Imagine you’re in the market for an e-reader, and you have two options that are largely similar. However, one model features a color display and is priced only $20 higher. It seems like an obvious choice—who wouldn’t prefer a vibrant screen for exploring their digital library? Surprisingly, there are compelling arguments for opting for the monochrome version.

Recently, a review was conducted on the Boox Go 7, a seven-inch black-and-white e-reader crafted by Onyx International. This device has been praised as an improved iteration of the finest Kindle ever produced. It boasts a sharp display, ample internal storage, and operates on an open Android platform, providing users the freedom to purchase books from various sources and download any app available in the Google Play Store.

In addition, Onyx has introduced a nearly identical model featuring the same components, physical buttons, and stylus compatibility, but with the addition of a color Kaleido 3 e-ink display. The Boox Go Color 7 Gen II (somewhat confusingly, a follow-up to last year’s Boox Go Color 7, retaining a similar name) stands out as a leading option, and it comes highly recommended as the top choice for a color e-reader available today.

However, my inclination is to recommend the black-and-white variant, unless you’ve meticulously weighed its potential disadvantages.