Torn between Apple IPad and Onyx boox 9.7'' devices

[Jmirko]

Disclaimer: I do not own an Ipad, and I don't work with pdf documents simultaneously.
However: I think if your budget is tight, you should consider other LCD tablets as well. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Tabs have similar features to the Ipad Pro, including pen support, for about half of the price. Handling of pdfs is heavily dependent on software as well. Here, both the Ipad and the recent Android tablets have an edge over the Onyx Boox, due to the large number of pdf apps available (I know this is the case for Android - not sure about iOS). The Onyx runs Android 4.X, which means some of the pdf apps will not install.
If I were you, I would first borrow and test an LCD tablet for long reading sessions. If it does not pass, buy an e-ink device (Onyx?). If it passes, compare the Ipads with the Galaxy Tabs.

[downeaster59]

Originally Posted by tommyer

My question is more specific. Are the screens of the IPad pro devices much superior to the average phone or computer screen with regards to eye strain? Furthermore, are they so much superior that they can almost or actually match Eink screens with regards to eye strain?

Personally, my LCD-monitor is rather old. But there is something, I guess is more common on LCD-devices, personally speaking, namely that I screw up or squint my eyes a little bit while reading or watching it from a close distance. I guess, that some kind of dazzling, because of the backlight, might be the reason. It's not dramatic, it's subtle. Then again, I should try to dim the backlight and see if I stop the little screwing of my eyes. Personally it is a distantly similar effect, if I want to look at something accurately and sharply without my glasses on ( I am shortsighted, but I can read and recognize easily letters in front of a monitor, tablet or reader without my glasses).

I was definitely into eInk. I still have an Onyx C67ML Carta and a Boyue T63. Those were always much easier on my eyes than any LCD screen ever thought of being. Now that I have an iPad Pro 9.7, I use those eInk devices a lot less. Later, I discovered this neat trick that reduces the brightness even more when desired.

The iPad Pro feels light enough for prolonged reading, has good battery life (even better with that trick enabled), and doesn't affect my eyes like a typical LCD screen. It comes very, very close to an eInk display for me now. See if you can check one out for yourself before buying one. That's the only way you'll know for sure if it will work for you as it does for me.

[tommyer]

Originally Posted by Jmirko

... consider other LCD tablets as well. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Tabs have similar features to the Ipad Pro, including pen support, for about half of the price. Handling of pdfs is heavily dependent on software as well. ... The Onyx runs Android 4.X, which means some of the pdf apps will not install.
If I were you, I would first borrow and test an LCD tablet for long reading sessions. If it does not pass, buy an e-ink device (Onyx?). If it passes, compare the Ipads with the Galaxy Tabs.

Thanks for your input. I will check out borrowing and testing as well. Plus always good to hear from people who have been using both types of devices.

[tommyer]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

I was definitely into eInk. I still have an Onyx C67ML Carta and a Boyue T63. Those were always much easier on my eyes than any LCD screen ever thought of being. Now that I have an iPad Pro 9.7, I use those eInk devices a lot less. Later, I discovered this neat trick that reduces the brightness even more when desired.

The iPad Pro feels light enough for prolonged reading, has good battery life (even better with that trick enabled), and doesn't affect my eyes like a typical LCD screen. It comes very, very close to an eInk display for me now. See if you can check one out for yourself before buying one. That's the only way you'll know for sure if it will work for you as it does for me.

Essential points, thanks.

[tommyer]

Originally Posted by tommyer

My question is more specific. Are the screens of the IPad pro devices much superior to the average phone or computer screen with regards to eye strain? Furthermore, are they so much superior that they can almost or actually match Eink screens with regards to eye strain?

Originally Posted by Jmirko

Disclaimer: I do not own an Ipad, and I don't work with pdf documents simultaneously.
However: I think if your budget is tight, you should consider other LCD tablets as well. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Tabs have similar features to the Ipad Pro, including pen support, for about half of the price.

Originally Posted by downeaster59

Now that I have an iPad Pro 9.7, I use those eInk devices a lot less. Later, I discovered this neat trick that reduces the brightness even more when desired.
The iPad Pro feels light enough for prolonged reading, has good battery life (even better with that trick enabled), and doesn't affect my eyes like a typical LCD screen. It comes very, very close to an eInk display for me now.

It is quite interesting that, in a rather renowned magazine for testing consumer goods in Germany (‘Stiftung Warentest’ - subscription required & as independent from commercial interests as it gets – at least that’s conventional wisdom in my country), the Galaxy Tab S2 9.7’’ (2048 x 1536) heads up the field with regards to display quality, being in a class of its own (‘very good’ instead of just ‘good’ like the ones that follow) and beating the IPad Pro 9.7’’ (2.048 x 1.536), [& the Galaxy Tab A6 10.1’’, only 1.920 x 1.200, which is available now for a very reasonable 200€, and another IPad without Pro 9,7’’ (32GB, 2048 x 1536, much cheaper than the Pro)].

Now, after looking into how they tested the display, I noticed that long reading sessions and their effects on eye-strain were not included in the testing. It’s more like they tested how the display looked to them.
[Google translates their method for display testing thus: “The picture quality was judged in the presentation of texts and different test pictures. Display delineation and usability in bright environments were also evaluated. Furthermore, the maximum viewing angles were determined with regard to the recognizability of colors and contrasts. In addition, the response times, the black level, the color and brightness distribution, the maximum brightness and the reproduction of grayscale.” https://www.test.de/Tablets-im-Test-...urzurl.tablets]

But:
It should also be noted that the new IPad Pro 10.5 has not been tested yet, with its much faster display (120Hz) and its higher resolution 2224 x 1668.

It has been indicated that higher frequency is not relevant for reading:

Originally Posted by David Munch

They say that the 120hz the screen is now capable of, is almost as much of an improvement as when the screen greatly increased their resolution. I wonder if it will help people who don't like reading on the iPad - If the 120hz are actually active when reading of course.. It is apparently quite dynamic with the update frequency.

Originally Posted by HarryT

I don't think it would have any impact when reading. LCD screens don't flicker - they maintain a stable image as long as power is applied to the display - so the update frequency only has an impact on moving images, like video.

Comparison between the IPad Pro 9.7’’ and the 10.5’’ can be found here:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes. I have a 10.5" iPad and it's great for PDFs. Far more portable than a 13" device.

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

You used the 9.7 previously, right? I'm still on that model but have been curious about the new one. What are the significant difference for you? Asking because we both use them mainly for academic work.

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you have an iPad Pro 9.7", there's not a lot in it, but I had a 9.7" iPad Air 2, and the differences between that and the newer iPad Pro are considerable: much faster CPU, better screen, better audio, better camera, and of course compatibility with things like the Apple Pencil. The extra 0.8" screen size may not sound like much, but it does make a significant difference when it comes to reading PDFs.

If all – Stiftung Warentest & HarryT (never having made comparison between the displays of the Galaxy Tab S2 9.7’’ and the Pro 10.5’’) – were correct and relevant to the subject of displays & eye-friendliness, Galaxy Tab S2 9.7’’ would still rank first in this field.
[Of course, you will get 10.5’’ instead of 9.7’’, screen size being relevant for pdfs.]

[tommyer]

As a matter of principle, I do not buy from companies, whose products have let me down before, but I consider to make an exception with Samsung.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Jmirko

Disclaimer: I do not own an Ipad, and I don't work with pdf documents simultaneously.
However: I think if your budget is tight, you should consider other LCD tablets as well. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Tabs have similar features to the Ipad Pro, including pen support, for about half of the price. Handling of pdfs is heavily dependent on software as well. Here, both the Ipad and the recent Android tablets have an edge over the Onyx Boox, due to the large number of pdf apps available (I know this is the case for Android - not sure about iOS). The Onyx runs Android 4.X, which means some of the pdf apps will not install.
If I were you, I would first borrow and test an LCD tablet for long reading sessions. If it does not pass, buy an e-ink device (Onyx?). If it passes, compare the Ipads with the Galaxy Tabs.

If the budget is tight, get the 128GB iPad (non-pro). That would do for PDF. Thing is, the Goodreader app makes the iPad the best tablet for PDF. There isn't a comparable app for Android. So (IMHO) this leave out any tablet that's not an iPad. HarryT swears by Goodreader and I agree that it is the best app for PDF.

Don't go based on price (unless it's iPad vs iPad Pro). Go based on what works best for what you want/need and I would say it's an iPad because Android does not have as good (not even close) an app for handling PDF.

[downeaster59]

I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0. The display would be similar in quality to the Tab S2 9.7. It's very nice for just about anything, including reading. But with the True Tone feature, I still give the iPad Pro (yes, even the 9.7) an edge in reading. But, as with all things, your results may vary!

[JSWolf]

People, you don't get it. It's not just about the screen or the price. It's about the apps and for PDF, Android is not as good as iOS.

[downeaster59]

I use GoodReader, too. Great PDF app.

[tommyer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Don't go based on price (unless it's iPad vs iPad Pro). Go based on what works best for what you want/need and I would say it's an iPad because Android does not have as good (not even close) an app for handling PDF.

I absolutely get that. Price is not priority in my case and second to eyefriendliness, pdf handling (apps included or just apps), screen size & computing power (speed).

[salamanderjuice]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If the budget is tight, get the 128GB iPad (non-pro). That would do for PDF. Thing is, the Goodreader app makes the iPad the best tablet for PDF. There isn't a comparable app for Android. So (IMHO) this leave out any tablet that's not an iPad. HarryT swears by Goodreader and I agree that it is the best app for PDF.

Don't go based on price (unless it's iPad vs iPad Pro). Go based on what works best for what you want/need and I would say it's an iPad because Android does not have as good (not even close) an app for handling PDF.

Regular iPad loses Pencil support though which may be an issue in annotating. Those cheap capacitive styli just aren't the same IMO. Even the more expensive Bluetooth ones.

Windows tablets are another good option if you get one that supports active styli, prices range from a few hundred to thousands depending on what you need or want. Xodo is a pretty great PDF app on Windows and is free. Drawboard is not bad either.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

Regular iPad loses Pencil support though which may be an issue in annotating. Those cheap capacitive styli just aren't the same IMO. Even the more expensive Bluetooth ones.

Depends what sort of annotating you want to do. If it's at the level of underlining things, drawing ovals around words, etc, a capacitive stylus is fine. The Apple Pencil (or something like a Wacom touchscreen) comes into its own if you want to do lots of handwriting on the screen.

[tommyer]

Pencil, pen is yet another important aspect. Of course, I would like to be able to do some handwriting in pdf-articles on the margins and elsewhere, not just highlighting. I had a conversation today with a retailer, telling me that they have a pen for Ipad (ca 60€, fineline, can't remember name) that you can do handwriting with similar to paper. But didn't seem too sure.

I want to make clear that I expect handwriting short sentences & phrases in a pdf-article to be possible in a new device.

I did not expect pen to become a problem, because in the video below handwriting seemed fair enough to me. Until now I have not planned to do lots and lots of handwriting on blank pages, i.e. using the device as a notebook. But hey, if I can have it, I would like to as well.

Video specs

App: GoodNotes
Stylus: Bamboo CS 160 [it's not even fineline, guess this can make a difference]
Device: (only) IPad Air [hope the IPad to be better in this respect]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6yIdmUYRdE&t=1m59s

[joblack]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

People, you don't get it. It's not just about the screen or the price. It's about the apps and for PDF, Android is not as good as iOS.

Android is even better because you can also install 3rd party apps without app store.

For PDFs an Onyx Boox e-reader is the best option.