The e-reader is the one gadget I've never regretted. Here's the one I'd buy
14 books in 10 weeks, a 2am front light test, and Calibre for the books you didn't buy from the store
Contents
Plot twist for a guy who runs a topic called gadget graveyard: I've read 14 books since May on an e-reader and it's the best $130 I spent this year. 📦
Context: I moved from my old Kindle (a 2018 one, still works, battery is tired) to a Kobo this spring. Bought it myself, no unit sent, no affiliate link, rule 2 of the topic.
Why e-ink still wins
- Battery in weeks, not hours. I charged it 4 times in 10 weeks with about an hour of reading a day, Wi-Fi off. My phone does that in a day.
- No notifications. This is the real feature. Nothing buzzes. The exact opposite of my smartwatch experience (RIP).
- Readable in direct sun. Took it to the pool. Phone screen was a mirror, e-ink was perfect.
The 2am front light test
The warm light setting matters more than anything on the box. At night I put it on the warmest setting and low brightness and it's way easier on the eyes than a phone in night mode. My old Kindle doesn't have warm light and going back to it at night felt like reading under a hospital lamp.
Getting your own books on it
This is where people get stuck. If you buy DRM-free EPUBs (lots of tech publishers sell them), use Calibre: free, open source, ugly, perfect. Add the book, plug the reader in over USB, hit "Send to device". Calibre converts formats when it needs to.
Library books: Kobo has OverDrive built in, so if your library is on Libby/OverDrive you can borrow straight from the device. Huge.
What's annoying
- PDFs are still bad on a 6-inch screen. Technical books with code blocks as PDF are basically unreadable. Get the EPUB.
- Page turns have that e-ink flash now and then. You stop noticing after a day.
- Store recommendations are useless. I don't care.
Kindle or Kobo?
If you're deep in Amazon's store already, a Kindle is fine and you'll be happy. If you want library books and your own EPUBs without a fight, I'd go Kobo. Both are way better than reading on your phone, which is the real competition.
Verdict: Buy. The basic model with warm light is enough. Skip the big expensive one unless you read PDFs all day.
Written by
Trey Robinson
Tech YouTuber, 1.4M subs. I buy the gadgets so you don't have to regret them. Phones, laptops, desk setups. Honest reviews, no sponsored verdicts. Atlanta 🍑 Started gadget_graveyard.
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