‘I’ve been using Kobo’s Clara Colour for a month – here’s my verdict’
I know it can often feel like Amazon is the first and the last word in the world of ebook readers but, as impressive as they are, Kindles aren’t your only option and even with the launch of its new “Colorsoft”, the tech giant was far from the first to bring colour to glare-free E Ink screens.
There are options from Boox (the Go Colour 7, for £260) and reMarkable (the reMarkable 2 and Paper Pro, which are more notepad replacements than readers, for £349 and £559 respectively), plus Amazon’s new contender (£269.99) and also Kobo, which makes the larger Libra Colour at £194 and the product we're here to talk about – the great value Clara Colour, for £139.99.
It’s a lot like the basic Kindle but improves on it in two key ways to justify the increased price. One is obviously the display that’s capable of showing colours, and the other is that it has the waterproofing that the entry-level Kindle still lacks.
Does it impress? Well, I’ve now been using the Clara Colour as my main e-reader for a month, so here's my verdict.
Kobo Clara Colour: At a glance
Kobo Clara Colour
Kobo Clara Colour: Design and display
Straight out of the box, I noticed the Kobo Clara Colour felt incredibly light in my hands. At just 174g, it’s ideal for long reading sessions without causing any wrist strain, and it's very comparable to the 158g entry-level Kindle. The design itself is fairly minimal, but the build quality feels solid. During my travels, I could easily slip it into my bag but any e-reader is susceptible to screen damage if put under pressure, so I'd recommend adding the Clara Colour/BW SleepCover for protection.
Once it was set up, I quickly found I was a fan of the 6-inch colour display. Now, it’s no tablet – don’t expect bright, vibrant colours – but for a glare-free E Ink display, it does a brilliant job and is capable of showing 4,000 colours, albeit in slightly more muted tones than you’re used to from a smartphone. I found it especially useful for reading books with illustrations and articles on the web. You can access these with the web browser or the built-in Pocket read-it-later service, which I found invaluable.
That said, when reading regular text, the resolution is slightly lower than the crispness of a typical black-and-white e-reader, especially compared to Kindle models.
The other key feature of colour e-readers is the ability to highlight in multiple colours, which is included here too. I haven't found myself using this much but if you love to highlight or are getting this for a student, it could be an essential addition.
The built-in "ComfortLight Pro", which automatically adjusts its warmth to reduce blue light, was handy for late-night reading sessions and I never felt any eye strain, even after hours of use.
Kobo Clara Colour: Ease of use
Navigating through the Kobo Clara Colour is a breeze. The interface is simple and intuitive, with four main sections: Home, My Books, Discover, and More. It works almost exactly like a Kindle does, but instead of buying your books from Amazon, you're getting them from the Rakuten Kobo store, which you can access on the device or from any web browser.
Loading books and even flipping through pages is quick enough, though I did notice a slight lag when viewing colour-heavy content. It’s not a deal-breaker, but if you’re used to faster refresh rates, it may take a bit of adjustment.
One thing I really like about the Kobo interface in comparison to a Kindle is that you have access to a plethora of statistics about how you’re getting on within the book you’re reading. Those include the length of the next chapter, how long it’ll take to read it, how far through the entire book you are, and how many hours of total reading you’ve done. It may be a bit too in-depth for some, but I appreciate it.
It’s worth knowing that audiobooks are supported via Bluetooth, though I didn’t use this feature during the test period. The device doesn’t have a built-in speaker, so you’ll need wireless headphones or a Bluetooth speaker to listen to them.
Kobo Clara Colour: Battery life
In terms of battery life, the Clara Colour didn’t disappoint. I’ve been using it almost daily for a month, reading a mix of black-and-white and colour content, and I’ve only had to charge it once.
For most readers, a single charge should last weeks, unless you’re listening to audiobooks or using other battery-draining features regularly. Kobo has rated the battery life as lasting for 42 days based on half an hour of reading per day, but it’ll obviously deplete more quickly if you read for several hours a day.
I also took the Clara Colour with me on a long weekend trip to Edinburgh where I spent much of the train journey there and back reading, and I didn't have to think about charging it the whole time.
The Good Housekeeping verdict on the Kobo Clara Colour
After spending a few weeks with the Kobo Clara Colour, I can confidently say it’s an impressive bit of kit for anyone who loves reading, particularly those who enjoy graphic novels or illustrated books. It’s not the first e-reader to dabble in colour, but it's the best value option currently available, given that most others are around £200 (if not more).
Overall, the Clara Colour is an easy-to-use and versatile e-reader for colour content. During my tests, I found it particularly helpful for books with illustrations and online articles, but if you're buying it for someone who reads travel guides or graphic novels, it's a good choice as they make use of the colour display. While it’s not the sharpest for pure text reading, it’s a high-quality offering at a more tempting price and more portable size than the new Kindle Colorsoft.
Kobo Clara Colour: Other models to consider
Right now, I think you’ll struggle to find something else that offers all the Kobo Clara Colour’s features at this price, especially given that it has waterproofing and a colour display, which are rare to find in more affordable ereaders. If you’re more focused on black-and-white text reading, though, you’ll probably prefer the experience and the more affordable cost of either the Kobo Clara BW or the entry-level Amazon Kindle, which cost £119.99 and £94.99 respectively.
Focused on colour? If you want to stick with Amazon and prefer a larger display, the new Kindle Colorsoft includes a 7-inch screen with some similar colour E Ink technology. It does cost £269.99, but will bring you the convenience of Amazon’s book library and integrations, which you might already use. The Kobo Libra Colour is a little more affordable and gives you a 7-inch colour screen along with page-turn buttons, stylus compatibility and waterproofing.
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