The Kindle is one of the best e-readers out there. It has held on to that position for more than a decade now, which should provide you with an idea of how good the device is as an e-reader. Even if competitors have managed to launch e-readers that are well built and affordable, most are often not able to match up to the sheer scale of the Amazon ecosystem that the Kindle device benefits from. That said, it is exactly this, that of being tied to the Amazon ecosystem that might not be to the liking of many. Mentioned here are a few e-readers that can be considered a worthy alternative to the Kindle.
Kobo Libra 2
The Kobo Libra 2 is one of the best in the business all things considered. In fact, to view it as a Kindle alternative can undermine its greatness as things can well be the other way round as well. It has got a brilliant 300 PPI 7-inch E Ink Carta 1200 display that offers great contrast and front-light support. There is 32 GB of onboard storage, which should be more than enough to host e-books and audiobooks that can last even an extended vacation as well. The same applies to the battery life as that too can last several weeks on a single charge.
Another inherent positive with the Kobo Libra 2, or for that matter, all Kobo devices is the OverDrive support they come with. That way, you can save quite a few bucks by borrowing content from the local library instead of buying those. Then there is Pocket support too that will let you read saved web articles. Bluetooth connectivity, a first on a Kobo device, means you can listen to audiobooks when you want. Among the other positives with the Libra 2 include a watertight build along with support for almost all known e-book file formats.
Barnes & Noble NOOK GlowLight 4E
This can be a great entry-level e-reader. It comes with a 6-inch E INK Carta HD display with 1024 × 758 and 212 PPI resolution. Further, it not being a glass-based display ensures there is the least reflection of external light, all of which makes it extremely soft and pleasing to the eyes. The series of backlights illuminate the display uniformly and ensure ease in reading in varied lighting conditions. The e-reader runs Android 8.1 OS though the overlying UI is so designed to never let you have a feel of there being Android running underneath. On the whole, the NOOK GlowLight 4E comes across as a solid e-reader device with an affordable price tag.
Onyx Boox Nova Air C
The Onyx Boox Nova Air C is unique for more reasons than one. First off, it runs Android and comes with Google Play Store support. That way, you won’t be tied to a single source for your e-book as there are going to be plenty of ways to get content from. Its color too, thanks to the Carta Mobius display – 7.8-inch 300 PPI screen – that it comes with. That is not all as the Nova Air C also comes with stylus support, which means you can also take notes when you want. All of this makes the Nova Air C as sort of a cross between a tablet and an e-reader though it is more of the latter than the former. So, if you wish to use the device as an e-reader, it can be well worth it.
Meebook P6 E-Reader
There is a lot going for the Meebook P6 e-reader. That includes the excellent 6-inch 300 PPI HD E Ink display that is so pleasing to the eyes. Also, the P6 E-Reader is another one to run Android or Android 8.1 to be specific which means you always have the option to install third-party e-book apps if you want. The e-reader offers 16 GB of native storage which again is expandable to up to 128 GB by way of microSD cards. It features a Type C port and supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Then there is 24-level backlight support too for ease in reading in almost any ambient lighting conditions.
Pocketbook Touch HD 3
The PocketBook Touch HD 3 comes with a 6-inch 1072 x 1448, 300 DPI E Ink display with SMARTlight feature that allows users several advanced options to customize the screen brightness and color temperature. The e-reader supports 19 e-book and 4 graphic file formats which should suffice all of your reading requirements. Plus, there is Bluetooth support as well that will allow for listening to audiobooks as well of which it supports 6 popular formats.
Among the other salient features of the Pocketbook Touch HD 3 e-reader include 16 GB of native storage, around a month of battery life, and an IPx7 waterproof rating thanks to the HZO Protection tech that it comes with.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
