Kobo Libra 2 REVIEW: My new favorite - here's why
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- čas přidán 25. 07. 2024
- The Kobo Libra 2 launched in 2021 and got a lot of attention back then. But how well does it hold up almost a year after release?
Let’s check it out together in this long-term review and see if the Kobo Libra 2 is a still a good choice.
[LINKS]
► Kobo Libra 2 (affiliate): geni.us/4M6A
[SUBSCRIBE]
/ @chalidraqami
[CHAPTERS]
00:00 Intro
00:14 Design & quality
02:15 Contrast & lighting quality
04:44 Kobo, in your face
05:25 UI speed & battery life
06:05 Kobo Audiobooks & sideloading
06:53 Book related function (library, notes ...)
08:58 Reading PDFs
09:29 Kobo-store
10:17 Software stability
11:45 Conclusion
[SUMMARY]
As someone who is super sensitive about contrast levels and lighting quality of the screen, the Kobo Libra 2 is currently one of my favorite ereaders. Even a year after its launch, I still love to pick it up to read something. Text simply looks amazing.
Since I was also not affected by the reported software problems, my overall experience with the Kobo Libra 2 has been very good - as a pure reading device that is.
Because as a PDF viewer the Libra 2 isn’t really a good pick, despite having a high res 7 inch display.
Sideloading audiobooks and music isn’t the greatest experience either. But at least you have the option to do so. Kindle doesn’t have that.
And last but not least, I don’t love the haptics of the Kobo Libra 2. The hard plastic back cover feels so cheap that it actually annoys me even to this day. So I recommend in using a cover.
So the bottom line is: Get the Kobo Libra 2 if you want the best display quality you can get at the moment, but be prepared to compromise on the mentioned points.
[DISCLOSURE]
Some links in the description contain affiliate links, which means that if you buy something through these links, I will receive a small commission on a purchase at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you so much for supporting the channel. - Věda a technologie
I already love my kobo Libra 2! Got it in the mail today. It’s easier on my eyes for reading vs my phone or tablet.
Thanks for the interesting video. I also own a Libra 2 and just want to mention calibre-web, which has the amazing feature to synchronize books with the ereader, which are automatically converted to kepub using the kepubify tool.
Oh wow, I never knew about Calibre web nor Kepubify. I'm trying to understand more about this doing some Gresearch but it's not clear to me yet: Kepubify is not a Calibre plug-in? And Calibre-web is not a site, just a regular desktop app I with a browser interface?
@@tulopadullo_n_5700 calibre-web is a website for self hosting (not to be confused with the Calibre web server.). It uses the db from the calibre desktop app. And it converts epub to kepub with kepubify, which is a console application. Calibre (desktop) on the other hand uses it's own plugin for epub to kepub conversion.
Please explain what's being synced.... real world scenario...scénario.... are you reading a book on a tablet then switching to the kobo for instance? Please help
Great review. Very useful. Thanks!
Finally purchased Libra 2, so excited! Your reviews helped a lot in deciding that, so thank you 😊
I got a Tolino Vision 6 not long ago since I thought they have the same build and all that and I found a refurbished one which was significantly cheaper, but then realised that the Kobo environment is much much more suitable for me, so I figured Libra 2 is the better choice.
If anyone's curious about the details (tho it's kinda a mini rant about Vision 6):
I wanted to have an ereader to read novels and manga, and the ones I want aren't available as ebooks in the booksellers joint with Tolino (I checked on Thalia, Hugendubel, etc.). Even so, this wasn't a dealbreaker, since I can purchase those from Kobo and send them to the Vision 6.
Opening those files, the novels were fine, but the problem then lies in manga reading. Tolino's default reader opens my manga as an image cornered to the upper left page (maybe because the size of manga I purchased, so it can differ in other series? I don't know) but I found a way around by using their Beta reader. Now the pages are centered and almost full screen, nice. Then I found out that it can't zoom in, which turns out that they just can't zoom in images in epub files. I never needed to zoom in the images in my light novels so I didn't notice. Okay, still fine.
Another minor incovinience is that they don't recognise manga as a different kind of book (sorry I don't really understand this or the terms, maybe because all are epubs?) so the flipping mechaniscm is just like any other book: to the right. No big deal, Vision 6 has buttons, I can just use them. But then... since they are all just 'books', they cannot show a pagespread mangas like to have. If I rotate to landscape, it simply shows one smaller page in the middle. I tried coverting the manga into pdf but the layout was worse (should've expected that, but well...) I can't try .cbz because then the reader doesn't support it. So at this point, I was tired.
These were small problems, but knowing all of them exist in the back of my mind annoys me somewhat. In the end I decided, since I purchase my books from Kobo anyway, might as well just get their device 😂
Mine arrived today together with the cover. Its amazing.
although it's already growing a bit dated, it was within my budget so i just bought one online (with a awake / sleep cover) and it should be here in a couple days.
thank you for your brilliant review and i want to commens you on your English, as an English native speaker who speaks Spanish as well, it is so important to me to feel I can express myself well in the latter language, and you my friend are a great English speaker! i honestly feel you have a better vocabulary than many of my peers do, i appreciate your review and its accessibility as well , mentioning the various differences for non-regional Kobo users.
once again, thank you!
Thank you for the kind words! :)
I just bought a Libra 2 a few weeks ago and I have to say I am loving it far better than my Kindle Paperwhite, which I've had a few of for the past 10 years. I kind of hate Kindle now. One of the main reasons I bought the Kobo Libra 2 was FOR the recessed design, as you put it. The 'recessed' design on the Kobo makes the reading experience FAR better! It feels more like you're reading paper rather than a screen, the flush design on the Kindles make it feel like the words are too far away behind layers of screens.
While there's no wireless transfering of books, this is of less importance for me so I don't mind transferring books by cable. I also think my last Kindle Paperwhite was far slower than this Kobo, so it's a relief that it's not as laggy as my old Kindle. I love the warm backlight too! Though I know the new Kindle Paperwhites have that feature now too.
It's just interesting how different people's preferences are when it comes to ereaders. I really hope the different ereader companies continue with their different designs and don't end up copying each other. I love that Kobo has a recessed screen design and really hope they keep that design for years to come!
I just bought a kobo libra 2! Is the text “staining” normal? The pages kind of look see through.
@@yejimiese517 it does that sometimes, but so did my paperwhite, just move a few pages forward then go back to the page you were reading and it should refresh. You could also change the settings on how often the screen refreshes!
@@yejimiese517change. Your setting for often you want a full screen refresh. This should help with the staining/ghosting.
I have the same problem
Why do these things cost more than tablets?
How do you read Manga from this? Is there a subscription model with Kobo to read manga or Marvel comics?
Very well done, thank you.
Another great review and video, thank you!
Libra 2 has been on my sights for a while now as it's almost the only ereader available. Seems to be great with few caveats which make me think a bit.
Are you planning on doing somekind of comparison video between Libra 2, Era and Paperwhite 5 as you compared the speed of page turns at the end of the video? I would love to have an more indepth look at those devices and all their strengths and weaknesses in straight comparison!
Thanks! Yes I have plans for multiple comparison videos of the most popular devices from Amazon, Kobo, PocketBook and Tolino. I'll continue to post videos at least weekly.
6:58 I can see it displays only 5 entries per page in the library. That is way, way too low. Can this be changed?
Thank you for this great video :) I am currently looking for a new reader. I wanted to buy the pocketbook Era, because I already got an touch HD 3. Now I've read, that Libra 2 has a way better screen. Do you know, if I can transfer the ebooks I buyed on pocketbook to the kobo? It's all epub but I am not sure if it's possible 🤔
Using EPUB on Kobo generally works okay. It would be best however, if you converted those files to KEPUB, that's Kobo's version of that file format and usually works better and if I'm not mistaken gives more options in terms of text styling adaptions. You can try doing it before the purchase with the free software Calibre and see if you run into any issues.
You should do a video on the Sage. Really interested in seeing the evenness of the regular and warm lighting at low settings in a dark room. I guess they have some bad reputation for uneven lighting, I had an aura one and it was absolutely terrible in that regard.
Thanks for the very detailed review. What 7.8" or bigger ebook reader would you recommend? I would like to buy an e-reader for daily reading on the bus. I mostly read computer science books and looking for a device with good screen, responsive and not locked to Amazon store.
That's a tough one. Generally the illumination of larger screens tends to be a bit worse than with smaller displays. Contrast levels are pretty good on all modern devices, but none of the larger ereaders/tablets has the same exceptional contrast levels as the Kobo Libra 2.
I guess the computer science books are mostly PDFs with a fixed layout, right?
The PocketBook InkPad 3 is a nice 7.8" ereader with a good display and useful PDF-viewing modes. It's also the best company when it comes to data privacy in my opinion.
Onyx Boox offers a couple of larger ereaders/tablets, which all run Android 10 or 11. So that's truly open, but data privacy might be an issue, depending on who you ask. The PDF-viewing options are the best you can get. Display quality depends on the device. The Boox Note Air 2 Plus is solid with only smaller issues.
Kobo and Tolino have bad PDF-viewing options, so I wouldn't recommend those. But you can root the Tolino Epos 3 (8" display with Android 8) and use better PDF-apps. The contrast levels are among the best in the size segment.
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I'd go for the 10.3" Onyx Boox Note Air 2 (Plus) and root it to block unwanted traffic with a firewall. I posted a review on it a couple of weeks ago and recently published a video on the root-process. My second choice would be either the PocketBook InkPad 3 or InkPad 3 Pro.
@@ChalidRaqami Thank You so much for very detailed answer. I ended up with ordering PocketBook Era. I know, its not 8" as I've wished but I got a very good deal on Black Friday. I'll get it on Monday. I'll take a look at Onyx Boot Note Air 2, just in case PocketPro Era would be disappointment.
@@binarytech8457 Great choice! Ergonomically it's on par with the Kindle Oasis - if not better. And software wise it has lots of useful features, especially for viewing PDF-files.
Hello sir. I wanna reading only PDF in kobo libra 2 ¿it’s is for me? If is no please give me some ereader s good for reading PDF format
I wouldn't recommend it, because viewing options are pretty limited.
Either check out the PocketBook Era or the Onyx Boox Leaf 2. Both have the same form factor with 7 inch displays and offer much better PDF viewing modes.
You can find my PocketBook Era review here: czcams.com/video/ENsVKPuH3EY/video.html
The review for the Boox Leaf 2 will be ready within the next few days, so keep an eye out :)
Hello! Can I ask if this device have browser functionality? Reason being, I am located in China & need the device to be connected to VPN (which I will need to access via an internet browser) before I can access titles in overdrive. Any advice will be much appreciated! 😊
As far as I know, there's no way to establish a VPN connection directly on any non-Android ereader. So the Kobo Libra 2 wouldn't work in that case. The only way would be to use use tethering and connect the host to the VPN imho.
Also, I think there's a region lock on certain functions, so your Kobo account might need to be set up with a different country as well. That was an issue when I tried the audiobook function. Not sure about Overdrive though.
Where did you get your star trek LCARS light in the background?
I got the plexiglas print from "lcarsstudio" and used a large picture frame and LED-strips to create the backlight.
@@ChalidRaqami love it
Hello! Is there any way to add books not through connecting to a computer? It's weird that I add books to the official Kobo Books app, but they don't get added to the book itself, no synchronization. The device is good, but it's frustrating to be constantly connected to a computer. Thank you in advance for the answer!
Hey - it depends :D The Kobo app should sync the library status between all connected devices. If you want to read those books with the native reading app of the Note Air, than you might need to adapt the folders which the library scans.
Another option could be to use a third party folder sync app, like dropbox. You could set it up on your computer and the tablet so every time you drop an ebook into that dropbox folder that it automatically sync to the tablet. In that case you also need to adjust the library scan, so it recognizes any new books synced this way.
At this point I would avoid Kindle purely because it doesn't support any of the standard and most popular file formats, requiring you to convert pretty much anything.
Hey, do you know if I can transfer the books I have on my tolino to a Kobo device? Thank you!
Yes, you can do that manually by copying the ebooks to your PC and then to the Kobo ereader. Depending on the DRM protection you might need to authenticate your Kobo ereader with Adobe, but that's usually not needed anymore.
Are photos looking good and sharp?
What are the screen dimensions in cm?
I just bought a kobo libra 2! Is the text “staining” normal? The pages kind of look see through.
I suspect you're talking about "Ghosting". That's when faint traces of the previous page are still visible after turning a page. This is normal for E-Ink to some degree. If you find it too distracting, you can go to the reading settings (from within a book) and change the screen refresh frequency. I think by default it's only once per chapter. Every 5 pages or so might be better - or even after every page turn, if you don't mind the extra flicker.
kobo libra 2, Are you sure you have to be connected to the internet to use the device? Can't we just transfer books from computer to e-reader?
Yes. With the software update from last fall, you don’t need to setup an account.
The tolino vision 6 has an abysmal battery life, is it better with the Libra 2?
Yes, the Libra 2's battery life is definitely better. It still uses the Freescale i.MX6 chip and not the new Allwinner B300 that the Vision 6 is using.
Cool. Thanks for replying. @@ChalidRaqami
in case anyone reads this later: the longer battery life comes at the cost of the device being slower
hello. what kind of substrate is used for the screen (plastic or glass)? thanks
It's glass (E-Ink Carta). Only very few devices use a plastic substrate (E-Ink Mobius). The Kobo Forma did, but that one was replaced by the Sage.
Do the buttons make much noise? I prefer physical buttons to swiping or tapping, but I don’t want something “clicky” enough to pull me out of the book I’m reading.
Yes, they have a slight clicking sound. The sound is a bit deeper than the Oasis, but definitely noticeable. However, personally, I have never had a problem with it and can easily ignore it.
@@ChalidRaqami Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it.
The page-turn buttons are what sold me on getting the Libra 2 and Sage. I do not like touch-screen only, so that rules out the Nia and Clara models. I barely like the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite - they're my least favorite e-readers.
i just switched over from PW to Libra2 for the page turn buttons and the ergonomics, still getting used to the SW side of things but, if i may ask: what is it about Kindle you dislike?
Is this still a good ereader to buy? I'm very interested in this but noticed this is from 7 months ago.
Yes, absolutely. The screen is still my favorite in that size segment.
@@ChalidRaqami ok thank you I will buy it the moment of the next sale
Have you ever had any lag problems? I downloaded pne book with wich recieved horrible lag, couldnt navigate and kobo turned off and on. I didn't get what exactly wrong woth the book and how to avoid it
Slight delay, yes, but nothing like you're describing. Maybe there's some styling that throws the ereader off. You could try to convert the ebook with Calibre and see if that makes a difference. Also worth checking out mobileread.com - there are many knowledge people on there that might be able to help.
@@ChalidRaqami Thank you for the reply
I found the H2O for $120dls should i buy it? Or the New screen in the Libra 2 is worth the money?
The H2O is a great ereader, but even the 2nd edition is 5 years old at this point. Even if you get one of the last produced units, it's 3 years old at this point, so that's not great for the battery.
The resolution "only" is 265 ppi and the ereader doesn't have page turn buttons.
So all in all, while it's certainly a good ereader and does hold up well when compared to newer models, I'd recommend the Libra 2.
@@ChalidRaqami My bad, i meant de LibraH2O vs the Libra 2 hehe, but thx so much for the recomendation, Keep the great videos :D
@@Miguel-qc7rn Oh, that makes more sense 😅
I'd still recommend the Libra 2 over the Libra H2O. The screen (especially the uniformity of the illumination) really is much better.
Libra 2 is $160 now. Just work a little OVertime
I-m searching for an e-reader for reading various formats, but especially PDFs, EPUB and DOCX.
- decent CPU, 1 GB RAM, 32GB or 64 storage, 300 DPI, eCarta 1200, at least 1500mAh battery,
Is the Libra 2 so bad on reading PDF, and lagging ? Is the Pocketbook Era Copper 64GB so bad at contrast/lighting ? Is Tolino Epos 3 lagging and with short battery life ?
What would you choose ? (maybe something else? )
Kobo Libra 2 and Tolino Epos 3 I wouldn't recommend for PDFs. The PocketBook Era has slightly worse contrast and frontlight quality, but it's not bad. It's just not on the same very high level as the other two. So I'd pick the Era.
Kobo is said to update their product portfolio sometime within the next couple of weeks (just rumors at this point), so a Libra 2 replacement with faster hardware might be worth waiting for. Tolino devices will most likely also see an update. But I suspect PDF-functions won't be better though.
@@ChalidRaqami thx, i just ordered the Inkpad 4
I love the white one, but I'm afraid that this plastic will turn yellow someday. Will it?
Hard to say how it will age in a few years, but at least my Libra 2 hasn't turned yellow in the slightest. So I personally doubt it will be an issue. Other white ereaders I have, aren't discolored either. I have more problems with dark colored ereaders to be honest - some of those have special coatings, which gets sticky over time for some reason.
@@ChalidRaqami thanks ☺️
Anyone switched from Paperwhite 5 up to Kobo libra 2 ? i mean i am really enjoying using kindle, but those buttons and ergonomics make me thing of changing it
i’m on the same boat. since i mainly sideload books, staying in one ecosystem doesn’t do much. seems like kobo libra is between the paperwhite and the oasis. very tempted
I did, and I don't regret it!
oasis is just a little more?
How do you sideload your audibooks, tho?
You need to ZIP the individual mp3 files of the audiobook and then rename the zip-extension to "mp3z". Copy the file to the root folder of the Libra 2 and you're good to go (but your Kobo account needs to be set to a country where Kobo is selling audiobooks - otherwise you won't see the audiobook).
@@ChalidRaqami Ah, this last thing I didn't know.
Thank you, this worked.@@ChalidRaqami
@@ChalidRaqami Any suggestion on how to get overdrive?
The reason the Libra 2 has such a beautiful sharp screen is because of the recessed indented screen. If it had a flush bezel like all of the other e-readers, the screen wouldn’t be as sharp or crisp.
So let me get this straight. If I buy this ereader (which I'm seriously thinking) I will not be able to use it for reading ebooks unless it is connected on the Internet?!
No - sorry if that wasn't clear. You don't need an active internet connection to use the ereader for reading.
But you need to connect it to a Kobo user account on the very first boot. That can be done either by directly connecting it to your WiFi once, or with the Kobo desktop app for the computer (via USB).
In either case you need to register the account and enable it on the Libra 2. After that, you don't need to have WiFi on.
WiFi is only needed to browse the web or to use the built in ebook store.
If you wanted, you can use the ereader without ever connecting it to the internet after the first setup.
@@ChalidRaqami OK thanks for clearing that up. I think I'll buy it very soon. Happy holidays!
Kobo Libra 2 or Pocketbock Era??
It depends :D Libra 2 for the better screen, Era for the better software features. Whatever is more important to you.
The PocketBook InkPad 4 might be a good alternative to the Era with a better screen imho. Review should be up in a couple of days.
@@ChalidRaqami Thank You.
I love it when Arnold Schwarzenegger reviews my favorite gadgets
LIKE
I have mine about a month. I'm not in love with the asymmetrical Oasis-like design. Amazon's Kindle department is the last company I'd emulate when it comes to hardware design decisions. Would prefer if they ditched the big side bezel and kept it symmetrical. It is a touchscreen after all. The touch targets for menu buttons on the touch screen could do with being three times larger.
My honest opinion is 7" is still too small to make a great e-Reader. Would love a symmetrical e-Reader (for reading novels) closer to 9" or 10" (the size of a paperback). Would love one without bezels that closely mimics the physicality of a paperback novel size. Also wouldn't mind if it was chunkier with a longer battery life, especially when using the backlight.
It is lighter weight than a regular sized paperback, but wouldn't mind if it weighed the same as I never had an issue with a paperback being too heavy prior. Fill it up then with a bigger battery.
All in all I'm still of the opinion there is no great e-reader at this point. Kobo and Kindle are ok, but neither are great.
touch sucks. voyage rocks
Bezels make it easier to hold.
Why not buy a symmetrical design then? There are no larger symmetrical designs, but there are same size 7" ones.
Kobo elipsa is 10.3" (sage 8")
your comment is crazy, especially about the size...
my last kobo died 4 months after i bought it ( brand new of course. my kindle still going on 5 years on, i said then bye bye kobo for ever where is your QC , kobo? smh not even mentioning, already forgotten conantly and non ending software issues, horrible flickering page turns..... now that i remember all that nightmare while trying to read books... thank you kobo, by the way. and for money and time and headaches having your product
Isnt your kobo faulty? May i know what model is that
I have a libra 2 over a tear nows and I love it. I haven't had your issues.
Oh, where did you buy it? Can't you get back your money, not warranty?
props for trying to show us the screen quality while recording with a potato camera 😂
Switched to another lens a while back, so my new videos should be a better in that regard :D