Buying books is a thrill, but traditional ink-and-paper quickly gobbles up space on your shelves. Fortunately, modern bookworms have come up with modern solutions. The e-reader with an E Ink display has existed for more than a decade. Currently, Amazon’s Kindle is the most popular brand, but it faces competition from others, such as Rakuten with its Kobo e-readers,Onyx’s Boox e-readers, and Barnes & Noble’s Nook e-readers.
And you’re probably wondering why the 2024 Kindle models aren’t on this list. Well, the truth is, we haven’t been that impressed, especiallywith the latest Paperwhite. While it’s certainly a competent reader, featuring crisp text and fast page-turning, not much has changed over the years. Even worse, some of the Paperwhites are plagued with a banding issue towards the bottom of the display. But hey, perhaps it’s all a fluke, right? We’re reviewing several other new Kindle models at the moment, so hopefully, we’ll have better news to share soon. Fingers crossed.
Regardless of the brand, an E Ink display is a common e-book reader feature. This specialized screen allows e-readers to maintain exceptional battery life since they consume minimal power compared to LCD and AMOLED panels. To distinguish their e-readers from rivals, manufacturers opt for various screen sizes and enticing features (waterproofing, page-turn buttons, and even stylus support). Software is also another distinguishing factor, as the number of books (and audiobooks) available to users via the manufacturer’s library is also important.
The best e-reader depends on the user’s needs, including how often they read, what they read, and whether they need their device to expand into studies or work. But no matter the size or features required, this list includes suitable models for just about anyone.
Kobo Clara BW
reMarkable Paper Pro
Amazon Kindle
Kobo Elipsa 2E
Amazon Kindle Scribe
Nook GlowLight 4 Plus
Nook 9-inch Lenovo Tablet
Onyx Boox Palma
Onyx Boox Go 10.3
Kobo Libra Colour
Top e-book readers around
Conveniently compact
The Kobo Clara BW packs a punch in a tiny frame. Its 6-inch display provides surprisingly crisp resolution and contrast. While it may be small, it has enough storage to hold thousands of books, making it a convenient travel companion. Between the customizable page displays and adjustable front light, it offers practically everything you’ll need in a compact e-reader.
TheKobo Clara BWdethroned the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, our previous top pick, for good reason. It’s a wonderfully compact and lightweight e-reader that’s a solid option for anyone seeking portability without skimping on quality. Though its screen is basically smartphone size, that’s the selling point. It’s a crisp 6-inch Carta 1300 E Ink display with 300ppi resolution. It’s plenty sharp and provides impressive contrast.
We also appreciate the dimmable ComfortLight PRO front light. With it, you’re able to read in any lighting condition, from bright daylight to a dark bedroom, without annoying your partner or straining your eyes. Speaking of eye strain, there’s a dark mode that improves nighttime reading. Storage is also pretty ample, 16GB, to be exact. Storing thousands of books on here won’t be a problem. And customizable page display options, like tracking pages in a chapter or total percentage read, are a nice touch.
The Kobo Clara BW is a capable e-reader that does something its competitors can’t
How important are marginal gains in contrast to you?
While the Clara BW’s literal pocket size is certainly travel-friendly, this might make one-handed reading less comfortable. A couple of other demerits are the lack of physical page-turn buttons and landscape support. Overall, though, the Clara BW’s sharp screen and user-friendliness still keep it ahead of the pack.
Does it all and then some
The Remarkable Paper Pro’s 11.8-inch Gallery 3 E Ink display is impressive and perfect for sketching, note-taking, or reading in color. It’s slim and durable, though that sturdiness does add a bit of heft. Still, its premium build and features are worth it. What’s more, optional extras like the Type Folio keyboard make it even better for writing.
TheRemarkable Paper Pro’s sleek, thoughtful design may be digital, but its user-friendly design and beautiful screen feel wonderfully analog. For one, the 11.8-inch Gallery 3 E Ink display offers vivid comic-book-friendly colors and crisp text. Of course, that’s what’s expected for nearly 600 dollars.
The Paper Pro is quite durable, too, with an aluminum frame and glass screen. This sturdy build comes at a cost — it’s pretty heavy. However, we’d guess most users will overlook the weight due to all the other perks, like a backlit display, excellent response time, and color accuracy. And despite the glass screen, the Paper Pro is excellent for annotating, sketching, and writing in general. But if you want a more laptop-like experience, Type Folio keyboard is a standout accessory.
Review: The Remarkable Paper Pro offers a curious mix of improvements and compromises
As limiting and freeing as paper, now in color
On the downside, the device’s reliance on a $2.99 monthly subscription for cloud storage is annoying. Aren’t there enough subscriptions these days? Even with this caveat, the Remarkable Paper Pro is perfect for anyone seeking a premium, minimalist e-reader.
It’s a classic for a reason
The Kindle is what most people imagine when they think of e-readers, and with its latest iteration, it has started to catch up to its competitors with higher resolution and a USB-C port. Are you e-book curious? This is the device for you.
Amazon Kindle (2022) review: Edging out the Paperwhite as a must-buy
The new Kindle for 2022 brings some big upgrades, including USB-C
While plenty of other e-readers offer many exciting features, like the ability to take notes with a stylus, the base Amazon Kindle is a no-frills device. It’s best for those who are only interested in reading on a portable 6-inch unit that can easily fit inside a purse or back pocket. At the very least, you do get Bluetooth support. If you’d like to listen to your Audible audiobooks over a Bluetooth headset, the base Amazon Kindle now supports Bluetooth connections for this very purpose. It’s a nice touch for such an affordable device.
A study companion
The Kobo Elipsa 2E is a Kindle Scribe rival, offering reading and writing features because it has stylus support. With the included stylus, you’re able to annotate documents and e-books and also use it to take digital notes at lectures or meetings. And when you are done writing, converting your handwritten notes to text is a breeze.
TheKobo Elipsa 2Eis a stylus-toting e-reader which means, along with reading, you can also use it as a digital notebook. The Elipsa 2E, sporting a large 10.3-inch display, is perfect for reading documents and textbooks, and with the included Kobo Stylus 2, e-books and PDFs can be highlighted or annotated. You can choose from notebook templates for dedicated notes and group written notes into folders. It even has a search function within handwritten notes and can easily convert your handwriting to text.
Despite its size, the Kobo Elipsa 2E doesn’t have integrated speakers, although with Bluetooth present, you can connect a pair of wireless headphones or a speaker to listen to your audiobooks. Just be aware that the Elipsa 2E only supports audiobooks from Kobo. This means you can’t copy your audiobook library onto the device.
Kobo Elipsa 2E review: A niche but near-perfect e-reader
This is the perfect e-reader… for the right person
The included stylus is a welcome addition. Sadly, it isn’t battery-free like the Kindle Scribe’s stylus, so it must be charged. It runs for several hours on a charge but frustratingly appears to lose power over time when not in use.
Amazon’s first note-taking e-reader
The Scribe is the largest and most versatile Kindle in Amazon’s lineup. Its 10-inch screen and included pen make it ideal for doing work or enjoying a book.
Amazon hasn’t offered a large-screen Kindle since the DX was discontinued, with theKindle Scribenow reigning as the latest and greatest Kindle with a large screen. At 10.2 inches, the Kindle Scribe’s screen is plenty big enough to display manga with aplomb, and since there’s a Wacom layer, the device supports pen inputs for note-taking and drawing. This is handy for taking notes in books, but it’s also great if you tend to read PDFs for work, as you can annotate them on the Scribe. While the software still feels a little bare bones, if you need an e-reader with a large screen and don’t want to leave the Kindle ecosystem, the Scribe is your only choice. Luckily, it’s a solid one.
Amazon Kindle Scribe review: Great for reading manga, not drawing it
We finally get a Kindle DX successor, but taking notes and drawing feels tacked on
Of course, greatness doesn’t come cheap, so you’ll have to shell out a minimum of $340 for the 16GB mode and basic pen. If you’re looking to max things out with the premium pen and 64GB of storage, you’ll have to spend $420. While these prices are high, they are comparable to competitors, plus you can rest assured the best e-book market in the world is available on the device anytime you need to pick up something new to read.
With wired headphone support
The Nook returns with its best device in years. It has physical page-turn buttons, backlighting, a 300ppi screen, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. What it doesn’t have is expandable memory or an open audiobook ecosystem.
TheNook GlowLight 4 Plusis the premium older brother to the GlowLight 4e, which we used to recommend, but at just $100 more, it has enough extra features to make it your choice. It has a waterproof design, so you can use it at the beach or in the tub without fear. The screen is almost two inches larger (7.8 inches vs. 6 inches) and boasts a 300ppi resolution, giving you crisp text at any size. It also has four times the storage of the GlowLight 4e (32GB vs. 8GB), meaning you should never run out of room in your library.
Nook Glowlight 4 Plus review: A worthy upgrade for Nookworms
Barnes & Noble finally added audiobook listening to the Nook, but we still don’t have a perfect e-reader
If you like audiobooks and get them from Barnes & Noble, the GlowLight 4 Plus might be the best device for you, given that it has not just Bluetooth but a 3.5 mm audio jack! If you get your audiobooks from anywhere else, however, you should look elsewhere since the GlowLight 4 Plus does not support sideloading audiobooks from other vendors.
For more than just reading
The 9-inch 2024-released Nook tablet by Lenovo offers a more versatile alternative to E ink reading devices. This tablet comes with some native Barnes & Noble Nook-focused applications, but the Google Play Services integrations means you can download any reading or social app you prefer.
E ink devices have certainly made staring at walls of text well into the late-night hours easier, but some readers may still prefer the expanded versatility of an LCD screen. The color spectrum is vastly better on a standard screen than even the most advanced color. E ink, manga, and comic readers enjoy more vivid detail, and you can switch from reading to watching a show without reaching for a different device. There are, of course, dozens of traditional tablets to choose from, but the top-shelf options like iPads and Galaxy Tabs cost two or three E ink readers put together. For a significantly more affordable option that’s still tailored to bookworms while being powerful enough for many other things, check out the newNook 9-inch Lenovo Tablet.
This isn’t a high-powered device, so you may run into a few hindrances depending on what you’re trying to do. But during our testing, simple daily activities like scrolling on a social media app, streaming from Netflix or Hulu, and playing low-stakes mobile games (we’re talking those puzzle games you resort to on airplanes — don’t buy this tablet to play Genshin) were pulled off without a hitch.
This is a guide for readers, though, and yes, this is a great tablet to read on. It’s lightweight enough to be considered portable and does exceptionally well outdoors in bright sunlight. The name clearly implies that this Lenovo tablet is geared towards Barnes & Noble Nook users, and the suite of baked-in Nook apps certainly makes getting the 9-inch LCD reader up and running for Nookworms easier. However, you’re able to download whatever reading apps you’d like through the Google Play Store, whether it be Kindle, Kobo, or something else.
Nook 9-inch Lenovo Tablet review: Not over, not under, just achieving
Nook’s $150 new LCD tablet, made by Lenovo, stays firmly in its lane
Minimizing eye strain is a huge reason for picking E ink devices over LCD ones like this, but the Nook 9 thoughtfully considers this by offering a setting where its LCD colors will automatically mute when select apps, like the Nook or Kindle reading apps, are launched, simulating the low-strain color scheme of an E reader.
One more standout feature of this tablet is its audio performance. The Dolby speakers built into this sub-$200 device punch far above its weight. So, while this won’t be the sharpest, most vividly colorful display you can get on a handheld LCD device, the clarity and volume while watching movies, scrolling social media, or listening to an audiobook are bound to impress. There’s a 3.5mm jack if you want to listen privately, too.
A phone-sized e-reader that fits in your pocket
The Boox Palma is more of an e-reader than a smartphone, but you’d be forgiven for being confused at first glance. It runs on Android 11, so you can load it up with your favorite online bookstores and e-reading software. It even has speakers, so you can listen to audiobooks without headphones.
Although Boox isn’t the first manufacturer to release a palm-sized e-reader, thePalma is a device that competitors will surely copy. As far as Boox products go, the Palma is smaller than anything it’s released to date, and it’s priced to move, coming in at just $280, putting it on par with the Kindle Oasis or the Kobo Sage. The Palma features a blisteringly fast E Ink refresh rate, making it not only a leading option for reading but also a viable one for watching videos.
Whether you own books in the Kindle Ecosystem, through Barnes & Noble’s e-book marketplace, purchased from Kobo, or a mix of any of the above, the Palma is an excellent e-reader for accessing a variety of e-book marketplaces. Thanks to its Android operating system, all you have to do is download the corresponding mobile app (like what you’d have on a smartphone). you may then not only read Kindle, Nook, or Kobo books on the Palma but also sync your spot to pick up later if you switch to a different tablet or your phone.
Boox Palma review: An e-reader rated E for everyone
I never want to buy another e-reader again (unless it’s another Palma)
Although the Palma looks like a smartphone, it doesn’t have any cellular capability. However, it does have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. You won’t be making phone calls or sending SMS messages with the Palma, but it might be your everyday device for when you’re in the house; it does have a custom Android 11 OS, after all. And even though it’s small for an e-reader, it has the Snapdragon 662 that Boox likes to use and 6GB of RAM (compared to the 512MB in the Kindle Oasis).
Say goodbye to pen and paper
The Onyx Boox Go 10.3 stands out as a top-tier e-reader for creatives and professionals alike. Its 10.3-inch Carta 1200 E Ink display offers exceptional clarity and responsiveness, ideal for note-taking and sketching. Slim and lightweight, it’s easy to carry anywhere, despite its larger size. With plenty of storage and impressive battery life, it’s ready for whatever you throw at it.
The Onyx Boox Go might be on the expensive side, but it’s easy to see why. It really is a standout pick if you want an e-reader that boasts stellar note-taking abilities. It’s also absurdly thin and light, sitting at just 4.6mm thick and weighing under a pound.
The real highlight is the large, 10.3-inch Carta 1200 E Ink display. With its 2480 x 1860 resolution and 300ppi, writing or sketching looks great and also feels natural courtesy of the 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. It’s safe to say that the Boox Go is perfect for artists and note-takers. Text and graphics appear sharp and darn near print-like. You’d swear you’re actually reading from a book. While the lack of a MicroSD card slot limits local storage to 64GB, features like BooxDrop make file transfers seamless. Besides, 64GB is beyond ample for most users.
Onyx hits the target with its streamlined Boox Go 10.3 e-reader
Minimalist bliss
When it comes to run-time, the Boox Go’s battery life holds its own. It will last you over a week with light usage. However, using the dual speakers with or built-in microphone will definitely diminish the runtime. Still, it’s a small trade-off for this well-made e-reader.
Includes Kobo stylus support
The 7-inch Kaleido three-color E ink screen on Kobo’s new Libra Colour is a beautiful display for full-color comics, book covers, or color highlighting. It also supports Bluetooth headphone connections for audiobook listening and can store thousands of titles with 32GB of internal storage.
The era of color E ink devices is still in its infancy. There are a few options to pick from, but many are priced at a premium, like the color Boox e-reader included in this list. To experience the world of color E ink without shelling out over $300, consider Kobo’s new e-reader pair: the Libra Colour and Clara Colour. TheLibra Colouris slightly bigger, doubles the storage, and adds on Kobo stylus support — all while keeping the price under $250.
While our experience with the Kobo Libra Colour was overall very positive, the display does still have limitations. The colors are a bit muted, especially under harsh sunlight, and you’ll have to get used to a softness to images that hopefully will see some refinement as color E ink device manufacturers continue to advance the technology.
Kobo Libra Colour review: A new e-reader era in full bloom
Color is a cool feature, even if all you do is highlight text
With the Libra Colour, there’s the familiar form factor Kobo’s established for most of its devices — physical page-turning buttons and wide ambidextrous bezel for hand-holding. Plus, the Libra Colour is waterproof, so you can enjoy the hues of full-color books while lounging on the beach or enjoying a bath.
The best e-book readers are easier to find than ever
There are a lot of good e-readers available for today’s readers; hopefully, this guide has pointed you in the right direction. For our money, the Kobo Clara BW offers the most bang for the buck with compact size, excellent display, and adjustable lighting.
For more control over your content and more features (and more money), consider the Remarkable Paper Pro. The Paper Pro features probably one of the best color displays on the market right now, and its large screen works well for everything from note-taking to reading comics. The optional subscription is lame, and we wish it didn’t have all that heft, but it’s still a solid pick.
Of course, not everyone can spend over $300 on an e-reader. Amazon’s base-model Kindle isn’t even close to that price tag and finally has a USB-C port and 300ppi resolution. Whether you like to keep things simple with your e-reader or tinker with all the settings, there’s at least one device in this guide that will scratch that itch.
The Kobo Clara BW packs a punch in a tiny frame. Its 6-inch display provides surprisingly crisp resolution and contrast. While it may be small, it has enough storage to hold thousands of books, making it a convenient travel companion. Between the customizable page displays and adjustable front light, it offers practically everything you need in a compact e-reader.
