Greetings from Sweden!
For the last seven years or so I've used a Nook HD+ for reading. I bought it refurbished and it has served me quite well, but during the last year, apps on it have started crashing (likely a problem with the custom ROM), it has overall slowed down, and the battery is getting worse: doesn't last as long and when empty it won't boot until I charge it for a few hours.
I'm looking for a device to replace the old Nook. I'm pretty much decided on getting an e-reader due to wanting a device with a long screen time and a screen that's easier on the eyes, especially in the dark.
I will use it mainly for reading fiction in indoors/while commuting, most of my files are .epub .mobi .txt formats with occasional pdfs. Plus on my Nook I had Tachiyomi installed for manga.
Priorities:
HIGH:
- Screen light for reading in the dark
- Battery life
- Non-proprietary file format (or can install additional apps for other formats)
- Larger size (Nook HD+ was 9 inches and I was happy with it)
- €500ish pain point + available from EU (ships to Sweden without additional taxes/customs)
- USB-C
- Up-to-date/Newer OS (or you can install custom ROM / install community updates)
- Good warranty and support
MEDIUM:
- Adequate comic/manga reading experience would be a bonus but not a must
- Storage 32GB or more (or less but supports an SD-card)
LOW:
- Writing experience / stylus (I would be perfectly fine with no stylus support)
- Reading technical pdfs
- 300 dpi is a slight bonus. 200+ is acceptable
- Portability is not a priority. It'd be carried in a spacious 15" laptop bag
From my own research I've currently narrowed it to three main choices:
- Likebook Alita
- Boox Note 2
- Boox Nova 2
Or other suggestions.
Nova2 seems almost perfect. It's way below my price pain threshold, high DPI, Android 9, USB-C, acceptable storage. But I'm worried about the physical size. I'm used to the Nook HD+'s 9-inch screen and I'm a bit worried about people recommending larger screens for pdfs and pictures, but then again I'd mainly read text-only novels, and recently I've been reading comics and manga on my 6-inch smartphone which has been an acceptable experience.
Getting a Note 2 would fix my concern of a smaller screen but paying 200+ euros, almost doubling the price, just to get the 2 extra inches seems a bit ridiculous.
Likebook Alita seems like a good compromise. The price is in my range, it has a large screen and SD-card support. I worry about the software and support. Android 6 feels outdated to me and I'm skeptical of companies' promises of updating to a newer Android versions
(I got burned by Xiaomi Redmi Note with an MTK CPU not getting Android upgrades), so I'll believe it after it happens. Of course, I hold similar skepticism towards Boox's promises of updating their old devices, but their two devices do come with Android 9. Additionally, I've seen people recommending Boox for better updates, out-of-the-box experience etc. so I'm uncertain of Boyue as a brand compared to Boox.
I could get the Boox from Amazon.de or from Boox's official store in AliExpress, shipped from Spain. Any issues I've had purchasing from Amazon and AliExpress have been handled well. AliExpress has few sellers selling Likebooks but they aren't official store, therefore I wonder about warranty and returns. I could get it from ereader.store but for a higher price.
So I'm stuck here trying to pick one between these three. I know I'm buying a luxury product and it's not like I'd starve if I splurged for the Note 2, but getting it seems like I'd be spending too much unnecessarily. In an ideal world there would be a 10-inch device with newer Android and USB-C, with some features cut, like stylus support, for a lower price but that doesn't seem to exist (yet).
Maybe I'm a bit too fixated on the large screen requirement since my main use of the device is reading mainly text. I've seen the video where differently sized e-readers are compared but it is impossible for me to fully realize the difference without actually trying out the devices.
Anyways, I've overthought myself into a corner, and I would appreciate guidance or recommendations. </novel>