A few months back, every tech reviewer seemed to collectively lose their minds over the Boox Palma and Palma 2 devices. Now that I’ve gotten a chance to try out the Palma 2, I’m not sure I get the hype.
Don’t get me wrong, the Palma 2 isn’t a bad device. It’s just not for me. And that was a bit of a surprise, given that I found Boox’s initial pitch with the Palma 2 so intriguing.
The Palma 2 is, at a very basic level, a smartphone-sized e-reader. And that’s what drew me into the product in the first place. I’ve long desired to try out a ‘minimal’ smartphone that cuts down on distractions, such as the Light Phone, and the Palma 2 seemed to me like a device that splits the difference, offering something pretty close to a typical Android smartphone experience with an e-ink display.
However, my biggest initial stumbling block with the Palma 2 is that it couldn’t actually replace my smartphone. There are a few reasons for this. First, there’s no SIM slot on the Palma 2, and while I knew that going in, I do think it’s worth pointing out, as it means you’ll need to somehow bridge the Palma 2 to another cellular device so you can do basic smartphone tasks like calling or texting. And that brings me to the second issue, which is that there isn’t really a straightforward solution to do that.
That’s not to say it’s impossible to do — I’ve seen some social media posts from people who tried to make it happen, so it can be done with a bit of effort. But it’s an imperfect solution, with the Palma missing some basic things like vibration or a way to receive notifications when the device is asleep. I’d love to see Boox launch some sort of app solution to connect a phone and Palma, or even launch a Palma phone with cellular support down the line. But for now, if you’re looking for a minimal phone experience, the Palma 2 ain’t it.
However, that doesn’t mean the Palma 2 doesn’t have other uses. It’s a great small e-reader device overall, and if that’s what you’re looking for, the Palma 2 is a great option. Because it’s based on Android (Android 13, to be specific), the Palma 2 is incredibly versatile. You can access e-books from Amazon, Kobo, and your local library. You can browse the web and read it in glorious, eye-friendly e-ink. You can use it for podcasts or music, or really anything else you can do on an Android phone with just a Wi-Fi connection.
And generally, the Palma 2 works great for most things, as long as you keep your expectations in line. It isn’t the most powerful Android device, and e-ink displays — as far as they’ve come — aren’t great for all types of activities. Put another way, the Palma 2 isn’t great for scrolling TikTok, but could work fine for more text-based apps like BlueSky. Or another way, you won’t be doing any serious gaming on the Palma 2, though some puzzle games might work great.
But for me, the main use for the Palma 2 was reading. I liked that the Palma 2 was small and easy to carry around, as it made my current read easily accessible, but I found I actually preferred the reading experience of larger displays like the one found on the Boox Go 7. The Go 7 display felt more book-like, which I appreciated for reading, even though the larger e-reader wasn’t pocketable like the Palma 2.
Beyond that, the hardware of the Palma 2 is pretty solid. It has a glass screen, and while I’m not sure what material Boox uses for the sides and rear, it does feel like plastic. However, the Palma 2 doesn’t feel cheap, and the textured back panel actually feels quite nice and grippy. You can also choose to get a case with the Palma 2, but unlike Boox’s other folio cases, it doesn’t attach via magnets and adds considerable bulk to the Palma 2. Ultimately, I preferred using the e-reader without a case.
The Palma 2 also sports a fingerprint scanner built into the power button, a volume rocker, and a customizable side button. You can assign short, long, and double presses to different apps and functions, making it surprisingly versatile. One of my favourite uses was toggling the back light on and off since the Palma 2 doesn’t have a dedicated button for that. The fingerprint scanner also works well and was speedy for unlocking the Palma 2.
Other hardware features of note include expandable storage and a 16-megapixel camera. While I’m sure it could come in handy in a pinch, I wasn’t entirely impressed by the camera, and found using the e-ink screen for a viewfinder wasn’t the best. It’s passable if you need it, but it’s not a reason I’d buy the Palma 2.
Overall, the Palma 2 is a really solid device as long as you set your expectations appropriately. Like I said up top, I don’t think it’s a good fit for me — my main use for the Palma 2 was reading, and I prefer a larger screen for that. But I would totally recommend the Palma 2 for anyone who wants an incredibly versatile, pocket-sized e-reader for books or other text-based content. Plus, because of its size, the Palma 2 is super easy to carry around, making it a great option for people on the go.
The Boox Palma 2 is available in black and white, and comes in configurations with a case or no case. Additionally, the Boox website gives customers the option to pick between the U.S. or Hong Kong warehouse, with a slight price difference between them (Hong Kong is slightly cheaper, but may have a tariff applied). The prices are as follows:
- Palma 2 (U.S. warehouse): US$299.99 (about C$411.99)
- Palma 2 with flip case (U.S. warehouse): US$305.98 (about C$420.22)
- Palma 2 (Hong Kong warehouse): US$279.99 (about C$384.52)
- Palma 2 with flip case (Hong Kong warehouse): US$285.95 (about C$392.71)
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