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Boox Go 6 Gen II Review: Minor Update, Major OS Flaw

AppleInsider •
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The Boox Go 6 Gen II arrives as a pocket-sized 6-inch e-reader with a 1448x1072 300 ppi e Paper display, octacore processor, and 32GB storage expandable via Micro SD. The only meaningful internal upgrade is a jump from 2GB to 3GB RAM — a 50% increase that barely moves the needle. Boox also refreshed the chassis with a lightly textured back and three colors: plum, stone, and shell. The plum unit appears nearly black in most light but reveals a deep purple in direct sun. Battery life remains strong at roughly a week of nightly reading on the 1500mAh cell.

The dealbreaker is software. The device ships with Android 11, a 2020 release that reached end-of-life in 2024. Banking apps and secure email clients already require Android 12 or newer, and broader app compatibility will only erode. Every other second-gen Boox model moved to Android 15; the Go 6 Gen II was left behind.

Performance is acceptable for pure reading — page turns are crisp, the Kindle app runs fine, and the front light handles bedtime use well. Web browsing chokes on heavy scripts, but that's an e-ink limitation. The stylus situation is a regression: Boox replaced the Wacom EMR pen with a capacitive Ink Sense stylus that mimics finger input. It still offers 4,096 pressure levels, but the buttery responsiveness is gone.

At $199.99, the Go 6 Gen II is a tough sell. The hardware is pleasant, but a six-year-old OS on a 2025 device is indefensible. Unless you strictly read sideloaded EPUBs and never need modern apps, buy the previous generation used or look at a Kobo Libra Colour.