From PRS-505 to PRS-600

Wordcrasher · 03-11-2010, 11:22 AM

As I reported in another thread, my PRS-505's screen is cracked. I'm considering buying a PRS-600, but I'm worried by the issue people seem to have with its clarity and contrast.
I'd like to have comments from people that used both of them, as I was told that the less satisfied by the 600 are the ones that previously owned the 505.

JSWolf · 03-11-2010, 11:26 AM

I have a 505 and I recommended to my mother that she get a 600 and she did. She enjoys it. So yes, go with a 600 unless you can afford a 900.

Mike_73 · 03-11-2010, 11:40 AM

Definitively go with the 600.
My wife's using my old 505 as she's only reading novels. My focus was more on pdf-support and the 600 makes using files including charts, graphs, pictures almost a breeze. It could be little faster, the screen could be a little bigger (so I'm waiting for something around 9-10" with same pdf support like the 600), but the size of the reader is just perfect for on the go. So I pan around pdf pages.
There's some glare (like mentioned everywhere), but it's a no brainer.
Contrast is worse than the 505 but nonetheless, if your reading light (regular room lighting works ok and everything better than that) is ok, there's no problem. I found under LED the contrast looks almost (but only almost) like the 505. Incandescent light doesn't provide that much contrast for me, but it works. Well, what to say. If you can, go out and get your hands on a 600 and see if it fits your needs.

So my conclusion is: Yes, the 505's readability was better, but the 600 is not that far off as described in some threads and test reports.

Wordcrasher · 03-11-2010, 11:45 AM

JSWolf, so you mean that the screen of the 600 is ok for you, used to a 505 ?

omk3 · 03-11-2010, 12:11 PM

I went from a 505 to a 600. When I see them side by side, I do feel a bit of nostalgia for the screen clarity of the 505. But when I use it on its own (which is always), I have no problem with the screen of 600 at all. The glare/reflection is nothing a bit of good strong lighting won't fix.

Pablo · 03-11-2010, 12:22 PM

I have a 505 and my boss just bought a 600. I had both side by side and I could notice the "glare" some people talk about. I like the screen of the 505 better, though I'm not saying that the 600 is bad. As for speed, I didn't notice any difference, I found the 600 as slow as the 505.
I had to recommend a reader to 2 workmates and I recommended the 505.

grooks · 03-11-2010, 12:25 PM

I went from a 505 to a 600. The 600 screen is less clear than the 505 but I do not have any trouble reading the screen. You will need to make sure that the 600 requires a little more overhead lighting than the 505.

I should mention that I have excellent vision and do not wear glasses or contacts. Screen clarity does not affect me as it may affect others.

omk3 · 03-11-2010, 12:26 PM

The 600 is definitely faster! Not the screen flash, that's exactly the same. What's faster is the response time from the press of the button to the start of the screen change. With the 505, I had time to read the last sentence or two from the time I pressed the next page button. When I got the prs-600 I had to go back a page again to read the words I missed

grooks · 03-11-2010, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pablo

I found the 600 as slow as the 505.

When it comes to page turning and menu navigation, I found the 600 to be much quicker than the 505.

Ken401 · 03-11-2010, 12:38 PM

Wordcrasher, if you can get to a Best Buy, they should have the 300 and the 600 on display. The 300 has a screen like the 505.

I own both the 505 and 600. At times I felt like I was reading off paper with the 505. I don't get the same feeling with the 600, although it comes close under good lighting.

So which do I use most often? The 600. The other features were enough to compensate. In dim lighting, the 505 is still tops.

If you do much with PDF's, the 600 is the way to go though. Speed, zooming, panning.

Wordcrasher · 03-11-2010, 12:58 PM

Thanks guys,
I felt reassured. I can accept a bit less clarity in exchange for all the new features.
Inline dictionary is a big bonus for me as lately I read more English than Italian books.

Ken401 · 03-11-2010, 03:25 PM

OK, I am an idiot. Just realized you are in Italy...you probably don't have Best Buy electronic stores...enjoy the 600! It is a nice compromise for me between the clarity of the 300 and the relatively full-featured 900.

Wordcrasher · 03-11-2010, 04:50 PM

No probs Ken401 :-D

Yep, we don't have BestBuy here.
And I never saw a Sony PRS in any electronic shop. I bought both my readers on eBay, the eBookwise from the USA and the 505 from UK.
I think I'll look there for a 600 now.

emonti8384 · 03-11-2010, 05:11 PM

I had a 505 and went to a 600 and although there is a difference in contrast I do not feel it is at a disadvantage to the 505. Screen clarity is still excellent and I don't even notice the dfference unless I hold them side by side and compare. I love my 505 and I love my 600 but my 600 is my primary reader.

Good luck in your decision!

amjbrown · 03-11-2010, 05:13 PM

Wordcrasher - I have gone the other way I'm afraid. Started with a 505, upgraded to a 600, eBayed the 600 and returned to the 505. For me the features don't outweight the screen problems. I read in quite low light in bed.

It's very personal. You *have * to find a 600 to look at I'm afraid.

amjb

03-11-2010, 11:22 AM	#1
Wordcrasher Addict Posts: 253 Karma: 1246 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vicenza, Italy Device: Kindle Fire 2015, Kindle Paperwhite	From PRS-505 to PRS-600 As I reported in another thread, my PRS-505's screen is cracked. I'm considering buying a PRS-600, but I'm worried by the issue people seem to have with its clarity and contrast. I'd like to have comments from people that used both of them, as I was told that the less satisfied by the 600 are the ones that previously owned the 505.

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03-11-2010, 11:26 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,931 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have a 505 and I recommended to my mother that she get a 600 and she did. She enjoys it. So yes, go with a 600 unless you can afford a 900.

03-11-2010, 11:40 AM	#3
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	Definitively go with the 600. My wife's using my old 505 as she's only reading novels. My focus was more on pdf-support and the 600 makes using files including charts, graphs, pictures almost a breeze. It could be little faster, the screen could be a little bigger (so I'm waiting for something around 9-10" with same pdf support like the 600), but the size of the reader is just perfect for on the go. So I pan around pdf pages. There's some glare (like mentioned everywhere), but it's a no brainer. Contrast is worse than the 505 but nonetheless, if your reading light (regular room lighting works ok and everything better than that) is ok, there's no problem. I found under LED the contrast looks almost (but only almost) like the 505. Incandescent light doesn't provide that much contrast for me, but it works. Well, what to say. If you can, go out and get your hands on a 600 and see if it fits your needs. So my conclusion is: Yes, the 505's readability was better, but the 600 is not that far off as described in some threads and test reports.

03-11-2010, 11:45 AM	#4
Wordcrasher Addict Posts: 253 Karma: 1246 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vicenza, Italy Device: Kindle Fire 2015, Kindle Paperwhite	JSWolf, so you mean that the screen of the 600 is ok for you, used to a 505 ?

03-11-2010, 12:11 PM	#5
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	I went from a 505 to a 600. When I see them side by side, I do feel a bit of nostalgia for the screen clarity of the 505. But when I use it on its own (which is always), I have no problem with the screen of 600 at all. The glare/reflection is nothing a bit of good strong lighting won't fix.

03-11-2010, 12:22 PM	#6
Pablo Guru Posts: 970 Karma: 4999999 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Rosario, Argentina Device: SONY PRS-505, PRS-T2	I have a 505 and my boss just bought a 600. I had both side by side and I could notice the "glare" some people talk about. I like the screen of the 505 better, though I'm not saying that the 600 is bad. As for speed, I didn't notice any difference, I found the 600 as slow as the 505. I had to recommend a reader to 2 workmates and I recommended the 505.

03-11-2010, 12:25 PM	#7
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	I went from a 505 to a 600. The 600 screen is less clear than the 505 but I do not have any trouble reading the screen. You will need to make sure that the 600 requires a little more overhead lighting than the 505. I should mention that I have excellent vision and do not wear glasses or contacts. Screen clarity does not affect me as it may affect others.

03-11-2010, 12:26 PM	#8
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	The 600 is definitely faster! Not the screen flash, that's exactly the same. What's faster is the response time from the press of the button to the start of the screen change. With the 505, I had time to read the last sentence or two from the time I pressed the next page button. When I got the prs-600 I had to go back a page again to read the words I missed

03-11-2010, 12:38 PM	#10
Ken401 Addict Posts: 218 Karma: 417978 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO USA Device: PRS-T1, PRS-950, PRS-505, Nexus 10, Xoom	Wordcrasher, if you can get to a Best Buy, they should have the 300 and the 600 on display. The 300 has a screen like the 505. I own both the 505 and 600. At times I felt like I was reading off paper with the 505. I don't get the same feeling with the 600, although it comes close under good lighting. So which do I use most often? The 600. The other features were enough to compensate. In dim lighting, the 505 is still tops. If you do much with PDF's, the 600 is the way to go though. Speed, zooming, panning.

03-11-2010, 12:58 PM	#11
Wordcrasher Addict Posts: 253 Karma: 1246 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vicenza, Italy Device: Kindle Fire 2015, Kindle Paperwhite	Thanks guys, I felt reassured. I can accept a bit less clarity in exchange for all the new features. Inline dictionary is a big bonus for me as lately I read more English than Italian books.

03-11-2010, 03:25 PM	#12
Ken401 Addict Posts: 218 Karma: 417978 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO USA Device: PRS-T1, PRS-950, PRS-505, Nexus 10, Xoom	OK, I am an idiot. Just realized you are in Italy...you probably don't have Best Buy electronic stores...enjoy the 600! It is a nice compromise for me between the clarity of the 300 and the relatively full-featured 900.

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03-11-2010, 04:50 PM	#13
Wordcrasher Addict Posts: 253 Karma: 1246 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vicenza, Italy Device: Kindle Fire 2015, Kindle Paperwhite	No probs Ken401 :-D Yep, we don't have BestBuy here. And I never saw a Sony PRS in any electronic shop. I bought both my readers on eBay, the eBookwise from the USA and the 505 from UK. I think I'll look there for a 600 now.

03-11-2010, 05:11 PM	#14
emonti8384 browneyedgurl Posts: 523 Karma: 356470 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Warren, OH Device: PRS-505/950x2, PRS-600 silver, Galaxy III purple, T2 black	I had a 505 and went to a 600 and although there is a difference in contrast I do not feel it is at a disadvantage to the 505. Screen clarity is still excellent and I don't even notice the dfference unless I hold them side by side and compare. I love my 505 and I love my 600 but my 600 is my primary reader. Good luck in your decision!

03-11-2010, 05:13 PM	#15
amjbrown Addict Posts: 322 Karma: 1231044 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: London, UK Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle app on the iPhone	Wordcrasher - I have gone the other way I'm afraid. Started with a 505, upgraded to a 600, eBayed the 600 and returned to the 505. For me the features don't outweight the screen problems. I read in quite low light in bed. It's very personal. You have to find a 600 to look at I'm afraid. amjb