Greatest e book readers for 2024

Author’s notice: Amazon’s fall Prime Day occasion is scheduled for October eighth and ninth. The retailer is already discounting lots of its personal gadgets forward of the occasion, although, together with the Kindle Paperwhite Children, which we’ve flagged in our information to the greatest early Prime Day offers.

Any e book reader will allow you to cram a Magnificence and the Beast-sized library’s price of books in your pocket, however so will your telephone. An e book reader presents a extra book-like studying expertise, with fewer distractions and fewer eye pressure, and plenty of embrace further options, like adjustable frontlighting. Some actually are pocketable. Others are waterproof or provide bodily page-turning buttons, whereas just a few even allow you to take notes.

I’ve been utilizing e book readers for practically a decade, and I’ve gone hands-on with dozens, from the Kindle Paperwhite to lesser-known rivals just like the Pocketbook Period. Whether or not you need one thing your child can throw in opposition to the wall or a water-proof, warm-glow Kindle that gained’t wreck your spa ambiance, these are the perfect e book readers for everybody. 

Additionally, one very last thing earlier than we dive in. It’s price stating that Amazon’s subsequent Prime Day occasion, Prime Huge Deal Days, will happen on October eighth and ninth. Traditionally, we‘ve seen some good offers land on Amazon gadgets, together with lots of the Kindles listed on this information, so it’s one thing to remember when you intend to purchase one now.

Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.9 x .32 inches / Weight: 205 grams / Display space and backbone: 6.8-inch display, 300ppi decision / Storage: 16GB / Different options: IPX8 waterproofing, Bluetooth audio help 

In case you largely purchase ebooks from Amazon, you’ll desire a Kindle, and the Eleventh-gen Kindle Paperwhite is the only option for most individuals. Beginning at $139.99, it’s cheaper than the Kobo Libra Color — my high non-Amazon e book reader, which I’ll dive into later — for lots of the identical options. These embrace a big 300pi show and an adjustable heat white frontlight, which make for a transparent and satisfying studying expertise. The latter additionally conveniently improves sleep by chopping down on blue gentle that interrupts melatonin manufacturing. 

That heat white frontlighting is a bonus over the cool white of the $99.99 base-model Kindle, and in contrast to the bottom Kindle, the Paperwhite has IPX8 water resistance. The $189.99 Signature Version Paperwhite additionally has an auto-adjusting frontlight and no lockscreen adverts. It additionally has wi-fi charging, which is a uncommon function to search out in an e-reader.

Amazon is the biggest on-line retailer on this planet, and it dominates the US e book market, so Kindle homeowners have entry to benefits homeowners of different e book readers don’t. A lot of Amazon’s {hardware} technique is dependent upon providing cut-rate reductions to drag you into its content material ecosystem. When you have Prime and purchase a whole lot of Kindle ebooks, the Paperwhite is the only option as a result of Amazon makes it extremely simple to purchase and skim its stuff. Its ebooks and audiobooks are sometimes on sale, and Prime members get extra free content material by means of Prime Studying. Rivals like Kobo provide gross sales, too, however it’s onerous for them to supply reductions as steep as Amazon does.

There are downsides, although. The Paperwhite has lockscreen adverts except you pay $20 further to do away with them. It’s additionally too huge to carry comfortably with one hand. Maybe the Kindle Paperwhite’s greatest flaw, although — which it shares with all Kindles except for Fireplace tablets — is that it’s not simple to learn books bought outdoors of Amazon’s retailer. Kindle e book codecs are proprietary and solely work on Kindle. In contrast to Kobo and different e book readers, Kindles don’t help EPUB information, an open file format utilized by just about everybody besides Amazon. So, for instance, when you usually store from Kobo’s bookstore (or Barnes & Noble or Google Play Books or many different e book shops), you may’t simply learn these books on a Kindle with out utilizing a workaround. There are methods to transform and switch file codecs so you may learn on the Kindle and vice versa, however it’ll take a few further steps.

Nonetheless, when you don’t purchase your books elsewhere otherwise you don’t thoughts procuring from Amazon, you’ll be very happy with the Kindle Paperwhite.

Learn our Kindle Paperwhite evaluation.

Dimensions: 5.69 x 6.34 x 0.33 inches / Weight: 199.5 grams / Display space and backbone: 7-inch display, 300ppi (black-and-white), 150ppi (shade) / Storage: 32GB / Different options: Bodily page-turning buttons, waterproofing, Kobo Stylus 2 help, Bluetooth audio help 

The Kobo Libra Color is a wonderful different to Amazon’s e book readers, particularly for readers outdoors the US or anybody who doesn’t need to faucet into Amazon’s ecosystem. Kobo’s newest slate presents lots of the standout options discovered on the Eleventh-gen Kindle Paperwhite — together with waterproofing, USB-C help, and a 300ppi show — together with just a few perks that make it extra useful and satisfying to make use of.

The colour show is the obvious. The Libra Color makes use of E Ink’s newest Kaledio shade display know-how, which offers soothing, pastel-like hues that also pop in direct daylight. It’s not as sharp as studying in monochrome — the decision drops to 150ppi when viewing content material in shade — however it’s a pleasant contact that makes viewing a wider vary of content material extra nice. Ebook covers and comics, whereas nonetheless muted, have an added layer of depth, even when the colours are nowhere close to as vivid as that of a conventional LED pill.

Moreover, the Libra Color works with the Kobo Stylus 2 (bought individually), which implies you may spotlight textual content with numerous colours or take notes utilizing Kobo’s built-in notebooks. You may also make the most of a few of the extra superior capabilities discovered within the Kobo Elipsa 2E, permitting you to resolve math equations, convert handwriting into typed textual content, and insert diagrams. This lets the Libra Color perform as a mini pocket book of kinds, although I wouldn’t use it as a main note-taking gadget because the seven-inch show can really feel cramped to put in writing on.

The colour show is simply a part of the attraction, although. The Libra Color additionally lacks lockscreen adverts — not like the bottom Paperwhite — and packs bodily page-turning buttons, which really feel extra intuitive to make use of than tapping both aspect of the show. The speedy e-reader additionally helps extra file codecs, together with EPUB information, and makes it a lot simpler to borrow books from the Overdrive library system. Native help for Pocket, in the meantime, means you may learn your articles offline when you’re somebody who makes use of the long-standing bookmarking app.

Nonetheless, at $219.99, the Libra Color prices $70 greater than the entry-level Paperwhite — and that’s with out Kobo’s $69.99 stylus, which is required for performing sure duties. That hole widens additional when the Paperwhite is on sale, which it repeatedly is. There’s additionally the truth that the Kobo can’t simply faucet into Amazon’s huge library of ebooks, which may be irritating when you’ve amassed a set of Kindle titles through the years. It may be finished, however you must convert file codecs utilizing third-party apps, which is difficult and may take time.

But when these issues don’t matter or apply to you, the Kobo Libra Color gives you the perfect digital studying expertise of all of the e-readers on our record. It’s my private favourite, if nothing else.

Learn our Kobo Libra Color evaluation.

Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.3 x 0.32 inches / Weight: 158 grams / Display space and backbone: 6-inch display, 300ppi decision / Storage: 16GB / Different options: USB-C help, Bluetooth audio help 

The base-model Kindle ($99.99 with adverts) is the perfect low-cost e book reader. Its 300ppi decision makes textual content clearer and simpler to learn than the lower-resolution screens on different e book readers in its value vary. Plus, it even has USB-C for comparatively quick charging. 

Studying on its six-inch display feels a bit of extra cramped than it does on the bigger shows of the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra Color. Nonetheless, the flip aspect is that its small measurement makes it pocketable, gentle, and simple for small arms to carry. Mixed with its comparatively inexpensive value, the Kindle can also be the perfect e book reader for youths — particularly within the youngsters model Amazon sells for $20 extra. It shares the identical actual specs however is ad-free with parental controls, a two-year prolonged substitute assure, and a case. It additionally comes with one yr of Amazon Children Plus, which grants youngsters entry to 1000’s of children books and audiobooks at no cost. After that, although, you’ll need to pay $79 per yr.

The bottom Kindle doesn’t have further conveniences just like the bodily page-turning buttons discovered on Barnes & Noble’s entry-level e-reader, the Nook GlowLight 4e. Nonetheless, you do get one thing extra essential: snappier responses. On many of the different entry-level e book readers I examined, together with the GlowLight 4e, I needed to wait just a few seconds after tapping the display for the web page to show. The Kindle, compared, supplied no perceptive lag.

There are different tradeoffs. There’s no water resistance, not like the Paperwhite, and battery life is sweet, however it’ll final you three weeks tops — not months, just like the Paperwhite. And since it’s an Amazon e book reader, you’re additionally locked into the Amazon ecosystem and need to pay further to do away with adverts. But when you are able to do with out all of that, the Kindle delivers the necessities for underneath $100.

That being mentioned, it’s price noting that Amazon could announce a refreshed Kindle any day now. In accordance with rumors, the up to date mannequin will proceed to supply the identical six-inch, 300ppi display however with brighter backlighting and improved distinction ranges. It can additionally supposedly provide a brand new darkish mode and sooner web page turns; nonetheless, there’s no phrase on whether or not we’ll see extra important enhancements.

Dimensions: 7.6 x 8.94 x 0.30 inches / Weight: 390 grams / Display space and backbone: 10.3-inches, 227ppi decision / Storage: 32GB / Different options: Handwriting to textual content conversion, magnetic stylus, Bluetooth audio help 

Of all the massive e book readers I examined, the Kobo Elipsa 2E stood out probably the most due to its glorious note-taking talents. You may immediately write on pages, and the notes is not going to disappear, which makes for a extra intuitive note-taking expertise than the Kindle Scribe, which solely helps on-page notes on choose Kindle titles. In any other case, you’re restricted to creating annotations on playing cards which can be like disappearing sticky notes. 

You may also sync your notes with Dropbox or view them on-line, and Kobo may even convert handwriting to typed textual content. Amazon rolled out an identical functionality for the Kindle Scribe, however it could possibly solely convert handwriting to typed textual content if you export notebooks and never as precisely. In contrast, Kobo helps you to convert your handwriting not simply whereas exporting but additionally from inside a pocket book itself.

The Elipsa 2E additionally presents different useful note-taking instruments. Just like the Kobo Libra Color, it’s succesful, for instance, of fixing math equations for you. You may also insert diagrams and drawings, and it’ll mechanically snap them into one thing that appears cleaner and nicer. There’s additionally an amazing number of pen varieties and ink shades. 

True, the Kindle Scribe begins at $60 much less, however the Kobo Elipsa 2E comes with twice the storage. You can step as much as the 32GB Kindle Scribe if you would like the identical storage capability, however that places it at basically the identical value because the Kobo. I like to recommend simply forking out the cash on the Elipsa 2E as an alternative.

Observe-taking capabilities apart, the Kobo Elipsa 2E can also be e-reader, however it comes with the identical strengths and weaknesses as different Kobo e-readers. There’s help for a variety of file codecs, however you may’t simply learn Kindle books with out changing them first. Its 227ppi show can also be barely much less sharp than the 300ppi display discovered on the Kindle Scribe and the Kobo Libra Color. Nonetheless, the ten.3-inch display does steadiness issues out a bit and makes textual content simpler to learn, so it’s not likely a noticeable downside.

There are another e book readers I examined that I didn’t function above however are nonetheless price highlighting. Listed below are probably the most notable:

In case you’re searching for a non-Amazon different that’s extra inexpensive than the Kobo Libra Color, the brand new Kobo Clara Color — the successor to the Kobo Clara 2E — is price a glance. At $149.99, the ad-free e-reader prices greater than the Kobo Clara 2E (which you’ll be able to nonetheless purchase), however I feel it’s price the additional $10. It continues to supply the identical six-inch show and IPX8 waterproof design, however the e-reader now presents shade. Plus, it’s noticeably sooner — one thing I used to be comfortable to see, contemplating the occasional lag on the Clara 2E generally bought on my nerves. You don’t get the Clara Color’s bodily buttons or stylus help, however that’s a good tradeoff at this value level.

The $379 Onyx Boox Go 10.3 is one other ad-free e book reader you should use to take notes. It’s glorious as a note-taking gadget, and it presents an impressively big selection of writing instruments and extra prebuilt pocket book templates than Kobo’s Elipsa 2E. Jotting down notes utilizing the built-in pocket book felt extra akin to writing on paper as effectively, and its slim design makes the gadget really feel extra like a conventional pocket book. Like all Boox gadgets, it additionally offers fast entry to the Google Play Retailer, so you may obtain a number of studying apps — together with each Kindle and Kobo apps. The slate’s crisp 300ppi show is sharper than that of the Kobo Elipsa 2E, too, which is a plus.

Nonetheless, compared to the easy-to-use Elipsa 2E, the Go 10.3 lacks a entrance gentle and comes with a steeper studying curve. Notes you tackle a Kindle or Kobo gadget gained’t switch over (and vice versa), and you’ll’t annotate books in both app utilizing the Boox. I additionally felt like entry to Google Play generally is a double-edged sword because it grants quick access to distracting apps, together with video games, streaming providers, and TikTok. It’s too sluggish to make use of the latter, however it’s quick and comfy sufficient that I discovered myself enjoying round with the Phrase Search app far too usually. For me personally, I would like my e-reader to be devoid of such distractions — it’s one of many greatest issues that distinguishes it from a pill, in spite of everything. However when you’ve bought extra self-control than I do, the Go 10.3 might be price a glance.

In 2023, Barnes and Noble launched the brand new Nook Glowlight 4 Plus. In case you personal a whole lot of digital books from Barnes and Noble, this might be Kindle different. In any other case, I’d nonetheless advocate the Kobo Libra Color to all people else. The $199.99 Nook Glowlight 4 Plus is an efficient e-reader with rather a lot to supply, together with a beautiful 300ppi display, waterproofing, bodily page-turning buttons, and even a headphone jack. Nonetheless, it’s simply not as snappy, which makes setting it up, shopping for books from the gadget itself, and navigating the interface a sluggish ordeal. It didn’t assist that the display generally froze, too, which meant I needed to restart the gadget whereas in the course of a e book.

Lastly, I didn’t point out the Kindle Oasis, which has bodily page-turning buttons, a bigger display, and was thought-about a high-end gadget when it launched in 2019. Amazon now not lists the ageing e-reader in its official Kindle lineup, nonetheless, and it lacks some options even the bottom mannequin presents, together with USB-C. That makes it much less interesting at $249.99 — that’s, assuming you may even discover it in inventory. In case you’re prepared to pay that a lot for a high-end reader, I’d check out the Kobo Libra Color as an alternative.

Ebook Go CGolor 7 and Boox Palma

I’ve simply gotten my arms on the next e-readers from Boox: the Go Coloration 7 and pint-sized Palma. I’ve but to check them, although my colleague David Pierce is a giant fan of the $280 Boox Palma after spending a while with it. The smartphone-sized, 6.1-inch e book reader runs on Android and, just like the Boox Go 10.3, comes with the Google Play Retailer. Meaning you may obtain a wide array of apps, from Amazon’s personal Kindle app to numerous note-taking apps. That mentioned, it’s too sluggish (and small) to essentially use apps that might be distracting, like TikTok or Instagram, so that you most likely don’t want to fret about dropping focus or distractions in the identical you’ll with a pill or a extra succesful gadget. I’m curious to see the way it holds up in opposition to different e-readers I’ve used, even when I haven’t examined many small-screen fashions.

Replace, October third: Up to date pricing and talked about Amazon’s October Prime Day occasion.