Best eReaders 2024: You can carry a library with you

Should you have spent the whole day staring at a screen, you might not want to keep doing that when you finally sit down to read a book. I do, however, find it very useful to be able to instantly access a new book and carry a whole library around with me. When I use an eReader, it’s like having the best of both worlds: the classic look of paper books and the ease of use of computers. Because these devices can hold many books at once, it’s easy to switch between different types of books and titles. Amazon is the market leader for eReaders, but there are other good options out there.

An eReader is basically a device or application specifically designed to allow access to and reading of digital e-books. They usually have an extensive built-in library of online books that can be accessed either for free or for a small fee. The fact that they also come with features such as a built-in dictionary, highlighter, etc. makes them more enticing than their paperback alternatives. Now it’s time to find some of the best eBook readers supported by Windows or other operating systems.

Of course, when you hear about e-readers, you think of Kindle. Amazon produces the best ebook reader, which is why we have a separate guide on the best Kindle that looks at the whole range. But there are some alternatives to Kindle in case you don’t want to support Amazon or just want a different set of features.

Best eReaders

Kindle Paperwhite

The biggest news is the larger screen. The new Paperwhite is upgraded from a 6-inch 300 ppi E Ink Carta display to a 6.8-inch 300 ppi resolution panel. The front light is also 10% brighter. The entire device is still IPX8 rated, meaning it can be submerged in fresh water for an hour or bathed in seawater for three minutes.

The new Paperwhite and Oasis have front lights that change color from blue and white to yellow with two sliders. The yellows can also be connected to a clock, so that the screen becomes progressively more yellow as the night goes on, so as not to strain the eyes. The 17-LED system is much more uniform than the 4 LEDs on the basic Kindle model. Easily one of the best eReaders available right now.

Kobo Libra 2

The Libra 2, with the dropping of the H2O name, looks nothing like its cousin, the Kindle Paperwhite. The hardware is thin, yes, but not so thin as to leave only one screen. The first thing that jumps out at the Libra 2 is its asymmetry: the right bezel protrudes a few inches to accommodate the device’s physical scroll buttons.

This special feature of the hardware is the greatest gift the Libra 2 gives readers. Instead of awkwardly reaching for a handle (as we often got with the Paperwhite), Kobo has given us the perfect place to hold our e-books with one hand. It is this kind of design choice that sets the Libra 2 apart from the rest of the e-reader market.

Kobo Libra H20

We used the Kobo libra H2O exclusively as our main e-reader for two weeks. We also tested all aspects that make an excellent e-reader, such as battery life, display, screen brightness, and the quality of the eBook store. And we used it for at least an hour every day to measure its performance.

The Kobo libra H2O we tested has 8 GB of storage, which should fit about 5,000 average-sized books. It’s available in either black or white, but you can expand the color palette with a SleepCover, which you can buy in black, gray, pink, and aqua. Unlike Amazon with its kindle unlimited service, Kobo does not have subscription options for frequent readers. You can totally check out this one, because it is one of the best eReaders.

Kobo Elipsa Pack

The experience with the Elipsa is made clear by the size of the device. Unlike Kobo’s other flagship e-readers, the Elipsa is not for everyone. It’s a marked departure from the company’s modus operandi, which for years has focused on a casual reading experience with some benefits (like highlighting). It also costs $399, making it Kobo’s most expensive offering.

The E Ink display on this device is no joke. The E Ink Carta 1200 touchscreen is ridiculously fast, which makes for a flawless page-turning experience, and with a resolution of 1,404 x 1,872 (and 227 PPI), it’s just as sharp as smaller e-readers despite its size. The Elipsa weighs 383 grams (almost a pound!), but never feels unbalanced. It’s almost like holding a hardcover in your hand, whereas Kobo’s other e-readers are more like paperbacks.

Kobo Clara HD

The Kobo Clara HD is tiny. It resembles a small 4 x 6-inch notepad you might use at your desk, and weighs just a little less than 6 ounces. That’s light and small enough to fit in a large jacket pocket, and conveniently tuck into small pockets without really being noticed.

The Kobo Clara HD’s 6-inch high-resolution touchscreen is one of the highlights of this device. The screen resolution is 1072 x 1448 and 300 ppi, which is the quality you want from an e-reader. The Clara HD uses e-ink technology, which means that the display is not backlit and everything is displayed in black and white. So if you want one of the best eReaders, we highly recommend this one.

Kindle Oasis

The Kindle Oasis is the best e-reader experience currently available, with a large, high-quality screen, automatic brightness, and even display heat settings. But for all its benefits, it doesn’t feel like the Oasis justifies its high price tag.

With display features like customizable brightness, impressive backlighting, and on this latest model a heat setting that’s easy on the eyes, the Kindle Oasis line is designed for people looking for a luxurious reading experience at a reasonable price. But is this price really justified for a device that is only a relatively small step above the Kindle Paperwhite?

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition

Therefore, the Kindle is best suited for text-based content colorful comics or books that rely heavily on photos are not really an advantage. For that, there’s the Kindle app on your smartphone or tablet, which lets you sync content between the two devices. Choosing e-ink is easy on the eyes during long hours of reading, as it emits far less blue light than a color display.

This makes it a great option for bedtime reading, especially with the new adjustable warm light. The other big design change has taken years. Both new Kindle Paperwhites now use USB-C for charging and data transfer, after years of insisting on micro-USB.

Kobo Nia

If you are looking for an inexpensive eReader that does not tie you to the Amazon ecosystem, the Kobo Nia is an attractive option, especially since its 212ppi screen is a step up from its competitor, the 167ppi display of the basic Amazon Kindle. While the Nia does not support Bluetooth, the Kobo offers broader file support and a sleeker user interface.

Although the Nia does not have Bluetooth like the Kindle (which is used for VoiceView, a text-to-speech screen reader, and audiobooks), it does offer broader support for files and the ability to sideload different fonts, including Bookerly or Amazon’s Ember. In addition, we like Kobo’s sleek user interface better.

Amazon Fire HD 10

There are also productivity and accessory packs that include things like Bluetooth keyboards and screen protectors, but these can quickly turn a cheap tablet into a less affordable product. It’s also 15mm shorter at the longest edge and 8mm thinner.

Not only does this make it handier, but the 16:10 display now fits more evenly in the frame, with a consistent 15 mm bezel all around, which at least earns points for cleanliness. There are no innovations in the ports and keys, but there has been a bit of rearranging.

Kobo Forma

The new Kobo Forma is the largest mainstream e-reader with an 8-inch screen that is great for reading large fonts and manga. The Kobo Forma has physical page-turning buttons that are useful, but a bit more sluggish than those on the Kindle Oasis. The Kobo Forma is quite slim and light for its size.

The power button and charging port are on the back. The Forma has a textured back that makes it easy to grip. Kobo’s biggest strength is that Overdrive, if you have a public library, is built right into the e-reader. The 8-inch screen is great for manga, as you can read even the smallest text captions.