Amazon has produced some amazing products over the years, but the Kindle is arguably one of their best. It’s not the only e-reader around anymore, however, which brings us to the Kobo vs. Kindle debate. While both companies have a line of e-readers, we’re going to take a look at two of the more affordable options.
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Clara HD share a lot of similarities from the design to the available formats. They also have comparable price tags and, while both devices allow users to read eBooks in direct sunlight thanks to e-ink displays, one provides a little more bang for the buck.
| Kindle Paperwhite | Kobo Clara HD | |
|---|---|---|
| Display Size | 6.8” | 6” |
| Resolution | 1236 x 1648p, 300 PPI | 1072 x 1448p, 300 PPI |
| Front Light | 17 LEDs | 13 LEDs |
| Processor | 1GHz | 1GHz |
| RAM | 512MB | 512MB |
| Storage | 8GB | 8GB |
| Expandable | No | No |
| Formats | AZW3, AZW, TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC, HTML DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, PMP through conversion, Audible audio format (AAX) | EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR |
| Dimensions | 6.9 x 4.9 x 0.32 inches | 6.28 x 4.33 x 0.33 inches |
| Weight | 7.2 ounces | 5.9 ounces |
| Water Resistance | IP8X | None |
| Battery Life Estimate | 10 weeks per charge | 2 weeks per charge |
| Charging Time | 5 hours | 3 hours |
| Automatic Rotation | No | Yes |
| Warm light | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 1-year | 1-year |
| Price | $139-159 | $119 |
5 Must-Know Facts: Kobo vs. Kindle
- Kobo’s first e-reader was released in 2010 with Bluetooth and a D-pad, but no Wi-Fi.
- The Kindle was introduced 2 years before the Nook.
- The name Kobo is an anagram for the word book.
- More than 20 versions of the Kindle have been released since 2007.
- The first Kindle Paperwhite launched on October 1, 2012.
Kobo Clara HD vs. Kindle Paperwhite: What’s the Difference?
Comparing the Kobo lineup against Amazon’s staggering array of Kindles is a challenge given how many e-readers Amazon has released. They have a significant head start over Kobo, but we feel the Kobo Clara HD compares nicely against the 11th generation of the Kindle Paperwhite.
With that in mind, here’s how these devices stack up against one another.
Display
One of the reasons to choose an e-reader over a traditional tablet is the display. While you won’t find any QHD panels on these devices, both are designed for reading indoors or outside in full sunlight.
The Kindle Paperwhite has a 6.8” display with a pixel density of 300 PPI. The resolution is listed at 1236 x 1648p, compared to the Kobo Clara HD at 1072 x 1448p. The Clara HD has a smaller 6” display, although the pixel density is still 300 PPI.
Both touchscreen displays have an anti-reflective coating with backlighting. The E-ink panel on the Clara HD has a front-lighting system with a total of 13 LEDs: 7 blue and 7 orange. The color temperature makes it easy to read during the day or night without eyestrain, thanks to the ComfortLight PRO system.
As for the Kindle Paperwhite, it has 17 LEDs giving it a slight edge. It has a larger screen with a higher resolution, but both devices are easy on the eyes in a variety of conditions.
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eBook Compatibility
The second area to consider once you’ve looked at the display of an e-reader is the selection of books you can read and the formats available. That can make or break a device, and it’s where things begin to get interesting between the Kobo and Kindle.
When Amazon introduced the original Kindle in 2007, the Kindle Store soon followed with a wealth of eBooks. Authors like Stephen King flocked to the new platform with exclusives like Ur, which you could only get through the Kindle Store.
It’s hard to put an exact number on how many titles are available through the Kindle Store, but there are well over 10 million ebooks at any given time. The Kobo store has more than 3 million eBooks by comparison, which gives Amazon a huge advantage when it comes to storefront books.
If you want to read things from outside those stores, things open up considerably for the Kobo, which supports 15 file formats including CBZ, CBR, TXT, FilePub, ePUB, JPB, and more. It allows you to read comic books with images sans conversion on an e-ink display and can handle HTML files and PDFs, just like the Kindle.
The Paperwhite can read many of the same formats along with PMP through conversion and PRC. You’ll have to remove DRM from Kobo titles to get them to work on the Kindle, however. As the Kindle uses MOBI while Kobo sticks to EPUB, you can’t carry titles over to the other platform without performing a few tech tricks or using an app.
The biggest difference in formatting is EPUB with Kobo and MOBI with Kindle. It’s something that can affect your buying decision if you are already invested in Amazon’s ecosystem or own a lot of books in EPUB format.
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Audiobooks
Devices like the Kindle and Kobo were initially designed for reading, but that changed with the rise of audiobooks. If you enjoy listening to books as much as reading them, this is an area where the 11th generation of the Kindle Paperwhite is a clear winner.
The Kobo Clara HD does not support audiobooks in any way, shape, or form. That’s due to an omission under the hood as there’s no Bluetooth module or 3.5mm headphone jack on the Clara HD.
The newest version of the Kindle Paperwhite has Bluetooth capabilities, although it doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack. You can use Bluetooth earbuds to enjoy books from Audible, considering it’s built-in.
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Battery Life
You don’t need a battery to read a physical book unless you’re trying to do so in the dark with a book light. E-readers are portable, so battery life is critical with these types of devices unless you want to be tethered to a wall outlet.
Both Amazon and Kobo are a bit vague when it comes to battery specifications. According to Kobo, the battery in the Clara HD can last for up to 2 months before needing to be recharged. A full charge will take around 3 hours while the Kindle Paperwhite takes around 5 hours to recharge using a regular USB cable and port.
A 9W adapter can slash charging times to 2.5 hours on the Kindle. Kobo’s reader also supports fast charging, although we were unable to find an accurate time. How long each battery will actually last depends on your reading habits and brightness levels, but the Paperwhite can go 10 weeks between charges.
Hardware
When comparing smartphones or tablets, it’s important to take a look under the hood. Components like the processor, memory, and storage are critical with these devices but tend to take a backseat to e-readers.
The Paperwhite has a 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM. You’ll find the same hardware beneath the glass on the Kobo Clara HD. Both devices are also capped with 8GB of onboard storage, which is not expandable.
That may not seem like much, but you’d be surprised by how many books you can cram into a tablet with only 8GB of space. You also have the cloud to fall back on with Amazon and the Kindle Cloud Library. Kobo doesn’t have official cloud support on the Clara HD, although there is a workaround available through Github.
Features
Companies that manufacture e-readers and other types of consumer tech rely on features to help set their product apart from the competition. The Paperwhite and Clara HD aren’t two devices known for flagship features, but there are a few that certainly stand out.
The 11th generation of the Kindle Paperwhite is 10% brighter than the previous generation and has a “warm” reading light feature. The lighting doesn’t adjust automatically and there’s no auto orientation if you want to read in landscape mode.
There are around 6 fonts on the Paperwhite e-reader and you can adjust the size, margin width, and line spacing. You’re able to do the same thing on the Kobo Clara HD, but it comes with 12 fonts out of the box.
The Kobo Clara HD has a similar set of features, so you can take notes or highlight passages as you read. Neither device has a fully functional web browser, although you’ll get Bluetooth on the Paperwhite. That e-reader also has IPX8 certification, so it’s resistant to water.
You can use the Paperwhite in the pool, but you can’t do that with the Clara HD. Borrowing is better on the Clara HD, however. It’s easier to use Libby and Overdrive whereas Amazon took a more gated approach on the Kindle Paperwhite 11.
Kobo Clara HD vs. Kindle Paperwhite 11: Pricing and Availability
- 6.8-inch 300 PPI glare-free display
- Up to 10 weeks of battery life
- Available in three different colors
- Now includes 20% faster page turns
- 32GB of storage
- 300ppi anti-glare display
- Wireless charging
- Lasts up to 10 weeks on a single charge
- Adjustable screen and auto-adjusting front light
- 7" HD E Ink Carta 1200 touchscreen
- Waterproof body for reading anywhere
- 32GB of storage
- You can take up to 24,000 ebooks, 150 Kobo Audiobooks, or a combination of both with you anywhere
- 𝗔𝗗𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 & 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗟 – The Kobo Clara HD has ComfortLight PRO to...
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- 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗨𝗣 𝗧𝗢 𝟲𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗦 – With 8GB of storage take your entire book collection everywhere you go. Browse over 6 million titles at any time, on...
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You can purchase the Kindle Paperwhite through Amazon in a variety of configurations. That includes a model with lock-screen advertisements, which has a price tag of $139.99. The Paperwhite without ads is $159.99. A variant of the reader is also available with the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. It’s essentially the same device, but with 32GB of storage, an auto-adjusting light, and wireless charging.
Kobo’s e-reader is available through Amazon, the company’s official site, and a variety of other retailers at a price of $119. It’s cheaper, and the Kobo Libra 2 is comparable to the Signature Edition with a larger display, landscape reading mode, Bluetooth, and more storage. The Kobo Clara HD and Libra 2 are both cheaper than Amazon’s e-readers.
Kobo vs. Kindle: Which is Better?
What do you want from an e-reader? Are you looking for a device you can take on vacations or use for audiobooks? If so, the answer is easy, as the Kindle Paperwhite is the best choice. Bluetooth and IPX8 certification are major advantages over the Clara HD, even if the specifications are largely the same.
Both devices are easy to use and allow you to read in direct sunlight while giving them access to massive catalogs of e-books. Which is better may come down to the format you’re already invested in. Amazon has a much larger selection, making it a no-brainer if you already own titles from the company. Kobo is easier to use with libraries and opens to a few more formats.
While we feel both e-readers are excellent choices, the Kindle Paperwhite 11 is the winner in our eyes. It’s not much more expensive than the Clara HD, but has a larger ecosystem, Bluetooth, and can handle a spilled drink or a quick dunk in the pool.
Up Next…
Interested in similar comparisons? Click on the links below:
- Nook vs Kindle: Which E-Reader Is Best? They’ve both been around for over a decade, and they present an excellent means of taking your books with you everywhere. How do they measure up against each other? Read this article to find out.
- Scribd vs Kindle Unlimited: Which One Should You Buy? One is known as the “Netflix” of books. The other is the most popular e-reader on the globe. Which is the better option for you? And what other differences set them apart? Discover the answers in this article.
- Kindle vs iPad: Which is best for you? Which is more affordable? Which is more convenient to use? Which is more versatile? Find out which is the better option between Apple’s tablet and the most popular e-reader on the plane
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