E-readers are sometimes mistaken for single-purpose units with eye-friendly shows. After all, fashionable e-paper units are a lot greater than that. Onyx Boox is a model that has labored onerous at excelling on this class, defeating the likes of the Amazon Kindle for the throne.
The Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C is a colorized and up to date iteration of the Onyx Boox Observe Air 3, reviewed by my colleague Harish Jonnalagadda. The Observe Air 3 has a colorized model known as the Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C, which begs the query, why must you purchase the newer, costlier mannequin?
As with every new launch, the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C has upgraded internals and software program. After utilizing it for a number of months, I’ve some ideas concerning the Observe Air 4 C. Let’s dive into the small print.
There is a new shade Onyx Boox on the town and it is as smooth as ever
Onyx Boox stays busy, launching new fashions of its black & white in addition to coloured E Ink tablets loaded with Android each few months. The Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C was launched on October 23, 2024. Apparently, there isn’t a grayscale Observe Air 4 to go along with the 4 C.
You should purchase the Observe Air 4 C for $499.99 from Onyx Boox’s web site or retailers like Amazon. It comes with a stylus within the field and a charging cable, however the accompanying Observe Air 4 C Cowl must be purchased individually for an additional $50.99.
Onyx Boox outfitted the Observe Air 4C with an upgraded Kaleido 3 shade E Ink panel which delivers higher brightness and distinction ranges, in addition to the next display refresh charge. The ten.3-inch e-paper show has an anti-glare layer on high and a Wacom layer to assist the included EMR stylus.
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Design smart, the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C seems to be precisely the identical because the last-gen Observe Air 3 C. Each e-readers are equally slim at light-weight, measuring 226mm x 193mm x 5.8mm in measurement and coming in at a light-weight 430 grams.
To make you perceive simply how smooth this factor is, I in contrast it to the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely. Subsequent to this slim and trim e-ink pill, the S25 Extremely seems to be chunky. It is wonderful, contemplating that is an older design, whereas Samsung’s flagship cellphone is sizzling out of the oven and hasn’t even began transport but.
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There are not any bodily buttons aside from the ability button. The microSD card slot continues to be positioned within the backbone of the pill, together with the USB-C port for 15W wired charging. You too can use a USB-C thumb drive with the Observe Air 4 C because it helps USB-C OTG.
Sadly, there is not any ingress safety but once more this yr, so it’s important to be tremendous cautious when dealing with the Observe Air 4 C close to liquids and grainy strong particles.
The software program is the largest draw with Boox tablets
As I discussed earlier, the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C has a speedier octa-core chipset and beefier 6GB RAM, including 2GB to the Observe Air 3 C’s 4GB of RAM. The result’s noticeably improved efficiency, fewer situations of ghosting, and higher loading occasions on the whole. It is nonetheless nowhere close to as snappy as a full-blown Android pill, after all, but it surely’s one of many quickest e-paper tablets that cash should purchase proper now.
Boosted internals go hand in hand with newer software program. The Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C comes with Android 13 put in out of the field versus the Observe Air 3 C, which got here with Android 12. This might sound previous seeing as we’re on Android 15 within the smartphone sector now. However for e-readers, that is fairly superior. To not point out, Onyx Boox guarantees to ship at the very least three years of firmware updates to all of its units. Most Boox tabs in all probability get greater than that.
The most important draw with an Onyx Boox e-reader is that you simply get unfettered entry to Android apps, and the Play Retailer is pre-installed. Amazon blocks this skill on all Kindle e-readers, limiting what you are able to do with a Kindle to a fantastic extent. The Observe Air 4 is ripe with prospects. You may attempt putting in any Android app within the solar. Even when it is incompatible, you possibly can tweak and optimize it utilizing Onyx Boox’s built-in customizability instruments.
The NeoReader is a unbelievable e-book app with intensive instruments and choices baked in. Observe-taking can be a deal with on the Observe Air 4 C, because of Boox’s Notes app, which has OCR built-in in an effort to convert hand-written notes on the fly. Onyx Boox affords so many helpful studying and writing features that it is onerous to checklist out every thing.
Like each different tech model, Onyx Boox has additionally hopped aboard the AI bandwagon. You get neat AI options pre-loaded on the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C, such because the Boox AI Assistant and AI Learn. This makes the NeoReader extra clever than ever earlier than.
Only a few opponents provide what the Observe Air 4 C does
There are many e-readers on the market, however only a few can do what the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C can. In the event you do not care about Android smarts and simply need an affordable e-reader for nothing however studying, probably the most simple reply is an affordable Amazon Kindle.
Different competing manufacturers embody Bigme, Kobo, and Pocketbook. Nonetheless, none of those corporations have e-readers that run Android 13, include shade shows, and constantly obtain software program updates.
Mockingly, for those who’re on the lookout for a less expensive different, the best option comes from Onyx Boox themselves. The smaller Boox Palma 2 launched alongside the Observe Air 4 C and prices solely $279.99. It incorporates a 6.13-inch E Ink Carta 1200 show that solely outputs shades of black and white. The nifty little Palma 2 has lots of the smarts of the 4 C regardless of its stature, and it one-ups the bigger tab because of its splash-proof design.
Is it price shopping for the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C?
You should purchase it if…
- You need the newest processor and better RAM
- You need a versatile e-reader for note-taking
- You are a scholar or somebody who wants to write down quite a bit
- You need a colourful e-reader
You should not purchase it if…
- You want ingress safety like water-resistance and dust-proofing
- Your finances is extraordinarily tight
As a lot as I like the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C, nearly $500 is a hefty worth to pay for such a distinct segment system. It is a great e-reader that is excellent for note-taking, with no limitations and unrestricted entry to Android apps through the Play Retailer. Nonetheless, every thing that I like about this pill overlaps with the Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C.
Frankly talking, past the menial {hardware} improve such because the quicker processor and newer Bluetooth chip, there’s not quite a bit there to justify shopping for the Observe Air 4 C over its predecessor. You may rating the Observe Air 3 C for $50 much less and it nonetheless will get the identical firmware upgrades because the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C.
If Android 13 is of nice significance to you, the newer Boox e-reader is sensible. However typically, I might counsel choosing the older Observe Air 3 C as an alternative. Make no mistake, the Onyx Boox Observe Air 4 C is a spectacular system. It is simply that it does not add a lot over the last-gen 3 C, at the very least not sufficient to justify a $50 worth distinction.
Get school prepared
Onyx Boox created the Observe Air 4 C for studying at the beginning, and the system excels at that. Along with an exquisite built-in e-reader with exhaustive choices, this Android pill additionally features as a spectacular note-taking system with native OCR. Now outfitted with a number of AI options and a quicker processor, it is the best non-intrusive system for a studious particular person, working skilled, or school-going particular person.
