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It's time to review the Kobo e-readers that can be found 2023 before making a purchase!
There are several models of Kobo ebook readers with different screen sizes, different prices (more or less expensive) and various options for reading digital books.
This guide will help you before making a purchase to find the best Kobo e-reader. Kobo official website: https://www.kobo.com/us/en
To start this guide, we've put together a comparison chart that shows you the differences between the Kobo e-readers available in 2023.
| Kobo Elipsa 2E | Kobo Sage | Kobo Libra 2 | Kobo Clara 2E | Kobo Nia | |
| Image |  |  |  |  |  |
| Screen size | 10.3" | 8" | 7" | 6" | 6" |
| Resolution | 1872 x 1404 pixels | 1440 x 1920 pixels | 1680 x 1264 pixels | 1448 x 1072 pixels | 1024 x 768 pixels |
| Color | No | No | No | No | No |
| Backlight | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | 32 Gb | 32 Go | 32 Go | 16 Go | 8 Go |
| Pen / Stylus | Yes | No | No | No | 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 | No |
| Other | A bit expensive | Can read audio book from the Kobo library (bluetooth connection). | Can read audio books from Kobo with Bluetooth speaker or headset. | ||
| Review | ⭐⭐⭐ | Too expensive, the Kobo Libra 2 may be a better alternative ⭐⭐⭐ | Very good eReader, a must if you want a bigger screen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Best value for the money in the Kobo eReaders lineup ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Good affordable Kobo eReader ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Link (where to buy?) | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
What is the best Kobo eReader ? Comparison of 3 e-readers from Rakuten Kobo : KOBO LIBRA 2 vs KOBO CLARA 2E vs KOBO NIA:
The Kobo Clara 2E e-reader is the newest addition to the fall 2022 lineup. It has a great 6-inch screen with e ink display (electric ink is very good for the eye).
Kobo offers a new reader with a 6-inch HD screen, in a compact, waterproof format, a good battery life and designed in recycled plastic.
As a bonus, we get the ability to listen to audiobooks through Bluetooth connectivity. It is fully compatible with Overdrive if you want to borrow ebooks from your library.
The reading experience is great and it has the best e ink screen you can get for a 6-inch screen.
6" e-reader - 1448 x 1072 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
This is a Kobo ebook reader with a 7-inch e ink Carta 1200 screen, 32 GB of storage and Bluetooth connectivity to connect headphones and enjoy your audiobooks. It has a great design with page-turn buttons on the left of the display.
So it's a very serious e-reader and probably one of the best of the Kobo brand. It is a direct competitor to the Kindle Paperwhite and a very good alternative to the Kindle brand. You can also borrow ebooks from your library with the Overdrive service.
In my opinion, it's still the best ereader !
7" e-reader - 1680 x 1264 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
The Kobo Sage is one of the newest ebook reader from the brand that replaces the Kobo Forma. This Kobo device has page-turn buttons like the Libra 2.
It has a very large screen of 8 inches, 32 GB of storage, Bluetooth and compatibility with the Kobo pen to make annotations more easily. It is compatible with Overdrive and the Kobo Plus ebook subscribtion (like other ereaderson this page).
The only downside is that its price might turn you off. It is also a a good alternative to the Kindle Oasis if you don't like Amazon.
8" e-reader - 1440 x 1920 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
The Kobo Elipsa 2E is the new e-reader with a 10.3-inch screen signed Kobo (it is also a new last year).
It comes with a stylus for everything that is note taking just like the Kindle Scribe.
It is a digital device that is also geared towards professional use and promises increased productivity thanks to an efficient character recognition system.
10.3" e-reader - 1872 x 1404 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
Kobo launched in July 2020 a new entry-level e-reader at $99,99: the Kobo Nia.
The Kobo Nia is the cheapest Kobo e-reader and you will find a 6-inch e ink touch screen with lighting.
It is therefore the ideal Kobo e-reader to start reading ebooks at a lower cost but I find it is a little older and, maybe a simple Kindle is better for the job if you want a very afforable ereader.
6" e-reader - 1024 x 768 pixels e ink screen - Ebook formats supported: EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR
We have just made the tour of the Kobo readers currently available (except special offers or reconditioned).
For the moment, there is no doubt that the Kobo Libra 2 is the best Kobo reader for 2023. It has advantages over the Kobo Clara 2E:
When you buy a Kobo e-reader, you get access to the Kobo Store, a large online bookstore.
It is directly integrated in your e-reader. You only need to connect to the Internet (via a Wifi connection) to download the ebooks you want.
For the vast majority of books and comics, you can even download excerpts of a few pages to check if the story or the style of the book interests you.
Then you can download the rest and receive the book in less than 2 minutes. So you can start reading your ebooks immediately without having to order from a website or go to a bookstore.
Moreover, Kobo ebooks are on average cheaper than the paper books you find in bookstores.
Overdrive is a digital distribution platform used by libraries and educational institutions to provide access to ebooks, audiobooks, and other digital media.
It allows users to borrow digital content remotely, eliminating the need to physically visit a library.
So you can use a Kobo ereader to get ebooks with Overdrive.
Link: Overdrive
Kobo Plus is a subscription service offered by Kobo.
Kobo Plus functions similarly to other subscription-based platforms for ebooks, providing users with access to a library of ebooks for a monthly fee.
All Kobo devices are compatible with Kobo Plus.
Link: Kobo Plus
This is one of the most frequently asked questions.
Yes, Kobo e-readers (all models) read EPUB format ebooks perfectly.
If you have purchased DRM-free ebooks, it will read them without any special operation.
However, if your EPUB ebooks are protected by Adobe DRM, then you will need to set up your Adobe Digital Edition account on the e-reader to make it work.
Yes, Kobo e-readers can read PDF files.
However, the reading is far from perfect. So here are the two cases to distinguish :
For these reasons, I recommend the use of a touch tablet to read PDF files, even if it is still possible on a Kobo e-reader.
We've seen that the Kobo e-reader can read EPUB and PDF. Here are the other file formats that are supported:
You can learn how to transfer EPUB ebooks with this guide How do I transfer an EPUB to my Kobo?.
There is another brand of e-reader that has a range of models just as varied: it is Kindle and its e-readers produced by Amazon.
There is one big difference between the two brands, and that is in the support of file formats:
You can read more on this article : Kobo vs Kindle in 2023: comparison of e-reader brands
Photo: a comic book on the Kobo Libra 2 e-reader
Kobo e-readers are compatible with PDF, CBR and CBZ formats - the latter two are intended for comics.
However, due to the lack of color screen, a Kobo e-reader is not necessarily well suited for reading comics.
It will be possible to enjoy mangas even if it will not be ideal.
If you want to read manga, you'll need an ereader with a larger screen like the Libra 2, Elipsa 2E or Sage.
You have a Kobo e-reader and ebook files on your computer?
Then you have several solutions to send an ebook file to your e-reader:
You can then retrieve them. To do this, you need to connect your e-reader to a Wifi network.
Then go to the "My books" section on your e-reader. You will then see all the purchases you have made and you will be able to download the ebooks on your Kobo e-reader.
Sometimes your Kobo account doesn't work properly and you can't download your books.
In this case, you can repair your account by going to the settings and then :
If you still have a problem, you can disconnect and start a new connection to your Kobo account by following this procedure:
If you are tempted by a Kobo e-reader but are a little short of cash, you can always wait for a promotion.
Several times a year, there are discounts of several dozen euros on some Kobo e-reader models - usually on the Kobo.com or Amazon.com website.
You have a problem and your Kobo e-reader is freezed or stuck.
The symptom is often the following: the reading machine gets stuck on a blank page.
In this case, you have several solutions to try to unblock your Kobo e-reader: How do you unlock a frozen Kobo e-Reader? (frozen screen).
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Recognizing the need for an informed and reliable source for eReader-related content, Nicolas created MyEreader.net, where he currently serves as the lead writer. His well-crafted articles cover a wide range of topics, including eReader reviews, comparisons between various devices, tips for optimizing reading experiences, and discussions on the future of digital reading. Read more here
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