Amazon Kindle became the center of attraction for everyone when it launched in the market in November 2007. Right after that day, every reader’s eBook and eAudio sales exploded and continue to grow. Traditional book publishers no longer have a stranglehold on the market, so you can publish your books without any prior connections with agents or publishing houses. Hence, started the battle of technology vs books.
More and more self-published authors are choosing Kindle for releasing their work publicly. That’s because of the perks Amazon offers their customers, such as free books every day, all year round. But fixed internal memory and LED lights are turning out to be the main concerns for most readers with Kindle. That being said, Kindle isn’t the only E-reader in town, so here are some alternatives to consider.
Reasons to avoid Kindle
- While it might be obvious, e-readers are not books; hence, they won’t be the first choice for anyone who prefers a book over an electrical device.
- The entry barrier for an e-reader is much higher than a book.
- The Kindle has been known to cause eye strain after prolonged use.
- Also, most e-readers only support black-and-white images.
- And finally, e-books on Kindle are much harder to share.
1. Kobo Libra H2O
First, they likely named the E-book Reader H2O because they made it water-resistant. Second, the 7-inch e-book reader is perfectly crafted for avid readers. Kobo Libra H2O has a glare-free E Ink touchscreen display with Landscape mode and page-turns buttons.
Glare-free features ensure that you can start reading in direct sunlight like real paper. It comes with a 1680×1264 resolution for comfortable reading and 8 GB of internal storage, enough space to store thousands of books. It also comes with a free e-book app that can store any other digital formats of book formats. The device is lightweight, making it easy to carry around, and its battery life lasts weeks.
2. Sony DPT-RP1/B
Sony DPT-RP1/B is a digital paper tablet designed to provide a paper-like reading experience. The tablet has a 13.3-inch E Ink display and a stylus for note-taking and drawing. It supports ambient light sensors and has 3 different levels of brightness.
The screen is laminated glass, and it has a resolution of 1600×2200. The device has a full-size keyboard and stylus support, which will make it perfect for anyone who wants to take notes or draw. It has an internal storage capacity of 16 GB. The tablet runs on Windows 10, and soon, it will support Windows 11 as well.
3. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a premium e-reader at an affordable price. It’s a modern twist on the e-reader experience. It offers almost everything that the Signature Edition Paperwhite but comes with 8 GB of storage. Kindle Paperwhite comes with a 6.8-inch 300 PPI glare-free display, looking just like paper. That said, you can easily read the content in bright sunlight.
It’s waterproof and perhaps, more importantly, you can enjoy reading with up to 10-weeks of battery life. The new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite starts at just $140, and there are even cheaper options for those who need their e-readers. If you’re looking to get your hands on the basics without any bells or whistles, go ahead with purchasing the basic model, which costs less than half as much.
4. Kobo Libra 2
A Canadian company by the name of Rakuten Kobo is behind the Kobo e-readers. They have been making these devices for quite some time now and have gained some reputation, despite not being that well known.
But one fact that holds true is that Kobo e-readers are relatively cheaper than any Kindle, and offer a better return on your money. But being relatively cheaper doesn’t mean cutting corners, as the entire business model depends on the quality of the e-reader.
The latest Kobo Libra 2 has been hailed as one of the best value-for-money devices. Other than being a simple reader tablet, Kobo has useful features that are only found in some of the higher-tier e-readers. These include a glare-free screen, for outside use. Backlight support, font adjustment, and a 7-inch display. All in all, you can’t go wrong with this one.
5. Nook GlowLight 4
Likewise, the Nook GlowLight 4, from Barnes and Noble, is a respected Kindle alternative. Not only is the device itself cheap (cheaper than both Kindle and Kobo), but sporting a 6-inch display, it offers a sleek design that, combined with its lightweight, makes it a far better option to carry. The device itself is no-nonsense and takes a straightforward approach to your reading experience.
The e-reader comes with a much larger storage than its competition, and retains physical buttons that can help you turn pages while reading. And while it still doesn’t have waterproofing solutions, it tries to make up for it with an extra-long battery life.
6. Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2
Kobo Aura H20 is a great choice for readers who like to take notes during their reading. It has a water-resistant design and an IPX8 rating, making it dust-proof and waterproof. Besides note-taking, you can also highlight passages and take notes for future reference. Like other Kobo e-book readers, the Kobo Aura H20 is also touch-enabled and comes with cloud-based syncing.
Kobo e-book reader offers great value for money, especially regarding the free books you get with your purchase. It has a fast processor, 6 LED-backlit e-ink displays, easy navigation, and it’s lightweight and comfortable to hold.
7. Kobo Elipsa
Kobo Elipsa is a sleek and stylish e-reader perfect for anyone who wants to read books on the go. Its thin and lightweight design makes it easy to take with you wherever you go. It has a 10.3″ E Ink screen and is available in three models.
Kobo Elipsa also has a dual-screen setup, where you can switch between reading and browsing using the touchscreen, which makes it quite an interesting choice for those who like to read and browse at the same time. It comes with Kobo Stylus and SleepCover.
The product is also very durable: it can take up to 16 hours of light reading or up to 100 e-books before it needs charging. With 32 GB of storage, you’ll be able to carry more than your bookbag can offer.
8. Kobo Clara HD
Kobo Clara HD is a new budget-friendly eReader with a 6-inch E Ink screen with a resolution of 1440×1080 and a pixel density of 300 PPI. It has 8 GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot for 8 GB of additional storage. The Clara HD has a backlit screen, making it easy to read in any lighting situation. It also supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, perfect for those who want to read with their wireless devices.
Kobo Clara HD’s ComfortLight PRO is the best light for reading day or night. To minimize blue light before bedtime, you may adjust brightness and color temperature. Easily configurable features make it simple to read how you want to. With 8 GB of memory, you can take up to 6,000 eBooks with you wherever you go. Kobo Clara HD is the ideal starting point for your book addiction.
9. Apple iPad Mini
Apple iPad Mini is the perfect tablet for entertainment on long flights or your morning commute. You can read digital books from multiple sources like the Kindle store and Audible and watch videos in HD quality! It’s also small enough to slip into a bag without taking up much space. This makes it an excellent alternative if you’re looking forward to getting yourself one of those fancy new e-readers, too.
iPad Mini is an excellent alternative to the Kindle e-readers. Not only does it let you read digital books from multiple sources like Amazon’s marketplace and Audible, but this small tablet also packs in enough power for entertainment. Simultaneously, it remains lightweight enough that slipping it into a bag and carrying it around won’t be a hassle.
10. Nook GlowLight+
Nook GlowLight+ is a portable and easy-to-read reader. It has a lightweight and slim design and an adaptive front light, so you can read in any environment. Additionally, with a free one-year subscription to the Nook Press store, you’ll be able to download e-books in seconds.
Nook goes neck-to-neck when compared to its expensive counterpart. The 6-inch screen size complements the reading time, fairly 21 hours. You can store thousands of e-books with the built-in 4 GB storage.
11. PocketBook InkPad Color
PocketBook InkPad Color sports a full-color display that is visible in sunlight, and the device itself is easy to hold and supports a wide array of non-DRM formats. The device also offers sharing that can transfer files to one another. However, the device doesn’t support content purchased in the US.
Additionally, the device also has a poor reading format that makes it harder to turn pages. The physical specification of the device stands at 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.31 inches and weighs around 7.9 oz. It also has a native storage of 16 GB and costs $329.
12. Google Pixel C
Google Pixel C is a beautifully designed tablet, and you’d surely love it after experiencing its durability and high-level multitasking. It has a gorgeous high-resolution display, and it is incredibly thin and light. The new Pixel C is a revolutionary design that combines the benefits of both tablet and keyboard. It’s been engineered to be more portable than a laptop.
Yet, it still has full-size keys, so you can type faster without worrying about a strain on your hands or arms. It also has amazing hardware that makes it a great productivity tool. Therefore, if you are looking for a tablet with great hardware, this is the one to get. For your information, it comes in two models with 32 GB and 64 GB of fixed built-in storage space.
13. Boox Nova 3
Onyx Boox Nova 3 is a 6-inch e-reader that supports PDF and ePUB formats. It has a resolution of 1404×1872 and a pixel infrared touchscreen. It comes with a 1.6-inch 4k colors LCD and an E Ink display. As for the hardware configuration, Boox Nova 3 comes with a 32 GB internal storage and 2 GB of RAM.
Powered by a Li-Ion 3150 mAh battery, it’s the most pocket-friendly option you have on this list of top Kindle alternatives. It does have wireless connectivity options including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, apart from USB Type-C OTG support. It’s specifically built for readers, so, there isn’t to expect much for gamers and entertainment seekers.
14. The Likebook Mars
The Likebook Mars is a surprising e-reader that offers enough power for its price tag. It also ranks top in its price segment. The device offers a powerful octa-core processor and 2 GB of RAM that is enough to handle your reading requirements. It has a native storage of 16 GB that can hold thousands of e-books, audiobooks, and apps.
Furthermore, this storage is expandable up to 144 GB with an external micro SD card. Coming to the screen quality, the device sports a large 7.8-inch display and has 17 LEDs. Finally, the e-reader is quite stylish to look at. With curved corners and a thickness of only 8.3 mm, it has a premium look and feel.
15. Winbook TW101
The Winbook TW101tab e-reader is a 10.1-inch Android tablet with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. It also comes with a microSD card slot, a USB port, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. It supports 4G LTE with a nano-SIM card slot. The tablet has a good battery life and supports cameras, HDMI output, and more. Furthermore, it’s affordable, lightweight and has a lot of great features.
Winbook TW101 Tablet comes with Windows 10 Home or Pro, so you can get work done while on the go. An Intel Atom Quad Core Z8350 processor is also great for multitasking. WinBook tablets come in two sizes: an 8″ display model that weighs just under 1 lb and a 10″ display model with a weight of barely over 1 lb.