I’m an avid reader and often bring a book with me when I leave the house (you never know when you may have a few minutes to read, after all). Physical books, naturally, take up a fair amount of room, and most e-readers aren’t all that tiny, either. Gone are the days of bringing a giant purse around, so I have been on the hunt for a more compact option to fit in my small bag for reading on the go.

When Boox offered to send over its Go 6 e-reader, I jumped at the chance to test it out. After all, it’s a nearly pocket-sized device that is lightweight and travel-friendly. I took it on a recent vacation, which involved a backpacking trip, and I have overall been very glad to have this tiny e-reader on hand.

Price, availability, and specs

Boox released the Go 6 in August 2024 as a more compact, budget-friendly option for readers. It features a six-inch Carta 1300 monochrome screen with a 2.0 GHz Octa-core processor. It offers 32GB of storage with a microSD card slot for expandable storage and runs on Android 11. It’s available through the Boox website and a handful of third-party retailers for $149.99.

What I liked about the Boox Go 6

A tiny device with plenty of flexibilty

First and foremost, the best thing about the Boox Go 6 is its size. It’s smaller than any other e-reader I’ve used, measuring just 5.8 by 4.3 inches and weighing 5.15 ounces. It easily fits in my small sling for daily carrying or trips through the airport. I could even toss it in my backpack on a recent backpacking trip without worrying about adding too much weight or taking up precious room. Having the Go 6 along gave me some much-needed entertainment while lying in the tent that evening during bad weather.

Beyond its travel-friendly size, the Go 6 is easy to use and highly customizable, thanks to its Android 11 operating system. You can change which screen pops up when you first turn the device on, adjust text sizes and fonts, change the refresh rate, and more. Navigation is intuitive, so even if you have zero experience with Boox products, getting around and finding what you need is simple.

The Android OS also offers great flexibility, providing access to the full Google Play Store. That means you can download almost any app you want, turning the Go 6 into a multifunctional tablet instead of just an e-reader. I instantly downloaded the Libby app to keep reading e-books I’d rented from my local library. I also downloaded the Spotify app and paired some headphones via Bluetooth, allowing me to listen to music on the plane while I read.

I’ve also been very impressed by the display on the Go 6. It uses the latest e-ink technology, which results in superb contrast levels and clarity. That quality makes reading easier, especially in bright conditions. There’s also a front light with an adjustable color temperature for easy reading in the dark as well. The temperature goes surprisingly warm, even, which is really nice for my eyes when reading before bed.

The Go 6 offers 32 GB of storage and 10 GB of free cloud storage, which is plenty for most. But if you like to keep a lot of books or other content on your e-reader, you will appreciate the expandable storage via the microSD card slot. It features a 1,500mAh battery, which should last for many days (Boox doesn’t specify), depending on your settings and how much you use it in one go. I haven’t had to charge it yet after using it nearly daily for an hour or so over the course of a week.

Finally, though it doesn’t impact anything, I’m obsessed with the various screensavers. They are just plain cute, which is perfect for the tiny size of the device as well.

What I didn’t like about the Boox Go 6

A slow startup experience

The Boox Go 6 is a budget-friendly e-reader, so I wasn’t expecting top-of-the-line performance. After all, E-ink displays, in general, always have some inherent lag. While it has some tablet functionality, it is an e-reader first, and tablet second. Indeed, it is noticeably slower than the Boox Note Air 3 C I recently reviewed, and feels a little slower than my Kobo Libra 2 as well.

Not all situations are laggy, but you will want to be a fairly patient person when using the Go 6. Most of the pre-loaded apps run smoothly for an e-reader, which is appreciated. But some third-party apps from the Google Play store, such as Libby, are a little slower. You also have to be very intentional with your screen taps to enter apps, as it isn’t all that sensitive.

My only real complaint is how long it takes to power up the Go 6. Powering on the device is a fairly time-consuming process if it’s all the way powered off. You have to hold the power button for a few seconds, which is useful for preventing accidental power-ups but also a bit annoying. Then, after holding that button, it takes roughly 40 seconds to fully power up so you can use the device. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not very long. But when I want to dive into my book, especially if I only have a few minutes to read, that feels like ages. The device has a standby mode, which is much faster to get up and running, but it will use more battery than when fully powered off. However, you can adjust how long the device needs to be inactive before entering each mode.

Finally, the Boox Go 6 is a monochrome e-reader. I don’t read any graphic novels or comic books, so this isn’t an issue for me, but some types of content are best on color E-ink displays. If you would prefer a color display, the Boox Go Color 7 is also a fantastic choice.

Should you buy the Boox Go 6?

The Boox Go 6 is a fantastically small e-reader with versatile functionality and plenty of flexibility in settings and how you use it. Anyone looking for a compact e-reader for travel, then, will benefit from this compact device. It’s also relatively affordable, making it a more approachable option for anyone not wanting to splurge on an e-reader. The main downsides are a slow startup process and somewhat slow performance, but those issues are negligible compared to the rest of the benefits of this device. However, this is a monochrome e-reader, so if you want access to color, you’ll be better off picking up the Boox Go Color 7, which is a color device.