Color e-ink displays are becoming increasingly common in e-readers and tablets. While they still fall short of the vibrant colors of smartphone displays, their ability to showcase thousands of colors marks a significant step forward for the technology. As Zack Nelson from JerryRigEverything discovered, these displays offer a fascinating sight under a microscope.
Nelson recently examined the Note Air 3 from Boox, which features the E-Ink Kaleido 3 display technology also found in Kobo’s Clara Colour and Libra Colour e-readers. Using a 230x digital video microscope, he delved into the display’s inner workings before putting it through rigorous durability tests.
Under magnification, the micro capsules in the display appear distinct from traditional pixels, confirming the RGB nature of the display. This means it utilizes a combination of red, green, and blue to create an array of colors, reaching a total of 4,000. While this falls short of modern displays’ millions of colors, it remains suitable for graphic novels and colored comics.
E-ink displays are renowned for their energy efficiency, but that’s a topic for another discussion. Notably, there’s a difference in resolution between color and black and white modes. In color mode, the resolution is limited to 1,240 x 930 (150 PPI), but in black and white, it doubles to 2,480 x 1,860 (300 PPI). This difference is visible under magnification.
The tablet employs a durable plastic instead of cover glass, which scratches at level four on the Mohs Hardness Scale, with deeper grooves at level five. However, closer inspection reveals that Boox has applied a plastic sheet over traditional cover glass. Removing the plastic offers a clearer view of the e-ink micro capsules.
