Barnes and Noble released their first dedicated e-reader in over two years, the Nook Glowlight 3. This new model replaces the NooK Glowlight Plus, which many people have purchased. Should you upgrade to the latest and greatest? The purpose of this comparison video is to answer this very question.
The Barnes and Noble Nook Glowlight Plus features a six inch e-Ink Carta display with a resolution of 1430 x 1080 and 300 PPI. This is the first device that the bookseller has ever issued that as a capacitive touch screen, all of their other models employed Neonode Infrared technology. This is beneficial for users because the screen is flush with the bezel, similar to how your smartphone or tablet functions. Underneath the hood is a 1GHZ processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage space.
One of the most hyped up features about the Nook Glowlight Plus is that it is completely waterproof. It is IP67 certified, which means you could leave it submerged in freshwater for up to 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 1 meter. One of the big drawbacks about this device was the inability to use it if it was submerged in water or had lots of water droplets on the screen.
The new Nook Glowlight 3 has the same screen and resolution as the Nook Glowlight Plus, except it utilizes a sunken screen using IR. Many people think this is a step down from a capacitive display, but IR screens tend to provide better text clarity. This model also has more internal storage, it has 8GB instead of 4 and there is 1GB available for sideloaded content.
There are a few reasons why you should pay the $119 and upgrade to the new Nook. It has a better front-lit display, it has 7 white LED lights and 6 orange ones. This results in a better nighttime reading experience and the ability to turn mute the bright white light and have softer tones. It also has physical page turn buttons, which are useful for people who like to hold their e-reader with one hand. If you hold down the page turn forward button you rapidly turn the pages at an accelerated rate and if you double tap you can skip to the next chapter. B&N has disabled full screen page refreshes when you are reading a book.
Some people think the bezel on the new Nook Glowlight 3 is too large. I actually found it easier to hold for a long period of time. There is more grip along the entire circumference and you will not inadvertently press down on the touchscreen. The corners are rounded, which prevents it from digging into your hands.
Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past ten years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and Verge.