5 Best Tablets for Reading eBooks
It might seem like your smartphone is an all-purpose device. However, health-wise, an Android tablet for reading ebooks saves you the eye-strain caused by regular displays, while also keeping your ebooks well organized and stored in one place.
Best Tablets for Reading
| Best Over All | Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite |
| Cheapest | Barnes & Noble Nook Glowlight 3 |
| Highly Recommended | Kindle Oasis E-reader |
| Best Value | Sony Digital Paper System |
| Runner Up | Kobo Clara HD |
5 Best Tablets of Reading eBooks
Here are our 5 top picks for ebook reading devices:
1. Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite
This E-reader comes in three forms – an 8GB model, a 32GB one and a cellular-enabled variant, for those that can’t wait for the Wifi to load when downloading eBooks. On top of that variety of on-device storage, there is free cold storage for all Amazon content on these devices.
As for the dimensions, the device is one of the thinnest and lightest in its category. It is 6.6 by 4.6 by 0.3 inches, or 167 x 116 x 8.18 mm, and weighs 6.4 ounces or 191 grams. However, the actual size and weight can vary slightly according to the configuration and manufacturing process.
This Kindle’s design is exactly what you’d expect – a black matte back, with an improved front that is not perfectly flat. On this version, there are no longer any physical buttons, it is completely operated by touch.
The battery life depends entirely on the way the device is used. Exploit its maximum capacity -high luminosity, Wifi connection, backlight usage – and you’ll get probably around 250 pages on it. Turn it down a notch and you may reach 500.
There are a few nice features though. Now you can save settings in packages – fonts, spacing or size – and then go to saved settings through a pop-down menu. This helps when the device is used by more people with different preferences. Additionally, this eReader is said to resist underwater for up to 60 minutes.
It could be a good idea to also buy a cover with your new Kindle Paperwhite. This one is also water resistant.
2. Kindle Oasis E-reader
This high-end Ebook reader comes in its basic form with 8GB of storage and Wifi – with ads on the lock screen, that can be removed by paying extra. If you want more room for your books, there is also the option to have 32GB – also with ads, but if you remove them this time, you also get a cellular connection.
While a bit wider than the Paperwhite – at 6.3 by 5.6 by 0.4 inches, or 159 x 141 x 8..3 mm, it weighs only 6.8 oz or 198 grams. But just like with the Paperwhite, these exact details might vary from device to device.
This E-reader’s design is completely different from what you might be used to – but in a good way. Its back is covered in metal, nice to the touch, but not slippery. The 7-inch, 300ppi E Ink screen has narrow bezels on three sides, and a larger one on the remaining side – with physical page turn buttons.
According to Amazon, the bigger battery on this device – that was also turned into something of a handle, for more comfortable one-handed use – could last for even three weeks of reading, if you use for no more than one hour per day.
Besides the basic features every Kindle device has, this one also claims to be waterproof (IPX8). Another nice addition is that now you can listen to audiobooks narrated by your favorite celebrities. However, for comics, sometimes the E-Ink “bleeds” on the next page you’re reading, making it hard to make out the content.
Compared to the Paperwhite, the Kindle Oasis has a screen that is a bit more sensitive and prone to scratches. So it might be a good idea to also buy a screen protector.
3. Kobo Clara HD
This Ebook reader features an 8GB of storage, with a 2.4Ghz Wifi connection option. You can also add books to the device from your Laptop or PC by using a micro USB cable, or read articles saved into your Pocket account.
The dimensions of this device are not out of the ordinary – at 6.3 by 4.3 by 0.3 inches, or 160 x 110 x 7.6 mm, and 5.9 ounces of weight, or 167 grams. This small and sleek build makes the Kobo Clara E-reader comfortable for single-hand use.
As for the design, it has a slightly tapered, simple patterned back – making it easier to be gripped. There are no physical buttons on this one -except the power button – making this Ebook reader completely operated by touch.
The battery life is great, but not out of the ordinary. Though the company makes no claims about it, with its Wifi turned off and lights dimmed down to a bit more than half – it could last weeks with about two hours of reading per day.
What is different with this device is the innovation – the advertising of the Kobo Store is more subtle, accessible through a link at the bottom of the homepage. Also, you can view the articles saved on Pocket on the Clara HD. However, the Kobo Store can’t compete with what Amazon has to offer, in terms of the diversity of the bookstore.
Unlike the other devices mentioned until now, the Kobo Clara HS is not waterproof and easily damageable, so we recommend using a case like this to protect it.
4. Barnes & Noble Nook Glowlight 3
The Glowlight comes with 8GB of internal memory -yet, when power it on, there’s only 6.3GB, as 1GB is available for sideloaded content – equal to 1,00 eBooks. The memory cannot be expanded, as there’s no option for an SD card. However, you can delete content or offload specific files to the Cloud, to make more room.
A small, light device, the Glowlight comes in familiar dimensions – 6.9 bt 5.0 by 0.4 inches, or 175 x 127 x 10 mm, and 13.6 ounces of weight, or 385 grams – a bit heavier than the other devices.
As per design, its rounded corners make the Nook easier to hold. Also, the grip is improved by the hard plastic on the back. There are two page-turn buttons, both on the left side and the right one – so it doesn’t matter in which hand you hold it. Also, the home button is shaped like an “n” and is quite satisfying to press.
The battery life length depends on the usage of the light. With heavy use, you can get around 300 pages with one charge. Turn it down a bit and shut the wireless down, you might get to 1,500 pages – or so the company claims.
The Nook features a comfort light, that really shuts down the bright, white display and turns it into more orange – for late night reading. There are also some options to customize the texts, like different fonts, sizes of margins adjustments.
Because of this device being neither waterproof or dustproof, we highly recommend you also get a protective cave for your new device.
5. Sony Digital Paper System
this pricey device comes with 16GB of storage, of which just 11.1GB are available, without any extension option available for the memory – as there is no SD slot. And the device can only read non-DRM protected PDFs -and just that, no ePub, no Mobi, no CBR nor any other format.
As for the dimensions, Sony’s device might be the biggest of its kind, but perhaps the lightest. Measuring 8.8 by 11.9 by 0.2-inches, or 223 x 302 x 5 mm, and weighing 12.3 ounces, or 483 grams, it brings about the appearance of an actual piece of paper.
The design is very simple and elegant – fit for office. There is a single physical button, at the top, with the power button and the micro USB charging port. With a 13.3-inch display -without any kind of lighting, it reads graphs, charts and maps fine with the 16 levels of grayscale.
Just like any other E-Ink tablet, the battery life depends on how many pages you flip and how you use it. It takes three hours to fully recharge, and it has to be charged every three or four days, on average use.
The main problem with Sony’s Digital Paper is its 2004-like software. There is no cloud connectivity – all the documents you want to read have to go through an app that you download from Sony’s site onto your PC. The operating system is mainly a file manager. Also, there is no way to jump to a specific page in a PDF – making handling long documents harder than it has to be.
To look more professional with this eReader in your office environment, and to also protect it from water, dust, and scratches, you might consider looking for a case.
If you’re not truly convinced and still want to read on your Android smartphone, check this list of 10 Best eBook readers for Android!
What People Ask
What do you look for in an Ebook reader?
The criteria we used for making this list include the Price – make sure to buy a device that suits your needs but also doesn’t drain your budget, the Screen Size – most of them are about 6-inches, but if you’re interested in also viewing images or comics, you should pay attention to this. Also, there’s the Touchscreen – one some devices it’s really responsive, while others rely more on physical buttons. Another important feature is the Lighting – depending on when you want to be reading -night or day, or what type of light is better suited for your eyes.
How many books can an eReader hold?
It obviously depends on the size of its storage, but a basic one with 8GB fits about 6,000 eBooks. However, for Kindle devices, your entire library is stored into the Amazon cloud for free.
How much space does an audiobook take?
For an audiobook that is roughly 11 hours, the size is about 15MB, whereas for 47 hours one, it’s 667MB. So we’d say about .53MB per minute of an audiobook.
Can I borrow eBooks from any libraries?
You should first check if the library you’re interested in offers eBook lending services. However, for U.S libraries, you can borrow eBooks in Kindle format and they can be delivered both to your Kindle device or Kindle reading apps.
Picking the best tablet for reading eBooks? Can be tricky.
Whether you want to sit on the beach and read your favorite magazine or relax at home with a warm cup of tea and a good book, there is a version of an Ebook reader that is perfect for you.
Most Kindle devices offer Audible pairing but require Bluetooth connected devices, since they don’t have built-in speakers or headphone jacks. So if you’re interested in that, check our list of “10 Best Bluetooth Headphones with reviews” and the “Top 5 Portable Speakers.”
Which one was your favorite tablet for reading eBooks? Let us know in the comments down below!
