Upgrade or sidegrade options for Kobo Libra 2

[Starker]

TLDR The battery on my Libra 2 seems to have started to get worse lately and as it's been 4 years since I bought it, I've been wondering what other options might be available as a replacement, if I ever need to.

I'm not married to any particular company, so I'm willing to consider any and all options as long as they meet my non-negotiable needs, but Libra 2 is my current baseline. I use my reader pretty much exclusively for reading -- primarily novels, sometimes manga, very occasionally pdf files. Here's what I'm looking for...

The non-negotiables:

* waterproofing
I often read in bath and have been caught in rain, so any waterproofing that protects against an accidental brief submersion will suffice.

* sideloading
I have a huge collection of books and I like to keep them on my person for quick reference. Also willing to consider jailbreaking, if that's what it takes.

* minimum of 16GB memory
My collection is actually far larger than that due to several large files, but I can squeeze it down to that level, if necessary.

* price less than 400$
This is the maximum limit I'm willing to consider, though I'd really like to have something more in the 200-300$ range

The wanted features:

* buttons for page turning
I can manage with a touch screen only, but found that I really prefer some physical buttons for additional grip and ease of page turning.

* custom dictionaries
The more possibilities to add/convert my own the better.

* sunken IR-screen
Just a personal preference.

* no glossy surfaces
My first reader had glossy bevels and they were constantly full of fingerprints as a result.

* 7" size
I found this is the size I'm most comfortable with, but I don't mind going an inch above or below it.

* weight around 215g / 7.6oz
Libra 2 weight is quite comfortable for me, so anything near or under that would be ideal, but weight itself is not a dealbreaker.

Don't care much about:

* colour
More of a curiosity than a feature for me and I care about the text quality far more.

* audio
Don't want to use anything that eats the battery and other devices are better suited for it.

* note taking
Same battery concerns and I have some very nice gel-ink pens, so unless there's a stylus that feels better on a screen than a gel-ink pen feels on paper, I'm not interested.

* adjustable color temperature
Tried out the comfortlight on Libra for a while and didn't feel it made any difference whatsoever.

* Dropbox / Google Drive
As long as I can get my books on the device somehow, I don't care.

* library access
Don't have any libraries near me, so not applicable.

Currently, if I were to continue with Kobo, here are the options I've considered so far based on the above criteria.

Option 1: Kobo Libra Colour
This seems like the most likely candidate for an upgrade, being lighter and having more battery capacity, better CPU, and more RAM. However, the screen quality is a concern to me. What attracted me to e-ink in the first place was the paper-like quality of the screens and Libra Colour seems like a step backwards from what I can see in videos and pictures compared to Libra 2.

Option 2: Kobo Sage
This seems like more of a sidegrade to me. From the features I want, the only advantage it seems to have is the larger screen size, which would make for a more comfortable manga reading experience. However, I primarily read manga on paper or from the computer screen, so it has limited use to me. I'm a bit concerned about the lower battery capacity, though I'm unsure how much difference it would actually make in practice.

Option 3: Kobo Clara BW
The main feature I would even consider it for is the seemingly better quality screen. However, the smaller screen, no auto-rotate, and lack of buttons combined make it seem more of a downgrade for me overall.

Option 4: Pocketbook Era
With less memory and flush screen, this seems like a straight up downgrade for my purposes.

If anyone has any other suggestions for a reader or any insights about the above devices compared to Libra 2, I'd sure like to hear it. I'm a bit dismayed at the seeming lack of viable options, but as long as I have a working device, I can at least wait and hold on for a while longer.

[Aleron Ives]

Based on your criteria, you should probably consider replacing the battery on your Libra 2 when the time comes. It currently has no peers on the market. You could also consider the Boox Page, but it's a full Android tablet and has many features you won't care about.

[Starker]

An e-ink screen tablet repurposed as a dedicated reader might not be a bad option, actually. I'll definitely look into it. The flush screen and battery life seem to be the downsides for me compared to Libra 2, but on the upside it has an actual SD card slot. I thought those were extinct long ago.

[Starker]

Ah, it's not waterproof, so no go.

[Sirtel]

The battery life of the Sage is very poor, compared to the Libra 2. Like, it lasts for a few days with 2-3 hours of reading per day. And that's when it's new. If you crank the frontlight up high or keep wifi/bluetooth on, it won't even last that long.

I like my Sage and use it regularly, but the battery life is more like an Android eink tablet than a dedicated reader.

The bezels are also glossier than those of the Libra 2, although not quite mirror-like.

[rcentros]

A PocketBook Era would probably be the closest one to one replacement but it has a flush screen.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by Starker

Ah, it's not waterproof, so no go.

Your Kobo Libre isn’t waterproof either, it’s water resistant.

[cgsmom]

Well, I know it is unpopular but I can recommend the Nook Glowlight 4+. It is waterproof, 7.8 inch screen, excepts side loads, 32 Gb storage and page turn buttons. It’s on sale now for $139.99.

However, it does have a flush screen and weighs 10 oz.

Even though I have several Kindles and a Kobo Clara Colour, I always end up coming back to my Nooks because they are comfortable to hold and I love the buttons.

[meeera]

My Libra 2 is also needing charging more often now.

Since I don't spend long periods away from charging capabilities, I'm just waiting for the next Kobo announcement. I've no interest in moving to any other platform. If the next announcement has nothing of interest, I'll consider a Libra Colour - I don't read in full sunlight and I've no problem with having the frontlight on.

[Renate]

If you love it, get a new battery and ignore what anybody says.

OTOH, newer is better.

[Starker]

The Glowlight 4+ looks like it might be a suitable option to consider and I think weight can be partially offset with how comfortable a reader is to hold overall. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it's very easy to get hold of a Nook device outside of the US.

[cgsmom]

Originally Posted by Starker

The Glowlight 4+ looks like it might be a suitable option to consider and I think weight can be partially offset with how comfortable a reader is to hold overall. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it's very easy to get hold of a Nook device outside of the US.

That is true. I did not even think to ask where you are located. I am not even sure you can activate the unit without a US Barnes & Noble account. Sorry.