Boox Note Air4 C Review: The Ultimate Digital Notebook for Students and Professionals?
We at Gaming News understand the allure of e-ink technology. The promise of eye-friendly displays replacing traditional screens on our everyday devices has been a long-held dream. The Boox Note Air4 C aims to bring that dream closer to reality, presenting itself as a versatile digital notebook with a distinct analog feel. But does it live up to the hype? In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve deep into the features, performance, and overall user experience of the Boox Note Air4 C, helping you decide if it’s the right device for your needs.
A Digital Notebook First, a Tablet Second: Understanding the Boox Note Air4 C’s Identity
The Boox Note Air4 C isn’t trying to be an iPad replacement. It’s crucial to understand this upfront. If you’re seeking a full-fledged tablet experience with a vibrant, high-refresh-rate display, you’ll likely be disappointed. The Note Air4 C excels as a digital notebook designed for reading, writing, and note-taking. Think of it as a sophisticated e-reader that also offers the functionality of a tablet. This shift in perspective is key to appreciating its unique strengths.
Like the Boox Palma 2, the Note Air4 C is a hybrid device. Boox needs to effectively market this unique proposition to reach the right audience.
The Reading and Writing Experience: Where the Boox Note Air4 C Shines
The core strength of the Boox Note Air4 C lies in its exceptional reading and writing experience. The 10.3-inch e-ink display provides ample screen real estate, striking a balance between portability and comfortable readability. While the screen might appear slightly darker than the Boox Palma, the larger form factor significantly enhances the overall experience.
Vertical vs. Horizontal: Adapting to Your Reading and Writing Style
The Boox Note Air4 C supports both vertical (traditional reading) and horizontal (drawing pad) orientations. This versatility is a major advantage, allowing you to adapt the device to your preferred reading and writing style. We found the horizontal orientation particularly useful for note-taking and sketching. The folding cover doubles as a triangular stand, providing a comfortable viewing angle for both reading and writing.
Handwriting Precision and Feel: Bridging the Gap Between Digital and Analog
Handwriting on the Boox Note Air4 C is precise and responsive. The e-ink texture on the e-paper provides a pleasant tactile feedback that simulates the feel of writing on paper. While it may not fully replicate the experience of writing on paper with a specialized iPad screen protector, the Note Air4 C offers a satisfying and natural handwriting experience.
Comic Book Reading: A Promising but Imperfect Experience
We were particularly interested in exploring the Boox Note Air4 C’s potential as a comic book reader. The idea of consuming comics and manga on an eye-friendly e-ink display, without the need to carry physical copies, is highly appealing.
Color and Contrast Limitations: A Hurdle for Comic Book Enthusiasts
However, our tests revealed some limitations in the device’s ability to accurately reproduce colors and contrast. The colors appear muted, and the blacks tend to be grayish. While the e-ink display reduces eye strain, the overall visual experience falls short of the vibrancy and clarity offered by traditional comic books or illuminated tablets. The combination of e-ink and the format is acceptable and reduces eyestrain, but it is far from a dream for reading comics.
While the Boox Note Air4 C can serve as a decent option for reading comics in a pinch, it’s not a perfect substitute for the visual fidelity of traditional comic books or high-quality tablet displays.
Technical Specifications and Performance: A Few Rough Edges
The Boox Note Air4 C is powered by Android 13, an Octa-core processor, 6 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage. The screen utilizes Boox’s super-refresh technology to minimize ghosting and improve page refresh rates.
Performance Hiccups: A Little More Polish Needed
While the device generally performs well, we encountered some minor performance hiccups. We noticed a slight lag when browsing the web, opening and closing apps, and performing other basic tasks. The device occasionally felt a bit sluggish, considering its hardware specifications. Updating the device was also a time-consuming process.
Design Quirks: Questionable Choices
We also observed a few questionable design choices. The placement of the USB-C port on the side, rather than the top or bottom, makes it inaccessible when the case is closed. The stylus attachment system is also somewhat flimsy, causing the stylus to detach easily.
Interface and Usability: Room for Improvement
The user interface could be more intuitive and user-friendly. We found it challenging to perform simple tasks, such as looking up words in a book. The process of finding the dictionary function was unnecessarily convoluted, and the device inexplicably differentiated between uppercase and lowercase characters during searches.
Target Audience: Who is the Boox Note Air4 C For?
Despite its drawbacks, the Boox Note Air4 C can be a valuable tool for specific users. During our tests, we identified teachers, writers, and university students as the most likely beneficiaries.
Ideal for Academic Use: Textbook Reading, Note-Taking, and More
The Note Air4 C excels as a textbook reader, allowing students to study comfortably without straining their eyes. It’s also a great tool for taking notes on documents and books. The split-screen functionality enables users to work with office suites, such as viewing Excel spreadsheets alongside their data. Additionally, the device provides access to web browsers, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, and online newspapers and magazines.
If you’re a student or professional seeking a dedicated reading and writing device with tablet-like functionality, the Boox Note Air4 C could be a worthwhile investment.
Value and Conclusion: A Promising Device with Potential
At a price point exceeding 500 euros, the Boox Note Air4 C is a significant investment. While it’s not without its flaws, it offers a unique and compelling experience for users who prioritize reading, writing, and note-taking on an eye-friendly e-ink display. We like the evolution of the Boox Palma to the Boox Palma 2 in the past year. Seeing the improvements over the Air3, we hope that the Boox Note Air4 C will do something similar and polish its features and market stance, because the idea is very promising and it is already one of the best ePaper tablets out there.
Final Verdict: A Solid Choice for Dedicated Users
If you’re seeking a versatile digital notebook for academic or professional use, and you’re willing to overlook some minor performance issues and design quirks, the Boox Note Air4 C is a solid choice.