One of the best ereaders for 2025

Display screen measurement: 6” | Show sort: Black/white and shade E Ink | Decision: 300 dpi black & white, 150 dpi shade | Capability: 16GB| Battery life: As much as 42 days (30 min. day by day, 30% brightness, Wi-Fi/BT off) | Waterproof score: IPX8 (submergible to six ft for 60 minutes) | Heat gentle: Sure | Lock display screen adverts: No | Textual content codecs: EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR

Learn our full Kobo Clara Color assessment

Our earlier decide for this class, the Kobo Clara 2E was a wonderful ereader with a crisp show, a heat glow and responsive, intuitive contact controls all housed in a water-resistant design that felt premium. When Rakuten introduced the Clara could be up to date, I apprehensive we’d see Kobo gadget with superfluous revamping to justify an inflated worth. Fortunately, that’s not the case. The Kobo Clara Color not solely provides shade and a sooner processor, it’s simply $10 greater than the earlier era.

Because the identify suggests, this ereader provides shade to the web page, lending a bit vibrance to e book covers, tables and graphs, and even the panels of graphic novels. The know-how comes from E Ink, within the type of the Kaleido 3 module that comes with a shade filter layer on high of the usual black and white microcapsule layer. That leads to two totally different resolutions on one display screen: 150 dpi for shade and 300 dpi for textual content.

Full-color pages remind me of comedian e book artwork from the ‘60s, muted however saturated. Shade makes e book covers extra engaging and provides a bit selection to headings, and tables in some non-fiction books. It’s definitely not a essential characteristic, but it surely provides vibrance and it’s enjoyable. 

There’s a slight distinction in readability between the colour and non-color model of the Clara. For those who look carefully, you possibly can see a little bit of noise on the white elements of the web page. That is as a result of added shade filter layer. It is not distracting and solely one thing I seen when evaluating the 2 generations side-by-side. but when absolute readability is your main purpose, you might be higher off with a non-color ereader.

In all probability the extra helpful improve right here is the twin 2GHz processor, a bump from the Clara 2E’s 1GHz CPU. There’s a noticeable enchancment within the velocity of the web page turns and navigating from the menu to the web page and again once more is sort of instantaneous. As with the 2E, the Color hardly ever errors a swipe for a faucet or a web page flip gesture for a menu request.

The adjustable heat entrance gentle continues to be right here (it’s truly a bit hotter on the Color) and makes studying at night time straightforward on the eyes. The working system is similar, with intuitive entry to the Kobo retailer, your private books and titles out of your native library by way of Overdrive. You may customise your studying expertise with choices for font, font measurement, line spacing, margins and so forth. Kobos don’t have a option to save a gaggle of show settings just like the Kindle does, so I’d like to see that added with future OS upgrades. However for now, the customizations are simply sufficient to get your e book the way you need it to look.

The Color is sort of similar in form and measurement, and has the identical premium really feel because the 2E, although the plastic has a grainier end. The bezels are noticeably much less flush with the display screen now, although that didn’t alter my studying enjoyment.

Now that it prices $150, the Kobo Clara Color is $40 greater than the bottom mannequin Kindle. However the waterproof construct, heat entrance gentle, responsive controls and lack of adverts (which price $20 to do away with on Amazon’s gadget) make it value it. And, in nice information for the proper to restore crowd, it’s even designed to be user-repaired as soon as it falls exterior of guarantee via a partnership with iFixit. 

Rakuten nonetheless makes the Kobo Clara BW, which is sort of similar to our earlier “greatest total” decide. It would not undergo from the slight readability loss that the colour overlay presents, but it surely additionally nonetheless has the older processor.   

In fact, in case you already personal a mountain of Kindle books, you might wish to persist with Amazon’s system. In that case, one of the best Kindle is Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite. It prices $160 and was lately up to date with a extra highly effective processor and new E Ink tech that makes it exceptionally speedy whereas displaying high-contrast textual content. The nice and cozy gentle is nice and the flush entrance display screen feels premium.

Yet another consideration, now that Amazon now has its personal shade mannequin too, is the . The unique prices $280, which is considerably costlier than the Clara Color and even the . In July, Amazon launched a shade mannequin for $230. It has much less storage, no wi-fi charging and no auto-adjusting front-lights, however prices $30 lower than the unique.

Display screen measurement: 6” | Show sort: Black/white E Ink | Decision: 300dpi | Capability: 16GB | Battery life: 6 weeks | Waterproof score: None | Heat gentle: No | Lock display screen adverts: Sure | Textual content codecs: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, DOCX, DOC, HTML, EPUB, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP via conversion

For those who simply wish to learn books, and haven’t any want for the perks that the fancier ereaders convey (shade, waterproof score, heat gentle, and so on), then the bottom mannequin Kindle is for you. The six-inch, non-flush show is housed in a textured plastic that feels much less premium than, say, the Paperwhite and even the 2 Kobos on our checklist, however nonetheless feels a lot sturdy. And it’s sufficiently small to slot in a coat or again pocket making it very travel-friendly.

It’s unlucky that the 2024 mannequin is $10 greater than the 2022 mannequin when not a lot has modified, but it surely’s nonetheless the most cost effective ereader from any of the main producers. And if we all know one factor about Amazon, it’s that the corporate loves a very good sale, so that you’ll probably discover it on low cost in case you can maintain out for Prime Day or Black Friday offers.

The reader is a no-frills gateway to one of the best of what the Kindle ecosystem has to supply, together with Kindle Unique titles, with books by established authors in addition to newer, self-published writers; Kindle Limitless affords the widest choice of any subscription-based studying service on the market; and Audible Originals is made up of narrated titles and podcasts you possibly can solely hear via a Kindle gadget or Amazon-owned app.

For those who like to modify between audiobooks and ebooks, Kindle is the best way to go. While you purchase each iterations of a title, you not solely get a reduction, however the Whispersync characteristic traces up the place you might be within the e-printed model with the narration, too. Say you hear for an hour after which wish to learn – the synchronization helps you to decide up on-screen the place you left off audibly. (Although we must always level out you can’t hear and skim concurrently on the identical gadget.) In exams, the characteristic was pretty correct, getting me shut sufficient on the web page or within the audio to determine my spot.

Web page turns are faster on the brand new mannequin however I’m disenchanted that there’s nonetheless no option to regulate the zones and responses to touchscreen gestures, like there may be on each Kobo and Boox units. Kindles all have a really slim strip on the left for going again a web page and I’m continuously lacking it and going ahead as an alternative. Although swipes usually work properly.

In all probability probably the most noticeable lacking characteristic is the 6-inch display screen’s lack of heat gentle. In comparison with any ereader with that choice, the display screen on the usual Kindle seems harsh and bluish, but it surely’s nonetheless far simpler in your eyes than a cellphone or pill display screen. There’s loads of customization for the font, measurement and margins, too. You may even save your settings as a “theme,” one thing not supplied by different units. I created one with bigger textual content and wider line spacing known as “drained eyes.”

Some individuals gained’t be bothered by the lock display screen adverts that come customary on this Kindle (until you pay $20 to take away them). They’re pretty innocuous, principally selling Kindle e book offers or particular titles (it’s not such as you’ll see promos for TVs or robotic pool cleaners). Personally, I like having the ability to set the sleep display screen to the e book cowl of what I’m at present studying, but it surely’s straightforward to recover from that if all you need is a extra handy option to eat books on the lowest worth.

Display screen measurement: 7” | Show sort: Black/white and shade E Ink | Decision: 300 dpi black & white, 150 dpi shade | Capability: 32GB | Battery life: Weeks | Waterproof score: IPX8 (submergible to six ft for 60 minutes) | Heat gentle: Sure | Lock display screen adverts: No | Textual content codecs: EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR

When Kobo got here out with the brand new Clara Color, it additionally debuted the new Libra Color, which is perhaps the extra thrilling of the 2 units. Along with shade know-how from the E Ink Kaleido panel and an upgraded processor, the Libra now has stylus help. It’s the one ereader on this checklist with that characteristic, making it lots like a small E Ink pill — however all of its new options truly make it a greater ereader.

Once I wrote in regards to the earlier era ereader, the Libra 2, I used to be impressed by how snug it was for studying. None of that has modified; the buttons and auto-rotating display screen adapt the gadget to only about any studying place you selected and the skinny design, textured again and soft-touch plastic give it a premium really feel. 

Kobo’s interface is sort of the identical right here as with different fashions, properly organized to allow you to simply discover your present reads or browse and search new titles from Kobo’s retailer or your native library within the Overdrive tab. The customizations for gentle and textual content allow you to get the web page wanting simply the way you prefer it, however there aren’t so many choices that it feels such as you’re writing code.

The brand new options add to the expertise. In shade, e book covers all look extra engaging — although, in case your TBR checklist is already three ft lengthy, this gained’t not assist issues. The brand new processor makes waking from sleep, turning pages, navigating the menu and altering orientation zippy quick.

Then there’s the standing compatibility. Attempt as they could, some new applied sciences don’t but beat their real-world counterparts. That’s principally how I really feel about styluses — I’m only a huge fan of pen on paper. However Kobo’s stylus makes it so enjoyable to focus on textual content and scribble notes within the margins of a e book that I’m beginning to come round. Plus, it neatly and magnetically attaches to the facet so it doesn’t get misplaced.

Urgent and holding the button on the facet of the stylus highlights textual content whereas flipping it round erases. I unintentionally pressed the button a number of instances after I was making an attempt to write down, however I bought used to the position after a couple of minutes of utilizing it. You may decide from 4 totally different highlighter colours and look at your written notes and spotlighted textual content within the notes part of any title — which I may see being fairly helpful for e book membership reads, college assignments or simply refreshing your self on a previous learn earlier than you dive into the sequel.

Be aware-taking within the margins or immediately on the textual content labored on each e book I attempted. Although I ought to level out that in case you change the font measurement in a e book, your handwritten notes might be transformed to a sticky note-type field. Going again to the unique font restores your unique annotations.

The Kobo Libra Color is $30 costlier than the Libra 2, however you get lots for $220. If it have been simply an ereader, the beautiful colours, responsive studying expertise, quick web page turns and straightforward highlights would make it definitely worth the worth. However you additionally get options that make it extra than simply an ereader, like Dropbox and Google Drive integration, a beta internet browser and free-writing and text-converting notebooks.

In fact, the stylus prices further and also you gained’t get options like notebooks and writing within the margins with out it. Collectively, the set prices $290, which is a substantial $110 cheaper than the lately up to date (and hottest) stylus-enabled ereader the Amazon Kindle Scribe. It is also cheaper than Kobo’s personal 10-inch mannequin, the Elipsa 2E. The Scribe has a, 10.2-inch display screen and the Elipsa 2E has a ten.3-inch display screen. That is a pleasant measurement for writing however, for me, is a bit huge for an ereader. The Libra Color alternatively has simply the best options on the proper measurement, plus some extras that stretch its usefulness. Amazon used to have an ereader with buttons within the Kindle Oasis, however that mannequin has been discontinued. 

Display screen measurement: 6” | Show sort: Black/white E Ink | Decision: 300dpi | Capability: 32GB | Battery life: 12 weeks | Waterproof score: IPX8 | Heat gentle: Sure, auto adjustable | Lock display screen adverts: No| Textual content codecs: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, DOCX, DOC, HTML, EPUB, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP via conversion

Learn our full Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version assessment

Once I reviewed the brand new Kindle Paperwhite Signature Version, I used to be struck by the elevated studying expertise it supplied. It’s remarkably quick, the textual content is splendidly crisp and it has a premium design that feels nice to carry. Amazon was in a position to enhance web page flip and scrolling speeds for each the usual Paperwhite and the Signature Version by giving them new processors and utilizing an oxide thin-film transistor layer to allow sooner adjustments on the web page. The layer additionally permits for higher show readability than different transistor layers.

Each the usual and Signature fashions have heat entrance lights that solid a beautiful glow throughout a display screen that’s a bit bigger now at 7-inches (up from 6.8 final time). The battery life is longer, promising as much as 12 weeks (as an alternative of 10), that means you’ll hardly ever must cost your ereader. Regardless of that, the Paperwhite fashions are literally three millimeters thinner than the earlier era (and only a contact heavier).

With the Signature Version, you additionally get auto-adjusting entrance lights that dim or brighten as daylight fades otherwise you transfer from room to room. The storage capability goes up from 16GB to 32GB, so even in case you obtain an entire bunch of audiobooks, you aren’t prone to run out of area too shortly. And at last, you get a wi-fi charging choice for the periodic events when it’s time for a refill. All of these options are good to have, although not essential — however for anybody who desires to learn ebooks in probably the most luxe means potential, the Signature mannequin is the one to go for.

If you would like an expertise that’s practically as deluxe, however don’t want the wi-fi charging, auto-adjusting lights and additional capability specs, the non-Signature Paperwhite continues to be noticeably extra premium than the usual Kindle, with a bigger display screen, ultra-crisp textual content and an opulent construct. Plus you continue to get entry to all of the perks that solely Kindles provide, like Goodreads integration, Kindle Unique titles, Kindle Limitless subscription books and Whispersync tech that traces up your audio and e-book reads so you possibly can swap between the 2 codecs. 

There’s additionally the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Childs, which is similar gadget, however comes with a canopy, an extended guarantee and a six-month subscription to Amazon Youngsters+. 

Display screen measurement: 7” | Show sort: Black/white and shade E Ink | Decision: 300 dpi black & white, 150 dpi shade | Capability: 64GB | Battery life: Weeks | Waterproof score: splash-resistant | Heat gentle: Sure | Lock display screen adverts: No | Textual content codecs: PDF, CAJ, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, PPTX, PNG, JPG, BMP, TIFF

Shade E Ink screens are the “new” factor in ereaders — regardless that the tech has been commercially accessible since round 2010. E Ink introduced its Kaleido 3 show in 2022, and with the best mixture of shade saturation and readability, it’s now interesting sufficient for common consumption. Now Boox, Kobo and, ultimately, Amazon all have fashions with shade screens.

The Boox Go Shade 7 (accessible from Amazon and Boox) is a pure option to supplant our earlier winner on this class, the Boox Web page. The Go Shade 7 not solely provides shade, it additionally comes with double the storage capability, an additional gig of RAM and ships with Android 12. The again is now textured as an alternative of slick, an improve my accident-prone fingers are grateful for, and the processor is quicker too, going from a 2.0Ghz octa core CPU to a 2.4Ghz chip. This all comes on the similar $250 checklist worth because the Web page. The battery has the identical 2,300mAh capability, however ereader batteries final the order of some weeks, so an improve in that division wasn’t actually essential.

For the reason that Go Shade 7 runs on a fork of Android 12, it acts extra like a pill than a standard ereader. Like all Boox units, this method is greatest suited to the tech-savvy. In contrast to a Kindle or Kobo, which come preconfigured with a retailer to purchase books, in addition to straightforward borrowing out of your native library system, Boox ereaders provide little hand-holding in setup and utilization. Whereas there’s a retailer, it’s made up of public area titles — most individuals will learn books by importing ePubs manually. Or, extra probably, you’ll learn on a third-party ereader app like Kobo, Kindle, Libby and others, which you’ll obtain from the built-in Google Play retailer.

Boox’s built-in ereader app, NeoReader, is properly featured with a very good quantity of management over the look of the textual content. However it solely handles DRM-free ePub information from websites like Venture Gutenberg or publishers like Tor. If you wish to learn ePubs with digital rights administration, which make up the overwhelming majority of present ebooks, you’ll want to make use of a distinct app. Mockingly, I’ve been utilizing the ereader app from PocketBook (a rival firm) to learn the DRM ePubs I buy from third events.

The Go Sequence readers are impressively customizable, with programmable buttons and fine-tunable settings. Boox customers have created APK information to tweak and enhance the expertise additional. The gadget even has a microphone and audio system, and might run apps like Spotify. In brief, the Go Shade 7 can do way over a typical ereader can, in case you’re prepared to experiment.

The expertise is enhanced with a tender, adjustable entrance gentle with temperature management that makes for nice low-light studying and the flush, glare-free, display screen is lush and detailed. Like all shade ereaders, you do hand over a modicum of readability to accommodate the colour array, and the heat is noticeably extra yellow. I solely seen the distinction after I set comparable ereaders side-by-side and, actually, it’s the distinction between a tremendous duper crisp display screen and solely a brilliant crisp display screen.

The tender and muted colours have a saturated appear like watercolors or previous comedian e book illustrations. Evaluating the identical e book cowl on the Kobo Clara Color and this, the Boox hues do look a contact grainier and fewer wealthy. However that’s a small sacrifice in case you want an ereader that may do way over simply carry your books round.

Display screen measurement: 6.13” | Decision: 300 dpi | Capability: 128GB | Water-resistant: Sure, splashes and spills | Heat gentle: Sure | Lock display screen adverts: No | Textual content codecs: PDF, CAJ, DJVU, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, AZW3, MOBI, TXT, DOC, DOCX, FB2, CHM, RTF, HTML, ZIP, PRC, PPT, PPTX

Boox has the widest vary of codecs of any ereader firm I’ve examined — and the Boox Palma is probably the most enjoyable. It’s the identical measurement and form as a smartphone and, in numerous methods, it acts like one, too. The house display screen is a muted black-and-white model of what you would possibly discover on a normal Android cellphone — you possibly can even add widgets. Like most Boox units, it will possibly obtain and run apps from the Google Play Retailer and has audio system to play music and movies. The E Ink display screen (a Carta 1200) renders textual content crisply, however photographs, significantly transferring ones, look grainier and rougher than they might on an actual cellphone’s LCD or OLED display screen. That stated, the video high quality is one of the best I’ve seen on an E Ink display screen, because of a software program enchancment Boox calls Tremendous Refresh Expertise.

The most recent era of the Palma provides an upgraded processor, a fingerprint unlock button and ships with Android 13, all of which ought to make it much more succesful. However make no mistake, it’s not going to interchange your cellphone. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are the one connectivity and the 16MP digital camera is only for making doc scans you possibly can convert to PDFs. However the phone-like construct is comfortingly acquainted and the E Ink display screen is beautiful to learn. At $280, it’s costlier than a normal ereader — and even some E Ink tablets — but it surely’s a extremely moveable option to learn Kindle, Kobo, Google Books and different ePubs, whereas additionally dealing with easy video games and apps like a smartphone. For those who’re sick of the glow of your handset, the Boox Palma is a captivating different.