E-readers have exploded in the past year. If you’ve been tempted by the convenience and ease of the e-reader lifestyle, then maybe you’ve started to do some research already. Without a doubt, you’ve come across Kindles, by far the most popular e-reader, but maybe you’ve considered some lesser-known brands like Kobo.
Luckily for you, we’re e-reader experts here at Mashable. We’ve extensively tested a variety of brands and models, finding the best and worst devices out there. Today, we’re looking specifically at two models from the top two e-reader brands: the Kindle Paperwhite and the Kobo Clara Colour.
Both of these e-readers are their respective brand’s bestselling models, and they happen to be at the same price point. But is one better than the other? We’re here to tell you a little bit about each of these popular e-readers and which is our favorite.
Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kobo Clara Colour: Price and specs
The Kobo Clara Colour has the added bonus of color, letting you see book covers in all their glory.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
If you’re deciding between the Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo Clara Colour, one thing that won’t factor into your decision is price, as both devices cost $159.99. The Kobo Clara Colour does come ad-free though, and if you want an ad-free Paperwhite, you’ll need to pay an extra $20.
So if price isn’t a factor, let’s get into the overall design of each device. Here are their dimensions:
Overall, the Kindle Paperwhite’s display is one inch bigger than the Kobo Clara Colours’. Plus, the Paperwhite’s screen is flush to the frame, while the Kobo Clara has a raised bezel around the screen.
Each has adjustable warmth and brightness displays, so you can turn up the brightness when you’re in the sunny outdoors or turn it down and warm it up in the evenings. Plus, both devices have a resolution of 300 ppi in black and white; the Kobo Clara Colour’s resolution in color is 150 ppi.
Each device is also waterproof, both earning an IPX8 rating, meaning they can be submerged in up to 2 meters of water for up to 60 minutes. AKA, they’re safe to take in the bathtub or to the beach.
The Kobo Clara Colour, as implied by its name, has color displays, while the Kindle Paperwhite does not. If you want a color Kindle, you’ll need to look at the Colorsoft. This makes the Clara ideal for readers of graphic novels or comics.
You could get rid of the Kindle Paperwhite’s ads for just $20 more.
Credit: Samantha Mangino
The lock screens on each device are slightly different, too. When not in use, the Kindle Paperwhite shows random ads — unless you pay the $20 extra to get the device ad-free. Meanwhile, the Kobo Clara Colour shows the last book you read, along with your progress in the book.
Each has a power button, too. The Paperwhite’s is on the bottom, which is slightly annoying as it can be easy to press accidentally, while the Clara’s power button rests on the back corner of the device.
Considering all of these factors, the Kobo Clara is our winner here, since it has the bonus of color displays. Plus, its smaller design makes it more comfortable to hold for longer periods of time.
Winner: Kobo Clara Colour
Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kobo Clara Colour: User experience
The user interface and experience on the Clara and Paperwhite are fairly similar.
A priority for many e-reader users is having access to Libby/OverDrive. Kobo has the ultimate integration, as OverDrive is built into all of its devices, including the Clara Colour. That means any e-book you borrow from your library will auto-populate on your Kobo.
To get library e-books on your Kindle requires a few extra steps, as you’ll need to access the Libby app to browse books and then send them to your Kindle library.
You can access the Kindle and Kobo stores on the respective e-readers. With the Kobo, you can select which book you want to purchase, but to complete the purchase, you need to scan a QR code on your phone. It’s a simpler process on the Kindle, as you’re able to check out on your Kindle e-reader.
A feature that makes the Kindle stand apart is its Goodreads integration, which allows you to link your account to your Kindle.
Each device is equally intuitive and user-friendly, so for us, it’s a draw.
Winner: Tie
Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kobo Clara Colour: Reading experience
The prologue of M.L. Rio’s ‘If We Were Villains’ starts on page 12 of the Kobo Clara Colour but on page 3 of the Kindle Paperwhite.
Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable
But how is it to actually read on each device? Each e-reader has an intuitive user interface and a responsive display as you swipe through pages. Plus, both the Paperwhite and Clara allow you to customize their swipe responses to your preferences.
Where the two devices differ in the reading experience is in page numbers and progress markers. Kindle numbers its pages like the physical book, while Kobo numbers the digital pages.
My editor, Miller Kern, and I each tested the Paperwhite and Clara and had two different opinions on how the devices numbered their pages. Miller was frustrated by how Kobo numbered its pages, so if you’re reading along with someone who’s reading a physical copy, it’s hard to know if you’re on the same page. On the other hand, I liked knowing exactly how many digital pages I had to tap through to finish the chapter or a whole book.
Where Miller and I do agree is that Kindle has better progress location options. On the bottom corner of each page, you can flip through what page you’re on, how much time you have in the chapter, and how much time is left in the book. For that, I agree with Miller that the Kindle Paperwhite has a better reading experience.
Winner: Kindle Paperwhite
Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kobo Clara Colour: Battery life
In terms of battery life, the winner is obvious. The Kindle Paperwhite blows the Kobo Clara Colour out of the water. The Kindle Paperwhite has a battery life lasting up to 12 weeks. I use my Kindle Paperwhite regularly and only need to charge it every couple of months.
The Kobo Clara Colour says it lasts 42 days based on 30 minutes of reading per day. So at best you’re getting 6 weeks. But if you’re reading for multiple hours a day, this is going to be much less.
Winner: Kindle Paperwhite
Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kobo Clara Colour: Is Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus better?
Another thing to consider between the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Clara Colour isn’t actually about the e-readers, but the special memberships offered by each brand.
Kindle has Kindle Unlimited, a membership that costs $11.99 per month and has four million digital titles that include books and magazines, as well as thousands of audiobooks. Kobo also has its own membership called Kobo Plus. It’s slightly cheaper at $9.99 but has a smaller library. It has over one million ebooks and 150,000 audiobooks. However, you can just pay $7.99 a month if you only want access to either the ebooks or audiobooks.
Kindle Unlimited is the better service, with more books available. But beyond Kindle Unlimited, there are even more great programs for Kindle readers. Amazon First Reads provides Prime members with one free book a month. Not to mention that anyone shopping in the Kindle Store can enjoy Kindle Rewards points. For every $1 spent in the Kindle Store, earn three points. When you hit 300 points, you’ll earn a $3 reward.
Winner: Kindle Paperwhite
Final Thoughts
Having tested both the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Clara Colour for several months, assessing each device from top to bottom, our preferred e-reader is the Kindle Paperwhite.
The Kindle Paperwhite has a larger display and better battery life, not to mention I think it runs a tad faster than the Kobo. Kindles have better subscriptions and reward programs, and if Amazon is already integrated into your life, then the Kindle is going to be the better e-reader for most people.
While I prefer the Kindle Paperwhite, the Kobo Clara Colour is still a notable e-reader. It’s smaller and more comfortable to hold and will be right for a certain type of person, and that person is someone who’s looking to get Amazon out of their life. If you don’t have a Prime membership and are just generally looking to cut ties to Amazon, then the Kobo Clara Colour will likely be right for you.
