The Onyx Boox Tab Mini C is the first international release of a Kaleido 3 e-paper e-note with a 7.8-inch screen. This makes it the perfect size to bring to work, school or to draw. Onyx is billing this tablet as not just a dedicated e-reader, although it reads books well. The real power of the Mini C is the utterly fantastic hardware, so you will get a robust experience no matter what you are doing. The major selling points are the Kaleido 3 colour e-paper display, Android 11 with Google Play, a premium stylus and a case that automatically puts it to sleep and wakes it up again. You can buy the Tab Mini C from the Good e-Reader Store for $449 and it comes with a free case and a stylus.
The Onyx Boox Tab Mini C features a 7.8-inch E INK Kaleido 3 e-paper screen that can display 4096 colours, and the screen is flush with the bezel, protected with AG glass flat cover-lens. The resolution is 1404×1872 with 300 PPI to display content in black and white. The resolution when displaying colour is 702×936 with 150 PPI. It has a WACOM screen, so you can take notes, edit PDF files or freehand draw with the accompanied stylus, or use your own. There are magnets on the right side, where the accompanied Boox Pen 2 Plus stylus can magnetically attach itself to the side of the unit. However, if you are serious about drawing, I suggest picking up the Pen 2 Pro because it has an eraser at the top.
A front-lit display with white LED lights and a colour temperature system provides warm light. Around 42 LED lights, in total and slider bars, control the luminosity. Users can blend the two lights or use one or the other. The colour scheme of the entire unit is black on the front and back plates.
Underneath the hood is a Qualcomm Octa-core processor and a BSR GPU processor. There is 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. There are two speakers to listen to audiobooks, podcasts or music. However, it also has Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless headphones or earbuds. It is possible to connect to the internet to browse websites with Google Chrome or other internet browsers via WiFi (802.11b/g/n/ac) 2.4G + 5G. There is a mic, g-sensor, and USB-C for charging, and it is powered by a giant 5,000 mAh battery. The dimensions are 194×136.5×8.3 mm, and it weighs 264 g.
The Onyx Boox Tab Mini runs Google Android 11 and has the Boox OS skinned version. Google Play and most Google Apps are preinstalled so that you can download millions of free and paid apps. If you have purchased apps on an existing Boox device or a smartphone or tablet, you can download them. Boox has its e-reading app called Neoreader, one of the best in the business. It is designed for reading your sideloaded books and supports; pdf, djvu, azw, azw3, doc, docx, epub, fb2, fbz, html, mobi, odt, PRC, rtf, sxw, trc, txt, chm and ppt. However, since it runs Android, you can download Libby, Kobo, Kindle, Nook and all the other book-reading or manga apps.
The Tab Mini C is a bit expensive compared to other 7.8-inch devices on the market. However, this is Boox; they have supported all their devices for over five years with regular firmware updates. They also have brand recognition; people know who they are, and they are not a flash in the pan. This modern e-reader and e-note with Kaleido 3 comes with a free stylus and case. I like this model; 300 PPI for B&W and 150 PPI for colour makes PDF files, book cover art, webtoons, and internet browsing good.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.