Hi all, this is my first post on this forum. Just bought Boox MAX 2 from official website. Purpose of this post is to provide idea about device's use as a monitor - targeted towards casual users i.e. who want to use this functionality without any modifications. Why am I doing this? this device is very expensive and believe that this forum, particularly this topic, contributes to purchasing decisions for many users. So this is just to help others like me who are casual users.
Now, straight to the main points -
1. Its "OK" , "Usable" for office work - emails, spreadsheet, word processing, browsing etc. However would suggest to see as many videos on this topic as possible for having an idea of what is "OK" to you. It is really important to have realistic expectations of this device and technology. For me, when I checked this for the first time, I was not happy with the results. Screen is dim compared to normal tablet mode. Background is not white & text is not black but grayish. Mouse lag can be annoying & is definitely one of the major pain points. Mouse movement leaves traces.
2. Screen resolution may be bit hit & miss. I am using it at max resolution recommended by Win10 at 2104 x 1560 with 250% scale factor to have this look normal.
3. Initially it felt bit problematic but after update to '2019-06-13xxxxxx' firmware it seems to have improved in terms of speed. Plus got additional functionality of "Navigation Ball". Point is, rather than straight up dismissing it, one should check with the latest update if it makes any improvements.
4. Monitor mode drains battery at ~ 1% per minute. So practically this device needs to be connected to a mains socket OR power bank if one wants to use it for some serious work. I have only charged it once & it takes ~2-2.5 hours to a full charge. I got a charger with this device and its an American charger i.e. you will need to buy an adapter if you are outside US.
5. HDMI cable provided is OK & long enough for me (~2 foot/60 cm). There was a message for HDMI connection error when I connected it for the very first time however I figured out that one needs to make connection first and then enter the monitor mode. So far no problem on that front.
6. To switch between monitor mode & tablet mode, I found that, we can use "Navigation Ball" button options. Basically I have enabled navigation ball so that it appears on screen even in the monitor mode.option for "App Summary" on navigation ball can be used to switch between tablet & monitor mode. Navigation ball is the only thing that can be touch operated in the monitor mode. I have configured one of the options as a "Full Refresh". So whenever I need to refresh the screen manually I just use that option by touching it. This is better than using physical buttons. Screen refresh interval is 1 minute at the minimum by default. Another way to refresh screen is to simply touch the screen and it shows options available in the monitor mode at the bottom. From there one can refresh the screen.
7. Screen protector received is glossy & results in glare. But this device must be used with screen protector as the wacom pen nibs are slightly hard & will easily scratch the screen. My screen protector has got visible scratches after a few minutes of use. Point is, screen quality may be slightly improved without screen protector but if one wants to use this as a writing/note taking device then a screen protector is a must. On a side note, I also have a Likebook Muses and I find writing on Muses noticeably better. I am most likely not going to use this for note taking.
8. Its "OK" for use if you can live with dim screen OR have good lighting in work space that compensates. Its OK to use if you dont type fast and can show patience with mouse - ~50% slower mouse movements. I am trying to minimize my mouse use. Alt+ Tab to switch between apps, Alt+F4 to close active window, Cntrl + PgUP/Dn for switching between tabs etc. Wish some keyboard shortcut key could be assigned to do a screen refresh.
9. Content seems better when matched to black text & white background themes on the apps. Cant differentiate between different colors on spreadsheet with conditional formatting.
10. Specifically for spreadsheet, I think I am going to use a bigger LED monitor as 13.3" size is not really sufficient for my needs.
11. For monitor stand, I am using a simple AmazonBasics stand for tablets. Works fine for me. A stand is a must for use as a monitor. Thats an additional cost. Initially I thought of buying Logitech K480 BT keyboard with groove however cancelled it later for 2 reasons. Mainly, this tablet is huge and K480 doesnt fit this tab in landscape mode. One can simply check this by comparing dimensions. In portrait mode, I am not confident that it would be a wise thing to support this device with keyboards groove with small depth. Second, I dont want to add lag to the already slow typing experience & not a big fan of wireless/radiations.
12. I did watch a video on this tab just to see how it performs. Surprisingly video played decently but its not acceptable for me to use this for viewing videos. Audio was without any problems.
13. It accidentally froze and rebooted once in the monitor mode.
Slightly worried for prolonged use in this mode.
14. Slightly dim screen, ghosting may not seem comfortable to a few. For me, it definitely is better than staring at my laptop screen. Guess, no backlight is more important for eye comfort than a crisp LED display.
In general, experience is inversely proportional to the screen content, screen interaction (Read vs write/change/click), speed requirements, darkness, color requirements.
Dim screen, ghosting, need for refresh may feel unacceptable to a few people. Basically you can not expect this to be an equivalent of a standard LCD /LED monitor and have to have lower expectations, adjust working style.
These are my first impressions after using this device for the first time and for a short while using simple HDMI connection - No remote viewing, No rooting, No Custom mods.
So far I am not regretting my decision. I think I will need to adjust to this device a bit. This device was, if I am not mistaken, at its lowest price point ($599) when I bought it. And there are no other options in the market for lower costs for e ink monitor. I dont think so that the experience is greatly enhanced in BOOX MAX 3 but I stand to be corrected. Frankly, I dont have money to spend on these devices any more after this purchase.
My only worry right now is reliability i.e. this should last me for at least 2 years before any issues after daily use as a monitor.
My wish list -
1. min 24" size so I will not need to use LED monitor for big spreadsheets, layouts etc. 27" would be even better.
2. Price that is within standard LED monitor of the same size. I dont want to sell my kidneys to save my eyes. I am still not convinced that this thing costs this much to produce.
3. Basic Colors - I dont need 16 million colors but at the least some basic colors and their shades so that color content can be seen & interpreted.
4. Reliability warranty that the display can be used as a dedicated monitor for heavy use for longer duration every day. I am not sure if its a good thing to plug this continuously while using it in monitor mode.
5. More than 1 HDMI port for connectivity - In case first one fails for any reason.
6. Improvements in screen refresh speed - Already this device is decent for normal work but imagine the demand it will attract if the screen refreshes without user noticing it & leaving no traces/ghosting.
7. Improvement in contrast - This is a MUST for BW/grayscale devices. My 8th Gen Kindle has better contrast than Boox MAX 2 & Likebook Muses. The reading experience improves significantly with clean whiter background.
Hope this helps a few people in making right decisions.