Devices
How to Choose an E-Reader
A dedicated e-reader is the single best upgrade most readers can make. Here's how to pick one without overthinking it.
Why an e-reader beats your phone
A phone can show you a book, but it also shows you everything else — notifications, email, the entire internet — which is exactly why so few people finish books on one. A dedicated e-reader does one thing, and the screen is the whole point.
E-ink displays reflect light like paper rather than shining it at you. There's no backlight glare in the usual sense, no flicker, and battery life is measured in weeks rather than hours. For long reading sessions it's far easier on the eyes than any tablet.
The specs that actually matter
Front light with adjustable warmth is the feature you'll appreciate every night — it lets you shift the screen from cool white to a candle-like amber so reading before bed doesn't keep you up. Almost every current model has it; make sure yours does.
Waterproofing (look for an IPX8 rating) matters if you read in the bath or by a pool. Storage rarely matters for text — even a small e-reader holds thousands of books — but it counts if you listen to audiobooks on the device or read image-heavy comics. Page-turn buttons are a personal preference worth trying; some people never go back to tapping the screen.
Screen size and reading style
Six-inch screens are pocketable and light enough to hold one-handed for hours — ideal for novels. Seven- to eight-inch screens are more comfortable for PDFs, textbooks and anything with fixed layouts. Ten-inch note-taking models double as e-paper notebooks, which is lovely but heavier and pricier.
If you mostly read fiction, smaller and lighter wins. If you read a lot of non-fiction with diagrams, or you want to annotate, size up.
Ecosystem: where your books live
The biggest practical decision is which store you buy from. Amazon's Kindle line is locked to the Kindle store but is effortless to use and has the widest catalogue. Kobo is more open, supports library borrowing through OverDrive directly on the device in many regions, and handles standard EPUB files well. Android-based e-ink readers (such as Boox) can run multiple reading apps at once, trading simplicity for flexibility.
There's no wrong answer — pick the ecosystem that matches how you already get books.
What to look for
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Common questions
Is an e-reader better than a tablet for reading?
For reading text, yes — an e-ink screen is glare-free, doesn't emit the bright backlight that disrupts sleep, and the battery lasts weeks. A tablet is more versatile overall, but the versatility is exactly what tends to interrupt reading.
Can I read library books on an e-reader?
Often, yes. Many Kobo models connect to your local library's OverDrive/Libby catalogue directly. Kindles support library borrowing through Libby in some regions by sending titles to the device. Check what your library supports before you buy.
Do I need lots of storage?
Not for novels — even modest storage holds thousands of text books. You only need more space if you keep a large audiobook library on the device or read a lot of comics and illustrated books.