A big e-reader, for better and worse

I had high hopes for the Boox Note Max, a massive e-ink Android tablet that promised productivity. Unfortunately, I dreamed a little too big for the Note Max and found myself disappointed with its actual capabilities.

The fact that Boox e-readers run Android instead of proprietary software like what you’d find on Kobo or Kindle devices opens the door for some really creative use cases. The only real limits are the e-ink display, which doesn’t pair well with certain content like videos, and the power of the device itself — most Boox devices sport fairly weak chips with just enough performance to make e-reader functions possible, and little else. That was fine by me when testing Boox e-readers like the Go 6 and 7, as well as the phone-size Palma 2. However, the Note Max is too big for its own good.

When I first pulled the Note Max out of the box, I was really impressed. It had a massive 13.3-inch Carta 1300 e-ink display, which looked phenomenal, and was shockingly thin at just 4.6mm (a whole millimetre thinner than Apple’s new iPhone Air!).

• Display: 13.3-inch Carta 1300 glass e-ink screen, 3200×2400 pixels
• CPU: 2.8GHz Octa-core
• RAM: 6GB
• Storage: 128GB
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0
• OS: Android 13
• Battery: 3,700mAh
• Dimensions: 287.5 x 243 x 4.6 mm (11.3″ x 9.6″ x 0.18″)
• Weight: 615 g (21.7 oz)

Love the hardware

The size and thinness immediately set me thinking about how I could incorporate the Note Max into my life, particularly into creative writing projects I do outside of work. I’ve been hunting for a more versatile device I could use for writing that is portable and feels different from a Windows laptop to help shift my brain from ‘work writing’ to ‘creative writing.’ I’ve tried a few different devices, like the new Surface Pro and an iPad Air, but nothing was quite perfect.

However, the Note Max seemed like it would solve some of my concerns. For example, I liked the portability of the iPad Air, but I find the Magic Keyboard incredibly clunky. It significantly adds to the weight and size, to the point that the iPad is more cumbersome to carry around than a MacBook Air. Which… kinda defeats the point. But the Note Max was a lot thinner and a couple grams lighter than the iPad. Plus, the Note Max would also offer great battery life, since the e-ink display would positively sip power while I was writing, since it’s mostly just looking at a page of text — kinda like reading.

Speaking of the e-ink display, I thought it’d be the best option for both differentiating the writing experience from my work (which is mostly done looking at a computer screen), as well as minimizing distractions. All these things had me quite excited to try the Note Max. Then I started using it.

Playing catch-up

I didn’t think writing, of all things, would require much in the way of performance. And it really shouldn’t need much. Regardless, the Note Max could not keep up, even with someone like me who isn’t the fastest typist. My fingers regularly outpaced the Note Max to the point that after each sentence, I had to pause and wait for the text to show up.

At first, I thought that maybe it was my keyboard causing problems. I was using a Bluetooth keyboard technically intended for use with an iPad, but being Bluetooth, it can connect to any compatible device. Then Boox sent me its official Magnetic Keyboard Cover for the Note Max (seen in photos throughout this review), and it was just as bad. Letters take seconds to appear after pressing the keys, and worse, the built-in touchpad lags horribly, making touch-based navigation practically mandatory.

Then I tried using different apps. I typically write in Microsoft Word and use Notion for keeping project notes, but neither app performed well on the Note Max. Boox’s own notes app wasn’t any better. While I can’t say precisely whether it’s the screen, the chip, or some combination of both, the lag makes any meaningful productivity unattainable on the Note Max.

It also didn’t help that with the keyboard cover attached, the Note Max package is as thick and as heavy as the iPad Air and Magic Keyboard combo. So the Note Max isn’t winning any points there. At least the keyboard itself is pretty good, offering nice, clicky tactility. It’s also sturdy even when using it on my lap. The only other positives I can give it for productivity are that the battery life is pretty good (I was charging it roughly once a week with near-daily, multi-hour use) and that distractions weren’t really an issue, mostly because the Note Max can’t handle running anything remotely distracting.

Not all bad

But while the Note Max didn’t fit my writing needs, it wasn’t a total wash. It came with a stylus, enabling hand-written notes and sketches similar to the Boox Go 7. I won’t get too deep into the notes features since it’s the same app (and thus, same issues) as the Go 7, I will say that it works pretty well for basic writing. I ended up primarily using the Note Max as a digital whiteboard where I could jot down various things throughout the work day, such as tasks I needed to do, meeting notes, and whatever else I needed to dump out of my brain.

The Note Max served this purpose excellently, and the e-ink screen’s low power use meant I was able to have the tablet turned on, ready to receive notes at a moment’s notice, all through the work day. As I mentioned above, I charged the Note Max about once a week, despite having it turned on for nearly eight hours per day.

The stylus itself isn’t anything fancy, with no smart features, buttons, or battery (unlike the stylus I used with the Boox Go 7). It’s just a simple plastic stick with a replaceable tip and magnets so it can stick to the side of the Note Max (or even to my Secretlab Magnus Pro metal desk).

The Note Max can also do all the e-reader stuff you can do on Boox’s other devices. But for me, it wasn’t a great experience given the size of the tablet. Devices like the Palma and Go 7 are much smaller and more portable, making them excellent for reading on the go or in bed — places where the Note Max feels unwieldy. Plus, the Note Max lacks a back light, making it even less ideal for reading.

So, where does that leave the Note Max? Honestly, it’s not a great fit for most people. The hardware and software feel too limited for anything beyond typical e-reading activities and note-taking. For me, the size of the Note Max makes it a non-starter for reading, while the note-taking aspect is easily replaced by a pen and paper. By comparison, the Note Max is a lot of money to spend to achieve the same thing.

Ultimately, I think the Note Max could be a good fit for anyone looking for a digital handwritten note solution, or for anyone who wants to have a really, really big screen for reading. I could see it being popular among people who read and markup a lot of documents for a living. However, I think the Note Max needs some serious improvement before it can be a competent productivity device for writing.

The Boox Note Max is available from the Boox website in two bundles, one with the tablet and a regular folio case and one with the tablet and the keyboard cover. Bundles can ship from either the U.S. or Hong Kong warehouses, with slightly differing prices between them:

• Standard Bundle U.S. warehouse: On sale for US$629 (C$), regular US$689 (C$).
• Standard Bundle Hong Kong warehouse: On sale for US$599 (C$), regular US$649 (C$).
• Keyboard Bundle U.S. warehouse: On sale for US$679 (C$), regular US$839 (C$).
• Keyboard Bundle Hong Kong warehouse: On sale for US$649 (C$), regular US$799 (C$).
• Keyboard on its own: US$149 (C$) at both U.S. and Hong Kong warehouses.