11 best e-books
In addition, e-books are characterized by long battery life, up to 2-3 months, and weighing up to 300 grams.
We have compiled a rating of 11 models of electronic books that will undoubtedly please reading lovers.
How to choose an e-book: main features
On the technical characteristics of the electronic book depend on its practicality and convenience. And therefore, when choosing such a device, you should pay attention to:
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Screen type;
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Compatible file formats;
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Control method;
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Additional functions.
Screen type
The e-books on the market can be divided into two groups - equipped with an LCD screen and with an e-Ink matrix. From what technology is used in the display, depends on the convenience and autonomy of the device.
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Budget price segment e-books are usually equipped with TF or TFT-matrix. However, LCDs are also found. The matrices of these types are dim, with large and visible pixels, and low detail. Reading from such screens leads to eye fatigue due to eye strain.
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Models of the middle price segment are usually equipped with IPS-matrix. It realistically conveys colors and shades, saturates them, makes images deep. The contrast of such a matrix is 1000: 1, so the text is easy and pleasant to read. The disadvantages of IPS matrices are their “gluttony” and excessive eye strain. The first leads to the rapid discharge of the e-book, and the second - to the fatigue of the organs of sight, redness of the corneas, dryness and unpleasant sensations (caused by the fact that the display is very bright and the light "hits" directly in the face).
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E-ink matrix Usually installed in devices of middle and top price segments. It is black and white, contrast - from 350: 1 to 500: 1, depending on the manufacturer. The matrix does not have its own backlight, so the load on the eyes is minimal - as when reading from plain paper. In addition, it does not consume battery power when displaying a “picture” - only when it is replaced. This means that the battery life of the e-book is increased to 2-3 months.
The disadvantages of e-Ink are its high cost, as well as the unpleasant effect of "flicker" when changing images (for example, turning the pages).
Nevertheless, it is recommended to purchase models with e-Ink screen.
Compatible File Formats
The more file formats an ebook supports, the better. TXT, RTF, FB2, and EPUB are the minimum required - it is in them that publications published on the Internet are converted. Models with a lot of pictures, as well as magazines and scanned documents are packaged in PDF and DJVU. Comics - in the CDR. Office documents and some e-books recognized after scanning with OCR are in DOC and DOCX formats, as well as ODT.
The remaining formats are rare.
If you plan to listen to music or audiobooks from your device, you should purchase a model with support for MP3, AAC and OGG.
Control method
Electronic books come with a touch screen and mechanical buttons. And the first option is not the most useful solution. A touchscreen display leads to a rapid discharge of the battery and the appearance of accidental clicks.
Mechanical buttons are more convenient, although they take up more space on the device. Models with this control method are recommended for purchase.
Additional functions
Additional features that may be useful include:
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Connecting to Wi-Fi is necessary for downloading e-books and using special libraries by subscription;
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Illumination of the e-Ink-display is intended for reading in the dark;
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The built-in dictionary will help in reading literature in foreign languages.
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Additional features are useful, but not required.
Manufacturers
Perhaps the best e-book maker is the PocketBook company, which invented these devices. In addition, we included Sony, Onyx Book, Reader, Tesla and Amazon models in the rating.
Top eBook Rankings
| Nomination | a place | Name of product | price |
| The best inexpensive e-books (budget up to 6000 rubles) | 1 | Sony PRS-900 Daily Edition | 6 990 ₽ |
| 2 | Onyx Boox Vasco da Gama 2 | 5 990 ₽ | |
| 3 | PocketBook 614 Plus | 6 640 ₽ | |
| 4 | Reader Book 2 | 5 299 ₽ | |
| The best e-books with a screen of 6-7 inches | 1 | PocketBook 631 Touch HD | 12 490 ₽ |
| 2 | Onyx Boox Cleopatra 3 | 14 990 ₽ | |
| 3 | PocketBook 641 Aqua 3 | 9 514 ₽ | |
| The best e-books with a screen of 8-10 inches | 1 | Onyx Boox Chronos | 19 990 ₽ |
| 2 | Tesla logos | 13 690 ₽ | |
| 3 | Amazon Kindle DX | 22 990 ₽ | |
| The best e-books with a large screen | 1 | Onyx Boox Max | 43 120 ₽ |
The best inexpensive e-books (budget up to 6000 rubles)
Sony PRS-900 Daily Edition
Rating: 4.8
Why the first place: a 7.1-inch e-book with a touch e-Ink-screen.
Description: Opens the rating Sony PRS-900 Daily Edition e-book with a 7.1-inch screen, made using e-Ink Vizplex technology, which is complemented by a touch screen. This makes page turning and menu navigation convenient. The touchscreen display is energy efficient, so the battery charge is enough to turn over 12,000 pages.
The internal memory of the device is 1.75 GB. That's enough for a few hundred e-books. In addition, the device is equipped with a slot for microSD memory cards.
The model supports documents in TXT, DOC and RTF format, as well as PDF and EPUB. Graphic and music files are also played.
Virtues
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Large, touch screen, made by e-Ink technology;
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The battery charge is enough to display 12,000 pages;
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Dense assembly without creaks and cracks;
disadvantages
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Glossy display without backlight;
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Inconvenient copying of books from a computer through a complete program;
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Does not support FB2;
Onyx Boox Vasco da Gama 2
Rating: 4.7
Why the second place: 6-inch screen e-Ink Carta with touch controls and backlight, but the book itself works on the Android operating system.
Description: Onyx Boox Vasco da Gama 2 combines the advantages of classic e-books with the features of the tablets on the Android operating system. It is equipped with a 6-inch touch screen, made by e-Ink Carta technology, with a soft backlight Moon Light and a pixel density of 212 ppi.
The internal memory of the device is 8 GB, but most of it is occupied by Android files. MicroSD card slot is available. The device is connected to the computer as an MTP device, so you can copy new files into it directly in Explorer.
Out of the box, the model supports common text and image file formats, including DOC, TXT, FB2 and PDF. Additionally, you can install applications from the Play Store on it that support other types of documents.
The battery capacity is 3000 mAh, which is enough for 25 hours of work with the display backlight. The model is equipped with a Wi-Fi-module for connecting to the Internet and downloading applications.
Virtues
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Screen with soft backlight and Snow Field contrast enhancement mode;
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Extensible functionality through support for Android applications;
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8 GB of permanent memory;
disadvantages
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Low battery life due to the Android operating system;
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Uneven illumination;
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Setting up an e-book because of the e-Ink screen can be inconvenient;
PocketBook 614 Plus
Rating: 4.6
Why third place: Non-touch 6-inch screen with a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels, but the Carta screen and durable case.
Description: The device from the company that created the "e-books" - PocketBook - ranks third in the ranking, because it is noticeably losing in functionality to other models. It is equipped with a 6-inch Carta e-Ink-screen with a white contrasting substrate and a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels. The display is not touch-sensitive; physical buttons are used to control the model. There is also no backlighting.
Built-in memory - 8 GB, which is enough for several thousand files. The device displays text and image files in TXT, DOC, FB2, RTF, EPUB, PDF and many others formats. Memory cards are also supported by the book.
Built-in battery capacity - 1300 mAh. This is enough for 1-2 weeks of battery life with active use.
Virtues
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Reliable assembly and robust housing;
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8 GB of internal memory and microSD support;
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Fast firmware and support for the most common file formats;
disadvantages
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No backlight;
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Non-touch display;
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Low screen resolution, which is why images seem too “pixel”;
Reader Book 2
Rating: 4.5
Why fourth place: E-book with a 6-inch screen e-Ink Pearl.
Description: E-book Reader Book 2, which is equipped with e-Ink Pearl display, closes the rating. It is equipped with a “mother-of-pearl” substrate, which does not strain the eyes, but at the same time has a low contrast ratio. The screen is 6-inch, with a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels and a capacitive touch panel.
Internal memory - 4 GB. The device is equipped with a Wi-Fi module for downloading documents from the network. Memory card support is available. The model is compatible with formats TXT, DOC, FB2, RTF and many others, including archives and files of directories CHM.
The device is equipped with a 1000 mAh battery, which provides up to 1-2 weeks of battery life with regular use.
Virtues
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Laconic design and user-friendly interface "reader";
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Weight only 140 grams;
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Compatibility with PDF and DJVU formats;
disadvantages
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Cheap, fragile case materials;
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Poor build quality;
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Slow working interface;
The best e-books with a screen of 6-7 inches
PocketBook 631 Touch HD
Rating: 4.9
Why the first place: E-book from PocketBook with a 6-inch touch screen e-Ink Carta with backlight and a resolution of 1448 × 1072 pixels.
Description: The flagship e-book PocketBook 631 Touch HD won the first place in the rating due to its display. It is performed by e-Ink Carta technology with a white substrate and maximum contrast. Also, the display has a resolution of 1448 × 1072 pixels, which provides a smooth and detailed image; equipped with a touch layer and a soft uniform backlight.
Built-in memory - 8 GB. MicroSD card slot available. Module Wi-Fi - also, and it is designed to synchronize the library through Dropbox. The device supports almost all formats of e-books and can play music in MP3 files.
The model is equipped with a 1500 mAh battery, which provides up to 1-2 weeks of battery life with active Wi-Fi.
Virtues
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High resolution e-Ink Carta screen;
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Support for most file formats and synchronization of Dropbox;
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Adaptive lighting;
disadvantages
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Slowly working, especially when navigating the interface;
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Problems with the speed of work on some firmware;
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Few settings;
Onyx Boox Cleopatra 3
Rating: 4.8
Why second place: E-book with a high-resolution Carta e-Ink screen, but with Android and more expensive than its predecessor.
Description: Onyx Boox Cleopatra 3 e-book is a great competitor for the leader of the rating. The device is equipped with a 6.8-inch touch screen, made by e-Ink Carta technology with a snow-white substrate and a high resolution of 1440 × 1080 pixels, as well as backlit.
The device is based on the Android operating system, which expands the functionality due to the possibility of downloading additional programs from the Google Play Store. "Out of the box" book is compatible with almost all formats of text and image files, including FB2, PDF and EPUB.
Built-in memory - 8 GB, but some of them are occupied by the operating system and additional files. MicroSD card slot in stock. The device connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth module is also available. 1700 mAh battery will be enough to display 10,000 pages.
Virtues
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Screen e-Ink Carta high resolution;
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High performance;
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Update pictures with no glinting blink;
disadvantages
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Inconvenient, not optimized for electronic paper firmware;
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High cost;
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Android leads to reduced autonomy;
PocketBook 641 Aqua 3
Rating: 4.8
Why third place: E-book from PocketBook, but with a lower screen resolution than its predecessors.
Description: PocketBook 641 Aqua 3 e-book has the smallest screen resolution in this segment of the rating. It is 1024 × 758 pixels with a diagonal of 6 inches. Nevertheless, it is enough for comfortable reading and viewing graphic files. The display is made by e-Ink Carta technology with a white substrate and high contrast, complemented by a touch layer and backlight.
The model supports almost all file formats, including FB2, PDF, EPUB and MOBI. CHM images and references are also reproduced. Built-in memory - 8 GB, there is a slot for memory cards and support for Wi-Fi to sync via Dropbox.
Built-in battery device - 1500 mAh capacity. It will be enough for 1-2 weeks of battery life.
Virtues
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High-quality display;
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Wi-Fi with a reliable connection;
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Dense assembly, waterproof housing, pleasant to the touch materials;
disadvantages
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Slow on and not very smooth interface;
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1-2 weeks of battery life;
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Not always successful firmware versions;
The best e-books with a screen of 8-10 inches
Onyx Boox Chronos
Rating: 4.9
Why first place: A multifunctional e-book based on Android with the e-Ink Carta screen.
Description: Like the other Onyx Boox e-books, the Chronos model is based on the Android operating system. The model is equipped with a 9.7-inch screen, made by e-Ink Carta technology with a touch layer and backlight. The display resolution is 1200 × 825 pixels.
The model supports most file formats. Additionally, you can install "readers" for exotic types from the Play Store. The internal memory of the device is 8 GB, but some of it is occupied by the Android OS and service files. MicroSD memory cards are supported. Wi-Fi and cloud sync are available.
The model is equipped with a 3000 mAh battery, which is enough for 2-3 weeks of battery life with daily use.
Virtues
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Screen e-Ink Carta with high contrast and built-in backlight;
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Protective case included;
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Metal durable case;
disadvantages
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Relatively short battery life due to the Android OS;
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Low screen resolution with such a diagonal;
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Relatively heavy;
Tesla logos
Rating: 4.8
Why second place: Budget e-book with e-Ink Carta, backlight and touch input, but not always high-quality assembly.
Description: The Tesla Logos e-book is equipped with a high-resolution e-Ink Carta screen - with a diagonal of 7.8 inches it is 1872 × 1404 pixels and a dot density of 300 ppi. The display is touch, complemented by a backlight. The book itself, like the ones often encountered in the Onyx Book model rating, works on the Android operating system with a special interface.
The book out of the box supports most popular file formats and several exotic ones, including TAR and TCR. But for reading DJVU or EPUB you will have to install additional software from the Play Store. Built-in memory - 16 GB, microSD card slot no. The Wi-Fi module is there, you need to enter the Play Store and cloud synchronization of the library.
The capacity of the built-in battery is 2800 mAh. This is enough for 2-3 weeks of work.
Virtues
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Screen e-Ink Carta with high resolution and backlight;
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Good quality connection with Wi-Fi;
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A lot of permanent memory;
disadvantages
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Not always high-quality assembly;
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Uneven illumination of the display;
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Relatively low screen clarity due to font smoothing;
Amazon Kindle DX
Rating: 4.7
Why third place: E-book with a QWERTY-keyboard and e-Ink Pearl screen, but without backlight.
Description: Making a rating of the best e-books without a device from Amazon is a meaningless exercise. The Kindle DX model offers a large and convenient 9.7-inch screen, made using e-Ink Pearl technology, with a resolution of 1200 × 824 pixels. The backlight and the sensory layer, however, no. But the book has a built-in 3G unlimited Internet module for downloading new documents from Amazon.
The device is compatible with most formats, but FB2, EPUB and DJVU do not support. Can play music in MP3. Built-in memory - 4 GB, there is no slot for microSD.
The built-in battery lasts for 4-5 weeks of battery life without shutdown and with daily use.
Virtues
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High performance;
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Screen e-Ink Pearl with a minimum load on the eyes;
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3G to download books from Amazon;
disadvantages
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No backlight, no touch screen;
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There is no Russian language in the interface, but it copes with encodings;
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Does not support FB2 and EPUB;
The best e-books with a large screen
Onyx Boox Max
Rating: 4.9
Why first place: E-book with a 13.3-inch e-Ink Carta screen and support for input from the stylus.
Description: Onyx Boox Max is the e-book with the largest screen not only in our ranking, but also in the world. The device is equipped with a display with a diagonal of 13.3 inches, made by e-Ink Carta technology. The display resolution is 1600 × 1200 pixels. There is a touch layer, and a stylus is included with the book, which simplifies working with the interface.
The device, like other models from Onyx Boox, works on an adapted version of Android. The out-of-box operating system supports almost all file formats, and to open exotic files, you can download the program from the Play Store. Built-in memory - 16 GB, slot for microSD is, WI-Fi - too. A mail client and dictionaries are built into the device.
The device is equipped with a 4100 mAh battery, the charge of which is enough to display 20,000 pages.
Virtues
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Screen e-Ink Carta with high contrast and backlight;
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Built-in dictionary and email client;
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16 GB of internal memory;
disadvantages
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High cost;
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There are versions with e-Ink Pearl;
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Complete case collects dust;
Attention! This rating is subjective, is not advertising and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you should consult with a specialist.
