eReader for PDFs

[Lunaaa]

Hi
I’m looking for an e-ink reader. I’m mainly going to read academic PDF files and PDF books, but also EPUB files. This is what I need:

• Reading PDF files should not be a problem (therefore the screen should be large, I’m not sure as to what is the minimal size recommended, some say 8 inches is just enough to read a full sized PDF (I don’t really want to read in landscape mode unless it works really well). Unfortunately the 10 and 13 inches devices cost too much.

• The device supports a folder structure (I just want to copy my books that I have sorted in folders on my PC and I want them to appear just like that, so keeping my folder structure with subfolders.)

• This one is important: When I make notes or highlight something in a PDF file on the eReader, that specific note or highlight should be attached to the PDF directly, so when I then copy the PDF back to my PC, the notes and highlights should be there as well. Vice versa it should be the same: So when I highlight something or attach a note in a PDF file on a PC and then copy that file to the eReader, the specific text should be highlighted and the note should be there as well.

• I also want to read EPUB files.

• It should support a stylus, so highlighting text is easier.

• My budget is around 200 USD


I was thinking about the Pocketbook inkpad 3, since I’ve heard it’s quite good for PDF files. However, I’m not sure if it meets the other requirements. If anyone has that eReader, it would be nice if they could check if it does everything I want.

I could also buy one of the 10 or 13 inch devices, if I find a used one. But I don’t know much about them.

What do you think? I don't want to buy a tablet though, although I know it would be probably better for PDFs, but I just can't focus on these kind of screens.

I used to have a Kobo Aura H2O, but don't even remember why I sold it

[salamanderjuice]

For $200 you're going to have a tough time finding an eInk device to do this. The Inkpad 3 doesn't support styluses other than those cheapo rubber dome capactive ones that mimic a finger touch. If you're just highlighting that might be okay but they suck for writing.

How well you can read a full page PDF on an 8" screen depends on your eyesight. I can, I'm fine with tiny text and the screen is sharp enough to do it. If you have trouble with small text though you probably won't have a good time.

I have the 7.8" Boox Nova 2 and 10.3" Note Air. Both hit all your requirements but are outside your price range. Boyue Likebook has similar models that are a bit cheaper but still above your budget and they discontinued their 7.8" eReader with stylus support. The only ones I know of at the moment are the Boox Nova 3 and Supernote A6X and they are north of $300.

Some companies to take a look at are Boox, Boyue Likebook, Remarkable, Supernote and Kobo. I think you'll struggle to find anything new at $200 as that's even a tough price to get something with a pen included with an LCD tablet.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

How well you can read a full page PDF on an 8" screen depends on your eyesight. I can, I'm fine with tiny text and the screen is sharp enough to do it.

You need to hold the 7.8-inch device closer to your eyes, then you will see completely the same.
10.3 inches has the same number of pixels as 7.8 inches, namely 1872*1404 pixels.

I have both, use 10.3 only when I need to use the device out of reach - then with remote control.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

You need to hold the 7.8-inch device closer to your eyes, then you will see completely the same.

And whether you can focus on a device that close, as salamanderjuice said, depends on your eyesight.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by meeera

And whether you can focus on a device that close, as salamanderjuice said, depends on your eyesight.

Possibly.
Eyesight is usually corrected - if necessary.
But it is certainly due to the screen resolution. I hate to see single points on the screen and someone with average eyesight sees them at a distance of 40 cm with a 10.3 inch screen, and about 30 cm with a 7.8 inch screen.
I use it at a distance of about 70 cm (piano notes), and according to my observations I am no exception (use at a greater distance), e.g. I often see 10.3 inch screen working distance ~ 50-60 cm.
It is a superstition to assume a 10.3 inch screen improves working with pdf - it only shows every single point 1.32 times larger than 7.8 - with all the quirks; But that's it.

[Quoth]

My 10" LCD tablet, a cheap €120 Lenovo in Dec 2019, is certainly better for PDF images of magazines and A4/Letter size datasheets & service information. Even the 7.8" Mars is unusable for those despite being higher resolution, because of poorer antialiasing and needing 3.5 approx reading glasses. The stronger the glasses, the less depth of view, though sliding them down nose to make them further from the eyes allows a further distance view.

I'd agree that an approximately 10" eink with the same total number of pixels as 7.8" eink is not worth the cost unless it's for something that NEEDs to be further away, such as on a music stand. I did play the Clarinet for a while and I'd need different reading glasses for a music stand for that.
As an aside I had a friend who was brilliant on the 12 string guitar, 6 string, finger picking and strumming and the piano. I was rubbish at playing any instrument, maybe not too bad on the tin whistle (flageolet really & I have a wooden one) and recorder. Back then we were BOTH astounded that I could pick out any tune never before seen from the sheet music (with one finger, my typing was like that then!) and he couldn't. He had a brilliant ear for music. Hum, whistle or badly pick it out on piano and he could improvise it on guitar or piano. Baffled me. He was baffled that with me being able to read music and some years of piano lessons, clarinet lessons and recorder that I was so rubbish at actually playing an instrument.

[Quoth]

But the 7.8" Mars is great for all those old scanned books made into PDF, like on archive.org. The native PDF reader margin clipping, watermark (removes general noise), background and text settings for scans mean no need to reprocess in ImageMagick.

[salamanderjuice]

If you want to annotate the PDFs with a pen as they mention the extra screen space makes a huge difference. PDFs also are just easier to read as the font appears larger on the 10.3" devices. 13.3" devices are almost paper sized but the cost is extreme. 10.3" is a decent compromise, not much more expensive and much more room to write and it's easier to read on.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

If you want to annotate the PDFs with a pen as they mention the extra screen space makes a huge difference. PDFs also are just easier to read as the font appears larger on the 10.3" devices. 13.3" devices are almost paper sized but the cost is extreme. 10.3" is a decent compromise, not much more expensive and much more room to write and it's easier to read on.

Everyone I know holds the 10.3 EInk further away from their eyes than a 7.8 EInk - only the 13.3 EInk are used at roughly the same 10.3 EInk distance.
The 10.3 are only 7.8 for greater distances - nothing else and, in my opinion, only worth the extra price if for some reason (e.g. eye, or instrument) you cannot work closer.

[salamanderjuice]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Everyone I know holds the 10.3 EInk further away from their eyes than a 7.8 EInk - only the 13.3 EInk are used at roughly the same 10.3 EInk distance.
The 10.3 are only 7.8 for greater distances - nothing else and, in my opinion, only worth the extra price if for some reason (e.g. eye, or instrument) you cannot work closer.

Holding it closer doesn't give you any extra room to write with.

[ottischwenk]

I see you only have 7.8 - I have 7.8, 10.3 and 13.3

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

Holding it closer doesn't give you any extra room to write with.

With the same screen section and greater distance, you don't have it either; unless you downsize the image - but you can do that at 7.8 inches too.
10.3 is nothing else than 7.8 with larger pixels.
Only 13.3 is different.

[salamanderjuice]

I have a Note Air and a Nova 2. I just didn't bother to update my devices list. I also have and have had other drawing tablets and devices with pens in various sizes.

I am talking about WRITING 📝 on the screen with a PEN 🖋. 📝📝📝🖋

When you have more screen space you can more easily do things like write notes in the margin. Holding it closer doesn't help because it physically does not give your hand more room to write, only a bigger screen does.

And again, it's always easier to read on a 10.3" screen because the font is always bigger at the SAME distance.

[pso33]

"• It should support a stylus, so highlighting text is easier."

Everyone should start with reading with understanding first, annotating only afterwards
To my knowledge, the software where scribbling solved, the academic reading is rather unsolved...
For 200$ you should stick just for the reading part.

At least 8" e-reader is recommended (for 200$ it can be a used one), on which koreader installable.

Koreader supports minimalist file structure, showing file names only (that is really fast) without the sluggish art covers and unnecessary screen updates, then the browsing gets very quick.
You can define gesture for history & favourites, too (rather essential).

PocketBook stock software also supports such a file view, however its speed is horrible (you need to pan or very slowly page turn, then the sluggish screen updates kick in).

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

I am talking about WRITING �� on the screen with a PEN ��. ��������

When you have more screen space you can more easily do things like write notes in the margin. Holding it closer doesn't help because it physically does not give your hand more room to write, only a bigger screen does.

And again, it's always easier to read on a 10.3" screen because the font is always bigger at the SAME distance.

And I speak of my reading behavior and of what I see in my environment.
And there is almost without exception what has been described.
An approximate formula for EInk devices: 10,000 / dpi = working distance in cm.
Because someone with average sharp eyesight no longer sees the individual pixels - I see more clearly, so the distances are a bit larger for me.
If you don't mind pixel vision, you don't have to worry about that - but I don't know anyone.

Edit:
In my view and use, EInk devices are read and not write devices; I use paper for reminder notes (e.g. shopping lists).

Only when I write something on it with the pen, and these are almost only comments in pdf files, then I prefer to use the Likebook Alita (10.3 inches). However, my writing distance (approx. 50 cm) is different from the normal reading distance (approx. 30 cm).

I write notes that should live longer with the keyboard on the Boox Note Air (distance approx. 70 cm), using the pen only to position the cursor. Its area of ​​application is that of a (keyboard) notebook (e.g. browsing).

But if I read what is produced normally, then I do it with my Likebook Ares (7.8 inches) at a distance of 30 cm - only if I need the distance to music notes while playing, then I read on the Likebook Alita or Boox Max Lumi (I hardly write on it at all).

In summary: In my opinion, 10.3 inches only offers advantages over 7.8 inches if, for whatever reason, you write a lot on the device with the pen and / or have to hold it further away from your eyes.

Fortunately, I didn't have a bad buy because I was originally looking for a device for longer distances - but there are some people who are very dissatisfied with their expensive purchase because they expected a clearer picture of what it was from the 10.3 inch cannot deliver due to the resolution, but they do not need the included device features because they do not use them.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

And I speak of my reading behavior and of what I see in my environment.[...]
In my view and use, EInk devices are read and not write devices; I use paper for reminder notes (e.g. shopping lists).

And that's nice for you, but this thread isn't about you. The original poster specifically wants a device with a stylus for note-taking.