The "1-Minute" Review
Verdict
The eReader market doesn’t tend to compete as much as the smartphone market but there are still some good things happening and differences to be found between the various models. The Kobo Libra 2 is a great example of this with its audiobook support and wide range of support e-book formats.What's good
- Audiobook support
- Bluetooth capable
- 32GB of storage
- Physical page turn buttons
- Many formats supported
What's bad
- No Amazon support
- No speakers
- Heavy
As digital books and magazines have gotten bigger, so have the specific needs of eReader users. What does Kobo Libra 2 have to offer? And can it pry people away from the king of the eReader market: Amazon?
Design
Many eReaders admittedly look the same, there’s not a lot of room for innovation (and that’s okay.) That being said, the Kobo Libra 2 has one thing that the others seem to have abandoned: physical page turn buttons.
Reviewers were very happy to see this on the new Kobo eReader. If there was something to complain about reviewers found the eReader heavy for its size.
Screen
Keeping with their original designs in the Kobo line, the Libra 2 includes a 7-inch eInk display. However, they claim the new display offers a 20% boost in contrast compared to previous models. Reviewers found the eInk Carta 1200 display a joy to use overall.
Storage
Kobo has beefed up the storage in a big way with the Kobo Libra 2, offering a whopping 32GB of space. That may not seem like a lot if you’re considering a phone or tablet, but books and documents are much smaller than apps and movies. So unless you’re listening to multiple audiobooks a day, it should serve you very well.
Battery Life
Battery life was one of the best-reviewed traits of the Kobo Libra 2. Boosted since the last Kobo eReader up to a 1500mAh battery, reviewers found that the battery could last weeks when ready several hours every day.
Software & File Format Support
The Kobo Libra 2 supports a huge range of formats, including EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, FlePUB, MOBI, CBR, and CBZ allowing you to pick and choose what you want to read from just about any source.
However, it doesn’t natively support Amazon’s Kindle formats. So you’ll need to jump through some technological (and legally grey) hoops to read your Kindle library on a Libra 2.
Extra Features
Kobo Libra 2 offers Bluetooth support, allowing you to pair it to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones when listening to audiobooks
Specs at a Glance
- Plastic chassis
- 7-inch 300ppi E-ink Carta 1200 display
- Color-changing backlight
- 32GB of storage
- 1500mAh battery
- Bluetooth audio support
- BMP, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, GIF, JPEG, MOBI, PDF, PNG, RTF, TIFF, TXT file support
Bottom Line
The needs users have for eReaders seem small, but the Kobo Libra 2 highlights how little features can make a big difference. Format support is above and beyond (as long as you’re not tied to Amazon’s library.) Longer battery life and a temperature-adjustable backlight ensure comfortable reading for days or weeks at a time. There’s very little, if any, reason to be disappointed with the Kobo Libra 2.
Good eReader states, “The Kobo Libra 2 takes all of the best elements of the Libra 2 and takes them even further. You get double the storage, which makes a big difference when buying or downloading audiobooks. If you are not a big into audio, the extra space is great for a big ebook or PDF collection.”
PC Magazine says, “Although Kobo's Libra 2 ebook reader offers only minor upgrades over its predecessor, it's pleasant to hold, supports many formats, and is terrific for accessing material from public libraries.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Tyler Hayes, How-To GeekThe Kobo Libra 2 facilitated reading better than any e-paper device I’ve tried before. There truly are a lot of E-Ink products on the market, including multiple from Kobo, but if your core objective is to read a book, this device has a great mix of function and value.
- Alaina Yee, PCWorldNot only does Kobo’s revamped Libra e-reader sport a sharp screen and physical buttons for page turning, but it also offers wide support for content formats and sources. Battery life could be slightly better, but overall, reading on this device is incredibly enjoyable.
- Sharmishta Sarkar, TechRadarThe Kobo Libra 2 replaces one of our favourite ereaders, coming in at about the same price as the Libra H2O, but with far more storage, Bluetooth support for audiobooks and a USB-C charging port. So if you’re after an ereader that offers the best value for money, this is it.
- Michael Aulia, Craving TechKobo Libra 2 is an excellent eBook reader from Kobo with comfortable & ergonomic design, and a bright, responsive, incredible display. You can read with just one hand and flip pages with your thumb, while your other hand is busy stirring some cake mix or holding onto a pole on the train. You can...
- Leigh :) Stark, PickrFleetwood Mac would be thrilled with the choice offered by the Kobo Libra 2, because it’s a style of eReader that lets you go your own way, giving you something not always delivered in eReaders: choice. You can choose how to hold it, where to use it, and most importantly, where you’ll buy your books...
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