Boox Palma 2 Pro Review: A Phone-Sized E-Ink Reader Built for Night Reading
The Boox Palma 2 Pro is a $400 smartphone-sized e-ink reader with a color E Ink screen, Android with Google Play apps, and borrowed features from phones like a rear camera and SIM slot. A review by Aisha Malik, published October 24 on TechCrunch, credited the gadget with solving a very specific problem: reading comfortably in bed without the eye strain and blue glow of a phone. Should you spend e-reader money on it, or wait for the cheaper black-and-white Palma 3 coming soon? Here is what the review says and who this device is actually for.
Key Takeaways:
- – The Palma 2 Pro costs $400 and is a phone-sized color E Ink reader running Android with Google Play access.
- – It weighs about 175 grams, roughly lighter than most flagship phones, and dims its front light low enough to read in a dark bedroom.
- – You can install Kindle, Kobo, Libby, podcast and audiobook apps rather than being locked into one store.
- – Pros: portability and low eye strain. Cons: 5-to-7-day battery life, screen ghosting, and a price above most dedicated readers.
- – A cheaper, black-and-white Palma 3 at $340 is on the way if color is not important to you.
Why this e-reader is phone-sized
Most e-readers are built like small tablets, which is fine on a desk and awkward in one hand at night. Boox’s official online store lists the Palma series as deliberately shaped and sized to resemble a modern smartphone, so the device fits a front jeans pocket or a small purse. In the review, Aisha Malik notes that although she owns a Kindle, most e-readers ‘are squarish and hard to hold’ without a grip accessory, and the Palma’s phone-sized shape made it her default bedside reader during two months of testing.
The screen is also a light source that is easier on the eyes than an LCD phone panel. The temperature of the front light can slide from cool to warm, and brightness can drop to levels where a reviewer says she could read comfortably in a room with the lights off. Color E Ink means book covers, article images and illustrated reading material render close to their real appearance, something impossible on a monochrome Kindle screen.
Opening apps on Android
This is the part Kindle users cannot do. Because the Palma series runs Android on Boox hardware, you can sideload, or simply open Google Play and install the Kindle app, Kobo, Libby for your public library, read-it-later services like Pocket, plus podcast and audiobook apps. Good eReader’s review praises the Palma 2 Pro’s responsive performance, portability and its Android 15 system, while Boox’s own online store lists Android 16 on its newest tablet models, evidence the platform is being actively updated.
Apps are not equally polished on E Ink. Scrolling can feel slower because refreshing the page turns gray to black glass slowly. Apps built for rich media, like Instagram, do not make sense on E Ink, and complex apps may include layout choices tuned for color LCD screens instead. The Palma is best treated as a dedicated reading device that happens to run a few apps, not as a small phone with e-ink wallpaper.
Battery life, cameras, and a SIM slot
The Palma 2 Pro carries phone extras you will rarely see on e-readers. There is a rear camera that handles document scanning, a built-in speaker for audio without headphones, and a hybrid SIM slot for cellular data. E Ink is a low-power display technology, so idle time uses less energy than a phone, but Android, wireless radios and the color panel drain the Palma faster than a plain Kindle. TechCrunch logged about 5 to 7 days per charge, against weeks of standby for a Kindle, and the reviewer turned off Wi-Fi to stretch it further.
Weight matters here too: at 175 grams the device is ‘noticeably lighter’ than an iPhone, in the reviewer’s words, which makes it feel closer to a paperback than a gadget in hand.
What still feels dated
Two real complaints recur in reviews. First, ghosting: elements of the previous page can faintly remain on the screen after you turn it, and Boox relies on a manual refresh button to clear the residue. Malik flags this as the biggest downside at a $400 price, and Android Police’s earlier review called the software and feature set ‘brilliant but unnecessarily complex’ for what a reader actually needs. Second, the price: $400 buys more tablet than reader, and cheaper dedicated readers do fewer things better.
Color E Ink is still a compromise technology: colors look muted next to any phone screen, and images lose punch on a paperlike surface. If you read mostly novels in bed, you lose little by picking black and white.
Who should buy it, and who should skip it
Buy the Palma 2 Pro if you currently do most of your reading on a phone, your eyes bother you at night, and you want to carry a reading device that disappears into the same pocket. It is also a good pick for commuters who want to read library books through Libby without carrying a tablet. Skip it if you are happy with your Kindle: the cheaper black-and-white Palma 3 arriving at $340 better serves people who ‘just want a small e-reader.’
There is also no subscription penalty to think about here, unlike services that bundle hardware and content; you buy the device and use whatever reading apps and stores you already pay for, without being locked into Amazon’s or Barnes & Noble’s ecosystem.
What happens next
Watch two things. First, the Palma 3: Boox is launching a non-Pro version at $340 with a black-and-white display that replaces the Palma 2, which will sharpen the value question for anyone who does not need color or the Pro’s extras. Second, app behavior: as more reading and audio apps get updates tuned for E Ink panels, the gap between ‘works’ and ‘feels good’ should close on this form factor, and competitors like a high-end Kindle are unlikely to bring E Ink to the phone size niche.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Boox Palma 2 Pro worth the $400 price?
For readers whose main problem is eye strain from phone reading, and who want Android apps and cellular data, yes. For readers who just want a cheap Kindle replacement, no; the black-and-white Palma 3 at $340 does that job for less.
Can the Boox Palma 2 Pro make calls or scroll social media?
You can install social apps from Google Play, but E Ink is a slow refresh experience and poorly suited for scrolling video traffic. It is a reading-first device with a data SIM slot, not a calling phone.
How long does the Palma 2 Pro battery last?
Roughly 5 to 7 days per charge in the reviewer’s experience, versus weeks on a plain Kindle, because Android, wireless radios and a color panel draw more power. Turning Wi-Fi off stretches it further.
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