Onyx Boox packs its e-ink pill right into a narrow chassis manufactured from a magnesium-aluminum alloy. In relation to weight, then again, at 430 grams it’s considerably heavier than the related gadgets. The display is safe by way of particular Onyx Glass, which is extra-thin and evenly etched to give protection to the display, whilst on the identical time enabling a flat entrance of the housing and lowering reflections.
The large edge on one aspect permits the pill to be held conveniently, and the show edges as a complete are well-dimensioned in order that the pill is straightforward to make use of however nonetheless seems trendy. We adore the construct high quality, most effective the transition from the show glass to the chassis is just a little tough.
With 64 GB UFS 2.1 flash and four GB RAM, the Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C isn’t a reminiscence massive however is sufficiently provided in comparison to different e-ink capsules. A microSD slot can be utilized to seriously increase the distance for e-books and information. The velocity of the reader is enough in our benchmarks.
The USB-C port most effective transfers information consistent with the USB 2.0 same old. NFC for near-field communique isn’t to be had. Additionally it is now not conceivable to resolve the positioning by means of satellites, most effective an approximate positioning by means of recognized WLAN networks.
The pill can’t hook up with the cell community, however WiFi 5 can be utilized because the quickest Wi-Fi same old for the Web connection. The check instrument thus achieves strong information charges of round 270 – 350 MBit/s and the MatePad Paper with WiFi 6 displays that considerably upper speeds are conceivable on this value vary.
The instrument is according to Android 12 however has been considerably redesigned and, with its personal library and retailer, is first of all designed for studying e-books. Notes can be created at once right here. Issues get attention-grabbing within the apps phase: The Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C comes with a pre-installed Google Play Retailer, which permits 1000’s of apps to be put in at the pill. A song participant, image gallery, and voice recorder also are pre-installed, and the producer additionally features a browser.
Onyx supplies updates now and again, however there’s no concrete promise in regards to the length.
The capacitive touchscreen can be utilized for operation and works exactly. On the other hand, the gradual reaction occasions of the e-ink show require persistence from the person now and again. To offer protection to your individual information, you’ll be able to set a password for the pill or sign in a fingerprint by means of the sensor within the standby button. As soon as a finger has been registered, it acknowledges it very reliably and unlocks the instrument with just a brief lengthen.
The pill can be operated the usage of the stylus provided, which is especially helpful for handwritten notes. On the other hand, smaller buttons can be operated extra reliably than with a finger. Drawing apps from the shop can in fact even be used.
The pill has its personal library house for saved e-books and helps various codecs: Along with TXT or HTML, it additionally helps the Kindle codecs AZW3, CBR, CBZ, RTF, FB2, DOC, DOCX, PRC, MOBI, CHM and EPUB. Much more unique codecs also are conceivable by means of apps from the shop.
The pre-installed book retailer accommodates (a minimum of in Europe) basically older classics in English, which will also be downloaded without cost; a whole book retailer seems other. Even if you’ll be able to additionally obtain apps corresponding to Tolino or Kindle by means of the Google Play Retailer or different Android app repositories, you’ll be able to’t purchase books at once from the apps both, as Google would fork out a substantial charge for this. Ebooks can due to this fact most often most effective be bought by means of the suppliers’ web pages.
Pull-out buttons at the right-hand aspect can be utilized to make direct settings for enhancing the usage of the stylus: This permits you to spotlight textual content passages, insert annotations, or black out portions. The textual content dimension will also be modified at once by way of drawing your arms in combination or aside and, if desired, carried out to all different paperwork. Display screen brightness and colour temperature will also be adjusted within the drop-down menu.
The time, battery standing, name, and web page quantity are at all times displayed on the backside of the display. Because of the great device energy, pages are opened temporarily, and the colour show makes it even more uncomplicated to revel in footage and illustrations in books.
The Kaleido 3 e-ink show with 1,240 x 930 pixels, which is put in within the Onyx Boox pill, is according to an absolutely other generation to traditional IPS or OLED presentations: it helps as much as 4,096 colours and 16 sun shades of gray. In comparison to typical presentations, those are only a few colour nuances, which is because of the truth that the photographs are constructed up the usage of coloured, white, or black pigments, that are introduced into place by way of other electric fees.
The benefit: as soon as a picture has been constructed up, it may be maintained with out additional power intake. Since the pigments are bodily provide, the distinction may be very top and you do not essentially desire a backlight to learn.
On the other hand, the Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C nonetheless has an illuminated display, so you’ll be able to additionally browse in the dead of night. The display will also be as brilliant as 49 cd/m², different e-ink capsules from time to time be offering much more brightness on request. In our check, then again, it’s nonetheless enough for all eventualities, additionally because of the display’s non-reflective floor.
There’s no PWM, however the reaction occasions are very gradual, so it is usually obvious that the display most effective reacts to inputs with a slight lengthen. Even if Onyx makes use of a different spice up mode for quicker show, in order that video content material is recognizable, it’s not in point of fact amusing because of the few colours and the nonetheless low body price. Video games that require rapid reactions also are now not a powerful level of the e-ink pill.
The Snapdragon 680 is already 3 years previous however nonetheless supplies the Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C with sufficient energy to show apps slightly easily, so far as that is conceivable with the low body price of the display. Turning pages in texts and e-books works relatively temporarily and nearly all of apps from the shop will also be began and run with none issues.
Because of UFS 2.1 flash, the mass garage of the e-ink pill isn’t a bottleneck for efficiency both: it transfers information temporarily and allows slightly brief loading occasions.
It’s gratifying that the pill rarely heats up below a top load. Even throttling of the SoC isn’t an issue consistent with the 3DMark tension exams.
There are two audio system at the left aspect of the Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C, which is able to additionally produce slight stereo results in panorama mode. They are able to additionally play slightly loud, however sound just a little treble-heavy. With the pre-installed audio participant, Onyx Boox is obviously aimed toward customers who like to hear audiobooks or song. Audio output could also be conceivable by means of USB-C or Bluetooth. This works with prime quality and is straightforward to arrange. Sadly, it’s not conceivable to resolve which formats are to be had for wi-fi audio transmission, because the pill does now not permit us to appear into the developer settings.
At 3,700 mAh, the Observe Air 3 C’s battery is slightly tough and lasts as much as 5 hours below top load. Sadly, we’re not able to hold out our WLAN check, as this will require a display brightness of 150 cd/m² for comparison. The pill lasts for 17:10 hours below very low load, backlight, and WLAN, which is kind of identical to studying an book, so a wet day with a just right e-book isn’t interrupted by way of a charging procedure.
The pill will also be totally charged in just below 2:30 hours if it used to be totally empty previously.
The Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C gives some particular options, initially in fact the colour show, which makes it more uncomplicated to enjoy pictures and illustrations in e-books, but additionally gives added price when browsing the Web and the usage of apps. Because the instrument is according to Android and the Google Play Retailer is pre-installed, you’ll be able to simply set up your most well-liked reader instrument and flick thru your library, however the pre-installed reader instrument additionally does its task effectively.
For notes or drawings, there’s the provided stylus, which is dependable to paintings with. The fingerprint sensor could also be a different function, providing coverage for personal information. The truth that the reminiscence of the e-ink pill will also be expanded by means of microSD could also be a really perfect function. Because of respectable audio system and sound output for headphones by means of USB-C and Bluetooth, audiobook and song lovers may also get their cash’s price.
On the other hand, the standard boundaries of e-ink presentations follow in spite of the sped up body price: As an example, movies can rarely be displayed in a good approach because of the nonetheless slightly a couple of colours and the gradual reaction time of the display. The pill could also be now not in point of fact appropriate for quick video games.
The Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C allows fatigue-free studying, handwritten notes and expands its capability with Android apps.
The Huawei MatePad Paper and the Lenovo Sensible Paper are in a identical value vary. Huawei has slight boundaries because of the loss of Google products and services, whilst Lenovo has to make do with out audio system.
The Onyx Boox Observe Air 3 C is to be had on the time of trying out for just below 550 euros from our apartment broker KEX within the on-line store to shop for.
Additionally it is to be had at this value on amazon.de.
Allow 48h for review and removal.