e-ink vs non backlit greyscale LCD (asus ea800 vs PB and Boox)

[xxtraloud]

so after reading here for a while I narrowed down my selection to a few options.

I am in the US but I am from Italy and I can get a used Asus EA800 on ebay or local listings.

With the EA800 I like the fact that I can write notes and it seems east to browse pdf (zoom in, scroll, etc) and it seems a bit faster than the e-ink.

But I am also moving away from reading PDFs on a PC because I want the least eye strain possible.

I can't find any comparisons of the two screen types to make a decision.

I would be using this to read scientific papers for 80% of the time so that's what I am mostly concerned about.

any help is appreciated

[ApK]

Originally Posted by xxtraloud

so after reading here for a while I narrowed down my selection to a few options.

I am in the US but I am from Italy and I can get a used Asus EA800 on ebay or local listings.

With the EA800 I like the fact that I can write notes and it seems east to browse pdf (zoom in, scroll, etc) and it seems a bit faster than the e-ink.

But I am also moving away from reading PDFs on a PC because I want the least eye strain possible.

I can't find any comparisons of the two screen types to make a decision.

I would be using this to read scientific papers for 80% of the time so that's what I am mostly concerned about.

any help is appreciated

You laid out some good criteria for yourself there. You might factor in on the other side that eink will probably yield longer battery life than a reflective LCD (though I don't know the specifics of the devices you mention).

But as for eye strain, I think you will need to judge that with your own eyes.

I don't think any data or other people's experience will help determine what you personally will be most comfortable with.

[xxtraloud]

thanks for the feedback. the only real problem is that I can't really try before buying. so i have to go off pictures and opinions.

[GA Russell]

xxtraloud, with my jetBook Lite, I get no eyestrain with its reflective TFT screen.

I would recommend it except that Ectaco seems to have lost interest in it.

It reads pdf's without graphs and illustrations just fine. It has a five-inch screen, and that may not be large enough for your tastes, though I have had no problem with a screen that size.

[xxtraloud]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

xxtraloud, with my jetBook Lite, I get no eyestrain with its reflective TFT screen.

I would recommend it except that Ectaco seems to have lost interest in it.

It reads pdf's without graphs and illustrations just fine. It has a five-inch screen, and that may not be large enough for your tastes, though I have had no problem with a screen that size.

thanks for the suggestion but I really want a bigger screen.

so I have seen a few Iliad for around $150 and also some Sony PRS-950. Also a pocket book 902 for $250. The newer models go anywhere upwards of $350 the m92 and 912. So at this point I'm thinking of getting a used reader and skip the current generation.


As far as functionality my main concern is PDFs browsing speed and if I will need to zoom in and out a lot.I just want something that is relaxing to do and I don't get frustrated doing a lot of work just to read. Also what about the weight, is 500 g too much to hold in your hands for a while?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by xxtraloud

As far as functionality my main concern is PDFs browsing speed and if I will need to zoom in and out a lot.I just want something that is relaxing to do and I don't get frustrated doing a lot of work just to read. Also what about the weight, is 500 g too much to hold in your hands for a while?

I really think that nothing short of a modern LCD tablet will handle PDF "well" in that regard.

Of the eink devices I've tried, I think Sony handles PDF best, but that is not saying much.

I still feel you won't be able to judge eye strain until you use it, but you may be able judge from videos how the various devices handle some PDF functions.

If there is nothing already on Youtube, perhaps you can post a representative sample PDF and some obliging forum members will demo for you. I might be able to show you how they're handled on my Kindle 3, Sony PRS-350, and Kindle Fire, for example.
(I offer, knowing none of those devices are on your list. Ha!)

ApK

[multiprose]

i heard the ea800 is difficult to read in certain lighting because of light reflection.

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by multiprose

i heard the ea800 is difficult to read in certain lighting because of light reflection.

I bought one and returned it. With light: reflections, with a bit of light you cannot see the buttons any more. Plus mediocre reading experience.
If one needs the notetaking feature, I would go with a tablet.

[Musashi]

If you want have the best pdf experience without a pc, get a tablet.