Last year I wrote that the Boox Palma was the best purchase I've made in a long time. I wrote:
When I first saw this device from Craig Mod, I didn't think I'd end up loving it so much. It is, after all, just a phone-sized Kindle with access to an Android store that costs $299. What I didn't expect is that this is precisely what makes it such a fantastic device. A few weeks in, it has become the device I use the most day by day—yes, even more than my phone.
But I also wrote:
I'm still dependent on my phone for most parts. But I've only been using the Palma for a few weeks, and it has replaced my phone for a few critical tasks.
This made me realize that if the Palma had cellphone connectivity and maybe a newer version of Android, it might turn into my day phone.
Well, Boox listened to my pleas and did exactly that. Meet the Boox Palma 2 Pro.
The Official BOOX Store
The Boox Palma 2 Pro is an updated version of the Palma, with 5G connectivity and a colored e-ink screen. It also upgrades the internals (it now ships with 8GB of memory), adds support for a stylus, has a fingerprint reader and brings the Android version to 15 (the latest one at the time of writing is 16). Also, the price is higher at $399.
In essence, it is still the same device as the original Palma I reviewed. I suggest you read that review, too.
So I plan to focus on the two biggest changes compared to its predecessor: the 5G connectivity and its colored screen.
Don't call it a phone
Despite the 5G connectivity, the Palma 2 Pro cannot do phone calls and cannot send text messages (in theory, because of course someone got it working). You can, however, use any kind of messaging app out there for phone calls.
I tested it with WhatsApp and the mic and speakers are decent enough, but the quality is not on par with my iPhone 16 Pro. The noise-cancelling on the microphone was a bit rough, the speaker isn't the best, but for the occasional quick call this is more than usable.
However, having 5G on the go is as nice as I expected it to be when I reviewed the predecessor. Just being able to quickly download a new book or a podcast episode on the go, or look something up while sitting on a train, comes in clutch so many times.
I've also installed Beeper on the device, which allowed me to leave my phone at home on more than one occasion. Though I have to admit I mostly bring both devices after all.
Regarding the stylus support: I never used it, sorry. I have enough e-ink devices (here and here) that fill that need.
You may hate the screen
The other big change of the Palma 2 Pro is its new colored screen. It's a 6.13-inch screen, based on the Kaleido 3 technology. Adding color to the 2 Pro brings a big advantage (well, it now has color), but compared to the Palma 1 it also comes with a few drawbacks.
For example, the resolution. Black and white e-ink screens sit at 300ppi (points per inch), while colored e-ink screens sit at 150ppi, so half that. Kaleido 3 also adds a sort of filter over the screen, making it dimmer in direct comparison, meaning you have to crank the backlight much higher.
Also, if you've never experienced colored e-ink, don't expect smartphone level quality. Kaleido 3 supports about 4000 colors. It's still e-ink, so ghosting is omnipresent on a device like this. Thankfully, like its predecessors, the Palma 2 Pro has a refresh button, which you'll definitely hit a lot.
The screen, for some, might be a dealbreaker. It certainly is for David Pierce over at The Verge. But I come from the Go Color 7, which uses the same technology, so at this point I am just used to the differences. To me, being able to see my book covers (and images if there are any) in color is a bigger upgrade than the lower resolution.
A winner in my books
I'm an avid reader. Last year I read 53 books, and only one of them was made out of paper (House of Leaves, a book you cannot read as an ebook). I read most of them on the Go Color 7, as I only got the Palma 2 Pro late in the year.
But when I got the 2 Pro, my reading cadence increased tremendously, simply because I carried the device with me wherever I went. And whenever I had some downtime, instead of picking up my phone I picked up a book. And since this has 5G, I didn't need to check my phone when someone texted me, because I simply saw the notification at the top of my screen.
That alone is reason enough to recommend the Palma 2 Pro. Sure, it's not perfect, especially if you are sensitive to the lower-resolution screen. It's still e-ink, so this will never fully replace a smartphone. And it's more expensive than its predecessors at $399.
But it made me read even more, so I love it.
