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jackj · 05-12-2020, 08:32 AM

OP here, updating on my purchase decision. Because of some confusion on the part of Kobo, and some impatience of my own, I ended up with both the Libra H20 and Clara HD. I really can't justify owning both, as I already own a Glo HD and 3 different Kindles.

So which will I keep? The larger screen on the Libra is an advantage. And when I first opened the package, the overall Libra size was still smaller than I anticipated. But while I'm not super picky about screen lighting, the Libra isn't as evenly lit. I knew to expect a small gray strip on the side with the buttons. That is not a problem for me. But that whole side of the screen, for about 2 cm, is slightly darker than the rest. It's not terrible. And if this were my only e-ink device I might choose to live with it. But for $170 I'm expecting a screen that is at least as well lit as any of my other e-readers.

The form factor on the Libra is also not my favorite. I tried using the buttons for an entire day, to get into the habit. They work fine, with a nice feel and with an appropriate amount of pressure required. But too often I don't have a finger in the right place. I do most of my reading in bed, usually on my side, and the way I hold the device isn't consistent. I never having trouble tapping the screen for a page turn, and tapping a button didn't feel advantageous in any way.

On a purely subjective front, the shape of the Libra lacks the minimalist elegance of my 6" readers. I decided on white, since all my others are black, and thought a small bit of variety would be nice. But the thicker button side, the asymmetrical layout, and the white case: it's just not as pleasing an object to my eye. Yes, this is a trivial criticism, and purely personal. But I didn't bond to the hardware.

Finally, the waterproofness doesn't mean much to me. I have a PW4 if I ever decide I need to read while bathing or waterskiing. But the urge hasn't hit me yet.

So the Clara: I got it at the recent $90 sale price, so it was a little more than half the price of the Libra, making it to me a far better value. The screen isn't quite as evenly lit as my two PWs, nor my Glo HD (which is the best of all), but the differences are miniscule--not enough to have any impact on my reading experience. I do like the natural feature, which works the same as on the the Libra.

Really the only advantage the Libra has, for me, over the Clara is the slightly larger screen. But to come back to the theme of this thread, that is of course at the expense of portability. The Libra will not fit in very many pockets, which means I'm less likely to have it with me when I might choose to spend time reading. The qualitative difference of reading on a 6" screen vs. a 7" screen is slight, for me, and with the hardware I received, is outweighed by inconsistent lighting and a less portable size/shape.

So the Clara HD stays and the Libra H20 goes back. Please don't anyone infer that I'm making some sort of uniform judgment on the merits of these two devices. I completely respect that someone else might not have the same preference.

05-12-2020, 08:32 AM	#44
jackj Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Various 6" Kindles; Kobo Glo HD	OP here, updating on my purchase decision. Because of some confusion on the part of Kobo, and some impatience of my own, I ended up with both the Libra H20 and Clara HD. I really can't justify owning both, as I already own a Glo HD and 3 different Kindles. So which will I keep? The larger screen on the Libra is an advantage. And when I first opened the package, the overall Libra size was still smaller than I anticipated. But while I'm not super picky about screen lighting, the Libra isn't as evenly lit. I knew to expect a small gray strip on the side with the buttons. That is not a problem for me. But that whole side of the screen, for about 2 cm, is slightly darker than the rest. It's not terrible. And if this were my only e-ink device I might choose to live with it. But for $170 I'm expecting a screen that is at least as well lit as any of my other e-readers. The form factor on the Libra is also not my favorite. I tried using the buttons for an entire day, to get into the habit. They work fine, with a nice feel and with an appropriate amount of pressure required. But too often I don't have a finger in the right place. I do most of my reading in bed, usually on my side, and the way I hold the device isn't consistent. I never having trouble tapping the screen for a page turn, and tapping a button didn't feel advantageous in any way. On a purely subjective front, the shape of the Libra lacks the minimalist elegance of my 6" readers. I decided on white, since all my others are black, and thought a small bit of variety would be nice. But the thicker button side, the asymmetrical layout, and the white case: it's just not as pleasing an object to my eye. Yes, this is a trivial criticism, and purely personal. But I didn't bond to the hardware. Finally, the waterproofness doesn't mean much to me. I have a PW4 if I ever decide I need to read while bathing or waterskiing. But the urge hasn't hit me yet. So the Clara: I got it at the recent $90 sale price, so it was a little more than half the price of the Libra, making it to me a far better value. The screen isn't quite as evenly lit as my two PWs, nor my Glo HD (which is the best of all), but the differences are miniscule--not enough to have any impact on my reading experience. I do like the natural feature, which works the same as on the the Libra. Really the only advantage the Libra has, for me, over the Clara is the slightly larger screen. But to come back to the theme of this thread, that is of course at the expense of portability. The Libra will not fit in very many pockets, which means I'm less likely to have it with me when I might choose to spend time reading. The qualitative difference of reading on a 6" screen vs. a 7" screen is slight, for me, and with the hardware I received, is outweighed by inconsistent lighting and a less portable size/shape. So the Clara HD stays and the Libra H20 goes back. Please don't anyone infer that I'm making some sort of uniform judgment on the merits of these two devices. I completely respect that someone else might not have the same preference.