Boox Palma 2 review - "The reader-turned-gaming device I didn't know I needed"

• The Boox Palma 2 offers a flicker-free e-ink screen that reduces eye strain
• It's ideal for less demanding and more casual adventures, but the usage is very niche
• The price tag might be a tad difficult to justify in that case

Perhaps the title of this piece alone already tells you the gist of the review, but what might've made you click on it is the shock value - and no, it's not clickbait at all. The Boox Palma 2, while meant to be an e-ink device made for reading, has become my go-to gaming device when I'm unwinding at the end of a long and tiring day.

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Table of contents:

• Boox Palma 2 design and hardware

• Gaming experience and performance

• What's the verdict?

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Boox Palma 2 design and hardware

Before we get to that, though, we absolutely need to talk about how beautiful the Boox Palma 2 looks. I fell in love with its design the instant I took it out of the box, mainly because it's got that lovely textured feel on its backing, and that "power off" screen that instantly tells you that this is not your average smartphone (and it's not, in all honesty, because there's no SIM card slot - but more on that later).

The elegant off-white shade goes perfectly well with the case that came with my review unit, but to be perfectly honest, it doesn't really feel like I need a case at all, given the device's build. Still, it's a pleasant surprise to find the folding case and its magnetic ring that you can fully detach, giving you the option of either using it with the cover on or going for a more subtle back casing instead.

As for the screen, it's what you'd expect from e-ink technology - I'll leave the specs for you to peruse over on the official website - but it all basically means that you won't feel the eye strain even after staring at your screen for ages. And as a writer, reader, and gamer, I appreciate that all too much. 

Gaming experience and performance

And now for my incredibly odd choice of using what's meant to be a reader for portable gaming (or, more specifically, for after-work, snuggle-in-bed-with-a-cup-of-tea gaming) - the Boox Palma 2, because of its screen, is perfect for resting tired eyes at the end of the day. 

Normally, this would be the part where I tell you how wonderful it feels to read books on e-paper, but while that was initially my intention, I found a much better use case for this device, and that's to play my meditative adventures and hand-drawn puzzlers on it when winding down at night. 

Thanks to its access to Google Play, the possibilities are practically endless here, which means you can install anything you want, provided it can take the heat both literally and figuratively. With its 6GB of RAM and 3,950 mAh battery, it can chug along depending on how demanding your apps are, which is precisely why I simply use it for my more casual and more relaxing adventures at night. 

It runs on Android 13 and offers a microSD card slot so you can expand its 128GB storage, but honestly, for my own use case, that's more than enough.

Of course, it does start to feel a tad toasty when you're playing for a while, but it's nothing too bothersome - and the battery life, thanks to its flicker-free screen, remains solid while gaming. 

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• Infinix's Hot 60 Pro+ review

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I do mean, of course, that when I'm journeying through the vastness of Alto's Odyssey, cosying up with Tsuki in the countryside, or scoring goals with my doggos in Pup Champs, the battery percentage only takes a little hit. I don't think the same can be said when playing, say, Zenless Zone Zero on it, which I haven't been foolish enough to do (yet).

That's because while you can customise the refresh rate to keep lag and ghosting to a minimum, the screen is, of course, in black and white, and I doubt you'll go very far with shooters where you can't even tell the difference between friend or foe. But the monochromatic look lends Tsuki Adventure a more nostalgic and evocative atmosphere, which makes it all the more relaxing - and now that I've experienced the game this way, I'm not sure I'll ever want to go back.

What's The Verdict?

Obviously, the Boox Palma 2 isn't going to cut it if you're not like me, and it's a very niche use case indeed. There are plenty of limitations simply because there's no SIM card network connection (save for Bluetooth and WiFi), the screen is terrible for watching videos and taking photos (you can do some OCR work, of course), and the price tag isn't quite justifiable if you're not in the market for a pocket reader. The sound quality, while passable for audiobooks, isn't the best, either.

But it gets the job done, especially with its customisable display settings, and for me, its most important trait is that I can play during my downtime without pesky distractions, imposing notifications, and smartphone-related anxieties that plague me throughout the day.

It all just feels incredibly muted - the sounds, the colours, the sensations - and for Introvert Me, who's always longing for a comforting corner I can sneak away to without the chaos of the outside world, it's practically heaven.