Sony PRS-300 vs....PRS-505?

bookwerm · 08-27-2009, 01:52 AM

First off - thanks for all the great info in these forums! I've been perusing for the last few days trying to get clues to the best Reader for me, and I've got the field narrowed to 2 - now I'm just looking for advice from 505 owners!

So I was originally enticed by the PRS-300 - it's smaller, fits in my purse, and most importantly, has a lower price point ($199) which made me want to jump into eBooks. I went to a Sony store this evening to play, and I liked the 300 much better than the PRS-600 - I'm not a fan of touch screens, and couldn't justify the added cost for features I probably won't use - notes/graffiti, audio, etc. (As background, my Reader will almost solely be used for reading novels & library books - no requirements for textbooks or PDF files or anything).

However, there was one factor I liked about the PRS-600 - the screen size. I wish the 300 had more than 3 font sizes, because when I put the font on the largest side, I felt like I was reading 2 sentences per screen.

When I mentioned this to the sales person, he suggested the PRS-505 - same interface/navigation as the PRS-300, but the later screen and expandable memory as the PRS-600 (again, a feature I like, but don't need - it'll take me years to amass 350 ebooks).

So here's my question - it seems like a lot of PRS-505 users are not enticed with the recent release of the PRS-600 to shell out the $$ to upgrade.... but, if you weren't already an owner of a Reader, and looking to buy your first one, would you go for one of the shiny new models, like the PRS-300, or is the PRS-505 still the best value (now that prices have dropped to $250 - $275)?

The other point to consider is the 300 doesn't come with a cover like the 505; it's an extra $29, so in my mind, I'm comparing a $229 PRS-300 to a $250-$275 PRS-505... Is there anything I should know about the PRS-505 in comparison to the PRS-300... and be wary about?

Thanks!

Donnageddon · 08-27-2009, 02:29 AM

Fry's currently have the 505 for $239.99

http://www.frys.com/product/5432609

But that is just thru tomorrow.

I figure you are gonna do fine either way. The 505 is a sweet reader, and the 300 looks just as sweet.

I figure based on your criteria, it just comes down to size.

Personally, I would go for the 505. Not that much bigger, but more screen real estate.

ladyjane · 08-27-2009, 07:25 AM

I have a 505 now, but I did have a look at the new readers in the sony store, I don't like you said have any use for a touch screen /make notes or such. I just wanted it for a reader . Considering the pricing and size I would still go for the 505, it has it all ,very clean look ,easy to use, feels good in the hand, can use sd cards and trust me it dosen't take that long to accumulate hundreds of books especially when there are so many great ones here on this site for free. But which ever one you purchase I'm sure its going to be the right one for you. Happy reading

DrMoze · 08-27-2009, 01:28 PM

I have a 505 and just picked up a 300. (Detailed review is in the News & Commentary forum!) I went with the 300 because I love the portability (after taking my 505 all over the place for 1.5 years). The screens and response are the same, and the 300 has almost exactly 2/3 of the amount of text per screen as the 505 (fonts are the same size, and there is 5/6 of the characters per line, 5/6 of the text lines per screen).

I love the 505. But I'm a guy, and don't have a purse/bag for the 505. I do carry it in the big thigh pocket of my cargo pants, but only in warm weather. The 300 can slip in to any pants pocket pretty nicely. (I wouldn't carry it in a rear pocket, but it feels much sturdier than the 505, being more compact and slightly thicker.)

I never used mp3 playback or memory cards on the 505, and don't need them (nor a touchscreen/dictionary/notes), which is why I went with the 300. It is basically an excellent, portable e-ink device for reading lots of books. I have over 100 novels loaded on my 300, and have about 360 out of 443 MB of memory still free! Although I've accumulated many e-books, I think there is PLENTY of memory to carry around over a years' worth of reading, and then some. I don't feel any need to carry every e-book I have with me at all times. (That only leads to more pages of menus to trudge through, slower loading times, etc.)

Just my opinion/experience. I also spent a few hours with my 300, finishing a book I started on my 505 (and then some). After about 10 minutes, the Reader details disappeared and I was just reading.

=X= · 08-27-2009, 04:10 PM

From my point of view you are correct in your observation, as a 505 owner the features of the 300 are not enough to peak any interest . Probably the only feature that I find interesting is the smaller form factor of 5". However I would most certainly choose the EZ Reader 5" model over the SONY 300. At the same price point of $230 (EZ comes with a leather case) you get much more for your money this includes better performance in addition to more features.

I am very interested on the 600 because the annotation and touchscreen.

One word of caution you mentioned you are looking to read library books, most library checkout MOBI or PDF formats.

pawn · 08-27-2009, 04:27 PM

I bought a 505 in June (remember the 199$ Borders promotion?).

If I didn't have one, I'd look at a 300. Price is important to me, as is portability. I don't use the expansion cards as much as I thought I might (do use them a bit, though). But I'm not tempted to replace my 505 with any of the new models.

Don't care about touchscreen, dictionary, annotations. I like the readability of the screen (contrast), and the form factor.

bookwerm · 08-27-2009, 06:37 PM

Thanks for the advice! I also heard someone reply in another forum that all things being equal, err on the side of larger screen size, and so I purchased a shiny red PRS-505! I'm so freakin' excited - can't wait till it gets here next week!

P.S. I feel just a little like a dirty traitor for buying my Sony Reader on Amazon.com.

SHOECHICK · 08-27-2009, 06:41 PM

I had the 505 and was in the market for a new reader and planned to pass my Silver 505 down to my husband...I picked a new red 505 over both the 300 and the 600. I love my 505 to pieces and the price wasn't that much more than the 300. It just shipped today, can't wait to get it.

Scarpad · 08-27-2009, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMoze

I have a 505 and just picked up a 300. (Detailed review is in the News & Commentary forum!) I went with the 300 because I love the portability (after taking my 505 all over the place for 1.5 years). The screens and response are the same, and the 300 has almost exactly 2/3 of the amount of text per screen as the 505 (fonts are the same size, and there is 5/6 of the characters per line, 5/6 of the text lines per screen).

I love the 505. But I'm a guy, and don't have a purse/bag for the 505. I do carry it in the big thigh pocket of my cargo pants, but only in warm weather. The 300 can slip in to any pants pocket pretty nicely. (I wouldn't carry it in a rear pocket, but it feels much sturdier than the 505, being more compact and slightly thicker.)

I never used mp3 playback or memory cards on the 505, and don't need them (nor a touchscreen/dictionary/notes), which is why I went with the 300. It is basically an excellent, portable e-ink device for reading lots of books. I have over 100 novels loaded on my 300, and have about 360 out of 443 MB of memory still free! Although I've accumulated many e-books, I think there is PLENTY of memory to carry around over a years' worth of reading, and then some. I don't feel any need to carry every e-book I have with me at all times. (That only leads to more pages of menus to trudge through, slower loading times, etc.)

Just my opinion/experience. I also spent a few hours with my 300, finishing a book I started on my 505 (and then some). After about 10 minutes, the Reader details disappeared and I was just reading.

Glad to Hear, wish mine would Ship, I ordered a silver one what color did you get, Original poster I had a 505 sold it awhile back , it was a very nice ereader, thou I'm fonder of the size of the new one, it appears to be much more pocketable.

DrMoze · 08-28-2009, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarpad

Glad to Hear, wish mine would Ship, I ordered a silver one what color did you get, Original poster I had a 505 sold it awhile back , it was a very nice ereader, thou I'm fonder of the size of the new one, it appears to be much more pocketable.

I got the silver too. (Got a silver 505 for my sister last year.) My 505 is the blue one (almost black). I still have the 505, which will probably wind up being an 'upgrade' for my gf's 500 (for e-library capabilities). I will keep her 500 around as an emergency backup for both of us!

08-27-2009, 01:52 AM	#1
bookwerm Zealot Posts: 112 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Studio City, CA Device: B&N Nook	Sony PRS-300 vs....PRS-505? First off - thanks for all the great info in these forums! I've been perusing for the last few days trying to get clues to the best Reader for me, and I've got the field narrowed to 2 - now I'm just looking for advice from 505 owners! So I was originally enticed by the PRS-300 - it's smaller, fits in my purse, and most importantly, has a lower price point ($199) which made me want to jump into eBooks. I went to a Sony store this evening to play, and I liked the 300 much better than the PRS-600 - I'm not a fan of touch screens, and couldn't justify the added cost for features I probably won't use - notes/graffiti, audio, etc. (As background, my Reader will almost solely be used for reading novels & library books - no requirements for textbooks or PDF files or anything). However, there was one factor I liked about the PRS-600 - the screen size. I wish the 300 had more than 3 font sizes, because when I put the font on the largest side, I felt like I was reading 2 sentences per screen. When I mentioned this to the sales person, he suggested the PRS-505 - same interface/navigation as the PRS-300, but the later screen and expandable memory as the PRS-600 (again, a feature I like, but don't need - it'll take me years to amass 350 ebooks). So here's my question - it seems like a lot of PRS-505 users are not enticed with the recent release of the PRS-600 to shell out the $$ to upgrade.... but, if you weren't already an owner of a Reader, and looking to buy your first one, would you go for one of the shiny new models, like the PRS-300, or is the PRS-505 still the best value (now that prices have dropped to $250 - $275)? The other point to consider is the 300 doesn't come with a cover like the 505; it's an extra $29, so in my mind, I'm comparing a $229 PRS-300 to a $250-$275 PRS-505... Is there anything I should know about the PRS-505 in comparison to the PRS-300... and be wary about? Thanks!

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08-27-2009, 02:29 AM	#2
Donnageddon Now you lishen here... Posts: 2,494 Karma: 479498 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle-ish Device: Sony PRS-650. Kobo Touch, Kindle Fire	Fry's currently have the 505 for $239.99 http://www.frys.com/product/5432609 But that is just thru tomorrow. I figure you are gonna do fine either way. The 505 is a sweet reader, and the 300 looks just as sweet. I figure based on your criteria, it just comes down to size. Personally, I would go for the 505. Not that much bigger, but more screen real estate.

08-27-2009, 07:25 AM	#3
ladyjane I hate to clean Posts: 125 Karma: 1155 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Burlington, ontario Device: Sony PRS-505, Acer NetBook	I have a 505 now, but I did have a look at the new readers in the sony store, I don't like you said have any use for a touch screen /make notes or such. I just wanted it for a reader . Considering the pricing and size I would still go for the 505, it has it all ,very clean look ,easy to use, feels good in the hand, can use sd cards and trust me it dosen't take that long to accumulate hundreds of books especially when there are so many great ones here on this site for free. But which ever one you purchase I'm sure its going to be the right one for you. Happy reading

08-27-2009, 01:28 PM	#4
DrMoze Booknut Posts: 858 Karma: 2852 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida! Device: Sony Reader 500/505/300/350, Nook Glowlight Plus (6")	I have a 505 and just picked up a 300. (Detailed review is in the News & Commentary forum!) I went with the 300 because I love the portability (after taking my 505 all over the place for 1.5 years). The screens and response are the same, and the 300 has almost exactly 2/3 of the amount of text per screen as the 505 (fonts are the same size, and there is 5/6 of the characters per line, 5/6 of the text lines per screen). I love the 505. But I'm a guy, and don't have a purse/bag for the 505. I do carry it in the big thigh pocket of my cargo pants, but only in warm weather. The 300 can slip in to any pants pocket pretty nicely. (I wouldn't carry it in a rear pocket, but it feels much sturdier than the 505, being more compact and slightly thicker.) I never used mp3 playback or memory cards on the 505, and don't need them (nor a touchscreen/dictionary/notes), which is why I went with the 300. It is basically an excellent, portable e-ink device for reading lots of books. I have over 100 novels loaded on my 300, and have about 360 out of 443 MB of memory still free! Although I've accumulated many e-books, I think there is PLENTY of memory to carry around over a years' worth of reading, and then some. I don't feel any need to carry every e-book I have with me at all times. (That only leads to more pages of menus to trudge through, slower loading times, etc.) Just my opinion/experience. I also spent a few hours with my 300, finishing a book I started on my 505 (and then some). After about 10 minutes, the Reader details disappeared and I was just reading.

08-27-2009, 04:10 PM	#5
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	From my point of view you are correct in your observation, as a 505 owner the features of the 300 are not enough to peak any interest . Probably the only feature that I find interesting is the smaller form factor of 5". However I would most certainly choose the EZ Reader 5" model over the SONY 300. At the same price point of $230 (EZ comes with a leather case) you get much more for your money this includes better performance in addition to more features. I am very interested on the 600 because the annotation and touchscreen. One word of caution you mentioned you are looking to read library books, most library checkout MOBI or PDF formats.

08-27-2009, 04:27 PM	#6
pawn Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Location: california Device: sony 505	I bought a 505 in June (remember the 199$ Borders promotion?). If I didn't have one, I'd look at a 300. Price is important to me, as is portability. I don't use the expansion cards as much as I thought I might (do use them a bit, though). But I'm not tempted to replace my 505 with any of the new models. Don't care about touchscreen, dictionary, annotations. I like the readability of the screen (contrast), and the form factor.

08-27-2009, 06:37 PM	#7
bookwerm Zealot Posts: 112 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Studio City, CA Device: B&N Nook	Thanks for the advice! I also heard someone reply in another forum that all things being equal, err on the side of larger screen size, and so I purchased a shiny red PRS-505! I'm so freakin' excited - can't wait till it gets here next week! P.S. I feel just a little like a dirty traitor for buying my Sony Reader on Amazon.com.

08-27-2009, 06:41 PM	#8
SHOECHICK Addict Posts: 228 Karma: 1032 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vancouver BC Device: Red Sony 505 and Ipad	I had the 505 and was in the market for a new reader and planned to pass my Silver 505 down to my husband...I picked a new red 505 over both the 300 and the 600. I love my 505 to pieces and the price wasn't that much more than the 300. It just shipped today, can't wait to get it.