Kobo Clara BW Review: Even better than color.

[@Maneetpaul]

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[@jeffreygoldman8120]

Excellent review! I cancelled my Libra Colour order the other day. Instead, I just received the Clara BW and couldn’t be happier.

[@esracaglayan5495]

I got my Clara BW on the 1st of May - decided to get an e-reader after I realized that though I preferred reading digitally, I could read on my iPad because I always would get distracted. After I got my Kobo set up I ended up finishing two books in two days. I've also actually properly continued reading a book that I've been trying to get into for a year (it's 890 pages or so). I'm already at 74% completed, in just four days after finishing the other two books.

[@QueenOfMud]

I've been agonizing over which one I should get all week, sifting through years of e-reader jargon, weighing pros and cons, and if I need Android. It's really simple, this one is for reading books. All these other big e-reader reviewers are hyper focused on the technology and the colors, and you're out here reminding people that it is merely a tool. Thank you for helping me decide to get this one.

[@samarycastro]

The repairability of it is honestly such a game changer! Other e-reader companies should be intimidated simply because people will see a Kobo as something worth investing in because it’ll have a longer life than other e-readers.

[@StrtSlct]

Thinking of getting into e-readers. Really tempted to go with this, trying to avoid Amazon at all costs, and this has support for ebook rentals from my local library. Really appreciate your review!

[@brownwallet942]

There's no question, I would choose this over the Clara Colour since the screen is too small for me to read comics or graphic novels on the Clara Colour anyway. If there were a Libra BW, now that's a tougher decision to make between Libra Colour. I've read 21 colored comics in 1 week after owning the Libra Colour, and I still have lots of graphic novels on my list to read. I'm having a blast!

[@Neehalmahfuz]

how do you read the coloured comics? Do you pinch and zoom each time? or sth else?

[@dirkziegler9580]

I don't find the reader feels plastiky or cheap. The surface has the advantage that it doesn't attract fingerprints. And the kobo-logo is very discreet so it does not disturb the reading experience. The Kobo Clara BW is currently one of the best ereaders within the 6 inch class out there.

[@tinnyfoible7318]

4:48 "I do want to Clara-fy something", not sure if you intended that but well played 😅

[@tinnyfoible7318]

One question I do have is, without Dropbox or Google drive support on the Claras, is there another way to wirelessly send ebook files to the device? I'm coming to the Clara from an old Paperwhite and I'm missing the ability to email ebooks to my e-reader. Any tips would be appreciated!

[@adrianapiaelmo2554]

I have a question, what about battery life? How long does one charge last. Thank you so much for your reviews!

[@tinnyfoible7318]

Hi, I've had my Clara BW for over a week now, I charged it to 100% on day 1 and have read for about an hour per day since. It's currently sitting on 87% after 8 days. With the one caveat that I like keeping the brightness fairly low (5-10%) to save battery and prevent eye strain (hence why I got the BW instead of the Colour), I think it's safe to say the battery life is excellent.

[@adrianapiaelmo2554]

Hi, thank you for answering, I didn't realize I had written the comment under your thread. Battery seems excellent . Thank you for taking the time to answer me anyway

[@howardroark4227]

Thanks for the review! We need a Peperwhite comparison now!

[@mathieufortier1221]

Very good review, as always. Thank you Maneetpaul. Little question for you, do you think Kobo will release a libra BW (or a rereleases of the libra 2 with that new 1300 screen)?

[@VaughanVanDyk]

Thanks for the always excellent videos, Maneetpaul. Like many of us, I still cannot understand why Kobo didn't release a BW version of the Libra: 7" recessed screen with better processor and no stylus functionality. It's like they were worried that would be _too_ successful.

[@samir.padilla]

Remember that Amazon will probably release new devices later this year, so maybe Kobo has a trick up its sleeve.

[@moltenbullet]

To me the new rough texture plastic makes a lot of sense and is an upgrade over the smooth plastic of the Clara, Clara 2e, and Libra H20 (i own all of them for the household).

[@flonyme8174]

I literally don't care about color at all. Only upgrade from my paperhwite would be seeing color book covers and maps in fantasy novels. Not worth the trade off for slower response times and worse battery life for me personally. Even if amazon releases a color version which I'm sure they will have by time I need to replace this (had it 3 years now) I will most likely just save the money go with a black amd white model. Hopefully they don't stop making them.

[@crvenom]

I have both the Libra 2 and Colour and I'd say the colour has faster response and a bigger battery, it's also lighter. The trade offs are it has a darker screen, less sharp text and the screendoor effect which took me about a day or two to get use to but it's not as bad as I felt it was out of the box. It is only worth it if you read content that has a lot of colour like comics, Manga,cookbooks etc.

[@tananario23]

Why are you commenting on a video about a completely different reader? Are you shilling for Amazon or something?

[@yeoyvonne]

Thanks for this excellent review, good to know I am getting a great model . I got my Clara BW during 5.5 sale in my country and I loved how portable, clear and fast it is . My first e reader , and I can’t put it down !! 😊 can foresee myself reading a ton in the upcoming months ❤

[@DSpaceNine]

I have one of the new Kobo Clara Colour and I can't get over how snappy and responsive it is! I find I am enjoying my Kindle Paperwhite less and less. It's so slooooow.

[@GrayHomeVideo]

Kobo Sage is best for reading it you've got older eyes. Can't fit enough text on a 6" device! Plus, stylus, plus Dropbox/Google Drive. Have read two books already this week, working on my third. An 8" screen is a glorious thing!

[@andieluke1366]

I'm seriously debating between the Sage or Kindle Scribe just for the bigger screen

[@crvenom]

​@@andieluke1366I also have the Sage and it's my favorite one so far. I regret not buying it sooner cause of the battery life complaints until I realized a week of battery life really is good enough I don't need it to last 2 months like my Libra 2

[@doctor1alex]

The problem with the Sage is the poor battery and the price tag. The problem with the Scribe is the weight. It’s way heavier.

[@prebenjaeger]

Hm, I don't think there's anything about glossy black screaming premium but maybe that's just me.

[@Vimes.]

It has been good to find my Clara 2E case perfectly fitted my Clara BW, so I bought another one of those as the yare cheaper and more widely available. Any concerns, minor or not, in regards to build quality are somewhat negated when placed in case, if you use one. The display, clarity and responsiveness of the BW is most pleasing, and considering that 99% of my time is spent reading fiction books, no highlighting or annotations, the BW is perfect for my needs. The small screen size is great, fits in one hand comfortably and also in many of my coat pockets. A pity that they seem to have dropped the Libra 2 from production (?) as not everyone will need a muted / pastel colour display, with a compromised darkened screen. Perhaps a Sage replacement one day, in BW, might appear.

[@vagabondsteve]

How much better is the screen clarity between the Clara 2e and the Clara BW? Is it worth upgrading just for the better screen?

[@Vimes.]

@@vagabondsteve I bought mine from a dealer that I could refund easily. But my 2E is being passed on, so I was looking already for another device. The BW is sharper and crisper with the text, the clarity has improved. It also seems more responsive. Nothing night and day, but I was surprised in a pleasant way. An incremental upgrade only. Not really worth it just to expect it to be THAT much better. If you have the spare cash and a need for an additional reader it is a decent buy. But if money is tight and you don't need an extra reader, keep what you have got.

[@vagabondsteve]

@@Vimes. Thank you that's helpful info.

[@sachadmitriev589]

I get both the Kobo Libra Colour for manga and the Kobo Clara BW for novels. The color screen of the Libra is really bad even compared to my very old Kindle 3 "keyboard". It's impossible to use it with brightness off or low, it's not comfortable at all when reading novels. But for colored manga readings, the Libra is very good, a real pleasure. For novels, the Clara BW is really awsome. 6" is, to me, the best size. I can read everywhere (mainly in public transportation). The BW is fast and the display with deep black and very high ppi.

[@crvenom]

I'm doing the same thing with my Sage and Libra Colour. I felt the same way about the colour but I'm getting more use to the screen and can use it with about 5% light. I was surprised it's more of an issue in the day than at night.

[@rudiphoto]

I actually prefer the finish of the Clara BW to my Kindle Paperwhite. It’s nice and grippy and doesn’t feel cheap at all, IMO.

[@doctor1alex]

The new model is not grippy at all. It’s slippery cheap plastic like the basic Kindle model.

[@rudiphoto]

@@doctor1alex you are confusing “soft-to-touch” with “grippy”. They are two separate things and not mutually exclusive. Something can be hard and grippy at the same time, just as a soft-to-touch thing can be slippery.

[@stripehearts]

the review that ive been waiting! glad to have ordered this! cant wait to get my hands on!😁😁😁

[@FreeLatveria]

I'm ready to jump ship from Kindle to Kobo, I just haven't made up my mind. Clara BW or Clara Colour. It's gimmicky, but I like the color, and it's only like 20 bucks more. But I do like the screen sharpness of the BW.

[@Cezille07]

I was 99% sold on the Kindle Basic 2024, but I saw some people discussing the Kobo Clara, and went looking for reviews and comparison. Do you have a comparison video for the two? For only like $20 more, the Clara BW has warm light feature that the Basic is missing (and is cheaper than the Paperwhite!). Do we know if the new Kindles are using E Ink Carta 1300 as well? I'd like to know if the page refresh is the same between the two (or if not, which is faster), and if there is a difference in the crispness of the text.

[@agg735]

Same here. I was torn between the paperwhite and the basic as I am not able to find my old kindle. I was dead set on paperwhite but kept coming back to the basic because of the compactness, but kept going back to paperwhite as I do like reading at night. After a bunch of consideration, I ordered a Kobo Clara BW. There's definitely initial pain of moving books from Kindle to Kobo but I think the library will be better organized once it's done. I also use highlights a lot and am bummed about lack of cloud sync for highlights.. and even though ReadWise looks great, I hate to pay for another subscription service. Oh well, let's see. Worst case, I'll return it.

[@cloudettie]

I didn't realise you could still highlight on the BW version! They didn't show it on the website, only on Clara Colour 👀

[@wannesdewaele3422]

Are e-readers bad for your eyes especially with the blue light? I like reading like 30 mins before i go straight to sleep :)

[@chrisconnors7418]

That’s a good review. I felt tempted to get the 2e despite already having the kobo Libra. :) I do like that DIY idea. Long past due to have that feature on our tech, so I’d want to buy a 2e just to help support that idea. With all these upgrades I can’t wait to see what Amazon might come up with (unless they’re getting out of eReader market????)

[@Exile_1994]

I am a proud owner of the libra 2. I tried both Clara Colour and libra Colour. If you read Digital books in bw you'll notice the difference and low quality screen. This one is Just perfect for those who, like me, read non fiction books.

[@seratractivo7231]

I purchased the Kobo Clara BW and did enjoy faster page turns, but the screen clarity and quality was nowhere near the Crispness and evenly lit screen of my Kobo Libra 2. And while I do appreciate the portability of a smaller screen, once you start reading on a larger screen, it’s hard to go back. I just couldn’t sacrifice less screen real estate for portability. Sadly, I returned it. The only benefit I saw of the new carta 1300 screen was faster page turns but lower quality resolution.

[@andreibicu5592]

Hi. Thank you for this review. Can you please confirm if the charger port type is USB-C ?

[@sajeeshpillai2926]

Few questions 1) can I move my kindle books 2) how to move or send e books

[@jseger9000]

I noticed the same 'lack of premiumness' between the Clara 2E and Color. I think they are using more recycled plastic on the Color and BW than on the 2E. If I'm right, I'd rather the slightly lower build quality assuming the recycling isn't just a bunch of greenwashing. I'm going to throw it in a case anyway. Nice review!

[@MeganHitachiin]

I love my Kobo Clara 2e! I definitely don’t plan on upgrading but I honestly can’t think of many times when I would be missing colour. Now if there was some kobo equivalent of whispersync I would be a little more bummed about missing the new models. I second joining a book club … I found a romance book club locally and it has been amazing.

[@samb8509]

Thanks so much for the review! You've been like... the single most helpful content for figuring out which ereader to go with and I'm going to pick up the clara bw! Being repairable is such an important sustainability factor that I am excited about and more brands should get back to having instead of this 'once a little thing is broken its ewaste' mentality

[@erenjaeger8472]

Hi, nice video as always! Could you tell me if there's a way to transfer the annotations to another kobo? Because I have a kobo clara hd and I would like to upgrade to the clara BW, but I don't want to lose my annotations on the books.

[@mireiapizarro9931]

Después de mucho leer compré Kobo Clara BW y estoy súper contenta. En la versión a color se ven unas líneas en la pantalla y más oscuro.

[@josephj7387]

A few years back you called out that there are ads being shown on kobo. Is that the case here ?

[@sundayyymay]

Which one is fastest? The 2e or bw?

[@iamtofuboy]

OOT: Your turban is immaculately wrapped!

[@thepatzer]

Nice review - great job! One thing you didn't discuss is the lack of physical page turning buttons. Is that something you miss on any of these devices? I see the Libra2 has them.

[@markvandenberg4606]

Clear and to the point. Great review! It’s too bad they limped this thing by not integrating Google Drive and Dropbox…

[@gf8ho]

Yeah, I don't get why they did that 😢

[@sannes3185]

I'm still using a Kobo Clara HD. I guess the BW would be a good upgrade?

[@SunnyJ-d4p]

Excellent review! This helped me make a decision, thank you!

[@Welther47]

One thing I hate is that the BW only have 1GHz and the colour have 2 GHz. That's the only reason why I might prefer the colour version (because I don't read comics).

[@nat4465]

Here I am, searching up the black and white kobo after experiencing the Kobo Libra Colour for a couple of weeks. I’m considering it because I do notice that the black and white is brighter (and other reasons) would you say the battery life is longer? I like to read a lot.. and I noticed my battery for the KLC wasn’t lasting me as long as people say ereaders last. And I figured it’s because of my stylus usage? Idk I’m really considering this one 😓 I also like how portable it looks ( I am glad I still got the color ereader but just have second thoughts because of the brighter screen, and realized I may not use the stylus as much as I thought but I don’t think I would have understood that had I not experienced the KLC. I feel this now but I’ll probably be happy again in couple of days) Btw in general I am disappointed that it seems highlights are saved from books that are borrowed from Libby, I wonder if anyone knows anything about that, or what do you do?

[@EsthelsDev-ic2ex]

Hi, great video, I'm thinking about buying my first e-reader, but I can't decide between the Kobo Clara BW (it has a better screen and is more modern) and the Pocketbook Verse Pro (it has text to speech and better build quality, a little more expensive) I wanted to know your opinion

I see that you're using a pop socket with no case. What do you do to protect the screen?

[@ok373737]

Most Redditors who own both the Clara BW and the Kobo Libra 2 have stated a preference for the Libra 2 when reading at home, citing its larger screen size and buttons as the reasons

[@mohammed01369]

What about text clarity and crispness? Are both the same ?

[@Maneetpaul]

I’d say the Libra 2 is more crispy

[@mohammed01369]

@@Maneetpaul i appreciate your reply , I was hesitant which one to get, I think libra 2 will be the one to buy 👍🏼

[@marrammeffam5720]

Missing landscape function. Any solution for landscape?

[@mattkath2332]

I’m thinking what Kobo to get… my first ereader if ever. Im thinking to get this Clara BW…. Any advise?😊

[@biggiesmol]

We'll wait for the next gen for color reader screens tech.

[@oakshillelagh4339]

Thanks for the nice review I enjoyed it👍

[@alexkoeslag5699]

Just want to read...if I want other options I would opt for tablet

[@LilyRay-Author]

The design wouldnt bother me since my kindles are in cases anyway

[@kristopherjazz9295]

How does it compare to the paper white kindle?

[@stephenambrose2103]

Nice review. Thank you.

[@AlessandraSmeraldi]

It’s really annoying they didn’t include overdrive I don’t want colour

[@spiceworm8102]

Great review!

[@kingrecord7209]

Bro Your accent ❤❤

[@mcubriaa]

I dont understand why the clara 2e loooks whiter than the clara BW when carta 1300 is supposed to have better white/black contrast. I have a paperwhite 2 (2013) and still dont see major improvements to buy a new ereader...

[@pspsmallz]

2E is not whiter and doesnt have sharper black text than the BW. He just has the brightness set higher on the 2E, which is very noticeable in this video.

[@questerpher44]

I miss your “high there” intros

[@JC-jz6rx]

hate kaleido, i simply cant ignore the horrible screen door effect. keep your colors, i want crisp text

[@matthias7569]

what a good guy

[@turmoil3161]

You are the best

[@matthewmcneill5320]

That matte finish or whatever they put on color e-readers makes reading normal bw books dimmer, too dimm imo

[@lenasophie5455]

The only reason I’m considering getting the Libra Color is because of the stylus. I’d love to be able to annotate and use the notebook function with a pen 🥲

[@atsunai]

Yes same 😭 I wish there was a bw libra too