The Onyx Boox Go 7 is a dedicated e-book reader with a black and white e-paper display. This device has the same specifications and software as the Go 7 Color Gen 2, except that this model doesn’t have a Kaleido 3; instead, it uses the latest generation Carta 1300 e-paper panel, which increases responsiveness. The key selling points of this model are the physical page-turn buttons and Google Android 13, as well as full access to the Play Store. For those of you who want an e-reader that doesn’t lock you into a specific ecosystem, this deserves a look.
Hardware
The Go 7 features a 7-inch E INK Carta 1300 e-paper display with a resolution of 1680 x 1264 with 300 PPI. The device’s body is black, and the screen is flush with the bezel and protected by a layer of glass. It has white and amber LED lights that read in the dark. The front-lit display and color temperature system can be combined to provide an exceptional reading experience. A G-sensor will automatically switch the orientation from portrait to landscape mode.
The industrial design is plastic on the front and back plates. It has a piano black color scheme on the front and back. The bezels alongside the screen are slim; the only part that is chunky is where the physical page-turn buttons are located. They are also made of plastic. However, I wish they used aluminum buttons instead, since they don’t wear out as fast.
Underneath the hood is an Octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage. If this is not enough space to house your audiobooks, e-books, comics, or PDF files, an SD card can provide an additional 1 TB of storage. There is a single speaker, so if you want to listen to music or audiobooks, you’ll want to take advantage of wireless earbuds or headphones, thanks to the Bluetooth 5.1 support. Surf the web or download apps via WIFI 6. A USB-C port is available to transfer content to the Go 7, and it’s also used to charge the device. It is powered by a 2,300 mAh battery. The dimensions are: 156 x 137 x 6.4 mm (6.1″ x 5.4″ x 0.25″), and it weighs 195 g (6.9 oz).
Onyx Boox bills the Go 7 as an e-reader for reading digital content, such as comics, e-books, graphic novels, and manga. The 7-inch screen doesn’t perform exceptionally well when reading PDF files. It has a note-taking system that is not as advanced as Onyx Boox’s dedicated e-notes, such as the Tab XC or the Note MAX. This model utilizes an EMR screen and does not include a stylus. It is worth noting that Onyx has developed its stylus called the BOOX InkSense. The device does not come with a free stylus, but it is available for purchase as an optional accessory. However, it has been sold out since they released the Go 7 a month ago.
The Go 7 runs Google Android 13 and has full access to Google Play Services and the Google Play Store. This is an international release, supporting all major languages. If you prefer to sideload your content, the default reading app is called Neoreader and is one of the best in the industry. It supports PDF, CAJ, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, and PPTX.
Software
The Go 7 runs on Google Android 13, but it is not a stock version of Android, as it utilizes Boox OS. This is a heavily skinned version that the company has developed, featuring a series of bright and bubbly icons and a user interface that makes it easy to click on when using the touchscreen display. One of the ways Onyx differentiates itself from the Amazon Kindle, Rakuten Kobo, or the Barnes & Noble Nook is the inclusion of Google Play. Onyx is one of the few brands worldwide to have Play on most of their ebook readers and e-notebooks. Many people will only buy an e-reader with Play since it opens up a world of customization.
The Main UI is at the bottom of the screen. It includes shortcuts to your Library, Bookstore, Apps Storage, and Settings. Your library only comprises books you have sideloaded on the stock Neoreader book reader. If you primarily use apps, such as Kindle or Kobo, the books in those apps will not appear in your main library. The bookstore is Onyx-branded and only comprises royalty-free content, which is the type of stuff you would find on Project Gutenberg. Apps are where pre-installed apps are located, such as Boox Cloud, Google Drive, and many others. Any apps you download from Google Play will also be here. Storage will show a file directory of all your data; inserting an SD card will display its contents. Settings are where you will see all your WIFI/Bluetooth and many other options, such as the number of page turns before a full page refresh is done. You will also conduct firmware updates here. Onyx tends to push out updates a few times a year.
One of the best options is the Control Centre, which you can access from an icon or by tapping on the display’s top middle. This is where you can pair Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to listen to audiobooks, music, podcasts, or other audio content. You can access your WIFI network with a login and password. There are also features such as an AI assistant, Boox cloud storage, Kids Mode, Split Screen, E-INK Centre, Screenshot, and full-page refresh. AI Assistant is like a ChatGPT-style chatbot, where you can ask questions and get answers.
Part of the control centre is an option called E INK Centre, which is beneficial. This is where you can control global settings to get the most out of your Go 7 Color. You can make all icons and text darker or lighter, depending on your preference. Want to increase the performance of your device? This is where you can set the different speed modes.
- HD Mode is designed for deep reading. Like reading printed books, you can enjoy incredibly sharp text with the least ghosting.
- Under Balanced Mode, BOOX coordinated demands for clear display and intermittent interaction. Quick screen response is assured when you are skimming books or images.
- Fast Mode aims to provide a smooth browsing experience for websites or activities that involve extensive scrolling. Subtle ghosting may occur, but responsiveness is enhanced.
- Ultrafast mode provides the most rapid response to dynamic content. Although some details may be lost, it allows you to watch videos and seamlessly use different apps.
Kids Mode is interesting; Onyx is the only brand that offers this feature, aside from Amazon. To use Kids mode, you must register or log in to your Onyx Account, and then you can tweak some settings. You can only allow them to access things you want, such as the reading app, or on an app-by-app basis. Kids’ profiles can be named after your child. When they log in, they won’t see any books an adult might be reading, or you can load in kid-friendly titles. If you are an Amazon user, you can grant them access to your Kindle app. There is also a time option that parents can establish, such as how long they want them to use the Go 10 every day, and a countdown timer will appear at the top.
Reading
The Boox Go 7 Color Gen 2 makes a perfect e-reader for reading books, comics, manga, PDF files, and other digital content. This is because of the colour screen and the 7-inch display. Most digital content occupies the entire screen, with minimal negative space. Flipping pages is ultra-fast and even faster if you engage in any speed modes from the E INK Control Centre. The page-turn buttons make the entire reading experience very intuitive. The image quality is very pronounced due to the 300 PPI screen and Carta 1300 controller.
E-reading experience starts with the stock app Neoreader, where you can side-load all your content with many options for font sizes, font type, alignment, line spacing, and margins. It supports PDF, CAJ, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, and PPTX. I appreciate that it supports CBZ, which is ideal for sideloading Manga files, as this is the most popular online format. However, Amazon delivers manga in AZW3 format and via EPUB for Kobo and Google. You don’t need to worry about forms if you install apps such as VIZ or manga apps. It is also important to note that Google Play Books is installed by default, so you are not stuck using Neoreader by default.
The Go 7 Color Gen 2 shines when accessing Google Play and downloading your favourite apps. This provides you with tremendous flexibility and freedom to use the reading or news apps you typically use on your smartphone or tablet. I know many people always install Libby to read eBooks or listen to audiobooks borrowed from the public library. The Kindle reading app is the most popular since it was initially developed for smartphones and tablets. The page turn animation always looks nice and pretty, but it struggles on E INK devices due to the refresh issue. This is why Onyx made enhancements to the app at a system level to eliminate animated page turns, making it seamless and robust when you turn a page. Over the years, they have optimized many other apps but tend to focus on the writing experience on their extensive line of e-notes. The company has also made enhancements to several productivity apps.
The Onyx Boox features a built-in bookstore. However, it primarily sells royalty-free books, which contain duplicate content that can be found by simply browsing the internet or accessing sites like Project Gutenberg. This bookstore is designed to encourage people to read immediately, but it does not feature any bestsellers or paid-for books. You must download dedicated apps to pay for books or use Google Play Books.
Wrap Up
Onyx has been focusing on its GO line for a few years now. However, instead of advancing the e-paper world, it seems to have had the opposite effect: stagnation. Onyx has a quick release schedule; they released devices more quickly than almost any manufacturer. However, lately, they’ve been removing features, scaling back their units, and then re-releasing those features years later. This latest go line… Is using relatively the same specifications as we have seen since 2023
Onyx Boox Go 7
$249.99Pros
- Android 13 and Google Play
- SD Card
- Carta 1300 E-Paper
- 300 PPI for B&W content
- Page-Turn buttons
Cons
- The Pen is terrible
- Touchscreen is bad
- No WACOM, but EMR
- Speaker quality is abysmal
- Expensive
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.