to hold; squarish Kindles were harder to manage while lying down.
Android inside, with access to Google Play
Because the Palma 2 Pro runs Android and supports Google Play, it can host Kindle, Kobo, Libby and other reading apps. Audiobook, podcast, read-it-later and email apps are also supported. The built-in reader app is optional rather than mandatory. The device includes a rear camera for scanning documents, a built-in speaker and a hybrid SIM slot for cellular data.
A stylus can be used for notes and PDF markup, but Malik did not test that feature because no stylus was included with the device.
Battery life and the ghosting trade-off
In testing, the battery lasted about five to seven days. Turning off Wi-Fi can extend that time.
Ghosting is a visible downside. Text from previous pages lingers on the screen, and clearing it requires a manual refresh through a button in the navigation bar. Animations and some interfaces also feel sluggish because of the limits of E Ink, and color images are less vibrant than they would be on a smartphone screen.
Who should consider it
Malik used the Palma 2 Pro as a dedicated reading and audiobook device, and she found it more comfortable than a phone for reading in bed. That focus is also a limitation. She says the device is not for Kindle lovers, and she considers $400 steep for an e-reader.
Boox is preparing a non-Pro Palma 3 for $340. It will have a black-and-white display and replace the Palma 2. The exact release date has not been given.
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