Onyx Boox Page.

The Gavler Review.

Onyx Boox Page Review: Full Android Freedom, With a Content Catch

The Onyx Boox Page ranks ninth on Gavler's Best E-Readers list with a 9.0, and Android Police's verdict captures exactly why: "The Onyx Boox Page reminds me of the Atari Jaguar video game console from the 90s. It featured great hardware and a lot of cool capabilities, but without great games to play — it was a tough sell." Buy it if cross-store flexibility, physical page-turn buttons, and total control matter more to you than a device that just works out of the box. Skip it if you want to unbox an e-reader and start reading in five minutes.

What it is

Nearly every e-reader locks you into one bookstore. The Boox Page's entire reason for existing is refusing to do that: it runs a simplified Android 11 with full Google Play Store access, so you can install the Kindle app, the Kobo app, and Libby side by side and read across all three ecosystems on a single 7-inch device. TechRadar summed it up neatly — it's "like having two ereaders in one tablet." That software freedom is paired with hardware most single-ecosystem readers have abandoned: physical page-turn buttons on the face of the device, in the tradition of the discontinued Kindle Oasis, plus a microSD card slot and a built-in speaker for audiobooks.

Under the glass sits a 7-inch E Ink Carta 1200 panel at 300 ppi — one generation behind the newer Carta 1300 screen on devices like the Kobo Clara BW, but still sharp, flush-mounted glass rather than the sunken plastic bezel of cheaper readers. Android Police called the resulting text "sharp and clear," while noting images "may appear less vibrant due to the lack of color" — an inherent limitation of grayscale E Ink, not a Boox-specific flaw.

In use

The Play Store access is the feature that defines the device, and it delivers exactly what it promises — with real friction attached. Android Police tried using the Kindle Android app as a workaround for the missing retail bookstore and found "it was an awful experience — the content was slow to load and prone to lag, and the physical navigation buttons didn't work in the Kindle app." That's a meaningful caveat: the device's biggest selling point (run any bookstore app) doesn't perform equally well across every app you'd want to run.

Onyx's own first-party software fares much better. PushRead handles RSS subscriptions cleanly, BOOXDrop syncs files wirelessly between a PC and the device without a cable, and NeoBrowser renders standard web pages readably on E Ink — small touches that show up consistently well-reviewed across outlets. Battery life is genuinely excellent: Android Police measured roughly a week of regular use on a single charge of the 2,300mAh cell, with standby drain described as "virtually non-existent." TechRadar's own testing landed similarly, at about 4.5 weeks when averaging two hours of reading a day.

The catch that both outlets converge on is content sourcing. Android Police was blunt: "the Boox Page is held back by the lack of a proper store to purchase retail e-books. While there is something labeled a 'store,' it's merely a collection of public domain works." You're expected to bring your own library or install someone else's storefront — a genuinely different ownership model than a Kindle or Kobo, and one that rewards readers who already have files or accounts elsewhere.

Strengths

• Real cross-store flexibility. Full Google Play Store access means Kindle, Kobo, and Libby can all run on one device — a genuinely unique proposition among e-readers on this list.
• Physical page-turn buttons. A tactile, well-made pair of buttons brings back the one-handed navigation the industry mostly abandoned when Amazon discontinued the Kindle Oasis.
• Exceptional battery life. Roughly a week of regular use per charge in Android Police's testing, with near-zero standby drain — genuinely "set it and forget it," in their words.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

• No real bookstore of its own. The built-in store is public-domain titles only; buying and managing content means installing another company's app, and results vary — the Kindle app specifically ran slow with non-functional page buttons in Android Police's testing.
• No waterproofing. Unlike the Kobo Clara BW's IPX8 rating, the Boox Page has none — keep it away from the bath or the beach.
• A learning curve most e-readers don't have. Between refresh-rate tuning per app and the content-sourcing workaround, this is a device for someone willing to tinker, not someone who wants to unbox and read immediately.

How it compares

On Gavler's list, the Boox Page sits one rank below the Kobo Clara BW — the device to pick instead if you want the sharpest possible reading experience with zero setup friction and don't care about running multiple bookstore apps. One rank down, the Amazon Kindle (2024) represents the opposite philosophy entirely: a closed, frictionless ecosystem with no configuration required, at less than half the Boox Page's price. The Boox Page's case against both: it's the only device on this list that lets you keep your existing Kindle and Kobo libraries on one screen, if you're willing to do some setup to get there.

The Gavler verdict

A 9.0 that reflects a genuinely capable, if niche, device. TechRadar rated it 4 out of 5 and Android Police's extensive hands-on testing backs up both the real strengths — build quality, battery life, physical buttons — and the real friction, especially around content sourcing and inconsistent third-party app performance. Buy the Boox Page if you're already reading across Kindle and Kobo and want to consolidate onto one screen, or if physical page-turn buttons are a non-negotiable. If you just want something that works the moment you open the box, the Kindle Paperwhite at the top of this list is the easier call.

Common Questions

Is the Onyx Boox Page worth it in 2026?

Yes, if vendor lock-in is the thing you're trying to escape. It ranks ninth on Gavler's Best E-Readers list with a 9.0. Android Police summarized the trade-off precisely: it 'offers a great E ink display, good build quality, and the freedom of Android, but unless you bring your own content to the table, it makes the conversation more complicated than it needs to be.' Buy it for the flexibility; go in knowing there's real setup work involved.

Can the Onyx Boox Page really run the Kindle and Kobo apps?

Yes — it ships with full access to the Google Play Store, so you can install the Kindle, Kobo, and Libby apps directly and read across all three stores on one device. TechRadar called it 'like having two ereaders in one tablet.' The trade-off, per Android Police's testing, is that the Kindle app specifically ran slow and laggy on the e-ink screen, and the physical page-turn buttons didn't work inside it.

Does the Onyx Boox Page have a bookstore of its own?

Not really. Android Police found Onyx's built-in 'store' is 'merely a collection of public domain works' rather than a retail catalog — you're expected to install Kindle, Kobo, or another store's app instead. That's the device's central trade-off: total flexibility in exchange for doing the setup work other e-readers do for you out of the box.