330 PPI E-INK CARD screen (Pixel per inch), waterproofing thanks to the IPX8 certification (up to 60 minutes in 2 meters of water), 1,500 mAh battery that can guarantee excellent autonomy. These are the key features of Kobo Libra 2, the e-book Reader recently arrived in Italy and that is a candidate as one of the best of the moment for quality/price ratio. Also because it enjoys the Rakutén content bookcase, which now also plays it with Amazon’s.
It is a different product than the Kobo Sage, which we talked to you a few days ago. The latter, in fact, is much more expensive, and boasts characteristics (such as writing with pen) that place it on a different level than a simple e-book reader. Libra 2, on the other hand, does exactly what is expected: it allows you to read the books satisfactorily and, just like the older brother, also to listen to audiobooks. Simple and effective, without so many frills.
Light, comfortable and with a screen that convinces
In a product of this type, the display represents the cornerstone of the user experience. The 7 -inch panel of Libra 2 fully convinces: it is perfectly outdoor, it does not tire the view and, thanks to the Comfortlight Pro technology, it also allows you to adjust the color temperature according to the surrounding environmental conditions. The 330 PPI allow the texts to stand out clearly, further facilitating the e-book readings. In addition, the diagonal makes it more manageable than the 8 inches of the older brother (215 grams against 248.8 and in hand they feel).
There is only one element that convinced me less than the Kobo Sage screen: the latter in fact presents a wire panel with the body, while that of Libra 2 is slightly hollowed out. This detail returns a lower sensation of immersion in the display, as well as being less aesthetically pleasant. Probably a scotto to be paid compared to a price price decidedly more focus.
Little to say on the constructive part. The choice to leave a wider edge on the right side (or left, depending on how it is oriented) It allows you to challenge Libra 2 in a comfortable and natural way, as if it were a real book. The two front physical buttons can be used to go back and forth with the e-book pages and are completely customizable. Therefore, nothing prevents us from placing the device in Portrait or Landscape and the functioning of the same will regulate consequently. A great comfort.
The low weight allows you to keep it in your hands for hours without getting tired and the body made of polycarbonate returns a pleasant sensation to the touch. In addition, exactly like the older brother, there is the IPX8 waterproof certification, so you can read a book according to the bath or swimming pool. Beautiful the Sleep Cover which, in addition to making it go to standby, also allows you to support it on a plane. It is made of fake skin and seems resistant. We will see what will be his hold over time.
The absence of the quad-core processor feels
Another substantial difference compared to the Kobo Sage is represented by the processor. The older brother boasts a 1.8 GHz quad-core chip which, as underlined in the review, allows you to move easily in the various screens. The beating heart of the Libra 2 is instead a 1 GHz chip, which offers a good user experience, however characterized by those small delays typical of e-book readers. Having tried the most expensive model first, the difference is perceptible.
Overall, reactivity is however guaranteed on a well -conceived software part. The main page is in typical Kobo style: at the top of the four reading books, the percentage of completion and the hours necessary to get to the end of the book (the latter data is available only for the ebooks in .kepub format bought on the Kobo Store ); At the center is the shortcut to get to “my books”, then to the titles contained in the reader but also those belonging to the user; Below there are two links that lead to the Kobo Shop.
The navigation bar is instead positioned on the bottom. There are connections to “Home”, “My books”, “Discover” (ie at the Kobo shop) and “Other”. The latter item includes settings, notes, the possibility of accessing the various accounts. In this regard, the first setting of the Kobo Sage is very simple: just connect it to the Wi-Fi network and access with a Kobo account, Feltrinelli, Google or Facebook. Once these two steps have been made, the user is ready to use the reader. There is no lack of the possibility of navigation on the internet via browser, however still functionality in beta.
Too bad for the implementation of Bluetooth. He goes hand in hand with the reproduction of audiobooks, another big news, as it allows you to connect wireless headphones and earphones. The scope of the connection is not very extensive and it is not possible to exploit it to listen to wireless music (despite the 32 GB of memory). However, it remains an important plus, also considering the now overwhelming success of audiobooks.
In any case, there is another face of the medal linked to the processor. The lesser power compared to that of the Kobo Sage, combined with a larger battery of 1,500 mAh, allows you to enjoy excellent autonomy. Beyond the data communicated by the manufacturer, with only reading we found about 18 hours of duration. With the reproduction of the audiobooks, we stopped at just over 8 hours with an active screen (10 hours with standby display). It recharges through a USB-C port. Excellent.
Kobo Plus: how it works
Before moving on to the conclusions, It is important to remember the new Kobo Plus service. It is a subscription divided into three offers, which start from common premises:
- The offer consists of hundreds of thousands of ebooks in Italian and foreign, and tens of thousands of audiobooks;
- Ebooks can be read on any Kobo erecter;
- Audiobooks can be listened to on any smartphone (via the Kobo app) or with the sage and book 2 fresh presentation and equipped with Bluetooth connectivity;
- A 30 -day free trial period can be activated.
The three variants of the subscription are: Kobo Plus Ebook (ebook only) at 9.99 euros/month, Kobo Plus Ebook & Audio (access to ebooks and audiobooks) at 12.99 euros/month, Kobo Plus Audio (only audiobooks ) at 9.99 euros/month. The most convenient solution if interested both in ebooks and audiobooks, is necessarily that of the middle, while 3 euros can be saved by favoring only ebooks or only audiobooks.
To have a reference parameter, at the moment Kindle Unlimited (ebook only) It is in promotion with 3 months to 9.99 euros and automatic renewal for 9.99 euros/month, while the Audible price – the Amazon service dedicated to listening to audiobooks – costs 9.99 euros/month after the first 30 days free.
To create the Kobo Plus catalog, Rakutén has collaborated with the main Italian publishing housesincluding Mondadori, Rizzoli, Einaudi, Sperling & Kupfer, Piemme and Mondadori Electa, Garzanti, Longanesi and Feltrinelli; Without neglecting independent publishers, such as Sur. Keep in mind that not all ebooks and Kobo audiobooks are included in the subscription, but the partnerships signed with the publishers are sufficient to create a good starting point which will be further expanded in the future.
The main competitors
Considering the characteristics and list price, it is possible to identify some competitors of Libra 2. The most fierce is undoubtedly the Kindle Paperwhite 2021of which we talked to you in depth in our review. It shares a large part of the features with the Kobo model, taking with them, however, a more low list price (189.99 euros against 139.99 euros). Without forgetting the commercial push guaranteed by Amazon, which will certainly make the difference.
Little sensible to aim for the Kobo Libra H2Othe predecessor of Libra 2. It is in fact a model that is now 2 years old on his shoulders and, despite this, he recovers online at figures not so far away. With a slightly higher expense, however, today we take home the Kindle Oasis of Amazonwhich boasts better screen and performance. The list price of the latter is 279 euros, but the e-commerce giant offers it to 219 euros for several weeks.
Conclusions: to whom it is indicated
Excellent for reading books and listening to audiobooks. It may seem trivial, yet the review of Libra 2 could be enclosed in this simple sentence. The sale price is on fire compared to what is offered and the autonomy is by a point of reference for the sector. There are some smudges but nothing that compromises the user experience, which remains convincing in the round. In addition, it is very likely that the 189.99 euros of the price list can drop quickly (but you do not expect sensational depreciations).
Certainly one of the best market and market rendering.
