Onyx BOOX Note Air 5C Review: Note Taking, Planning & OneNote

5C vs 4C Overview (0:00)

How many of you have a big brother or big sister? Yes, they are more mature. They are a little stronger, a little taller, and just seem to always have the newest things. You become kind of a hand-me-down. If I am the Onyx BOOX Note Air 4C, I am feeling that right now with the introduction to the 5C. We are the more mature, the big brother, all the new features, but yet we are from the same family, have the same hair color, everything seems to be about the same.

This video, I am going to show you how the 5C has leveled up in the note-taking and planning arena, how some of the latest updates and minor tweaks have made the experience so much better for all those looking to use the device for note taking, use it with apps like OneNote or GoodNotes. It is a slight level up, but let us talk about it. What does the internet have to say about the 4C and the 5C? And if you are contemplating which one to get, why might you consider one or the other?

Android 15 vs Android 13: What It Means for You (1:21)

The 5C comes with Android 15 versus Android 13 on the 4C. What does this really mean for you? There will be a little better compatibility with apps moving forward, the software support life will last longer, things are going to appear a little smoother, and you will get some improved security. So if those things matter to you, give a point to the 5C.

New Keyboard Connector and Cover Accessory (1:46)

The 5C also adds a new pin connector which allows you to attach a keyboard cover, giving you more of a workspace or computer-like experience. This is an accessory that was not available for the 4C.

Fingerprint Unlock Speed Improvement (2:06)

You are also going to see some minor improvements in responsiveness. One of the things you will really notice is that the fingerprint reader is quite a bit faster when it comes to unlocking your device. If you want the device secure but want to get into it quickly, the 5C delivers a noticeably faster experience.

New Pen with Built-In Nib Storage (2:32)

Probably the one that gives you the most instant gratification is the new pen. It is about the clip. What I like about it is this: whenever I am using these styluses, the moment they break or I drop them and the nib is shot, I am in the middle of a meeting, sometimes heading into one of the biggest sales calls of the year, and I have no way to take notes. With this new stylus, I have the ability to carry replacement nibs right in the clip itself. I can pull a nib out, replace it, and never miss a note.

A number of other devices have started taking the same approach, either in the stylus or in the case, so you do not have to worry about spare nibs being back at your desk or still in the original box the device came with. That is a big improvement. I have also noticed that the overall feel, pressure sensitivity, and writing experience with this pen is much improved.

What Stayed the Same: RAM, Battery, Storage (3:57)

So what is basically the same? RAM is the same. Storage is the same. Battery life is the same. It still has a front light, the same speaker and microphone, a fingerprint sensor, and the same core writing technology. When you look at the pricing of the two devices, if you are looking to buy new, the 5C is the better value when you factor in the Android operating system upgrade, the new pen, the keyboard connection option, the future-proofed software, and the overall improved experience. But if you are looking to save cost and still want a handwriting device with that natural paper-like feel, the 4C remains a solid choice.

Key2Success Planner on the Note Air 5C (5:00)

I am not going to dive into every application you can run on this device. It has a Google Play Store, which opens up a wide range of productivity tools. What is really useful is that with BOOX Drop, you can pull any PDF directly into the device. One of the PDFs we loaded here is the Key2Success Planner.

If you do not know anything about the Key2Success Planner, let me give you a quick picture. It is available in four editions: Personal, Professional, Business, and Executive. It is designed to help you get the most out of each day, take the things that are part of your vision and goals, recognize the challenges you are facing, and use all the resources and strengths you have to make each day successful by getting done what matters most.

Franklin Covey in "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" said to put first things first. We do that with our Daily Key3. Each day you establish three important tasks that will make a real impact, whether that is building a relationship, mastering a skill, or completing a key project step. James Clear in "Atomic Habits" reinforced the same idea: do not focus on the big splash in the pool, make little ripples each day. That 1% daily benefit compounds into significant results over time.

Writing Tools, Pen Customization, and Highlighters (7:27)

Let me show you how the device itself works. Clicking the writing tool brings up a toolbar across the top. From there you can choose a pen tool, brush marker, ballpoint pen, pencil, or highlighting tool. You can set thickness and color. Maybe you want blue at 1.5 millimeters, or you can bring it down to 0.9 millimeters for finer writing.

You can also have different tools saved and ready. If you want to pull up a specific highlighter you have configured, you can highlight any task in a tap. Different color highlighters for different time blocks work well here: one for meetings, one for personal tasks, one for office work. You can add more pens to the toolbar at any time and drag the toolbar to wherever it makes sense on your screen, whether that is the bottom, corner, or top.

Lasso Tool, Copy-Paste, and Scribble to Erase (9:13)

The lag with the new stylus is noticeably better. To erase, you can click the eraser and remove an entire stroke, and you can adjust the eraser thickness. The lasso tool is particularly useful. You can draw around an area and erase everything inside it. You can also draw straight lines for scheduling blocks.

Under the three-dot menu you can fill areas, add text, and recognize handwriting. The lasso copy-paste workflow is one of the most practical features for planning: select a to-do, copy it, slide to the next page, and paste. That task moves from one day to the next cleanly. The scribble-to-erase feature is also handy. Rather than switching to the eraser tool, you can just scribble over any text and it disappears.

Portrait Mode for Note Taking (11:08)

That covers how the planner works in landscape mode. If you prefer portrait mode, you can switch to that as well. Portrait view gives you more writing space and the bezel design makes it comfortable to hold the tablet in one hand while writing with the other. These are the features built into the native note-taking application.

OneNote on Onyx BOOX: Cross-Platform Sync Demo (11:57)

If you want to synchronize notes across Windows, Apple, and Android, that is where the Play Store becomes really valuable. You can download OneNote, which works on the BOOX device and on any Windows, Apple, or Android device. As you take notes and capture ideas on the tablet, they sync to every other device automatically.

Where this shines most is in meetings. Writing notes on the device while listening to the person in front of you shows respect and keeps you fully present. Typing on a keyboard can look like a distraction, but writing on the tablet reads as engaged. One of the small but noticeable improvements in the 5C is that writing in OneNote is more responsive. You write something and see it appear right away. The 4C had a visible refresh lag that the 5C largely eliminates. You will still see a slight delay when using the highlighter because of how the screen refreshes, but the core writing experience is a real step forward.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy the 5C or 4C? (14:19)

The 4C is still a great device, but the 5C levels up in the ways that matter. The improved Android operating system, the new pen with nib storage, the keyboard connector, and the general responsiveness improvements add up to a package that is probably worth the investment. For note taking specifically, there are a lot of options between the native planner, capturing meeting notes, AI integration, or any other application you bring in from the Play Store.

I have done a handful of videos in this line and I would recommend checking out the 4C review as well, because everything covered there applies to the 5C too. That video goes deeper into productivity app setups and daily planning workflows. If you got one thing from this video, hit the like button and subscribe. If you want to learn more about the planning system, visit the website. There are free resources available and you can start a conversation about where you are with your productivity and focus. I am Branden Bodendorfer. I will see you in the next video.