Boox Palma 2 Pro: $400 E-Reader Weighs 175 Grams, Runs Android Apps

What is the Boox Palma 2 Pro and how much does it cost?

The Boox Palma 2 Pro is a $400, smartphone-sized e-reader that runs Android and supports the Google Play store, according to a TechCrunch review published Oct. 24, 2026, by reporter Aisha Malik. The device uses an E Ink display rather than a standard LCD or OLED screen, placing it in a category TechCrunch describes as a cross between a Kindle and a compact Android tablet. Malik tested the device for two months before publishing her review.

Unlike locked-down e-readers that restrict users to a single bookstore, the Palma 2 Pro's Android operating system lets owners install outside reading apps directly from Google Play, according to the review.

How big and light is the device compared to a smartphone?

The Palma 2 Pro weighs 175 grams, which TechCrunch's review says made it noticeably lighter than an iPhone in daily use. Its smartphone-sized form factor also solved a problem Malik described with standard e-readers: most are squarish and difficult to hold one-handed while lying on one's side, often requiring an accessory like a PopSocket for a secure grip.

The compact size meant the device fit into a small, everyday purse that could not accommodate a Kindle, according to the review, which led Malik to carry it to locations including a doctor's office and an airport.

What makes the screen easier on the eyes at night?

The Palma 2 Pro's front-lit screen offers both cool and warm lighting modes and can be dimmed to what the review calls an exceptionally low level. Malik wrote that she could read in complete darkness without eye strain and without disturbing a sleeping partner, a limitation she said persists with phone screens even at their lowest brightness settings.

"The Palma 2 Pro became a dedicated device for reading and listening to audiobooks, which allowed me to enjoy the best of both worlds without the usual distractions that come with a smartphone," Malik wrote in the TechCrunch review.

What apps can run on the Palma 2 Pro?

Because the device runs Android, owners can install Kindle, Kobo, and Libby, along with apps for audiobooks, podcasts, read-it-later services, and email, according to TechCrunch. That access lets a reader choose a preferred app rather than relying on Boox's built-in reader software, turning the device into what the review calls a versatile tool for reading, research, and productivity beyond a single bookstore ecosystem.

What are the device's limitations?

Not every Android app is optimized for E Ink hardware, the review notes, and animations or interface elements can feel sluggish as a result. The display is also capable of showing color, but TechCrunch reports that images appear less vibrant on the Palma 2 Pro than they would on a standard smartphone screen, a tradeoff inherent to E Ink technology's slower refresh rates and narrower color range compared with LCD or OLED panels.

What else does the Palma 2 Pro offer?

Beyond its reading functions, the Palma 2 Pro includes a rear camera for scanning documents, a built-in speaker for audio playback without headphones, and a hybrid SIM slot that allows cellular data access away from Wi-Fi, according to the TechCrunch review.

By the numbers

• $400 — retail price of the Boox Palma 2 Pro, per TechCrunch
• 175 grams — device weight, lighter than a typical smartphone, per the review
• 2 months — length of time TechCrunch's reviewer tested the device before publishing

The device's combination of a phone-like form factor, Android app support, and an adjustable warm-light E Ink screen is what led Malik to stop reaching for her iPhone during nighttime reading sessions, the review states. Whether that tradeoff — gaining a distraction-light reading screen in exchange for occasional app sluggishness and muted color — appeals to a given reader depends on how often they read versus browse color-heavy content, a distinction the review draws but does not resolve for every use case.

For readers weighing a dedicated device against continuing to read on a phone, TechCrunch's full review, including additional photos of the Palma 2 Pro's hardware, is available at the original TechCrunch story.