As somebody who writes 1000’s of phrases each week, I’ve at all times managed to battle with regards to sitting down and really studying a guide. This wasn’t at all times the case, however as I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried other ways to get again into studying. But the reality is that books are heavy and cumbersome, laying the groundwork for me to check out a couple of completely different e-readers.I’m not “in tune” with the world of e-readers, however as somebody on the skin trying in, I’ve at all times been intrigued by what Onyx is doing with its varied Boox e-readers. The Onyx Boox Leaf 2, an Android-powered competitor to the Kindle Oasis, is kicking off my enterprise again into studying books frequently.Onyx Boox Leaf 2: Price and availability(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)The Onyx Boox Leaf 2 is out there in two completely different colours, black and white, and retails for $199. For this, you will get 32GB of storage together with 10GB of free cloud storage. In the field, you will discover the Leaf 2, together with a USB-C charging cable.Onyx Boox Leaf 2: What you will like(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)At first look, the Leaf 2 actually simply seems to be like a Kindle Oasis designed for left-handed customers, because the page-turning buttons are on the left, versus the proper. But to me, I used to be evaluating this extra to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (or Fold 4), as that is what I’ve been utilizing every time it involves studying.Admittedly, it was a bit jarring going from the fluid 120Hz AMOLED show on the Fold 5 to the e-ink display screen on the Leaf 2. Thankfully, Onyx has applied a couple of completely different choices for its “Refresh Modes.” There are a complete of 4 of those modes, every of which is aimed toward making certain that your expertise is tailored to no matter it’s that you simply’re doing.(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)Of course, it is a utterly completely different expertise, however I’ve to confess that I used to be stunned at simply how crisp the Leaf 2’s display screen seems to be. Much of that may be attributed to the 300 ppi paired with the 1680 x 1264 decision. I by no means felt like I needed to actually fiddle with the show settings, moreover altering the refresh mode.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryOnyx Boox Leaf 2Display7-inch ePaper ScreenDecision1680 x 1264ProcessorQualcomm Quad-coreRAM2GBStorage32GB w/ microSD card slotBatteryWi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0Connectivity2,000mAh (rated for as much as 26 days)ExtrasDual audio system, page-turn buttonsSupported file formatsTXT, HTML, RTF, FB2, FB2.zip, DOC, DOCX, PRC, MOBI, CHM, EPUB, JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, PDF, DjVu, MP3, WAV, CBR, CBZOperating systemAndroid 11Dimensions156 x 137 x 6mmWeight185g (black) / 170g (white)As for the precise studying expertise, I simply ended up making use of the built-in BooxDrop performance to switch some books over to the Leaf 2. Onyx actually nailed this expertise, supplied that you have already got your books and different content material obtainable in one of many quite a few suitable codecs.While I’m right-handed, I usually use my left hand to carry my telephone more often than not. Because of that, I really loved the page-turn buttons being on the left facet, they usually have been actually responsive. I even tried “tripping it up” by urgent the “page forward” button a bunch of occasions, however the Leaf 2 caught up after a couple of seconds.(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)Admittedly, the software program interface itself does take a bit for use to, however Onyx does job at not pre-installing too many apps. And as a result of the Leaf 2 is working Android, it’s also possible to sideload APK recordsdata. This allowed me to put in EInkBro, an open-sourced internet browser designed for E-Ink shows, and FeedMe so I can get pleasure from my RSS feeds with out reaching for my telephone.Onyx Boox Leaf 2: What you will not(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)Much like the most effective Kindle e-readers, Onyx is making use of a modified and tailored model of Android. While I believed this was fairly superior, I rapidly realized that it is not all sunshine and roses. For one, the Google Play Store, whereas obtainable, shouldn’t be enabled by default.Instead, you will must manually allow it earlier than you possibly can attempt downloading some apps. Even then, you may need to attend for as much as 24 hours earlier than trying to register, in any other case, you will be greeted with a “This device isn’t Play Protect certified” message that seems.(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)Another specific frustration that I got here throughout is that the included “Store” would not actually have a lot of an attention-grabbing choice. Sure, you’ll discover a couple of of the “classics,” however that is just about it. There’s not even an choice to view or buy books from the New York Times Best Sellers checklist.While I do know and perceive that the Leaf 2 is “just” an e-reader powered by Android, I believe the corporate is lacking out on a key characteristic. I might have cherished to have seen stylus assist in some capability, because the Leaf’s 2 design and the 7-inch display screen would have been nice to have simply as a notepad. You could make highlights when studying, nevertheless it’s not fairly the identical as with the ability to add some annotations or have a separate notes app altogether.Onyx Boox Leaf 2: The competitors(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)It’s fairly obvious that Onyx aimed the Leaf 2 straight on the Kindle Oasis, one other e-reader with a 7-inch show and the aforementioned page-turn buttons. But the most important distinction with the Leaf 2 is which you could set up any app from the Play Store. So actually, you might flip the Leaf 2 right into a Kindle Oasis with additional performance and never have to fret about advertisements in your Lock Screen.Another e-reader that punches nearer to the Leaf 2 by way of worth is the Kobo Libra 2. Kobo’s providing additionally contains a 7-inch show, together with 323GB of storage, and page-turn buttons on the proper. Kobo even has a leg up on the Leaf 2 because it’s waterproof, so you possibly can sit again and chill out along with your favourite guide within the bathtub after a protracted day. Something that you might most likely get away with on the Leaf 2, however with much less confidence since there is no water resistance.Onyx Boox Leaf 2: Should you purchase it?(Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)You should purchase this if:You desire a skinny and light-weight 7-inch e-reader.You are a lefty or use gadgets along with your left-hand.You need an e-reader that that features entry to the Play Store.You should not purchase this if:You do not feel comfy fiddling round with enabling the Play Store.You desire a extra strong choice from the built-in e-book retailer.You need an e-reader with a water resistance score.The Boox Leaf 2 from Onyx is my first expertise utilizing the corporate’s merchandise, and for probably the most half, I’ve loved my time with it. I’ve a couple of different Onyx critiques lined up of all completely different sizes and shapes, so it will be attention-grabbing to see whether or not my opinion adjustments. But till then, I’ll be preserving the Leaf 2 in my bag every time I go away the home.
While the Onyx Boox Leaf 2 would not actually exceed at something, it nonetheless provides a reasonably nice total studying expertise.