As of today, in the segment of affordable e-readers, you can find devices with 6-inch E-Ink screens. This unofficial standard, which has been around for over 15 years, has become a somewhat universally accepted format, but it has largely begun to wear out its welcome. If you desire an e-reader with a slightly larger screen, it's worth looking into devices in the mid-range price segment. Here, you'll find not only a faster processor and wireless interfaces but also multi-touch capabilities and the option to expand memory capacity.

The presented e-reader model is equipped with a modern powerful processor and has 3 GB of RAM, but the main advantage compared to budget options lies in the fact that even a slight increase in the screen size in Page provides you with significantly more useful area for comfortable reading.

 

 


Screen

 

Modern e-readers from Onyx usually have a pixel density of 300 PPI, resulting in increased resolution as the physical screen size increases. For example, the Page model has a resolution of 1264x1680 pixels, and each screen segment is capable of displaying 16 shades of gray. What benefits does this bring in practice with unchanged pixel density? Essentially, two main ones: firstly, images are less compressed when displayed on the screen, meaning a slight improvement in the quality of illustrations. Secondly, it facilitates font formatting. For instance, if you find it comfortable to read text with a font size of 24, a higher resolution screen can fit more text, making a larger screen e-book more suitable for reading large volumes of textual information.

Increasing the amount of text on the screen means fewer page flips, making reading more convenient, especially in transport conditions. Thus, bigger doesn't always mean worse, and sometimes, on the contrary, it means better.

 

 

Even More Comfort in Your Favorite Reading

 

In the horizontal format of e-readers, the larger the screen, the more convenient it is to read text in two columns, which is particularly relevant for PDF files. The Onyx Page device has a built-in G-sensor that automatically adjusts the screen orientation, similar to the auto-rotate function on smartphones or tablets. It's great that the control buttons in horizontal mode change their functions (forward/backward): if in vertical position the bottom button was responsible for "forward" flipping, then in horizontal position, it switches to "backward" function. However, undoubtedly, controlling the device becomes more convenient with a touchscreen.

Now let's consider book management; capacitive touchscreen gradually replaces physical buttons, and in my opinion, when they completely disappear from such devices, it will only be for the better. However, unlike smartphones, an e-reader does not aim to be as compact as possible and can afford a "wide field" for comfortable one-handed holding. This aspect is so important for users that tablet-sized books without side buttons often come with an additional cover-case where buttons are already installed. Onyx Page has a wide field with two buttons: depending on whether you are right-handed or left-handed, you can flip it so that the buttons are on either the left or the right. Accordingly, even the cover here is simple and magnetic.

 


 

Case and Screen Protection

 

The e-reader integrates carefully into its cover, staying in place even with unexpected movements, automatically entering sleep mode when the cover is closed.

The 100 opening/closing test was successful, without causing deformation or wear.

The larger the screen, the higher the likelihood of damage, especially with a plastic case prone to scratches. Therefore, it's worth investing in an original e-reader case. The Onyx Page model also features aluminosilicate protective glass designed to protect the screen from scratches and impacts. This glass also effectively reduces sunlight glare.

 

 

Backlight

 

As usual, Onyx e-readers use a 2-channel adjustable Moon Light backlight with separate brightness settings for white and orange light. I prefer to use only orange light, occasionally adding a little white to improve contrast.

Screen backlighting on E-Ink devices always poses challenges, but the Onyx Page model stands out for its high level of evenness. I can confidently say that it's perfectly executed here.

 

 


Hardware

 

Processors and memory evolve faster than E-Ink screen technologies. In a mid-range e-reader like Onyx Page, there's an 8-core processor with 3 GB of RAM. This power is utilized, for example, for the Re-Flow function, providing convenient reading of width-fixed documents like PDF. There's also a Text-to-Speech function for reading text aloud, processed on the processor. The device supports all modern languages thanks to the integration of Google technologies.

Moreover, Onyx Page is equipped with a microphone, speaker, and supports Bluetooth for headset connection. The audio part can be used for notes and an MP3 player. Built-in memory is 32 GB, of which 11 GB is occupied by the Android 11 operating system. Usually, this capacity is sufficient for the entire lifespan of the e-reader, but it can be expanded with a MicroSDHC memory card.

To load the library, you can use USB connection, Bluetooth 5.0, or Wi-Fi. We recommend using a wireless network as it provides access to online libraries as well as the ability to download books from cloud storage.

 

 

Conclusion

 

A 7-inch screen is the minimum standard size for serious e-reader users. The cost of Onyx Page is around 999 shekel, and besides the screen size, it offers modern hardware and online service support. The main advantages of Onyx Page lie in excellent font readability, uniform screen backlighting, and high-speed performance in all e-book tasks.

Overall, Onyx Page is a quality mid-range e-reader that is perfect for everyday reading and long-term use without incidents.