The 8 Best E-Readers To Buy This Spring In 2025

Hundreds of e-readers have come out this year or late last year. It can be daunting to figure out the best ones for your needs. Most people want to buy something with a bookstore right on the device, where it is easy to purchase audiobooks, e-books, manga, magazines, or newspapers.

Modern e-book readers have e-paper displays, which make reading easy on the eyes. The light does not shine into your eyes like a smartphone or tablet because they do not have the same lighting system. Instead, they have front-lit screens, illuminating the screen for even light distribution. Long battery life, measured in three to four weeks, without needing to recharge, is also compelling.

E-paper screens have two different technologies. One is the traditional high-resolution black and white screens, which most e-readers employ. This tech has been around for a long time, but modern Carta 1200 or 1300 supercharges the screen, virtually eliminating ghosting and enhancing page-turn speed. Major companies have now adopted the color E INK; the resolution is not as good as an iPhone or iPad, but it is still good. Users like viewing cover art when shopping for books, and non-fiction titles have many pictures, too.

What e-reader is best to buy this spring? The birds are chirping, and it’s time to get out into the world and read outdoors or curl up at night and read a few chapters before bed.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft

The Amazon Kindle Colorsoft is a new color e-reader explicitly designed for reading e-books. It is the first device from Amazon to feature a color e-paper screen, making it easy to read various types of digital content, including comics, magazines, manga, and webtoons.

The Kindle Colorsoft features a 7-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 color e-paper display with a black and white resolution of 1264×1680 and 300 PPI and a color resolution 150. A Kaleido 3 screen is typically able to display over 4,096 different colors. Amazon says this new device has custom-formulated coatings between the display layers to enhance the color, a light guide with micro-deflectors to minimize stray light, and an ultra-thin coating in the display stack to improve optical performance. They built the display on an oxide backplane for sharper contrast and better image quality.

The Kindle Colorsoft is entirely based on a touchscreen, with no physical buttons. Amazon stated that, in the foreseeable future, they will not have buttons on any Kindle. It has an auto-adjusting front-lit display to automatically change the brightness of the warm and cool lighting based on your environment. The peak brightness is 94 units, with 12 White and 13 Amber LEDs.

This Kindle Colorsoft employs a dual-core 2GHZ Mediatek processor with 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage to house your digital content. Bluetooth 5.1 will allow you to pair wireless headphones or an external speaker to listen to Audible audiobooks purchased from Amazon, but Audible only works in select countries. The Kindle Colorsoft is rated IPX8 and can withstand immersion in up to 2 meters of fresh water for up to 60 minutes and 0.25 meters for 3 minutes in seawater. A USB C port will transfer and charge digital content to your device. It also supports quick charging with an optional dock. It is powered by a 2310 mAh battery, which should be good for about eight weeks of light reading. The Kindle is made from 28% recycled materials. The battery is made from 100% recycled cobalt, and the packaging is made from 100% recycled cardboard.

Kindle Paperwhite

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is the world’s most popular e-reader, and the previous generation model had the most sales and reviews on the Amazon website. The e-commerce giant refreshed the Kindle Paperwhite a week ago, and it is considered their first 12th-generation device. The big selling point is the new E INK screen, the closest you can get to reading a physical book. There is a 25% increase in performance, which primarily applies to page-turn speed and has a larger screen to fit more text. It also comes in new colors, which makes the new lineup distinctive.

The Kindle Paperwhite 12th generation features a 7-inch E INK Carta 1300 e-paper display with a resolution of 1264×1680 with 300 PPI. The new e-paper display uses an oxide thin-film transistor that gives it the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle, so text and images pop on the screen. The device is 25% faster when scrolling through a library or zooming through pages. If you like to read at night, the front-light system has undergone a revision and now has 10 White LEDs and 9 Amber LEDs. If you buy the Signature Edition of this model, it comes with an ambient light sensor that will automatically adjust the brightness of the lights based on your environment. This is similar to the iPhone with its auto brightness. On max brightness, you should get around 24 nits.

The Kindle Paperwhite runs a Mediatek dual-core 1GHZ processor; the previous Paperwhite only had a single-core processor. Peter and I noticed that this is the fastest Kindle that Amazon has ever made. It has 512MB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The Signature Edition has 32GB of storage. For those who like to read in the bathtub, it is rated IPX8 so that it can be submerged in freshwater for up to 60 minutes. If you have it in salt water, washing it underneath fresh water, such as a tap, is essential. It has Bluetooth 5.1 for listening to Audible audiobooks via wireless headphones or earbuds.

The Kindle Paperwhite 12th gen has a revised internet browser this year. It is more responsive and will load modern websites with ease. The old browser sucked, but the new one will read news websites, tech blogs, and RSS feeds. Thanks to the wifi internet, you can buy and read Kindle books and Audible audiobooks on the device. It officially supports 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz networks with support for WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA3, and OWE security using password authentication or Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS).

A USB-C port is available for charging; it is powered by a 1,900 mAh battery, suitable for up to 12 weeks of usage. The battery life heavily depends on how much you read daily, if the light is on, if WIFI is connected, etc. The previous Kindle Paperwhite had a smaller 1700 mAh battery and was only good for 10 weeks. The dimensions are 5” x 7” x 0.3” (127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8 mm) and weighs 7.4 oz (211g)

The device and packaging are environmentally friendly. The Kindle is made from 29% recycled materials. The internal structural frame is made from 90% recycled magnesium. All new 100% recyclable packaging

Kobo Libra Colour

The Libra Color is Kobo’s first e-reader and e-note with Kaleido 3 color E INK technology. You can buy ebooks, manga, and comics, read them in vibrant colors, and use them as a digital notebook. Bring magic to your margins by annotating your pages, organizing your thoughts, and highlighting inspiring lines, all in color. With Kobo Stylus 2 compatibility, you can dive deeper into your favorite stories by marking meaningful moments and highlighting powerful passages in the eBooks you love. It also has physical page-turn buttons for quick reading.

The Kobo Libra Colour features a 7-inch E INK Kaleido 3 color e-paper display with a black and white resolution of 1264×1680 with 300 PPI. The color panel’s resolution is 150 PPI. There are two colors of the Libra to purchase: black and white. There are manual page-turn buttons, which help use the device one-handed to turn pages rapidly; you can also elect to use the capacitive touchscreen display to do it, pinch, and zoom. Read during the day or night, thanks to the ComfortLight PRO adjustable brightness and color temperature for blue light reduction.

Underneath the hood is a MediaTek MT8113T – dual-core ARM A53 @ 2.0 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. Although the Libra Colour can’t swim, it is certified IPX8 for up to 60 minutes in 2 meters of water. There is a USB-C port for charging and transferring data and wifi to connect to the internet. You can use the Kobo browser to visit your favorite websites or Overdrive to borrow color content from your local library. Bluetooth 5.0 can be used to listen to audiobooks purchased from Kobo. It is powered by a 2050 mAh battery, and the dimensions are 144.6 x 161 x 8.3 mm and weighs 199.5 g.

Pocketbook Verse Pro Color

The Pocketbook Verse Pro Color is a new e-reader that has only been available to purchase for the past few weeks. The industrial design and software experience are identical to the Pocketbook Verse Pro black and white model, except the Verse Pro Color has an E INK Kaleido 3 e-paper display. This is perfect for viewing ebook cover art, PDF files, comics, and magazines. The big selling points are the physical page-turn buttons, IPX8 water protection, audiobook support with Bluetooth, Text-to­-Speech function, adaptive SMARTlight feature, and Quad-Core processor.

The Verse Pro Colour features a 6-inch E INK Kaleido 3 color e-paper display with a black-and-white resolution of 1448×1072 and 300 PPI and a color resolution of 536×724 and 150 PPI. Verse Pro Color delivers stunning clarity and detail. Reproducing 4096 colors and shades, PocketBook Verse Pro Color provides an eye-safe, glare-free, and comfortable e-reading experience, as its optical characteristics are as close to ordinary printed pages as possible.

The e-reader’s Color scheme is piano black on the front and back platting, and there is a strip of gunmetal grey alongside the side of the bezel; Pocketbook has named this color Stormy. The front of the e-reader has a slight dip and a recessed screen with no glass; this is great since the screen won’t reflect light from overhead lighting or when reading outdoors in the sun.

SMARTlight enhances the reading experience by offering a customizable front light. Users can tailor their lighting preferences from a calm, bluish tone for daylight reading to a warm, soothing yellow hue for bedtime stories. With manual mode, users can adjust brightness and choose between warm or cool tones, saving personalized settings for effortless switching. In automatic mode, SMARTlight intelligently adapts brightness and color temperature based on the time of day, ensuring optimal reading conditions.

Underneath the hood is a quad-core 1.8 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. There is a g-sensor for automatic screen rotation and Bluetooth 5.4 to pair wireless headphones and earbuds to listen to audiobooks sideloaded to the e-reader or purchased from the Pocketbook Bookstore. Dual-band WIFi will allow users to connect to the internet and use the browser to surf the web or connect to said bookstore. Certified to withstand immersion in fresh water up to 2 meters deep for 60 minutes, PocketBook Verse Color Pro lets users dive into their favorite book, whether taking a bath or lounging by the pool. Designed for an active lifestyle, Verse Color Pro combines compactness and functionality with robust water resistance, allowing users to read without worrying about water exposure. With IPX8 protection, users can feel confident reading in any environment, whether caught in the rain or enjoying a relaxing soak with their favorite book. It is powered by a 2100 mAh battery with dimensions of 108 × 156 × 7,6 mm and weighs 182g.

Onyx Boox Palma 2

This dedicated book reader has the form factor of a smartphone, so it easily fits in your pocket. It comes in two different colors: black and white. This device’s big selling points are the small screen, Google Android 13 OS, and Google Play.

Onyx Boox Palma 2 features a 6.13″ HD Carta 1200 glass screen with a flat cover lens. The resolution is 824×1648, ensuring all your books have razor-sharp fonts. It has a flush screen, a sleek bezel design, and excellent warm lighting. A light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness depending on your environment. There is also a G-Sensor for automatic screen rotation, which is fantastic for reading in portrait or landscape mode.

Underneath the hood is an Octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage. If there is insufficient space to store your books, apps, and audiobooks, an SD card can store an additional 1TB. You can listen to or stream your favorite audiobooks, music, or podcasts with dual speakers or pair your wireless headphones or speakers via Bluetooth 5.1. Dual microphones ensure you can speak to your friends using voice communication apps. If you like to take pictures, there is a 16MP Rear Camera with LED Flash. This device also has WIFI and a USB-C port for transferring data or charging. A respectable 3,950mAh Li-ion Polymer battery powers it. The dimensions are 159 x 80 x 8.0 mm (6.3″ x 3.1″ x 0.31″) and weighs 170 g (6 oz).

Bigme B7

The B7 will come with a 7-inch color e-paper display while on the other side of it lies a 2.4GHz octa-core processor. The tablet comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of storage. It also offers an HD rear camera on the rear together with an LED flash. A wireless charging stylus accompanies the tablet, which can be used for jotting down notes, drawing, or scribbling, as needed. Also, a nice thing about the B7 is that it runs the latest Android 15 OS and has full access to Google Play.

Yet another aspect that makes the new Bigme B7 unique is its support for 4G LTE data and calling services. This comes with a built-in SIM card slot where you can insert the SIM card of your preferred cellular service provider. Once done, the B7 can be an always-connected device similar to a smartphone, and calls can be made using a suitable Bluetooth headset.

It has a stylus designed for reading books, running apps, freehand drawing, taking notes, and viewing/editing PDF files.

You can only buy the B7 from the Bigme online store, the official VIP one.

Meebook M8

The Meebook M8 is a brand-new e-book reader and is the spiritual successor of the Meebook P78 Pro. This device is primarily marketed as a manga reader and does some light note-taking. The major selling point is the fast processor, 64GB memory, plus external. There are gesture controls to change the brightness of the light, and it has full access to the Google Play Store and all Google Play Services. It also has Google Android 14. I would not recommend this as a note-taker, only an e-reader.

The Meebook M8 features a 7.8-inch E INK Carta HD e-paper display with a resolution of 1404×1872 with 300 PPI and 256 levels of grayscale. The device’s body is white on the front, back, and along the sides, making it stand out in a crowd. It has a front-light system with 24 levels of white and amber LED lights to read in the dark. It also has a digitizer layer, but it is not WACOM; this is used to take notes, edit PDF files, highlight text, and freehand draw, but Meebook is not hyping up these features. It ships with a simple capacitive pen with no eraser and needs to be charged via USB-C.

Underneath the hood is a Octa core 2.2GHZ processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64 GB of internal storage. If this storage is unsuitable for your apps, books, manga, and other digital content, an SD card can have an additional 1TB. There are two microphones for voice communication apps, Teams and Zoom. Two speakers are available to listen to audiobooks, music, or podcasts, but it also has Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless headphones and earbuds. A USB-C port is used for charging or transferring data and is powered by a 3200 mAh battery. WIFI 6 is available to access the internet. The dimensions are 193x140x7.0mm and weighs 265g.

Kobo Clara BW

The Kobo Clara BW is the only black-and-white e-paper e-reader from Rakuten Kobo for this generation. What are the major selling points? This will be the first Kobo with a new e-paper panel, Carta 1300. It will also be repairable, so users can purchase kits to fix the circuit board, screen, battery, and all the adhesives.

The Rakuten Kobo Clara BW features a 6-inch E INK Carta 1300 e-paper panel 35% more responsive than the previous generation Kobo Clara 2e. The resolution is 1448 x 1072 resolution with Dark Mode and 300 PPI. The screen is recessed and does not have glass. Text will pop due to the exposed e-paper screen being closer to your eyes. The e-reader only comes in one color: black. The ComfortLight PRO adjustable brightness system will give you both white and amber LED lights to read during the night.

Underneath the hood is a MediaTek processor MT8113L – ARM A53 @1GHz, 512MB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. In the past, Kobo relied on storage on SD cards; this e-reader uses EMC storage soldered onto the circuit board. You can buy audiobooks and ebooks from Kobo. Listen to them via Bluetooth 5.0 and pair earbuds, headphones, or an external speaker. You can also use the internet browser to visit websites. Pocket integration can save articles to your Kobo; it is also compatible with thousands of libraries to browse, borrow, and read via Overdrive. Connect all these services WiFi 802.11 ac/b/g/n (i.e., dual-band, 2.4 and 5 GHz).