ConsFirst / E-readers

Kobo (Rakuten)

Kobo Libra Colour: the downsides first

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#2 of 8
$$Color e-readerScore 4.0/5
8%
of Amazon ratings are 1–2 stars
(checked 2026-10-10)Small sample (638 ratings); white-color listing.

TechRadar's best e-reader overall and NBC Select's best color pick: a 7-inch color screen, physical page-turn buttons, 32 GB of storage and optional stylus notes. The stylus costs extra, some functions lag, and the Kobo store is smaller than Amazon's.

Top complaints

  • Stylus sold separately; small for notes

    TechRadar and Engadget note the stylus costs extra ($290 with stylus vs $220 without, per Engadget). TechRadar says the 7-inch screen is too small for heavy note-taking.

    Source: TechRadar, Engadget
  • Lag and mixed screen and reliability reports

    TechRadar lists a couple of functions that suffer from lag. Amazon's summary says screen quality and reliability are mixed, with some owners reporting visual clarity issues and finding it doesn't meet their needs. Some also find the 7-inch size too small. Wirecutter says the colors look subdued.

    Source: TechRadar, Amazon.com product page (Customers say), Wirecutter (NYT)
  • Smaller store, aging design

    Engadget's only listed con is that Kobo's store is smaller than Kindle's. TechRadar was initially disappointed by the dated design, notes the model is over two years old, and says Kobo hasn't released new readers in a couple of years.

    Source: Engadget, TechRadar

What owners love

  • Page-turn buttons and one-handed design

    TechRadar says the buttons and asymmetric shape make it easy to use one-handed. Engadget praises the responsive buttons and comfortable build. Amazon owners like the button responsiveness.

    Source: TechRadar, Engadget, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
  • Open ecosystem with cloud transfer

    TechRadar says Kobo doesn't lock you in (except for audiobooks). It supports OverDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive, and has good file and font support.

    Source: TechRadar, Engadget
  • Value for a color reader

    TechRadar says it matches the Kindle Colorsoft's price with double the storage and note-taking. Amazon owners praise the battery life and color highlights.

    Source: TechRadar, Amazon.com product page (Customers say)
Good for
  • One-handed reading with page-turn buttons
  • Color comics with room for 32 GB
  • Margin notes with the optional Kobo Stylus 2

Scores (tap for why)

  • Screen4.0
    Why 4.0?Optimized Kaleido 3 with crisp text and colors (TechRadar, Engadget); Wirecutter finds the colors subdued, and some Amazon owners report clarity issues.
    Source: TechRadar, Engadget, Wirecutter (NYT)
  • Battery3.5
    Why 3.5?Rated up to about 6 weeks (Engadget, NBC Select), versus 8 for the Colorsoft; TechRadar lists up to four weeks. Amazon owners praise it.
    Source: Engadget review (Colorsoft comparison), NBC Select, TechRadar
  • Book store & formats4.5
    Why 4.5?Open formats, OverDrive, Dropbox and Google Drive, and no ads (TechRadar, Engadget); smaller store than Kindle.
    Source: TechRadar, Engadget
  • Ease of use4.0
    Why 4.0?Buttons, auto-rotate and one-handed design (TechRadar, Engadget), with some lag (TechRadar).
    Source: TechRadar, Engadget
  • Build & durability4.0
    Why 4.0?IPX8 and iFixit-repairable, with a premium, comfortable build (Engadget). Amazon owners are mixed on reliability.
    Source: TechRadar, Engadget, Amazon.com product page

What experts say

  • TechRadar: Best e-reader overall (updated 2026-09-23). The cons are some lag and a stylus sold separately.
  • Engadget: Best e-reader with buttons: premium, comfortable build and crisp text and colors. Its con is Kobo's smaller store.
  • NBC Select: Best color e-reader, with a color display, page-turn buttons and waterproofing (rated up to 5.7 weeks of battery).
Check price on AmazonWe don't list prices — they change daily. Paid link.

If that catch is a deal-breaker

Highly ranked e-readers whose biggest complaint is something else.

#1 in e-readersAmazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024)

Tom's Guide and NBC Select's best overall pick: a fast, waterproof 7-inch Kindle with very long battery life and the lowest Amazon low-star share in this group. Reviewers say it's expensive for what it is, the slippery back attracts smudges, and the base model shows lock-screen ads.

Its catch: pricey for what you get#3 in e-readersKobo Clara BW

Wirecutter's pick if you don't want Amazon, and TechRadar's best budget e-reader: a sharp, waterproof, ad-free 6-inch reader with built-in library borrowing. Battery life is shorter than a Kindle's in real use, there's no cloud file transfer, and its Amazon low-star share (12%) is the highest of the mainstream readers here.

Its catch: shorter real-world battery than kindle#4 in e-readersKobo Clara Colour

Engadget's best e-reader overall and TechRadar's best color pick, and the cheapest mainstream color reader. Colors look muted, text has less contrast than on a black-and-white screen, and some owners find the screen grainy.

Its catch: color costs text clarity

Head-to-head

See all 8 e-readers ranked →