Had a Paperwhite 3 for years, looking for upgrade with a good screen

[Strether]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And one thing not yet mentioned is that Kobo dithers images better then Amazon.

And another thing not mentioned is that you can darken any fonts on your Kindle natively, even those you sideload, whereas if you sideload fonts on your Kobo, you can't unless you install a patch.

Jim

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Leddie

Things I don't care much for:

-Audiobooks
-Huge storage space
-The Amazon store (I mostly read sideloaded books, which I convert with Calibre)

Things important to me:


-Bigger screen (looking to jump up from my 6" screen)
-Customization (adding my own fonts, editing things like margins, spacing, the more customizable the better.)

Given the highlighted elements, a Libra 2 would definitely be your best bet. Kobo is much more customizable than Kindle, the patches alluded to are an example of that. If you were tied to the Amazon ecosystem, a new 6.8 inch Kindle would make sense, but since you explicitly say that you don't care about the Amazon store, getting a bigger screen with the enhanced customization abilities you DO care about makes the Libra 2 a no-brainer, imo.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And the Libra 2 screen is clearer then the PW5 screen.

I look at it this way. The GlowLight 3 (for example) has a very good screen. Sharp, crisp, great lighting. When compared directly to the Kindle Voyage, it's not quite as sharp, but it has the advantage of warm light (and it's still very, very good). I'm guessing a comparison between the Libra 2 and the PW 5 (which is not the PW 4) would probably be much the same. The PW 5 may not be as crisp as the Libra 2, but it might still be very, very good. And (for some) it has the advantage of a flush screen. The PW 5 is also (by reports here) faster than the Libra 2. It also has the traditional rectangular shape (instead of the Libra's square-ish design), which may or may not be a plus, depending on your position on this. And the OP is coming from the "Kindle world" so it would (probably) be easier to incorporate the PW 5 into it. Admittedly the Libra 2 has other advantages, like better font rendering. But there's something to be said for familiarity and the Kindle PW 5 would be more familiar to the OP.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I look at it this way....

That the OP specifically said the Amazon store was unimportant to them, so Kindle's biggest edge is irrelevant, according to the OP's own words.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

That the OP specifically said the Amazon store was unimportant to them, so Kindle's biggest edge is irrelevant, according to the OP's own words.

It's not just the store, it's also the workings of the Kindle itself. The OP also said that...

...the PW5 has certainly caught my eye with all its features, and it looks like a great device. My only worry is that according to some reviews I've seen, the screen isn't very sharp due to the flush screen compared to devices with sunken screen. Everything else I'm fine with.

I just want it to be known that the PW 5's screen is not the PW 4's screen (at least by reports I've seen here) and is, apparently, really good. There's also a bit of a difference in price in the Kindle's favor. If the OP eventually goes with the Libra 2 that's fine. I don't have a dog in this fight, I just want all the information out there.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And one thing not yet mentioned is that Kobo dithers images better then Amazon.

Says you. (Many times.)

That doesn't make it true.

Originally Posted by willus

Are you commenting on the color-to-grayscale mapping or on the actual dithering between the two gray levels within each square? It looks like the kindle is just using a different algorithm (Floyd-Steinberg) than the Kobo (uniform)--see attached. I think whether one is better than the other is somewhat subjective.

[Strether]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I don't have a dog in this fight, I just want all the information out there.

Jim

[Leddie]

Originally Posted by Strether

And another thing not mentioned is that you can darken any fonts on your Kindle natively, even those you sideload, whereas if you sideload fonts on your Kobo, you can't unless you install a patch.

Jim

This is something I don't like, I hope these patches aren't too much of a hassle. Is there a place I could check what all these Kobo patches are/what they do?

I assume it's the kinda thing that would need re-installing every time there's a software update.

Originally Posted by rcentros

It's not just the store, it's also the workings of the Kindle itself. The OP also said that...



I just want it to be known that the PW 5's screen is not the PW 4's screen (at least by reports I've seen here) and is, apparently, really good. There's also a bit of a difference in price in the Kindle's favor. If the OP eventually goes with the Libra 2 that's fine. I don't have a dog in this fight, I just want all the information out there.

It's good to know the screen quality is at least a step up from the PW4, but there's people claiming here my old PW3's screen is better than the PW5 haha.

Originally Posted by Quoth

Use the existing Paperwhite as a serial number so you can read Amazon books on a Libra2. Put it in a drawer, don't unregister or give it away. You can copy/paste the PW serial number from your Amazon web page into a free 3rd party plugin on Calibre (Mac, Windows or Linux). Pick Download via PC for all Amazon books & then pick your PW.
I have PW3 & original Libra. Kobo far better Calibre support and the 7" with page turn buttons a big improvement. Series, covers, collections, annotations back to PC all work properly.

Thank you for this info, I do like more Calibre support.

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I agree. I don't doubt that the Libra 2 has a better screen than the Paperwhite. But the differences likely aren't as vast as stated here.

I have a Nook Glowlight 3 and it has the best screen of any of the 6" readers on the market. Yet reading on my Clara or on my old 6" Glowlight Plus (which uses the same screen, but is degraded a little by being flush like the Paperwhite) is still perfectly nice.

Go see a Paperwhite in person.

The Libra 2 still might be a better reader for your purposes. But don't be too swayed by reports on the screen if you haven't seen it in person.

One thing the Paperwhite has over the Libra is the speedier processor. Watch videos on it and that thing flies (for an ereader).

I wish I could see a PW5 in person but no store close to me . I depend on watching YouTube videos at 1080p full-screen, reviews, and this forum now.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I don't have a dog in this fight, I just want all the information out there.

I don't have dog in this fight either, I just consider it more relevant to focus on the OP's own stated priorities.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

I don't have dog in this fight either, I just consider it more relevant to focus on the OP's own stated priorities.

I understand. I just don't want the OP turned away from the PW 5 because the screen is supposedly "poor." I don't think is screen is poor, or comparable to the PW 4, which the OP seemed to think it might be.

[Quoth]

I doubt there is any reason to chose between Libra or Paperwhite based on screen. Yes, the PW4 isn't quite as good as PW3 and the Original Libra is very good.

Unless your main thing is graphic novels then any difference on image rendering is irrelevant as it's marginally different.

But really the difference between any eink 300 dpi screen today is marginal. The support of collections, series, covers, annotation, ease of finding a book etc more important. The Amazon store doesn't enter into it if the existing PW is never deregistered as the OP already has a Kindle and Calibre.

[Pjama]

If you read comics, I have found the kindle to be much much better for this, as you can double click on a panel, then each subsequent page turn goes from panel to panel. Much easier than pinching and zooming. Note that I am talking about comics such as Marvel comics, not Manga - I don’t claim to know anything about the Kobo's supposed superiority for this.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Says you. (Many times.)

That doesn't make it true.

But it is true. That's what makes it true.

[Pjama]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But it is true. That's what makes it true.

[JSWolf]

Have a look at this link. It's some really good photos of the PW5 and Libra 2.

https://cod-box.net/kobo-libra-2-vs-...perwhite-2021/