Onyx Boox · Updated July 2026
Boox Note Air5 C: price, specs & release date
The Boox Note Air5 C costs $499.99, #6 cheapest of 10 e ink tablets (median $479). It earns a Silver Deskmark — 81/100 pay-blind standing, #3 of 10 in class.
Verified Jul 11, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
- Best for Pen 3 writing/note-taking experience is among the best, with paper-like friction; Runs full Android 15 with an open Play Store app ecosystem and versatility.
- Skip if Noticeable typing lag on both the on-screen and physical keyboard folio is a dealbreaker.
Boox Note Air5 C, released 2025-10. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.
Source: shop.boox.com verified ✓ corroborated verify in ledger
Is the Boox Note Air5 C a good buy?
At $500, the Boox Note Air5 C is #6 cheapest of the 10 e ink tablets we track, where the median is $479. On the spec sheet, its ppi of 300 is the highest of the 10, its storage of 64 GB is above the median of the 10, and its screen size of 10.3 in is at the median of the 10. By release date, it is among the newer of the 9 we date.
Evidence of Record
Our data- Independent labsmeasured it
- 1
- Physical metricsrecorded
- 4
- Outlets on record1 tested · 1 mention-only
- 2
One independent lab measured this product across 4 physical metrics — geekbench 6 single-core, geekbench 6 multi-core, weight and battery. These numbers rest on a single hands-on source so far; 1 other outlet has it on record by mention only.
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the Boox Note Air5 C
Two whitelisted testers reviewed this exact model: TechRadar (lab-tested, benchmarked) and Digital Trends (hands-on, no measurements). Both praise the Pen 3 writing/note-taking experience and Android 15's open Play Store ecosystem, and rate it strong value against the pricier Kindle Scribe. TechRadar flags typing lag, heavy 440g weight, weak battery life, and muted colors; deep-lab outlets like RTINGS are absent.
Tested by TechRadar, Digital Trends
Consistently praised
- Pen 3 writing/note-taking experience is among the best, with paper-like friction · 2 sources
- Runs full Android 15 with an open Play Store app ecosystem and versatility · 2 sources
- Strong value versus the pricier Kindle Scribe / reMarkable Paper Pro · 2 sources
- Improved refresh rate; smoothest page/visual transitions on a Boox device
Commonly flagged
- Noticeable typing lag on both the on-screen and physical keyboard folio
- Disappointing battery life for an Android e-notebook
- Heavy (440g); uncomfortable for long one-handed use
- Loose stylus cap and weak side magnet; annoying folio flap design
Where reviewers disagree The two testers split on color quality: TechRadar found some colors muted and covers washed out versus the reMarkable Paper Pro, while Digital Trends said it noticed no color shift and that saturation levels were fine.
The sources (2)
Geekbench 6 single-core: 576 · Geekbench 6 multi-core: 1424 · Weight (without case and pen): 440 g · Charge time, 16% to full: 2 hours 3 minutes · Battery drain, 1 hr reading at mid-brightness: 2% · Battery drain, 1 hr notetaking at same settings: 8%
The Note Air5 C offers one of the best writing experiences I've had.
using the physical keyboard is slow and makes touch typing difficult
the 3,700mAh battery doesn't last very long as Android is a power-hungry OS
the visual transitions are the best I've ever seen on a Boox device.
you get one of the most refined note-taking experiences on a digital notebook.
The pressure detection isn't quite in the same league as those you get with Wacom or the Apple Pencil Pro
Specifications
| Price (US) | $499.99 US price $499.99 from the official BOOX store (shop.boox.com/products/noteair5c) "Find the Color ePaper that Suits You Best" comparison table on the Note Air5 C product page, where the Note Air5 C column shows "$499.99 Order Now" (distinct from the Note Air4 C at $469.99 and Tab X C at $759.99). Standard configuration (6 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM) including the BOOX Pen3 stylus. |
|---|---|
| Brand | Onyx Boox |
| Released | 2025-10 |
| Screen size (in) | 10.3 |
| Ppi | 300 |
| Storage (GB) | 64 |
| Color display | Yes |
| Front light | Yes |
| Pen included | Yes |
| Waterproof | No |
| Battery weeks | — |
Source: shop.boox.com (verified 2026-07-11) · corroborated by en.wikipedia.org. Schema note: the named e-ink-tablets.json does not exist in the repo; specKeys and methodology were taken from data/products/e-readers.json, which already holds the sibling Boox Note Air4 C. The official BOOX store product page (shop.boox.com/products/noteair5c) confirmed verbatim the 10.3" Kaleido 3 (4,096-color) screen at B/W 2480 x 1860 (300 ppi), 6 GB RAM / 64 GB ROM, Android 15, a "Front Light with CTM (Warm and Cold)" (warm_light=true), a 3,700 mAh Li-ion Polymer battery, and the BOOX Pen3 stylus listed in "Included In The Box (standard only)" (stylus_included=true); the only button in the hardware spec is the "Power Button with Fingerprint Recognition" and no IP water rating is listed anywhere, so page_turn_buttons=false and waterproof=false. That page's comparison table lists the Note Air5 C at "$499.99 Order Now" (vs. Note Air4 C $469.99 and Tab X C $759.99), giving the price. The Wikipedia Onyx Boox device table corroborates the exact Note Air5 C row — October 2025 launch, Android 15, Snapdragon 690, 6 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, 10.3" (2480×1860) Kaleido 3, predecessor Note Air4 C — confirming model identity as the Note Air5 C (not the Note Air4 C or Tab X C). No battery life in weeks appears on either page, so battery_weeks is null.
Is the Boox Note Air5 C worth it vs cheaper e ink tablets?
Boox Note Air5 C against its closest cheaper and pricier e ink tablets on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 10 ranked →
| Product | Price | Screen size (in) | Ppi | Storage (GB) | Color display | Front light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boox Note Air5 C this | $499.99 | 10.3 | 300 | 64 | Yes | Yes |
| Supernote Manta (A5 X2) | $459 | 10.7 | 300 | 32 | No | No |
| Bigme inkNote Color+ | $539 | 10.3 | 300 | 128 | Yes | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the Boox Note Air5 C?
Two whitelisted testers reviewed this exact model: TechRadar (lab-tested, benchmarked) and Digital Trends (hands-on, no measurements). Both praise the Pen 3 writing/note-taking experience and Android 15's open Play Store ecosystem, and rate it strong value against the pricier Kindle Scribe. TechRadar flags typing lag, heavy 440g weight, weak battery life, and muted colors; deep-lab outlets like RTINGS are absent. Praised: Pen 3 writing/note-taking experience is among the best, with paper-like friction; Runs full Android 15 with an open Play Store app ecosystem and versatility; Strong value versus the pricier Kindle Scribe / reMarkable Paper Pro; Improved refresh rate; smoothest page/visual transitions on a Boox device. Flagged: Noticeable typing lag on both the on-screen and physical keyboard folio; Disappointing battery life for an Android e-notebook; Heavy (440g); uncomfortable for long one-handed use; Loose stylus cap and weak side magnet; annoying folio flap design. (From 2 tester reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
How much does the Boox Note Air5 C cost?
The Boox Note Air5 C has a US price of $499.99 (US price $499.99 from the official BOOX store (shop.boox.com/products/noteair5c) "Find the Color ePaper that Suits You Best" comparison table on the Note Air5 C product page, where the Note Air5 C column shows "$499.99 Order Now" (distinct from the Note Air4 C at $469.99 and Tab X C at $759.99). Standard configuration (6 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM) including the BOOX Pen3 stylus.), as of 2026-07-11.
How does the Boox Note Air5 C compare on price?
At $500, the Boox Note Air5 C is #6 cheapest of the 10 e ink tablets we track, where the median is $479.
When was the Boox Note Air5 C released?
The Boox Note Air5 C was released 2025-10.
What are the Boox Note Air5 C's key specs?
Boox Note Air5 C (Onyx Boox): screenSizeIn 10.3, ppi 300, storageGb 64, colorDisplay Yes, frontLight Yes. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-07-11.
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Compare with
Head-to-head
Cheaper e ink tablets
- Supernote Manta (A5 X2) $459
- Kindle Scribe (2024) $399.99
- Kobo Elipsa 2E $399.99
- Supernote Nomad (A6 X2) $329
- reMarkable 2 $279
Step up
- Bigme inkNote Color+ $539
- Onyx Boox Note Max $599.99
- reMarkable Paper Pro $629
- Kindle Scribe Colorsoft $629.99
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