Onyx BOOX Palma 2 Pro Arrives in the US, Ready to Slip Into Your Pocket with a Color E-Ink Screen

Onyx BOOX has spent years fine-tuning its devices to allow you to read without being distracted by notifications. Their most recent effort, the Palma 2 Pro, expands on that notion by adding color and a connectivity to the world beyond your nearest Wi-Fi hotspot. Announced today in New York and is set to land in the US for $400, with shipping beginning on November 7.

The 6.13-inch Kaleido 3 color E-ink screen does an excellent job of reproducing 4096 different shades across 824 by 1648 pixels – black and white are sharp at 300 pixels per inch, while colors soften slightly to 150 – and those colors have a gentle quality to them, drawing you into book covers or comic panels without the sensory overload of brighter screens. Sunlight simply bounces off the screen, keeping text clear, and a dual tone front light has a sensor that adjusts its brightness to match the lighting in the room – and you can cycle through four different light modes with the touch of a button, or fine-tune it to the exact brightness you require. Firmware version 4.1 allows you to adjust the refresh rate according on what you’re doing – steady for reading, faster for scrolling – although, to be honest, the faster settings sacrifice some sharpness in exchange for speed.

Data is transmitted via a 5G radio, and the goal is to keep things simple and avoid overcomplication. You can use two SIM cards in the hybrid slot on the side to improve coverage, or combine one with a microSD card to increase storage capacity to 2TB. A-GPS is built-in to assist you in finding your way on a map or a hiking trail, and it’s all neatly packed into a small casing. Bluetooth 5.1 allows you to listen to stories in your ears, dual mics and a speaker manage calls via apps like WhatsApp or Discord, and Wi-Fi 5 completes the picture for when you’re at home – and it has a USB-C port for charging or file transfers.


When you add the optional InkSense Plus stylus to the mix, things become much more interesting. It’s pressure sensitive over 4096 levels, detects tilts, has an eraser button, and a side shortcut for easy access – you can scribble down reminders while walking, mark portions in a PDF, or sketch out a fast drawing in OneNote. The screen responds well, with a flush glass layer that feels natural under your fingers, and the stylus even has a built-in G-sensor that allows it to quickly transition between portrait and landscape modes as you move it. The fingerprint scanner is hidden in the power button for secure unlocking, and the volume keys function as page turns when you’re deep into a chapter.


A top-of-the-line Qualcomm octa-core chip is paired with a large 8GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage, which is more than enough to smoothly juggle your programs without blinking an eye. Android 15 is the operating system of choice, providing unrestricted access to the entire Google Play store. Evernote for list-making, Adobe Acrobat for custom markups, and so on. There’s also a handy program called NeoReader that allows you to handle many types of documents, from EPUBs to PPTXs, and even sideload DRM-free files to use offline. The 16-megapixel rear camera with a handy LED flash takes care of photos or documents, and the 3,950 mAh battery will keep you running for a long time. The rough finish is also water resistant, which is ideal for resisting spills, and you may choose between Charcoal Black and Ivory White to complement your particular taste.


When compared to its sibling, the Palma 2 Pro ups the ante in ways that make the extra money well spent. That cheapest model sticks to black and white on an E Ink Carta 1200 screen, runs Android 13 with 6GB of RAM, and (you got it) does away with the cellular connection entirely for a budget-friendly $270. But in exchange, you get to say goodbye to the stylus, the color, and a full five grams of weight – you’re now a lean 170 grams. Both models offer the same core storage (128GB), microSD expandability, and octa-core CPU, but the Pro’s enhancements allow you to view your material from anywhere, not just at your workplace. And, let’s be honest, Onyx knows their business when it comes to e-ink – they’ve been doing it since the original Palma in 2023 – and the 2 Pro is a salute to everyone looking to cut back on phone time without sacrificing the essentials.
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