Theres only one physical difference between the original Boox Palma and the Palma 2 the power button.
Its oh-so-marginally longer and flatter to accommodate a built-in fingerprint scanner.
Its more miss than hit as you have to place your finger just so for it to be effective.
The Onyx Boox Palma 2 comes with a refreshed user interface, including redesigned app icons
Strangely, the upgraded processor hasnt made much of a difference in real-world use.
Whats really a standout for me with the Palma 2 is its new user interface.
Even the parameters list looks fresh thanks to less weight (thickness) to the text and the boxes.
A palm-friendly size makes the Boox Palma 2 an enticing ereader option
The drop in price might also indicate that the original Palma might be discontinued once current stock has gone.
Thats the slightly longer power button to accommodate a fingerprint scanner.
Its the same with my older 1TBSamsung T5 Portable SSDas well.
The new page-styling setup in the native library app is cleaner and more modern
The one other issue I faced with using the Palma 2 is the responsiveness of the screen.
While page turns are fine, using the on-screen keyboard isnt as smooth as I expected it to be.
I had to occasionally tap on a letter or number a couple of times before it registered.
The power button on the Boox Palma 2 is the only physical control that’s got a flat surface
Using the fingerprint scanner is a lot more frustrating though.
The rest of the user experience is quite good, particularly if you’re judging it as an ereader.
In real-world use, though, that doesn’t translate as well as I had expected.
A customizable button and a microSD card tray are extras many other ereaders don’t offer(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
I can only imagine how much the experience would improve if the next Palma came with a color screen!
Thankfully this isnt a problem on the Palma 2, and I didnt even have to adjust refresh rates.
The performance of the rear camera hasnt improved at all.
The USB-C port has OTG support but hasn’t worked for me(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
I cant fault its battery life, though.
Even with more extensive use, you could eke out four weeks before plugging it into the mains.
Performance score: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Onyx Boox Palma 2?
The Boox Palma (left) and the Boox Palma 2 (right) offer the same reading experience
It’s too unique to pass up though.
Overall
The Palma 2 remains a unique equipment, thanks to its aspect ratio.
It would be a lot more appealing if Onyx added a built-in stylus and writing capabilities.
Even the ebook titles have less text weight than before, making the library app look clean and nice
And I can tell you that the novelty doesnt wear off quickly either.
Its phone-like size means it can be carried around in your pocket or slipped into any bag.
Its also very lightweight, making it perfect for travel.
The older page-styling setup (left) was cluttered, but the Palma 2 (right) is easier to use(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
That would make it really easy to recommend the Palma 2 at its price point.
A larger e-paper screen perhaps 7 or 8 inches would be ideal in those cases.
That said, there are other 6-inch ereaders that are lightweight and portable, but not necessarily pocketable.
New icons and less weight to the design gives the user interface of the Palma 2 (right) an airier look compared to the older model (left)(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
I’ve picked three that I think would cover a few bases, including budget and usability.
I’ve also listed some of their basic specs as a comparison with the Palma 2.
I also connected toGoogleDrive to test other means of cloud transfer.
The default sleep screen is different between the two generations, but these can be changed in Settings(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
All other music listening was down via Spotify.
The rear camera is identical – the Palma 2 is the one on top(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Taking pics with the Boox Palma 2’s camera can be fun, but don’t expect much
It’s an Android device, so running a benchmark app is easy enough(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Readability is fantastic, but overall performance hasn’t seemed to improve much(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Scan quality is quite dismal with the Boox Palma 2…(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
..but the photos aren’t half bad – just don’t expect phone-quality pics(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
OCR text conversion on the DocScan app is now much better than before(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
The only difference between the two Palmas is the power button, which is slightly longer and flat on the new model
The Boox Palma 2 is a unique device, thanks to its form factor
