Side by side
Kobo Clara BW vs Kobo Clara
Kobo Clara BW
177 positive (83%) · 30 mixed (14%) · 7 negative (3%)
Trust + time weighted: +78%
AI summary — not a quote
The Kobo Clara BW is a highly-rated 6-inch e-reader praised for its portability, snappy performance, and high-contrast Carta 1300 display. While it is marketed with a focus on repairability, users have mixed feelings about the practicalities of DIY fixes due to high part costs and the loss of waterproofing during the process. It is generally viewed as a superior black-and-white alternative to color e-readers for those who prioritize text clarity and a compact form factor.
Pros
- Excellent screen contrast and crispness using the Carta 1300 panel
- Highly portable 6-inch size that fits easily into small bags
- Faster and more responsive performance compared to older e-reader models
- Sideload-friendly, making it easy to manage non-store content
Cons
- Lacks physical page-turn buttons
- Boot times can feel slow, with some users reporting around 22 seconds
- Repairing the device can cost up to 70% of the retail price for parts
Top excerpts
Kobo Clara BW with sideload mode enabled.
I have both a BW & a Paperwhite (the 11th gen) and I honestly prefer the BW even if it's smaller. I don't find the size awkward, in fact it fits my smallest bags perfectly. The Kobo's contrast is way better, and it's more ergonomic for me!
Clara BW is great, it fits my smallest bags so it's my "on-the-go" reader. It responds faster than my Libra H2O (since it's a 2024 model while my Libra is a 2019 model)
I think the Kobo Clara BW is perfect and has a very good price point
Parent context: Do you know how the PB Verse Pro's screen compares to Kobo Clara BW's? I'm in the market for a 6 inch e-reader too and I really like that the PB includes physical buttons, but they seemed to have cheaped out on the screen. PB's screen being Cart HD while the latest Kobo Clara BW has the Carta 1300. Reply: There’s not a huge difference between the 1200 and 1300.
Kobo Clara
47 positive (73%) · 13 mixed (20%) · 4 negative (6%)
Trust + time weighted: +67%
AI summary — not a quote
The Kobo Clara is a well-regarded 6-inch e-reader praised for its superior backlight warmth and paper-like screen quality. Users frequently highlight its intuitive UI and seamless library integration as major advantages over the Kindle ecosystem, though its small form factor and slow boot times are common points of criticism.
Pros
- Excellent backlight warmth and fine-tuning compared to competitors
- Non-flush screen design provides a more paper-like appearance
- Highly customizable and user-friendly interface
- Seamless integration with local libraries for borrowing ebooks
Cons
- Slow boot times, with some users reporting a 22-second wait
- 6-inch screen can feel too small for comfortable reading or large fonts
- Suboptimal experience for reading PDFs compared to larger devices
- Lacks physical page-turn buttons found on larger models like the Libra
Top excerpts
My concern with the Clara is whether the screen size would feel too small
My Kobo Clara needs 22 seconds to boot. Which feels so long that I turn the device on *shortly* before I want to read
That the device isn't flush is actually an advantage (the Verses and also the Kobo Clara), because that will make the screen appear even a bit more paper-like than when having a flush screen.
I would throw Kobo Clara into the ring instead of the Kindle Paperwhite. The interface in my opinion is so much better than the Kindle's. The cover sleeping screen showing time left in the book you're currently reading is one of my favourite little things.
if you're going for a Kobo I'd suggest the Kobo Libra Colour as PDFs work better on it than the Clara in my experience.