I'm Obsessed With This Phone-Shaped E-Reader, and It's on a Rare Sale for Prime Day

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I got my first e-reader around 15 years ago—a Kindle—and in the years since, I've used devices and apps from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo, never sticking too long with any of them and building up a fractured e-book library along the way. More recently, I've been reviewing a whole stack of e-ink devices for Lifehacker. This is all to say that I'm writing with some authority when I declare the Boox Palma 2 to be my favorite e-reader ever—the only downside being the price.

This phone-shaped e-reader, from Chinese tech firm Onyx International, is easy to slip into a jeans pocket alongside my iPhone. I carry it with my whenever I leave the house, and it has helped me doomscroll less and read more over the past year. It has a crisp e-ink screen with a front light almost as good as what you'll find on the Kindle Paperwhite, but it stands apart because of its open Android operating system, which lets you download any app on the Google Play store—meaning you can access books from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Audible, Audiobooks.com, or even graphic novel and manga subscription services like Shonen Jump, all on the same device.

The screen's 300ppi resolution and relatively speedy refresh rate also mean you can use productivity apps like Slack, Gmail, and Google Docs (add a Bluetooth keyboard and you've got a distraction-free, super-portable writing setup); browse the internet without much in the way of screen lag; or even play games and watch videos. Granted, no e-ink screen is going to look as crisp or move as smoothly as an LCD or LED screen, but that's kind of the point—the greyscale display causes less eyestrain and makes the device less addictive, so you use it with intention rather than mindlessly scrolling.

In short, it's everything I wanted out of an e-reader, but it comes at a cost. After President Trump announced tariffs on Chinese-made products, the Palma 2 rose in price from $280 to $300—$100 pricier than Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. But oddly enough, it's thanks to Amazon Prime Day that you can now pick one up on sale.

I've never seen a discount on the Palma 2 before

There's no getting around the fact that for many, $300 is a lot to ask for an e-reader, but right now, you can pick one up at Amazon for $270, a full 10% off, taking the price below its pre-tariff level. That might not sound like a huge savings, but I've been tracking the price of this device on Amazon since its release, and I've never seen it go on sale at all before, even during previous Prime Day events.

In short, if you were convinced by my review, or maybe just intrigued by the viral hype about the Palma 2 (which has a dedicated following on TikTok, not to mention an active Reddit community), there's never been a better time to pick one up.

The original Palma is also back in stock on Amazon

While it hasn't received an additional markdown for Prime Day, you can also save an additional $25 by opting for the Palma 2's predecessor, which dropped in price to $246 when the newer device debuted last November. While the Palma has a slightly slower processor, runs on an older version of Android, and lacks a fingerprint scanner, it's still likely the better value for most people—provided you can find one in stock in the U.S. (I've put together a full comparison if you're undecided.)

Luckily, Amazon has both models available right now, in your choice of black or white. If you're onboard with the concept of a phone-sized e-reader, I can't imagine being disappointed with whichever one you choose.

Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Home Depot have Prime Day competition sales that are especially useful if you don’t have Amazon Prime.

• Walmart’s Prime Day competition sale begins at midnight on July 8 and will include deals up to 50% off. It’s an especially good option if you have Walmart+. 

• Best Buy’s Prime Day competition sale, “Black Friday in July,” runs through Sunday, July 13 and has some of the best tech sales online. It’s an especially good option if you’re a My Best Buy “Plus” or “Total” member.

• Home Depot extended their 4th of July sale through at least July 9, competing with some amazing deals of their own. It’s an especially good option if you’re looking for power tools, appliances, or outdoor equipment.