It also has wireless OverDrive functionality, so you can browse and borrow from your local library's ebook collection directly on the device. With battery life that lasts a few weeks, the Clara HD is a feature-packed device with a display that's the best-in-class for an ereader at this price point.
Read the full review: Kobo Clara HD. Announced in July , the Nia is the latest ereader to join the Kobo ranks, and also the company's cheapest device. It's a no-frills ereader that offers direct competition to the basic Amazon Kindle. While it's priced a touch higher than the Kindle, you do get a slightly better and more responsive 6-inch screen, with a resolution of x, or ppi a step-up from the ppi Kindle display.
You also get a more streamlined user interface which, over the last couple of years, has seen steady improvements. The new features that debuted last year on the Libra H2O have made their way to the Nia, making it a lot more user-friendly than any Kindle model.
The other advantages the Nia offers over the Kindle are wider file format support like all the Kobos and third-party application integration with OverDrive for borrowing library ebooks, Pocket for reading on the web, and Dropbox for cloud storage.
Like the other Kobos, you'll be able to sideload fonts to the Nia, even Amazon's own Bookerly. Physically, the Kindle and the Nia are similar but the Kobo device has a textured rear panel that makes the ereader feel more secure in the hand. The one complaint we do have is, for a device that launched in , it still doesn't have USB-C charging. Unlike the Kindle, there's no Bluetooth support on the Nia — a commonality shared by all the Kobo ereaders, even the premium ones.
That means the Nia lacks audiobook support, which even the base model of the current Kindle range has. So, if you're not keen on getting locked into the Amazon ecosystem, then the Nia is an excellent ereader for anyone on a tight budget. However, the Nia lacks a blue light filter, so if you read a lot at night, we think the Kobo Clara HD is a better option — with a sharper ppi screen — if you can spare the extra cash for it.
Read the full review: Kobo Nia. The Forma is Kobo's answer to the Kindle Oasis, albeit with a much steeper price tag. Like it's Amazon competition, the Forma has an asymmetrical design that's meant to make prolonged one-hand holding comfortable. Where the Forma one-ups the Kindle — and perhaps attempts to justify its price premium over the Oasis — is by adding an extra inch to the display, for an expansive 8 inches in total. Despite the size disparity, both premium ereaders have similar weights, although the Forma's plastic body tends to lose its shiny look over time and use.
The Forma's rubbery and textured back, on the other hand, means that despite its bigger size your grip never wavers and its bigger footprint helps keep that weight feel more evenly distributed. You can hold the Forma in either your left or right hand or even in landscape and the display orientation automatically rotates within a couple of seconds of switching. This happens a touch slower than the Libra H2O which is a newer device but, compared to older Kobo flagships like the Aura One , it requires fewer full screen refreshes.
As is common with all Kobo devices from the last few years, the Forma's backlight offers color-temperature adjustment, so you can opt for an orangey-yellow light tone rather than the standard and potentially sleep-disrupting blue light, which can even be scheduled. Unlike the Oasis, though, there's only a single 8GB version of the Forma available and it's admittedly the most expensive ereader from a popular brand.
Despite that, it makes a case for itself by offering a superior user interface, OverDrive support, Dropbox integration for books stored in the cloud , and Pocket support for long-form web articles. Read the full review: Kobo Forma. Whether you should opt for a Kindle or a Kobo ereader depends on what you're looking for from your ereader and, more often than not, that decision will be ruled by price and feature set.
Both Amazon and Kobo have premium offerings in the Kindle Oasis and the Forma respectively, but there are budget ones as well. That said, Amazon has the biggest marketshare by far, but Kobo devices have several advantages over their direct competition. So, which one is best for an avid reader? All Kobo ereaders have OverDrive baked-in, meaning anyone with a public library membership in countries where there is support can borrow ebooks from their local library.
Most public libraries in the UK and Australia now allow members to borrow ebooks, saving you plenty of money in the long term on purchasing books. That said, the ability to borrow library books is also available on Kindles, but support is extremely limited and is only available to users in the US for now. However, Kindle users can take advantage of Amazon's Prime Reading service — available for free to all Amazon Prime members.
There's over a thousand titles to choose from, but you won't own the books you read via the Prime Reading service. If you're keen on owning all the books you read, then the Kindle Store usually has way more titles on offer than the Kobo Store — primarily due to Amazon's self-publishing platform — but Kobo's Super Points system allows you to save points you earn on purchases for later use note that these points do have an expiration date.
Another thing to keep in mind when choosing an ereader is the support for different file types. All Kindle ebooks you purchase from Amazon will be in. There is no. Kobos, on the other hand, will support most file types — with the exception of Amazon's own. You'll even be able to read PDFs, text files, comics and graphic novels on your Kobo device, just to name a few. You'll find that the Kindles have some custom fonts designed by Amazon, with Bookerly and Ember being the most popular ones.
We found that the list of fonts on Kindles is extensive enough that we didn't find the need to sideload more, but you can if you need to. Kobo devices also have their own set of default fonts, but there's no rule against sideloading more, including Amazon's own custom ones like Bookerly. And sideloading is as easy as plugging your Kobo ereader into a computer and moving your desired font to the device's fonts folder.
While the Kobo Store has a large number of audiobooks, you can't listen to them on any of the company's ereaders — not even the expensive Forma. For that, you'll need to download the Kobo app on your smartphone or tablet. However, all the latest iterations of the Kindle devices Kindle 8th Gen, Kindle Oasis 8th and 9th Gen, Kindle Paperwhite 10th Gen have Bluetooth connectivity for wireless headphones and audiobook support for anything you get from Audible.
Goodreads is a great social platform for avid readers and, ever since Amazon acquired the company, there's seamless integration with Kindle devices available on the ereaders. It's a great and easy way to keep tabs on your library. However, integration with other platforms on Kindle devices stops there.
Other than OverDrive support to borrow library books, Kobo also has a partnership with Dropbox. If you happen to have your library saved in a Dropbox folder, you can easily connect the two and transfer files to the device without needing to plug the ereader into your computer.
Then there's Pocket support on the Kobo devices as well. This app allows you to read long-form articles on the web that you save for later, and syncing with your Pocket account will give you access to them all on your Kobo ereader. There are some differences between the two platforms when it comes to the user interface as well — the main being the ability to organize your library on the device.
While you can create folders and collections on both Kindle and Kobo devices, you can only organize ebooks you've purchased from the Kindle Store on an Amazon device. If you've added books you've purchased from elsewhere, they will sit in the main library but you will not be able to move them to a folder.
On the other hand, everything you have stored on your Kobo device can be organized as you see fit. Kobo Elipsa. An e-reader you can draw on. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition The best of the best Amazon Amazon's newest e-reader offers the ultimate e-reader experience. Tech specs: Beautiful 6. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite A premium e-reader at a not-so-premium price Amazon A modern twist on the e-reader experience.
Tech Specs: Beautiful 6. Amazon Kindle A basic e-reader at a decent price. Amazon This is a great e-reader for those who want a cheap and cheerful device to throw into a bag for travel or keep next to the sofa for a quick read in the evening. Kobo Nia Not all e-readers are amazon e-readers Amazon An alternative for those who don't want to be in the Amazon ecosystem. Kobo Elipsa An e-reader you can draw on Amazon This is an e-reader with some significant differences compared to Amazon's Kindle line.
Tech Specs: Huge Why do you need an e-reader? My only remaining wish is that e-readers could smell like paper books! How these products have been chosen? I read a lot, and that's allowed me to test all the devices in this listing.
Each product has been chosen because it offers a good reading experience: The display is nice to look at for extended periods The e-reader provides good battery life The controls are easy and intuitive to use The e-reader is durable enough to put up with being treated like a book.
Isn't a smartphone or tablet a good enough e-reader? I do read a lot on my iPhone or iPad, but I find that e-readers have three huge advantages: The e-ink display is much nicer to look at, especially for extended periods of time The battery life of e-readers is much better than any smartphone or tablet, lasting for weeks between recharges There are far fewer distractions on an e-reader -- no emails, social media, phone calls, and so on.
Are the ads on the "Ad-supported" Kindles annoying? How much storage does my e-reader need? Are some books badly suited to e-readers? My Profile Log Out.
Resolution is the most important—the higher the better, so as to eliminate jagged edges on letters. Variable font size support, so that you can make the text optimal size for your eyesight. A user interface that makes it easy to navigate the book, turn pages, buy new books, make annotations, and share passages with friends. The 3G option, of course, must be specified when you order the product, it cannot be added after delivery. But we recommend paying a little extra to avoid Amazon's "special offers" option that puts ads on the Paperwhite's lock screen.
Amazon already had the best e-reader on the market with the Paperwhite. Amazon raises the bar with the Voyage, but pumps up the price tag at the same time. The Kobo Aura One is a robust, versatile e-reader suitable for anyone who's not already heavily invested in the Amazon ebook ecosystem. The Kobo Glo HD delivers all the features you want in an e-reader without any unnecessary bloat.
We also appreciate its ability to read a diverse selection of file formats, but we have reservations about its build quality. If you do a lot of your reading poolside, on a boat, in the bath, or in the desert, the Kobo Aura H2O's IP67 rating for water and dust resistance offers an impressive amount of protection from water and dust incursion.
But other, less-expensive e-readers deliver better reading experiences. If you need a waterproof e-reader, the Kobo Aura H2O is a better value; but if you're locked into Amazon's Kindle ecosystem, Waterfi's offerings are worth the price of admission. Consider buying it if you find it on sale. Otherwise, give it a pass. For everything the All-New Kindle gets right, it gets enough wrong to keep us from recommending it. Its low-resolution display and the absence of a backlight keeps its cost low, but those shortcomings also rob the device of some of the things that make a modern e-reader a desirable purchase.
Features to look for in an e-reader When we evaluate e-readers, experience has taught us that there are a few features an electronic reading slab should have to be a winner. Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.
At a Glance. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite , Special Offers.
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