Onyx BOOX releases several new E-readers with styluses and Android support

Onyx BOOX has presented three new E-readers, which the company markets as the Leaf2, Nova 5 and Note X2. Unlike many E-reader manufacturers, Onyx BOOX does not ship its devices with proprietary operating systems. Instead, the company relies on Android, which should provide greater flexibility for installing third-party apps than its competitors.

Specifically, the Leaf2, Nova 5 and Note X2 utilise Android 11, plus Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity. For reference, the Leaf2 is the only of the three that does not support pen input. Predictably, this missing feature is reflected in its price; the Leaf2 is considerably cheaper than its siblings. Similarly, the Leaf2 only offers 2 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, compared to the 3 GB and 4 GB that the Nova 5 and Note X2 contain, respectively.

Still, all three have unnamed Qualcomm chipsets with CPU cores that can reach 2 GHz. Conversely, the Leaf2 is the smallest of the three with a 7-inch display, which operates at 1,680 x 1,264 pixels. In comparison, the Nova 5 has a 7.8-inch display, while the Nova X2 comes in at 10.2-inches. Unsurprisingly, the Nova X2 has the largest battery and is the heaviest overall. Currently, the Leaf2 retails for CNY 1,580 (~US$220). By contrast, the Nova 5 costs CNY 2,180 (~US$300), whereas the Note X2 is available in China for CNY 2,689 (~US$370). As it stands, only the Leaf2 is available globally. At the time of writing, the compact E-reader sells for US$199.99 with a bundled carry case.

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