Boox Tab Ultra

Design and Build

The Tab Ultra (TU) is well-built and robust, but is quite thick and very heavy, particularly when used with the keyboard folio. For this reason, it’s not as portable as some other e-ink tablets and definitely not the sort of device that you’d want to hold in one hand for long periods of time.

It has a glass screen with a metal chassis that attaches to the folio magnetically. The power button (with integrated fingerprint scanner) is located on the top edge (on the left) and the USB-C connector is on the bottom edge (on the left). The power button/fingerprint scanner is flush with the top edge (rather than jutting out slightly), which can make it difficult to locate with your fingertips and press in.

The dual speakers and microphone are also located on the top and bottom edges respectively (which transpose to the left and right edges when the tablet is rotated to landscape mode and used with the keyboard folio). The left edge has a POGO connector which is used to connect the tablet to the keyboard folio – for me, the keyboard folio is not an optional extra but a necessary additional purchase to really get the most from this device. On the bottom edge, between the speaker and USB-C port is a MicroSD card slot.

One glaring issue with this design is the camera on the rear panel. It juts out by around a millimetre, which means that the tablet does not lie flat unless it is inside the folio. Subjectively, I also feel it also looks very ugly and detracts from the design

Overall, I really dislike the design of the Tab Ultra. It is thick, heavy, and has a horrible camera bump on the rear panel. But these seem to be the compromises of having a super-powerful e-ink tablet with lots of additional hardware features.

Hardware Specs

Under the bonnet is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core processor with a clock speed of 2GHz.

There’s also 4Gb RAM and 128Gb of storage capacity (which can be extended up to 2Tb, using the MicroSD card slot).

In addition, there’s a graphics processor (GPU), which is used to run Boox’s proprietary Super Refresh technology (BSR). Essentially, this means that third-party apps can be configured to run at faster refresh rates than e-ink screens were originally designed for, which can make tasks like web browsing on e-ink a more pleasant experience.

SIDENOTE: Although BSR means that performance of third-party apps is much-improved compared to e-ink tablets that do not use this proprietary technology, the performance is still nowhere near what you would expect from an LCD/OLED screen. For certain tasks (such as video) there are still inherent issues with image quality and ghosting. However, apps that do not require super-fast movement (such as scrolling down a webpage) are much smoother. The Tab Ultra was the first of Boox’s products to have this feature.

Using the Geekbench 6 CPU Benchmark app, the Tab Ultra scored 341 in the single-core test, and 1198 in the multi-core test (the mean average of three tests).

Of course benchmarks are only useful if you have something to compare the numbers, so check out my full CPU performance benchmarks here. When it first launched, the Tab Ultra was the top performing tablet, but since that time, other products have overtaken it.

On the whole, the Tab Ultra has some beefy specs for an e-ink tablet (even two years after it was first released), and has the potential to easily multitask several third-party apps, as well as its own native apps.

Screen

The screen is 10.3″ (around A5-sized) and is monochrome-only (unlike the Tab Ultra C Pro, which has a colour screen). It is flush with bezels.

It has a resolution of 1404 x 1872 (227dpi).

One of the drawbacks of Kaleido 3 colour screens is that they make the screen appear several shades darker than their monochrome counterparts (with the frontlight turned off), as can be seen in the comparison below:

So, the Tab Ultra does have an advantage compared to its colour-screened counterparts. However, Kaleido 3 does have a higher monochrome pixel density.

There are touchscreen capabilities, and a Wacom EMR layer (so any Wacom-compatible stylus will work fine with it). There is also a frontlight (with temperature settings).

There is no scratchy “paper-like” screen protector on the Tab Ultra, so writing is quite smooth and slippery (see below).

Overall, the screen on the Tab Ultra is good, but not quite as clear as more modern tablets, which have higher resolutions and 300DPI.

Writing feel

The writing experience on the Tab Ultra is okay, but (in my opinion) is not as pleasant as it is on other devices that have a satisfying scratchy feel, akin to a pencil on grainy paper. Writing on the Tab Ultra feels quite slippery and unnatural. I should clarify that I am not saying that writing on the Tab Ultra is bad – it has very low latency and implements pressure sensitivity pretty well – but in my subjective opinion, the tactile experience doesn’t feel as natural or enjoyable as it does on other devices, particularly those that utilise a grainy “paper-like” screen protector.

The screen is hard, providing a rigid and stable canvas but the nib is soft, so there is no harsh tapping sound when it hits the screen. The nib also tapers to a small rounded point, which provides a decent level of precision when writing. However, because the frontlight layer occupies the space between the surface layer and the e-ink layer, there is a minuscule gap between where the stylus touches the screen and where the strokes appear, almost as though you are writing slightly below the screen. For new users, this is so small that it may even be imperceptible, but for existing e-ink users that are accustomed to writing on a tablet without a frontlight, the difference can be a bit of a shock, and can require some time to adjust. I explore the advantages and disadvantages of frontlights here.

There is very little perceived lag when writing – as you move the stylus over the screen, the strokes appear almost immediately.

And, both pressure and tilt sensitivity have been implemented in the native note-taking app (dependent on which brush/pen tool is selected) and work really well – see my review of the Boox firmware below for more info.

Overall, the tactile writing feel of the Tab Ultra is okay, but not great.

Hardware features

As well as the underlying hardware specs, the Tab Ultra has some additional hardware features that make the tablet more versatile.

As standard for most e-ink tablets, there’s support for both Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity. As well as connecting headphones, Bluetooth can also be used to connect other peripherals, such as third-party keyboards (there is no official keyboard folio for the NA4C).

For further connectivity, the single USB-C port supports On-The-Go (OTG) connections, which means you can hook up a USB hub for the connection of peripherals and mass storage devices (hard drives, USB sticks etc.) In addition, there’s a MicroSD card slot, which can be used for additional storage capacity.

There’s a G-Sensor for automatically reorienting the screen between landscape/portrait when you rotate it physically.

And there’s also dual speakers and microphone. The microphone can be used for recording voice notes in the native note-taking app (and other third-party apps) or for recording a meeting. As well as system sounds (such as notification alerts), the speakers can be used for Text-to-Speech (TTS) in the native reading app, or even for listening to music/videos. However, don’t expect too much from the onboard speakers and mic – they’re very basic additions that are great for simple everyday use, but are not going to produce anything of production quality.

As mentioned previously, there’s also a fingerprint scanner built into the power button. If you’ve set up a password/PIN to lock the screen on the NA4C, you can also configure the tablet to accept your fingerprint instead. This can make accessing the device quicker and easier – you simply put your finger on the power button rather than having to type in the password, using the touchscreen.

Finally, the Tab Ultra has a keyboard folio (optional extra) that transforms the tablet into a kind of mini e-ink laptop, so it can be used for activities that require typing input such document writing, or filling in online forms.

Overall, the additional hardware features provided on the Tab Ultra offer several additional use cases for the tablet beyond simply reading and note-taking. For example, you can record meetings and voice reminders, or listen to podcasts using Bluetooth headphones or the integrated speakers. You can increase the storage capacity using MicroSD or USB. You can even connect a Bluetooth keyboard for typed input. And, of course, you can use it for keyboard-related tasks, as well.

Battery

The Tab Ultra has a 6300mAh battery.

Although it has a relatively high-capacity battery, comparatively-speaking the battery performs much worse than most other e-ink tablets I’ve tested. This is primarily because, as mentioned previously, e-ink tablets with a dedicated GPU and Super Refresh technology are going to drain the battery much quicker than their less power-hungry counterparts.

The table below shows how much battery is depleted by performing certain operations for an hour.

Test (1hr)	TAB ULTRA (% battery used)
Note-taking	8%
Reading	4%
Wifi On	+0%
Frontlight (medium)	+1%
Frontlight (full	+4%

So, you could expect to drain about 8% of the battery per hour when note-taking, and 4% per hour when reading. If the frontlight is on a medium setting, expect to add another 1% per hour, and if it is on full, add an extra 4% per hour. Having Wifi on or off doesn’t make much of a difference (but remember this test was only an hour long, so it may make a difference over longer periods).

I calculate typical battery life from these figures by assuming 3 hours of note-taking and 2 hours of reading each day, with the Wif turned on for 3 hours, the frontlight on medium for 2 hours, and on full for 2 hours.

For the Tab Ultra, this works out at about 42% of battery use per day, which would give you around 2.4 days of use before it needed to be recharged.

Accessories

The Tab Ultra shipped with a keyboard folio cover, stylus and 5x spare marker tips/nibs.

It is possible to get a regular folio, rather than the keyboard folio.

Stylus

The Wacom-compatible stylus that ships with the Tab Ultra is the Boox Pen2 Pro. This is Boox’s premium Pen, which only ships with their premium products.

It is made of plastic and is almost cylindrical, apart from a single flat edge where it magnetically snaps to the tablet. The magnetic connection holds the stylus fairly well but it will fall off with a shake – the magnetic flap on the cover is designed to keep it in place more securely when transporting.

It is quite smooth, but the plastic material that has been used does provide a pretty decent grip. There are no customizable buttons on the shaft.

The nibs wear down over time but can be replaced by simply pulling them out and inserting a new one – a box of five replacement tips and a removal tool are provided with the tablet. How often you will need to replace the nibs depends on usage, but typically you will get several months of writing before swapping them out. Frayed nibs can also be sandpapered down to get a little more life out of them.

Overall, it functions really well as a stylus. It is lightweight and is comfortable to hold and write with for long periods. It feels a bit cheap but it performs its core function perfectly. It’s not the best stylus, but it’s certainly not the worst, either. Personally, I prefer Boox’s regular stylus (the Pen Plus), without the eraser on the end.

Keyboard Folio

The first thing to note about the keyboard folio is that it is very heavy, which adds additional weight to the already-heavy tablet.

It is made from hard plastic, with a faux leather covering, and a flap (to keep the folio closed and the stylus in place).

It has a standard QWERTY layout, with lots of shortcuts for easier navigation.

When it first launched, one of the things that set the Tab Ultra apart from other devices was the keyboard folio (although there are a few more devices with this feature now), which meant that you can type directly into your apps, without having to use the clunky on-screen keyboard or a third-party keyboard. This opened up a whole new set of operations that were now possible with an e-ink tablet; word processing, email writing, website updating etc. And was one of the main selling points.

The tablet attaches to the folio magnetically, which provides a strong grip. With enough force, it will pop out of the folio, but I would say that this is unlikely in most day-to-day situations. For extra hold, the folio has a magnetic flap on the right-hand side which performs the dual purpose of holding the stylus in place, and keeping the folio close during transit.

However, despite the practicality of the magnetic flap when the folio is closed, I do find it slightly irksome when the folio is open and I am using the tablet. It just looks a bit unsightly sticking out on the right, and folding it under the tablet/folio results in the tablet being uneven and wobbling slightly. And sometimes the flap curls upwards and snaps to the screen.

The folio can be folded to position the tablet at a comfortable viewing angle for typing. The groove above the keyboard connects to the tablet using 5 POGO pins. This provides a physical connection, so no need to worry about potentially dodgy Bluetooth connections. However, small movements (such as tapping the screen) can cause a break in the connection, and the tablet can keep connecting/disconnecting from the keyboard (sounding an irritating chime every time).

In summary, the keyboard folio of the Tab Ultra was a great innovation from Boox, which I really liked at the time. But once the novelty wore off, the prospect of lugging the heavy unit around became more effort than it was worth.

Software

My review of this tablet should be read in conjunction with my review of the current firmware (see table below), which includes aspects such as the Operating System, User Interface, and Native Apps.

The hardware and software reviews have been separated because the firmware used at the time that this review was written may not be the same firmware being used currently. This could result in the review quickly becoming outdated. Also, as several tablets may use the same firmware, this would mean going back and updating every single tablet review from a particular manufacturer to account for the new firmware. By splitting them up, if there is a firmware update, I am able to make the updates on a single page.

Current versions of this brand’s firmware are shown in the table below, along with the tablets running them.

My rating	Firmware version	Tablets using this firmware
	4.1 (current version) Aug 2025	Boox Go 10.3 Boox Note Air5 C Boox Palma 2 Pro Boox Note Air3 Boox Note Air4 C Boox Note Air3 C Boox Go 7 Boox Go Color 7
	4.0 (current version) Oct 2024	Boox Note Max Boox Tab Ultra C Pro Boox Tab X Boox Tab X C Boox Tab Mini C Boox Tab Ultra Boox Max Lumi 2 Boox Tab Ultra C Boox Note Air2 Plus Boox Note 5
Older Boox firmware versions may be found here

Brand

For some people, it is also worth considering the brand as whole, including aspects like customer service, ecosystem, values, and criticisms.

My full overview of the Boox brand can be found here, but I have provided a summary below.

Final Verdict

The hardware specification of the Boox Tab Ultra is fantastic and it has several additional hardware features, including frontlight, camera, MicroSD card slot and G-Sensor.

Both the native note-taking and reading apps are excellent and if it cannot do something natively, there is the option to expand software capabilities by installing third-party apps. This feature also means that Boox devices have better integration with other software applications and are more likely to fit into your existing workflows.

On the downside, the camera that juts out of the rear of the tablet prevents it from laying flat, which means it wobbles around when writing on it. Therefore, you are essentially forced to purchase a case/folio with your tablet. That being said, I consider the keyboard folio to be essential for getting the most out of the Tab Ultra because this is one of its main selling points.

Another drawback is that the sheer versatility of the Tab Ultra means that there is a steeper learning curve when you first use it, which can feel a bit overwhelming. Be prepared to spend some time experimenting with different apps and configuration settings whilst you get to grips with it and work out how it will fit into your existing workflows. And, there are some tasks that are simply not practical to carry out with any e-ink device. This includes watching video, video conferencing and image/video editing.

It’s trying to be a laptop, but isn’t as good as a laptop for computing tasks. And it is just too thick and heavy to be a reading/writing tablet. It lies somewhere in the middle of these two functions – better than an e-ink tablet at computing tasks and better than a laptop for reading/note-taking. But fulfilling neither role particularly well.

On paper, the Tab Ultra looks great, and for certain niche use cases, it will be perfect. But personally, I’d rather use my laptop for my computing tasks, and an e-ink tablet for my reading/writing tasks.

Tablet Overview