today ebook reader comparison we make between two apparently very different devices to. Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Aura H2O compete against each other.
The two e-ink Carta models have initially not too much in common. They vary in size, use other touchscreen technologies have different display resolutions are sold at very different prices and differ quite significantly from each other in terms of the software. Apart from the same screen technology, the two eReader but another thing in common: Both Paperwhite and Aura H2O were in our tests, obtain the excellent GPA of 1.2 and run the scorecard to order
. As early as last week’s comparison between Kindle and Kobo Voyage Aura H2O there was the final tip but better to resort to Paperwhite, instead of choosing the more expensive Voyage. The lower eReader is in fact in the important area of the screen (at least currently) the smoother device.
But the question of whether the Kindle Paperwhite, or at least the aura H2O better is left open. The following comparison should clarify that.
Content
- Software
- “toc-level-3″ Operation and Basic Functions
- Advanced Features
- hardware
- screen
- Price-performance ratio
- Conclusion
Software
The home screen of Kobo Aura H2O with its tiled look completely different with the Kindle Paperwhite and is thus ultimately practical. All the actions you can perform on the device (open books, eBooks add, browser and launching games, etc.) end up as a link on the home screen, so you have quick and easy access to the functions and eBooks frequently or recently used.
Unlike the Kobo competitors, the home screen of the White Paper presents relatively conservative. It will be displayed in a standard view cover the three most recently read books or added directly below it (fade out) book recommendations from the Kindle Store. Alternatively, you can also switch to a list view.
Different Home Screen Layout at Kobo Aura H2O (left) and Kindle Paperwhite (right)
The operation of both eBook Reader works very quickly and leaves no wish unfulfilled. Is not surprising. Both devices use a Freescale i.MX 6 SoC with a CPU clock speed of 1 GHz
The Aura H2O has compared to the Kindle but Paperwhite the advantage that it also files in standard ePub format incl. Adobe DRM protection can open. So you can fill (excluding copy-protected titles from Amazon) the Kobo eReader with eBooks from virtually any shop. In contrast, Amazon uses its own internal Mobi format with a proprietary copy protection. Put more simply: The White Paper reads – like all Kindle readers – (almost) only books that were bought on Amazon. Advantage of the Kindle: There is a wide range of selbstpublizierten eBooks are often very low cost. Advantage for Kobo: The eLibrary can be with Adobe DRM use support
Operation and Basic Functions .
The operation is done in both cases exclusively via the touch screen – there’s hardware buttons except the power button does not. Here are two different techniques used. The Kobo device uses a now rarely coming to use infrared touch screen, the Kindle Paperwhite a capacitive touch screen. The responsiveness of both devices is very good. The Amazon eReader, however, has the advantage that multi-touch is supported, therefore you can use the pinch-to-zoom gesture for example, PDF files to increase.
To page to type in both models on the screen or use the familiar swipe gesture. The Kobo Aura H2O allows it to adapt the touch zones: The areas of the screen to scroll up and down or to display the menu can be changed in four predefined settings. This is especially for lefties, but also for individuals who like to customize everything according to your own taste, a thoroughly welcome bonus.
The library function has the aura of H2O in the lead. Although this provides basically the same options for sorting and filtering, such as the Kindle, but also works as needed with Calibre together, so larger collections can be managed on the PC without any problems. The basic functionality of the libraries is quite similar, but the home screen of the Paperwhite described above serves as a library, while the H2O has a separate library and collection function.
Better typeface adjustment for Kobo
The Aura H2O may be able to attract the typeface adaptation and allows a nearly continuous change of font size and line and edge distances. In addition, more fonts are available, which can also be extended if necessary. In addition, you can also text alignment (left & amp; justified) adapt, as well as the font weight (for the supported fonts). The eBook Reader offers so along with other Kobo devices, the most extensive customization options for the typeface.
The Kindle Paperwhite is in this respect although also well equipped, can bottom line but still not keep up. Here you can from six pre-installed, non-expandable select fonts and has the options to adjust the font size in seven stages, and row and edge distances in three stages. The text alignment can not be changed.
books you can buy directly on both devices, ie via WiFi (or the White Paper optionally via 3G), you can access the preset stores and purchase songs easily. On both the eReaders stores are easily accessible and clear, but the German-language eBook Kobo range is much smaller. As already mentioned, but you can already also in other shops (on PC) buy, so you also must do without the H2O on a book.
Advanced Features
Both models feature dictionary and note functions. To look up a word, you stay on it for a moment with his finger in both cases. At the Kobo Aura H2O is then opens a small window (at the top or bottom of the screen), indicating the word definition. As a German-language dictionary Duden is used and also for other languages there’s usually editorially managed dictionaries.
Also on Paperwhite the word definition or translation opens in a small window and is therefore visible in the text-context. Although here the Duden German Dictionary is used, the results are still significantly better because the machine finds the appropriate despite different declensions and conjugations definition. With Kobo, and most other manufacturers it is necessary in such cases often manually looking up. For an existing WLAN (or 3G) connection, you can also look up words in Wikipedia and use an online translation feature of Microsoft Bing. If required, the number of local Dictionaries and expand.
The dictionary at Amazon works better
The memo is better implemented at the Paperwhite, for all notes, as usual, by all current Kindle devices, clearly provided with a continuous footnote. In addition, the notes are automatically saved in a .txt file, and can be easily exported and processed on a PC. On the Aura H2O Notiznehmung works basically the same, but are handling export and not quite so simple.
The Internet browser of both devices are again equal, ie, the web pages rendering works similarly fast and good. On both eBook readers can set bookmarks, so that regular use is easily possible.
The PDF function enjoys neither Kobo yet on Amazon particularly large priority, ie There are not many display modes in both cases. The Paperwhite still intersects the bottom line is better, because thanks to pinch-to-zoom gesture can be large-sized files serve you faster.
Hardware
As with all comparing the Kobo Aura H2O with a smaller 6 inch, he must give little beaten surprising because of the larger screen size in terms of mobility. The difference is smaller than one would expect. The difference in weight is only 27 grams (233 g to 206 g), which is a shorter distance than the White Paper on Tolino Vision 2 (174 g) has. The Aura H2O is thus indeed still no lightweight, but too heavy, the device is in no way
The processing of both devices is impeccable -. No creaks or squeaks and the gaps are even. Both eBook Reader are very good in the hand, which is due in both cases the well-designed cabinets with rounded edges or beveled surfaces.
Optical they are also quite similar and introduce yourself with a minimalist look in black color. However, Kobo has to put up with criticism here, because the finish of the unit is extremely prone to fingerprints. The slightest touch is immediately visible, which can be any case-irritating to sensitive individuals. Fortunately, the screen of this problem is spared.
The usable internal memory of the Paperwhite is since the secret update (internal memory has been doubled) 3.13 GB and is not expandable. At the Kobo Aura H2O has 3.16 GB of disk space -. And can be extended if necessary via MicroSD card
As mentioned earlier, has the H2O also a (eponymous) water protection. The Kobo eReader is waterproof to IP67 certification, ie when the lower door is closed (for USB and MicroSD), then no water can get inside the unit to one meter in depth with a duration of up to 30 minutes at up. In addition, says the IP certification that the H2O is protected from dust. The Paperwhite be without this additive, so that the contact with water should be avoided.
screen
Both eBook Reader use the same modern display technology called e-ink Carta. Nevertheless, there’s a number of significant differences. The most obvious relates to the aforementioned diagonal display, which is significantly greater than the Kobo Aura H2O with 6.8 inches. The Kindle Paperwhite screen measures (such as from most other readers accustomed to) 6 inches. The larger display area of the H2O roughly equivalent to a regular paperback page.
While the display size is a matter of taste and therefore there is no winner in this point, it looks at the resolution is a little different. The Kobo device triggers with 1430 × 1080 pixels at particularly high, so that the pixel density is 264 ppi and higher than the Kindle Paperwhite. This solves “only” 1024 × 758 pixels (212 ppi). First and foremost, the difference in resolution for small fonts and small controls noticeable. The bigger the font, the less noticeable the resolution increase, however. Whatever the difference is really only visible in direct comparison, because in itself, visit the Paperwhite in this respect nothing to complain about.
The H2O can in certain lighting situations also points to the slightly lighter wallpaper, so that the contrast without lighting is sometimes better than the White Paper. Here again: the difference is so small that it does not really fall in regular read operation to the weight
Kindle Paperwhite (left) and Kobo Aura H2O ( right) have the best currently available lights on the market
Even with the lighting, the two are very close together eReader. The Kindle Paperwhite has long been regarded as a reference, because the built-in lighting is distributed particularly evenly across the screen and improves the contrast very clearly. Even today, hardly comes another device to the excellent representation of the Paperwhite ran.
As luck would have it, is one of these devices the Kobo Aura H2O. The latest addition Kobo lineup can score with an excellent light distribution that rivals that of the White Paper in nothing. In fact, it is the first eReader since the release of the Kindle’s competitors, which provides an equally good representation. The same applies to the contrast ratio, because as soon as you activate the lighting, the visibility improved significantly again. The maximum contrast ratio is due to higher variable brightness even a little better than the Paperwhite
So bottom line, both offer eBook reader an excellent screen display -. Are, strictly speaking, Here the two eReader with the best displays against.
Price-performance ratio
During the race in all other respects very nearly fails, you can appoint in terms of value for money a clear winner: The Kindle Paperwhite is due to the low (discounted) current price of only 99 € the sensible purchase. For the price you get an excellent screen, as well as extensive and well dissolved software functions.
The Kobo Aura H2O with a price of 179 euros more expensive and can the race in terms of value for money therefore not decide despite an equally good idea for themselves. Although the larger screen, the built-water protection and format openness are quite welcome advantages, the 80 percent premium over the White Paper is after all very high. But still there is no doubt that you get a great value for the money.
Conclusion
The Kobo Aura H2O is probably the size of this year’s surprise eBook Reader year. The new reader is not only an unmotivated new edition of its predecessor (Aura HD) with water protection, but thanks to the excellent screen (which even allows the Paperwhite behind!) And the continuously evolving software, an excellent new release, which the competitors without doubt the beads of sweat forehead drives. Not without reason Kobo was this year elected by the ALLESebook readers for Producer of the Year.
Due to the high price of H2O but does not push into the mass market, which ultimately, the only weakness of the device is. Even if the whole package is really excellent and is on par with the toughest competitors, reached the equally good Kindle Paperwhite with the clearly lower price a much larger group of buyers.
With the top two can not go wrong
In a direct comparison, both eBook lie Reader par: The Kobo Aura H2O offers something better screen, the Kindle Paperwhite turn the “rounder” Software (incl. Vocabulary, parental control and a larger book offer) and the lower rate. For which of the two devices you choose depends ultimately (as always) from front of their requirements. The best screen (incl. Water resistant housing) are currently sold at Kobo, the price-performance ratio taking into account the best overall package but continue on Amazon.
The bottom line It is certainly a head-to-head race of the current best ebook reader available, with the purchase you really can not get it wrong.
- Kobo Aura H2O for 179 € Buy
- Kindle Paperwhite for 99 € Buy
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