Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle?

Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle?

      Kobo Clara Colour review: Why choose a Kindle?

      

       MSRP: $160.00

      

      “The Kobo Clara Colour exemplifies the company’s extensive experience, providing an outstanding color e-reader at an unparalleled price.”

      Pros

      - Excellent price

      - Designed for repairability

      - Great reading experience

      - Weeks of battery life

      - User-friendly software

      - Clear color display

      - Strong price guarantee from Kobo store

      Cons

      - Uninspired design

      - Difficult to grip

      - Decreased performance with large color files

      - Limited to 16GB storage

      - Few options for transferring ebook files

      What are your priorities in an e-reader? If you're like me, extended battery life and portability are essential. Nowadays, you might also want a color display. If that appeals to you, allow me to introduce the Kobo Clara Colour. As a veteran of the e-reader market since 2010, Kobo’s seasoned background is evident. The Clara Colour, their latest model, appears to have all the essentials for an e-reader: it's compact, capable of lasting for weeks on a single charge, and features a full-color display with impressive clarity.

      However, it faces tough competition, particularly from the Kindle Colorsoft. Amazon’s first color Kindle is often the first choice for many looking for a new e-reader, but Kobo aims to challenge that trend. Priced at $100 less than the Colorsoft, the Kobo Clara Colour raises the question: can it really compete? Read on to find out.

      Kobo Clara Colour specifications:

      - Size: 112 x 160 x 9.2mm

      - Weight: 174 grams

      - Display: 6-inch, 300ppi (black and white), 150ppi (color)

      - Storage: 16GB

      - Battery life: Up to 42 days

      - Charging: USB-C, speed not specified

      - Durability: IPX8

      - Colors: Black

      Kobo Clara Colour: Design

      The design of e-readers is distinctly different from that of smartphones and tablets, giving the impression of stepping through a time warp when comparing the two. Unlike sleek glass and metal constructions, even the most luxurious e-reader is often made from robust plastic, and the Kobo Clara Colour is no exception. Wrapped in black recycled plastic, it features a textured rear panel and a recessed power button. Despite the materials, it feels durable and solid, with a satisfying weight that prevents it from feeling cheap. The recessed power button is an added bonus, easily accessible and less prone to accidental presses compared to the buttons found on many Kindles.

      The thick bezels around the 6-inch e-ink display make it somewhat unattractive, but provide ample gripping area for reading. However, you'll need that grip, as the Clara Colour is quite slippery. The smooth plastic doesn't offer a secure hold, and even the textured back does little to improve traction. It's manageable when sitting upright or cozy on the sofa, but holding it above your face in bed can feel precarious. I received an official folio case with my Clara Colour, and it proved to be a useful accessory.

      This grip issue is something I've observed with many e-readers recently. My 2024 Kindle has a similar problem, which baffles me, given my 2018 Kindle Paperwhite’s soft-touch backing that offered good grip. It seems as though e-readers have regressed in this regard. While a case provides a simple solution, I can’t help but suspect that promoting case sales may be a motivation behind this trend.

      Regarding durability, the Clara Colour boasts an IPX8 water-resistance rating, allowing it to withstand immersion in fresh water for up to 60 minutes at a depth of two meters. This feature makes it great for reading in the bathtub or by the pool, though intentionally submerging it is not advisable. However, it lacks a dust-resistance rating, so keeping it away from dusty environments is advisable.

      Another noteworthy aspect of the Clara Colour’s durability is its repairability. Kobo has partnered with iFixit to provide parts and repair guides, allowing you to attempt to fix your device even after the warranty expires. This is a significant advantage, often absent from other devices.

      While there's little remarkable about the Clara Colour’s overall design, it performs its purpose adequately but lacks excitement. It feels sturdy, yet the slippery surface and limited color options are drawbacks.

      Kobo Clara Colour: Display

      The Kobo Clara Colour features a 6-inch e-ink Kaleido 3 color touchscreen, boasting a resolution of 1448 x 1072 at 300 pixels-per-inch (ppi) for black and white content. Similar to the Kindle Colorsoft, the resolution for color content drops to 150 ppi, though this decrease is not noticeable on such a small screen. Being 6 inches, it's the same size as the standard Kindle and an inch smaller than the 7-inch displays common in the Kindle

Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle? Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle?

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Kobo Clara Colour review: What’s the reason to choose a Kindle?

The Kobo Clara Colour offers all the features of the Kindle Colorsoft, but at a more affordable price. So, is it worth purchasing? We discovered the answer.