I opened in with excitement, looked at the screen, put it on charge, and created a return request the next day. If you’re considering getting one, this post may help you decide.

Pros

1. Overdrive/Libby Integration
2. Physical Buttons
3. Automatic Brightness
4. Bookshop.org Integration

Cons

1. That Screen
2. Charging Situation
3. Hardware Updates
4. Family Sharing

Pros

Overdrive Integration

I use my digital library card a lot. I got 101 loans in 2024 and 153 in 2025. The problem is that borrowing a book requires Libby app on my phone.

With Kobo, you can add my library card to the device and browse library books right there. That’s a big quality of life upgrade!

Physical Buttons

The physical buttons for page turning are one more quality of life upgrade. I like the convenience of pressing a button to turn the page instead of swiping. That tactile feedback is great.

Auto Brightness

My base Kindle did not have it, so having automatic brightness was a big upgrade. In addition, Kobo also has a handy gesture to adjust brightness by swiping on the left side of the screen.

Software

I’m a bit mixed on the software features, but overall, they are nice improvements over the Kindle.

There’s built in book stats, which I really liked. And then there’s upcoming Bookshop.org integration, which is expected later this year.

Cons

The Screen

This will be subjective, so take this with a grain of salt.

I’ve got a sharp eye for pixel density. I’ve upgraded to high density displays where possible. The black and white pixel density on Kobo is theoretically the same, but it looks washed out compared to Kindle due to the additional color filter on top.

I tried to get used to it, but it did not look as crisp as Kindle. If you’re into comics, color screen makes sense. I mostly read books, so the compromise is just not worth it.

Lack of USB-C Power Delivery

Looking back, this ended up as a bigger deal-breaker for me compared to screen.

I have 60 W USB-C charging station next to my couch. My portable devices usually stay there when charging. Naturally, I put the reader on charge there. To my surprise, it lost 2% charge after 20 minutes. This was despite the battery indicator saying it was charging!

A quick search revealed that Kobo readers don’t handle higher power chargers and just… don’t charge.

I know I won’t be charging it as much as other devices due to long battery life, but it’s still annoying having to use a separate charger just for this one device.

Hardware Updates

Kobo has not launched new readers since 2024. With rumors of new eInk technology being just around the corner, I am not happy with purchasing something that might get an update soon!

Do you have a Kobo? What are your favorite features?