Questions For Glowlight 4+ Owners

Chinook1544 · 08-23-2026, 02:22 PM

I am a Kindle Paperwhite user whose unit has seen it's better days and I really need to switch to something other than Amazon.
So, if you are you a current Nook Glowlight 4+ owner/user, how do you like your Nook.
What do you really like about it and what do you really hate about it?
And. given all of the above, would you purchase it again?

cgsmom · 08-23-2026, 03:04 PM

I have owned Nooks since I first bought an ereader in 2012 (and even that was the Nook Tablet). I currently own the Glowlight 4 and the Glowlight 4+. While I love my Nooks and will probably always try to own one, I have a hard time recommending them.

The hardware is very nice. I love the page turn buttons on both sides. The 4+ has a flush screen. The smaller 4 does not. Both have very nice good screens.

Where the Nook is lacking is software. The software is slow and does not have the features of a Kindle. When you select a book from your library, it can take as much as 10 seconds for the books to open. The dictionary is OK but there is no link to Wikipedia and no translate function. No color option is available. Highlighting and annotation is not as straight forward as Kindle or Kobo

All that being said, I still use my Nooks. Well, my husband took over the 4+ and that is all he reads on. They are the most comfortable to hold readers that I have. If you just want to read, they work fine. They have a very good price compared to other readers on the market. Some stores do have working Nooks that you can look at. I would never tell anyone not to buy one, but you do need to know what you are getting. Good luck.

Desertway · 08-23-2026, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgsmom

I have owned Nooks since I first bought an ereader in 2012 (and even that was the Nook Tablet). I currently own the Glowlight 4 and the Glowlight 4+. While I love my Nooks and will probably always try to own one, I have a hard time recommending them.

The hardware is very nice. I love the page turn buttons on both sides. The 4+ has a flush screen. The smaller 4 does not. Both have very nice good screens.

Where the Nook is lacking is software. The software is slow and does not have the features of a Kindle. When you select a book from your library, it can take as much as 10 seconds for the books to open. The dictionary is OK but there is no link to Wikipedia and no translate function. No color option is available. Highlighting and annotation is not as straight forward as Kindle or Kobo

All that being said, I still use my Nooks. Well, my husband took over the 4+ and that is all he reads on. They are the most comfortable to hold readers that I have. If you just want to read, they work fine. They have a very good price compared to other readers on the market. Some stores do have working Nooks that you can look at. I would never tell anyone not to buy one, but you do need to know what you are getting. Good luck.

Do you not find the GL+ heavy? I'm tempted because the 7.8" screen is scarce, and at $95 for a refurb, the price is great. I don't really mind a sluggish UI as long as page turns are okay. But the weight worries me. It's 285 grams against my Oasis 3's 188 grams. And the Paperwhite is 211 grams.

I've got nerve damage and weight matters. That said, it's hard to know what the experience would be like without being able to read on it for a session or two.

Edit: May as well ask, when I was looking into it a few months ago, it seems that the font weight option had disappeared with an update, but then came back. Can you confirm? Thanks.

Hasdrubal_Lector · 08-23-2026, 10:10 PM

My GL4+ weighs 268 grams. The font weight option has returned, but the Georgia font is gone. As cgsmom wrote, the hardware is very good. The page turn buttons are very kind to my arthritic thumbs, unlike my Libra 2. The screen and lighting are comparable to the Libra 2's. The only thing which it is missing is a Hall sensor so that it would work with a sleep cover.

The software is adequate, and just adequate. If you want to open a book and just read it as if it were a pBook, it works fine. It has no decent extras like Kobos. I read a lot on my GL4+ because that 7.8" screen makes up for a lot, and I don't miss the extras except the time read per book. It works with Calibre, but not as well as Kobo.

Desertway · 08-23-2026, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hasdrubal_Lector

My GL4+ weighs 268 grams. The font weight option has returned, but the Georgia font is gone. As cgsmom wrote, the hardware is very good. The page turn buttons are very kind to my arthritic thumbs, unlike my Libra 2. The screen and lighting are comparable to the Libra 2's. The only thing which it is missing is a Hall sensor so that it would work with a sleep cover.

The software is adequate, and just adequate. If you want to open a book and just read it as if it were a pBook, it works fine. It has no decent extras like Kobos. I read a lot on my GL4+ because that 7.8" screen makes up for a lot, and I don't miss the extras except the time read per book. It works with Calibre, but not as well as Kobo.

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm more and more tempted to grab a 7.8" inexpensive BW reader while it still exists. Like you, I think the size will make up for the missing bells and whistles.

cgsmom · 08-23-2026, 11:24 PM

I do find the Glowlight 4+ to be a little heavy. When I was using it I usually managed to use the arm of my sofa to take some of the weight. As I said, my husband started using it and I went back to the 6” Glowlight 4. I have found the Barnes and Noble cases to be very uncomfortable. I purchased a clear silicone case on Etsy and it is very comfortable.

Desertway · 08-24-2026, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgsmom

I do find the Glowlight 4+ to be a little heavy. When I was using it I usually managed to use the arm of my sofa to take some of the weight. As I said, my husband started using it and I went back to the 6” Glowlight 4. I have found the Barnes and Noble cases to be very uncomfortable. I purchased a clear silicone case on Etsy and it is very comfortable.

Thanks. I suppose I would have to try it and see. The refurbs on Amazon have a 90 day return window. I only use back cases these days to keep my devices more grippy with minimal added weight.

Chinook1544 · 08-24-2026, 11:00 AM

Wow, that's a lot of good information. Thank y'all
That said, it's time for the big question that nobody answered ...
Would you buy the Nook Glowlight 4+ again/today?

cgsmom · 08-24-2026, 12:55 PM

Barnes and Noble has said that they are planning to release a new reader this year. So far I see no evidence of that. If one of my Glowlights died today, I probably would replace it. I love the page turn buttons that much.

Edit: What I forgot to say was I considered buying another Glowlight 4+ because my husband has taken over the one I have. I’m doing fine with the Glowlight 4 for now.

Fbone · 08-24-2026, 01:20 PM

I would replace mine. The 7.8-inch screen and page turn buttons are the reason.

Sirtel · 08-24-2026, 02:40 PM

I would not buy another Nook unless they vastly improved the software. While I do love the page turn buttons and the hardware is good, I couldn't stand the software. And the 7.8'' Nooks are a bit too heavy for me.

I had the 7.8'' Glowlight Plus several years ago (sold it). From what I've read, the software is still basically the same as it was then. So, no new Nook for me.

Desertway · 08-24-2026, 06:50 PM

I'm still being ridiculously indecisive, but if I DO get it, I'll use Koreader on it. I've got Koreader set up on my little Likebook and it does everything I need.

Sirtel · 08-24-2026, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desertway

I'm still being ridiculously indecisive, but if I DO get it, I'll use Koreader on it. I've got Koreader set up on my little Likebook and it does everything I need.

I've read that buttons on Nooks don't work with KOReader without jumping through some hoops.

Desertway · 08-24-2026, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I've read that buttons on Nooks don't work with KOReader without jumping through some hoops.

Looking into it today, it just requires creating a particular mapping file (file content easy to copy from several sites) and dropping it into the koreader settings folder. Getting to the light settings from within koreader looks trickier, but doable. Also, there is a koreader fork for this device that theoretically takes care of all of that. But hard to know until I try.

christianbk · Yesterday, 10:36 PM

I love my NOOK readers. I switch between using the GlowLight 4+ at home and, if traveling, taking the regular GlowLight 4.

I find the page turn buttons to be how I prefer to read. I really can't do without them.

The quality of the screen is as good as other ereaders out there. I have a Kobo Clara 2E and a Libra Colour and the screen is leaps better than the Colour and about the same as the Clara, maybe a touch better.

I'll also contend that they feel good in hand, especially the normal GlowLight 4. The 4+ still feels nice but lacks as much as the soft touch finish that the GlowLight 4 has.

It lacks speed. It lacks some quality of life features like easy highlighting (though, here's a tip I've found: press and get the definition for the first word you want to highlight, and then just press on the last word and it'll "shortcut" to highlight. You can use the little sidebars but it's finicky). I would like an inverted dark mode. I find the customization a little lacking.

But if you're just wanting to read a lot? With a decent battery life? And page turn buttons? It works well.

Lastly: B&N's stamps rewards program works well if you shop at B&N. I use stamps I get when I purchase books and other things to fund my ebook buying habits. 95% of the time, the books that are posted as daily deals for Kindle + Kobo are also on the NOOK store. Use ereaderiq.com to get alerts for the Kindle sale price and it's normally also on NOOK.

I would buy both models again, yes, if something were to happen. I like the size and find it to be a great reading experience.

08-23-2026, 02:22 PM	#1
Chinook1544 Green Grass Newbie Posts: 28 Karma: 2604 Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Far, Far Northern US Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Questions For Glowlight 4+ Owners I am a Kindle Paperwhite user whose unit has seen it's better days and I really need to switch to something other than Amazon. So, if you are you a current Nook Glowlight 4+ owner/user, how do you like your Nook. What do you really like about it and what do you really hate about it? And. given all of the above, would you purchase it again?

08-23-2026, 11:24 PM	#6
cgsmom Evangelist Posts: 420 Karma: 5452397 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo Clara Color, Kindle Colorsoft SE, Nook GL4,	Weight of Glowlight 4+ I do find the Glowlight 4+ to be a little heavy. When I was using it I usually managed to use the arm of my sofa to take some of the weight. As I said, my husband started using it and I went back to the 6” Glowlight 4. I have found the Barnes and Noble cases to be very uncomfortable. I purchased a clear silicone case on Etsy and it is very comfortable.

08-24-2026, 12:55 PM	#9
cgsmom Evangelist Posts: 420 Karma: 5452397 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo Clara Color, Kindle Colorsoft SE, Nook GL4,	Barnes and Noble has said that they are planning to release a new reader this year. So far I see no evidence of that. If one of my Glowlights died today, I probably would replace it. I love the page turn buttons that much. Edit: What I forgot to say was I considered buying another Glowlight 4+ because my husband has taken over the one I have. I’m doing fine with the Glowlight 4 for now. Last edited by cgsmom; 08-24-2026 at 01:41 PM. Reason: Another thought.

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08-23-2026, 03:04 PM	#2
cgsmom Evangelist Posts: 420 Karma: 5452397 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: USA Device: Kobo Clara Color, Kindle Colorsoft SE, Nook GL4,	I have owned Nooks since I first bought an ereader in 2012 (and even that was the Nook Tablet). I currently own the Glowlight 4 and the Glowlight 4+. While I love my Nooks and will probably always try to own one, I have a hard time recommending them. The hardware is very nice. I love the page turn buttons on both sides. The 4+ has a flush screen. The smaller 4 does not. Both have very nice good screens. Where the Nook is lacking is software. The software is slow and does not have the features of a Kindle. When you select a book from your library, it can take as much as 10 seconds for the books to open. The dictionary is OK but there is no link to Wikipedia and no translate function. No color option is available. Highlighting and annotation is not as straight forward as Kindle or Kobo All that being said, I still use my Nooks. Well, my husband took over the 4+ and that is all he reads on. They are the most comfortable to hold readers that I have. If you just want to read, they work fine. They have a very good price compared to other readers on the market. Some stores do have working Nooks that you can look at. I would never tell anyone not to buy one, but you do need to know what you are getting. Good luck.

08-23-2026, 10:10 PM	#4
Hasdrubal_Lector Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 599840 Join Date: Dec 2024 Location: Mid-Atlantic Region Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPad 8, Clara BW, Glowlight 4 Plus	My GL4+ weighs 268 grams. The font weight option has returned, but the Georgia font is gone. As cgsmom wrote, the hardware is very good. The page turn buttons are very kind to my arthritic thumbs, unlike my Libra 2. The screen and lighting are comparable to the Libra 2's. The only thing which it is missing is a Hall sensor so that it would work with a sleep cover. The software is adequate, and just adequate. If you want to open a book and just read it as if it were a pBook, it works fine. It has no decent extras like Kobos. I read a lot on my GL4+ because that 7.8" screen makes up for a lot, and I don't miss the extras except the time read per book. It works with Calibre, but not as well as Kobo.

08-24-2026, 11:00 AM	#8
Chinook1544 Green Grass Newbie Posts: 28 Karma: 2604 Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Far, Far Northern US Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Wow, that's a lot of good information. Thank y'all That said, it's time for the big question that nobody answered ... Would you buy the Nook Glowlight 4+ again/today?

08-24-2026, 01:20 PM	#10
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,376 Karma: 105529930 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	I would replace mine. The 7.8-inch screen and page turn buttons are the reason.

08-24-2026, 02:40 PM	#11
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 15,608 Karma: 249250117 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	I would not buy another Nook unless they vastly improved the software. While I do love the page turn buttons and the hardware is good, I couldn't stand the software. And the 7.8'' Nooks are a bit too heavy for me. I had the 7.8'' Glowlight Plus several years ago (sold it). From what I've read, the software is still basically the same as it was then. So, no new Nook for me.

08-24-2026, 06:50 PM	#12
Desertway Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 3230804 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Oasis 3, K3, Kobo Clara, Likebook P6	I'm still being ridiculously indecisive, but if I DO get it, I'll use Koreader on it. I've got Koreader set up on my little Likebook and it does everything I need.

Yesterday, 10:36 PM	#15
christianbk Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 2179144 Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Washington State Device: At least one of each brand	I love my NOOK readers. I switch between using the GlowLight 4+ at home and, if traveling, taking the regular GlowLight 4. I find the page turn buttons to be how I prefer to read. I really can't do without them. The quality of the screen is as good as other ereaders out there. I have a Kobo Clara 2E and a Libra Colour and the screen is leaps better than the Colour and about the same as the Clara, maybe a touch better. I'll also contend that they feel good in hand, especially the normal GlowLight 4. The 4+ still feels nice but lacks as much as the soft touch finish that the GlowLight 4 has. It lacks speed. It lacks some quality of life features like easy highlighting (though, here's a tip I've found: press and get the definition for the first word you want to highlight, and then just press on the last word and it'll "shortcut" to highlight. You can use the little sidebars but it's finicky). I would like an inverted dark mode. I find the customization a little lacking. But if you're just wanting to read a lot? With a decent battery life? And page turn buttons? It works well. Lastly: B&N's stamps rewards program works well if you shop at B&N. I use stamps I get when I purchase books and other things to fund my ebook buying habits. 95% of the time, the books that are posted as daily deals for Kindle + Kobo are also on the NOOK store. Use ereaderiq.com to get alerts for the Kindle sale price and it's normally also on NOOK. I would buy both models again, yes, if something were to happen. I like the size and find it to be a great reading experience.