If it is not the most efficient e-reader on the market, it is probably the one that is able to satisfy the greatest number, between its unbeatable quality / price ratio, its excellent ergonomics, its waterproofness, its reactivity and its very convenient direct access to Amazon, currently the largest digital bookstore.

It is the cheapest e-reader on the market, without this being done to the detriment of the general quality of the device. Between its ergonomics, its reading comfort and its general responsiveness, and it is ideal for learning to read electronically or for occasional readers, especially since Amazon has (finally!) Integrated the backlighting.

This is the best option for very heavy readers, big screen enthusiasts, and manga or PDF enthusiasts. This 8-inch model indeed offers one of the best screens on the market, while being adorned with almost everything that is best in terms of reading technology (waterproofing, impact resistance, blue light filter, etc.) .

It is, in our opinion, the best alternative to the Paperwhite, for any lambda reader resistant to the environment of Amazon. Between its display quality, its ergonomics and the integration of an anti-blue light filter, it is a model that offers one of the most attractive quality / price ratios.

It’s the right mix between the design and functionality of the Kobo Forma and a more compact size. This 7-inch e-reader has a square format, physical buttons, waterproofness and anti-blue light technology. Its screen is also extremely well calibrated.

Honorable Mentions

Kobo Libra H2O: A model between two interesting ranges. Kobo’s latest 7 ”model has just about everything you would expect from a modern model (IPX8 certification, ComfortLight technology, etc.). It only suffers, in fact, from being at mid-price between the slightly less advanced Clara HD and Paperwhite, the larger and more resistant Forma, and the more responsive Oasis with a much better calibrated screen (some users having noticed uneven lighting at the edge near the buttons and / or a slightly greenish brightness).

Tea Vivlio Touch HD Plus: A surprising reader with voice synthesis. Very little known compared to the giants Amazon and Kobo, this 6 ”reader with 16 GB of memory is no less surprising, offering a rather chic copper design, voice synthesis (allowing you to read audio books or orally convert your standard ebooks ), H2O protection (against splashes) and an anti-blue light filter (the Smartlight). However, it suffers from latencies and a menu that should be more intuitive. It is nevertheless a model that deserves to be better known, and the best option for audiobook enthusiasts.

Tea Vivlio InkPad 3: A very rich interface. It is also an interesting large format (8 ″) model. It incorporates the backlight with an anti-blue light filter and 8 GB of memory expandable via microSD. Excellent and versatile, it nevertheless suffers from a plastic construction a little less solid than its competitors, a somewhat sluggish Internet browser, not to mention a bug when you download PDF files with too large DRM.

How To Choose The Best eBook Readers for Outdoor Reading in Sunlight?

Whether you are a follower of detective books or romance books, the e-reader could well seduce you with its many advantages (possibility of carrying thousands of books permanently, of reading in a dark environment, etc.).

But in this abundant market, it is not always easy to make an informed choice. Here are the criteria to be attentive to before your purchase:

• The ergonomics of the e-reader and its resistance: Reading comfort is one of the most important features to consider before purchasing an eReader. It will be strongly influenced by the size and weight of the e-reader, which are key to its handling and transportability. Depending on your use, a shock-resistant and / or waterproof model may also be essential.
• Screen size : on average, the screen of an e-reader varies in size from 6 to 8 inches. The advantage of a small format is that it offers better mobility, while that of a larger format is increased comfort and better adaptation to more specific readings, such as manga or PDFs.
• Screen resolution : it plays on the quality and comfort of reading. On average, e-readers have a resolution that can range from 150 to 300 dpi (inches per pixel). Obviously, the higher the resolution, the sharper the display.
• Backlight : e-Ink electronic ink gives the e-reader a rendering that is closer to that of paper, tires the eyes less than the screen of a computer or a tablet, and allows it to benefit from a longer battery life . With this technology, the backlighting found on other types of screens is not mandatory, but it is more and more often integrated to make reading in the dark or reading in direct sunlight more comfortable. The most successful models even offer a night mode, where the blue light gives way to a less “exciting” orange light.
• Storage capacity : the storage capacity of an e-reader varies from 4 to 32 GB, and the system memory never uses more than 20% of this storage. Some models offer to integrate an expansion of memory via an SD card, but this is often superfluous: since ebooks are, most of the time, small files (except illustrated books, for example), you can simultaneously own 3000 books of 800 pages on average for a memory of 4 GB.
• Autonomy : if it depends, of course, on the use that one makes of it, it is generally necessary to count on an autonomy of one month for approximately 1 hour of reading per day. Note, however, that certain features can seriously affect this autonomy, such as the ability of the e-reader to connect to Wi-Fi or 4G, or the presence of an audio function to listen to audiobooks.
• The type of compatible files : several ebook formats exist and not all formats are compatible with all e-readers. To keep it simple, there are two large sets of files on eReaders. On the one hand, we have the AZW files, owned by Amazon and read on their Kindle. On the other hand, we have the epub, readable on any other reader on the market except Kindle. Amazon currently offers the largest library, so it is necessary to choose between the two environments. Either you opt for a Kindle and have access to Amazon’s large bookstore, or you opt for another brand and have access to any bookstore… except Amazon!
• The presence of additional features : night mode, audio function, color display, games, etc. Depending on the use you make of your e-reader, these functions may just as well turn out to be essential as they are unnecessary! So consider carefully under what circumstances you want to be able to use it.

Note: Managing an entire library of eBooks can be tedious. To help you in your task, we particularly recommend the Caliber software. It allows you to create lists, modify the data of your books and even convert them to, for example, add a book to ePub on an Amazon e-reader.