The Boox Note Air 5C is a powerful and, arguably, the best device in its class. But no device is perfect, and before you make a purchase, it’s important to understand its limitations.
While I still believe this device is worth buying, I want to highlight five significant issues that prospective buyers should be aware of:
1. Strong Integrity Failure: A Major Security Hurdle
The most pressing issue for many users will be that the Note Air 5C fails the Google Play integrity check. This isn’t a minor hiccup; it’s a huge deal for anyone using the device for work, banking, or other sensitive tasks.
What it means is a “strong integrity fail” indicates the device is not considered trustworthy by Google’s highest security standards.
Practically, security-sensitive applications, including many banking, payment, and corporate apps, may refuse to run. If you intend to use the Note Air 5C for secure corporate work, you must verify compatibility beforehand.
Boox is not alone in this. My Lenovo tablet M11 also fails this test, suggesting this is a wider challenge in the Android ecosystem for non-Google-certified devices.
2. A Noticeably Dark Screen
I know it’s been said a million times, but the screen is just plain dark. Compared to other e-ink devices, the difference is noticeable enough that the front light needs to be kept on almost all the time—I’d estimate at least 90% of the time—to achieve a comfortable reading experience.
Sadly, this is not a unique flaw of the 5C. It is a fundamental limitation of the Kaleido 3 Color E-ink technology itself. While the colors are a welcome addition, they come at the cost of screen brightness.
3. Low Color Resolution
While the screen is perfectly acceptable for black-and-white content, the resolution takes a significant hit when color is introduced.
The color resolution drops to roughly half the resolution of the black-and-white display. The result is that The color content appears grainy and pixelated. The overall quality of color media is mediocre at best, making the device’s color capability more of a functional addition than a vibrant viewing experience.
4. Awkward Design Choices
A few design decisions on the Note Air 5C are simply baffling and lead to daily frustration:
The placement of the stylus magnet is somewhat silly. It frequently causes the pen to either cover or accidentally press the volume button.
The flap that secures the stylus is highly impractical. It was promptly abandoned after five minutes of use. Worse, its magnet can interfere with the device, essentially disabling the pen and preventing writing in specific areas of the screen.
5.Poor Battery Life
The combination of the dark screen and the need for constant backlighting leads directly to the fifth issue: poor battery life.
Since the device requires the front light to be on almost constantly for usability, this significantly drains the battery. For an e-ink device, which traditionally boasts multi-week battery life, the constant lighting requirement makes the 5C’s battery life a letdown.
In Still the Best in Class
Despite these five issues—the Google integrity fail, the dark screen, low color resolution, awkward design, and poor battery life—I would still purchase the Boox Note Air 5C. I genuinely believe it’s the best device in its class right now.
My goal here is not to discourage a purchase but to provide an honest assessment so that buyers know exactly what they are getting. Hopefully, shining a light on these concerns will also encourage developers to focus on improvements for future devices. The potential is immense, but these pain points need to be addressed.
You can buy this here: https://amzn.to/4373lDX
