Kobo released a handful of new e-readers a few weeks ago: color versions of the excellent Libra 2 and Clara, as well as an updated monochrome version of the latter. But after testing them all, I can say that for most users, there is no reason to switch.
First, the color versions. I’ve been waiting on color e-paper screens for what seems like half my life, and they still haven’t reached the level I want them to so I can actually enjoy comics and websites on them. It is still the case with Clara color and Libra color.
These devices use E Ink’s latest Kaleido 3 display, and things have certainly come a long way from what we were seeing 10 years ago. But the simple fact is that color reproduction is still not great. Better than it ever was … but weaker than almost anything else.
It’s unclear to me why you’d want color at all on a 6″ device about the size of a pulp paperback. I tried reading a few comics but the text is too small and the zooming and panning is too awkward. And the colors, though present, are washed out in every shade. Maybe a children’s book?
Now, I’d like to give credit where credit is due: The screen displays a wide variety Colors – I studied one panel in particular that had several different but similar shades of blue (not the bottom), and I could distinguish them on the reader almost as well as my normal LCD screen. They are certainly unsaturated, but they are there.
Kobo These criticisms are equally true of the larger Libra, the latest in a line of asymmetrical 7″ devices with page turn buttons. That extra inch creates as much extra readability as you’d expect — a little — but the screen itself doesn’t stand out.
You might be thinking: Why not just get one color so you have options? You can still read normal books, after all. Yes, but… unfortunately, the color layer actually makes black and white stuff worse.
I compared the Clara Color and the BW side-by-side — and for that matter, the year-old Clara 2E I had sitting around. While they’re all nominally the same resolution, the color looks as if it has some sort of light mesh on it, which slightly darkens the entire display and reduces contrast as a result.
This is not just something small that is noticed only with a microscope. It’s really clear. Color screens are dim and hard to read. I tried and failed to capture it in a photo, but trust me, it is undoubtedly a step down.
As such, I can’t recommend the color versions of these readers to anyone, unless you have a specific use case where desaturated colors and a slightly degraded reading experience aren’t a big deal.
Now, for the Clara BW, this is essentially the new default recommendation I’d give — not because it significantly outperforms my go-to reader, the Clara 2E, but because it offers modest improvements for $10 less.
The new version of this very straightforward form factor includes a slightly updated screen, the Carta 1300 series, which has slightly better contrast and page-turning speed. Tested against the 2E, I found it noticeably faster when quickly tapping through pages, but not noticeable in general use. And as far as clarity and contrast, they were about right to my eye, a slight benefit from moving to a new device. My favorite feature is that it doesn’t crash when I plug it into my computer half the time, a Clara 2E habit I gave up on fixing.
So really, you get what I think is the most practical e-reader on the market for most people, for just $130 instead of $140. No ads, your own fonts and documents, built-in library app, plenty of room to play around and hack. However, if you have a Clara 2E, or even a Clara HD, I don’t think upgrading is necessary. Type quality hasn’t improved that much in the last few years.
As before, I recommend getting their faux-leather “Sleep Cover,” which protects your device from common scuffs and folds into a cute little stand. I recommend the cayenne red color so you never lose it. Trust me, you’ll be glad you spent the $30.