I’ve always been an avid reader, but it took me a while to switch over to e-reading devices. For one, I love the look and feel of a physical book. For another, I borrow a lot of library books — but on the rare occasion I buy one, I take notes and highlight all over it. Still, once e-ink (the technology that mimics ink on paper) became particularly convincing and a single device could store my entire library, I couldn’t resist.
I’ve used Kobo e-readers in the past due to their affordability, but after I started downloading e-books from my library via the OverDrive Libby app, the transferring process became too tedious. (I had to connect the e-reader to my laptop and transfer the files manually.) My techie boyfriend got me a Boox Nova Air2, which is basically an Android tablet with an e-ink display, and I’ve been using that ever since.
That said, the new Kobo Libra Colour posed a solution to my initial e-reader doubts: In addition to mimicking a tangible, physical copy of a book with its colorful e-ink display and ability to take notes in the margins, it also has OverDrive built right in so you can borrow e-books from the library. The brand sent me a Libra Colour to try out, and after a few weeks of using it, I’d recommend it to any avid reader. Below, I’ll share my experiences and explain why I think it’s worth the investment.
SKIP AHEAD How the Kobo Libra Colour works | How I tried the Kobo Libra Colour | My experience with the Kobo Libra Colour | What’s the TLDR? | Why trust NBC Select?
What is the Kobo Libra Colour?
- Intuitive interface
- Compact & waterproof
- Long battery life
- OverDrive login bug
- Accessories cost extra
The Kobo Libra Colour ($219.99) is an e-reader with a colorful display. The device has both black-and-white ink that mimics text on paper and a vivid color palette for book covers and illustrations. It’s also compatible with a stylus, which lets you highlight, scribble and take notes, also in color. The Libra Colour has 32GB of storage, supports 15 file formats and can play Kobo audiobooks when you connect Bluetooth headphones. It also has page-turning buttons, and, like the Kindle Scribe, a separate notebook section for writing or doodling.
In terms of customizations, there are plenty: In addition to adjusting the screen’s brightness and color temperature for outdoor or nighttime reading, you can also change the font, line spacing, margins and screen orientation.
The device has an IPX8 rating, meaning it’s waterproof for up to 60 minutes in up to 2 meters of water, according to the brand. It measures approximately 6.3 inches tall and 5.7 inches across, which makes it wider than my Google Pixel 6a smartphone, but no taller. (For comparison, a Kindle Paperwhite is 6.9 inches by 4.9 inches.)
How the Kobo Libra Colour works
The Kobo Libra Colour has five tabs at the bottom of the main screen: Home, My Books, My Notebooks, Discover and More.
- Home: Here, you’ll find a combination of books you’re currently reading, books you own and recommended titles based on your past reads.
- My Books: This is where you’ll find the books you own or borrowed on your device. You can sort by various filters, scan your list of authors, organize books by series or create your own collections.
- My Notebooks: This tab lets you create separate documents for doodling and notetaking. Basic notebooks allow you to choose from 20+ page layouts, including blank, ruled, dotted, grid and calligraphy as well as daily, weekly and monthly planners. The “advanced notebook” option converts your handwriting into text and supports diagrams and math equations. However, to write on your Libra Colour at all, you’ll need to purchase the Kobo Stylus 2 ($69.99) separately; once you do so, you can also change the color of the pen.
- Discover: Discover lets you browse e-books and audiobooks from the Kobo Store or borrow e-books from your local library (once you successfully connect your library card). Since Kobo has OverDrive built in, you can take out e-books for free with a few taps inside the Discover tab.
- More: Here, you can access settings, your wishlist, Dropbox or Google Drive, reading stats, beta features or help. You can also read articles by syncing your e-reader with Pocket.
To start reading, tap on a book you bought or borrowed. When a book is open, you can use your finger to get definitions, add notes with a touchscreen keyboard and highlight text in yellow, pink, blue or green. If you have the stylus, you can also underline and write notes directly on the page.
How I tried the Kobo Libra Colour
Over the course of a recent nine-day summer trip, I used it at the airport, on the plane, in two hotel rooms, in an Airbnb, on a balcony (in indirect sunlight), by the pool (in direct sunlight) and while sitting in a hot tub. (The brand sent me a courtesy sample for testing purposes.) While on vacation, I read on it for an average of two hours every day, in the morning and at night. Thanks to its slim, compact profile, it fits in my everyday bag without issue, so I took it with me to coffee houses and to the Venice Beach skatepark. Since it’s waterproof, I also didn’t hesitate to read it by the pool or while sitting in the hot tub.
While testing this device, I read two books, highlighting and taking notes with the stylus. If I owned the books, I may have taken notes in the margins; however, since I borrowed them from the library, I appreciated the separate notebook function, which allowed me to reference my notes after the books were returned.
My experience with the Kobo Libra Colour
From the moment I unboxed this device, I felt drawn to its sleek design. Its packaging reminded me of the iPhone: streamlined and intuitive — but instead of Apple’s all-white branding, this box had pastel watercolor leaves, which matched the soothing color palette on the screen.
Overall, I was thrilled with the Libra Colour’s portability, sleek interface and ease of use. The screen was eye-friendly and the text was clear in any environment, including direct sunlight. Below, I’ll share more details about my experience.
What I like
Thoughtful, functional design
Put simply, I love the way this e-reader feels in my hand. It’s slim with gentle curves and intuitive controls. The right side is thicker than the left with an ergonomic indentation for my thumb, so I can hold it comfortably with one hand.
There also aren’t many e-readers on the market that have physical page-turn buttons — but the Libra Colour has them and I love them. Though I can turn the page using the touchscreen, the buttons prevent me from accidentally highlighting words or clicking links. They’re also just satisfying to press and in some ways, mimic that feeling of physically turning a book page.
Intuitive reading experience
Unlike my Boox (with great power comes lots of confusing apps and settings), the Libra Colour is extremely intuitive. I figured out how to browse, search for and open books right away, so I was reading in no time. In my experience, even the shortcuts are easy to master; you can zoom in or out by pinching the screen, and you can change the brightness of the backlight by dragging your finger up and down the left margin.
Colored text
Its colorful interface is one of the device’s biggest selling points. In addition to viewing the book covers in color, I can also highlight and write in four shades. Due to the nature of e-ink technology, the colors aren’t that vivid; they’re more like pastels, especially when the screen’s brightness is low. That said, if you like color-coding notes and information, this feature is definitely handy.
Long battery life
A single charge will give you 40 days of reading, according to Kobo, so while I didn’t clock my exact usage, I used it on a nine-day trip and didn’t charge my e-reader once while I was there. It still had battery life left when I got home.
Notetaking
I’m not a huge notetaker while reading — I prefer highlighting — but since I borrow a lot of library books, the Kobo Libra Colour’s notebook section lets me jot down key ideas so I can refer to them after returning the books. The stylus writes smoothly and I appreciate the feature that automatically turns my handwriting into text.
Potential drawbacks to keep in mind
Difficulty setting up OverDrive
If you plan on using your Kobo Libra Colour to borrow e-books from the library, you’ll need to connect your OverDrive account. While the e-reader itself was ready to go within minutes (the initial update was seamless and my existing Kobo account synced to the device without issue). setting up OverDrive took a lot of time. The OverDrive app was discontinued in May of 2023 and replaced with Libby — but since Kobo devices still use OverDrive, the syncing process may be buggy for some.
In my experience, the device kept prompting me to log in to OverDrive over and over again, but wouldn’t acknowledge my account. I tried on my own for about an hour. After waiting on hold with customer service for 30 minutes, a representative suggested a manual factory reset. (Settings, Device information, and Factory reset your e-reader.) From there, I set up my Kobo again and input my library card information, not my OverDrive account login. I was then able to borrow library ebooks and haven’t had a problem since.
Cost of accessories
The brand also sells a $39.99 cover (available in black or sand beige) and a $69.99 stylus for note-taking, erasing and easier highlighting. The brand sent me both alongside the e-reader and while the cover is nice to have, the stylus is necessary to experience the full functionality of your e-reader. Without it, you can highlight with your finger, but you can’t take notes in the margins or use Kobo’s integrated notebooks section.
If you’re willing to spend the extra $110, these Kobo accessories expand your Libra Colour’s functionality tenfold and make the experience better. The stylus charges via USB-C, comes with replacement tips and has an eraser as well as a shortcut button for highlighting. The case automatically puts the device to sleep when closed and has a magnetic slot to hold the stylus. In my experience, the only thing missing is a finger strap on the case, which would make it easier to grip. (I’m under 5 feet tall, so I have very small hands.)
The Amazon Kindle Scribe, a similar note-taking e-reader, includes a stylus — but it’s also more expensive (models start at $339) and doesn’t have a colored display. Another competitor, the Boox Note Air3 C, takes notes and highlights in more colors than Kobo and includes the stylus and case, though it costs more than twice as much at $500.
Who’s the Kobo Libra Colour best for?
Overall, the device packs a punch in terms of colorful design and sleek functionality, especially given its $220 price tag. Even after purchasing the stylus and case separately, it has more features than competing basic e-readers (a colorful display, notetaking capabilities, waterproof durability, and page-turn buttons) for less money. I’ll continue to use it both at home and on the go, and I’d certainly recommend it to any avid reader.
Why trust NBC Select?
Maria Cassano is a writer, editor and consultant who specializes in e-commerce. She reviews and writes about products for dozens of publications, including Bustle, Elite Daily, Food & Wine and The Daily Beast. For this article, she tried the Kobo Libra Colour, which the brand sent her along with the Kobo Stylus 2 and Notebook SleepCover.
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