The Grasp of the Kindle Store Persisted Despite the Onyx Boox Go 6's Attempt to Break Free
I genuinely wished to appreciate the Boox Go 6 e-reader. Most reviewers were enthusiastic about the Palma, the e-ink replacement for smartphone doomscrolling, due to its easy-to-read display and convenience. I thought this small tablet-like reading device would have the same impact. Unfortunately, the Boox Go 6 e-ink reader failed to convert me into a dedicated user.
The Boox Go 6's e-ink screen isn't an issue for me; I like the 6-inch display, which features an adjustable backlight and brightness. Text and details on the screen appear sharp and clear even with the backlight turned off. However, the display's slow refresh rate, powered by a mediocre processor, felt like it slowed down my reading experience more than a traditional book. It made me wait, and I hate waiting. Regardless of what I wanted to read, I had to wait for the screen to catch up to my fingerpress before the e-reader would load the desired content. This was true for ebooks I stored locally, books I'd borrowed from Libby, and apps I tried after getting excited about the Go 6's nearly unfettered access to the Google Play Store.
Open Reading
The 2021-era Kindle Paperwhite, my current e-reader, also has a comfortable display and sleek profile. I hoped to swap it out for the Onyx Boox Go 6, as it doesn't limit me to the Kindle library and its partners. I have figured out how to upload DRM-free comics and graphic novels to a Kindle using Calibre, a Windows app. However, I'm still missing a few third-party libraries I'd like to have on hand, like Google Play Books, which I've been using for a long time on Android, and an app I started using to grab Romanian ebooks. The Play Store also lets me read my newspapers through their mobile apps: the San Francisco Chronicle and the New York Times.
The Go 6's Android software offers integrated access to the Google Play Store without requiring a third-party solution. Setting up a Google account on the device is easy, and then you can access the Google Play Store and download apps. However, it's not a copy-and-paste Android experience. The version of Android 11 that runs on the Go 6 is not the user interface you're used to on a smartphone. For instance, there are two additional buttons in the navigation bar for refreshing the page and accessing the settings – you'll be using that refresh button quite a bit, depending on the content you're perusing. The notifications panel drops if you drag down from the upper left side of the screen. The quick settings are available on the upper right side. It's fluid if you've used Android on a tablet, though it's often felt sluggish on the Go 6.
While I was able to load the San Francisco Chronicle to read on the Onyx Boox Go 6, I haven't been able to sync up the New York Times – arguably the subscription where I'm trying to get value for money. There seems to be an authentication issue I haven't been able to resolve yet. At the very least, what I've managed to experience reading the Chronicle app has been relatively pain-free, save for the times the Go 6 would crash on me mid-scroll. It helps that mobile news apps of this type are pretty basic: black text on a white background. However, the Go 6 has more trouble scrolling if you go into dark mode. I tried perusing Reddit through the Chrome browser on the Go 6 in dark mode, but the screen couldn't keep up with each page jump.
The one saving grace of the Go 6's frequent sluggishness is that the e-reader doesn't catch up on notifications for Android apps you have installed. When the e-reader is off and turned on again, you're not immediately bombarded by useless notifications for stuff from days or weeks ago. You do get push notifications from news apps that support it, but it's tempered. I noticed it pushes only the most recent alert since the screen has been on.
Loading books on the Boox Go 6 is fast, though not as straightforward as dragging and dropping files from point A to point B using a computer. Instead, the Go 6 uses BooxDrop, which creates a WiFi direct/FTP situation where you can drag and drop files through the browser. I loaded PDFs of vintage magazines from the late '90s and DRM-free comics I purchased from SilverSprocket. I also loaded traditional CBR and EPUB files I've collected over the years. The Go 6 comes with a default 32GB of onboard storage. There's a microSD slot if you want to add more, which I found to be the easiest method for onboarding a massive library of ebooks you might already have stored up.
The Go 6 weighs less than the Kindle Paperwhite by approximately 2 ounces. It features a 6-inch E Ink HD Carta 1300 display with a resolution of 1,448 x 1,072 pixels. The device has borders, which I find beneficial as they provide a solid grip when lying down. The magnetic cover case that Boox provided to safeguard it is also quite appealing. I appreciate the device's slender design and how it complements my daily carry items.
The Go 6 is powered by a 2GHz octa-core processor and boasts 2GB of RAM, although this makes it a bit sluggish. It operates slower than early-generation Android devices, but performance improves if you stick to one app at a time. Multitasking causes some frustration, as it is essential to remember the purpose of this device is to encourage slowing down. I found it necessary to remind myself that the Go 6 has 14GB less storage than my Pixel 9 Pro smartphone.
You can purchase the Boox Go 6 from Target and Wal-Mart for $150, which is around the same price as the latest Kindle Paperwhite on Amazon. If you are seeking a device that is not restricted to a particular e-book ecosystem and offers the advantage of Android apps alongside digital reading, the Go 6 could be an adequate option. However, I would not recommend it for beginners in digital reading.
If you are searching for a device that works well for nighttime reading and utilizes an E-ink screen instead of an OLED one, the Go 6 could be a suitable choice. Keep in mind that the E-ink screen is different from a smartphone screen. Nonetheless, the rewards include outstanding battery life for e-readers - up to 5 days of uninterrupted reading on a single charge - and the ability to store a vast library of books, comics, and magazines on a single device. Ultimately, the Boox Go 6 encourages you to slow down and indulge in the pleasure of reading at your own pace, even if the page loading process takes a bit longer.
Despite the Go 6's compatibility with the Google Play Store, I still missed access to Google Play Books and a few other third-party libraries. The device's sluggish performance, especially when multitasking, also made it less appealing for dedicated use.
Looking ahead, technology advancements in e-readers could potentially address these issues, improving the reading experience for users like me. For example, future models might feature faster processors and smoother multitasking capabilities, enhancing the overall user experience.
