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Close, But Not the One: Boox Go 10.3 (Gen 2) REVIEW

Chalid Raqami

24,601 views

The Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 is a weird one, because technically, I already reviewed most of it in my Lumi review. Same design, same software, same pen, same basic idea — just without the frontlight. And that missing layer does make a difference. The pen sits closer to the ink, the screen looks cleaner, and writing feels a bit more direct.So there is a real argument for this version.

🔗 LINKS
For all Boox devices use the 10 USD/EUR off coupon BOOXIG10

Boox Go 10.3 (Gen 2) Lumi:
► EU & UK (affiliate): https://euroshop.boox.com/products/go...
► US (affiliate): https://shop.boox.com/products/go103g...

Boox Go 10.3 (Gen 2) Lumi:
► EU & UK (affiliate): https://euroshop.boox.com/products/go...
► US (affiliate): https://shop.boox.com/products/go103g...

Boox Note Air 5C:
► EU & UK (affiliate): https://euroshop.boox.com/products/no...
► US (affiliate): https://shop.boox.com/products/noteai...

Boox Go 7:
► EU & UK (affiliate): https://euroshop.boox.com/products/bo...
► US (affiliate): https://shop.boox.com/products/go7?re...

Boox Go Color 7:
► EU & UK (affiliate): https://euroshop.boox.com/products/bo...
► US (affiliate): https://shop.boox.com/products/go7?re...

Boox Tab X C:
► EU & UK (affiliate): https://euroshop.boox.com/products/bo...
► US (affiliate): https://shop.boox.com/products/tabxc?...

Boox Note Max:
► EU & UK (affiliate): https://euroshop.boox.com/products/bo...
► US (affiliate): https://shop.boox.com/products/notema...

Reviews:
► Boox Go 10.3 (Gen 2) Lumi: The almost perfect E-Ink tablet: Boox Go 1...
► Boox Note Air 5C Review: One E-Ink Tablet to Rule Them All: Boox No...
► Boox Tab X C Review: Boox Tab X C: 13.3" Color E-Ink Powerhouse...
► Boox Note Max Review: Boox Note Max Review: Can This 13.3” E-Ink...
► How to Choose and E-Ink Tablet: How To Choose An E-Ink Tablet?

⭐ SUBSCRIBE
@chalidraqami

🎬 CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:00 Design, Build Quality & Specs
03:54 Screen Stack & Direct Writing Feel
05:01 InkSense Plus Pen, Accuracy & Latency
07:24 E-Ink Carta 1200 Display & Missing Frontlight
08:35 Ghosting, Refresh & Android Apps
09:22 Android 15, Google Play & E-Ink Wise
10:53 Notes App & Workflow Features
11:42 PDF, E-Book Features &Data Privacy
12:46 Battery Life & Pen Charging
13:37 Conclusion: Get the Lumi Instead?

🖖WHO AM I
I'm Chalid, and I've been a fan of e-ink technology for a very long time. I've been reviewing e-ink devices since 2010. After more than 100 different e-reader tests for my German website, this channel is dedicated to sharing my experiences with the latest e-readers, other e-paper devices, and sometimes other tech in English as well.

🔗 DISCLAIMER/DISCLOSURE
The tips, tricks and experiences shared are for guidance only; any actions taken based on these are solely at your own risk. Some links in the description contain affiliate links, which means that if you buy something through these links, I will receive a small commission on a purchase at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you so much for supporting the channel.

🔖 TAGS
Boox Go 10.3 2026, Boox Go 10.3, Boox Go 10.3 (Gen 2), Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II), Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2, Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2, Boox Go 10.3 (2026), Boox Go 10.3 (Gen 2), Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II), Boox Go 10.3 Review, Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 Review, Boox Go 10.3 Hands-On, Boox Go 10.3 Lumi Unboxing, Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 No frontlight, Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 Classic, Boox Go 10.3 Gen 2 Frontlightless

#boox #eink #tablet

20 Comments

@deadiemeyers1661 3 months ago

I too appreciate it when you open the review with your conclusion. This actually makes me more interested in the “why.” I’m not especially tech savvy in general, but I have learned a lot from your YouTube videos. Many thanks. 😊

@RAMKVP 3 months ago

Always appreciate the upfront conclusion. Good review.

@MulliganAl 2 months ago

Bought and returned a few others, Scribe, ColorSoft, Supernote, then decided on the Lumi.

@superciliousdude 3 months ago

Very much appreciate the conclusion up front. Still watched the whole thing to hear why and get more depth.

@christinemurray1444 2 months ago

Thank you for that direct beginning. I disabled the ad blocker because of it. I still would have appreciated an informative title and description, but this was good enough and i thank you.

@zoide-777 2 months ago

Amazing review! Subscribed. :)

@Spidelli-m5e 2 months ago

Thank you for the great review. I also liked the conclusion at the beginning – despite that, I watched it to the end.

I had a 2nd gen Go 7 B&W and liked it, but I returned it because I wanted to try the color version. I liked that one too – I wanted to use it as an e-reader and notepad, but also as something that could replace a tablet in some situations, like outdoors and in sunlight.

As a mobile e-reader, both versions of the Go 7 were great – light and comfortable to hold with one hand. As a notepad – it's also okay, I usually scribble on paper – I write things down, sketch, or calculate – and the Go 7 would be fine for that too. As a tablet – well, out of curiosity, I started YouTube and it didn't impress me much. It's doable, but nothing interesting. Email, Reddit, and reading online articles – okay, though.

When I still had the Go 7 Color, I ordered the Note Air 5C and it turned out to be even better than the Go 7 as an e-reader, notepad, or "tablet," but in the stationary version, at my desk. It wasn't as comfortable to hold anymore – larger, heavier, and slippery.

I hesitated for a long time, but I returned the Go 7. After a few days with the NA5C, I realized that using it as a tablet drained the battery, just like a tablet. Furthermore, the screen without a backlight was readable in good light. Sometimes at home, you have to turn on the backlight, which affects the battery. I started to hesitate, but ultimately decided it was a cool gadget, but too fragile and too expensive, so I returned it as well.

Now I'm considering the Go 10 Lumi, which isn't much cheaper, but compared to the NA5C, the battery life seems longer. The tablet is slightly lighter and has a porous structure, which should make it more comfortable to hold. As for the pen, I can compare the EMR with the NA5C (good) and the InkSense Plus with the Go 7 (adequate), so I expect a slight step back with the Go 10.

I'm also considering the reMarkable Paper Pure – the 50-day return policy is quite good, but I'm put off by the lack of a backlight, its focus more on a notepad than an e-reader, and the lack of basic features like email or a simple browser. I probably wouldn't need the Connect service, so I won't mention this as a significant drawback.

@ShiftyFoxOne 2 months ago

appreciate the conclusion up front. I usually mute the video and open another tab to continue browsing youtube when this happens :)

@notaprofessionalJ 3 months ago

playing this video to the end specifically to get you credit with the YouTube gods. completely agree with your point on the light. other than that though, I think the 10.3 II is one of my favorite Boox devices since I started using e-ink on a regular basis in 2023. the only thing that could make it better would be higher performance (which would take it out of the "Go" line), but it seems Onyx is simply not interested in building performance B&W devices.

@teagan_p_999 3 months ago

Good to know. I deliberately chose to watch a review with a title that wasn't fully complementary, and you still sold me on the device.

I really don't care about frontlight. Paper doesn't have frontlight, if I need light I can dig a book light out of my random electronics bin. Something that feels more like paper is more important to me. I'm going to be using it at my desk 99% of the time or more, anyway. Seems I'm the intended customer.

@eReadersForum 3 months ago

Great review, and yes, Lumi is great. I own it and love it.

@samansh6305 3 months ago

Great video! I tried the Gen II Lumi but found the writing feel pretty underwhelming. I almost considered the Gen II non-Lumi, but realized the Gen I with Wacom EMR is a better choice for a superior pen experience. I ended up buying the Gen I and the writing feel is much better. The ghosting on V4.2 firmware is brutal though. Because of this and other software quirks, I might end up returning the Boox and just stick to Supernote for a more refined software experience and less ghosting.

@horseman1956 3 months ago

The Lumi is, in my humble opinion, one of the nicest B&W devices a person can own, whether for work of personal use. I also own the Supernote Manta and actually like the device more in many ways, but the lack of a frontlight on the Manta has proven to be a show stopper for me. The Lumi completely resolves that problem, providing a fully functional eink device regardless of my location or lighting conditions.

@lucasx7005 1 month ago

Hi Chalid how do you feel between the Boot Go 10.3 vs the Supernote Manta Ax52? The things is that users express a lot of love for the Supernote, so it makes me feel they have a very convincing experience that makes them use it everyday... meaning is really useful, a real help, real outcome and maybe not product pushed as "awesome" by marketing induced consensus?. How do you feel about this? Thank you for your detailed videos

@Zara.Kh80 2 weeks ago

Great, thanks. I need this for my academic tasks. What formats can notes be saved in? Docs or images? Can I transfer them to my laptop? Also, can I install Chrome on it for browsing or opening ChatGPT, youtube, etc? Or other Apps I need?

@Zara.Kh80 2 weeks ago

Great, thanks. What formats can notes be saved in? Docs or images? Can I transfer them to my laptop? Also, can I install Chrome on it for browsing or opening ChatGPT, youtube etc? Or other Apps I need?

@shahinerian8746 2 months ago

Why buy this over the boox note air 5c?

@yoyoschmo1 1 month ago

I hate that the pen needs to be charged

@Thepinkfloydguy76678 2 months ago

Mangas look washed out and grainy on GO10.3 Lumi with the light on.

@robertleonhard661 3 months ago

Meta pens work perfectly with this device. Who gives a crap about diagonal lines? All these reviews are overly concerned with metrics. Why can’t someone do a video on how all the elements work?