E reader vs tablet

[darkskys]

I’m considering an ereader. I got into reading ebooks to avoid paying for paper books and all the clutter with them. However, I do not enjoy them on my phone.

I could get a tablet but there is the usual issues with reading on a backlit screen. An iPad would be more versatile (music sheets, shows, the like)  but I’m considering an ereader for the e ink screen.

I use the Libby app and I’d likely look into a kindle app as well since I have prime.

How did you choose between the two?

Note: cost isn’t a huge factor here as I would just get a basic model iPad and there’s nice deals coming up.

[Kris]

I think the choice is highly individualistic. I have had an iPad for a long time. A few years ago, I bought a Kindle at the urging of my husband, who was very seduced by the "non-backlit screen" argument and convinced me it would be much better.

I tried the Kindle for a couple of days, and ever since then, it has sat in a drawer. I really dislike reading with it and strongly prefer my iPad, go figure. Why? In my case, there are a few things. First, I don't like holding the small object for some reason. And I don't like that the screen is so small. I read very quickly, so on a Kindle, I feel like I'm turning pages like every other second. I'm also nearsighted, though, so changing to a small enough font that it would take me longer to complete a page means I have to hold the thing too close to my face to be comfortable.

The iPad screen is larger, and I just like reading on it much, much more.

My husband, on the other hand, likes the Kindle fine.

[K_in_the_kitchen]

I have a Kindle and an iPad, and prefer reading on the Kindle.  Our first Kindle was purchased in late 2009 (2nd generation), and our first iPad in 2010 (1st generation).  Since then we have continuously had both devices, although we don't upgrade every year or even close to that.  After getting the iPad I thought I wouldn't need a Kindle anymore, but the iPad is heavy and I don't like reading from those kinds of screens at night.  Our current Kindles (Voyage) were purchased almost 8 years ago and are still going strong.

[chaskavitch]

If you're choosing between a tablet and a Kindle, solely for reading, I'd definitely get the Kindle. 

I really like my Kindle - I've had two in the last 12 years, and I only got a second one because I accidentally broke the screen on the first one.  I have the 6" paperwhite right now, the 2018 version.  It's backlit, it fits in my purse or a (large) pocket, and the charge lasts a long time even if you read a lot.  I want to say probably 15 - 20 hours of reading?  (Edit - 15-20 hours is very wrong.  It's much more than that, I read for hours at a time and it still lasts for a few weeks.) That is a total guess, but I go weeks between charges, even when I read every day.  Reading books on my phone is nowhere near as comfortable for my eyes or my reading speed.

[tweezers]

I adore my Kindle Paperwhite.  It's 9 or 10 years old, and I read on it ~15 hours/week.  Long battery, adjustable light and text, and I love having a dictionary at the touch of a finger.  I never buy books, but get ebooks from our public library.

[Kris]

I adore my Kindle Paperwhite.  It's 9 or 10 years old, and I read on it ~15 hours/week.  Long battery, adjustable light and text, and I love having a dictionary at the touch of a finger.  I never buy books, but get ebooks from our public library.

Just to clarify, one has a dictionary at the touch of a finger with an iPad as well. I get ebooks from our public library through the Libby app, and I also have the Kindle app.

[Zikoris]

I'm a big reader and recommend getting a Kobo instead of a Kindle, unless you have authors you follow who only publish on Kindle. Kobo connects directly to your library's ebook collection, making it super fast and easy to check out books. My personal recommendation is for the Clara model, which I've been using for about a year and a half and maybe 500 books, and it is just fantastic.

But any e-reader is going to be better than a tablet or phone.

[Syonyk]

For books, eink is superior.  Better to read on, and, importantly, more of a "single purpose device" that is just for reading books.  It won't ping you with constant notifications when someone in a group chat decides to wage a long form debate over something only two people care about.  They last about forever on battery, and can be read with either the frontlight or just proper sun when outside on a nice day.

Don't buy a Kindle, though.  Amazon is evil.

I'm a big reader and recommend getting a Kobo instead of a Kindle, unless you have authors you follow who only publish on Kindle. Kobo connects directly to your library's ebook collection, making it super fast and easy to check out books. My personal recommendation is for the Clara model, which I've been using for about a year and a half and maybe 500 books, and it is just fantastic.

^^ Do that.  Get a Kobo.  Any of the recent ones are fine, though the Elipsa (tablet size) is really far too large to read on as a casual reader.  Even the Sage is on the large side, but workable if you want.

I use my Kobos for almost everything reading related, though I've been back in paper books for a while this winter.

[FLBiker]

I'm another e-reader fan.  I like the non-backlit nature, and the fact that it's just an e-reader.  I have a 7 year old, and I'd feel differently about her seeing me sitting around staring at a table vs an e-reader.  I've got an old Kindle touch.  That said, next time around (based in part on the above) I'd look at a Kobo.

[Metalcat]

E-ink is the shit.

[Dave1442397]

I tried reading on an iPad and hated it. I bought a kindle paperwhite in early 2016 and have been using it ever since. I find it super easy on the eyes, and the backlight is fantastic on night flights when the ambient lighting is dimmed.

Also, there's nothing like having a few hundred books in your pocket when going on vacation. As a kid, half my luggage used to be books when we went on family vacations :)

[Kris]

I tried reading on an iPad and hated it. I bought a kindle paperwhite in early 2016 and have been using it ever since. I find it super easy on the eyes, and the backlight is fantastic on night flights when the ambient lighting is dimmed.

Also, there's nothing like having a few hundred books in your pocket when going on vacation. As a kid, half my luggage used to be books when we went on family vacations :)

Lol, it’s crazy how outnumbered I am! :D

I completely agree with you, Dave, about having an entire library on one device. I, too, hated having to fill my suitcase with books on trips.

OP, I’d send you my Kindle, but my MIL wants to try one out, so we’re giving it to her.

[mspym]

Another long-time ereader fan (My first one was a Palm pilot! My second one was a Sony!) and yeah, Kobo makes a great ereader. I have the side-lit model, which also lets you turn pages with either buttons or touch on the screen, and can also rotate if you turn it, which is very useful to me since I get RSI and need to change up holding/page-turning actions to manage it. A large book on an ereader is a lot easier on my wrists than a big fat book.

I tried reading from tablets but the glare is harsh and the distraction temptations are many, plus they are significantly heavier, which plays into my wrist problems. OTOH a friend uses her Samsung Fold as a replacement for her ereader and tablet, and it's great for reading manga on.

[darkskys]

Thanks everyone for their thoughts!

[Psychstache]

I have both a Kobo Clara and a Kindle Paperwhite and prefer to read on those vs a tablet or phone.

[dblaace]

I prefer my kindle paperwhite. I upgraded to it for the backlight.
I use Libby and Hoopla from my library. Most books on Libby are available on kindle but I've come across a couple that were not. None of the Hoopla books are on kindle but they have a lot more audio books.

I also have a kindle fire. That sucks pretty much, but it can be used for reading apps like Libby and Hoopla. I use my iPhone and the apps for audio books.

[chasingsnow]

+1 for kindle. I have used a tablet before and find reading on the kindle versus the tablet disrupts my sleep less. I don't read on the kindle very often these days though and mostly get paper books from the public library

[thedigitalone]

I use an Amazon Fire HD 8" tablet in dark mode nightly to read in bed without disturbing the wife. They run about $100 ($120 without ads) they are backlit but the dark mode is good, week or two between charges and you can use it for other things if you get tired of reading.  I had a paperwhite in the past and liked it, but now prefer the multitasker vs single use.

[Wolfpack Mustachian]

I'm a big reader and recommend getting a Kobo instead of a Kindle, unless you have authors you follow who only publish on Kindle. Kobo connects directly to your library's ebook collection, making it super fast and easy to check out books. My personal recommendation is for the Clara model, which I've been using for about a year and a half and maybe 500 books, and it is just fantastic.

But any e-reader is going to be better than a tablet or phone.

Does Kobo link to a specific platform of library connection? I might get an e-reader just for that feature if it's really easy. I, too, take way too many heavy books on trips!

[Zikoris]

I'm a big reader and recommend getting a Kobo instead of a Kindle, unless you have authors you follow who only publish on Kindle. Kobo connects directly to your library's ebook collection, making it super fast and easy to check out books. My personal recommendation is for the Clara model, which I've been using for about a year and a half and maybe 500 books, and it is just fantastic.

But any e-reader is going to be better than a tablet or phone.

Does Kobo link to a specific platform of library connection? I might get an e-reader just for that feature if it's really easy. I, too, take way too many heavy books on trips!

It's directly connected to Overdrive/Libby, which most libraries use to loan ebooks. It is incredibly easy to use the library feature, and I also bought my Kobo for exactly this reason.

[Metalcat]

I'm a big reader and recommend getting a Kobo instead of a Kindle, unless you have authors you follow who only publish on Kindle. Kobo connects directly to your library's ebook collection, making it super fast and easy to check out books. My personal recommendation is for the Clara model, which I've been using for about a year and a half and maybe 500 books, and it is just fantastic.

But any e-reader is going to be better than a tablet or phone.

Does Kobo link to a specific platform of library connection? I might get an e-reader just for that feature if it's really easy. I, too, take way too many heavy books on trips!

It's directly connected to Overdrive/Libby, which most libraries use to loan ebooks. It is incredibly easy to use the library feature, and I also bought my Kobo for exactly this reason.

Same, I already had a kindle and bought a Kobo for this reason. I go through so many library books, it's amazing. I use my phone to borrow them and then sync my eReader to load them.

[Villanelle]

I have an ipad and a Kindle Paperwhite.  I only use the Kindle for reading and I almost never read on the ipad.  I often read for hours at a time, and sometimes in bright light, and a tablet wouldn't be comfortable for those conditions.  The e-ink Kindle is like reading a book. 

[Hula Hoop]

I'm a big reader and recommend getting a Kobo instead of a Kindle, unless you have authors you follow who only publish on Kindle. Kobo connects directly to your library's ebook collection, making it super fast and easy to check out books. My personal recommendation is for the Clara model, which I've been using for about a year and a half and maybe 500 books, and it is just fantastic.

But any e-reader is going to be better than a tablet or phone.

Does Kobo link to a specific platform of library connection? I might get an e-reader just for that feature if it's really easy. I, too, take way too many heavy books on trips!

It's directly connected to Overdrive/Libby, which most libraries use to loan ebooks. It is incredibly easy to use the library feature, and I also bought my Kobo for exactly this reason.

Same, I already had a kindle and bought a Kobo for this reason. I go through so many library books, it's amazing. I use my phone to borrow them and then sync my eReader to load them.

I may have to get a kobo when my kindle kicks the bucket.  I like the kindle but am sick of all the advertising (I was too cheap to get the ad free version).  I use it almost exclusively for library books via libby although I have bought a couple of books for it on amazon (both published by friends of mine so I didn't want to get them from the library).

I can't read on my phone or tablet. I have 0 self control so I just end up watching youtube or on social media.  With the kindle I can put the phone away and just read.

[Villanelle]

Can Kobo handle Kindle format books?  I have a massive library of Kindle books, so making the switch would be difficult, but I'm tempted by a Kobo when it's time to replace my Kindle. 

[mspym]

Can Kobo handle Kindle format books?  I have a massive library of Kindle books, so making the switch would be difficult, but I'm tempted by a Kobo when it's time to replace my Kindle.

You would need to convert them to epub but it's wicked easy using library management software. I use Calibre and would recommend it.
steps:
- download the software and install
- plug your kindle into your computer while Calibre is open
- copy the books to the library (Device>select books> right click> copy to library)
- select your books and hit the big Convert Books button, choose epub as the output option.

When you get the Kobo, you plug it in and when you send books to the device, it will automatically copy the epub version. 

[Villanelle]

Can Kobo handle Kindle format books?  I have a massive library of Kindle books, so making the switch would be difficult, but I'm tempted by a Kobo when it's time to replace my Kindle.

You would need to convert them to epub but it's wicked easy using library management software. I use Calibre and would recommend it.
steps:
- download the software and install
- plug your kindle into your computer while Calibre is open
- copy the books to the library (Device>select books> right click> copy to library)
- select your books and hit the big Convert Books button, choose epub as the output option.

When you get the Kobo, you plug it in and when you send books to the device, it will automatically copy the epub version.

That sounds entirely do-able, even for a semi-luddite like myself.  Thanks!  I'm going to mention Kobo to my DH that if at some point he decided a replacement e-reader would make a good gift, he is pointed in the right direction.  My Kindle is about 9 years old and still going strong, so I do hope to get a few more years out of it, but I think I know what is next, when the time comes!

[Zikoris]

I personally find it easier to just keep around an old Kindle for the rare times I want to read a Kindle book. I bought my old-as-shit Kindle off some dude on Facebook for $20 and it works fine because I hardly use it. Of my last 60 books read, four were Kindle.

[Linea_Norway]

I used to read from a kindle ffor many years and loved it. Until I rediscovered the library. Our libraries just don't do Kindle books. Therefore I have been using Libby on an iPad. That is hopelessly heavy. A Kindle is easy to hold in one hand, while I need to put an iPad down on a cushion n my lap. The library has way more choice for paper books, so I have been reading many of those instead.

[RWTL]

I used all devices....whatever was most available.  Sometimes my iPhone, sometimes iPad, and Kindle at bedtime since it was on the nightstand.  My Kindle Keyboard broke, and I haven't decided whether to replace it or not.

For books, eink is superior.  Better to read on, and, importantly, more of a "single purpose device" that is just for reading books.  It won't ping you with constant notifications when someone in a group chat decides to wage a long form debate over something only two people care about....

On an iPhone and iPad you can set focus mode to prevent this.  I have mine set to turn on Reading mode when I open the Kindle app.  It blocks all texts and other interruptions.

[Sandi_k]

I'm a big reader and recommend getting a Kobo instead of a Kindle, unless you have authors you follow who only publish on Kindle. Kobo connects directly to your library's ebook collection, making it super fast and easy to check out books. My personal recommendation is for the Clara model, which I've been using for about a year and a half and maybe 500 books, and it is just fantastic.

But any e-reader is going to be better than a tablet or phone.

Does Kobo link to a specific platform of library connection? I might get an e-reader just for that feature if it's really easy. I, too, take way too many heavy books on trips!

It's directly connected to Overdrive/Libby, which most libraries use to loan ebooks. It is incredibly easy to use the library feature, and I also bought my Kobo for exactly this reason.

Same, I already had a kindle and bought a Kobo for this reason. I go through so many library books, it's amazing. I use my phone to borrow them and then sync my eReader to load them.

Almost all of my Kindle content is borrowed from the Library. There is a plugin for various browsers (I use Chrome) that will alert you to whether your library has the book electronically, when you're on the Amazon Kindle page for the book. In many instances, I add the book to my private Kindle Wishlist, and it becomes available within a few months.

The plugin is called Library Extension. It has saved me *thousands* of dollars the past three years.

https://www.libraryextension.com/

[Sugaree]

I have an older generation eReader that just has wifi.  I use it for library books because I can load up to 10 books, then turn the wifi off.  I can take my time reading the books because they won't go away on the device until the wifi connects and it syncs again.

[Rubic]

I'm on my second Kindle and I love it. After 5 years of use, the battery was wearing out,
so this past weekend I replaced it:

https://newpower99.com/

NewPower99 sends you the tools for your Kindle, and they provide online videos to walk
you through the replacement procedure for your specific model.

[Syonyk]

I may have to get a kobo when my kindle kicks the bucket.  I like the kindle but am sick of all the advertising (I was too cheap to get the ad free version). 

I value my mental space far, far too much to let people cram their ads into it for a couple bucks.

I view the Kobos as what the Kindle could have been, if it weren't slaved to Amazon as a loss leader.  They're a wonderfully ideal e-reader, and if you want to go a bit nuts and hack on them, you can.  They don't go out of their way to block you from doing it, so there are third party readers and a range of other things you can install if you want.

Can Kobo handle Kindle format books?  I have a massive library of Kindle books, so making the switch would be difficult, but I'm tempted by a Kobo when it's time to replace my Kindle.

"It depends."  It will chew on the mobi format stuff without trouble, but most of the "Kindle" stuff has DRM applied.  It's trivial to strip, and I keep a VM around to do so (that and the damned Adobe stuff - that's far more of a nuisance, once you get a pipeline for it keep it intact).  But as a general rule, the Kobo will natively render any non-DRM format out there, including some of the comic formats - though it's far from a good comic reader.

You can convert stuff around, but there's no good reason to convert format just because.  Just strip the DRM and the Kobo will eat it.

On an iPhone and iPad you can set focus mode to prevent this.  I have mine set to turn on Reading mode when I open the Kindle app.  It blocks all texts and other interruptions.

You can, but it doesn't prevent you from wandering to other apps, and a LCD is still horrible for your eyes compared to eink in terms of sustained reading.  I've read on just about everything one can read on, and the only ones I really enjoy are the Kobo and dead tree now.  I spend far too much of my life staring at LCDs, and I'm pretty sure the blue coming off them will be regarded a a tremendously bad idea in the decades to come.

[Villanelle]

What ads are you Kindle people referring to?  Mine has ads on the sleep screen, but I almost never even see that because I'm either reading or not holding it at all.  And then in the shopping screen, there are small ads as well.  Again, I rarely see those since I'm usually either uploading library content or making purchases on my computer and then receiving them via wifi so I rarely go to the shopping screen.

Do newer versions have more ads in more places, or do my specific habits just make the ads unobtrusive for me?

[Zikoris]

What ads are you Kindle people referring to?  Mine has ads on the sleep screen, but I almost never even see that because I'm either reading or not holding it at all.  And then in the shopping screen, there are small ads as well.  Again, I rarely see those since I'm usually either uploading library content or making purchases on my computer and then receiving them via wifi so I rarely go to the shopping screen.

Do newer versions have more ads in more places, or do my specific habits just make the ads unobtrusive for me?

I remember them doing that with some older models, but only on the sleep screen. My boyfriend just recently bought a new Paperwhite and there are no ads anywhere.

[eyesonthehorizon]

I have an old model paperwhite which stopped displaying ads on its own; the sleep screen just shows the default image now. +1 for used e-ink reader.

[Scandium]

What ads are you Kindle people referring to?  Mine has ads on the sleep screen, but I almost never even see that because I'm either reading or not holding it at all.  And then in the shopping screen, there are small ads as well.  Again, I rarely see those since I'm usually either uploading library content or making purchases on my computer and then receiving them via wifi so I rarely go to the shopping screen.

Do newer versions have more ads in more places, or do my specific habits just make the ads unobtrusive for me?

I second the Kobo recommendation. Bought a kindle for son, since the "kids mode" was supposedly better. But I absolute hate the kindle! It's not just about the ads, also the constant upselling and awful UI formatted around selling you more books! For example the "homescreen" is a small sliver with a couple of your own books, then several rows of "recommended" books to purchase! And forcing you to scroll to next page to get new/added books! Disgusting. I didn't realize how they could make a simple book UI this terrible, until I used the kindle. The kobo UI is about showing your books

The library borrowing is similarly convoluted, just to tempt you to buy instead. Send to kindle, go to amazon website, click link (then anther step to send to kid). Kobo I borrow in libby app, sync ereader and it's there! Or borrow directly on kobo.

And my son's kindle is pretty buggy, not what you'd expect from a bazzilion $ "premium" company. My kobo has had fewer issues.

To answer OP; I vastly prefer to read on ereader. It's much lighter and smaller than even smallest ipad. Especially when traveling it's so much easier. It even fits in some pants pockets (for short periods) say walking around an airport.

[solon]

I second the Kobo recommendation. Bought a kindle for son, since the "kids mode" was supposedly better. But I absolute hate the kindle! It's not just about the ads, also the constant upselling and awful UI formatted around selling you more books! For example the "homescreen" is a small sliver with a couple of your own books, then several rows of "recommended" books to purchase! And forcing you to scroll to next page to get new/added books! Disgusting. I didn't realize how they could make a simple book UI this terrible, until I used the kindle. The kobo UI is about showing your books

Try using the Library screen. It shows only your books. You don't ever have to use the Home screen if you don't want to.

[314159]

Another endorsement for Kobo with library content! I received a first edition Barnes & Noble Nook as a gift, probably around 2009. It lasted a decade before dying. I would download epubs to my laptop from my library and them load them onto my Nook which had to be plugged in. My replacement was a Kobo and it is super nice to not have to dig up the cable to connect it to my laptop! Especially since the battery lasts ridiculously long.

[lentil]

I got into reading ebooks to avoid paying for paper books and all the clutter with them. However, I do not enjoy them on my phone.

So why not just get paper books from the library? Free, won't clutter up your space, low environmental footprint, no buggy software or battery issues, much nicer for reading than a phone...

[scottish]

I got into reading ebooks to avoid paying for paper books and all the clutter with them. However, I do not enjoy them on my phone.

So why not just get paper books from the library? Free, won't clutter up your space, low environmental footprint, no buggy software or battery issues, much nicer for reading than a phone...

Well some of us older types like to be able to adjust the font size on our reading material.

I vote for the ereader because 1.  much longer battery life and 2.  the lighting doesn't seem to have as much blue in it i.e. it doesn't keep you up at night, or in my case, cause eye strain.

I like the kobo because you don't have to connect it to the internet.

[mspym]

I got into reading ebooks to avoid paying for paper books and all the clutter with them. However, I do not enjoy them on my phone.

So why not just get paper books from the library? Free, won't clutter up your space, low environmental footprint, no buggy software or battery issues, much nicer for reading than a phone...

Well some of us older types like to be able to adjust the font size on our reading material.

I vote for the ereader because 1.  much longer battery life and 2.  the lighting doesn't seem to have as much blue in it i.e. it doesn't keep you up at night, or in my case, cause eye strain.

I like the kobo because you don't have to connect it to the internet.

And some of us have busted RSI wrists and hands and can’t deal with the size and weight of some books. (Apropos of this, I saw Neal Stephenson’s Reamde in a street library - that thing was the size of two bricks - it looked unreadable)

[eyesonthehorizon]

E-books on tap from the library without having to leave the house is also an upside. Not really much environmental footprint if you get an e-reader used. The battery in mine is already geriatric by electronics standards, but lasts for weeks.

[Sugaree]

E-books on tap from the library without having to leave the house is also an upside. Not really much environmental footprint if you get an e-reader used. The battery in mine is already geriatric by electronics standards, but lasts for weeks.

This is my big thing.  No late fees.  No having to to go the library twice. The reader itself was $15 at the unclaimed baggage place, which for the record isn't worth a special trip, but I was in town for something else and stopped by.

[jrhampt]

I LOVE my kindle.  I use it almost every day, always travel with it, and almost everything I read on it is free - either from my library's downloadable catalog or through First Reads with Amazon Prime (free ebook every month).  Great long battery life, easy to change size of text, and backlit for nighttime reading if needed.  The ads don't bother me - often it's for a book that I would be interested in, so I search for it in the library downloadable catalog.  I spend very little yearly on kindle books - well under $100.  The library catalog is always my first choice.

[lutorm]

I have a Kindle and a Boox Note Air. These days I exclusively use the Boox, it works for general reading (ebooks but I also read the paper using the NYT app on it) and also note taking and sketching. I'm super happy with it. It's a general Android tablet so you can install anything from the google play store on it, although not everything is practically usable with the e-ink screen.

Note that Amazon lets you download books as .azw files that you can then read on any e-reader (but it's possible you need to already have a Kindle for that option to be available.)

[MandyT]

The reason I like the Kindle paperwhite, at least the older version I have – I'm not sure if it's changed now – is that I cannot get online with it! If I were to read on my phone or iPad, I would 100% have trouble remaining focused, and would continually check my email, etc. With the Kindle paperwhite, all you can do is read. :-)

[darkskys]

Got a kindle paper white for free from a friend who didn’t want it anymore. It’s a newer one too. Win!

[eyesonthehorizon]

Got a kindle paper white for free from a friend who didn’t want it anymore. It’s a newer one too. Win!

Best possible outcome, IMO!

[MandyT]

And some of us have busted RSI wrists and hands and can’t deal with the size and weight of some books. (Apropos of this, I saw Neal Stephenson’s Reamde in a street library - that thing was the size of two bricks - it looked unreadable)

Haha, aren't they all like that? I'm reading (a physical copy) of Seveneves for the third time, and I can barely hold the book. (Also, Reamde was great!)