Boox Go 6 (Gen II) Review: A Compact Android E-reader With Notable Tradeoffs

The Boox Go 6 (Gen II) occupies a Goldilocks Zone for portability and readability, featuring a 6-inch screen that matches the compactness of entry-level devices like the Kindle and Kobo Clara BW. Weighing in at approximately 160 grams, it is significantly lighter than many smartphones, making it ideal for reading in bed or on the couch. The device fits comfortably in most pockets, though it may not suit women’s clothing pockets due to design constraints.

However, the Go 6 (Gen II) lacks an IP rating for water or dust resistance, meaning users should avoid taking it to the beach, on camping trips, or poolside without a protective case. Kobo currently holds an advantage in this area.

The e-paper display delivers crisp 300 PPI text and brightness, complemented by an adjustable front light that shifts from cool to warm tones to reduce eye strain. Despite these strengths, some ghosting occurs when switching between apps and menus. Boox provides various refresh and color modes, along with customizable refresh frequency settings, to mitigate this issue. Users can set the Full Refresh Frequency to activate every 30 taps, or disable it entirely, while BOOX EinkWise allows further fine-tuning of individual apps.

Battery life centers around a 1,500mAh cell, delivering several days of use with moderate daily reading and app usage. Turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, freezing background apps, and lowering front light intensity can extend performance. After eight days, the reviewer noted 24% battery remaining—still considerably less than the weeks-long endurance of comparable Kindle and Kobo devices, a tradeoff inherent to running full Android.

Transferring books is straightforward via BooxDrop wireless sharing, cloud platforms like Dropbox and Google Drive, or a USB-C cable. The built-in Boox store offers only a limited selection of public domain works, so purchasing or renting books requires third-party apps. The reviewer appreciated the freedom to use preferred apps like Bookshop.org and The StoryGraph directly on the device, though Moon+ Reader may require setting adjustments to minimize ghosting on E Ink displays.