If you’ve ever tried reading on an iPad or smartphone for long periods, you’ve likely felt eye fatigue or dryness. That’s because LCD and OLED displays emit light directly into your eyes, a process called emissive lighting. It’s like staring into a flashlight for hours.
In contrast, E-Ink displays, used in dedicated e-readers, reflect ambient light just like printed paper. They’re much easier on the eyes and ideal for long reading sessions—especially at night or in low-light conditions.
That’s why I began looking for a good E-Ink device, and here’s what I discovered.
I had several goals when shopping for an e-reader:
| Device | Display | Note-taking | OS | App Flexibility | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kindle Paperwhite | B/W E-Ink, 6.8” | ❌ | Kindle OS | ❌ | Affordable, waterproof, great battery | Locked to Amazon ecosystem, no app store |
| Boox Tab8C | Color E-Ink, 7.8” | ✅ | Android | ✅ | Color + note-taking + Android apps | Expensive |
| Boox Note Air 2 Plus | B/W E-Ink, 10.3” | ✅ | Android | ✅ | Excellent for note-taking and PDFs | Bulky and pricey |
| Boox Leaf3 / Page | B/W E-Ink, 7” | ❌ | Android | ✅ | Lightweight, fast | No color or stylus support |
| Boox Go 7 | B/W E-Ink, 7” | ❌ | Android | ✅ | Balanced size & performance | No color, no pen input |
🔍 Note:
“App Flexibility” refers to the ability to install third-party reading apps such as Kobo, Libby, Google Play Books, and more via an app store.
The Kindle Paperwhite runs on a closed system and does not support installation of external apps. It’s ideal for reading Amazon content but limited outside that ecosystem.
I seriously considered note-taking e-readers like the Boox Note Air 2 Plus and Tab8C. These are perfect if you want to highlight, annotate, or sketch.
However, I already own an iPad, which covers my digital note-taking needs. So I realized I didn’t need to duplicate that functionality on a second device.
My main goal was comfortable reading, not writing.
After much comparison, I settled on the Boox Go 7—and I’ve been very happy with it. Here’s what I like:
And here’s one more key point:
Since I live in Korea, many local users (including myself) find that Kindle doesn’t support Korean reading apps like RidiBooks or Millie’s Library very well, if at all.
With Boox Go 7’s Android OS and Google Play Store access, I can use any app I need, without limitations.
Boox devices are Android-based, so you’re free to install any reading app from the Play Store.
Here are some recommended apps:
| Your Preference | Recommended Device |
|---|---|
| “I only read Kindle books” | Kindle Paperwhite |
| “I want color too” | Boox Tab8C |
| “Note-taking is important” | Boox Note Air 2 Plus |
| “I want a lightweight, fast reader” | Boox Leaf3, Boox Go 7 |
| “I need freedom to install apps” | Any Boox Android device |
There’s no single best e-reader. It all depends on where you live, what you read, and how you read.
For me, the Boox Go 7 offered the right balance between performance, freedom, and portability. It’s not perfect—but it checks all the boxes I care about most.
If you’re deciding between Kindle, Boox, or other readers, I hope my experience helps you find the right device too 😊
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