The Rakuten-owned brand Kobo follows closely behind Amazon Kindle as the second most popular name in the e-reader space. Kobo offers a wide range of E Ink devices in varying screen sizes that cater to all price tiers. In June 2021, we saw the launch of the 10.3-inch Kobo Elipsa that offers plenty of screen real estate. It is the most premium device offered by the brand with standout features to match the price bracket.
You might be wondering about the existence of the Kobo Elipsa and whether it deserves your attention. After all, Kobo has released 16 different e-paper devices to date and you can still find plenty of them at most retailers. What sets the Elipsa apart is its target market. It is very clear that the oversized E Ink tablet is geared towards professionals and aims to be more than just an e-reader.
As it is Kobo’s first go at creating a professional e-note from the ground up, the result isn’t entirely perfect. However, there are also plenty of benefits considering the brand’s experience and stellar reputation. Here are the top 5 reasons to buy a Kobo Elipsa.
1. 10.3 inch Screen
For working professionals such as journalists, architects, artists, or educators, the Kobo Elipsa is just the right size. It has a 10.3 inch E Ink Carta 1200 screen that replicates the form factor of a traditional notepad or notebook. This allows users to write and draw very comfortably. Naturally, this improves their performance while sketching or taking notes. The large display also makes for a much better reading experience.
There aren’t that many supersized e-notes and e-readers available in the market, especially in the west. Even if you look at options from notable companies like Onyx Boox, the competition is generally more expensive. Boyue offers a more affordable solution in the Likebook P10 but its display is 0.3 inches smaller than the Kobo Elipsa.
2. Software Experience
As mentioned before, Kobo is a big player in the world of e-readers. Couple this factor with well over a decade of experience and you will understand its leading position. Kobo has had a long time to develop and improve the software aspect of its products. This has helped the company to earn a competitive edge and earn the trust of its users.
Kobo Elipsa offers the complete Kobo experience, bringing a host of features to your fingertips. The note-taking software is fantastic and unique. You get access to the Kobo ebook store, a wide range of supported file formats, plenty of fonts and customization, rapid page-turning, and more. We especially love the rapid page-turning option as it is executed so well and causes no ghosting issues.
3. USB-C Port
With the push to standardize all electronic devices going global, it’s surprising to see that plenty of e-readers and e-paper digital notes still have a Micro USB port. Even some of Kobo’s own ereaders have not adapted the USB-C standard yet. Not only does this add the hassle of carrying a separate charging cable as your phone, but it also offers much slower charging speeds.
Happily, the Kobo Elipsa bears a more modern USB Type-C charging port. This shortens the time it takes to juice it back up to max power significantly. It also eliminates the need to take an extra cable along with you wherever you go.
4. Kobo Stylus
It goes without saying that any e-note device is incomplete with an accompanying stylus. While most companies charge for one separately, the Kobo Elipsa comes with one in tow. The Elipsa’s capacitative stylus is powered by a regular AAA battery that you can easily replace. The Kobo Stylus has a sleek aluminum body and two physical buttons on it.
You can use the stylus to edit PDF files, highlight ebooks, take down notes, and so much more. It is the only stylus that can work with the Elipsa. You can also control shades and lines using the buttons. They enable you to erase something and the best part is when you do that it triggers a screen refresh. This helps to reduce ghosting and simulate a more natural eraser look and feel.
5. Continued Support
Kobo has always been a dedicated company and provides long-term support for its products. Users get to enjoy software updates, bug fixes, and new firmware upgrades for many years. Even if there is room for improvement, it is almost certain that Kobo will eventually release fixes for the software issues in Elipsa.
This is a very reassuring factor and secures your investment in the Kobo Elipsa. Part of the buying process is having confidence in the product and knowing that you will get your money’s worth of usage out of it. With Kobo, there is no doubt about that, cementing it as a firm reason to buy the Elipsa.
Namerah is a Technology Journalist with experience at leading online publications like Android Central. She has a passion for all things tech and gaming, and has been an honorary Goodreads librarian since 2011. When she isn't writing, she can be found chasing stray cats and dogs in the streets of Dhaka or slaying dragons in the land of Skyrim. Email her at namerah@goodereader.com
