Basic Kindle models always had small battery capacity. Oasis also probably sacrificed battery capacity because of thinness and lightness.
I don't care at all for psychical page turn buttons. Haven't had or used them since my first Kindle and now on Libra I used them just because they're there and because that avoids smudges on the screen. Maybe if I had a habit of holding reader in my hand when I read it would be less of an effort to switch pages using button's (since that would probably require at most moving only my thumb some smaller distance) but since I almost never hold them in my hand then when I have to change a page my hands needs to move in front of me and then it is not that much of a difference if it need to go to press a button or to tap on a screen 2cm further. If using the screen that takes even less of an effort and aiming since the target area is much larger
This is how I read while I"m sitting in my bed with my legs pulled up. When I lie down on my side I prop my reader also to be horizontal
But even though I rarely get to hold my readers Kobo case's bulkyness still annoys me.
This free case that comes with Kindle's Paperwhite Kids is much less bulky and doesn't bother me. And I very very much like how they magnets keep the front part immobile when you fold it back!
Font cover on Kobo case is terribly flimsy and flaps around
I don't use cases for drop protection, I use them to stop the dust collecting on the screen and use it for magnets to save me having to press the power button.
I also only ever read in my room.