small e-reader showdown (Kobo, Kindle, Meebook, Boox)

evior · 04-12-2025, 03:43 AM

I'm looking to buy a small e-reader (up to 7in) and I can't decide between a Kobo Clara BW, Kindle Paperwhite 12th gen, Kindle Colorsoft, Meebook M6, and Boox Go 6.

Kobo Clara BW: Good screen, extensible, can use KOReader, NickelMenu, etc. Good price (140€). Are there any drawbacks to the Kobo?

Kindle Paperwhite 12th gen Signature Edition: Is it true that the new screen is apparently a substantial upgrade from the previous gen? How does the screen differ (apart from size) from the Clara and the Kindle Basic? I already own the Scribe and I realized a jailbreak is 100% necessary for me to use the Kindle. Do new units still ship with firmware <5.18.1 that's required for the Winterbreak jailbreak? I can get it for like 167€ with the 20% trade-in discount from an old second-gen Kindle.

Kindle Colorsoft: I haven't had much use where I wish I had color, but I would like to perhaps try it out. Is it true that the Colorsoft's contrast and general "grayness" is better than other color e-readers? Since I don't really need color right now, I thought about waiting for a Prime Day discount, which I could hopefully chain with the 20% discount from a trade-in. Is it probable that I can snag a jailbreakable Colorsoft for cheap around July (Prime Day) or will these devices most likely be running the newer patched firmware from the factory?

I also thought about an Android device, either a Boox Go 6 or a Meebook M6. The obvious benefit is the Google Play Store. I would mostly use Anki, Readwise Reader, and KOReader. Are these functional on these devices? How is the web browser experience on these devices? Now, they both run Android 11, both have 32GB storage, expandable storage, both seem to be 300ppi and 1072x1448 resolution. However, Go 6 uses E Ink Carta 1300 and the M6 uses a Carta HD. Also, the Go 6 has a 2GHz octa-core processor, while the M6 has a quad-core 1.8GHz. Is there any real-world difference between the processors and the screens? Go 6 has a microphone the M6 doesn't, but honestly, do you ever use the microphone on an e-reader? Meebook has a 2200 mAh battery and 3GB of RAM, while the Boox has a 1500 mAh battery and 2GB of RAM. Honestly, the Meebook looks better to me since it's quite a bit cheaper, has more RAM, and a larger battery, which is especially useful for an Android reader. So, why would anyone get the Go 6 over the M6? I know battery life is better on Linux-based options, but what are some other differences I'm missing between Android and Linux?

Right now, as it stands, I'm leaning towards the Clara BW, but the new 12th gen jailbreakable Kindle Paperwhite looks just as enticing.

meeera · 04-12-2025, 08:56 AM

If you use Overdrive/Libby through your local libraries and are in a supported country, you can cross Kindle off your list, and lean towards seriously considering a Kobo. Given that you're considering the Colorsoft, is there a reason you're not considering the Clara Colour or Libra Colour also?

bluepeter · 04-13-2025, 06:06 AM

My opinions, for what they're worth:

1. The Kindle UI is awful. Boox is better, but Kobo is the best of those that you mention.

2. Colour e-readers aren't worth it. Colours are muted and contrast is very poor. For simple black text, the background is grey, not white. They're a great idea, but much more development is needed before they're worth buying. To be fair, I haven't used a Colorsoft, but very much doubt that it'd be worth buying.

3. Formatting options with Boox are superb. OTOH, when books are sorted alphabetically by author, the sorting is by forename, not surname.

4. I have used a Meebook, and wasn't impressed.

I currently own Kobo, Kindle and Boox devices. The Clara BW is my primary e-reader so, obviously, that'd be my recommendation.

Renate · 04-13-2025, 06:16 AM

There are compelling reasons to go for Kobo which is leaner and meaner than Android but only if you are ok with the stock offering for library and reader apps.
Android gives you more choices. Maybe too many.

For my money, as of this date, if it ain't Carta 1300 I wouldn't consider it.
That doesn't mean that I'm a fan of Eink Corp or wish that in a decade that there wasn't more progress.

I'm always amazed when for people criteria are important that I don't give a second thought.
Sorting/filtering/listing books? Whatever. I only have to do that once a book.
Battery life? It's such a non-issue for me. I saw that mine was at 25% so I charged it.
(This is not to diminish the importance of anything that is important to you.)

Frogm4n · 04-13-2025, 10:20 AM

And even on charging, people get so used to phones and tablets that they forget that levels like that 25% on an ereader can be a week or more of use, not just hours.

cellaris · 04-13-2025, 11:04 AM

If you want something simple (but well executed), inexpensive (taking advantage of the frequent offers) and with quality, I would choose a Kindle. I really like the basic model and, in general, the rest of the models. In 7" the Kindle Paperwhite is one of the best current options.

If you want lots of customisation options, standalone operation and versatility, the Android models are unrivalled. Onyx Boox have numerous models for a variety of situations. Bigme also has interesting e-readers (Meebook I can't speak for first hand). But they are more expensive.

And if you want something in between, that you can use simply or more elaborately, Kobo and PocketBook also have very good options. The Kobo Clara BW seems to me to be the most interesting for value for money.

I think you'll find enough quality to enjoy reading on any of the major brands on the market. If you finally narrow it down to Kobo (Clara BW) or Kindle (Paperwhite), I would personally choose Kindle, not because it is better, but because it is more suited to my preferences. Rather than being guided by the preferences of others, try to clarify what you want. And, if in doubt, choose the cheapest option. If you're not convinced, at least you'll save some money.

kandwo · 04-13-2025, 11:17 AM

Unless you have a compelling reason for choosing Android, I would go for the Clara BW.

Personally, I would never buy anything on Android with only 2 GB of RAM. I made that mistake with the Leaf 2, which is painfully slow in certain operations.

Renate · 04-13-2025, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kandwo

Unless you have a compelling reason for choosing Android, I would go for the Clara BW.

The Kobo Clara BW is Carta 1300 so it would be top of my list for non-Android book reading.

cellaris · 04-13-2025, 11:51 AM

As I mentioned earlier, personal preferences are very diverse. In my case Kobo (speaking as a general brand, because each specific e-reader is different) is in fourth place in my preferences, behind Kindle, Onyx Boox and PocketBook. I know there are a lot of Kobo fans on this forum, but this is not my case. I like Kobo e-readers too, but I find them the most uncomfortable to use (as I use my e-readers). Fortunately there are many options and brands on the market for everyone.

04-12-2025, 03:43 AM	#1
evior Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2025 Device: Kindle Scribe	small e-reader showdown (Kobo, Kindle, Meebook, Boox) I'm looking to buy a small e-reader (up to 7in) and I can't decide between a Kobo Clara BW, Kindle Paperwhite 12th gen, Kindle Colorsoft, Meebook M6, and Boox Go 6. Kobo Clara BW: Good screen, extensible, can use KOReader, NickelMenu, etc. Good price (140€). Are there any drawbacks to the Kobo? Kindle Paperwhite 12th gen Signature Edition: Is it true that the new screen is apparently a substantial upgrade from the previous gen? How does the screen differ (apart from size) from the Clara and the Kindle Basic? I already own the Scribe and I realized a jailbreak is 100% necessary for me to use the Kindle. Do new units still ship with firmware <5.18.1 that's required for the Winterbreak jailbreak? I can get it for like 167€ with the 20% trade-in discount from an old second-gen Kindle. Kindle Colorsoft: I haven't had much use where I wish I had color, but I would like to perhaps try it out. Is it true that the Colorsoft's contrast and general "grayness" is better than other color e-readers? Since I don't really need color right now, I thought about waiting for a Prime Day discount, which I could hopefully chain with the 20% discount from a trade-in. Is it probable that I can snag a jailbreakable Colorsoft for cheap around July (Prime Day) or will these devices most likely be running the newer patched firmware from the factory? I also thought about an Android device, either a Boox Go 6 or a Meebook M6. The obvious benefit is the Google Play Store. I would mostly use Anki, Readwise Reader, and KOReader. Are these functional on these devices? How is the web browser experience on these devices? Now, they both run Android 11, both have 32GB storage, expandable storage, both seem to be 300ppi and 1072x1448 resolution. However, Go 6 uses E Ink Carta 1300 and the M6 uses a Carta HD. Also, the Go 6 has a 2GHz octa-core processor, while the M6 has a quad-core 1.8GHz. Is there any real-world difference between the processors and the screens? Go 6 has a microphone the M6 doesn't, but honestly, do you ever use the microphone on an e-reader? Meebook has a 2200 mAh battery and 3GB of RAM, while the Boox has a 1500 mAh battery and 2GB of RAM. Honestly, the Meebook looks better to me since it's quite a bit cheaper, has more RAM, and a larger battery, which is especially useful for an Android reader. So, why would anyone get the Go 6 over the M6? I know battery life is better on Linux-based options, but what are some other differences I'm missing between Android and Linux? Right now, as it stands, I'm leaning towards the Clara BW, but the new 12th gen jailbreakable Kindle Paperwhite looks just as enticing.

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04-12-2025, 08:56 AM	#2
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,810 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	If you use Overdrive/Libby through your local libraries and are in a supported country, you can cross Kindle off your list, and lean towards seriously considering a Kobo. Given that you're considering the Colorsoft, is there a reason you're not considering the Clara Colour or Libra Colour also?

04-13-2025, 06:06 AM	#3
bluepeter Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 1028440 Join Date: May 2024 Location: Salisbury, UK Device: Clara BW, Mini, Libra H2O, Kindle (11G), Paperwhite (10G), Boox Poke 5	My opinions, for what they're worth: 1. The Kindle UI is awful. Boox is better, but Kobo is the best of those that you mention. 2. Colour e-readers aren't worth it. Colours are muted and contrast is very poor. For simple black text, the background is grey, not white. They're a great idea, but much more development is needed before they're worth buying. To be fair, I haven't used a Colorsoft, but very much doubt that it'd be worth buying. 3. Formatting options with Boox are superb. OTOH, when books are sorted alphabetically by author, the sorting is by forename, not surname. 4. I have used a Meebook, and wasn't impressed. I currently own Kobo, Kindle and Boox devices. The Clara BW is my primary e-reader so, obviously, that'd be my recommendation.

04-13-2025, 06:16 AM	#4
Renate Onyx-maniac Posts: 3,895 Karma: 17236157 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Nook NST, Glow2, 3, 4, '21, Kobo Aura2, Poke3, Poke5, Go6	There are compelling reasons to go for Kobo which is leaner and meaner than Android but only if you are ok with the stock offering for library and reader apps. Android gives you more choices. Maybe too many. For my money, as of this date, if it ain't Carta 1300 I wouldn't consider it. That doesn't mean that I'm a fan of Eink Corp or wish that in a decade that there wasn't more progress. I'm always amazed when for people criteria are important that I don't give a second thought. Sorting/filtering/listing books? Whatever. I only have to do that once a book. Battery life? It's such a non-issue for me. I saw that mine was at 25% so I charged it. (This is not to diminish the importance of anything that is important to you.)

04-13-2025, 10:20 AM	#5
Frogm4n Evangelist Posts: 452 Karma: 3456809 Join Date: Jul 2023 Device: Scribe 2022, OA2, PRS-350	And even on charging, people get so used to phones and tablets that they forget that levels like that 25% on an ereader can be a week or more of use, not just hours.

04-13-2025, 11:04 AM	#6
cellaris Addict Posts: 371 Karma: 4102027 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Spain Device: Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx Boox, Bigme.	If you want something simple (but well executed), inexpensive (taking advantage of the frequent offers) and with quality, I would choose a Kindle. I really like the basic model and, in general, the rest of the models. In 7" the Kindle Paperwhite is one of the best current options. If you want lots of customisation options, standalone operation and versatility, the Android models are unrivalled. Onyx Boox have numerous models for a variety of situations. Bigme also has interesting e-readers (Meebook I can't speak for first hand). But they are more expensive. And if you want something in between, that you can use simply or more elaborately, Kobo and PocketBook also have very good options. The Kobo Clara BW seems to me to be the most interesting for value for money. I think you'll find enough quality to enjoy reading on any of the major brands on the market. If you finally narrow it down to Kobo (Clara BW) or Kindle (Paperwhite), I would personally choose Kindle, not because it is better, but because it is more suited to my preferences. Rather than being guided by the preferences of others, try to clarify what you want. And, if in doubt, choose the cheapest option. If you're not convinced, at least you'll save some money.

04-13-2025, 11:17 AM	#7
kandwo Evangelist Posts: 464 Karma: 11708254 Join Date: Dec 2020 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3	Unless you have a compelling reason for choosing Android, I would go for the Clara BW. Personally, I would never buy anything on Android with only 2 GB of RAM. I made that mistake with the Leaf 2, which is painfully slow in certain operations.

04-13-2025, 11:51 AM	#9
cellaris Addict Posts: 371 Karma: 4102027 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Spain Device: Kindle, Kobo, PocketBook, Tolino, Onyx Boox, Bigme.	As I mentioned earlier, personal preferences are very diverse. In my case Kobo (speaking as a general brand, because each specific e-reader is different) is in fourth place in my preferences, behind Kindle, Onyx Boox and PocketBook. I know there are a lot of Kobo fans on this forum, but this is not my case. I like Kobo e-readers too, but I find them the most uncomfortable to use (as I use my e-readers). Fortunately there are many options and brands on the market for everyone.

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