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Kindle, Kobo and their rivals: the five best ebook readers
Kindle Voyage is top of the range but it's the lighter, cheaper Kindle Paperwhite that takes the plaudits
The Kindle Voyage and the Kobo Aura lead the way in the ebook reader stakes but there are some surprise features from their rivals on the market if you're willing to look beyond the heavyweights.
Kindle Voyage
Amazon's top-of-the-range ereader, released for Christmas 2014, is still the tech critics' darling this summer. The 300 PPI resolution means the Kindle Voyage "feels more design house than something you'd sling in your bag and hope doesn't break", says Techradar. While the introduction of an intuitive backlight sensor means the ereader is "a step up from anything the brand has made since the inception of the technology". Indeed the only sticking point with the Voyage is its price. At £169 it is the premium ereader on the market and PC Advisor struggles to recommend it over its cheaper cousin the Paperwhite. "The difference in price is simply too much to justify the Voyage," says the site. "But if money is no object, then you won't be disappointed."
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Kobo remains the dark horse in the ebook reader market. Consistently ranking highly amongst critics, the Canadian company's devices are praised for their usability and the Kobo Glo HD is no different. Cnet highlights its "impressive front-lit, high-res e-ink display with a touch-screen interface" while Techradar believes it will give the Kindle Voyage a run for its money. "The price difference alone will mean many see Kobo's Glo HD as a stronger option," it says.
Kindle Paperwhite
(Image credit: CNET)
The Paperwhite has just been updated for 2015 and appears to be the perfect size, price and weight for a summer holiday companion, according to critics. The new screen matches the Voyage for resolution but is "nearly identical to its predecessor" according to Teckish, meaning it may not be worth the upgrade for existing Paperwhite owners. Despite this, PC Advisor hails it as the ereader to purchase in 2015, praising its "brilliant display, superb design and build, and access to an unsurpassed library of ebooks". PCMag agrees, pointing out that it can be found retailing at a lower price than the Glo HD, "and while its screen isn't quite as sharp, it's perfectly readable".
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Nook Glowlight
(Image credit: Sarah Tew / CBS Interactive)
Breaking the Amazon-Kobo ereader duopoly this summer is Barnes and Noble's Nook Glowlight. Pocket-lint highlights its "super lightweight build" along with its "decent LED lighting for reading in the dark". Perhaps the only downside to the Nook is that it isn't a Kindle, so readers who have already downloaded ebooks through Amazon will have to pay for them all over again. Engadget however thinks value for money is its key selling point. "The GlowLight is entering the market at roughly £20 less than its closest competitors, which is significant when affordability is a key selling point for all ereaders," it says.
Onyx Boox M96
If you're searching for something a little bit different, the Onyx Boox M96 might be for you. Rather than tying the reader down to one online bookstore for their ebooks, this Android ereader allows users to download books from different stores, with Amazon, Kobo and Barnes and Noble all included. Opinions have been mixed, with the review website Top-Ten-Reviews.com decidedly measured with its praise, saying: "Its large storage capacity allows you to download about 3,500 ebooks, but its interface is needlessly difficult to use." The site says its best feature is its reading options, but "all else is disappointing".
