Last week I posted a review of the Boox Go 7 BW, and since Onyx also sells a version with a color E Ink screen, I wanted to post a quick comparison between the two.
There are two generations of the Boox Go Color 7, but the BW version was only released as the second generation (the first gen was basically the Boox Page so it had a different name then).
I don’t have the Gen II Go Color 7, but I still have the first gen model and it’s almost exactly the same so I’ll be doing a comparison with it. In fact the Kaleido 3 E Ink screen is exactly the same.
When it comes to the new BW model and new color model, the overall features, the design, the hardware, and the software are all the same. The only difference is the E Ink screen, so this is essentially another color E Ink versus black and white E Ink comparison.
Color E Ink screens are darker and show ghosting more than black and white screens; that’s basically it in a nutshell. But it helps to see the difference in the video.
For those wondering how the Gen II Go Color 7 compares with the first gen model, which Onyx still sells, there are only a few differences.
Gen I vs Gen II Differences
Onyx only changed a couple of details with the new Gen II Go Color 7. The overall design is the same as before, and most of the hardware is too.
New Buttons – The page buttons are spaced farther apart on the Gen II, and they have a little more of a clicky feel.
Stylus Support – Onyx added stylus support to the newer models so both the Go 7 BW and Go 7 Color II support USI 2.0 styluses. Because of that the Gen II comes with Onyx’s Note app pre-installed, whereas the first model doesn’t have that at all.
Android Version – The first gen Go Color runs Android 12 and the Gen II version runs Android 13. There’s really only a couple of minor differences between the two versions. The Android version isn’t as important as people think it is when it come to Onyx’s devices since their software is so heavily modified.
CPU – Onyx says they’re using a newer CPU on the Gen II, but I didn’t notice any speed differences when comparing the two. They also say the Gen II is supposed to have less ghosting, but I cannot confirm that.
Which One to Get?
Normally I’d recommend getting the older model to save some money since Onyx’s generation updates are so minor, but this time I’d fully recommend getting the Gen II Go Color 7 if you want a color model. The added stylus support is a pretty big bonus, and even if you don’t want to use a stylus Onyx’s full Notes app is included and it works great with keyboards too, and that app isn’t available on the 1st gen model.
As for color vs BW, that’s entirely a personal preference. I like the Go 7 BW better since I mostly just read regular ebooks, and black and white screens have superior contrast and look clearer and brighter. But if you read a lot of color content, and want things like multicolored highlights and color notes the Go Color 7 is the way to go. Take a closer look at this video if you’re having trouble deciding.
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