Best e-readers 2025: Kindle vs. PocketBook vs. Kobo (test + recommendations)

We tested the latest e-readers with E Ink displays in real-world conditions over several days: morning and evening reading, reading in direct sunlight, on a train, and by the pool. We focused on display quality (contrast, sharpness, refresh speed), frontlight with adjustable color temperature, ergonomics and page-turn buttons, battery life, format support (EPUB, PDF, CBZ/CBR comics), library integrations and the broader ecosystem. On pen-enabled devices, we also checked note-taking and export options. We paid special attention to title availability and how easy it is to sideload books onto an e-reader.

Quick overview: which e-reader should you choose?

• Best all-around pick (black-and-white reading): Kindle Paperwhite (2024/2025) – 7″ 300 ppi, excellent warm frontlight, water resistance, a strong ecosystem, and easy personal document delivery via “Send to Kindle”. Great for most readers who don’t want to worry about formats and want a simple, hassle-free experience.
• Best color e-reader under €250: Kobo Libra Colour – 7″ E Ink Kaleido 3, physical buttons, waterproofing, and Bluetooth audiobooks. In practice, it delivers natural-looking color for comics, textbooks, and highlighting.
• Best color e-reader for the “Kindle ecosystem”: Kindle Colorsoft (2024/2025) – the first color Kindle with a 7″ display, color highlighting, and weeks of battery life. If you already use Kindle and want color, this is the most logical upgrade.
• Best for comics and larger-format PDFs: PocketBook InkPad Color 3 – 7.8″ color E Ink Kaleido 3, broad format support, and lots of “power-user” settings. Excellent for comics and magazines, while still keeping the typical E Ink efficiency.

Kindle 2025: Colorsoft, Paperwhite, and Scribe

After years, Amazon has introduced its first color Kindle, called the Kindle Colorsoft. The paper-like display brings color to covers, images, and highlights while preserving the classic strengths of an e-reader: a glare-free panel, fast page turns, and weeks of battery life. At the same time, the proven Kindle Paperwhite (7″ 300 ppi) and the productivity-focused Kindle Scribe with its large screen and pen remain in the lineup. What matters for users is that Kindle now supports sending EPUB files via Send to Kindle, so you can conveniently add legally purchased books from outside the Kindle Store.

In practice, the Paperwhite convinced us as the best price-to-features option for black-and-white reading: the warm frontlight is pleasant at night, waterproofing adds peace of mind when traveling, and the system stays snappy even with larger libraries. The Colorsoft is compelling if you actually read comics, cookbooks, and graphics-heavy books; for purely text titles, the Paperwhite remains the most practical choice.

Kobo 2025: Libra Colour and Clara Colour

The Kobo Libra Colour is, according to our test, the most balanced mid-range color e-reader. It offers a 7″ color E Ink Kaleido 3 display, physical page-turn buttons, and waterproofing, while still delivering long battery life. The smaller Kobo Clara Colour is a cheaper 6″ alternative, ideal for those who want color in a more compact body. Both devices support OverDrive/Libby for borrowing e-books from compatible libraries directly on the e-reader, which is a major advantage outside the Amazon ecosystem.

Out in the real world, you’ll appreciate how open Kobo e-readers are: they handle EPUB, PDF, CBZ/CBR, and other common formats without hassle, so you won’t be dependent on conversions. If you highlight a lot and take notes, the Libra Colour (with an optional stylus) offers clear color highlighting—an especially practical advantage for students and teachers.

PocketBook 2025: InkPad Color 3 (and who it makes sense for)

The PocketBook InkPad Color 3 is built around a larger 7.8″ Kaleido 3 color E Ink panel and rich format support, including CBZ/CBR comics. It’s ideal if you read magazines, manga, and graphics-heavy PDFs and don’t want to rely on conversion tools. PocketBook traditionally adds more “technical” settings, TTS (text-to-speech), and handy services like Send-to-PocketBook. For demanding readers of visual content, it’s one of the most pleasant devices in 2025.

What to look for when buying an e-reader in 2025

For pure text titles, black-and-white E Ink still has the edge thanks to higher ppi and better contrast; color makes sense for comics, cookbooks, textbooks, and color highlighting. Buttons make one-handed use easier, especially for long reading sessions. Water resistance (IPX8) is handy for travel and vacations. Ecosystems differ in convenience: Kindle excels at simplicity and catalog size but is more limited on formats; Kobo and PocketBook are more open and handle local EPUB/PDF files more easily without conversion. If you frequently send documents to your device, check how convenient the delivery service is and what the email attachment limits are.

Our recommendations by user type

• I want a worry-free e-reader for novels: Kindle Paperwhite (2024/2025). Easy purchasing, excellent frontlight, and long battery life. The most sensible choice for most readers.
• I want color and the convenience of buttons: Kobo Libra Colour. A great balance of performance, ergonomics, and price, with the added value of color and library borrowing.
• I’m in the Kindle world and want color: Kindle Colorsoft. Color highlights and a better experience with covers and comics—without leaving your Kindle account.
• I mostly read comics/magazines and lots of PDFs: PocketBook InkPad Color 3. The larger 7.8″ panel and extensive format support are exactly what you need.

Quick comparison: formats and libraries

• Kindle: convenient document delivery and now also EPUB via Send to Kindle; for library e-books, official OverDrive support works primarily in the US—elsewhere you’ll usually rely on your own files and the Kindle Store.
• Kobo: native EPUB, PDF, CBZ/CBR and more, plus direct OverDrive/Libby integration in supported markets; for regular EPUB files, there’s no need for workarounds.
• PocketBook: the broadest format support, including comics and text formats; easy downloading and even streaming of audiobooks via Bluetooth.

Video reviews (watch before you buy)

Kindle Colorsoft – impressions after months of use: practical pros and cons of a color Kindle in 2025.

Kobo Libra Colour – in-depth review: whether it’s the “king” of color e-readers in terms of price-to-features.

Conclusion

If you want the simplest possible e-reader and mostly read fiction, the Kindle Paperwhite remains a safe bet with an excellent display and battery life. But if you’ll make use of color and want buttons, the Kobo Libra Colour is an exceptionally pleasant daily driver in 2025. For fans of comics and magazines who want a larger canvas, the PocketBook InkPad Color 3 becomes the clear favorite. And if you’re already “on Kindle” and crave color, the Kindle Colorsoft brings it without changing your habits.

Sources

1. Amazon – “Meet the all-new Kindle family, including the first color Kindle” (official announcement): https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-kindle-color-scribe-paperwhite-entry (Amazon News)
2. Amazon – “Send to Kindle – Email” (official guide and supported formats including EPUB): https://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle/email (Amazon)
3. Rakuten Kobo – official EU store (prices and specs for Libra Colour/Clara Colour): https://eu.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-libra-colour (Rakuten Kobo eReader Store)
4. PocketBook – “InkPad Color 3” (specs and Kaleido 3 technology): https://pocketbook.ch/en-ch/catalog/color-e-readers/pocketbook-inkpad-color-3-ch (pocketbook.ch)
5. (pricing/availability addendum) Heise – “Amazon brings slightly cheaper Kindle Colorsoft…” (EU pricing): https://www.heise.de/en/news/Amazon-brings-slightly-cheaper-Kindle-Colorsoft-with-slight-cutbacks-10499214.html (heise online)
6. (Paperwhite 2024 in the EU addendum) Galaxus – “Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2024 (12th gen)”: https://www.galaxus.de/en/s1/product/amazon-kindle-paperwhite-2024-12th-gen-7-16-gb-black-ereaders-52992728(Galaxus)