11-15-2021, 04:30 PM | #1 |
Zealot
Posts: 149
Karma: 278068
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Poland
Device: Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra 2
|
Paperwhite 5 or Libra 2?
I'm considering switch to either Paperwhite 5 or Libra 2, does anyone have experience with those? I used to have a Kobo Aura H2O, now I own a PW 3. I buy most ebooks from local bookstores, then convert them in Calibre. My first thought was PW 5, but I heard Amazon is making changes that are supposed to discourage people from sideloading their own ebooks - is that true? Is it possible the function will be blocked at some point? Anyway, to me PW 5 has some advantages:
Did Kobo address some of those points in their device? |
11-15-2021, 04:42 PM | #2 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,420
Karma: 230178176
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Estonia
Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2
|
I don't think that sideloading to Kindles will be blocked in the near future. But there will be probably be more and more features that don't work with sideloaded books.
Kobo doesn't sync sideloaded books. The Forma and the Sage both have Dropbox integration, but AFAIK you can't sync reading progress and notes via Dropbox. As to speed, I can only compare my Oasis, the Sage and the Libra 1 (haven't received my Libra 2 yet and I don't own any Paperwhites). The Oasis is the fastest, the Sage is also pretty nimble (at least with kepubs), the Libra 1 is slower. The Libra 2 is probably the same as the Libra 1 speed-wise (the same processor and RAM). |
Advert | |
|
11-15-2021, 08:16 PM | #3 |
Guru
Posts: 685
Karma: 11431990
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Toronto, Canada
Device: Kobo Sage - Kindle PW5 & Voyage - iPad Pro M1 12.9
|
I have both, they are great choices, even if the Libra2 was not impressing on the paper, I'm really liking it. You won't make a big mistake by going with one or another.
Maybe you prefer one form factor? |
11-16-2021, 05:47 AM | #4 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 45,034
Karma: 56650819
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Peru
Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One
|
If you're on the fence about these two, you might ask yourself if buttons are a feature you might enjoy.
(I don't own either of the two you mention, but I continue to own devices with and without buttons. I personally prefer buttons.) |
11-16-2021, 08:33 AM | #5 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 5,048
Karma: 18018738
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Scribe, PW SE & Kindle 2022, Kobo Libra 2
|
The annoying things about reading sideloaded books on a kindle are
1) you can send a mobi file using Send to Kindle or via email and it will allow you to download the book on multiple devices, just like an Amazon ebook, but you can’t bold the font, or have the cover showing. And they are treated as Docs. 2) you can sideloaded an AZW file via Calibre to a kindle using usb, and you can bold the font, and you will see a cover (only after you have connected the kindle a second time, after loading the books), but you can’t sync between devices/apps I also had issues with sideloaded AZW files, not appearing, or duplicating, and not staying in collections. I now read all sideloaded books on a Kobo. |
Advert | |
|
11-16-2021, 11:41 AM | #6 |
Guru
Posts: 685
Karma: 11431990
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Toronto, Canada
Device: Kobo Sage - Kindle PW5 & Voyage - iPad Pro M1 12.9
|
I would add, after more tests on my side that if you plan on reading regular ebooks, you can comfortably go with any of them.
If you want to read manga, it will depend on what you value : The Paperwhite turns pages really fast by default and the Libra 2 has a crisper screen. You can fix the page turn speed on the Libra2 by installing and using KOReader though. Page turn will be even faster than the Paperwhite with a great picture quality and more options to adjust the contrast to your liking. |
11-17-2021, 01:57 PM | #7 | |
Wizard
Posts: 3,033
Karma: 53000001
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: New England
Device: PW 1, 2, 3, Voyage, Oasis 2 & 3, Fires, Aura HD, iPad
|
Quote:
Shari |
|
12-06-2021, 11:03 AM | #8 |
Zealot
Posts: 149
Karma: 278068
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Poland
Device: Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra 2
|
I ordered both and decided to go for the Libra - better contrast, ability to see chapter page count and KOReader support (I sideload my books) are the main factors.
|
12-06-2021, 03:13 PM | #9 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 76,308
Karma: 136006010
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
|
12-07-2021, 12:46 PM | #10 | |
Zealot
Posts: 127
Karma: 10
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Brazil
Device: Kindle PPW5 / Kobo Aura One
|
Quote:
Do you have a mini tutorial? Tks so much. |
|
12-07-2021, 01:39 PM | #11 |
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Karma: 10
Join Date: Dec 2021
Device: none
|
Torn Between Kindle and Kobo
I'll start by saying I currently have an older paperwhite and am looking at the larger devices (Paperwhite being 6.8 and then Kobo's 7 inch models)
However one feature I can't seem to tell if kobo has an answer for is whispersync? Currently I do enjoy being able to seemlessly go from an Audiobook to my reader and back without losing progress does Kobo have that option if I purchase the book and audio book from them or am I better of sticking with Kindle? |
12-07-2021, 05:50 PM | #12 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,033
Karma: 53000001
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: New England
Device: PW 1, 2, 3, Voyage, Oasis 2 & 3, Fires, Aura HD, iPad
|
I used Kindlegen.
You can get the kindlegen app here. To use it, either start with an epub or convert the book to epub in Calibre, and get all of the metadata the way you want it (cover, series info, etc). Once you have your epub as you want it, right-click on the book in Calibre and choose "Save to Disk". Pay close attention to where you are saving it, and then go to the location that you saved the book to. Now go to wherever you saved the kindlegen.exe file to, and drag the epub on top of the kindlegen.exe file. Now you have a .mobi file that you can send using the Send to Kindle app that you download from here. To make this really easy for myself, I have a folder that I created named "SendToKindle". It has a copy of the kindlegen.exe file in it, and when I save the book from Calibre, I save it to that directory...that way, the epub and the kindlegen file are in the same place. Shari |
12-07-2021, 06:20 PM | #13 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 7,521
Karma: 67891011
Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Kobo Glo HD
|
Quote:
|
|
12-07-2021, 06:29 PM | #14 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,033
Karma: 53000001
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: New England
Device: PW 1, 2, 3, Voyage, Oasis 2 & 3, Fires, Aura HD, iPad
|
|
06-18-2022, 06:46 AM | #15 |
(gtfo/freak)
Posts: 115
Karma: 2288752
Join Date: Nov 2019
Device: Likebook Alita
|
Something useful for anyone deciding between these: Both the Paperwhite 5 and the Libra 2 have 512MB of RAM. I've seen various online articles say the PW5 had 1GB but can't confirm in my hand that it doesn't, only 512MB. I think Wikipedia say 1GB as well, but they're notorious already.
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Libra Libra H2O vs Libra 2 (from reddit) | Deobulakenyo | Kobo Reader | 19 | 10-20-2021 09:21 PM |
Kobo Libra H2O or Kindle Paperwhite or... ? | RayNeverLearns | Which one should I buy? | 15 | 01-05-2021 03:48 PM |
Paperwhite 4 or Libra H2O, which one I should buy? (Istanbul/Turkey) | megrim | Which one should I buy? | 10 | 06-24-2020 03:46 PM |
Worth it jumping from the Kindle Paperwhite (4th gen) to Kobo Libra H2O | pricciar | Which one should I buy? | 10 | 04-30-2020 07:53 PM |
Kobo Libra H2O or Kindle Paperwhite??? | 69carat | Which one should I buy? | 40 | 10-04-2019 01:20 AM |