TOUGH CHOICE! Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo Libra 2?
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 9. 07. 2024
- Today, we put the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2021 against the Kobo Libra 2 to see which one is best!
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Kindle Paperwhite: geni.us/qI9q
Kobo Libra 2: geni.us/nZ8u67w
0:00 Video Starts
1:10 Buying Options
2:55 Unboxing Experience
3:50 Back of Device
4:42 Power Button
5:20 USB-C & Battery
6:29 Display
8:08 Build & Design
9:30 Speed & Performance
10:29 Other Notable Features
10:53 My Thoughts
Disclosure: Some links in the description may be affiliate links, which earn me a commission for qualifying purchases. I'm also a participant in the Amazon Associates program. To learn more, you can read my affiliate transparency disclaimer here: go.maneetpaul.com/affiliate-d...
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Hey all! I made a mistake in the video, the Libra 2 comes in black OR white. Not just black!
I got mine in white đđđœ
My wife has this kindle (6.8") and I have the Kobo pound 2 (7"). I recommend the Kobo libra 2, for the main reason that the screen has more CONTRAST, that is, the letters make greater contrast with the background of the screen, which helps a lot to rest when reading. In addition, the Kobo has many more reading options: 1. The margins of the pages can be reduced to zero, on the Kindle there are always margins and sometimes they are very large. 2. There are many sizes of line spacing, Kindle only offers three. 3. There are many more font sizes and many more bold options. All these options make reading more comfortable, which ultimately is what is important. Ahh well and it supports the EPUB format. The Kindle only beats the Kobo in that it's smoother (faster clicking) which isn't relevant to reading.
These are all very great points. Thanks so much for sharing Ivan!
Kindle has crop and contrast options for pdfs which do not work as good as they could
Kobo extremely slow clicking is a problem for me though. I ended up getting the Paperwhite. Wish the Kobo is snappier to same level as PW then definitely I will buy it!
Anything that influences your reading experience IS worth factoring in, button page turners included. It may not matter to you, but it ABSOLUTELY does to a lot.
Really leaning towards Libra now. Crisper display, more ergonomic, lighting shortcut, direct library downloads; all other books I can sideload so the ecosystem isn't a concern. Also, I don't think I've ever run the battery out on my current Kindle (down to 20% once) because after I've read 5-8 books, I plug it back into my computer to load more books so the battery recharges while I decide what books I'm in the mood to transfer and read.
Thank you for all your ereader videos (I've been binging on yours). They've made it much easier for me to make a decision.
The Kobo is definitely a great option if you aren't stuck in Amazon's ecosystem (or care about exporting highlights). Reading on the Libra 2 is such a wonderful experience, that crispy screen is something else!
Thank you for watching and commenting, Chris!
@@Maneetpaul I was in the store tonight looking at them. Have decided I will get one, but will wait till there's a Boxing Day sale (or earlier sale).
Prefer the Libra 2, crisp display really makes reading more comfortable to my eyes
same
at 1% brightness do you have much warmth adjustment st the far right? mine goes from very orange to noticeably bluer with one click...
I Live in Brazil. The price is a minimum wage now in Brazil 260.00 dollars
@@agamenonmarques4448 no ebay vc consegue ele por 195 dĂłlares. Estou na dĂșvida se pego ou nĂŁo
After googling up the difference between kindle paper white and Kobo Libra 2, I also ended up buying Libra 2 due to overdrive! I can borrow books from my library without physically heading down and borrow and returning. No regret getting Libra 2 for me. I wanted to buy kindle paper white but I was thinking, i already have the Kindle Basic so might as well try Kobo.
Thank you for the helpful review! Love how honest and concise you are and that you speak from personal experience!
Does anyone know how the footnotes in the kobo work? Do they work well?
Is the highlighting performance on the Libra 2 equivalent to a Clara 2E? Because I was really unimpressed with the highlightong on the Clara 2E, and thought the new Paperwhite had great highlighting responses. I noticed you included highlighting in the Clara 2E video, but not in this one, which is why I ask. Great review!
I got the white Kobo Libra 2 recently and I love it so much. I personally haven't had any button issues, so I'm glad about that. This is my first eReader, so I can't really say how it is compared to other ones, but I definitely recommend it too!
Hi peachie, how's the battery life on the Libra 2? Does the processor ever lag when you turn pages or apply certain functions? Thanks.
@@Allaluca I can't say how long the battery lasts since it hasn't died on me yet. I have used it for maybe around 12 hours?
I haven't experienced any lagging! đ
@@peachiepao942 good to hear, because apparently the battery life isn't too great on the Sage, and since it doesn't lag on the Libra 2, I don't need to go for the faster processor and the writing function on the Sage that I don't really need đ.....I'll be going for a white Libra 2 as well đ thanks peachie đâ€ïž
@@Allaluca Oh, yes! I've heard the Sage battery life is horrible (I was considering getting that one until I discovered that issue!)
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do đ
@@peachiepao942 yes, then they come up with a charging cover for the Sage that's selling for USD84 here in Taiwan đ€Š bad battery life alone is enough for me to choose Libra 2 over the Sage đ
In the UAE the kobo is actually aproximatliy 200 dhs or 54.5 dollars more expensive than the kindle so do you think itâs worth it??
Already own the Kindle Paperwhite (5th edition). It's still running strong, so I bought the Kobo Libra 2. Best of both worlds!
I upgraded from Kindle PW 4 to Libra 2 and boyyyy...... I looove my Libra 2. The library management is AWESOME I don't think I can ever go back to Amazon ever again
That's so interesting to hear!! What about the library management makes it easier for you?
@@Maneetpaul I like that it groups the series automatically. In Kindle, series is put in the title
@@nhusna my kindle has started to group series together.
@@raskarl in my pw, they're grouped together because they're in alphabetical order or manually put in the same collection. Kobo's series and collection features are miles ahead
Howâs the Libra 2 dark mode, in the dark?
Im wondering which device has the better dark mode
Did libra ever give you the option with a software update to export your highlights like the Kindle?
Hi Maneetpaul, curious if you have a video somewhere that compares these two against a regular printed paper side by side. This will help people a lot in visualizing their display difference (and establish a common baseline).
I live in Hyderabad India, want to purchase Kobo Libra 2 how to do that?
Excellent video! Very insightful! Thanks!
Libre 2 offers the better value. If exporting notes is important (for me, it isn't) then the Paperwhite would be the better choice. Enjoyed the review.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and watching!
It's possible to export notes from Kobo devices with Calibre.
The Libra 2 is also available in white, black is not the only option :)
Ah, you're right! I was getting confused with the Sage. Too many devices to keep track of!
â@@Maneetpaul No problem!! Keep up the good work! đȘ
I was considering both, and I ended up ordering the new Paperwhite, because the Kids version went on sale for a much lower price than I expected the Libra 2 to sell for, most of my ebooks are Kindle books anyway, and I prefer the Kindle store to the Kobo store. Other than those considerations, the Libra 2 does seem like it could be better in important respects.
Kobo in Canada (library access through overdrive) is 1000% why I will continue to stick with kobo. Note taking and other functions, even comic reading, I have my iPad. For reading novels and non fiction books, kobo all the way.
OverDrive support on Kobo is hard to beat!
Does the rubber back attract fungus?
Really liking the new Paperwhite so far, though Iâm having to adjust to the bigger size while laying on my back in bed, canât wait for my blue leather case to come this weekend. Speaking of cases, how is yours holding up so far? đ€
Why pay more for fake leather?
It's holding up great! I use the fabric one on my everyday Kindle, but I also purchased the other cases, so I can review them. The Cork one is the most interesting!
Hi!! Does your kindle has like ghost lines on the screen that you could see vaguely??. Im not sure if its normal.. I got mine just a week ago.
The ghosting is normal. If you go to Settings > Reading Options, you can turn on page refresh. This will help reduce the ghosting, but will take up some battery.
You make the best reviews!! Thank you!
Have you considered making a video on the different E reader environments in software competitors
Really thinking of getting one of these devices...i already own a kindle Oasis and a kobo Clara...which would you recommend?
I like the Kindle Paperwhite, but that's mainly because I'm sucked into Amazon's ecosystem, and also really use the Readwise integration, which is not available on Kobo.
@@Maneetpaul I bought a Kobo Libra 2 as well now...lol
I got into a dilemma between libra 2 and paperwhite 11th...
I side with libra 2 due to the impression of a more open ecosystem with sideloading...and due to the many comparisons about the screen which seems to be prettier on libra 2..are my impressions correct?
The screen is definitely sharper. The ecosystem is also more open, but Amazon owns most of the market so it really depends on your personal preference!
@@Maneetpaul I ultimately went for the libra 2 as a birthday present for my lady and after some tweakings I managed to find the source for the endless supply of books (free)...thats awesome...i also found that libra 2 has a browser (sluggish though, but works perfectly)
Does the paperwhite 5 have also access to a browser?
I am considering buying an ereader for myself also...so I'm still in the battle between getting kindle or another kobo libra 2.
I'm also planning to install koreader on the kobo libra 2 as I read it drastically speeds up the overall ereader experience (as I find the libra 2 default software slightly sluggish on the menu side)
@@Connieisland0 hi, could you say which source with endless supply of books for free did you find?
Thx bro!
I have black libra 2, even the white one is more prettier. but I think its more comfortable for reading long time with black libra 2. đ
I had a Paperwhite 10th gen but have it away because I was constantly hitting the power button while reading.
So annoying.
I have the Oasis now but am eying the Kobo Libra 2
How though? Isn't the button at the bottom whereas don't most hold the book on the left hand or right hand side of the E-reader?
I have buy a Libra 2, but the new paperwhite 5 is a nice device also
Amazon has the ads because their goal was to off load some of the price by getting paid by advertisers but at the end of the day they are a huge corporation and could just be lying about it. 20 dollars feels like youâre gonna need a HUGE amount of time spent on the device to be worth 20 dollars to the advertisers
Does it have colors for magazines and photos?
No. Colored ones are considered premium gadgets, and those are the budget ones. Also the colored readers are much slower than the black&white ones
In my country the KOBO Libra 2 goes for around US$282 and the PapwerWhite 6.8" for just US$176. If I buy the KOBO overseas I'd have to pay US$244 (import fees included). That makes it way more expensive than the PW.
FYI: Readwise now works with Kobo eReaders too.
This is huge!! Thanks so much for letting me know! Seems like there are some limitations and conditions, but I canât wait to try this!
I ordered a libra 2 in white?
Dunno
Also the battery on the kindle is way better - what does not sound like that in your review higlighting the better "advertisment" of the battery life for the kobo.
White Libra 2 is gorgeous. Black color is too boring imo. I ordered one and waiting for it to arrive :)
Got the white one as well, it's so pretty đ
I prefer the black because I read a lot in dark mode, the overall look is badass :-)
I got the white one very recently, and it's super pretty đ€
Hi. Thanks for your great explanation. I own Kindle Paperwhite 3. I would like to ask you what's the differences between new Kindle Paperwhite 5 and older Paperwhite 3 regarding the display? Is the font on both of these readers equally sharp, is it the same contrast? Or is it worse with the new model? I want to be sure that I will make I good choice with new Kindle against Kobo Libra 2 with his significant better display. Thank you.
I can tell you that my paperwhite 2 screen is better then 5. Regret to get the 5. Still using 2 now.
â@@user-zz7qe3wf9d Please, could you be specific more?
@@treyclou5396 paperwhite put extra layer over the e-ink screen. a thin layer make huge difference for eyes. Kind of like a condom, very thin, but make huge difference.
@@treyclou5396 my eye just feel weird looking at 5's screen. hard to describe. I would suggest try to actually put it side by side to compare before you buy, if possible. I already sold my 5 to others(due to some reason can not return it to amazon.)
@@user-zz7qe3wf9d Thanks for your help ;).
I ordered the kindle kids version during black friday sale, comparing it to the libra 2, the latter has far better display. The text are sharper and crispier on the libra 2 while the kindle looks washout and more of a gray color than black. The kindle also takes time to wake up when you lift the case cover, but i like that i am able to transfer books wirelessly. Im keeping them both, coz i need a separate reader for manga and novels but if i am to keep only one, i'll choose the libra 2 handsdown.
kindle kids is the same as kindle paperwhite 5 (gen 11 launched in 2021) ? what are the differences?
@@comedyman112 no difference, it is the same device as the standard PW5
Hi. Is the PPW5 not enough for reading manga? Can you share your thoughts?
@@emmyr1987 it is enough, however you need to connect it to your pc/laptop if you want to load manga as email transfer has a limit of only 25MB. Unlike libra 2, you can integrate your dropbox if you have nicklemenu & koreader installed. Kindle also does not support .cbz file format so you will need to convert your manga into .mobi file using KCC software.
Considering supported formats which is the most important thing Kindle could never win me over. I had two of them and god it was horrible. Iâm so happy ever since I switched to Pocketbook.
So no actual comparison of battery life?
7:44 why? kindle why? :)
So ... would it change your mind in any way if Amazon offered the Kindle at a base price and then offered a $20 discount if you accepted advertisements? The prices would end up exactly the same, just the wording would be different. Gives one a new perspective, doesn't it.
Im in dillema between libra 2 and forma i want to read manga but forma is way expensiver
Libra 2!!
I gotta new Libra 2 with a 20% discount ($143.25). That was my deciding factor đ§đ€
However, there arenât any Libra 2 covers! đđŠ
How were you able to get the 20% discount?
There are! Basic sleep cover and origami sleep cover.
How u get a discount??
Tough choice indeed. I had the opportunity to try both and Libra wins hands down in the screen category.
However, Paperwhite is prettier (for me) and zippier, especially for pdf, manga and system navigation and the O.S. works better overall. It is also cheaper...
Kindle handles fonts that you add to device better than Kobo.
I'll need to look into this more, thanks for letting me know!
Both are great. I don't like DRM in Kobo which doesn't allow me to read PDF. Otherwise Kobo's screen is brighter and the physical buttons are great.
Please explain, kobo doesnât allow PDF. But I have lot of PDF content.
I don't get the argument at all that they charge to put ads away. It's more that you can choose to pay less and watch ads. I think it's a nice way to make products cheaper and more widely accesible. Although they would be annoying to me I know a lot of people that don't mind and will gladly pay the cheaper price in exchange for ads.
Howâs the battery life after weeks of testing? :)
It's been holding up very well!
Power Bu-En. âșïž
The new Paperwhite has also a Carta 1200 display...
Was this officially confirmed by Amazon? I was looking at the technical details before purchasing but I didn't see anything about it.
If it does, Amazon is not advertising it. There is also a noticeable difference between the two devices. At first, I thought it was because of the flush display on the PW vs no flush display on the Libra. (extra layer of glass might degrade quality). But even when compared to the Kobo Sage (review on that coming soon, the Sage has a flush glass display too), the Kobo STILL has a better display. So it can't be that, either.
Yes is confirme by Amazon, Kindle paperwhite 2021 has carta 1200
@@Netjerett Goodereader has reported that Amazon confirmed this.
Still watching these videos from my Kindle Keyboard ;)
Seriously? You're watching videos on that?!
@@systemsbuster9539 no, i mean, I still read books on it ;;;)
I got 8 weeks of battery life for kindle
That's awesome
I find this hard to believe .. as i have a kindle too.. paperwhite 5 .. and just searching for my next book to read Iâll lose like 2 percent lol
Iâm charging at least once a week. But Iâm an avid reader so not sure if that makes a difference.
if you dont want ads on the kindle,you dont have to pay. Just ask customer service to remove them. They'll give you some bullshit about how you're a valued customer and that they're saving you $20, but it's really minimal effort and they dont even need convincing. Just ask
Iâm team paperwhite.
I just donât like the weird shape with the buttons on the side (I tried it, I own both Oasis and Forma). Itâs uncomfortable, and when you want to change the hand youâre holding the device with, you have to turn the whole ereader and wait for the words to rotate too. It takes a few seconds and Itâs VERY annoying; it interrupts your reading a lot.
Iâm not team buttons either, but I can stand them if they are at the bottom (like pocketbook touch HD 3 for example). Side buttons are a nono for me.
that's why I am also considering the paper white, the ecosystem is a con for me and probably the kobo would be a better fit. But my only two must for an ereader are no buttons and is has to be waterproof. the kindle paper white is the best fit for me considering my requirements.
Why would you love that....kindle comes unprotected in a flimsy manner
Less packaging = better for the environment. It is still protected just fine for shipping.
Thank you my indian friend, who speak normal english.