An elite-reader: Onyx BOOX Note Air 3 C Review

The gold standard for the best e-readers has been dominated by the Kindles of Amazon for quite some time now, but that’s not to say you’ve got no other options. In fact, there’s a world of E-readers out there just ready to be explored. At What’s the Best, we’ve had the chance to test one from Onyx BOOX – the Note Air 3 C.

This is an e-reader with something a little extra, it seems to pledge loyalty to what e-readers first set out ot be. It embraces tradition in the sense that it isn’t trying to be a tablet, so it's not taking any unnecessary leaps. Don't think for one minute that the Note Air 3 C isn’t filled to the brim with impressive tech though, because it isn't playing around. This large format e-reader boasts a 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display, which is capable of delivering 4096 colours in colour mode, and 16 shades of grey in its black and white mode.

That display is front lit, offering dual controls, and it sits within a highly durable aluminium magnesium alloy shell. A lot of work has been put into this display, and it achieves far more than just impressive colour ratios. It’s equipped with the BOOX Super Refresh technology, which is responsible for the Note Air 3 C’s wonderful ease of use and display responsiveness. Combine this with the Flicker-Free technology, and the final product is a magically intuitive e-reader device, which ticks nearly all the expected boxes, whilst staying strongly devoted to the fundamental e-reader traditions.

The Note Air 3 C looks the part and feels the part, let’s find out if it can live up to that glowing list of specs and its refined design. This is our comprehensive review.

Verdict: The Note Air 3 C has plenty of elegance and sophistication, and it remains fiercely faithful to the beloved e-reader formula. Spending your days with it can be a joy, as the Kaleido 3 display is highly intelligent, responsive and – most importantly – gentle on the eyes. Is all this enough to justify its £499.99 price tag? Perhaps not for most, but there's no denying that the Note Air 3 C will deliver a truly excellent e-reader experience to the aficionado.

What do we love?

The Note Air 3 C gave me a rather refined tech unboxing experience. First impressions, everything about this e-reader appears premium. Its ultra-thin design demands attention, but at the same time there’s no absence of capability, it feels significant, important, even.

So, what else is in the box? Well, you get your USB-C charging cable, along with the wonderful stylus/pen, and you even get a protective case for the e-reader. Let’s get into just how good that stylus is first of all. Upon testing the Note Air 3 C, I was determined to find out exactly if and where it earns its considerable price tag. Low and behold, the pen and its near symbiotic relationship with the Kaleido 3 display made a very convincing arguement.

Gracing the stylus on the Note Air 3 C’s display was like nothing I’d ever experienced. The sheer accuracy is on another level, it couldn’t possibly be any more accurate or reminiscent of pen-to-paper. How do I know? I attempted to write in the most minuscule font that I physically could, and the Note Air 3 C was able to pick it up. Pair this with the paper-like audio you get while you write or draw, and the result is possibly the most seamless translation of pen-to-paper in an e-reader that money can buy.

The display is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only have you got that life-like pen-to-paper experience that’s on offer, but there’s even more tech at work that make this display so brilliant. Like most e-readers of its kind, the display is intended to be easy for the eyes, this means no dazzling LEDs or screen flicker. Onyx BOOX utilises the Flicker-Free technology in the Note Air 3 C, and it’s fabulous. There were countless instances throughout my testing where I’d genuinely forget that this was an electrically powered device, oftentimes I wouldn’t even realise until I was reminded that it needed charging. The display is precisely what you want from an e-reader, it provides a pleasant view in all extents of lighting, that’s dark, light, natural, and artificial.

My traditional outlook on reading means that I’ve always seen books as collectors’ items, but I read through Star Wars: Light of the Jedi start to finish on the Note Air 3 C, and I finally understand the hype around e-readers and kindles. The process of getting through a book on the Air 3 C was just a total joy. The obvious applies; you’re never limited by available light, nor do you have to take care with preserving a physical copy, it’s generally a thoroughly freeing reading experience.

What are we on the fence about?

I mentioned earlier that it didn’t take too long to understand where the Note Air 3 C tries to earn its value, but does it? At a price point of £499.99, you expect to get a lot for your money. After all, it’s about £90 more expensive than the Kindle Scribe, and over triple the price of the Kindle Paperwhite - see our review for that here. The Note Air 3 C is undoubtedly much more than just a simple e-reader, there’s an eye-catching attention to detail, it’s been expertly fine-tuned to deliver a very precise experience. However, does that still warrant a price range that could land you high-tech, multi-functional tablet?

Of course, if your sole interest is in an e-reader that has it all and dedicates itself to perfecting this niche corner of smart tech, then the Note Air 3 C is for you. As a more intermediate to casual reader, you’ll never get enough out of the Air 3 C for it to warrant that big price point. This device will only truly satisfy the e-reader connoisseur, someone who will get the use out of it, and use it to it’s full intent. Onyx BOOX has to be applauded for just how phenomenal the Air 3 C is regardless, but you can’t deny that it just isn’t able to give that fulfilling experience to all readers.

What gets the thumbs down?

Running on Android 12, the Note Air 3 C gives you full access to the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can really do with that. Obviously, you can search for and buy books, but the e-reader doesn’t have the facilities for you to watch videos, run games, or access any other multimedia to any acceptable degree. So, having this options seems fairly redundant.

Battery life sticks out like a sore thumb too with the Note Air 3 C when you look at what else your money can get you. The Note Air 3 C has a battery life of up to 24 hours, depending on usage. While this is still fairly impressive, it has nothing on the Amazon Kindles, which have battery capacities that range anywhere from 10 to 12 entire weeks.

Something else I clocked about the Air 3 C from the information provided by Onyx BOOX, is that there’s no IP rating. Meaning, it’s not waterproof nor dustproof in any way, shape, or form. This is far from ideal for the travelling reader who might have to think twice about reading poolside.

More items to consider:

Who tested the Note Air 3 C?

The Note Air 3 C from Onyx BOOX was trialled and tested by Jack Barrell, resident Digital Writer and Tech Reviewer on What’s the Best.

He ran the Note Air 3 C over a few weeks, judging it based off of its technical specifications, what it promises, if it delivers on the manufacturer claims, and how it fairs against competitors.

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Jack Barrell is a Tech and Fitness Writer and Reviewer for What’s the Best. He is invested in the entertainment space and also keeps well in the loop with the latest sports and exercise trends too. On his off days, Jack can usually be found either in the gym – or watching his favourite Star Wars for the thousandth time.

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