Libra 2 vs. Sage – display comparison?

Tintenfisch · 06-09-2025, 03:12 PM

I am torn between the black-white 7" Libra 2 and 8" Sage.

I have seen that the Sage has a flush display, which is said to make contrast worse (because of the additional protective layer needed).

Is the Sage display really that bad compared to Libra 2?

I have seen Pocketbook Era b/w (flush display like the Sage) compared to Libra 2 w/o frontlight on and the PB Era display truly was much worse (darker, less contrast).

Does anyone have both and can confirm/deny?
Thank you very much!

JSWolf · 06-09-2025, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tintenfisch

I am torn between the black-white 7" Libra 2 and 8" Sage.

I have seen that the Sage has a flush display, which is said to make contrast worse (because of the additional protective layer needed).

Is the Sage display really that bad compared to Libra 2?

I have seen Pocketbook Era b/w (flush display like the Sage) compared to Libra 2 w/o frontlight on and the PB Era display truly was much worse (darker, less contrast).

Does anyone have both and can confirm/deny?
Thank you very much!

A flush screen can be worse or not. For example, the PW4 was much worse because of the flush screen. It became muddy and with worse contrast compared to the PW3 which is not flush. But the PW5 looks good and it is flush.

Sirtel · 06-09-2025, 03:44 PM

The Sage has a bit less sharp display than the Libra 2, but not by much. I have both and like both of them; I switch between them. I wouldn't say the Sage is a lot worse than the Libra 2.

I have had both flush and recessed ereaders through the years. Some of the flush ones had a great display while some of the recessed ones did not, and vice versa. In my experience other factors count more than whether the screen is flush or not.

JSWolf · 06-09-2025, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The Sage has a bit less sharp display than the Libra 2, but not by much. I have both and like both of them; I switch between them. I wouldn't say the Sage is a lot worse than the Libra 2.

I have had both flush and recessed ereaders through the years. Some of the flush ones had a great display while some of the recessed ones did not, and vice versa. In my experience other factors count more than whether the screen is flush or not.

It's like the PW4 & PW5. Both are flush. But the PW4 is terrible and the PW5 is good.

Tintenfisch · 06-09-2025, 04:21 PM

Thank you very much for your assessments. This makes a clear image for me as to choose by size and not so much by the screen (contrast/brightness w/o backlight), since they appear equal (or at least almost).

graycyn · 06-09-2025, 04:46 PM

I have not owned a Libra 2, but I do own a Sage. The Sage is the best screen I've owned as yet, which is not to say that the Libra 2 might not be a bit better, but the size of the Sage screen makes up for it as far as I'm concerned. (Older eyes, larger font sizes used.)

Other devices owned at some point include: Kindle Voyage (a nice one, with even lighting), Kindle Oasis 2 & 3, Kobo Aura One (also a good one), Kobo Forma (Aura One screen was better than Forma, but Forma is still a nice screen), and Pocketbook Era.

I would call the Pocketbook Era similar to my 2017 Oasis. So, considering it has a Carta 1200 screen, perhaps not the best screen implementation, but certainly not a slouch. I prefer flush screens, as they don't collect all the cat hair and dust and are easily wiped off.

If you are deciding between Libra 2 and Sage, I wouldn't worry so much about screen quality, they should be close enough to make most anyone happy, but rather what SIZE screen suits you best. And whether you'd want things like a snappier processor, stylus support, and native Dropbox/Google.

I love my Sage. It is my all time favorite device, with the Pocketbook Era coming second. The Pocketbook may not be all that for screen, but it's still quite good and I have no trouble reading on it, and love some of the other features.

Cactus Chef · 06-09-2025, 04:54 PM

I quite like the flush display, frankly. In addition to just "feeling" more premium, I shed like a dog and more than once encountered issues with hair getting caught in the recessed display of my Clara HD. It hasn't happened yet with the Sage.

rashkae · 06-09-2025, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's like the PW4 & PW5. Both are flush. But the PW4 is terrible and the PW5 is good.

I'm pretty sure the PW4 is singularly responsible for the reputation of of flush screens being bad, but it was an aberration. Amazon's own Kindle Voyage that predated it is still widely considered the best monochome e-ink screen ever sold.

kandwo · 06-10-2025, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rashkae

I'm pretty sure the PW4 is singularly responsible for the reputation of of flush screens being bad, but it was an aberration. Amazon's own Kindle Voyage that predated it is still widely considered the best monochome e-ink screen ever sold.

It is very hard making a flush screen be as good or better than a sunken screen in image quality. The Voyage is the one great exception, which nobody has been able to repeat (including Amazon).

I haven't seen the Sage, so I don't know how good the screen is, but nobody seems to be saying that it's better than the Libra 2 screen.

I have had a lot of e-readers and the flush screens have always been worse than the ones without extra layers. With the exception of the Voyage and the newer Onyx Boox Go 10.3 and Note Max. In the case of the latter ones the increased contrast comes from removing another layer - the frontlight - while keeping the glass screen on top.

I agree that a lot depends on the implementation.

JSWolf · 06-10-2025, 05:39 AM

IMHO, flush is not all it's cracked up to be. I like the slightly recessed screen of the Libra 2. It's a lot less easy to accidentally touch the screen.

The Aura H2O has a 265PPI screen. But because it uses IR touch and has a recessed screen, it looks very clear as there are no touch layer raised up to make the screen less clear.

Sirtel · 06-10-2025, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Aura H2O has a 265PPI screen. But because it uses IR touch and has a recessed screen, it looks very clear as there are no touch layer raised up to make the screen less clear.

This also depends on individual devices. I had an eink reader with IR touch and a recessed screen - Kindle Basic from 2014. The contrast and sharpness were pretty meh, nothing to write home about.

Quoth · 06-10-2025, 09:17 AM

I can't see a difference between Libra, Libra2 and Sage screens.
The PW3 is slightly poorer. The PW4 looks fine till you see it beside a PW3, then it's not as good. Side by side even the original Aura H2O HD looks better than the PW4, despite being lower resolution.

That's all with front light off. There is variation on eink screens of same model panel, unlike any other display I've used, and the front light is even more variable in quality for the same models.

Sirtel · 06-10-2025, 10:17 AM

Well, I just compared my Sage and Libra 2 side by side without frontlight. The difference is minimal. The screen of the Libra 2 is a bit lighter, but contrast and sharpness are very similar. With the frontlight on (as I usually read) the difference increases slightly - the text on the Libra is a bit sharper. But with the light off the contrast is about the same.

As Quoth said, there are differences between individual devices, so your experience might not match mine.

I didn't take a photo, as the result would not be the same as seeing with your eyes - cameras, especially phone cameras, always auto-adjust to some extent.

Tintenfisch · 06-10-2025, 03:34 PM

Thank you very much for your detailled insights!
Interesting, how the reading habits differ – I try to use without (or only lower than 10%) frontlight, since I am mostly at home, indoors reading or in the S-Bahn (German suburban train, not very well lit).

So I decided for the 7" display of the Libra 2 now because of portibility. Got a used one and it is great so far!
The display is (for me) visibly better even than the PocketBook Era, so I will keep the Libra 2 to 80% certainty.

06-09-2025, 03:12 PM	#1
Tintenfisch Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2025 Location: East Germany Device: PocketBook Era (b/w) or Kobo Libra 2?	Libra 2 vs. Sage – display comparison? I am torn between the black-white 7" Libra 2 and 8" Sage. I have seen that the Sage has a flush display, which is said to make contrast worse (because of the additional protective layer needed). Is the Sage display really that bad compared to Libra 2? I have seen Pocketbook Era b/w (flush display like the Sage) compared to Libra 2 w/o frontlight on and the PB Era display truly was much worse (darker, less contrast). Does anyone have both and can confirm/deny? Thank you very much!

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06-09-2025, 03:44 PM	#3
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,380 Karma: 238915017 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	The Sage has a bit less sharp display than the Libra 2, but not by much. I have both and like both of them; I switch between them. I wouldn't say the Sage is a lot worse than the Libra 2. I have had both flush and recessed ereaders through the years. Some of the flush ones had a great display while some of the recessed ones did not, and vice versa. In my experience other factors count more than whether the screen is flush or not.

06-09-2025, 04:21 PM	#5
Tintenfisch Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2025 Location: East Germany Device: PocketBook Era (b/w) or Kobo Libra 2?	Thank you very much for your assessments. This makes a clear image for me as to choose by size and not so much by the screen (contrast/brightness w/o backlight), since they appear equal (or at least almost).

06-09-2025, 04:46 PM	#6
graycyn Wizard Posts: 1,585 Karma: 11380098 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: NE Oregon Device: Kobo Sage, Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma, Kindle Oasis 2	I have not owned a Libra 2, but I do own a Sage. The Sage is the best screen I've owned as yet, which is not to say that the Libra 2 might not be a bit better, but the size of the Sage screen makes up for it as far as I'm concerned. (Older eyes, larger font sizes used.) Other devices owned at some point include: Kindle Voyage (a nice one, with even lighting), Kindle Oasis 2 & 3, Kobo Aura One (also a good one), Kobo Forma (Aura One screen was better than Forma, but Forma is still a nice screen), and Pocketbook Era. I would call the Pocketbook Era similar to my 2017 Oasis. So, considering it has a Carta 1200 screen, perhaps not the best screen implementation, but certainly not a slouch. I prefer flush screens, as they don't collect all the cat hair and dust and are easily wiped off. If you are deciding between Libra 2 and Sage, I wouldn't worry so much about screen quality, they should be close enough to make most anyone happy, but rather what SIZE screen suits you best. And whether you'd want things like a snappier processor, stylus support, and native Dropbox/Google. I love my Sage. It is my all time favorite device, with the Pocketbook Era coming second. The Pocketbook may not be all that for screen, but it's still quite good and I have no trouble reading on it, and love some of the other features.

06-09-2025, 04:54 PM	#7
Cactus Chef Fanatic Posts: 546 Karma: 7000000 Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: East Coast, United States Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Clara HD, Galaxy Tab S5e, Kindle 4th Gen	I quite like the flush display, frankly. In addition to just "feeling" more premium, I shed like a dog and more than once encountered issues with hair getting caught in the recessed display of my Clara HD. It hasn't happened yet with the Sage.

06-10-2025, 05:39 AM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,528 Karma: 145863177 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	IMHO, flush is not all it's cracked up to be. I like the slightly recessed screen of the Libra 2. It's a lot less easy to accidentally touch the screen. The Aura H2O has a 265PPI screen. But because it uses IR touch and has a recessed screen, it looks very clear as there are no touch layer raised up to make the screen less clear.

06-10-2025, 09:17 AM	#12
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,851 Karma: 103895653 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	I can't see a difference between Libra, Libra2 and Sage screens. The PW3 is slightly poorer. The PW4 looks fine till you see it beside a PW3, then it's not as good. Side by side even the original Aura H2O HD looks better than the PW4, despite being lower resolution. That's all with front light off. There is variation on eink screens of same model panel, unlike any other display I've used, and the front light is even more variable in quality for the same models.

06-10-2025, 10:17 AM	#13
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,380 Karma: 238915017 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Well, I just compared my Sage and Libra 2 side by side without frontlight. The difference is minimal. The screen of the Libra 2 is a bit lighter, but contrast and sharpness are very similar. With the frontlight on (as I usually read) the difference increases slightly - the text on the Libra is a bit sharper. But with the light off the contrast is about the same. As Quoth said, there are differences between individual devices, so your experience might not match mine. I didn't take a photo, as the result would not be the same as seeing with your eyes - cameras, especially phone cameras, always auto-adjust to some extent.

06-10-2025, 03:34 PM	#14
Tintenfisch Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2025 Location: East Germany Device: PocketBook Era (b/w) or Kobo Libra 2?	Thank you very much for your detailled insights! Interesting, how the reading habits differ – I try to use without (or only lower than 10%) frontlight, since I am mostly at home, indoors reading or in the S-Bahn (German suburban train, not very well lit). So I decided for the 7" display of the Libra 2 now because of portibility. Got a used one and it is great so far! The display is (for me) visibly better even than the PocketBook Era, so I will keep the Libra 2 to 80% certainty.

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