Used/Older Kobo Devices

Lleaff · 04-07-2019, 10:53 AM

I've recently jumped on the bandwagon for using ereaders. Specifically I purchased an Kobo Clara HD. The experience has been really good. I enjoy having all my books in this little device available at the touch of a finger. Plus the reading experience is much better than on my tablet.

A few other people in my household would also like a device now that they have seen mine. The problem I have are the prices for the devices. My interior bogglehead voice is saying 'buy them used on ebay'. I've done a bit of research and there are a plethora of older model for Kobo devices.

I'm thinking of going with something like the Aura HD or Glo HD models. I'm hoping if I'm patient I can get something on ebay or fb marketplace for about $50-$60.

So my question is: Is there a significant drawback to getting one of these older models versus the ClaraHD? One difference I've come across is the lack of support for overdrive software on the device (I'm OK with that).

Any help / opinions / guidance is much appreciated.

P.S I've been using this wikipedia site as a resource:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobo_eReader

rtiangha · 04-07-2019, 11:13 AM

The Clara HD is basically the replacement for the Glo HD. The Glo HD has the same resolution as the Clara so if you like the display on that, you'll also like it on the Glo HD. The main difference is that the Clara has the color changing light and a capacitive screen, while the Glo HD only has a white light and an Infrared screen. The Infrared screen is great because you can use it with non-capacitive gloves when the weather is cold, but selecting things on screen by tapping and dragging isn't as accurate on an IR screen as it is on a capacitive screen. Not much of a problem though if you're not highlighting things or looking up words in the dictionary.

I also believe that the Clara has the same amount of RAM as the Glo HD but a slightly faster processor. I believe that when Kobo was liquidating them to make room for the Clara, they were on sale for around $40 on eBay, so keep an eye out in case overstock appears again.

Ripplinger · 04-07-2019, 11:21 AM

My one word of caution is to request a close up image of the screen itself so any scratches (or worse) in the screen can be detected if they don't provide any in the description. Make sure it's returnable if there are scratches.

I bought a couple of used Sony 350s because I just had to have the dark blue and it wasn't available in the US. One that I bought had not only deep scratches all over the screen but actual gouges in the top right third of the screen. It looked like someone used it for 20 years as a place to drop their keys daily (and I mean drop from a good distance onto the screen).

Fortunately I just swapped a good screen from one of my boring silver ones to the blue and then had a perfect blue reader. You won't have that option though. And a scratched screen is about as bad as it could get for me to read on.

frostschutz · 04-07-2019, 01:43 PM

nothing wrong using an older model, sometimes they are superior even

( no sd card slots anymore on new devices )

they can go defective in various ways... and also break in shipping if not packaged properly

so it depends a lot on trust between you and the seller

IanScuffling · 04-07-2019, 06:32 PM

I recently bought a refurbished Kobo Aura HD on eBay, sold by Kobo, and am very happy with it. So, if you're patient, you can find a good ereader for a decent price.

abij · 04-07-2019, 08:09 PM

I only became a Kobo user very recently and I wish I could have found how superior Kobo reader is to my Kindle Touch 3g much earlier. My research told me Aura HD and Aura H2O first edition would suit me the best since I don't use the backlight for reading in the dark. So I bought an Aura HD off ebay but not from Kobo. @IanScuffling helped me during the process but unfortunately I just missed out on the last batch of refurbished Aura HD directly from Kobo.

barryem · 04-07-2019, 09:11 PM

I've been buying things on Ebay since Ebay first began. I check feedback carefully and I only buy from them if the price is very good. My assumption has always been that I'll eventually get stung but so far I haven't.

The two problems I had were an early computer that wasn't in nearly as good a shape as it's description. However the price was good and I'd have bought it if I'd known it's true condition so it was hard to feel bad about that.

I also bought what I thought was going to be a Kobo Mini and instead I got a Kobo Glo, which was really probably worth more than the Mini. I emailed the vendor explaining the error and that I would keep the Glo anyway but that I thought he should know. I got a refund before I got his reply. I let him know I wasn't asking for a refund and he told me not to worry about it.

So all in all I've had very good luck with Ebay.

I've also bought Kobo Aura's, the original model, for a number of the people in my retirement home who don't have computers to buy with. I have 3 myself and I probably bought half a dozen for other tenants. All have been perfect. I bought the last one several years ago so they're pretty dated these days but all of them still work just fine and my neighbors and I still use them.

Barry

nystagmus · 04-08-2019, 01:16 AM

There is an auction at the moment on eBay selling Kobo mini, for around 15 Euros with free international shipping, I just got "sent" notification so I hope it arrives soon. It is a very old device and has no light. Other old devices were Kobo touch from classified advertisements site for around 20-30 Euros.

I am planing to use the Kobo mini as a "carefree" eReader while traveling and as long it runs koreader I am happy.

Heiijeil · 04-08-2019, 06:09 AM

Chiming in to say that I've also bought a used refurb 1st gen Kobo Aura off of eBay. It was my first Kobo and it worked perfectly right out of the box. That was more than 2 years ago. I just updated the firmware on it and it still works like a champ.

The only reason I'm not using it anymore is because I went and bought a Clara HD. I'm selling this old one to a friend who's never used ereaders before.

I don't think there's an obvious downside to buying used or refurb on eBay (as long as you buy from an established seller). These devices are pretty hardy in my experience and they're great starter ereaders for someone new to these things.

Zorka · 04-08-2019, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nystagmus

There is an auction at the moment on eBay selling Kobo mini, for around 15 Euros with free international shipping

Thank you for bringing this to my attention

I can always use a spare mini

ZodWallop · 04-08-2019, 01:19 PM

I'm one of those that bought an original, 6" Aura off of eBay. Five years later it's still my daily device.

One warning, you've already been spoiled by the Clara HD's superior screen. Aside from the Glo HD or an Aura 2nd Edition, any Kobo 6" device is going to use a Pearl (or older) eink screen which is noticeably more gray. They will also be lower resolution and won't have the color changing light.

Like I said, I still love using my original Aura. It works fine for me. But cheap old Kobos won't look as pretty as your Clara HD. Buy an old Kobo. They get updates, just like the new devices. Software wise, the only difference is that Overdrive wasn't integrated (which seems weird to me). I just wanted to prepare you for the difference in screen quality.

chronoreverse · 04-08-2019, 01:26 PM

I only got a Kobo recently, a Kobo Glo and I think it's great. I especially love the colour backs.

Lleaff · 04-08-2019, 05:39 PM

Thanks for all the responses. It's all very insightful. I think I'll give used devices a shot...

johnson_chung · 04-11-2019, 02:36 AM

I bought an Aura last year, it was really good, but I think it bigger for me, for my hand smaller ,:-(.

I bought a Mini three months ago, it's smaller than Aura. I really like it.

I use Mini on my way to office in MRT, use Aura in my bed for it has backlight.:-)

meeera · 04-16-2019, 08:38 AM

One of the bigger risks, apart from damage in transit, would be battery life. You don't know how old the device is - the Aura HD was released six years ago now - or how it's been treated (sitting on a shelf uncharged for months on end, for example).

If you're prepared to charge frequently and/or replace the battery, that mitigates that.

04-07-2019, 10:53 AM	#1
Lleaff Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2019 Device: Kobo Clara HD	Used/Older Kobo Devices I've recently jumped on the bandwagon for using ereaders. Specifically I purchased an Kobo Clara HD. The experience has been really good. I enjoy having all my books in this little device available at the touch of a finger. Plus the reading experience is much better than on my tablet. A few other people in my household would also like a device now that they have seen mine. The problem I have are the prices for the devices. My interior bogglehead voice is saying 'buy them used on ebay'. I've done a bit of research and there are a plethora of older model for Kobo devices. I'm thinking of going with something like the Aura HD or Glo HD models. I'm hoping if I'm patient I can get something on ebay or fb marketplace for about $50-$60. So my question is: Is there a significant drawback to getting one of these older models versus the ClaraHD? One difference I've come across is the lack of support for overdrive software on the device (I'm OK with that). Any help / opinions / guidance is much appreciated. P.S I've been using this wikipedia site as a resource:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobo_eReader

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Overdrive supported on older devices (sort of)	bgalbrecht	Kobo Reader	20	10-08-2018 10:34 AM
Transferring Books to Older Devices	MarjaE	Library Management	12	08-09-2016 02:44 PM
Older Kobo	CazMar	Kobo Reader	1	06-18-2015 02:08 PM
Kobo on older iPad/MacBook	Read, Eat, Sleep	Apple Devices	16	09-24-2014 01:10 AM
Older Kobo won't turn on	hodjworld	Kobo Reader	15	01-22-2014 08:31 AM

04-07-2019, 11:13 AM	#2
rtiangha Evangelist Posts: 495 Karma: 356531 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: 'burta, Canada Device: Kobo Glo HD	The Clara HD is basically the replacement for the Glo HD. The Glo HD has the same resolution as the Clara so if you like the display on that, you'll also like it on the Glo HD. The main difference is that the Clara has the color changing light and a capacitive screen, while the Glo HD only has a white light and an Infrared screen. The Infrared screen is great because you can use it with non-capacitive gloves when the weather is cold, but selecting things on screen by tapping and dragging isn't as accurate on an IR screen as it is on a capacitive screen. Not much of a problem though if you're not highlighting things or looking up words in the dictionary. I also believe that the Clara has the same amount of RAM as the Glo HD but a slightly faster processor. I believe that when Kobo was liquidating them to make room for the Clara, they were on sale for around $40 on eBay, so keep an eye out in case overstock appears again.

04-07-2019, 11:21 AM	#3
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	My one word of caution is to request a close up image of the screen itself so any scratches (or worse) in the screen can be detected if they don't provide any in the description. Make sure it's returnable if there are scratches. I bought a couple of used Sony 350s because I just had to have the dark blue and it wasn't available in the US. One that I bought had not only deep scratches all over the screen but actual gouges in the top right third of the screen. It looked like someone used it for 20 years as a place to drop their keys daily (and I mean drop from a good distance onto the screen). Fortunately I just swapped a good screen from one of my boring silver ones to the blue and then had a perfect blue reader. You won't have that option though. And a scratched screen is about as bad as it could get for me to read on.

04-07-2019, 01:43 PM	#4
frostschutz Linux User Posts: 2,282 Karma: 6123806 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Device: none	nothing wrong using an older model, sometimes they are superior even ( no sd card slots anymore on new devices ) they can go defective in various ways... and also break in shipping if not packaged properly so it depends a lot on trust between you and the seller

04-07-2019, 06:32 PM	#5
IanScuffling Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Washington DC Device: Kobo Aura HD	I recently bought a refurbished Kobo Aura HD on eBay, sold by Kobo, and am very happy with it. So, if you're patient, you can find a good ereader for a decent price.

04-07-2019, 08:09 PM	#6
abij Member Posts: 14 Karma: 12 Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: usa Device: kobo aura hd	I only became a Kobo user very recently and I wish I could have found how superior Kobo reader is to my Kindle Touch 3g much earlier. My research told me Aura HD and Aura H2O first edition would suit me the best since I don't use the backlight for reading in the dark. So I bought an Aura HD off ebay but not from Kobo. @IanScuffling helped me during the process but unfortunately I just missed out on the last batch of refurbished Aura HD directly from Kobo.

04-07-2019, 09:11 PM	#7
barryem Wizard Posts: 2,459 Karma: 68781975 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Arkansas Device: Paperwhite 4	I've been buying things on Ebay since Ebay first began. I check feedback carefully and I only buy from them if the price is very good. My assumption has always been that I'll eventually get stung but so far I haven't. The two problems I had were an early computer that wasn't in nearly as good a shape as it's description. However the price was good and I'd have bought it if I'd known it's true condition so it was hard to feel bad about that. I also bought what I thought was going to be a Kobo Mini and instead I got a Kobo Glo, which was really probably worth more than the Mini. I emailed the vendor explaining the error and that I would keep the Glo anyway but that I thought he should know. I got a refund before I got his reply. I let him know I wasn't asking for a refund and he told me not to worry about it. So all in all I've had very good luck with Ebay. I've also bought Kobo Aura's, the original model, for a number of the people in my retirement home who don't have computers to buy with. I have 3 myself and I probably bought half a dozen for other tenants. All have been perfect. I bought the last one several years ago so they're pretty dated these days but all of them still work just fine and my neighbors and I still use them. Barry

04-08-2019, 01:16 AM	#8
nystagmus Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 39794 Join Date: Jan 2018 Device: Kobo Clara HD, Boox Max Lumi 2, Kobo Forma, Topjoy Butterfly E601	There is an auction at the moment on eBay selling Kobo mini, for around 15 Euros with free international shipping, I just got "sent" notification so I hope it arrives soon. It is a very old device and has no light. Other old devices were Kobo touch from classified advertisements site for around 20-30 Euros. I am planing to use the Kobo mini as a "carefree" eReader while traveling and as long it runs koreader I am happy.

04-08-2019, 06:09 AM	#9
Heiijeil Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 2137668 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Libra H2O	Chiming in to say that I've also bought a used refurb 1st gen Kobo Aura off of eBay. It was my first Kobo and it worked perfectly right out of the box. That was more than 2 years ago. I just updated the firmware on it and it still works like a champ. The only reason I'm not using it anymore is because I went and bought a Clara HD. I'm selling this old one to a friend who's never used ereaders before. I don't think there's an obvious downside to buying used or refurb on eBay (as long as you buy from an established seller). These devices are pretty hardy in my experience and they're great starter ereaders for someone new to these things.

04-08-2019, 01:19 PM	#11
ZodWallop Gentleman and scholar Posts: 11,474 Karma: 111164374 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Space City, Texas Device: Clara BW; Nook ST w/Glowlight, Paperwhite 3	I'm one of those that bought an original, 6" Aura off of eBay. Five years later it's still my daily device. One warning, you've already been spoiled by the Clara HD's superior screen. Aside from the Glo HD or an Aura 2nd Edition, any Kobo 6" device is going to use a Pearl (or older) eink screen which is noticeably more gray. They will also be lower resolution and won't have the color changing light. Like I said, I still love using my original Aura. It works fine for me. But cheap old Kobos won't look as pretty as your Clara HD. Buy an old Kobo. They get updates, just like the new devices. Software wise, the only difference is that Overdrive wasn't integrated (which seems weird to me). I just wanted to prepare you for the difference in screen quality.

04-08-2019, 01:26 PM	#12
chronoreverse Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 1134 Join Date: Jan 2019 Device: Kindle Voyage	I only got a Kobo recently, a Kobo Glo and I think it's great. I especially love the colour backs.

Advert

Advert

04-08-2019, 05:39 PM	#13
Lleaff Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2019 Device: Kobo Clara HD	Thanks for all the responses. It's all very insightful. I think I'll give used devices a shot...

04-11-2019, 02:36 AM	#14
johnson_chung Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2019 Device: Kobo Aura, Kobo Mini	I bought an Aura last year, it was really good, but I think it bigger for me, for my hand smaller ,:-(. I bought a Mini three months ago, it's smaller than Aura. I really like it. I use Mini on my way to office in MRT, use Aura in my bed for it has backlight.:-)

04-16-2019, 08:38 AM	#15
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,810 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	One of the bigger risks, apart from damage in transit, would be battery life. You don't know how old the device is - the Aura HD was released six years ago now - or how it's been treated (sitting on a shelf uncharged for months on end, for example). If you're prepared to charge frequently and/or replace the battery, that mitigates that.