There’s no question that the e-reader market is thriving, offering more diversity than ever. It’s a great thing for shoppers looking to upgrade their old devices, as well as those ready to dip their toes into the world of e-books. The many options at our fingertips foster plenty of competition while driving down prices. But I know it can be overwhelming trying to find the device that best meets your needs whenthere are a lot of great e-readers out there. There may not be a Platonic ideal when it comes toE Ink tabletsand similar e-reading devices, but if you know a bit about your needs, then I know there is a perfect e-reader for you. Let’s explore.
What to expect from the e-reader ecosystem and its software
The first thing you should think about is what ecosystem you would like to use. Kindles and Kobos, for instance, don’t offer official support for installing apps, and the only books you may purchase and download directly through the device are from their connected e-book stores. The flip side to this is that both Amazon and Rakuten offer a lot of content that you can easily purchase and install, so you probably don’tneedto look anywhere else to find what you want when existing in either ecosystem.
The problem with these types of closed ecosystems is that there’s no official way to read Amazon’s e-books on a Kobo (or vice versa) without downloading and converting the e-book files and then manually side-loading said files. And this doesn’t even account for the majority of e-books on both services that are locked behind DRM, so whichever of the two services you choose, by and large, your e-books will be stuck there. You essentially trade ownership for convenience.
In other words, if you don’t want to be tied to one e-book service andyou don’t want to go through the hassle of transferring books, you’ll want to look towards more open systems.
This brings us to the other side of the fence with Android-based e-readers (Boox, Meebook, InkBook) that will let you install apps, including the Kindle or Kobo apps. This means you’re able to not only have direct access to your Kindle and Kobo content on another E Ink device but can also do things like check your email, browse Reddit, or keep up with the latest news at Android Police.
Somewhere in the middle of all this are e-readers that don’t let you install apps in a robust OS like Android (instead using a more bare-bones firmware) but aren’t locked into any one e-book service, such as PocketBook. These devices shine if you don’t mind sideloading your e-books, don’t care about subscription e-book services, and if loading apps isn’t important to you. Then, you might find your perfect e-reader in this middle-ground category.
The design of your e-reader is important
Almost as important as what you can read on your device is how you can use it. Many people (myself included) like to have physical buttons they can press to turn the page instead of relying on touchscreen gestures. If having page-turn buttons is crucial to you, you’ll primarily want to look at devices on a closed system like the Kindle Oasis or Kobo Libra 2. On the other hand, if you want an open Android E Ink tablet with page-turn buttons, you’ll have to look at a Boox or Meebook device. So you have options on either side of the fence, but it certainly helps to know where to start looking.
The shape and size of the e-reader can also be very important. Many budget e-readers are simple slabs of plastic with barely any physical features to tell one from another. Others incorporate a wider bezel on one side (often with page-turn buttons) to give your hand a natural place to hold the device without touching the touch-sensitive screen.
In the same vein, it’s often desirable to have a lightweight device. This often comes at the cost of screen size and battery life, but if you’re the type who requires something as light as possible to carry around with you everywhere, the 155 g InkBook Calypso Plus is only $100, and it’s the lightest e-reader on the market for the least amount of money.
If weight isn’t important, but the size of your screen is, you need to be prepared to pay for it. Any device with a screen larger than 10 inches will run you over $300, and if you want to read manga on your e-reader, you’ll need at least 7 inches, which will cost between $150 and $250. If you want to read comics in full color, look for a device with the latest Kaleido 3 display technology from Boox or Bigme, but be prepared to pay at least $400 for it. They both run Android, after all, so they are full-fledged tablets with prices that reflect the features you get.
The better the processor, the better the performance
One of the most overlooked aspects when shopping for a new e-reader is the hardware inside the device, which is just as important as what’s happening with the external design. If you opt for an underpowered device like the 900MHz Kobo Nia, e-books can take longer to load, with general navigation often suffering from the lack of power. If you want a device that’s more responsive,the most bang for your buck is the base Kindle, which contains a 2GHz processor, followed closely by the Nook GlowLight 4e that clocks in at 1.8GHz.
Faster processors can drain your battery faster.
Just as important as the processor is the RAM, which is responsible for multitasking. On e-readers, it’s especially important for displaying PDFs and streaming audio. If you plan on doing lots of things with your device,consider the Boox Palma, which has 6GB of RAM for $280, only around $47 per GB.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to have a lot of books on them at any one time, then you need to consider storage sizes. All modern e-readers include at least 8GB of storage, but some can hold up to 128GB. Which you should choose really depends on what you’re going to do with your device. A Kindle’s 8GB can be plenty if you only plan to store e-books, but if you also enjoy audiobooks, then beefier storage is definitely to your advantage. There are even a few e-readers out there with expandable storage, like the Boox Palma, which makes the onboard storage size less important. Ultimately, you need to weigh your options against how much you’d like to spend. It’s a safe bet the less you pay, the less storage you get.
One of the great things about e-ink devices is how efficient they are. Despite this paucity of power consumption, the batteries still need to be charged, so depending on how averse you are to charging your e-reader, battery size can be a sticking point. If you’re willing to get your goods shipped from Europe, the InkBook Calypso Plus (1900mAh) and Focus (2900mAh) both top the charts when it comes to mAh per dollar; but if you want something you can order off of Amazon, take a look at Meebook M7 with a 2900mAh battery for $200. Of course, it’s a safe bet that the larger the device, the larger the battery, so if you absolutely require the most battery life possible, you should be looking at devices 10 inches and up.
A few more e-reader tips to ensure the best experience
There’s a lot more depth to the e-reader market than you might realize when trying to buy a device. Giventhe dominance Kindle hashad for the past 10 years, you might not realize that cameras, speakers, microphones, and fingerprint sensors are often options you can choose from and might help sway your decision when looking for the most capable e-reader. If you plan to use your e-reader as a note-taking device, check out the Kobo Sage or Meebook P78 Pro; both offer stylus support and come in at less than $300. If you want to try the latest in color technology and you’ve got money to burn, then you need the $700 Bigme Galy, which comes with the state-of-the-art E Ink Gallery 3 display, double the color resolution of anything else out there.
Last but not least, if you’re looking to get deep into e-reading while maintaining your own library,you should absolutely look into Calibreto help you store and manage your collection. It’s also especially handy for converting e-book files so that you may bring your books to the platforms of your choice. This way, you can ensure that no matter what ecosystem you choose, you’ll be well prepared to ensure it’s the best e-reader experience possible.
