There used to be a time not too long ago, where Sony would release three different e-Reader models a year. The Japanese company has shifted their priorities to tablets and now only does one e-ink release a year. Last week Sony released their 3rd generation T3 reader and we compare it against last years model. How exactly do the two stack up against each other in a side by side comparison?
Both of these devices are very much the same, in terms of hardware. The CPU speed is 1 GHZ, while RAM sits at 512 MB. You have 1.2 GB of internal memory available and can easily expand it up to 32 GB via the Micro SD. The main difference is the resolution, with 1024×758 on the T3 vs the 800×600 on the T2. They also give you around two months of battery life and have the exact same firmware, so you will have a similar experience on the newer model.
The main difference between the two units is the built in case on the Sony PRS-T3. Sony has taken the gambit of a mandatory carrying case that comes for free with the e-Reader. If you remove it, the back is very jagged and if you get it wet, you could destroy it. If you want to read in the dark, you have to buy a carrying case with a light, that costs around $60.00.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.