As Boox has recently unveiled its new colour e-ink tablet, we’re intrigued to see how it compares to the Kindle Colorsoft alternative.
Aside from their respective colour displays, what’s the difference between the Boox Palma 2 Pro and Kindle Colorsoft? Is one e-ink tablet better for you than the other?
While we’re yet to review the Palma 2 Pro, we’ve compared its specs against the three-star Kindle Colorsoft below. For more options, our list of the best e-ink tablets should have you covered.
Price and Availability
At the time of writing, the Boox Palma 2 Pro is available to pre-order ahead of a mid-November release and has an RRP €399.99/$399.99.
The Kindle Colorsoft is available in two versions: a standard model and the Signature Edition. For a more in-depth look at what separates the two, our Kindle Colorsoft vs Colorsoft Signature Edition guide explains more.
The standard is the cheaper of the two at £239.99 / $249.99, while the Signature Edition has an RRP of £269.99 / $279.99.
Kindle Colorsoft has a larger display, but both are colour
The most striking difference between the Boox Palma 2 Pro and Kindle Colorsoft is that the former resembles a smartphone more than a tablet or e-reader, thanks to its pocketable 6.13-inch screen.
In comparison, at seven-inches the Kindle Colorsoft looks similar to its counterparts and is unmistakably an e-reader.
Otherwise, both the Palma 2 Pro and Kindle Colorsoft are fitted with a Kaleido e-ink display that can display 4096 colours. As neither are an LCD or LED screen, the colour palette on offer is more limited than the likes of the best tablets, however it should offer more of a pop than their monochrome counterparts.
Both sport a 300PPI resolution when in black and white which drops down to 150PPI when displaying colour. While we haven’t tested the Palma 2 Pro just yet, we have spent time with the Kindle Colorsoft (Signature Edition) and found that text was slightly fuzzy and lacks the clean finish found on some of the best Kindles.
Palma 2 Pro runs on Android
Another key difference between the Palma 2 Pro and Kindle Colorsoft is that the former runs on Android, which allows you access to the Google Play Store. This enables you to download e-book apps such as Libby and even social networking apps such as Goodreads and even WhatsApp and Telegram too.
The Kindle Colorsoft, on the other hand, is a lot more limited. In fact, as its sole purpose is to work as an e-reader, you can only access e-books, audiobooks and magazines from the device. Things get even more limited when you take into account that the Kindle series only supports the Kindle library, which means you can’t access ebooks from third-party apps either.
Palma 2 Pro has 128GB storage
Not only does the Palma 2 Pro boast 128GB storage built-in, but it also has a microSD slot for expandable storage if that isn’t enough. While this may make the Kindle Colorsoft’s 32GB storage seem dismal in comparison, it’s worth remembering that the Palma 2 Pro needs more space for apps whereas the Colorsoft doesn’t.
Palma 2 Pro includes stylus support
The Palma 2 Pro is compatible with Boox’s InkSense Plus stylus, which is the first time we’ve seen stylus support within the Palma series and enables you to use the device as a makeshift memo pad or notebook.
The stylus, which is annoyingly sold separately, allows you to handwrite notes and doodle in colour.
While the Kindle Paperwhite series does double as a digital notebook, and comes equipped with a compatible Premium Pen, the Colorsoft unfortunately doesn’t sport this feature. You can, however, highlight passages within texts in colour.
Palma 2 Pro supports data-only SIMs
When we reviewed the original Boox Palma 2, we lamented the lack of SIM or eSIM support, as we thought the device would make a brilliant dumb phone alternative. Fortunately, Boox has rectified this with the Palma 2 Pro and has fitted the device with a hybrid SIM slot for either dual SIMs or one SIM and expandable storage.
Although the Palma 2 Pro offers data-only SIM support, which means you won’t be able to make calls or send SMS messages, you can use the likes of WhatsApp or other internet-enabled calling apps instead.
Early Verdict
Whether you should opt for the Boox Palma 2 Pro or Kindle Colorsoft will mostly depend on what you’d want from your e-reader. If you want a device to solely read ebooks from Kindle or listen to audiobooks from Audible, and ideally want a colour display, then the Kindle Colorsoft is a more affordable option compared to the Boox Palma 2 Pro.
Having said that, we would recommend having a look through our best Kindle list as that has more options that come with a higher recommendation from us.
On the other hand, if you would prefer more flexibility with your e-reader, one that can even double up as a dumb phone, then the Boox Palma 2 Pro is an appealing option instead.
