Ebook Reader Guide

How to Buy Ebook Reader

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If you haven’t had an e-reader before and want to know how to buy ebook reader or if you want to replace your old e-reader with a new model, we need to say that you don’t have many choices. Amazon, B&N and Kobo are main leaders in the e-readers`world. These three companies have the greatest share of sales in the market and are known as the most popular brands. “Energy Sistem” is another brand which sales share is less than Amazon in the market but it offers affordable and practical products. In this post, we will tell you about the main features eBook readers have as well as let you know which factors you need to consider while buying an eBook reader. Stay with us!

Price


Like for all electronic devices, price is the first factor for choosing an eBook reader. Since eBook readers have a wide price range, we recommend to set the amount of money that you’re willing to spend for buying an eBook reader at the beginning. It will make choosing an eBook reader easier for you. If you want to know the difference between a $200 eBook reader and a $600 eBook reader, the answer is their light weight, elegant body design and some hardware capabilities. But never forget that actually ALL eBook readers do a common task and they all have the same nature.

Design


If you’re spending a lot of time reading e-books with an eBook reader during the day, its light weight and ergonomic design might be important for you. The design of most eBook readers is the same and they have a rectangular shape. There is a wide border around the display which lets you take the device in your hand easier.

Ebook reader - Design
The most well-engineered and well-made eBook reader is Oasis. It has a square shape and a thicker part which makes it look very ergonomic. Also, this model is known as the thinnest and lightest Kindle in the world. Other Kindle models have also appropriate weight and are thin, but it feels a little different when you take Oasis in your hand.

Voyage Ebook Reader
If you don`t want to move your hand to turn pages and spend the minimum of energy with the help of physical or touch buttons, we recommend you to choose Oasis, Voyage or some of Enegry Sistem models. It’s really enjoyable and easy to read an e-book on them.

Display


Before buying an eBook reader you need to ask yourself two important questions about its display which will help you to make the best decision.

  1. Is reading in different lighting conditions like in darkness or under the sunlight is important for me?
  2. And can the automatic light sensor help while reading an e-book?

The only person that can answer these questions is YOU.

If you read in a completely dark room a lot before sleeping, then LED lights are an essential feature in the eBook reader.

Display

So you need to choose Oasis, Voyage or Paperwhite that has back-light and forget about Kindle 7th Generation. Fortunately, most of the eBook readers have nice readability under sunlight because of having anti-reflection layers. Another feature that you need to pay attention to is Automatic Light Sensor. This feature helps to save the power consumption of the device. Voyage Kindle is the only device that has this feature now.
Most eBook readers available in the market have a 6-inch display. So you don’t have any other choice for the display size and you need to accept a 6-inch one as the best size for eBook readers! One of the features that play a big role while reading an e-book is display resolution.

Display-3

(Like most eBook readers in the market, Slim HD by Energy Sistem has a 6-inch display, too)
The best eBook reader display is 300 PPI, but cheap eBook readers in the market such as Kindle (7th Generation) have 167 PPI displays which is acceptable too.

Connectivity Ways


Wi-Fi is the most essential connecting way in eBook readers. Of course, that’s not the only way which lets the eBook reader connect to the Internet. Some eBook readers such as Oasis were released in two models: Wi-Fi and SIM card. The SIM card model supports 3G network, so in addition to downloading and reading e-books, you will be able to surf the web on your eBook reader.
All Amazon Kindle models have ability to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, but some of Energy Sistem models lack this feature.

Charge Capacity


Basically, eBook readers are devices which have high capacity of charge. With a full charge, the battery of these devices is able to work for 4 to 9 weeks with normal use (30 minutes daily with normal brightness).

Display-4

Even the cheapest Amazon eBook reader Kindle (7th Generation) has amazing battery life compared to tablets. It’s able to work for several days with only one-time charge!

We’ve explained all this to ensure you that you shouldn’t worry about battery life of your eBook reader at all, but if you’re looking for an eBook reader which battery life is much longer, Kindle Oasis with its dual-battery system can stay charged for more than two months!

Essential Tips

  1. Some eBook readers have many additional features. Although these things can be attractive for many people, don’t pay attention to them and consider your needs first. Sometimes an inexpensive and simple eBook reader can cover all your needs perfectly and you don’t need to pay a lot for it. So always consider your needs (what you want from an eBook reader) as the first priority.
  2. Ebook readers aren’t built for multitasking and their main use is for reading e-books. We stress that this isn’t a negative point for eBook readers at all because we only focus on content while we’re reading paper books too. So our advice is that if your aim is reading books, don’t choose an eBook reader which will distract you from reading with its attractive features.
  3. Finally, we’ve provided a list of best eBook readers in different price ranges that will help you choose the best one according to your needs.

 

Best Ebook Readers Under $100

 

Amazon Kindle Ereader

[table id=5 /]

Amazon Deal Kindle

 

Kobo N905 Deal

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Kobo N905 Deal


Best Ebook Readers between $100 and $150

 

Kindlepaperwhite Ebook

[table id=8 /]

Kindle Paperwhite Deal

 

Barnes & Noble NOOK GlowLight

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Barnes & Noble NOOK GlowLight Plus eReader


Best Ebook Readers above $150

 

Kindle Oasis Ebook Reader

[table id=11 /]

Kindle Oasis Deal

 

Kindle Voyage EReader

[table id=12 /]

Kindle Voyage Deal

 

Hope you enjoyed reading this guide and you’re probably able to make the best decision and pick up the most suitable E-Reader for yourself. If you’ve any questions or just want to share your personal experience about Ebook readers, feel free to leave it in comments below!

32 comments

  1. I like to read hardback or paper novels and have never considered an e-book reader. After reading your web page I am considering buying one. Which is the best for the money? Do you personally own more than one?
    It is feasible to incorporate a small camera on one of these drones?

    1. Hi Russell, all introduced ebook readers on the article are valuable and it depends on your budget and needs that which one you want to go with. If your budget is limited, Amazon Kindle ($79) will be the best choice for you. If you want to pay some more to get more quality one, you can consider Kindle Paperwhite ($119) and finally Kindle Oasis ($289) will be best of the best and of course the most expensive one.
      I have no more than one ebook reader )
      Some of Amazon Kindle models have built-in camera which let you take pictures in addition to reading ebook too )

      Best,
      Ali

  2. Hi Ali.

    I enjoyed reading your post on how to buy an ebook reader. You compiled a lot of helpful information to help your reader make their decision.

    I have a Kindle Fire. I love that it reads to me. I can clean or drive or whatever and listen to my favorite book. At night when I’m tired, it reads me my Bible. My Kindle has Wi-Fi at my house; but when I take it somewhere it won’t usually pick up.

    Thanks for an informative review post.

    Jeannie

    1. Hi Jeannie, thanks for your information about Kindle Fire. Yes I agree with you too; it’s a powerful e-reader and can definitely be on the buying list. I just could not introduce it in detail because I wanted to choose different models in different price range.

      Best,

      Ali

  3. Hi! A Kindle would be perfect for me as I like to travel a lot and I would also like to get into reading a bit more without carrying a bunch of books with me.

    This might sound like a silly question but are all the ebook readers you listed are Kindles? Or is it just the first one by Amazon?

    1. Hi David, Actually all small devices that has been created for reading ebooks only by Amazon called Kindle. Amazon Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Oasis and Kindle Voyage all are made by Amazon and considered as a kindle ebook reader.
      Yes, I guess if you’re travelling a lot, Amazon Kindle would be the best choice for you.

      Best.
      Ali

  4. Hey Ali

    I really liked your website and I need help to buy a new ebook was wondering if you could personally recommend something. I travel a lot and usually read a lot of books so the more the storage space, the better so that I do not have any problems with it in future. Also I would like a kindle which is more durable!

    1. Hi Shrey and thanks for your comment. Kindle Paperwhite is something that I personally recommended which can cover your needs very well. It’s modern and quality with large storage space and a perfect choice for travelers.

      Best,
      Ali

  5. These kindle books are just so amazing. I can carry them everywhere I go. Sad story is that I just broke mine, unfortunately 🙁

    But now I’m looking forward to purchase a new one. The prices comparison are very good, though. The Barnes & Noble NOOK seems to me like a fair choice. Thanks for sharing this great content!

  6. Thanks for such an informative post! I am an avid reader, but as a traveler, it’s just not productive to carry around a bunch of books. I’ve been looking into getting an Ereader, as my phone is just too small and I strain my eyes. I will look into these products!

    1. Hi Lauren and thank you too for your comment. Feel free to go with each of above products according to your budget; all of them are quality and suitable for travelers )

      Best,
      Ali

  7. This article has helped me a lot. I always wondered which of the e readers was the best for my husband. I would like to purchase one for him for his birthday in April.

    He reads a lot and does like a book but I think he will appreciate an e reader also.

    I am bookmarking your site to refer back to and will purchase through your link when a decision is made.

    1. Hi Cynthia, I’m happy to see that it helped you. I’m sure you’ll be made the best decision and your husband will enjoy his new e-reader. )

  8. Hi Ali,
    Thank you for such wonderful information! I have been thinking of purchasing one of these for my mom; however, I wasn’t sure which one would be best for her. She is 73 and not very techie literate. Do you have a recommendation? Thanks in advance for your help.
    Kathy

    1. Hi Kathy and thanks for your comment. Purchasing an e-book reader as a gift would be a great idea. Actually I think although e-book readers are new technology but its easy to use interface let everybody with any level of technology knowledge can use them easily. In fact, e-reader makers wanted to make a digital book which should be suitable for everyone. I personally know women and men in 60, 70 or 80 years old (my mother-in-law is one of those) who have e-book reader and use it easily. My mother also couldn’t communicate with new technologies easily before she changed its cell phone but now she can’t leave her smartphone for a couple of hours!

      There’s no big difference about ease to use of e-book readers on the list and the difference comes from their features that some have more and some less features.
      Kindle Paperwhite is something that I can recommend according to its quality and price but if you’re looking for a budget and well-built one Amazon Kindle is the one that you can make sure about its performance. Finally nothing can be better than Kindle Oasis if your budget isn’t limited.
      Anyway, I think any type of above e-book readers will can definitely turn into your mother’s best friend in a short time.

      Best,
      Ali

  9. This couldn’t have come at a better time. You really seem like an expert about e-book readers. I think it’s important to know what a particular audience likes and what their preferences are. I am going to combine this knowledge with other resources when I decide to sell my own e-book in the near future.

    Thanks very much for this information,

    Jake.

    1. Thank you too Jake for your comment and I’m glad to see that you’ll consider this article as one of your resources in the future )

      Best,
      Ali

  10. Hi Ali,

    These e-readers are really good. I had one for travelling and I was glad that the battery charge lasted for a lot longer than a few hours. There were times where I could not re-charge for at least a week, so this is a handy piece of equipment to own if you enjoy reading…

    1. Hey Simon,

      Nice to see that you’ve had good experience with these e-readers. Yes battery charge of e-book readers plays an important role in the market these days and they can save battery charge for a long time (much more than tablets for example).

      Best,
      Ali

  11. Okay, you seem like an expert on this eBook stuff. I’m in the market for one but I don’t know where to start. I have an iPad mini but its been getting slower with each update. I think the big issue for me is the weight, a Mini is not that heavy but I feel I can go lighter. Of the models listed here, what is your favorite?

    1. Hey Ronbo! If you ask my favorite one, I would like the Paperwhite because of its capacity but if you’re looking for the lightest one, you won’t find anything lighter than Oasis at the moment.

      Best,
      Ali

  12. Hi there Ali,

    Thanks for this comprehensive and informative guide to ebooks readers. I really need to get my hands on one as my life is leading me to one of perpetual travel and I don’t want to be giving up my hobby of reading! or carry my fave books around with me!

    The kindle brand seems to be the preferred choice of consumers but what advantages does kindle have over other devices?

    1. Hi Derek, nice to hear that this buying guide was useful for you ) Amazon Kindles have several advantages that I try to highlight some of them;
      – It’s suitable for travelling because of its low wight.

      – It supports most common text formats such as: Doc,Txt,PDF etc. so you can make sure that all your ebooks will be supported by it.

      – It almost work well in any conditions (sunny or rainy weather does not effect on its readability negatively).

      – Music Player, Picture Galleries, ability to take screenshots and build-in quality camera let you have something more than a simple ebook reader.

      Hope this info helped you and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions )

      Best,
      Ali

  13. Hi Ali. Great guide you put up there, very comprehensive and fun to read. I own a kindle, second generation, myself and was thinking about getting a PaperWhite. But the old device still works and it’s somewhat hard to throw it away. What’s your suggestion, anyways?

    All the best to you and your business,

    Cheers,

    chris

    1. Hi Chris, it happened for me too! ) I wanted to get a new smartphone last year and my old one was still work fine. I was thinking some long term and thought that’s ok for now but what about the next 6 months? Am I will be still satisfied? Well if you want to know my opinion, I think we’re all human and buying new things is always something we like to do although sometimes we still keep our old things because they’re just fine and work well but we also go to get and test new things always. Remember that your old ebook reader may works well for even several next years too, so you never upgrade it? Yes…it’s the same as your car! ; )
      Having opportunity to get and work with high-end devices let you save your time and do your tasks faster so think from upgrading view and you’ll find the answer )

      Best,
      Ali

  14. I just got this yesterday and as of now I see a distinction in my fingers! The Oasis is so minimized … Light weight … Simple to hold with either hand! I began perusing on Kindles as a result of the serious degenerative joint inflammation in my grasp. It was practically unthinkable for me to hold a book for an expanded timeframe. Begun with the primary Kindle, you gave perusing back to me! Be that as it may, the Oasis is the best by a wide margin and worth each penny I spent on it. I needn’t bother with cushions to prop it up. I could hold it with one hand, particularly without the cover. Far superior, I could go into settings and switch the page swing catches to make the entire experience considerably more agreeable. At long last, the littler size permits my Oasis to fit into even my little handbags. It can run wherever with me!

    1. Dear Carlton, thanks for your comment. I’m happy to see that my review helped you to made the best decision and pick up the best e-book reader for your self. Actually it’s my first and most important goal to help others by making the right decision, specially when they want to buy electronic devices which aren’t cheap.
      Hope you enjoy using your new Oasis Ebook reader and it can turn reading ebooks to an enjoyable work for you for a long time )

      Best,
      Ali

  15. Interesting review. I’ve been using an Amazon Kindle since the 2.0 model became available here in the UK. I absolutely love it and don’t like reading physical books any more – it just seems so clumsy.

    I’ve got a 2nd gen Paperwhite right now and find it great to read on. I don’t have any plans to upgrade to a Voyage or Oasis just at the moment, but I usually get upgraded as a gift anyway.

    Do you think that the Oasis is much better than the Paperwhite? Is it worth upgrading – or should I just hang on till my next birthday and drop hints to the family?

    1. Hi Jim and thanks for your comment. I’m glad to see that it was useful for you )
      And about your question… Oasis is a quality brand and if you’re looking for a new e-reader or if you want to upgrade it’s something that you really should put it on your list but about how it’s necessary to upgrade it now, I guess you are the person that can answer this question better than anyone else ! ) If you’re satisfied with your current Paperwhite, don’t push yourself to upgrade it. Take your time and I guarantee that if you want to get an Oasis, it won’t be more expensive in the future but if you’ve serious issues with your current e-reader, take a easy and pick up an Oasis model; then you’ll save yourself for a long time!

      Best,
      Ali

  16. Hello Ali

    Thanks so much for your step by step on how to buy Amazon kindle e-reader. Maybe I’m old fashioned but I have never bought an Ebook before.

    Recently when I asked a friend what they wanted for a present, she said an ebook so she can read anywhere without having to take heavy books along.

    To my surprise I did not know much about ebooks,that`s what landed me on your site, looking to understand more about eBooks and how they work.

    It`s good to know a full book weigh just 190 g and can fit in any lady bag making transportation easy.What I do not understand is the big difference in prices, $289.99 for Kindle Oasis seem like quite high to me.

    But having said that, I really enjoyed your post and learned quite alot,thanks so much for sharing.

    1. Dear Roamy, thank you too for your comment and I’m happy to see that you enjoyed reading this guide post. Hope it helps you pick the right one for your friend ) Actually the difference comes from their quality, the brand itself and sometimes battery life. For example you know that generally apple products are more expensive than other brands even if it’s at the same level as for example Asus brand. That’s because of Apple’s name and its quality. It’s known as a quality and some expensive brand. It’s the same in ebook readers market. Oasis and Amazon are known as quality and some expensive brands in this market and that’s why normally they’re more expensive than other brands. (Of course they’ve more features too).
      If you don’t want to pay ~$300 dollars for an ebook reader, I would recommend to pick one of amazon models that is under $100 which is sorted in bottom of the article.

      Hope this helps you and let you make the best decision.

      Best,
      Ali

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