After using the Kobo Clara Colour for a few days here are my initial impressions. I’ve come from a fairly old Kindle so this has been really interesting. This isn’t a proper review just my thoughts on the new device and how I use it.
Size#
At first I thought it was a bit small, it’s certainly smaller than the Kindle by a good inch or so. I still fits nicely into my hand and feels a lot more comfortable than the Kindle. Even though the screen size is smaller I still find it a good size and don’t miss the extra. Overall I’d say that it being smaller is a better thing. I’ve added the magnetic cover that’s sold separately which does add some bulk to it but it’s still not an issue and the protection it gives negates the few extra mm. The bezel between the screen and the surround is huge though, it’s a bit unnerving at first but I’ve gotten used to it now and doesn’t effect the scrolling of pages, there is a lot of light bleed if you look at it from odd angles, not noticeable when reading so far.
Materials#
It feels cheaper than the Kindle, the back has a nice textured pattern but overall the plastic doesn’t feel “premium”. All of this is solved with a case which you should probably get anyways, one of the main reason for switching was my Kindle had gotten scratched up quite a bit over the years.
Screen#
I opted for the colour e-ink, I wouldn’t bother. It’s a neat feature but I don’t think I’ll be using it much. There are also some visual tradeoffs with the colour e-ink screen from what I’ve seen from a few videos. From what I found online the BW version is a bit clearer although I’ve not had any issues with it yet. One thing I will say is that it’s a lot better than my Kindle so I’m happy!
Koreader#
Installing Koreader was a hell of a lot easier than it is on Kindle and it’s also faster, the Colour version is dual core which I think helps a lot. I used an all in one script which was super easy.
Random stuff#
The power button is on the back - at first I thought this was really odd but it makes perfect sense! Much better position than the Kindle.
The case feels really premium which I love! I’ve never used one before and don’t think I’d go back to using it without.
Page speed seems faster than my Kindle.
Conclusion#
Overall I’m really happy with my purchase. I’d recommend getting the BW over the colour version. If you selfhost and have your own digital library then this is perfect for you.