El BOOX Go Color 7 2nd generation It's here to prove that the world of e-ink goes far beyond Kindle, Kobo, or reMarkable. This color ePaper reader wants to be your reading companion, but also your notepad and your small travel tablet, with full Android and access to Google Play.
With a Kaleido 3 7-inch color screen, very light weight and stylus compatibilityThe Go Color 7 (Gen II) is aimed directly at avid readers, frequent travelers, and those who want more than just a simple black and white eReader. It also shares a family with the monochrome BOOX Go 7, which embraces the same compact design philosophy but without color.
Design, ergonomics and durability of the BOOX Go Color 7 (2nd generation)
One of the first things that catches your eye is its Slim and lightweight body: 6,4 mm thick and weighing about 195 gramsThis allows you to hold it with one hand for long periods without discomfort, which sets it apart from other, bulkier e-ink readers.
The front is dominated by the screen, surrounded by very narrow frames on three sides and one wider side as a handleThat side strip is designed to comfortably grip the device without covering the screen, making it especially pleasant for reading while lying on the sofa, in bed, or while on public transport.
The screen is protected by a Special Onyx Glass crystal that sits completely flush with the frameIt has no bezels. This gives it a more modern look and also helps prevent dirt from accumulating on the edges. The glass incorporates a treatment to reduce reflections, reinforcing that sought-after "matte paper" feel in this type of device.
At the rear we find a textured surface that imitates the feel of paperThis textured finish greatly improves grip and hides fingerprints, although the black model tends to attract some dust. In any case, it feels solid and pleasant in the hand, with no strange creaking.
Several key elements are concentrated on the right flank: USB-C port with OTG support, microSD card slot and a pair of built-in speakersThanks to the USB-C port, you can charge the device, connect headphones via an adapter, or even plug in OTG-compatible accessories and external drives. The speakers aren't amazing in terms of quality, but they're more than adequate for listening to audiobooks or podcasts occasionally.
El The power button is located on the bottom edge.While the other sides remain clean, contributing to a very minimalist design. In terms of durability, the device incorporates a water repellent coatingIt can withstand splashes, small spills, light raindrops, or the typical scare in the bathtub. It's not a submersible device nor designed to withstand high-pressure jets, but it provides peace of mind for everyday use.
Kaleido 3 color display and reading experience
The heart of the BOOX Go Color 7 (2nd generation) is its 3-inch eInk Kaleido 7 displayIn black and white mode it offers a density of 300 dpi, while the color content is displayed at 150 dpiThe total resolution is 1680 x 1264 pixels, a figure that competes head-to-head with the best current readers.
Kaleido 3 technology allows displaying up to 4096 soft colorsdesigned for content such as comics, illustrated books, light magazines, or creative notesHowever, it's important to clarify something: color in electronic ink It doesn't have the same punch as on an LCD or OLED panel. The tones look soft, even muted in some cases, to the point that they can sometimes be mistaken for a slightly tinted grayscale.
The use of ePaper has clear advantages: the screen is matte, with very few reflections even outdoorsand eye strain is much less than with a conventional tablet. BOOX adds a Front light with adjustable color temperature (cool or warm)So you can read comfortably both day and night. Thanks to E Ink's ComfortGaze technology and the MOON Light 2 function, the lighting is soft and not at all harsh.
The maximum brightness is high enough for reading outdoors, and the illumination appears quite uniform across the entire surface. However, There is no ambient light sensorSo you'll have to adjust the brightness level manually as needed, and it's also not possible to automatically program the change from cool to warm light based on the time of day or sunset.
In terms of sharpness, black and white texts look as sharp as in other high-end readers (For example, 300 dpi devices like the Kindle Scribe). If you place a page from a paper book next to the BOOX Go Color 7, the difference in detail is practically imperceptible. For color books or comics, the improvement over a monochrome reader is very clear, although, as mentioned, the color is softer than on a traditional tablet.
The screen supports different refresh modes thanks to BOOX Super Refresh technologyThis helps to reduce ghosting (the afterimages typical of e-ink) and adapt the flow to each use:
- Normal ModeDesigned for static reading of books and documents. Prioritizes sharpness and minimal ghosting.
- Quick modeUseful for turning pages faster or scrolling through images; improves responsiveness at the cost of a slight trace.
- Mode A2: focused on web browsing and content with continuous scrolling; greater fluidity, but more ghosting.
- Regal Mode: specially designed for full-color content with illustrations, such as comics or manga, reducing residual shadows.
In addition, BOOX allows adjust the screen parameters specifically for each applicationFrom the E-Ink Center, you can modify apparent DPI, font thickness, aliasing removal, full-page refresh rate, background whitening, and more. This is very useful when installing third-party apps from Google Play that aren't designed for ePaper.
In terms of touch response, the screen recognizes taps with good accuracy, and the The page turn time is fast for e-ink.There is a slight delay inherent to this technology, but it's well controlled. The result is that you can read, navigate menus, or switch between apps with more than acceptable smoothness.
Digital writing and compatibility with the BOOX InkSense pen
The big novelty of this second generation is its emphasis on handwritingThe BOOX Go Color 7 (Gen II) is compatible with the new BOOX InkSense pen, an active stylus with 4096 levels of pressure and haptic feedback that is sold separately.
This stylus connects directly to the device (no Bluetooth required) and charges via a USB-C cable. Thanks to its pressure sensitivity, it allows Vary the stroke thickness depending on the pressure you apply to the stylusachieving a fairly natural writing feel on the surface of the Onyx Glass.
BOOX has put special work into the notes section. The device integrates a very complete proprietary notes appWith this app, you can take quick notes, create travel journals, sketch, or outline plans for work and studies. It includes tools such as:
- Templates to organize ideas (grids, lines, lists, planners, etc.).
- Various brushes and colors (in the context of the color ePaper) to highlight and differentiate content.
- Shape and line tools to create clean graphics.
- Converting handwriting to text digitally readable.
- Lasso tool to move, resize or rearrange already written elements.
In addition, the BOOX Go Color 7 allows to underline, highlight and annotate directly on books and documentsWhether in black and white or color, this makes the device an interesting hybrid between a reader and a digital notebook, ideal for those who study, proofread texts, or work with PDFs and technical documents.
To enjoy the full writing experience, it is important keep firmware up to datebecause BOOX is constantly refining the stylus's performance and note-taking features with each update. The brand, in fact, is committed to offering Free software updates for at least 3 years since the product launch.
Physical buttons and reading controls
Two are located on the side of the grip. Separate physical buttons to turn the page, very well integrated and with a more pronounced click than in the previous model, where the travel at one end was quite limited.
These buttons are not only for advance or go back pages in the native reading appBOOX allows you to assign different functions to them in third-party apps, such as vertical scrolling or controlling the volume in audio players.
The configuration goes even further: it can customize what each button does with a long pressAmong the possible actions are rotating the screen, returning to the home screen, going back, taking screenshots (full or partial), opening multitasking, clearing the cache, activating a screen refresh, modifying brightness or color temperature, changing the refresh mode, etc.
The device also incorporates a G-sensor for automatic rotationThis means that when you rotate it, both the screen and the button mapping adjust to the orientation. However, automatic orientation detection is disabled by default and must be enabled from the control center.
Internal hardware, connectivity and sound
Inside, the BOOX Go Color 7 Gen II features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 octa-core SoCIt's a mid-range chip that's been around for a while, but it's still perfectly adequate for this type of device. It combines two high-performance Cortex-A77 cores with six low-power Cortex-A55 cores, reaching speeds of up to 2 GHz and 1,7 GHz respectively.
The graphic design work falls to a Adreno 619L GPUThis is more than enough to handle interfaces, transitions, web content, and small animations within the limitations of e-ink. It's not a device for gaming or demanding video viewing, but it's perfectly capable of smoothly running reading apps, light productivity applications, and various utilities.
The processor is accompanied by 4 GB of LPDDR4x RAMAlthough it may sound like a modest figure nowadays, in an ePaper reader intended for multi-device use it is more than acceptable, since it is not designed to keep a large number of heavy apps open at the same time.
For storage, the device offers 64 GB of internal UFS 2.2 memoryA quick standard for the kind of tasks you'll be performing: opening books, playing audio, managing notes, etc. If that falls short, you can always expand with a microSD card, a very interesting advantage over eReaders that come "closed" without expansion.
In terms of wireless connectivity, the BOOX Go Color 7 is equipped Dual-band WiFi (2,4 and 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 5.1It doesn't offer versions with integrated mobile data, but you can easily share your mobile connection. Bluetooth allows you to connect headphones, speakers, or external keyboards for more comfortable typing.
In terms of audio, it incorporates a pre-installed music player, basic stereo speakers, and compatibility with WAV and MP3 formatsThis allows you to listen to audiobooks or podcasts directly, or use the system's Text-to-Speech (TTS) function to convert any compatible text into speech. For a more polished experience, you can use Bluetooth headphones or a USB-C to headphone jack adapter.
Operating system, interface and available apps
The BOOX Go Color 7 (2nd generation) moves on Android 13Although the system is heavily customized by BOOX's own layer, in day-to-day use you hardly feel like you're using "pure" Android, but the great advantage is that You have access to the Google Play Store and therefore to virtually any compatible app.
La main interface It's organized with a top bar that displays the time, Wi-Fi connection status, battery level, and access to the control center. Swiping down from the top left opens notifications, while swiping down from the top right opens the control center with quick access to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, screen recording, screen sharing, mute, brightness, color temperature, and more.
At the bottom appears a navigation bar with multiple sections key:
- Library: Here you will find a list of all the books and documents stored on the device.
- Shop: access to BOOX's own store, whose book catalog is quite limited compared to giants like Amazon or Kobo.
- Storage: panel to see how much space is occupied and how many files of each type (documents, images, music, videos, downloads, files received via Bluetooth, APK, fonts, etc.) you have on the computer.
- Applications: list of installed apps, from where you can also directly access Google Play to download new applications.
- Settings: general device settings menu (connectivity, display, accounts, system, etc.).
BOOX also includes a small floating menu called NaviBallwhich acts as a configurable shortcut for frequent actions. One of the interesting features here is the GPT-3-based AI assistantwhich opens in a floating window and allows you to chat, make summaries or ask for explanations while you read.
Apps like BooxDrop, Calculator, Dictionary, Gallery, Recorder, Calendar, Music, Neobrowser (web browser), PushRead, Clock, Screensaver and the AI Assistant itselfThe built-in browser is functional, but the limitations of e-ink make scrolling through pages, especially those with a lot of dynamic content, somewhat slow and prone to ghosting. It can play video and even run games, but it's not a recommended experience.
Reading books, compatible formats, and file management
The main use of the BOOX Go Color 7 is, obviously, read books and documentsHere, it particularly shines due to its enormous format compatibility. For documents, it accepts PDF, CAJ, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, and PPTX. For images, it supports PNG, JPG, BMP, and TIFF, and for audio, WAV and MP3.
In addition to this native compatibility, the presence of Android and Google Play opens the door to Apps like Kindle, Google Play Books, Wattpad, Duolingo, Medium, news apps (CNN, for example), browsers like Chrome, or task managersThis way you can centralize your library from different platforms on a single device and Organize your ebooks by categories.
However, one detail to keep in mind: BOOX native reader does not open books with DRMIf you use copyrighted content from certain stores, you'll need to use the official apps for each service (Kindle, Kobo, etc.) installed from the Play Store. Once you've done that, you'll be able to read normally, taking full advantage of the e-ink screen.
To transfer your own documents, you have several options. If your BOOX and your computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, you can use the app. BooxDropYou type the address shown by the reader into your PC's browser and drag and drop the files you want to send. Alternatively, you can use the BOOX cloud service via push.boox.comor install the BOOX Assistant app on your mobile (Android or iOS) to send books and access notes from your smartphone.
BOOX also offers 10 GB of free cloud storage per accountwhere you can save notes and documents to keep them backed up and accessible from other devices of the brand. This feature fits perfectly with the "digital notepad" approach of the Go Color 7.
Advanced reading and personalization features
When reading, the Go Color 7 lets you fine-tune the experience down to the smallest detail. You can Adjust the font, font size, line spacing, margins, and reading theme. (light or dark backgrounds, different contrast combinations). You can also activate the system-wide dark mode to invert backgrounds in compatible apps.
There is a function of Integrated Text-to-Speech (TTS) It converts text to speech for free. Combined with the built-in speaker or Bluetooth headphones, you can "listen" to your books while doing other tasks. It doesn't quite reach the level of a professionally recorded audiobook, but it's very useful for commutes or times when you don't feel like continuing to read on a screen.
La sync with cloud This allows your notes and certain reading progress to be available on other BOOX devices linked to the same account. This way, switching devices doesn't mean losing notes or having to manually find the page you were on.
Regarding refresh rate control, it can be configured which update method to use per appSo, for example, the e-reader uses normal or Regal mode, while a web browser or news app uses fast or A2 mode for better scrolling.
Battery and autonomy in everyday life
The second-generation BOOX Go Color 7 features a 2300 mAh batteryThis might sound understated compared to conventional tablets, but it's incredibly useful in the world of e-ink. The panel only consumes power when refreshing the image, and the front lighting isn't as energy-intensive as a constantly backlit LCD.
In practice, the device is capable of withstand many days of light, reading-focused useEven with relatively long daily sessions, battery life is impressive. Installing additional apps or using Wi-Fi intensively can slightly reduce battery life, but overall, it offers ample autonomy, ideal for travel without constantly worrying about the charger.
The loading is done through the port USB-C located on the sideIt wasn't designed for ultra-fast charging like a high-end mobile phone, but since it's a small battery, the full charging time isn't excessive, and you'll usually only need to connect the cable very occasionally.
Price, availability and competitors
The BOOX Go Color 7 (Gen II) is marketed in Spain through the BOOX official online storeIts price is around €279,99 for the 7-inch color modelUsually, when you buy it from the manufacturer's website, it includes a magnetic sleeve that protects the device and activates/deactivates the screen when opened or closed.
Within the BOOX catalog, the Go Color 7 shares a family with the BOOX Go 7, a variant with a monochrome screen based on Carta 1300 technology. This model maintains the 300 dpi resolution in black and white, adjustable front light and very similar weight, but gives up color in exchange for a somewhat purer and sharper grayscale experience.
If you're interested in a larger screen, the brand's range includes options such as BOOX Note Air3 Cwith a 10,3-inch color display and features focused on productivity and advanced note-taking, or the BOOX Go Color 10.3 monochrome, more geared towards reading PDFs and office work.
Outside the BOOX ecosystem, one of the most direct rivals in color would be a hypothetical Kindle color with 7-inch screenwhich is usually known for its very long battery life, slightly less storage, and full integration with the Amazon catalog. In the realm of black and white eReaders, devices like Kindle Oasis or Kindle Paperwhite They offer cheaper alternatives if you don't need color or the full Android version.
The positioning of the Go Color 7 Gen II is clear: It does not intend to compete on price with basic readers.but to offer something different: color, writing, Android 13, Google Play and an e-ink tablet experience in a very compact format.
The second-generation BOOX Go Color 7 is presented as a A compact, lightweight, and highly versatile ePaper reader that combines color reading, stylus writing, Android 13, and a long-lasting battery.For those who want more than a simple traditional eReader and value taking notes, using third-party apps, and reading in both black and white and color, it is one of the most complete and flexible devices in its category.
