Onyx Boox has officially launched the Note X5 Mini, ITHome reported. It comes across as a compact yet feature-rich E Ink tablet that redefines what users can expect from portable digital notebooks. Designed for readers, writers, and productivity enthusiasts, the Boox Note X5 Mini blends cutting-edge hardware, AI-powered software, and stylus precision into a sleek 7.8-inch form factor. While currently available only in China, its global appeal is undeniable.
Display and Design: Carta 1300 Brilliance in a Portable Frame
At the heart of the Boox Note X5 Mini is a 7.8-inch E Ink Carta 1300 display with a crisp 300 PPI resolution (1872 × 1404 pixels). This black-and-white panel offers enhanced contrast and faster refresh rates compared to previous generations, making it ideal for reading, sketching, and note-taking. It weighs 235 grams and is comparable to an A5-sized paper in dimensions. The E Ink tablet is currently available only in an elegant white shade.
Stylus Experience: InkSense Precision with 4096 Pressure Levels
The Boox Note X5 Mini ships with the InkSense stylus, an active capacitive pen (not Wacom-based) offering 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity. It supports tilt recognition and mimics the tactile resistance of paper, making it a joy for artists and note-takers alike. A premium version, InkSense Plus, was also announced recently, enhancing the writing experience even further.
DeepSeek AI: Smart Features for Smarter Workflows
One of the standout features of the new Boox Note X5 Mini is DeepSeek, Onyx’s proprietary large language model (LLM) integration. It enables:
- Text summarization
- Voice-to-text transcription
- Answering questions and resolving doubts from documents
This elevates the Boox Note X5 Mini from a passive e-reader to an intelligent productivity assistant.
Audio and Input: Quad Mics, Dual Speakers, and Smart Keys
The device comes with several convenient features. Those include:
- Four microphones for accurate voice capture
- Dual stereo speakers for listening to audiobooks and podcasts
- Smart side key with customizable single/double/long press actions
These features make it ideal for both content consumption and creation.
Performance and Battery Life: Qualcomm Power Meets Longevity
Under the hood, the Boox Note X5 Mini is powered by a Qualcomm octa-core processor. Other specs include:
- 4 GB LPDDR4X RAM
- 64 GB internal storage
- 2,300 mAh battery with USB-C charging
- Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi
Onyx claims up to 30 days of standby time, making it a reliable companion for extended use.
Software and Ecosystem: Open Android for Maximum Flexibility
Running on open Android, the Note X5 Mini supports sideloading apps like Kindle, Evernote, and OneNote. This ensures users aren’t locked into a proprietary ecosystem and can tailor the device to their workflow.
Pricing and Availability
The Boox Note X5 Mini is currently priced at 2,399 Yuan, which comes to around $299 USD. However, it can be ordered right now for a subsidized Price of 2,039 Yuan ($254 USD). Coming to its availability, the latest Boox E Ink Tablet is currently limited to only China. A global release is not yet confirmed.
Who Is It For?
The Note X5 Mini is ideal for:
- Students and researchers needing distraction-free reading and annotation
- Writers and creatives seeking a paper-like sketching and drafting experience
- Professionals who want AI-powered document handling on the go
Final Thoughts
The Boox Note X5 Mini is more than just a smaller e-note device. Rather, it can be considered a thoughtfully engineered productivity tool that combines tactile writing, intelligent software, and robust hardware in a portable package. Whether you’re annotating PDFs, summarizing research papers, or sketching ideas, this device offers a compelling blend of form, function, and future-forward features.
