Contents
- Editor’s Choice
- Top 5 rating according to “KP”
- Leaders of the Past
- How to choose an e-book
- Popular questions and answers
E-books have many advantages, including: light weight, ideal reading format, Wi-Fi support, large memory capacity, touch screen and much more. In addition, such a gadget is much cheaper than, for example, an iPad, which makes an electronic “reader” accessible to almost everyone.
In electronic books, unlike smartphones and tablets, special technologies are used that make the font and pictures as similar as possible to typographic ones. Since the devices are read-only and cannot be used to play games, use instant messengers, social networks, etc., they are capable of holding a charge for up to two weeks without recharging.
The number of supported file formats allows you to forget about converters and searching for file sources with the desired format.
If you are looking for a good e-book, we recommend that you check out the ranking of the best models according to KP.
Editor’s Choice
PocketBook 740 Color 16 ГБ
A novelty on the e-book market – PocketBook 740 Color has a color display capable of displaying more than four thousand colors. This makes the book indispensable for reading business literature, magazines, reprints, children’s books and comics. At the same time, the reader has not lost its security, it still takes care of the eyes, for which the E-Ink Kaleido screen of the second generation is responsible. The reader recognizes 20 book formats, reads them aloud and works without recharging for up to two months.
Features
| Display | E-Ink, backlit, touchscreen, 7.8 inches (1872×1404), 300 ppi |
| Built-in Memory | 16 GB |
| Memory card | microSD, microSDHC |
| Battery | 2900 mAh |
| dimensions | 136.50h195h8 mm |
| The weight | 225 g |
| Supported Formats | Text – TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF, ACSM, CBR, CBZ, CHM, DOCX, EPUB(DRM), FB2.ZIP, HTM, HTML, MOBI, PDF (DRM), PRC. Graphic – JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG. Sound – MP3. Others – HTML |
| Other | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Advantages and disadvantages
Top 5 rating according to “KP”
1. PocketBook 615 Plus
The first thing that distinguishes the model from many competitors is the excellent backlit E-Ink Carta screen. The device supports the widest possible number of e-book formats. At the same time, its battery can be considered almost “eternal” – up to five weeks of operation on a single charge. In addition, the manufacturer offers two, rather than the “standard” one year warranty on the device. Of the minuses – a non-touch screen, the absence of which rather indicates the budget model.
Features
| Display | E-Ink Carta, backlit 6″ (1024×758), 212 ppi |
| Built-in Memory | 8 GB |
| Memory card | microSD |
| Battery | 1300 mAh |
| dimensions | 108h161h8 mm |
| The weight | 155 g |
| Supported Formats | Text – TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF. Graphic – JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG. Others – HTML, CHM, ZIP |
Advantages and disadvantages
2. Ritmix RBK-677FL 4 ГБ
The e-book has a large 6-inch display. It is able to hold a charge up to 10 days, even with active use. There is a backlight that provides comfortable reading in the dark. In addition to touch control, the gadget has buttons with which you can flip through the pages of virtual books, which is very convenient.
The built-in memory is enough to store a large number of books, and if the built-in memory runs out, you can buy a memory card. The gadget is thin, optimal size, making it convenient to take with you. The text displayed on the display does not reflect in the sun.
Features
| Display | E-Ink |
| Display generation | E-Ink: Pearl |
| Built-in memory | 4 GB |
| Amount of RAM | 128 MB |
| Memory card support | microSD |
| Battery capacity | 1500 mAh |
| Diagonal | 6″ |
| Display resolution | 1024 × 758 |
Advantages and disadvantages
3. PocketBook 632 Aqua 16 ГБ
As the name implies, the main feature of the device is that it has IPX7 degree of moisture protection (it is not afraid of short-term immersion in water, splashes, water jets). In addition, this device has a “nimble” touch screen, as well as Wi-Fi and a built-in browser. Users note that the reader has a pleasant and non-irritating screen backlight. You can download books from Dropbox or receive them by mail.
Features
| Display | E-Ink Carta, backlit, touchscreen, 6 inches (1448×1072), 300 ppi |
| Built-in Memory | 16 GB |
| dimensions | 108h161h8 mm |
| The weight | 155 g |
| Battery | 1500 mAh |
| Supported Formats | Text – TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF, PRC, TCR, MOBI, ACSM. Graphic – JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG. Others – HTML, CHM, ZIP, RSS |
| Other | Wi-Fi |
Advantages and disadvantages
4. Effire ColorBook TR401 4 ГБ
The e-book has a small size and display, so it does not take up much space and is convenient to take with you on trips and travels. Batteries with active use last up to 10 days. There is an automatic screen rotation, and thanks to the backlight, you can read books even in poor lighting or in the dark.
There is a voice recorder for recording messages. In addition to the touch screen, there are additional buttons with which you can flip through the virtual book. Reads all the most popular book formats, also suitable for listening to music and watching videos.
Features
| Display | LCD (color) |
| Diagonal | 4,3″ |
| Display resolution | 480 × 272 |
| Automatic screen rotation | Yes |
| Built-in memory | 4 GB |
| Amount of RAM | 128 MB |
| Design features | built-in backlight, touch screen |
Advantages and disadvantages
5. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2018 8Gb
This model is the fourth iteration of the Paperwhite line. It’s great that some significant improvements have been made to the device. IPX8 water resistance, double the storage capacity and integration with Audible audiobooks are just a few. And while the Kindle Paperwhite is just a mid-range Amazon device, it offers a lot more than the standard Kindle, which doesn’t even have a backlight.
Features
| Display | E-Ink Carta, touch, backlit, 6 inches (1440 × 1080), 300 ppi |
| Built-in Memory | 8 GB |
| dimensions | 116h167h8 mm |
| The weight | 182 g |
| Other | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Supported Formats | Text – TXT, DOC, PDF, Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), unprotected MOBI, PRC natively, Audible audio format (AAX). Graphic – JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG. Others – HTML |
Advantages and disadvantages
Leaders of the Past
1. Amazon Kindle Oasis 32 Gb
An e-reader with a large 7-inch display, small bezels and a slim design. The built-in memory is enough to download a large number of books, which allows you to use the gadget in the absence of the Internet.
In addition to Wi-Fi, the e-book has Bluetooth support, which can also be used to transfer books. The backlight provides comfortable reading in low visibility, there is protection against moisture. Touch control and buttons.
Features
| Display | E-Ink |
| Diagonal | 7″ |
| Display resolution | 1680 × 1264 |
| Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Yes |
| Built-in memory | 32 GB |
| Design features | built-in backlight, moisture protection, touch screen, paging buttons |
Advantages and disadvantages
2. Explay HD. Book
Budget miniature e-reader with a display diagonal of 5 inches. The gadget is convenient to take with you, it does not take up much space, has a small weight. A large number of buttons on the case allows you to use all the functions. There is a built-in backlight for reading in low light. Holds a charge for about 7 days, suitable not only for reading books, but also for watching videos and photos.
Supports all the most popular formats: HTML, FB2, PDF, TXT, EPub, RTF, PalmDOC, JPEG, AAC, BMP, MP3, GIF. There is a built-in voice recorder, the amount of built-in memory of 2 or 4 GB is enough for a large number of books. If necessary, you can buy a memory card.
Features
| Display | LCD (color) |
| Number of display colors | 262000 |
| Diagonal | 5″ |
| Memory card support | SDHC, SD |
| Battery capacity | 1800 mAh |
| Book and document formats | HTML, FB2, PDF, TXT, EPub, RTF, PalmDOC |
| Design features | built-in backlight |
Advantages and disadvantages
3. ONYX BOOX Darwin 7
This model received the most modern E Ink Carta Plus display, and this is the most important thing for the reader. Another important factor is the open Android operating system, which allows you to replace the standard reading application. The audio jack on the ONYX BOOX Darwin 7 is present, unlike its younger models, which allows you to listen to audio books or music on the reader. It also comes with a stylish cover.
Features
| Display | E-Ink Carta, backlit, touchscreen, 6 inches (1448 × 1072), 300 ppi |
| Built-in Memory | 8 GB |
| Operating system | Android |
| dimensions | 117h170h9 mm |
| The weight | 182 g |
| Battery | 3000 mAh |
| Memory card | microSD, microSDHC |
| Supported Formats | Text – TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF, FB3, MOBI, CBR, CBZ, PDB, DOCX, PRC. Graphic – JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG. Sound – MP3. Others – HTML, CHM, ZIP |
| Other | Wi-Fi |
Advantages and disadvantages
4. Barnes & Noble NOOK GlowLight Plus
IP67 aluminum housing, anti-glare screen, display backlight, one month battery life is a practical reading tool from a North American book seller and publisher company, whose history began 148 years ago. The long-known Android KitKat as an operating system significantly expands the capabilities of this reader.
Features
| Display | E-Ink Carta, touch, backlit, 6 inches (1448 × 1072), 300 ppi |
| Built-in Memory | 2,6 GB |
| dimensions | 119x163x9 mm |
| The weight | 195 g |
| Supported Formats | Text – PDF, EPUB |
| Other | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Advantages and disadvantages
5. Kobo Form
The premium device has an 8-inch E-Ink Carta display. It also has Comfort Light Pro technology that automatically adjusts lighting based on the time of day. Other interesting details include IPX8 waterproofing, access to an online library of free books via OverDrive, and a battery that can last up to weeks on a single charge.
Features
| Display | E-Ink Carta, backlit, 8 inches (1920×1440), 300 pp |
| Built-in Memory | 8 GB |
| dimensions | 160h178h8 mm |
| The weight | 197 g |
| Supported Formats | Text – TXT, PDF, ePub, RTF, MOBI, CBZ, CBR. Graphic – JPEG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, PNG. Others – HTML |
| Other | Wi-Fi |
Advantages and disadvantages
6. DIGMA R63W 4 GB
Inexpensive reader with the current generation of the E-Ink Carta matrix and backlight. The pluses include support for a wide range of text formats, fast startup, long battery life (three to four weeks of active use), as well as a convenient location of buttons on the panel.
Features
| Display | E-Ink Carta, 6 inches (800×600), 167 ppi |
| Built-in Memory | 4 GB |
| dimensions | 116x163x8.4 mm |
| The weight | 160 g |
| Battery | 1500 mAh |
| Memory card | microSD, microSDHC |
| Supported Formats | Text – TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF. Graphic – JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG. Others – HTML, CHM, ZIP |
Advantages and disadvantages
How to choose an e-book
A spontaneous decision is not the best companion for choosing anything, but electronics in particular. The manager of the Gadgets and Innovations product category in the M.Video-Eldorado group, Pavel Zemskov, told what parameters of e-books should be paid attention to in the first place.
The main and secondary
When choosing an e-book, it is important to pay attention to the screen size (models from 6 inches are most in demand) and the presence of a sensor on it, battery capacity, the presence of a backlight and a Wi-Fi module. Buyers choose the reader according to their use cases, for example, protection from short-term immersion in water, splashes, dust may be important for someone, someone will choose an LCD screen for use as a multimedia center, someone needs a screen with E technology -Ink is for comfortable reading only. The key criteria traditionally remain screen size and cost. The segment is actively developing: manufacturers make devices thinner, more functional, faster, the range of color readers is also expanding, the quality of E-ink screens in color is improving.
What determines the life of the reader?
The service life of the reader, in addition to the quality of production, for the most part depends on the accuracy of the user. It is important not to drop the device, protect the screen with a cover, and when recharging, make sure that the technical parameters of the voltage and current correspond to the necessary ones.
Image inaccuracies
Manufacturers are constantly striving for a constant reduction in production costs, but there are technological nuances. For example, when turning over, we are faced with the preservation of traces of the previous page. This is not a marriage and the traces “leave” when the screen is fully updated. In general, today’s technologies allow you to read the reader like a regular book, without the additional strain on your eyes that a smartphone or monitor screen gives.
Manufacturer support
At the moment, books from all manufacturers are “friendly” with a computer, but you should pay attention to what file formats a particular device can open. Modern e-books support more than ten book formats, as well as several graphic formats. Users can do without additional support, but it is important to understand that any update brings optimization and software improvements. On new devices, this can be a bug fix, on old devices, connecting additional elements. In any case, this is done for the convenience of the user.
Popular questions and answers
The expert answered the popular questions of readers, author and owner of the TG-channel “Book Fox” Dinara Ismailova.
What are the advantages of an e-reader over a tablet?
Without going into details, the tablet screen consists of several layers that are highlighted from below and form the final picture. The picture is brighter, sharper, more contrast, it can adapt to the lighting, but one way or another it is a light source that is directed into our eyes. And even though we have already adapted enough to this kind of gadgets, after a long time reading from such devices, the eyes begin to feel tired.
In e-books, the picture is created differently and strongly resembles reading from paper: the “reader” screen is not transparent, and many capsules with balls of different colors line up in the right order and turn into text. This reduces eye strain and makes reading more comfortable and enjoyable, the expert explained.
Backlighting in e-readers works in a similar way: LEDs are located at the edges of the book, which is much nicer than direct light from tablets.
Additional advantages of an e-reader include its lower cost, long battery life (especially important on long trips), and the fact that the “reader” leaves less temptation to switch from an interesting novel to games or a social network feed.
What types of screens are used in modern e-books and what are their features?
The most common technologies are Perl HD, Carta and Kaleido.
Perl HD – a technology that appeared a long time ago and is currently used mainly by small, little-known brands for the production of budget “readers”.
À la Carte is the most widely used technology. Classic black and white image, high contrast and fast response.
Kaleido – color screens, well suited for comics or specialized literature, where color and pictures are extremely important. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first technology to display color in eBooks, but previous attempts have proven too expensive and impractical. In addition, if you expect images to look like what we see on our phone screens on a daily basis, then this is far from the case. Pictures in e-books are not as bright and look more like watercolors.
Screens have two important properties: durability and touch response. Those who have been using e-books for more than a year probably know that the most fragile place in them is the screen and most often the most expensive. Service centers say that more than 80% of all repairs are for screen replacement, and all because the screen substrate is made of glass and often breaks and beats.
Manufacturers have learned to produce plastic substrates, which greatly increases the reliability of the device, but at the same time makes it more expensive.
As for the touch screen – what we are so used to on tablets and smartphones, I would recommend abandoning them in favor of the usual buttons on the body. For the ability to scroll through the pages by clicking on the screen, you have to pay the worst contrast and clarity of the picture.
What are the main formats supported by modern e-books?
Not all e-books, and especially American ones, support this format, and the interactivity and ability to work with pictures in it is much worse than in the same ePub.
Of course, you can try to reflash the device or convert the original format of the books, but it’s worth considering whether you want to take the time to do this at a time when you could enjoy reading. If you already have a large library of books in FB2, then you should pay attention to the “readers” that work with this format. Fortunately, there are not so few of them on the market now.
In addition to the main two formats, there are specific ones, such as MOBI – a special format developed for Kindle or well-known PDF и TXT – the first is used mainly for scanned pages and abstracts, the second – for plain text without formatting.
What additional features are useful for e-books?
Backlight brightness and temperature adjustment
Modern e-books have long been equipped with backlighting, but only recently it began to appear in the choice of not only brightness but color. Depending on the mood, comfort and environment, you can choose the color scheme as you wish.
Voice acting and audiobooks
You can connect headphones or a speaker to many e-readers, and some of them even have their own speaker. In the latter, you can often find the function of voice acting of the text. Yes, of course, for listening to fiction, this option is far from optimal, but the built-in speaker copes quite well with short remarks in comics.
Remote Library Management
If your gadget has Internet access, then downloading books can be done through a special cloud. A couple of mouse clicks on the computer and the book for the next couple of weeks is already in your “reader”.
Games and Internet access
Not the most important option. Graphics and efficiency in e-books are noticeably inferior to any, even the simplest gadget. Therefore, if you so wanted to play or read the latest news, you can always go online through your smartphone. But there are times when this feature comes in handy.