BOOX Note Air5 C Review: The Most Flexible E-Ink Tablet
Quick verdict
A color e-ink notebook that runs Android apps from Google Play, with the pen in the box. It's more complex than a Kindle or reMarkable, and color is lower resolution.
Buy it if
- You want e-ink comfort but still need apps like Kindle, OneNote or Drive.
- You read and mark up a lot of PDFs.
- You want a memory card slot.
Skip it if
- You want the simplest, most focused writing tablet.
- You want sharp color images.
- You want the absolute best pen feel. Look at reMarkable.
Specs
| Screen | 10.3 in Kaleido 3 color e-ink |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 300 PPI black and white, 150 PPI color |
| Front light | Yes, warm and cool |
| Storage | 64 GB + microSD, 6 GB RAM |
| Apps | Android 15 with Google Play |
| Pen | BOOX Pen3, 4,096 levels |
| Pen included | Yes |
| Battery | 3,700 mAh |
| Weight | 430 g |
| Thickness | 5.8 mm |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Google Play apps on e-ink.
- Pen3 stylus included.
- Built-in OCR and strong note tools.
- microSD slot and a fingerprint power button.
Cons
- Color is half the resolution of black and white.
- More settings and menus than simpler e-ink tablets.
- The keyboard cover is expensive.
- A newer Note Air6 C just launched.
Real-world math
Color vs. black and white. Black-and-white text is 300 pixels per inch. Color is 150. That means color has a quarter as many pixels in any given area. Text stays crisp. Color images look soft.
Writing space. A 10.3-inch 4:3 screen is about 209 x 157 mm, or 328 square centimeters. That's close to a US letter page folded in half, and a bit smaller than the Kindle Scribe or reMarkable Paper Pro.
Storage. 64 GB built in, plus microSD. Neither the Kindle Scribe nor the reMarkable takes a card.
Weight. 430 grams, 5.8 mm thin.
Why it stands out
It runs Android with Google Play. That means your Kindle books, Kobo books, OneNote, Drive and more on an e-ink screen. Android Central called it "best in class" and praised the OCR, the note tools and the upgraded pen.
The trade-offs
All that flexibility means more menus and settings than a Kindle or reMarkable. The optional keyboard cover is pricey. And BOOX just released the Note Air6 C, which BOOX says is about 40% faster. If you're buying now, the Air5 C is proven. The Air6 C is the one to watch.
How it compares
| Spec | BOOX Note Air5 C | Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025) | reMarkable Paper Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| My rating | 8.6/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.1/10 |
| Screen | 10.3 in Kaleido 3 color e-ink | 11 in black-and-white e-ink | 11.8 in Canvas Color e-ink (Gallery 3) |
| Resolution | 300 PPI black and white, 150 PPI color | 300 PPI | 2160 x 1620, 229 PPI |
| Front light | Yes, warm and cool | Yes, warm light, auto-brightness | Yes, adjustable |
| Storage | 64 GB + microSD, 6 GB RAM | 32 or 64 GB, no card slot | 64 GB, 2 GB RAM |
| Apps | Android 15 with Google Play | Kindle store and notebooks only | reMarkable only (no app store) |
| Pen | BOOX Pen3, 4,096 levels | Premium Pen, no charging | Marker Plus (with eraser) |
| Pen included | Yes | Yes | Yes (this bundle) |
| Battery | 3,700 mAh | Up to 12 weeks reading, 3 weeks writing (claimed) | Up to 14 days of regular use (claimed) |
| Weight | 430 g | 400 g | 525 g |
| Thickness | 5.8 mm | 5.4 mm | 5.1 mm |
| Check price | Check price Review | Check price Review |
FAQ
- Does the BOOX Note Air5 C come with a pen?
- Yes. The Pen3 stylus is in the box, along with a USB-C cable.
- Can it run the Kindle app?
- Yes. It runs Android 15 with Google Play, so you can install Kindle, Kobo, OneNote, Google Drive and more.
- What about the Note Air6 C?
- BOOX released the Note Air6 C in September 2026. BOOX says it's about 40% faster with Android 16. It's brand new, so there are few reviews yet. I'll update this page as they come in.
- Is color e-ink like a tablet screen?
- No. Colors are muted and color images are half as sharp as black-and-white text. It's great for highlighting and diagrams, not for photos.
Bottom line
If you want one e-ink tablet that can do nearly everything, this is the one. Readers who just want a big Kindle, or writers who just want paper, have simpler choices.