Note: We may earn commissions (at no cost to you) if you buy through links on our site. Learn more.
NOTE: This model is discontinued and may no longer be available to purchase new. See the latest cell phones or compare used prices.

Kobo Arc review

7.2/10 AVG.
RATING
Compare Compare  
Compare Compare  

Kobo Arc
Kobo Arc
Kobo Arc
Kobo Arc
...


7.2/10
Informr score
The Kobo Arc currently has an Informr score of 7.2 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 14 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The Kobo Arc is not your ordinary Android tablet. Unlike many other low-cost Android tablets on the market today, it comes with a number of high-end features and little or no restrictions on the default software. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is the pre-installed operating system, and the Arc handles it quite well with its 1.5GHz TI OMAP 4470 processor. On the front, it has a 1280x800 7-inch touchscreen display, as well as a dual-speaker setup that makes it useful for listening to audio no matter what orientation it is being used in. It even has a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera that can be used for all kinds of applications. In other words, it’s more than just another e-book reader running Android software.

Unlike the similarly-sized Amazon Kindle Fire tablet, the Arc doesn’t run a forked version of Android. Instead, it uses the full version of Ice Cream Sandwich, albeit with a custom home screen that’s made to look like the social sharing website Pinterest. It offers users full access to Google’s Play software store, in which there are thousands of free and paid apps available for download. This extends the functionality the Arc even further, and with its high-def screen and built-in speakers, it can transform into a full-fledged media player of sorts when it isn’t being used to read e-books.

Kobo provides Arc a reasonably large content catalog. Alas, it’s no Amazon, but it appears to get many important elements right. For one thing, it has what is being referred to as the “Discover Bar” which is an ad-free source of recommended items for Arc users. It's seen by most reviewers as a non-distracting source of useful information. And users will have plenty of time to really dive into the recommendations as they come along, because the standard battery lasts for up to 10 hours of continuous usage per charge.

Kobo started out making simple e-book readers to take on bigger outfits like Sony and Amazon. And now, it looks ready to go against the rest of the Android tablet market with a well-equipped offering. Based on price-to-features ratio alone, the Arc is a hard one to pass up on. Users will likely agree with many of the early reviewers: the Arc is an excellent deal.

Need to Know: Kobo Arc

1. 1280x800 7-inch IPS touchscreen display offers great picture quality. (The Good)

2. The use of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with little or no restrictions allows users to take advantage of and fully enjoy the hardware features. (The Good)

3. The standard battery life could be a little longer. (The Bad)

4. Lacks a camera at the back. (The Bad)


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.5 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.5 GHz
7"
Screen Size
Screen Size
7"
Yes
Camera
Camera
Yes
Unknown
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


The Mobile Indian
The Mobile Indian

Packing promising hardware, fairly decent screen and good design, the Kobo Arc tablet is mostly for those avid readers seeking multimedia as an add-on.

- Samir Makwana, The Mobile Indian
The Register
The Register

All in all, I’m impressed with the Kobo Arc. It took a little while to learn to love it, but I’d say it’s been worth the effort learning how to weave content into the Tapestries function. Indeed, for those likely to share a device, it offers a great way to keep some level of separ...

- Bob Dormon, The Register
What Hi-Fi
What Hi-Fi

It’s a great shame, as otherwise the Kobo could be the perfect choice for those looking for a cheap Android tablet. If movies and general app use are your priorities it’s well worth a look, but if music matters there are better options available.

- Andy Clough, What Hi-Fi
Laptop Mag
Laptop Mag

null

- Lisa Eadicicco, Laptop Mag
Digital Trends
Digital Trends

The Kobo Arc is a good value for the price and worthy competition for the Nook HD, Kindle HD, and even the Google Nexus 7.

- K. T. Bradford, Digital Trends


Prices (Where to Buy)





Resources


Manuals / User Guides Helpful Links Share / Embed

Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.


Compare this tablet to:

Quick view

Screen Size
7"

The Kobo Arc's screen size is 7 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1.5 GHz

There is a Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The tablet runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
Yes
There is a front-facing camera with 2+ megapixels resolution.
Storage
16/32/64 GB

Internal memory is 16/32/64 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
Unknown

The tablet is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery. Kobo's performance ratings are 14 days standby time.

Kobo Arc Specs

Overview
Release Date November 16, 2012
Regions Available USA, Canada
Operating System No

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Dual-core 1.5 GHz
Internal Storage 16/32/64 GB
RAM 1 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
SAR Body: 0.097 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual
Cellular
Networks
Mobile / Cellular Data
No (Option available)
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
No
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Yes
USB OTG Support No
Infrared No
Bluetooth No
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Memory Expansion Slot No
Expansion Slot Info
NFC No
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
Zoom
Yes
Flash
No
Additional Main Camera Info
No
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
2+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Auto focus, Face detection
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel density Unknown
Size 7 inches
Sensors Motion / Accelerometer
Backlit Illumination Yes
Zoom / Magnification Yes
Screen Orientation Lock Yes
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity No
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging
Fast Charging No
Battery Charge Time 2 hours
Video Playback Time Up to 10 hours
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Standby Time Up to 14 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Material Plastic
Colors Black, White
Dimensions [H x W x D] 18.9 x 12.0 x 1.2 cm (7.4 x 4.7 x 0.5 in)
Weight 364 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Touchscreen Yes
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Physical keyboard No
Text-to-Speech No
Screen Reader No
Keypad/Screen Lock Yes
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Graphics: Yes
Themes: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: No
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
Audio Formats: MIDI, MP3, MP4, AAC, WAV, M4A, OGG
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, MPEG-4
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: Yes
Viewable document types: BMP, EPUB, GIF, JPG
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Calculator, Maps, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA): Kobo K107
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Kobo Arc Reviews
Where to buy Kobo Arc
Suggest a correction