Boox's E-Ink External Monitor for Laptops Available, 25-Incher IncomingByAnton Shilov The Boox Mira is not fast or furious, but it will offer added co... ~ Linchakin

Sometimes, 16 shades of gray are enough for productivity workloads. This month Onyx International began to sell one of the industry's first 13.3-inch E Ink monitors that can be used as an external display for laptops. The company is also prepping a 25-inch E Ink monitor for desktop PCs.

E Ink displays are used rather widely for ebook readers and some specialized devices that can take advantage of their low power consumption and high contrast yet do not need colors. But the E Ink technology can also be applied to PCs that are used for things like reading, writing, or coding by people who experience eye strain when working with traditional monitors because of blue light, bright colors, or screen flash. In fact, E Ink monitors for PCs are beginning to emerge. Late last year Dasung started to sell its 25.3-inch Paperlike monitor and this week Onyx began to sell its Boox Mira E Ink 13.3-inch monitor

The Boox Mira display can display 16 shades of gray and features a 1650x2200 resolution as well as a 207 pixels per inch pixel density. The unit has a front light with color temperature controls (cold, warm), manually adjustable refresh rate (normal/text/video/slideshow), and supports capacitive touch. As far as inputs are concerned, the product has two USB Type-C ports and one mini HDMI connector. Furthermore, it even comes with VESA 75x75 holes in case its owner wants to use it on an arm.

Onyx's Boox Mira weighs 590 grams, which is in line with weight of external LCDs for notebooks based on IPS, VA, or TN panels. Meanwhile, the Boox Mira promises more comfort when working with texts, spreadsheets, and code. Unfortunately, the 13.3-inch E Ink display is not cheap. It can be ordered for $799.99 directly from the manufacturer.

In addition to the Boox Mira, Onyx International is prepping its 25.3-inch Boox Mira Pro monitor featuring a 3200 x 1800 resolution (145 PPI) that is aimed at desktop applications. This monitor is going to have one DisplayPort, one HDMI, one mini HDMI, and one USB Type-C input. As for the price, the maker plans to charge $1799.99 for the unit when it becomes available.

Obviously, E Ink displays in general and Boox Mira/Boox Mira Pro in particular are not designed for anything that might need a more or less decent refresh rate, so while they can certainly be used to watch videos, they are not meant for gaming at all. Even a color E Ink display is unlikely to find itself among the best gaming monitors.