Onyx Boox Note 2 appeared at Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2019

We saw the first Onyx Boox Note about two years ago, but since then the family has grown making room for the models Boox Note S, Boox Note Plus and Boox Note Pro. And it seems that the time has come to launch the second generation: at the HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2019, we had the opportunity to try a preview of the new Onyx Boox Note 2, an ebook-reader that inherits much of the DNA from the previous version but that has also suffered the “contamination” of the latest Onyx Boox Max3.

Let’s be clear: design and size remain the same as ever to meet the needs of mobile readers or professionals used to consulting documents on small journeys, but the hardware platform seems to be the same as that used by the older brother. In essence, it’s like having a miniature Onyx Boox Max3, which measures 249 x 177 x 7.1 mm and weighs 450 grams.

The new Onyx Boox Note 2 features a flexible 10.3-inch HD (1872 x 1404 pixels, 227 PPI) E-Ink Mobius Carta Plus display with 16 levels of grey, which as always will also be readable outdoors in direct sunlight and will have low power consumption. The E-Ink Carta Plus technology minimizes ghosting and increases refresh rates for a more rewarding experience, while the frontlight technology will allow the most tireless to read even at night or in dark environments, without damaging the eyesight, thanks to the adjustment of the intensity of brightness and color temperature. The screen is protected by a layer of glass (against scratches and shocks) and supports pen input (Wacom), so you can take notes and draw freehand.

Moving on to the hardware platform, just like Boox Max3, the new ebook-reader will be based on a Qualcomm 2GHz octa-core processor (we don’t know the exact model yet) with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of ROM, WiFi (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.1. There is also a USB Type-C port with OTG support for connecting peripherals (keyboard, mouse, pedals and so on) and storage, two speakers on the back and a very useful microphone for voice recognition although for the moment the service (in the cloud) is limited only to Chinese and English as for Boox Max3. Interesting, however, is the ability to switch between the different input modes with a single touch: from the pen to the keyboard up to the voice. There is also a fingerprint reader hidden in the central Home button.

Onyx Boox Note 2 is powered by a 4300 mAh battery, more than enough for a couple of weeks using an average of 6 hours a day, with support for Quick Charge 3 technology (100% in less than two hours). And let’s not forget the operating system, Android 9.0 Pie.

Although the prototype has a black coloring, the final version of the Onyx Boox Note 2 will be dark green, a color uncommon in the ebook-reader industry and certainly bold. It will not have the back cover. According to the company’s announcement, mass production has already started and the device will be available on the market in November at a price not yet communicated. Continue to follow us for more information.