Here's the comparison of electronic ebook readers (or ereaders) for the year 2024: Kindle, Kobo, Pocketbook, Nook, Onyx, Meebook, etc.
After years of reviewing e-readers, I'm beginning to know a thing or two about them.
So, every month, I compile the latest information, reviews and rumors and deduce which are the best e-readers to buy.
This guide will be very useful when it comes to (buying) a e-reader. By reading this page you should be able to buy the e-reader that suits you best.
Should you buy a e-reader in December 2024?
Yes !
All the new Kobo e-reader have been released and you now have a lot of choice.
A number of new e-readers (6" screen and over) have been released in recent months or years and are very good:
- Kobo Clara Colour
- Kobo Clara BW
- Kobo Elipsa 2E
- Pocketbook Verse
- Pocketbook Verse Pro
- Pocketbook Verse Pro Color
- Pocketbook InkPad 4
- Kobo Libra Colour
If you want a good, inexpensive 6" e-reader, there's plenty to choose from at Amazon Kindle, Pocketbook and Kobo, with great models like the Kindle, the Kobo Nia or the Pocketbook Verse and the Pocketbook Verse Pro and Kobo Clara Colour for high-end models.
If you want a large-format Kobo, the Kobo Libra Colour is available. It's a 7-inch, waterproof, touch-sensitive e-reader with lighting and a all new electronic ink color screen. All at an excellent value for money.
But if you're thinking of settling for an 8-inch e-reader, the Pocketbook InkPad 4 is an excellent choice. The same goes for the Kobo Forma (or Kindle Scribe), an excellent high-end e-reader.
So don't forget to check for "Bargains" (on e-commerce websites) for the latest discounts and bargains.
Deals and discounts on ereaders
Find here all discounts on ereaders at the moment:
E-reader sales and discount
Kobo Clara Colour
6" e-reader - 1448 x 1072 pixels (Black and White), 724 x 536 (color) e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
Best value for the money in the Kobo color e-readers lineup ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kindle Paperwhite
7" e-reader - 1680 x 1264 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
Best value for the money Kindle eReader⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What's the best e-readers?
Kobo Clara Colour
6" e-reader - 1448 x 1072 pixels (Black and White), 724 x 536 (color) e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
Kindle Paperwhite
7" e-reader - 1680 x 1264 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
Here are the e-readers you should consider if you're looking to make a purchase.
This selection presents the best e-readers of the moment (in my opinion), not necessarily the cheapest or most popular:
| Pocketbook Verse Pro Color | Kobo Libra Colour | Pocketbook Verse | Pocketbook Inkpad 4 | Kindle Paperwhite | Kindle | |
| Image |  |  |  |  | |  |
| Screen size | 6" | 7" | 6" | 7.8" | 7" | 6" |
| Resolution | Black and White : 1072 × 1448 pixels, 300 PPP - Color : 536 × 724 pixels, 150 PPP | 150 PPI for Color / 300 PPI for B&W | 1024 x 768 pixels | 1404 x 1872 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels |
| Color | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes (IPX8) | IPX8 | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | 16 GB | 32 GB | 8 GB | 32 GB | 8 - 32 GB | 16 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | Yes (optional) | No | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | Yes (128 GB) | No | No | No |
| Ebook formats | ACSM, AZW, AZW3, CBR, CBZ, CHM, DJVU, DOC, DOCX, EPUB(DRM), EPUB, FB2, FB2.ZIP, HTM, HTML, MOBI, PDF (DRM), PDF, PRC, RTF, TXT (+ audio: M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP) | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | AZW, EPUB, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CBR, CBZ, HTML, PDF, RTF, RXT (compatible with Adobe DRM), MP3, OGG, M4A | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Audiobooks with Bluetooth 5.4, Kaleido 3 color e ink screen | Kaleido 3 color screen, Bluetooth, Kobo audio Books | Gyroscope for automatic orientation in landscape or portrait mode. USB-C port. | Speaker, Bluetooth | New version released in 2024 | Black or Blue color |
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money Kindle eReader⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Very good ereader at a good price ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com - Official website | Check on Amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website | Check the price on amazon.com |
Kindle
Kindle: this e-reader is an entry-level model available from Amazon. It is the best budget ebook reader you can buy.
It's very easy to use, thanks to the system set up by Amazon, and is very reasonably priced, making it a very good e-reader for beginners, with all the classic options, including a useful light for reading at night.
Kindle
6" e-reader - 1448 x 1072 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
Kindle Paperwhite
The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite with a large e ink screen (6.8 inches) is simply excellent with its large screen and very affordable price. You can store thousands of books in this ebook reader.
It's a waterproof e-reader with a beautiful, illuminated 6.8-inch touchscreen and a great battery life.
Kindle Paperwhite
7" e-reader - 1680 x 1264 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
Pocketbook Verse
The Pocketbook Verse offers excellent value for money, with its illuminated touch screen and blue light filter.
It supports EPUB files out of the box and a large quantity of ebook formats.
Pocketbook Verse
6" e-reader - 1024 x 768 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF
Kobo Libra Colour
Slightly more expensive, the Kobo Libra Colour also has a larger 7-inch color e ink screen.
The Kobo Libra Color ebook e-reader works perfectly with the Overdrive service, which lets you borrow library books. It can also play Kobo audiobooks from the Kobo store.
It's one of the best e-readers around and best value for the money.
Kobo Libra Colour
7" e-reader - 150 PPI for Color / 300 PPI for B&W e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
Pocketbook Verse Pro Color
The new Pocketbook Verse Pro Color offers great features and a color e ink screen in a compact 6-inch format. Although it's a little more expensive than the competition, it has everything it takes to be the best 6" available today.
You can listen to audiobooks, there is text-to-speech and it is waterproof.
Pocketbook Verse Pro Color
6" e-reader - Black and White : 1072 × 1448 pixels, 300 PPP - Color : 536 × 724 pixels, 150 PPP e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: ACSM, AZW, AZW3, CBR, CBZ, CHM, DJVU, DOC, DOCX, EPUB(DRM), EPUB, FB2, FB2.ZIP, HTM, HTML, MOBI, PDF (DRM), PDF, PRC, RTF, TXT (+ audio: M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP)
Pocketbook Inkpad 4
With its large 8-inch e ink screen and numerous functions, this e-reader is one of the best in its category, despite its rather high price. It can play audiobooks.
It has the latest e ink display and offers a very good reading experience.
Pocketbook Inkpad 4
7.8" e-reader - 1404 x 1872 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: AZW, EPUB, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CBR, CBZ, HTML, PDF, RTF, RXT (compatible with Adobe DRM), MP3, OGG, M4A
What are the latest ereaders?
Here's a selection of the leading e-readers on the market.
This is not an exhaustive selection, but rather a selection of today's main and most popular e-reader models (those that sell best and are easy to find).
For this guide, I've selected the best-known brands widely available in USA: Kindle (Amazon), Kobo, Nook and Pocketbook.
E-reader models that are too obsolete but still available for sale on certain sites are deliberately excluded.
Models not officially available from US retailers are also excluded from this selection (such as ReMarkable, Meebook, Likebook, Onyx, Bookeen, Vivlio or Xiaomi e-readers), as are models that are not of good quality (some Chinese e-readers that we know nothing about and that are very expensive, for example).
The different e-readers are grouped by brand.
Rating /Review: this is a general assessment of the e-reader based on my personal opinion, but also on the ratings of users who have bought the e-reader (e-commerce site) and other sites specializing in digital reading and e-readers.
Kindle e-readers
Kindle e-readers are manufactured and distributed by Amazon.
| Kindle Scribe | Kindle Oasis | Kindle Paperwhite | Kindle | |
| Image |  |  | | |
| Screen size | 10.2" | 7" | 7" | 6" |
| Resolution | 1860 x 2480 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels |
| Color | No | No | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | 16 - 64 GB | 8 - 32 GB | 8 - 32 GB | 16 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | Yes | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | No | No |
| Ebook formats | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, MOBI unprotected, PRC ; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, EPUB (converted) | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, MOBI unprotected, PRC ; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP converti, EPUB (converted) | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB (converted), MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP | Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, EPUB, MOBI, PRC; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Compatible with Microsoft Office Doc and Docx format (Word software) | New version released in 2024 | Black or Blue color | |
| Review | Expensive eReader with large screen. A device better suited for work as a note taking device ⭐⭐⭐ | Overall good eReader but too expensive now that there is better alternative in the Kindle lineup⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money Kindle eReader⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Very good ereader at a good price ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Check the price on amazon.com | Check the price on amazon.com | Check the price on amazon.com |
The Kindle Scribe is best suited for PDF with a great reading experience because of its larger screen.
Kobo e-readers
Kobo e-readers are manufactured and distributed by Rakuten.
| Kobo Clara BW | Kobo Clara Colour | Kobo Libra Colour | Kobo Elipsa 2E | Kobo Sage | |
| Image |  | | |  |  |
| Screen size | 6" | 6" | 7" | 10.3" | 8" |
| Resolution | 1448 x 1072 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels (Black and White), 724 x 536 (color) | 150 PPI for Color / 300 PPI for B&W | 1872 x 1404 pixels | 1440 x 1920 pixels |
| Color | No | Yes (E Ink Kaleido 3) | Yes | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes | IPX8 | No | Yes |
| Storage | 16 Go | 16 Go | 32 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No | Yes (optional) | Yes | No |
| SD card | No | No | No | ||
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other | Can read audio books from Kobo with Bluetooth speaker or headset. | Most affordable color e-reader with a new Kaleido 3 electronic ink screen. | Kaleido 3 color screen, Bluetooth, Kobo audio Books | A bit expensive | Can read audio book from the Kobo library (bluetooth connection). |
| Review | Best value for the money in the Kobo e-readers lineup. New e ink Carta 1300 screen ! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money in the Kobo color e-readers lineup ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Too expensive, the Kobo Libra 2 may be a better alternative ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Check on Amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com | Check on Amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com |
Kobo e-readers work perfectly with the Overdrive service, which lets you borrow library books.
The Kobo Elipsa 2E is best suited for PDF with a great reading experience because of its larger screen.
Here are some older Kobo e-eraders you may still find in stores :
| Kobo Sage | Kobo Libra 2 | |
| Image | |  |
| Screen size | 8" | 7" |
| Resolution | 1440 x 1920 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels |
| Color | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No |
| SD card | No | |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR | EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes |
| Other | Can read audio book from the Kobo library (bluetooth connection). | |
| Review | Too expensive, the Kobo Libra 2 may be a better alternative ⭐⭐⭐ | Very good eReader, a must if you want a bigger screen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website Kobo.com |
Pocketbook e-readers
Pocketbook e-readers are manufactured and distributed by Poketbook an european company.
6" screen Pocketbook e-readers:
| Pocketbook Verse Pro Color | Pocketbook Verse Pro | Pocketbook Verse | |
| Image | |  | |
| Screen size | 6" | 6" | 6" |
| Resolution | Black and White : 1072 × 1448 pixels, 300 PPP - Color : 536 × 724 pixels, 150 PPP | 1072 x 1448 pixels | 1024 x 768 pixels |
| Color | No | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes (IPX8) | Yes (IPX8) | No |
| Storage | 16 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | Yes (128 GB) |
| Ebook formats | ACSM, AZW, AZW3, CBR, CBZ, CHM, DJVU, DOC, DOCX, EPUB(DRM), EPUB, FB2, FB2.ZIP, HTM, HTML, MOBI, PDF (DRM), PDF, PRC, RTF, TXT (+ audio: M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP) | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other | Audiobooks with Bluetooth 5.4, Kaleido 3 color e ink screen | Text-to-Speech and audio format support (MP3, MP3.zip, OGG, OGG.zip, M4A, M4B) via Bluetooth | Gyroscope for automatic orientation in landscape or portrait mode. USB-C port. |
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com - Official website | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website |
7"+ screen Pocketbook e-readers:
| Pocketbook InkPad X | Pocketbook InkPad 3 Pro | Pocketbook InkPad Lite | Pocketbook InkPad Color 2 | |
| Image |  |  |  |  |
| Screen size | 10.3" | 7.8" | 9.7" | 7.8" |
| Resolution | 1404 x 1872 pixels | 1404 x 1872 pixels | 825 x 1200 pixels | 1404 x 1872 pixels (greyscale) 468 x 624 pixels (color) |
| Color | No | No | No | Yes |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes (IPX8) | IPX8 | |
| Storage | 32 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB | 32 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | memory cards up to 32 GB | memory cards up to 32 GB |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF + audio : MP3, M4B, and OGG formats | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF + audio : mp3 and m4b | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF + audio : M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Other | Bluetooth for audio | Color screen : E Ink Kaleido™ Plus color screen capable of displaying 4096 colors. | ||
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | One of the best color e-reader, but colors are not so good ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website | Check on amazon.com - Official website | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website |
| Pocketbook Viva | Pocketbook Inkpad 4 | Pocketbook Era | |
| Image |  | |  |
| Screen size | 8" | 7.8" | 7" |
| Resolution | 1440 x 1920 pixels | 1404 x 1872 pixels | 1264 x 1680 pixels |
| Color | Yes | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes (IPX8) | Yes | Yes (IPX8) |
| Storage | 64 GB | 32 GB | 16 - 64 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No | No | No |
| SD card | No | No | No |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF | AZW, EPUB, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CBR, CBZ, HTML, PDF, RTF, RXT (compatible with Adobe DRM), MP3, OGG, M4A | EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI), JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF |
| Blue light filter | Yes | Yes | |
| Other | Bluetooth for Text-to-speech and audio books (M4A, M4B, OGG, OGG.ZIP, MP3, MP3.ZIP) | Speaker, Bluetooth | Built-in speaker & Bluetooth, Text-to-speech |
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Very good but a little bit expensive) |
| Link (where to buy?) | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website | Check the price on amazon.com - Official website |
Nook e-readers
Nook is a Barnes&Noble e-reader brand.
| Nook Glowlight 4 Plus | |
| Image |  |
| Screen size | 7.8" |
| Resolution | 1404 x 1872 pixels |
| Color | No |
| Backlight | Yes |
| Waterproof | Yes |
| Storage | 32 GB |
| Pen / Stylus | No |
| SD card | No |
| Ebook formats | EPUB, PDF |
| Blue light filter | Yes |
| Other | Bluetooth, 3.5mm Jack : listen to audiobooks |
| Review | |
| Link (where to buy?) | Nook official Website |
How do I choose my e-reader?
Choosing your e-reader is quite simple:
Choosing the screen
The standard e-reader screen size is 6 inches, but today you'll find models of 7 inches (or 6.8), 7.8 inches and even 10 inches and more for some professional models.
Today, all e-readers use the same electronic ink technology. The only difference is size.
So this is an important parameter. If you want a screen bigger than 6 inches, you'll have less choice. That's why I advise you to look at the Kobo Libra 2 (7 inches) or the Kindle Paperwhite (6.8 inches) for a good-looking e-reader without breaking the bank.
You can learn more about ereader size here.
Choose your e-reader options
All e-readers feature a touch screen, which simplifies use and ergonomics.
Even the cheapest Kindle on Amazon offers lighting.
However, there are a few differences: some readers offer lighting with color temperature adjustment to filter out blue light (see Kobo and Vivlio, or Amazon's Kindle Oasis and Kindle Paperwhite).
Others offer a text-to-speech function (Pocketbook Color, InkPad 4 and Touch HD Plus for example).
If you're planning to take your e-reader everywhere, I'd also advise you to choose a waterproof model that will protect it from water, snow, sand and dust.
Some models also have an expansion port to add a micro-SD card to increase the e-reader's storage capacity (if you only intend to read books like novels, however, this shouldn't be a criterion).
Of course, all these options add a little to the price of the e-reader.
Choosing your e-reader brand: Kindle or Kobo?
Choosing the brand of e-reader comes down to choosing which file formats the e-reader will support:
All e-reader brands support more or less the same ebook file formats, except that the Kindle cannot read the EPUB format, and other brands cannot read the AZW format.
Since the EPUB format and Kindle e-readers are popular, we can still make the two cohabit in this way:
-
Buy the e-reader from Amazon, but make sure you buy a large proportion of your ebooks from online stores that offer DRM-free editions in EPUB format (the digital book standard).
-
You'll then have EPUB ebooks that you can transfer to your e-reader using Calibre software (which converts file formats for you).
-
So, if in the future you need to change your e-reader and you don't get one from Amazon, your ebooks will be compatible with your Kindle using software like Calibre.
Why buy a e-reader? What is an e-reader?
E-readers are devices that allow you to read books on a screen with electronic ink that doesn't tire your eyes.
As a result, reading comfort and ergonomics are similar to those of a paper book. Unlike conventional screens, you can read in direct sunlight without any problem.
E-readers have a large storage capacity, enabling them to carry hundreds of books. They are now all touch-screen, and most (if not 100% of models) have built-in lighting for reading in the dark with blue light filter.
You can see why you should buy a e-reader in this article.
Should you get an ereader or a tablet?
If you want to read your ebooks just about anywhere, you don't have many solutions at hand. You'll have to opt for a e-reader or a tablet.
The e-reader offers greater reading comfort and less eyestrain than the tablet. But the tablet offers more functions (videos) and can display content in color.
The e-reader is therefore the best choice if you intend to read a lot of books.
The choice depends very much on whether you're going to use the e-reader or the tablet.
But one thing is certain: when it comes to reading comfort, only paper can beat the e-reader.
You can learn more on this article : Should you get an ereader or a tablet?.
