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Products in this category are scored under Frontum eReaders Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
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Onyx Boox Leaf Review | 68 Data compared

Avg. price:~£180Screen size:7 inchesPixel density:300 ppiInternal storage:32 GBBattery life:100 hoursSupported bookstore ecosystem:Android Open Ecosystem

Onyx Boox Leaf Review: Compare 68 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the eReaders category and whether it is worth buying.

7.7/10

Overall score

Score
7.7/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the eReader's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best eReaders on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 82% of models
Score components

90%

7.7

Technical score

10%

?

User score

â–²Better than 82% of ereaders
8.3

Value for money

Value for money
8.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the eReader's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for an eReader with a good balance between reading comfort, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
★ Better than 93% of models
Score components

70%

7.7

Overall score

30%

9.6

Price

★Better than 93%
7.7

Technical score

Technical score
7.7/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the eReader's technical performance, covering key areas such as display quality, reading features, battery life, format support, ecosystem, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare eReaders based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 82% of models
Score components

25%

7.8

Display

22%

8.4

Reading

18%

8.5

Battery

14%

6.2

Hardware

12%

8.7

Connectivity

9%

5.6

Design

â–²Better than 82%
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the eReader.
When it matters
When you want to know how an eReader feels in daily reading and how reliable it is for screen comfort, battery life, and library management according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

  • No image
No image
Where to buy
    N/A~ £180
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of eReader Onyx Boox Leaf

Technical score
Technical score
7.7/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of the eReader's technical performance, covering key areas such as display quality, reading features, battery life, format support, ecosystem, and design.
When it matters
When you want to compare eReaders based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 82% of models
Score components:

25%

7.8

Display

22%

8.4

Reading

18%

8.5

Battery

14%

6.2

Hardware

12%

8.7

Connectivity

9%

5.6

Design

7.7
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the eReader.
When it matters
When you want to know how an eReader feels in daily reading and how reliable it is for screen comfort, battery life, and library management according to user feedback.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the eReader.
When it matters
When you prefer to choose an eReader reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Popularity:
Onyx Boox Leaf has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 72.1% of products in this category.
1.0
Value for money
Value for money
8.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the eReader's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for an eReader with a good balance between reading comfort, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
★ Better than 93% of models
Score components:

70%

7.7

Overall score

30%

9.6

Price

8.3
Brand name
Onyx
Screen size
7 inches
Market range: <5 inches – >10 inches
This eReader has a screen size of 7 inches which is larger than 48.4% on this spec and equal to 15.6% of eReaders.
Screen resolution
1264x1680 px
This eReader uses a screen resolution of 1264x1680 px, which is sharper than that of 60.7% of eReaders and the same as that of 12.3% of eReaders.
Pixel density
300 ppi
Market range: <150 ppi – >300 ppi
This eReader has a pixel density of 300 ppi which is higher than 51.6% on this spec and equal to 48.4% of eReaders.
E-paper display
yes
This eReader uses an e-paper display. 2.5% of eReaders have an e-paper display.
Show more
Supported file types
20
Market range: <9 – >24
This eReader supports 20 file types which is more than 73.7% on this spec and equal to 1.7% of eReaders.
PDF reflow support
yes
This eReader offers PDF reflow. 45.5% of eReaders support PDF reflow.
Annotation support
yes
This eReader offers annotation support. 1.6% of eReaders offer annotation support.
Dictionary
yes
This eReader includes a built-in dictionary. 0.8% of eReaders include a built-in dictionary.
Text-to-speech
yes
This eReader offers text-to-speech. 36.1% of eReaders include text-to-speech.
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Battery life
100 hours
Market range: <12 hours – >42 hours
This eReader offers 100 hours of battery life which is longer than 100% on this spec.
Battery capacity
2000 mAh
Market range: <1k mAh – >4k mAh
This eReader has a battery capacity of 2000 mAh which is higher than 62% on this spec and equal to 5% of eReaders.
Charging time
2 hours
Market range: <1 hour – >6 hours
This eReader takes 2 hours to charge which is quicker than 49.1% on this spec and equal to 40% of eReaders.
Wireless charging
no
This eReader does not offer wireless charging. 7.4% of eReaders offer wireless charging.
Internal storage
32 GB
Market range: <2 GB – >62 GB
This eReader offers 32 GB of internal storage which is more than 59% on this spec and equal to 23% of eReaders.
RAM capacity
2 GB
Market range: <0 GB – >5 GB
This eReader offers 2 GB of RAM which is more than 72.1% on this spec and equal to 8.2% of eReaders.
CPU base clock speed
8x 1.8 GHz
This eReader has a CPU base clock speed of 8x1.8 GHz, which is faster than that of 80.2% of eReaders and the same as that of 1.7% of eReaders.
Operating system
Android 10
This eReader runs Android 10, which is more advanced than that of 94.3% of eReaders and the same as that of 1.6% of eReaders.
Memory card slot
no
This eReader does not have a memory card slot. 43.4% of eReaders have a memory card slot.
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Wi-Fi connectivity
yes
This eReader connects over Wi-Fi. 6.6% of eReaders have Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
This eReader supports Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), which is newer than that of 58.2% of eReaders and the same as that of 40.2% of eReaders.
Wi-Fi bands supported
2.4 GHz+5 GHz
This eReader supports 2.4 GHz+5 GHz Wi-Fi bands, which is broader than that of 57.4% of eReaders and the same as that of 42.6% of eReaders.
Bluetooth
yes
This eReader connects over Bluetooth. 40.2% of eReaders have Bluetooth.
Bluetooth version
5
Market range: <1 – >6
This eReader supports Bluetooth 5 which is newer than 58.3% on this spec and equal to 29.2% of eReaders.
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Weight
170 g
Market range: <160 g – >480 g
This eReader weighs 170 g which is lighter than 82% on this spec and equal to 3.3% of eReaders.
Thickness
5.95 mm
Market range: <6 mm – >11 mm
This eReader is 5.95 mm thick which is thinner than 90.9% on this spec.
Height
165.6 mm
Market range: <150 mm – >240 mm
This eReader is 165.6 mm tall which is shorter than 60.7% on this spec.
Width
130.8 mm
Market range: <100 mm – >200 mm
This eReader is 130.8 mm wide which is wider than 53.3% on this spec.
Water resistance (splashproof)
no
This eReader does not have water resistance against splashes. 25% of eReaders have water resistance against splashes.
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Onyx Boox Leaf vs the average eReader

246810TotalDisplayReadingBatteryHardwareConnectivityDesign
  • 79 hours longer battery life
    This eReader offers longer battery life than the average eReader (100 hours vs 21 hours). The average eReader offers 21 hours of battery life.
    100 hours vs 21 hours
  • More advanced operating system
    This eReader uses Android 10, a more advanced operating system than Kindle OS on the average eReader.
    Android 10 vs Kindle OS
  • 5 more supported file formats
    This eReader supports a broader range of file types than the average eReader (20 vs 15).
    20 vs 15
  • Faster CPU base clock speed
    This eReader has a faster CPU base clock speed than the average eReader (8x1.8 GHz vs 1x1 GHz). The average eReader has a CPU base clock speed of 1x1 GHz.
    8x1.8 GHz vs 1x1 GHz
  • Accelerometer included
    This eReader has an accelerometer, while the average eReader does not. 45.1% of eReaders have an accelerometer.
  • 20.2% lighter
    This eReader is lighter than the average eReader (170 g vs 213 g). The average eReader weighs 213 g.
    170 g vs 213 g
  • Microphone included
    This eReader has a microphone, while the average eReader does not. 26.7% of eReaders have a microphone.
  • 1.49 GB more RAM
    This eReader has more RAM than the average eReader (2 GB vs 0.5 GB). The average eReader has 0.512 GB of RAM.
    2 GB vs 0.512 GB
  • 13.7% better value for money
    Onyx Boox Leaf has better value for money than the average eReader (8.28 vs 7.3).
    8.28 vs 7.28
  • 13.2% higher pixel density
    This eReader has a higher pixel density than the average eReader (300 ppi vs 265 ppi). The average eReader has a pixel density of 265 ppi.
    300 ppi vs 265 ppi
  • Higher screen resolution
    This eReader supports higher screen resolution than the average eReader (1264x1680 px vs 1072x1448 px). The average eReader supports 1072x1448 px screen resolution.
    1264x1680 px vs 1072x1448 px
  • Supports auto-rotate
    This eReader supports auto-rotate, while the average eReader does not. 43.4% of eReaders support auto-rotate.
  • 5 more supported file formats
    This eReader supports a broader range of file types than the average eReader (20 vs 15).
    20 vs 15
  • Broader library support
    This eReader supports more library lending platforms than the average eReader (OverDrive, Libby, Hoopla, BorrowBox vs OverDrive, Libby).
    May also support other Android library apps.
    OverDrive, Libby, Hoopla, BorrowBox vs OverDrive, Libby
  • 79 hours longer battery life
    This eReader offers longer battery life than the average eReader (100 hours vs 21 hours). The average eReader offers 21 hours of battery life.
    100 hours vs 21 hours
  • 27.8% larger battery capacity
    This eReader has a larger battery than the average eReader (2000 mAh vs 1,565 mAh). The average eReader battery has a capacity of 1,565 mAh.
    2,000 mAh vs 1,565 mAh
  • More advanced operating system
    This eReader uses Android 10, a more advanced operating system than Kindle OS on the average eReader.
    Android 10 vs Kindle OS
  • Faster CPU base clock speed
    This eReader has a faster CPU base clock speed than the average eReader (8x1.8 GHz vs 1x1 GHz). The average eReader has a CPU base clock speed of 1x1 GHz.
    8x1.8 GHz vs 1x1 GHz
  • Accelerometer included
    This eReader has an accelerometer, while the average eReader does not. 45.1% of eReaders have an accelerometer.
  • 1.49 GB more RAM
    This eReader has more RAM than the average eReader (2 GB vs 0.5 GB). The average eReader has 0.512 GB of RAM.
    2 GB vs 0.512 GB
  • 2x more storage
    This eReader offers more internal storage than the average eReader (32 GB vs 16 GB). The average eReader provides 16 GB of internal storage.
    32 GB vs 16 GB
  • Microphone included
    This eReader has a microphone, while the average eReader does not. 26.7% of eReaders have a microphone.
  • Supports USB OTG
    This eReader supports USB OTG, while the average eReader does not. 33.9% of eReaders support USB OTG.
    OTG can connect USB drives or simple peripherals through the device port.
  • 2 more speakers
    This eReader has more speakers than the average eReader (2 vs 0). The average eReader has 0 speakers.
    Built-in speaker count reflects onboard audio hardware.
    2 vs 0
  • Better Wi-Fi bands
    This eReader supports 2.4 GHz+5 GHz Wi-Fi bands, while the average eReader supports 2.4 GHz.
    2.4 GHz+5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz
  • Newer Wi-Fi version
    This eReader supports a newer Wi-Fi version than the average eReader (Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)).
    Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) vs Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
  • 20.2% lighter
    This eReader is lighter than the average eReader (170 g vs 213 g). The average eReader weighs 213 g.
    170 g vs 213 g
  • 2.15 mm thinner
    This eReader is thinner than the average eReader (6 mm vs 8.1 mm). The average eReader thickness is 8.1 mm.
    5.95 mm vs 8.1 mm
  • Limited DRM support
    This eReader supports fewer DRM schemes than the average eReader (Adobe DRM vs Adobe DRM, Social DRM).
    Relies on third-party Android apps for DRM-protected content.
    Adobe DRM vs Adobe DRM, Social DRM
  • Less advanced E-Ink technology
    This eReader uses Carta E-Ink technology, while the average eReader uses Carta Plus.
    Carta vs Carta Plus
  • 5.44x less popular
    Onyx Boox Leaf is less popular than the average eReader (1 vs 5.4).
    1 vs 5.44
  • Versions older Bluetooth
    This eReader supports an older Bluetooth version than the average eReader (5 vs 5.1).
    5 vs 5.1
  • 5.44x less popular
    Onyx Boox Leaf is less popular than the average eReader (1 vs 5.4).
    1 vs 5.44
  • Less advanced E-Ink technology
    This eReader uses Carta E-Ink technology, while the average eReader uses Carta Plus.
    Carta vs Carta Plus
  • Limited DRM support
    This eReader supports fewer DRM schemes than the average eReader (Adobe DRM vs Adobe DRM, Social DRM).
    Relies on third-party Android apps for DRM-protected content.
    Adobe DRM vs Adobe DRM, Social DRM
  • Versions older Bluetooth
    This eReader supports an older Bluetooth version than the average eReader (5 vs 5.1).
    5 vs 5.1

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

5.0
My Deep Guide
≈ estimated
22/02/2022
Full review · design, screen, reading and software tests
Verdict
Onyx Boox Leaf is a decent device with a clear screen, but it is too expensive for what it offers.
6.0
My Deep Guide
≈ estimated
08/02/2022
First look · unboxing and first impressions
Verdict
Onyx Boox Leaf has excellent screen image quality, but it is bulky and expensive, and the final verdict is left for a full review.
Shop video
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Hands-on video, no verdict

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

myereader.substack.com
16/02/2022
Hands-on review · Customizable reader
Verdict
The Onyx Boox Leaf is a light, customizable seven-inch e-reader that handles PDFs well, but confusing software and no syncing between Boox devices make it best for patient tinkerers.
goodereader.com
05/12/2021
Hands-on review · Google Play reader
Verdict
The Onyx Boox Leaf is a sharp, well-built seven-inch reader with Google Play, but its small screen and missing SD slot limit PDFs and magazines.

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Onyx Boox Leaf

  • Open Android OS (Android 10/11) allowing access to Google Play Store and third-party apps like Kindle, Kobo, and Libby.
  • Highly portable and lightweight design (approx. 170g-185g), making it comfortable for one-handed reading.
  • Sharp 300 PPI E Ink Carta display providing excellent text clarity for both books and manga.
  • Exceptional customisation options for display settings, refresh modes, and button mapping via the E-Ink Control Centre.
  • Support for a wide range of file formats (EPUB, PDF, MOBI, CBR, CBZ, etc.) through the native NeoReader app.
  • Physical page-turn buttons (available on the Leaf 2 or via the magnetic case for the original Leaf).

What customers don't like about Onyx Boox Leaf

  • Steep learning curve due to the complex Android-based interface and extensive settings menus.
  • Lack of waterproofing, which is a standard feature on many competitors like the Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo Libra.
  • Variable build quality reported by some users, including concerns about screen fragility and uneven panel gaps.
  • Inconsistent battery life when using Wi-Fi or demanding third-party Android applications.
  • Software can feel unpolished or clunky compared to the more streamlined, dedicated ecosystems of Amazon or Kobo.
  • Poor customer service reputation and difficulties with official support for hardware faults.

Verdict

The Onyx Boox Leaf is a dedicated 7-inch e-reader featuring a high-resolution E Ink Carta HD display with 300 PPI (1680 x 1264) and a flush-screen design protected by Asahi glass. It is powered by an octa-core 1.8GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage, running on an Android 10-based operating system with Google Play Store access. Key characteristics include its ultra-lightweight 170g build, dual-tone front lighting with adjustable warm and cold settings, G-sensor for auto-rotation, and built-in speakers for audiobooks. Main pros are its open Android ecosystem for third-party apps, exceptional portability, and sharp text quality. Notable cons include the lack of an SD card slot for expandable storage, the absence of note-taking or stylus support, and a lack of waterproofing.

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