Kobo Forma vs Pocketbook Inpad X

tschucha · 12-07-2019, 05:49 PM

Anyone here had a chance to work with both of the devices?

I've got a Forma and I think highly of it but am really jonesing for a 10" e-reader. I've always thought that that would be the perfect size for a reader.

The Inkpad X is a 10.3" reader with adjustable orange lighting for nighttime use. it only has a 227 DPI screen which would be a step back from the Forma's 300 DPI screen and it looks as though the screen is recessed which is also a minor inconvenience.

The thing weighs about 300 grams as opposed to just under 200 grams for the Forma.

I have never used a Pocketbook reader but find the Kobo interface easier to use than the Kindles.

Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from people who have used both devices or even just Kobo and Pocketbook devices before I drop an obscene amount of money for one of these.

hobnail · 12-07-2019, 10:40 PM

I find having the buttons on the bottom to be a big drawback compared to having them on the side.

Alanon · 12-13-2019, 09:11 PM

I never used PocketBook devices, although I had a similar dilemma when choosing between the Aura One or the (at the time) flagship InkPad 2. The situation was somewhat similar - the InkPad had a slightly larger screen, albeit with an older screen technology, looked like it was built like a tank (it had metal bits!) and seemed to have better QC overall.

The features that stood out with PocketBook were in the native software experience - PocketBook still offers audio support, better PDF handling out of the box, Dropbox sync and very competent ABBYY assortment of dictionaries (the company is a leader in OCR software and produces digital dictionaries as well). So, if you need native scanned complex PDF handling, DjVu support, Manga or Cbr, or any of the other quirks of PocketBook, then that's a different type of appeal. Of course, the chief question to ask is - are these native benefits so good that they beat Kobo's patching community? (A few more potential considerations - do you like tinkering? Both systems can be patched with additional software like KoReader, though I believe Kobo is a bit more modern overall. Sideloading? Preference with regards to bookstore ecosystems?)

IMHO, the increase in screen size alone, and at the expense of DPI, given that it's the same screen generation, is not a good enough reason to get it. I also like bigger screen sizes, but I tend to search for the "as close to real book page" presentation and reading experience. For me, that usually involves fonts sizes, spacing and margins that are smaller than average, which means I read with my nose closer to the screen - just about the only situation where one would see the difference between 227 vs 300 DPI. If you're anything like me, I would be worried that the 300 DPI spoiled you for anything less. I can get a very good paperback effect on my Aura One after margins and font size patches, and the Forma will get you even closer. The only place where this falls apart is with PDF use, where 10 inches would truly be a blessing.

12-07-2019, 05:49 PM	#1
tschucha Zealot Posts: 147 Karma: 52546 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kobo Sage	Kobo Forma vs Pocketbook Inpad X Anyone here had a chance to work with both of the devices? I've got a Forma and I think highly of it but am really jonesing for a 10" e-reader. I've always thought that that would be the perfect size for a reader. The Inkpad X is a 10.3" reader with adjustable orange lighting for nighttime use. it only has a 227 DPI screen which would be a step back from the Forma's 300 DPI screen and it looks as though the screen is recessed which is also a minor inconvenience. The thing weighs about 300 grams as opposed to just under 200 grams for the Forma. I have never used a Pocketbook reader but find the Kobo interface easier to use than the Kindles. Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from people who have used both devices or even just Kobo and Pocketbook devices before I drop an obscene amount of money for one of these.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Ended Kobo Forma - New replacement from Kobo Direct	bookyboy	Flea Market	6	11-19-2019 11:10 PM
New user - Kobo Forma and Kobo questions	poczynek	Kobo Reader	2	07-11-2019 07:58 PM
Kobo Forma vs Kobo Aura One use with large library	Jade Aislin	Which one should I buy?	2	05-31-2019 12:14 PM
dictionary font size inpad 3	xxxxxxxxxx	PocketBook	2	12-28-2018 10:47 AM
Aura ONE How to move database from Kobo Aura One to Kobo Forma	codychan	Kobo Reader	1	11-07-2018 05:56 AM

12-07-2019, 10:40 PM	#2
hobnail Running with scissors Posts: 1,552 Karma: 14325282 Join Date: Nov 2019 Device: none	I find having the buttons on the bottom to be a big drawback compared to having them on the side.

12-13-2019, 09:11 PM	#3
Alanon Connoisseur Posts: 76 Karma: 10742 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Serbia Device: Kobo Aura One	I never used PocketBook devices, although I had a similar dilemma when choosing between the Aura One or the (at the time) flagship InkPad 2. The situation was somewhat similar - the InkPad had a slightly larger screen, albeit with an older screen technology, looked like it was built like a tank (it had metal bits!) and seemed to have better QC overall. The features that stood out with PocketBook were in the native software experience - PocketBook still offers audio support, better PDF handling out of the box, Dropbox sync and very competent ABBYY assortment of dictionaries (the company is a leader in OCR software and produces digital dictionaries as well). So, if you need native scanned complex PDF handling, DjVu support, Manga or Cbr, or any of the other quirks of PocketBook, then that's a different type of appeal. Of course, the chief question to ask is - are these native benefits so good that they beat Kobo's patching community? (A few more potential considerations - do you like tinkering? Both systems can be patched with additional software like KoReader, though I believe Kobo is a bit more modern overall. Sideloading? Preference with regards to bookstore ecosystems?) IMHO, the increase in screen size alone, and at the expense of DPI, given that it's the same screen generation, is not a good enough reason to get it. I also like bigger screen sizes, but I tend to search for the "as close to real book page" presentation and reading experience. For me, that usually involves fonts sizes, spacing and margins that are smaller than average, which means I read with my nose closer to the screen - just about the only situation where one would see the difference between 227 vs 300 DPI. If you're anything like me, I would be worried that the 300 DPI spoiled you for anything less. I can get a very good paperback effect on my Aura One after margins and font size patches, and the Forma will get you even closer. The only place where this falls apart is with PDF use, where 10 inches would truly be a blessing.

Advert