Boox has quietly dropped something pretty interesting in China — the P6 Pro. Think of it as the next-gen version of the Boox Palma, but with a few huge upgrades: 5G, a color display, and more memory across the board.
For years, Boox’s smaller e-readers were Wi-Fi only. You could read and sync over Wi-Fi, but once you stepped out, you were offline. Now, with a SIM slot and 5G support, you can grab your books, sync notes, or even download articles on the move — no hotspot required, as first detailed by NotebookCheck.
Two models, two flavors of E Ink
There are two versions of the P6 Pro:
- a grayscale model with a 6.13-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display, and
- a color model using the Kaleido 3 panel.
The Kaleido 3 screen can display up to 4,096 colors, meaning comics, PDFs, and magazines finally get a bit of life on e-ink. In grayscale mode, you still get a crisp 300 ppi, while color mode runs at 150 ppi — a fair trade-off for those muted but useful tones, as confirmed by The Verge.
Hardware highlights
Inside, the color version packs 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage, while the grayscale model comes with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. Both share the same 3,950 mAh battery with 15 W fast charging, and even include a 16 MP rear camera with flash — handy for scanning documents or capturing notes from paper.
The new Boox OS 4.1 (based on Android 13) keeps things familiar if you’ve used previous Boox devices. You can still install apps, read across platforms, and annotate directly on screen. The color edition also supports stylus input, turning it into a mini note-taking pad for sketches or highlights — another upgrade noted by Liliputing.
Price and availability
In China, pricing starts at CNY 2,799 (around USD 393) for the grayscale version and CNY 3,299 (around USD 463) for the color model. Launch discounts temporarily drop them to roughly CNY 2,516 and CNY 2,991 respectively. Global release details haven’t been confirmed yet, though early signs suggest an international launch could follow later in 2025, according to NotebookCheck’s launch report.
Why this actually matters
E-readers haven’t changed much visually in years — but this feels like a shift. Adding 5G makes the P6 Pro a true on-the-go device, and the Kaleido 3 display means e-ink isn’t stuck in black and white anymore.
Of course, there are caveats. The lower resolution in color mode means finer text looks a bit softer, and 5G could eat into battery life faster. But for anyone who reads web content, comics, or academic papers, this setup hits a sweet spot between portability and versatility.
Expert view: what’s different from the Palma 2
Compared to the Boox Palma 2, the new P6 Pro is a noticeable step up. The display tech jumps from Carta 1200 to Carta 1300 (or Kaleido 3), memory gets a boost, and connectivity finally goes mobile. It’s still about the size of a smartphone — just with e-ink’s soft matte look and that signature battery life.
Few competitors offer anything similar right now. Color e-ink is still rare, especially in this smaller form factor, and adding cellular pushes Boox ahead of most mainstream brands in flexibility. As The Verge points out, it’s one of the few devices blending phone-style portability with true e-ink comfort.
What we still don’t know
A few things remain unclear:
- Is 5G for data only, or will it support calls or SMS?
- Will Boox bring it to global markets, or keep it China-exclusive for now?
- And how well will the Kaleido 3 screen hold up in real-world use — especially for fast-scrolling content or color accuracy?
Good e-Reader suggests Boox could reveal international plans soon, but nothing’s official yet.
Final thoughts
The Boox P6 Pro is a fascinating blend of reader, note-taker, and connected device. It’s not trying to replace your phone — but it could become the perfect second screen for anyone who reads and writes a lot on the move.
If Boox manages a global rollout, this might be the most flexible color e-reader of its size yet.
Last Updated on October 18, 2025 by Lucy
