If you think 6-inch or 8-inch eReaders aren't big enough for you, or if you have vision problems, you should consider buying a larger eReader . They're a fantastic alternative that many people overlook, but as you'll see, they have great advantages.
Best large eReader models
Regarding the best large eReader models that we recommend, the following stand out:
Kindle Scribe 10.2″
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One of the most interesting large eReaders you can buy is without a doubt the Kindle Scribe. It is a model with a 10.2″ e-Ink touch screen and 300 dpi resolution. In addition, it has the immense Kindle library with more than 1.5 million titles, 16 GB of storage, and self-regulating front light.
And if that seems little to you, one of its main features is that it allows you to write with its included pencil. In this way, you can create lists, make notes on documents, write documents, correct, etc.
Kobo Elipsa 10.3″ Pack
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Next on the list is the Kobo Elipsa Pack, a large eReader that competes directly with the Kindle thanks to its large Kobo Store library of more than 0.7 million titles. In addition, it has a 10.3-inch touch screen, anti-glare, adjustable brightness, e-Ink carta screen, and 32 GB of internal storage.
Of course, like its most direct competitor, it also includes a Kobo Stylus, a pen that will allow you to write to create annotations in your eBooks. And not only that, it also includes SleepCover, a smart cover to protect your eReader.
9.7″ PocketBook InkPad Lite
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PocketBook is another of the great brands in this world. The Inkpad Lite has a 9.7″ screen, one of the largest of this brand that you can find. It has high-quality e-Ink technology, front buttons for ease of use, USB-C port, etc.
As for storage, it is 8 GB. And to this we must add that it has WiFi wireless connectivity and also Bluetooth to connect your wireless headphones and enjoy your favorite audiobooks.
Onyx BOOX Tab
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Finally we have the Onyx BOOX Tab X, a device that is a perfect hybrid between a tablet and a large eReader. It is a device with Android 11, with a 13.3″ screen, front light, 128 GB of available storage, USB OTG, fingerprint sensor, WiFi and Bluetooth for audiobooks.
Unlike tablets, its screen is e-Ink Carta designed to display text and images in real A4 size. Of course, it has an 8-core processing chip to speed up multitasking, a 4300 mAh battery to last weeks on a single charge, and it has Google Play to add a multitude of apps. And with its pencil you can also take notes and draw...
What screen size is considered large for an eReader?
Answering this question is simple, since an eReader is generally considered large when it exceeds 9 inches . We can even find screens between 10 and 13 inches, as you saw earlier. These sizes are much larger than the 6-8 inch range, which is the most common on the market.
How to tell if a big eReader is good
Now that you've seen some of the best models we recommend, if you still have doubts about which one to choose, here's a complete guide on all the features you should look at to determine if you're dealing with a good device or not:
Screen
If you're going to buy a large eReader, one of your biggest concerns should be the quality of the screen , since the main feature of these devices is precisely the size of their display. To that end, consider the following points:
Type of screen
Modern eReader screens use e-ink, or e-paper, technology. This allows eReaders to display text and images much more efficiently than LCD screens, thus improving battery life. And not only that, but most importantly, these screens offer a reading experience similar to reading on paper, with less discomfort and eye strain.
Its operation is simple thanks to the microcapsules containing pigments in a transparent liquid layer. By applying charges to different areas of the screen, the necessary text and image can be generated, since the black and white pigments are negatively and positively charged, respectively.
On the other hand, within this technology there are sub-variants :
- vizplex: MIT members founded the E Ink company and patented the E-Ink brand. A new design of electronic ink screens that arrived with a first generation in 2007.
- Pearl: Three years later, this technology appeared that allowed the display of purer whites, and it was very popular at the time.
- Mobius: These e-Ink screens differed from previous generations in that they had a clear plastic layer that served as a screen protector.
- Triton: the first version of these color screens appeared in 2010, three years later the Triton II would arrive. It is a type of electronic ink screen capable of developing 16 shades of gray and 4096 different colors.
- Paper: It is currently one of the most popular technologies. A first version arrived in 2013, and later the improved Carta HD version. Carta has a resolution of 768×1024 px, 6″ in size and a pixel density of 212 ppi, while Carta HD has a resolution of 1080×1440 px and 300 ppi, also with 6″.
- Kaleido– Another enhancement to Triton color displays that arrived in 2019. It did so by adding a color filter, improving the tonality. Then it would improve with Kaleido Plus (2021) with better sharpness, and Kaleido 3 (2022), with a considerable improvement in the color gamut, with a 30% higher color saturation than the previous generation, 16 levels of gray scale and 4096 colors.
- Gallery 3: finally we have this recent technology, from 2023. These screens are based on ACeP (Advanced Color ePaper) to bring an improvement in response time. For example, they can switch from white to black, or vice versa, in just 350ms. For color it takes a little longer, between 500 and 1500 ms for low and high quality respectively. Other additional features they all already come with ComfortGaze to reduce the amount of blue light emitted, which will help you fall asleep better and reduce eye fatigue.
touch vs buttons
All modern eReaders have touchscreens , which makes them much easier and more intuitive to use. This has clear advantages, although some still include physical buttons, allowing for more direct access to functions. However, if you choose one with physical buttons, make sure they are located on the side, as this avoids the need for a wider bezel.
writing capacity
Some eReader models, like the ones recommended above, allow the use of electronic styluses such as the Kobo Stylus or the Kindle Scribe (basic and premium). This lets you input handwritten text as if it were on paper, and even draw in some cases.
Resolution / dpi
While pixel density is important for other eReaders, it's even more crucial when buying a large eReader, as larger screens require higher resolutions to maintain good pixel density. You should always choose models with around 300 ppi . This will guarantee greater sharpness and image quality.
Color
eReaders are available with either black and white (grayscale) or color e-Ink screens. While a black and white screen is generally sufficient for reading most books, a color e-Ink screen is recommended for enjoying full-color content such as illustrated books, comics, and more.
audiobook compatibility
If your large eReader model can play audiobooks , even better . Audiobooks have great advantages such as:
- They let you enjoy voice narration while you cook, drive or exercise.
- It is ideal for lazy people who do not like to read much.
- It can be an accessibility option for people with vision problems.
Processor and RAM
When we talk about the processor and RAM, we're really concerned with performance and smoothness . This is especially important in eReaders that run Android, as they demand more resources. Therefore, always choose models with at least a quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, or more.
Storage
There are large eReader models with varying storage capacities. Internal memory can range from 8 GB to 128 GB in some cases. To give you an idea, the average number of eBook titles you can store per gigabyte is around 750, although this will depend on the book's size and format, as it can vary. This means that with 8 GB you would have enough storage for about 6000 titles, and with 128 GB you could store up to 96000 titles.
However, keep in mind that some eReaders have a microSD memory card slot , allowing you to expand the storage capacity if needed. They also offer cloud services for uploading content without taking up local space.
Operating System
Some older eReaders ran on embedded Linux. While they still use Linux today, this kernel is now integrated within the Android operating system . This allows for a wider range of apps and features. Some even include Google Play for downloading your favorite apps and games. In short, they'll be the closest thing to a tablet you'll ever have.
Connectivity (WiFi, Bluetooth)
Among large eReaders, we can highlight two types of wireless connectivity :
- WiFi: you will be able to connect to the Internet whenever you are close to a coverage point, thus allowing you to manage your library of books online, buy, download apps, etc.
- Bluetooth: BT technology allows you to connect wireless speakers or headphones so you don't have to depend on cables while you enjoy your audiobooks or sounds.
Autonomy
Because eReaders are large, battery life can be affected by having to power such a large screen. However, many manufacturers have solved this problem by adding high-capacity (mAh) Li-Ion batteries, so they can also achieve several weeks of battery life on a single charge.
Finish, weight and size
Keep in mind that the finish and materials are not only important in terms of touch and aesthetics, but it should also have an ergonomic design that allows you to hold the eReader more comfortably and without discomfort.
Furthermore, weight and size are very important in these eReaders, since having such large screens increases their volume and weight, so they may not be the best for travel.
Library
It's important that your eReader, whether large or small, allows you to enjoy all the titles and content you love, without restrictions. And for that, along with supported file formats, it's also important that it has an online library with a wide catalog . For example, Amazon Kindle already has more than 1.5 million books available, while the Kobo Store has around 0.7 million.
Some models also allow you to sync with your local library to purchase books. And those that support audiobooks can also support stores like Audible, Storytel, Sonora, etc.
Automotive Lighting
Larger eReaders often come with a front light for reading in any situation, even in the dark. Some of these lights are self-adjusting, while others allow manual adjustment of brightness and warmth, which is a clear advantage.
Waterproof
Some eReader models have an IPX8 rating . This means they are water-resistant, not just to splashes, but also to complete submersion underwater without damage. This allows you to enjoy your eReader wherever you want, worry-free, even while taking a relaxing bath, in the pool, at the beach, etc.
Supported formats
File format support is also crucial for a richer content experience, as it allows you to read a wider variety of files. For example, some of the most notable support should include:
- DOC and DOCX documents
- plaintext TXT
- Images JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF
- HTML web content
- Electronic books EPUB, EPUB2, EPUB3, RTF, MOBI, PDF…
- CBZ and CBR comics.
- Audiobooks MP3, M4B, WAV, AAC, OGG…
Dictionary
Many eReaders also have built-in dictionaries , both in Spanish and other languages. This allows you to easily look up unfamiliar words while reading. A very practical feature, even for students.
Price range
Last but not least, when choosing a large eReader, as you've seen in our recommendations, almost none of them cost less than €300. They're all above that . Some models are even much more expensive, although it's also true that they include more features than most others.
Advantages and disadvantages of a large eReader
To find out if it's worth buying a large eReader or not, here are some pros and cons you should consider to evaluate your choice:
Advantages
- Larger work surface to view content.
- Superior text and image size, for people with vision problems.
- Better than other sizes for writing or drawing.
Disadvantages
- By having a larger screen size, the autonomy will be somewhat less if it does not have a good battery capacity.
- A larger panel also translates into greater dimensions and weight, thus reducing mobility.
- Not ideal for children as they will get tired holding these large screens.
Where to buy a large eBook
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Finally, to conclude this guide, you should also know where to find a large eBook at a good price :
Amazon
Amazon is one of the best platforms to find this type of large eReaders, since it has the largest number of them. In addition, you can also enjoy the speed and return guarantee if necessary. And if you are a Prime customer, you can enjoy free shipping and in a single day.
Media Markt
The German technology chain is also another place to find the occasional large eReader model, although it doesn't have as much variety as Amazon. Of course, you can choose between the face-to-face purchase modality or the online modality from its website.
Fnac
It is another well-known store of French origin where there is also a large eReader model, although there is not much to choose from. In addition, in this case you can also choose between shipping to your home or buying in person from any of its stores.
PCComponentes
PCComponentes also has a variety of large eReaders and very competitive prices, as well as good technical service and fast delivery in most cases. In addition to sending it home, you can also choose to pick it up at its central office in Murcia.