The Best E-readers Every Book Lover Should Consider

One surefire way to get the book-reading community all fired up is to bring up the topic of e-readers. It’s decidedly split into two factions: the traditionalists who love the smell and feel of a physical book and the modernists who prefer technology to meet their reading needs. Whether you’re a book-smelling, finger-licking page-turner or someone who doesn’t mind what kind of medium your books come in, there is no denying that e-readers are convenient and growing in popularity. 

What is an e-reader?

If you’re thinking that e-readers are the same as tablets, let’s recalibrate. E-readers (short for electronic readers) are devices which use e-ink, AKA electronic ink. This special display technology provides e-readers with a low-power, paper-like display, as it does not require the backlight that normal LCD screens typically do.

Therefore, it requires much less power due to its two-pigment ink system. Due to this, e-readers can last weeks between charges and are much easier on the eyes. Further, e-ink used to come in grayscale, but with advancements in technology, some e-readers now come in colour.

With e-readers, you don’t have to worry about lugging around your books or creasing up your precious reads. The nifty gadget offers portability, a wide array of functions, and most importantly, a huge library of books at the tip of your fingers. Sound tempting? Ahead, we list out six of the best e-readers in the market for your consideration.

Kobo Clara Colour 

If you’re getting into the world of digital reading, Rakuten Kobo is a brand that will inevitably pop up for good reason. If you’re considering a Kobo, why not explore one of their best-selling digital reading devices, the Kobo Clara Colour, now available in a new colourway? Sporting a minimalist and timeless shade, the white Kobo Clara colour brings a touch of understated elegance to Kobo’s most accessible colour e-reader.

Through Kobo’s built-in eBookstore with over eight million titles, seamless library integration via Libby, friction-free Instapaper service for web articles, and the all-you-can-read Kobo Plus subscription, the reading opportunities on this portable gadget are limitless.

Booklovers can enjoy crisp black-and-white text alongside vibrant, natural colours thanks to Kobo’s cutting-edge E Ink Kaleido™ 3 display on a compact 6-inch screen. Further, if you’re the type who loves highlighting quotes and annotating along the margins, you can effortlessly do so with its plethora of colour-coded highlighters.

For the eco-conscious reader, the Kobo Clara Colour is made with recycled and ocean-bound plastic. Thus, the device is lightweight and comes with IPX8 waterproofing, making it the perfect travel companion.

Price: RM799

Availability: Quantum Gadgets, All IT Hypermarket, Mono Digital, SNS Network, Caveman OS

Kindle Paperwhite 12th Gen Signature Edition

Kindles and e-readers have become synonymous with each other ever since the launch of the product in 2007, and Amazon continues to dominate the field with its diverse lineup. Naturally, we have to mention a Kindle on this list—and the latest Paperwhite 12th Generation is a great place to nose-dive into the e-reading world. Featuring a 7-inch display with even thinner bezels than before, a flush-front design and a 300 PPI glare-free display, the reading experience on this Kindle feels seamless and like the real thing, even in bright sunlight or late into the night.

With a 20 percent improvement in performance, turning pages and scrolling through your Kindle library becomes a breeze. A single charge via USB-C lasts up to 12 weeks, and you can easily adjust your screen’s brightness and warmth to suit your reading preferences for an uninterrupted and comfortable reading session.

The e-reader also comes with 16 GB of on-device storage to hold 30 to 40 full-length audiobooks and at least 150 Audible audiobooks. If you want to take your eyes off the screen but still be immersed in the story, switch seamlessly between reading and listening via Bluetooth-enabled speakers or headphones.

Price: From RM1,320

Availability: Kindle Malaysia

Kobo Libra 2 

A great alternative e-reader is the Kobo Libra 2. If you wish to explore beyond Amazon’s library, Kobo has its own wide selection of reads (think five million) to suit your bookish tastes. The Kobo Libra 2 features an improved E-ink Carta 1200 touchscreen on a 7-inch display and only clocks in at 0.37g. Made to enrich your reading life, the gadget comes with 32GB of storage that can hold up to 24,000 e-books and 150 Kobo audiobooks. Plus, its unique ComfortLight Pro blue light reduction technology limits eyestrain in the dark.

Further, the Kobo Libra 2 is fully waterproof, which means you don’t have to worry about getting your precious literature wet while you’re at the beach, taking a bath or out in the rain. It also sports an ergonomic design that feels good in your hands. Swipe to keep the story going or use the page-turn buttons when one of your hands is full. In addition, it can be oriented to read in landscape mode and offers Dark Mode depending on your preference.

Price: From RM979

Availability: Quantum Gadgets, All IT Hypermarket, Mono Digital, SNS Network, Caveman OS

Onyx Boox Page

Another popular non-Kindle option is from Onyx, which is China’s top e-reader brand. The Boox Page was launched just last month and is the latest cutting-edge 7-inch e-reader with an advanced octa-core CPU and customisable page-turn buttons. Essentially, it is a beefier version of the best-selling Boox Leaf 2 as it offers 3GB of RAM instead of 2GB. 

Unlike other e-readers that run on Linux, the Boox Page operates on Android 11 and has unlimited access to the Google Play Store. It comes with 32GB of internal storage, a microSD card, the usual wireless connectivity, and adjustable colour temperatures for a comfortable reading experience. 

Price: From RM1,299

Availability: Boox Malaysia

Kobo Clara 2E

The Kobo Clara 2E is consistently rated high for being one of the best alternative e-readers on the market for various reasons. Firstly, it’s a great choice for book lovers on a budget as it is affordable whilst offering a chock-full of features. It is also on the smaller side, sporting a 6-inch HD e-ink touchscreen with a glare-free black-and-white display. 

Notably, the 170g device is made with over 85 per cent recycled plastic which makes it an eco-conscious product if that’s something you look for. Further, the Clara 2E holds 12GB of storage which equates to about 12000 e-books, and offers brightness and temperature adjustments. Battery-wise, it can last up to seven weeks on a single charge. The slim e-reader also has an IPX8 waterproof rating so if your books tend to suffer from accidental spills, you can kiss those worries goodbye!

Price: From RM699

Availability: Quantum Gadgets, All IT Hypermarket, Mono Digital, SNS Network, Caveman OS

Boox Poke 5

Another compact 6-inch e-reader is the new Boox Poke 5. With its E-Ink Carta Plus screen that consists of a 2-colour front light system and a 300 PPI display, this gadget is designed to read e-books, webcomics and even manga. Despite its small size, the Poke 5 is equipped with a 4-core Qualcomm processor with 2GB of RAM. Like other usual Onyx products, it runs on the Android 11 operating system, and you are allowed to download third-party apps onto the device.

In addition, It has 32 GB of storage and a microSD card slot to transfer even more books or documents to the Poke 5. Significantly, the new grayscale system uses 256 levels instead of the usual 16, which means that consuming image-heavy content or text files will be more dynamic than ever before. It also comes with Bluetooth wireless connectivity if you like to listen to music while you read. 

Price: From RM849

Availability: Boox Malaysia

For more nifty gadgets to add to your tech arsenal, head here.

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