Today, many different devices can display e-books. Smartphones, tablets, laptops, even some smartwatches and TVs - and this list is far from complete. Of course, you can read from all these gadgets. Another thing is how to read, how comfortable it is. And in general, is it worth it? Once you spoil your eyesight, it is very difficult to restore it later. And in some cases, it is completely unrealistic. It would seem, what does the quality of vision have to do with the devices listed above? And the most direct: if you look at a brightly lit LCD display for a long time, your eyes begin to get tired, a feeling of fatigue and discomfort appears. And if you do this for a long time and regularly, then your vision can even deteriorate.

Therefore, reading a lot - we do not mean “30 minutes on the subway once a week”, but “many hours of book races” - it is more comfortable and safer to use the so-called electronic readers. These devices were originally created in order to a) allow people to comfortably read books for hours on end and b) it would not lead to visual impairment, even in the long term.

There are a number of different colored e-readers on the market. Not all of them are created equal. Choosing a good e-book from all the variety in 2020 is not so easy. More difficult than, for example, a good smartphone. Because smartphones are being trumpeted at every step. And everyone has already learned that a dual camera is fashionable and cool, eight cores are better than four, and a 4000 mAh battery is clearly more interesting than a 3000 mAh one. With readers, we repeat, everything is more complicated. The selection criteria are completely different. It is not the notorious megahertz and pixels that "decide" here, but completely different parameters.

So how to choose an e-book in 2020? Let's figure it out.

Which screen do you prefer?

A key feature of readers is screens based on so-called electronic ink (there are also definitions of “electronic paper”, or simply E Ink). The principle of operation of such screens is as follows. Such displays consist of microcapsules filled with black and white particles with opposite charges. Under the influence of an electric field generated inside the reader's screen, the microcapsule turns black, white or gray. Thanks to this, the image is formed, most often the text.

How e-ink screens work

There are three key benefits of E Ink screens.

1. Complete harmlessness to sight. Such displays, unlike LCD screens of smartphones, tablets and others like them, do not flicker or glow at all. The image is visible in reflected light, the picture is not formed by light elements, as is the case with smartphones and tablets. Electronic ink looks like ordinary paper. There is no visual difference with a book, newspaper or magazine. Due to this, the eyes perceive the reader just like paper. And they get tired of nothing more than reading an ordinary paper book. That is, they do not actually get tired. Long-term reading with E Ink does not deteriorate over time.

1. Excellent sun behavior. E Ink displays do not glare or fade, unlike other displays on smartphones and tablets, which turn into a mirror in the bright sun. So with a good e-book, you can easily read on the beach or just on a bench on a fine summer day.

1. Ultra-high efficiency. An e-reader with an E Ink screen has to be charged on average once a month. Because e-paper only consumes energy when the image changes. That is, roughly speaking, when turning the page. When displaying a static picture, the charge is not consumed at all. For comparison: a smartphone needs to be charged once every couple of days, a tablet - even more often.

It should be noted that there are no colored E Ink books. In principle, it does not exist. More precisely, not quite so. They existed before, and the only serial reader of this kind was released by PocketBook in 2013. (This is the leader of the Russian market of e-readers with a share of under 70%) But the E Ink Triton color displays, as they say, "did not go". They displayed only 4,096 colors - versus the millions in the case of LCD screens for smartphones and tablets. And so they looked faded. And they were expensive. The last moment led to the fact that the reader with the E Ink Triton screen was estimated at about 10 thousand rubles at the rate of 2013. For comparison: a similar good PocketBook e-book with a monochrome E Ink screen could then be bought for 5 thousand rubles. Half the price.

The only serial reader with E Ink Triton screen - PocketBook 801 Color Lux

In general, if a store offers you something with a color screen, calling it a book, they just want to deceive you. Electronic readers with E Ink Triton screens are no longer on sale in 2020. So you are most likely trying to sell a cheap tablet, calling it a "reader". Or worse, a so-called TFT reader. There were at one time (approximately in 2010-2013) such devices. They are actually digital photo frames with the cheapest and lowest quality LCD screens. Which are simply taught to open e-books. Now they are practically no longer on sale. But this does not mean that some cunning consultant of an electronics supermarket will not try to hand you such a device from the warehouse leftovers. Telling at the same time what a wonderful e-book it is, better than which you, of course, will not find even during the day with fire.

Typical TFT reader: the screen is terrible, looks like a tablet, but you cannot install applications

So, if you are aiming at buying a high-quality specialized device for long-term comfortable reading - a reader, a good e-book - in 2020 you should take only a model with a monochrome (black-and-white) E Ink screen.

But these displays are also very different.

Currently, at the beginning of 2020, there are three types of E Ink display readers on sale. The first is E Ink Pearl (10: 1 contrast), the second is E Ink Pearl HD (12: 1 contrast), the third is E Ink Carta (15: 1 contrast). E Ink Pearl screens are safely discarded - they are found either in very cheap or very old readers, which you will no longer find in the e-book ratings of 2019-2020. And such displays look much worse than E Ink Pearl HD and E Ink Carta. That is, E Ink Pearl also resembles paper, but the text on such screens is less clear and less pleasing to the eye. E Ink Pearl HD and E Ink Carta are much nicer. The difference between them is about the same (see photo below). Carta is slightly lighter and more contrasting. And therefore even better than Pearl HD.

Please note that the largest manufacturers of the best models of e-books in 2019 - the same PocketBook, for example - have completely abandoned the use of Pearl HD in their readers. Only the latest generation displays are used in pocketbooks - E Ink Carta. But this does not mean that there are no models of other brands with Pearl on the market, let alone Pearl HD. To take them or not is an open question. Models with Pearl are definitely not worth buying. As we said above, these are either very old devices or readers of dubious quality. As far as Pearl HD is concerned, this e-ink option is acceptable. Acceptable - but not the best. The best ebook models of 2019 and 2020 come with E Ink Carta screens.

The next important parameter of the E Ink screen is the diagonal. There are several options. The most common and convenient is 6 inches. This is a kind of standard for readers. It provides both compactness and a comfortable display area for most users.

Comparison of the dimensions of 6- and 8-inch readers (on the left - PocketBook 641 Aqua 2, on the right - 840 Ink Pad 2)

Next are the models with a diagonal in the 8-inch region. There are significantly fewer such readers on sale - for every ten 6-inch devices sold, there is one 8-inch one. Large-format readers with a diagonal of 8 inches are convenient in two cases. First: in the so-called bedside reading. When you know that you will only read at home and do not plan to carry the reader with you to work or for walks. The fact is that the 8-inch model weighs about 350 grams. Almost double the size of the 6-inch. Plus, a large e-reader will not fit into every bag. At the same time, there are also quite compact devices with an 8-inch screen. For example, PocketBook 740 weighs just over 200 grams. At the same time, the model is not much larger than 6-inch readers. The second scenario for using an 8-inch reader: for reading technical and other professional literature with a lot of diagrams, graphs, tables, drawings, and so on. Large readers usually have ultra-high resolution E Ink screens, which makes it especially convenient to display this kind of illustration. For example, the 8-inch PocketBook 740 has a resolution of 1872 x 1404 pixels. This is higher than many laptops. And that's why tablets and diagrams with small signatures on such a pocketbook look just fine.

Complex drawing on the PocketBook 841 Ink Pad 2 screen

Well, then there are readers with a diagonal of 10 inches and more. Such models are vanishingly few, and they can cost from 40 to 60 thousand rubles. This is a completely piece goods for special connoisseurs. Such readers are not well suited for everyday consumption of literary content. But for the study of drawings, diagrams, musical notes, comics and some small details, such e-books are perfect. And at the end of 2019, PocketBook released a 10-inch reader, which is much cheaper than all similar models available on the market. The PocketBook X price is 24,999 rubles, and this is the only 10-inch reader most affordable on the market.

Huge readers with a diagonal of 10 inches or more are intended for engineers, architects and other professionals, but they are not suitable for reading books

Fans of electronic reading may object: why did not you think about the super-compact 5-inch e-readers? Like, “there were models like PocketBook 360 and PocketBook 515, which at one time sold in circulation of several hundred thousand pieces! And now for sure there is! " Alas, we are forced to upset: they are no longer there. The E Ink company, the developer and manufacturer of the screens of the same name, no longer produces displays with a diagonal of 5 inches - such models have finally become history. So now 6-inch e-readers are the smallest.

Legendary 5-inch PocketBook 360 model of 2009

Finally, a few words about one more parameter of E Ink screens - resolution. In e-readers in 2019-2020, most often you can find only three options:

1. Carta with a resolution up to 1440 x 1080 pixels;
2. Pearl HD and with a resolution of 1024 x 758 pixels;
3. Pearl with a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels.

Separately, it should be said about the Mobius technology, which involves the use of Carta or Pearl screens. It's all about the substrate - it is not glass, as usual, but a more durable and flexible plastic. Such a screen is used, for example, in a 10-inch PocketBook X - E Ink Carta Mobius reader with a resolution of 1872 × 1404 pixels.

Everything is simple here: in cheaper readers, low-resolution screens are installed, in more expensive models, we see high-resolution displays. High resolution has a positive effect on the clarity of the picture, all small details of the fonts are noticeable. But! It cannot be said at all that reading from an 800 x 600 screen is uncomfortable. Comfortable! It's just that at 1024 x 758 or 1440 x 1080, the image is even more pleasing and comfortable for the eye. We recommend that you compare in the store and understand for yourself which e-book is best for you. And is it worth overpaying for high resolution. You may not even see the difference. Or maybe it will be very noticeable and tangible for your eye.

Should you buy a backlit reader?

We said above that E Ink screens do not emit light, and therefore are comfortable and almost completely harmless to sight. And yet there are tons of backlit pocketbooks on the market. How so? We answer: there is no contradiction here. The backlight in the readers illuminates the display from the side, so that the light goes parallel to the screen, and does not hit the user's eyes directly. But in the case of smartphones, tablets and laptops, it hits exactly in the eyes - the light comes directly from the display perpendicular to the gaze. Hence the rapid fatigue of the organs of vision.

In general, the illumination in readers is a convenient and harmless thing.

Backlighting in the best models of PocketBook e-books 2019-2020 is divided into two types. The first is monochromatic: the display is illuminated with white light. The second option is more advanced. We are talking about a backlight with the ability to adjust the color temperature. What is meant by this? The backlight can be adjusted: it is initially white, but it can be turned yellow or even orange. The fact is that warm shades are better for relaxing the body (including the visual apparatus). This means that when reading with a yellow backlight before bedtime, you will quickly go to the kingdom of Morpheus. And it's just that some users like the "warm" yellow backlight more than the usual "cold" white. They can also recommend a reader with color temperature control. The shade options look something like this - see the photo below.

In fact, there are much more shades, the adjustment scale is long and takes up almost the entire width of the pocketbook screen:

What other parameters of e-books should you pay attention to?

The screen is the key hardware component of the reader. That is why we paid maximum attention to the screen and backlighting, highlighting them in separate subsections. Now let's talk about other parameters of good e-books, which you should also pay attention to when choosing a device.

Control... Some inexpensive readers lack touch screens. They can only be controlled using the hardware keys.

On the one hand, in our time of touchscreens, this is not very common. On the other hand, push-button readers can be recommended to older people. It will be much easier for them, who are barely accustomed to push-button mobile phones, to master just such a reader. Simply because, due to the lack of a touch screen, there is no risk of accidentally clicking on different interface elements.

It is much easier for older people to master the button-operated reader.

More expensive models use a touch screen for control. And sometimes there are two options: a "sensitive" display and buttons. Of course, for modern people who are not alien to technology, this kind of universal control option is preferable. If you want - you press the touch screen, and if you want - on the keys. All touch-sensitive PocketBook models also have buttons. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers of readers adhere to this concept. More often than not, they are limited to only the touchscreen display. In any case, there are a great many reviews of e-books on the net, both old models and new ones in 2020. When choosing, it is quite possible to be guided by them.

The best option is when you can control both using the touch screen and using buttons

E-book formats... The more e-book file formats the reader opens, the better. Especially in Russia. Europeans and Americans have long been accustomed to buying literature from online bookstores, and the number of formats supported by the device does not particularly bother the residents of the United States and Europe. Whether it's the Russians: we usually get books wherever we have to. Including in places where not entirely legal files are posted. They can be posted in absolutely any form - and therefore support for the maximum number of formats is especially important in domestic realities.

For example, PocketBook readers support 18 formats of books and documents, that is, they are practically "omnivorous". 18 pieces is the maximum for the e-reader market. The most advanced readers from other manufacturers are "friendly" with 10 formats, and inexpensive and technically backward ones - with 5-6. Moreover, models for the American market, as a rule, do not open FB2. But this is the most popular e-book format in Russia! So the owners of readers from American retailers will have to fiddle with converter programs, which is not very convenient. Pocketbook owners are deprived of this dubious pleasure.

Water resistant... The rugged reader is safe to read on the beach and in the bathroom without the fear of dropping it into the water.

Plus, you can read from it at breakfast, lunch or dinner - and if soup, porridge, tea or soda is accidentally spilled on such a model, nothing will happen to it. The remains of food or liquid can simply be washed off under the tap - as in the photo below.

True, there is one very subtle point here. Reader protection can be implemented in different ways. Manufacturers often call protected models that are actually only able to withstand splashes of water. Whereas there is no full-fledged protection against liquids in them. The presence of such protection (and hence the complete 100% tightness of the case) is evidenced by the compliance of the reader with the IP family standard. There is only one IP57-protected reader on the Russian market - this is the PocketBook 641 Aqua 2 (pictured below). It can be immersed in water to a depth of one meter, and it is also not afraid of dust and other solid particles - the body of this reader is completely sealed. Other models, we repeat, do not actually comply with IP standards. They are not airtight - protection from water is implemented at the level of processing the board with a special gel. And therefore, they are indifferent only to splashes. Against any organic pollution (soup, juice, tea, etc.), these e-books are powerless. So nothing better and more reliable than complete sealing of the case to protect the "insides" of the reader has not yet been invented.

Coffee was poured on PocketBook 641 Aqua 2 - and nothing happened to it

Audio capabilities... Earlier, years before 2015, MP3 players were available in almost all readers. However, today manufacturers for the most part have ceased to equip their readers with such a function. Why, why - is unknown. Perhaps the point is in some legal aspects, or maybe it's just a desire to save money. One way or another, PocketBook has two readers with audio capabilities. These are the best flagship models of e-books PocketBook 2019-2020 - PocketBook X and PocketBook 740 Pro. They can output music and audiobooks to headphones - they are equipped with appropriate connectors and a Bluetooth module. Using the latter, you can connect wireless headphones or a speaker.

Listening to music from PocketBook 631 Plus

In addition, they have a Text-to-Speech function. This is the reproduction of text books by voice. That is, roughly speaking, they turn into audiobooks. It looks like this:

Memory... How many books can fit in an e-book depends on the capacity of the memory module. Files in the most common FB2 format usually weigh up to 2 MB. This means that a reader with 4 GB of memory will fit one thousand and a half books. However, modern readers usually have at least 8 GB of memory, so you can write up to 3 thousand books there. And in most of the same pocketbooks there are slots for MicroSD with a capacity of up to 32 GB. With such a flash drive, we are already talking about tens of thousands of books. However, not all readers have card slots. So be aware: if you buy a reader with a small amount of memory and without a slot, sooner or later the memory will have to be "cleaned". Which is not always convenient.

Wi-Fi support... It is mainly needed to update the firmware over the air (like in smartphones) and download books to the reader wirelessly. The latter can be done via email, cloud services like Dropbox, and so on. Also, some readers have access to e-book stores - you can buy works directly from the screen of the reader. So, PocketBook in its models provides access to BookLand.net. This is the largest electronic literature catalog in Russia - it contains 1 million 200 thousand books in 17 languages.

Pocketbook found a firmware update and offers to download it via Wi-Fi

Operating system... There are essentially two options here - Android and Linux. The first - Android - provides a little more software functionality (you can install some - not all! - applications). The second, Linux, is more stable, faster, and offers longer battery life. Let's say Android models with 3000mAh batteries run less than Linux models with 1500mAh batteries. PocketBook readers use exclusively Linux with an interface that is as close as possible in structure to Android. Therefore, even on batteries of relatively small capacity, pocketbooks work for a long time, smartly, and stably. But at the same time, they can easily be mastered by a person who has at least once dealt with an Android device.

The most common e-reader myths

Well, for sweetness, there are several common misconceptions associated with electronic readers. Let us cite them - and immediately refute them.

"They say that E Ink readers are unreliable"

Old readers of the sample 2008-2011 were indeed comparatively fragile. That is, the screens cracked even from not very strong blows. However, this problem was solved a long time ago. And now, with the reliability of the readers, everything is fine. For example, PocketBook gives its models a 2-year warranty. And if you buy a pocketbook in a company store - all 3 years. Would the manufacturer take such a risk if he was not sure of the reliability of e-readers with E Ink? Of course I wouldn't. For understanding: usually all gadgets, including smartphones and tablets, are given no more than a year of warranty.

"They say that readers can only display books and nothing else."

Of course, the reader is nowhere near as functional as a smartphone or tablet. For example, you can't watch a video on it, and you can't play 3D games either. But this is also logical: a reader is a device with one key function, which was originally developed for a single task. This task is to display books. Moreover, it is displayed in such a way that the reader's eyesight does not suffer and that reading is as convenient, comfortable and safe as possible. And one moment. The same PocketBook X and PocketBook 740 Pro can play music, and, for example, the PocketBook 650 model was equipped with a built-in camera. So not all readers are monofunctional.

PocketBook 650 - the world's first and only reader with an E Ink screen and a built-in camera

"They say readers are terribly slow and generally stupid."

Yes, 5 year old models with 500 MHz processors and old E Ink screens did run quite slowly. However, in subsequent years, the processor frequency increased to 1 GHz, and E Ink screens became more responsive, they listen faster to "commands" from buttons or the touch layer. Therefore, today pocketbooks are not inferior in speed to mid-range smartphones.

"They say that readers are very expensive"

Not true: the cheapest pocketbook can be bought for 6,900 rubles. This is the price of a “horror, horror, horror” smartphone. So you can get involved in electronic reading for not so much money. It is also worth noting that a reader (even the most inexpensive one) will easily last 5-6 years, while the "shelf life" of a cheap smartphone rarely exceeds a couple of years.

"They say that when reading with a backlight, the reader's battery runs out in a couple of days."

Of course, in any, even a very good and modern electronic book, a certain percentage of energy is spent on the backlight. But it's not nearly as bad as some people think. Without backlight, the reader will work for about a month (subject to 2-3 hours of reading a day), with backlight - for three weeks. 25% less. But all the same - three weeks! Which is a very long time.

Outcomes

To summarize, let's see - what a good e-book with E Ink should be able to do in 2020.

• It should support as many file formats as possible, including the most popular FB2.
• It should be equipped with an E Ink Carta screen, in extreme cases - E Ink Pearl.
• For really comfortable operation, backlighting is desirable, at least a simple white one.
• The Wi-Fi module does not interfere - for convenient downloading of books without wires.

These four points are perhaps the key to a good 2020 ebook. Well, then you can think about some pleasant and useful bonuses: for example, about water resistance (PocketBook 641 Aqua 2), about a music player (PocketBook X or PocketBook 740 Pro), about backlighting with adjustable color temperature (PocketBook X, PocketBook 740 Pro , PocketBook 740, PocketBook 632 Aqua and PocketBook 632) and so on. All these additional options are also able to make the process of using an e-book with E Ink more comfortable, interesting and safer.

Why was electronic paper invented at all? Its main advantage is that it consumes almost no energy. Electricity is required only when the image is updated, and the rest of the time the letters are saved by themselves. It is somewhat similar to flash memory - it is also non-volatile. On one battery charge, the reader can work for weeks or even months, the account goes to thousands of pages of text read.

The disadvantages of electronic paper are as follows: only a black and white image (color prototypes are still preparing for mass production and are still standing, like each wing of a starship) and the inability to show animation - the response time is too long. But there is no need to pay attention to such a parameter as the number of displayed shades of gray - these are more marketing games and a reserve for the future.

Recently, readers began to appear on ordinary LCD displays - the same ones that are installed in computer monitors and most telephones. As a rule, electronic readers on LCD are inexpensive devices, and the matrices for them are far from being the best ones. And their battery runs out after 5-6 hours, because you have to constantly highlight the screen. But the eye is pleased with the color menu, and, in addition, you can watch colorful pictures and even videos - if the reader's processor pulls. Usually it pulls at least standard quality video.

Finally, quite exotic - hybrid readers with two screens: one on TFT and one on electronic paper. The first shows the menu and beautiful book covers in the library, and in reading mode turns off and passes the baton to economical e-ink.

Besides the type of display, you will have to decide on its size. The de facto standard has become a 6-inch diagonal. Such readers are convenient to carry, they are compact and lightweight. 9-inch models are quite rare, but they are worth chasing in two cases: firstly, if you want to read technical literature in formats like PDF or Deja Vu (reading such books from a small screen will ruin your eyes), and secondly, if you read mostly at home.

Control

Until recently, the vast majority of e-books were controlled using hardware buttons: a pair of keys for turning pages and a navipad for navigating the menu. And although in fact this set is enough, but we have irreversibly entered the era of touch control, all cool phones respond to the touch of your fingers - so the manufacturers of e-books decided to keep up.

There is also plenty to choose from: there are resistive, capacitive, inductive and infrared sensors. The former react to anything from a stylus to a sleeper, but they noticeably miss, and therefore it is not very convenient to work with them with your fingers. Capacitive screens respond to the touch of only fingers and some special styluses. But in winter, in order to turn the page on such a screen, you have to take off your gloves.

To work with a screen equipped with an inductive sensor, a special stylus is required, but a bonus for this finickyness is better image contrast (due to the fact that the sensor itself is installed behind the display).

Finally, the trickiest technology is infrared. In this case, the sensor is installed not on top of the screen or even under it, but along the edges: there are emitters on two adjacent sides, and sensors on the other two. By touching the surface of the screen with your finger, you interrupt part of the rays of this mesh, and the reader calculates the coordinates of the pressing point. Therefore, the infrared sensor reacts to any objects, as long as they are opaque.

Do not forget, however, that 99% of the actions performed with the reader are page turning, for which there are enough hardware buttons. An important characteristic of the presence of a touch screen will be for those who want to use additional functions: dictionaries (it is easier to select a word of interest with a stylus), notes, word search, etc.

Internet

I'll start with the main thing: for a Russian user, the ability to access the Network from an e-ink reader is almost certainly not useful. Browsing websites looking at an E-Ink screen is a great test of patience. The only use of a Wi-Fi or 3G module in such a reader is access to a book store. But so far no one has been able to do this in a digestible form on the domestic market. Some E-Ink-readers Kindle stand apart, which are equipped with a 3G module and are able to access the Internet all over the world, allowing you to download literature from the Amazon store - mostly in English.

Formats

At first, the manufacturers of readers preferred their own formats (using, of course, converters of books from other formats), but then they found the strength to follow the path of openness. When you get reading on the web, you are guaranteed to come across a whole zoo of file types: EPUB, TXT, HTML, CHM, PDF, FB2, DOC, RTF, etc. Historically, the FB2 format is the most popular in Russia. Some readers are able to work with archived books in FB2, but with the current volumes of flash memory, this is not so important.

Non-fiction roams the web most often in the form of scanned pages saved in PDF and Deja Vu formats. First of all, this applies to books released before the beginning of the two thousandth.

Additional functions

Many readers have an audio output and are able to play music. The player's functions, as a rule, are severely curtailed, but they are enough to simply accompany the reading with an unobtrusive background music.

Video playback is the lot of readers with an LCD screen, including tablet readers (we'll talk about them just below). Few models can handle heavy video streaming, and you also have to come to terms with file format selectivity. If you really want to watch movies often on the road, then it is better to pay attention to tablets and specialized media players.

If you would like to learn a foreign language by reading foreign literature in the original, you should pay attention to whether the reader has dictionaries. Also, in this case, it makes sense to choose a model with a touch screen - using the buttons to move the cursor to the desired words on the page is too tedious.

Tablet Readers

This is a special class of devices that has appeared quite recently. Some manufacturers use it to give a good face when they play badly. Tablets with weak characteristics, incapable of winning the competition, are called readers and sent to conquer the market. In fact, they are no more electronic readers than any other tablet. However, some models are still being finalized specifically for working with literature. Firstly, it concerns the software filling: applications for reading books in different formats are preinstalled in them. By the way, virtually unlimited format support is an indisputable plus of tablet readers. Secondly, such devices may have additional hardware buttons for turning pages.

Popular models

iPad mini

Compared to the “full-size” iPad, the iPad mini is much more compact and lighter, and therefore, in my opinion, better suited to the role of an e-reader. A very smart e-book.

Not everyone understands why e-books are needed when there is a huge selection of smartphones and tablets. But if you read something other than a news feed on social networks, then picking up a high-quality electronic device immediately realizes the erroneousness of such a judgment.

It will become one of the most useful purchases in your life, will protect your eyes, give you access to almost all existing literature and save money on its purchase. And so that your experience of using such devices is guaranteed to be positive, we have compiled a rating of e-books, which includes the best models of e-readers at the beginning of 2019.

No. 10 - Digma r63S

Price: 5990 rubles

• Backlit display (6 inches, E-Ink Carta, 800x600 px);
• Memory: 4 GB + MicroSD;
• Battery: 1500mAh;

A high-quality reader is not a cheap pleasure. Perhaps the most minimal solution for the price, suitable for comfortable use, is the Digma r63S. This is a model with an E-Ink Carta screen and adjustable backlight, which allows you to read comfortably in any conditions. The display is not touch-sensitive, page turning and menu navigation is carried out by means of physical keys, which are conveniently located and have a clear, tactilely pleasant stroke.

Of the key advantages of the device, we note the possibility of expanding memory with MicroSD cards, omnivorous formats (the reader even knows how to work with archives), a smart and intuitive interface, as well as a low body weight, which allows you to read for a long time without fatigue. Autonomy, like all similar devices, is about 2-3 weeks with moderately active use. No serious flaws were found, only some users complain about backlight flickering at the minimum brightness level, so check this point when buying. Overall, this is a good inexpensive e-reader to borrow if you need a backlight and don't need a touchscreen.

# 9 - Amazon Kindle 8

Price: 5360 rubles

• Touchscreen display without backlight (6 inches, E-Ink Pearl, 800x600 px)
• Supported formats: TXT, PDF, MOBI;
• Memory: 4 GB;
• Battery: 890 mAh.

Amazon Kindle readers were among the first devices with E-Ink screens, and they brought this product to the masses. Like its predecessors, the Kindle 8 is an affordable solution with a sleek design, a superbly assembled ergonomic body and a fast interface. The touchscreen display has high sensitivity and instantly reacts to the slightest touches, and the battery, although it has a smaller volume than the competitors, stably holds two weeks with 3 hours of reading a day.

But the Kindle 8 has a number of disadvantages compared to budget Chinese counterparts. In particular, it does not support the most common fb2 format, you will have to download literature in mobi format or take care of file conversion. The problem is partially solved by the function of sending books to the reader via the cloud with automatic conversion (Kindle has Wi-Fi and can even access the Internet through a built-in browser). You will also have to get used to the lack of navigation through folders, familiar to many, books are sorted here in collections. The main drawback is the lack of screen backlighting, but the Kindle 8 staked out a place in our ranking due to its high build quality and reliability in general.

No. 8 - PocketBook 614 Plus

Price: 6900 rubles

• Display without backlight (6 inches, E-Ink Carta, 800x600 px)
• Supported formats: TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF, MOBI;
• Memory: 8 GB + MicroSD;
• Battery: 1300mAh.

The cheapest model in the range of the most popular e-book manufacturer on the domestic market. The reader, although not new, is successful: reviews of owners who have been using it for more than four years indicate that the 614 is indestructible. The gadget is extremely simple, there is no backlight, touch screen and Wi-Fi, but for relatively little money you get the latest generation E-Ink screen, a lot of built-in memory with expandability and a well-thought-out, stable interface, which many cheap no-name readers cannot boast of. brands. A three-year warranty from the manufacturer (when purchased in an office store) is also tempting.

# 7 - Onyx Boox Caesar 3

Price: 7990 rubles

• Supported formats: TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF, MOBI;
• Memory: 8 GB + MicroSD;
• Battery: 3000mAh.

As the price rises, we move on to more interesting models. Onyx Boox Caesar 3 boasts a backlight with stepless brightness control and the ability to change the color temperature, which is only available in older competitors' models (a warm yellow backlight is more comfortable for the eyes). Due to the battery with an impressive 3000 mAh capacity, the reader is enough for a month of daily reading. Advanced users will appreciate the fact that Caesar works under the Android OS, and this provides the ability to expand the functionality of the electronics with any applications from the PlayMarket. An unpleasant drawback is not the most convenient joystick, through which all menu navigation is carried out, and there is no alternative to it, since touch control is not provided here.

No. 6 - PocketBook 616

Price: 8990 rubles

• Backlit display (6 inches, E-Ink Carta, 1024x758 px)
• Supported formats: TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF;
• Memory: 8 GB + MicroSD;
• Battery: 1300mAh.

The optimal choice for users who choose a simple gadget for reading and do not want to overpay for additional bells and whistles. This is the cheapest Pocketbook in 2018, in comparison with the old man 614 Plus already reviewed, it is faster, more compact, more autonomous, and also has a screen backlight, which itself is clearer due to the increased resolution. Users praise the lightweight and compact design and the convenient page-turning keys. The reviews about the model are extremely positive, like all Pocketbooks there is a three-year warranty from the manufacturer.

# 5 - Barnes & Noble Nook Glowlight 3

Price: 11990 rubles

• Supported formats: EPUB, PDF;
• Memory: 8 GB;
• Battery: 1500mAh.

Considering the best e-books, one cannot fail to mention the Barnes & Noble company - this is a manufacturer popular among American readers, but not widely used in Russia. The brand produces very practical and reliable readers, for the author of these lines the first generation of Nook'a has been serving faithfully for more than 7 years. Released in 2017, Glowlight 3 features a comfortable soft-touch plastic housing and a high-quality, high-resolution display with adjustable color temperature backlighting. Touch control is complemented by mechanical keys for turning pages. Do not be afraid of the small number of supported formats, the reader works on the Android OS, which allows, after simple manipulations, to install any reader from the market. Thick frames are also not a disadvantage of the device, although they look somewhat archaic, they add practicality, allowing you to comfortably hold the book in any orientation.

№4 - PocketBook 631 Plus Touch HD 2

Price: 12000 rubles

• Backlit touchscreen display (6 inches, E-Ink Carta, 1448x1072 px)
• Memory: 8 GB + MicroSD;
• Battery: 1500mAh.

PocketBook 631 Plus was not so long ago the flagship model of the company, now it has fallen in price, but its functionality has not become worse because of this. Unlike the more affordable pocketbooks, it uses a high-resolution touchscreen and the ability to adjust the color temperature that we have already mentioned more than once. The difference also lies in the more responsive infrared touchscreen, which is sensitive to touch with gloves, and the presence of a 3.5 mm jack, which allows the 631+ to be used for listening to audiobooks and music. The reader supports Wi-Fi, which means that you can upload books to it via the cloud. Users complain about the paging keys with not the most informative pressing and the microSD slot not covered with a flap, into which dust gets.

№3 - Onyx Boox Robinson Crusoe 2

Price: 12990 rubles

• Backlit touchscreen display (6 inches, E-Ink Carta, 1448x1072 px)
• Supported formats: TXT, DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF, PRC, mobi;
• Memory: 8 GB + MicroSD;
• Battery: 3000mAh.

Stylish e-reader from Onyx Boox, which stands out against the background of analogs with a metal case with moisture protection (yes, you can read it in the bathroom) and a display protected by tempered glass. Robinson Crusoe 2 runs on Android, which means it has almost unlimited customization and customization options. The scrolling keys on the sides of the screen are touch-sensitive; when pressed, the device responds with a tactilely pleasant vibration. The reader comes with a high-quality branded cover. Disadvantages - mediocre autonomy (up to one and a half weeks when reading for 2 hours a day) when using the backlight and the lack of temperature control of the latter.

# 2 - Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2018)

Price: 12 990 rubles

• Backlit touchscreen display (6 inches, E-Ink Carta, 1440x1080 px)
• Supported formats: mobi, TXT, Doc, PDF;
• Memory: 8 GB + MicroSD;
• Battery: 1900 mAh.

Considering the current Kindles, we thought for a long time which e-book would be better suited for the first positions of our TOP, and decided to take not the flagship Oasis, but the latest generation of Kindle Paperwhite, as a reader with an optimal price / quality ratio. The novelty is offered in two configurations, with 8 or 32 GB of internal memory. It makes sense to overpay for the top version if you plan to listen to audiobooks (this requires Bluetooth headphones or a speaker, since there is no 3.5 mm jack), for text files this volume of ROM is simply redundant. Among the advantages of the new Paperwhite, we note the waterproof case (it survives a two-hour immersion under water) and the appearance of the function of inverting the display colors (you can read white letters on a black background). The autonomy of the gadget, traditionally for Amazon products, is one of the best on the market.

№1 - PocketBook 740

• Backlit touchscreen display (7.8 inches, E-Ink Carta, 1872х1404 px)
• Supported formats: DOC, PDF, fb2, ePub, DjVu, RTF, PRC, mobi;
• Memory: 8 GB + MicroSD;
• Battery: 1900 mAh.

The leader of the top e-books is PocketBook 740 - the most sophisticated reader at the moment, keeping an adequate price tag. Judge for yourself: there is a 7.8-inch screen with a comic resolution, but due to the thin frames, the dimensions of the reader do not differ much from the 6-inch counterparts, adjustable backlighting, top-end autonomy.

This is one of the fastest readers on the market both in terms of file opening speed and overall speed, which allows you to comfortably work with heavy PDFs and use the Internet through the built-in browser. Throw in a smart and functional interface with pre-installed dictionaries and a convenient Cloud service, and the answer to the question of which e-book is better to buy with an unlimited budget will be obvious. Only the fact of the lack of moisture protection and support for audio playback can argue with this statement.

We hope that this review of the best readers will be useful for you, and knowing how to choose the right e-book, you can buy a gadget that perfectly suits your needs. Read on and enjoy reading!

The need to buy an e-book poses for people who have never had such a device, the problem of choosing a suitable model. The reasons for purchasing an e-reader can be different. Someone discovers that they cannot find the book they need in paper form, someone has learned about the benefits of electronic reading and plans to evaluate them in practice, and someone just wants to keep up with the times and wants to get a fashionable gadget. This article is for those who are planning to buy an e-book and want to know more about what these devices are. We will try to list the parameters and capabilities of e-books to the maximum. Having decided on the characteristics and functions that are important to you, you can choose the specific model that suits you.

How to choose an e-book to read

Electronic books (English Electronic books or e-books) are compact specialized devices for playing digital files, mainly text. Files (i.e. digital versions of paper books) can also be referred to as e-books. To avoid this confusion, you can use the English terms "reader" to refer to the device, and "content" to refer to their content, that is, digital books, magazines and documents. In the Russian language, these terms have taken root for a long time and are actively used. You can download any content to the readers (and not only from the manufacturer's site of the reader as some users mistakenly think) from your computer using a USB cable in formats supported by your reader.

History of appearance

Prototypes of modern screens for e-books saw the light of day in the 1970s when Nick Sheridon of the Xerox Research Center introduced his Gyricon e-paper technology. In 1997, this technology was refined by Joseph Jacobson, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also became the founder of the E-Ink company, which today is the largest supplier of screens for manufacturers of electronic readers. The e-book market has experienced explosive growth since 2007 with the introduction of the Sony Reader PRS-500 and Amazon Kindle. By 2012, the explosive demand for e-books led to the fact that among those who read books on mobile devices, e-ink readers became as popular as smartphones and tablets equipped with TFT displays.

Criterias of choice

First, decide on the requirements for your future e-book. You need to decide which of the following parameters you need:

Screen using electronic ink E-ink;

Long-term work on one battery charge;

Multifunctionality;

Large screen;

Small size and weight;

Touch control;

Multi-format;

Interface Russification;

Large amount of internal memory;

Support for flash memory cards;

Availability of Wi-Fi / 3G-module;

Convenience of Internet access;

Built-in dictionaries;

Music player;

Low price.

In any case, you will have to make a choice in favor of certain characteristics. A reader equipped with all the advantages does not yet exist. For example, low weight cannot be combined with a large screen. Readers that use E-ink technology naturally have less functionality. E-readers with a touchscreen are naturally more expensive than e-readers without a touchscreen. Therefore, you will have to decide which is more important. But perhaps the most important thing is to determine the type and size of the screen.

Varieties of screens

Most often, an e-book is called a device using an electronic ink screen from the American corporation E-ink. E-ink's competitor is SiPix, which promotes its eponymous digital paper technology, the substrate of which is noticeably grayer, but the text, on the contrary, has greater contrast and clarity. E-ink screen is more popular and used by most of the leading manufacturers in the market.

The display is the most expensive and most important part of e-books. Electronic ink forms an image in reflected light like regular paper, which means that the screen does not need a backlight. Thus, even long reading does not tire the user's eyes. A fundamentally different design in comparison with color TFT screens, in particular, expressed in a lower image refresh rate, does not allow watching videos, playing games or comfortably browsing websites. The need for high-quality text reproduction overshadows the various additional functions of these devices. Electronic readers are highly specialized devices, on which reading priority is given, and other functions are somehow presented on the readers in a truncated form.

The advantages of the E-ink screen lie not only in safety for the eyes, but also in the long duration of operation on one battery charge. The reader actually consumes battery power only when turning pages in those moments when you see the blinking black color. Only the use of Wi-Fi / 3G-module and a music player can increase the consumption. On one charge, E-ink e-books can work up to 3-4 weeks (!).

In addition to readers with E-ink screens, devices with TFT displays, called media readers, were very common at one time. Devices of this class are represented, for example, by the manufacturers Pocketbook and Digma. They are programmatically adapted for reading, but they also offer various multimedia advantages inherent in tablet computers (watching video, having a camera, convenient Internet access). However, due to the fact that tablet computers are rapidly falling in price and becoming available to a wider range of users, they, and not media readers, are now the main competitors of e-ink readers.

Most users agree that long-term reading from a color screen is tiring, but for those who don't read much and want to buy a more functional device, tablet computers are a worthy alternative. Samsung, one of the leading tablet manufacturers, has introduced a variation of the popular 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 that is comparable in size to e-readers, but offers incomparably more functionality. The advantages of tablet computers are the presence of screen backlighting (you can read in the dark), convenient Internet access, the ability to watch videos, and support for working in 3G networks. Cons: a less comfortable screen for the eyes, inability to read in bright sunlight and a short operating time on a single battery charge (maximum 8-10 hours).

Screen size selection

Before buying a device for reading e-books, think about what kind of literature you plan to read. It directly depends on what file formats your future e-book should play, and what screen size you need. The most common e-book formats are FB2, EPUB and MOBI. We will talk about what they are and how they differ from each other later. For now, note that it is in these formats that literature is presented in electronic libraries on the Internet. Now you can easily find almost any book in them: from classics to modern tabloid prose. If you plan to read fiction and will carry a reader with you to read, for example, in transport, a reader with a 6-inch display is suitable for you.

This is the standard diagonal screen size for electronic readers. It represents a kind of compromise between the compact dimensions of the device and the digestible amount of text that fits on a screen of this size. All of the most popular readers on the market are equipped with a 6-inch screen. There are readers with displays smaller - 5 inches, they, in particular, are equipped, presented in our online store. This model is ultra-compact and will suit those who want to choose the smallest possible size.

The 6-inch screen size is followed by the 10-inch diagonal, or rather 9.7-inch. Readers with similar screens are intended for those who plan to read special literature (instructions, technical books and textbooks, texts with numerous illustrations), as well as newspapers and magazines. Such content is most often presented in PDF or DJVU formats. In this case, the screen size is approximately the same as the format of such a book or magazine. After all, it is necessary that when the page is reduced to the size of the screen, the text remains readable. A large screen is ideal for these purposes, although it increases the physical size of the device. But more often they buy it for home use. In addition, they are preferred by older people who are more comfortable using a large-sized reader (it is possible to maximize the font, but at the same time fit an acceptable amount of text on the screen). E-books with a 9.7-inch screen are available from manufacturers Pocketbook, Onyx and Amazon.

Touch screen

The touch screen on the e-book allows you to minimize the number of buttons on the case, and makes the device more ergonomic. The Pocketbook 612 and 912 e-readers, as well as all Onyx readers with 9.7-inch displays, are equipped with an induction touchscreen. The kit comes with a stylus, touch control is carried out only with its help. You won't be able to control these readers with your finger, but the stylus is more convenient when working with dictionaries and in the browser. The advantage of these models is that they can also be controlled by buttons, which means that the user can choose from two control methods. Readers with screens that use E-ink technology are most often equipped with infrared touch displays (or displays with an infrared frame), and support for multi-touch functions. In the case of them, the user controls the reader with his fingers using gestures typical for working with tablet computers and mobile phones. Infrared touch e-books are models, and Onyx i62m.

Buying a reader with or without a touch screen is everyone's personal choice. In our opinion, the main thing in an e-book is not the presence of a touch screen or its absence, but a well-thought-out control ergonomics. For example, it does not suffer at all from the lack of a touch-screen - it is ideally controlled by a few buttons. And the Sony PRS-T1, on the other hand, is absolutely impossible to imagine without a sensor. Of course, it is advisable to try out the e-book before purchasing. In any case, choose the option that is convenient for you personally.

Other screen options

E-ink displays may vary slightly in whiteness. The general consensus is that it is best to choose the whitest background, as it will increase the contrast. However, some users complain that the white background is blinding and annoying. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with a grayish substrate, especially since the manufacturers have not yet been able to achieve the maximum degree of whiteness of coated paper. Almost all models with liquid ink screens in our online store have, that is, these are screens not just of the same generation, but also from the same manufacturer, the differences between which are minimal.

Most 6-inch e-readers with Pearl E-ink screen are equipped with 600x800 resolution. Not so long ago, models with a higher resolution of 758x1024 appeared on the market. They are marketed as "HD screen e-books." Readers are models, Duncun and. You can also find many similar devices on the market from other brands, most often Chinese ones. There is an opinion that the declared advantage is nothing more than a marketing ploy by manufacturers and high resolution does not really improve the image quality. This is also supported by the fact that the leading manufacturers of the world market have not yet released models with HD screens.

If the listed points are fundamentally important for you, it makes sense to compare models from different manufacturers "live".

Weight and dimensions

As we said, the weight of a device is directly related to the size of the screen. If you prefer to read at home that dimensions and grams will not be decisive when choosing a model - you can use special stands or just conveniently lean-put the device. However, if you plan to carry the reader with you and read in transport, these parameters will be important for you. Let's say right away that readers with E-ink screens are lighter than tablets with TFT displays. The minimum possible weight of the reader now is 170-200 grams. , Kindle 4, are among the most. Such models can be easily held in one hand for a long time, but these are readers with a minimum set of functions. More functionality automatically increases weight.

Leading manufacturers dictate the fashion for reducing the size of the models. Even 6-inch readers fit without problems not only in briefcases and bags, but even in many pockets of clothes. Those who, on the contrary, want a bigger reader - we advise you to pay attention to the "honored veterans" Pocketbook 612 and Kindle 3.

Formats and conversions

Electronic content of readers are text files specially designed for their screens, containing formatting, tags, information about the author and publication, as well as illustrations. Those new to e-book formats will be surprised to learn that PDF, DOC, RTF, or DOCX are not at all the main digital content file types for readers. Perhaps the most popular format today is FB2. Two other common formats are EPUB and MOBI. The most important part of files with these extensions is text. They are open e-book formats, that is, they can be freely converted to one another.

The world's leading reader manufacturers Amazon, Sony and Barnes & Noble remain firmly committed to one of these formats. The Amazon Kindle format is MOBI, Sony e-readers, and Barnes & Noble readers support .EPUB files. Except for one of the proprietary formats, all models of these manufacturers necessarily support TXT and PDF. The availability of support for a limited set of formats is due to the fact that in Europe and the United States, readers are devices for acquiring content, and all manufacturers have developed online bookstores where the user is invited to purchase e-books. Naturally, companies are not interested in the fact that the user, having bought a branded device, purchases content from competitors. Therefore, the owners of the reader find themselves "tied" to the services of the manufacturer of this or that electronic device, including with the help of the format. Especially characteristic here is the example of Amazon, which, consistently reducing prices for its devices and selling them almost at cost price, makes the main bet on selling digital content for readers in its own MOBI format.

In Russia, the purchase of digital content in paid libraries is only gaining popularity. Western services are not at all focused on the Russian market (for example, there is no Russian-language literature on Amazon.com), and the scheme of rigid binding to a specific brand of a reader and its proprietary service is not yet widespread. Usually, the user buys a reader from a manufacturer and independently chooses the sites on which to download books. Online libraries in Runet offer electronic content in all popular file extensions at once. In this regard, manufacturers targeting the Russian market equip their models with the maximum number of supported formats. These companies include Pocketbook and Onyx - their e-books have always been multi-format. Sony, which officially released the Sony PRS-T1 model to the Russian market in December last year, took into account the fact that the FB2 format is popular among Russian users and promptly released a software update with support for this file type.

Whether you need support for all formats, or you can get by with three - a matter of discussions between users. In our opinion, it makes sense to choose a reader with mandatory support for all types of files if you already have a library in different formats and the transition to any one format will add serious hassle. If you are choosing your first e-book, it may make sense to opt for one of the listed formats, and only upload content of a certain type of file to your reader. There is nothing wrong with that, as we have already said, it is not a problem to find Russian-language books in FB2, in EPUB and even in MOBI in Runet.

But if the book you need is still in the wrong format, you can convert it to the desired file type using a special converter program. For example, you can download a Caliber converter that allows you to convert a file from one format to another in a matter of minutes.

Russification

All e-readers support the Cyrillic font. However, some devices have a non-Russianized menu interface. For example, this is the Nook Tablet model. Even with an English-language menu, it is an extremely interesting reading device, and therefore enjoys a well-deserved popularity among buyers. For any Kindle models, you can choose - prefer the original menu interface in English or buy a device with Russification. In the case of Kindle devices, Russification adds an additional advantage in the form of a virtual Cyrillic keyboard, which may be needed in a browser, in a search in your library, or to spell the names of book collections.

Additional features

When choosing an e-book, you will be faced with the need to give priority to certain secondary functions and characteristics that may also be present in readers. As we have already said, the functionality of readers with E-ink screens is limited. In addition to text playback, depending on the model, you may find that they have a WiFi module (on some 3G models), a music player, a speech synthesizer (voice text playback), built-in dictionaries, typing capabilities (entering notes), support for flash memory cards, Bluetooth-module.

Amazon Kindle 3 models offer a 3G module at all. These readers generally stand apart, since 3G Internet on them is free and available from anywhere in the world. Sitting on the beach in Tunisia, you can go to mail.ru for free and check your mail! These devices are equipped with non-removable SIM-cards, which in Russia are automatically connected to 3G-networks BeeLine, and all traffic is paid by the manufacturer.

The range of possibilities for working with text differs depending on the model. All readers remember the page on which you closed the book, all allow you to make bookmarks with the ability to view them later, navigate to a specific page. Some readers allow you to save quotes and pieces of text for later editing. The Sony and Onyx models have handwriting capabilities (drawing with a stylus on the screen). On these devices, you can also type your own notes using the virtual keyboard.

The ability to use dictionaries is offered by Pocketbook, Onyx and Amazon readers. Professional licensed dictionaries ABBYY Lingvo are installed on all Pocketbook models. When reading a book in a foreign language, you can simply select the word that you want to translate with the stylus (or, in the case of button models, you need to put the cursor in front of it), and you will receive the translation in a pop-up window. The user installs dictionaries on Onyx readers on his own by downloading free dictionary databases from the Internet (instructions on the manufacturer's website). Dictionaries on the Amazon Kindle can be found on the The-Ebook.org forum. The translation is carried out in the same way as for Pocketbook, the way of working with the dictionary.

The player on readers is more focused on listening to audiobooks, so playing music tracks may not seem very convenient to the user. In addition, the presence of support for mp3-files usually increases the cost of the model. Some readers also offer a speech synthesizer - reading text information or, in other words, reading text aloud. This feature is available on select Pocketbook and Amazon models (English only). At present, the function is still far from ideal (books are read by a robot that does not always put emphasis correctly and correctly chooses intonation), but apparently, manufacturers will try to improve this feature on future models.

The internal memory of the readers is 2 or 4 gigabytes. Even a reader with a minimum memory capacity of 2 GB is capable of storing 1000-1500 books. The vast majority of readers are equipped with support for flash memory cards. To read books from a card, you just need to insert it into the slot - it is not necessary to transfer files to the internal memory. Thus, you can not only increase the memory of the e-book, but also exchange libraries on removable media with friends.

We do not recommend turning the reader into a repository for the maximum possible number of books, and we do not recommend loading them in thousands. Such extremes will inevitably affect the speed of the device, in addition, software updates can lead to the loss of this data. Manufacturers recommend storing digital content on alternative media and loading it into the reader as needed.

Among the devices offered in our online store, only Amazon Kindle models do not have slots for an additional memory card. Amazon offers to store books on a server (each registered user is given 5 GB for storing personal content). If you upload books to your Kindle wirelessly, all of your content will be stored on Amazon's server. Even after deleting these books, you can still view their titles from the reader, and download these books back via Wi-Fi / 3G-module as needed.

Accessories

The complete sets of readers vary. At the moment, there is a tendency on the market for the maximum reduction in the set of accessories included with the device. In the packaging box of the most popular e-readers, you will find only the device itself and the cable for connecting to a computer, through which files are transferred and charged. In this form, the models Sony PRS-T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle 4, Nook Simple Touch, Pocketbook Touch, Pocketbook 611 and 612 are offered. The main accessories that are sold separately are, from the electrical outlet and already mentioned by us. There are readers that are already offered complete with a cover and charger. These are models from manufacturers Onyx, Gmini and Digma.

A cover is really needed - it protects the screen of the device, the most fragile part of it, from damage during transport. Replacing the screen of an e-book is comparable to the full cost of the reader, and therefore does not make much sense - it is easier to buy a new reader. You will need a charger from the mains only in case of long-term “weaning” of your reader from the computer, for example, on a trip out of town, to the country house or on a trip abroad. Think about the situations in which you plan to use the e-reader - and decide on the accessories you need.

Where to download books

As you know, e-readers are chosen for the availability of content at any time of the day or night, as well as for the opportunity to save money. Electronic texts are cheaper than paper books, and more often than not they are completely free. There are many online libraries in Runet, characterized by a variety of choices and excellent quality of electronic content. In paid libraries, new items often appear immediately after the publication of the paper version of the book. Now some specialized publishers are switching to digital content and offer to purchase literature on their websites, even of a very narrow thematic focus. On the Runet there are sites specializing in the distribution of newspapers and magazines in electronic form. For users who are interested in literature in foreign languages, we recommend evaluating the capabilities and services of Amazon, perhaps the best online digital content store, whose catalog includes literature on a variety of topics, as well as the most complete list of the world's leading periodicals.

So how do you choose the right e-book?

Of course, any buyer wants to make the right choice so that after a while they will not be disappointed in the purchase. We advise you to purchase a reader based on your own feelings and impressions of a particular model. We are always ready to help you make a successful purchase to the best of our ability and ability. High customer satisfaction is our top priority. Therefore, we will always be glad to see you in our store, where all models of devices and accessories for them are presented, which can be touched, tested and compared with each other. We are also ready to give detailed advice by phone. Come and call.

We will be happy to help!

This material is subjective, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

E-books are more convenient for reading text than tablets. These devices are equipped with an e-Ink screen. Even with prolonged reading from it, the eyes do not strain - they are as comfortable as when viewing text on plain paper.

In addition, e-books have a long battery life of up to 2-3 months and a weight of up to 300 grams.

How to choose an e-book: main features

Its practicality and convenience depend on the technical characteristics of an electronic book. And therefore, when choosing such a device, you should pay attention to:

Screen type;

Compatible file formats;

Control method;

Additional functions.

Screen type

E-books on the market can be roughly divided into two groups - equipped with an LCD screen and with an e-Ink matrix. The convenience and autonomy of the device depends on what technology is used in the display.

E-books of the budget price segment are usually equipped with TF or TFT matrix... However, LCDs are also found. These types of sensors are dull, with large and noticeable pixels, and low details. Reading from such screens leads to eye fatigue due to eye strain.

Models in the middle price segment are usually equipped with IPS matrix... It realistically conveys colors and shades, saturates them, makes images deep. The contrast ratio of such a matrix is ​​1000: 1, so the text is easy and pleasant to read. The disadvantages of IPS matrices are their "gluttony" and excessive eye strain. The first leads to a quick discharge of the e-book, and the second leads to fatigue of the organs of vision, reddening of the corneas, dryness and unpleasant sensations (caused by the fact that the display is very bright and the light "hits" right in the face).

E-Ink Matrix usually installed in devices of the middle and top price segments. It is black and white, the contrast ratio is from 350: 1 to 500: 1, depending on the manufacturer. The matrix does not have its own backlight, so the strain on the eyes is minimal - as when reading from plain paper. In addition, it does not consume battery power when displaying a "picture" - only when changing it. This means that the battery life of the e-book is increased to 2-3 months.

The disadvantages of e-Ink are its high cost, as well as the unpleasant "flickering" effect when changing images (for example, turning pages).

Compatible file formats

The more file formats the e-book supports, the better. The minimum required are TXT, RTF, FB2 and EPUB - it is into them that publications published on the Internet are converted. Models with many pictures, as well as magazines and scanned documents are packed in PDF and DJVU. Comics - in CDR. Office documents and some e-books recognized after scanning with OCR - in DOC and DOCX formats, as well as ODT.

The rest of the formats are rare.

If you plan to listen to music or audiobooks from your device, you should purchase a model with support for MP3, AAC and OGG formats.

Control method

E-books come with a touchscreen display and mechanical buttons. And the first option is not the most useful solution. The touch screen will drain the battery quickly and cause accidental clicks.

Mechanical buttons are more convenient, although they take up more space on the device's case. Models with this control method are recommended for purchase.

Additional functions

Additional features that may be useful include:

You need a Wi-Fi connection to download e-books and use special libraries by subscription;

The backlight of the e-Ink display is designed for reading in the dark;

The built-in dictionary will help in reading literature in foreign languages.

Additional features are useful but not required.

Manufacturers

Perhaps the best manufacturer of e-books is PocketBook, which invented these devices. In addition, we have included models from Sony, Onyx Book, Reader, Tesla and Amazon.

Rating of the best e-books

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best inexpensive e-books (budget up to RUB 6,000)	1		6 990 ₽
	2		5 990 ₽
	3		6 640 ₽
	4		5 299 ₽
The best e-books with a 6-7 inch screen	1		12 490 ₽
	2		14 990 ₽
	3		9 514 ₽
The best e-books with a 8-10 inch screen	1		19 990 ₽
	2		13 690 ₽
	3		22 990 ₽
The best big screen e-books	1		43 120 ₽

The best inexpensive e-books (budget up to RUB 6,000)

Why first place: 7.1-inch e-reader with e-Ink touch screen.

Description: The rating opens with an e-book Sony PRS-900 Daily Edition with a 7.1-inch screen made using e-Ink Vizplex technology, which is complemented by a touch-sensitive coating. This makes page flipping and menu navigation a breeze. The touchscreen display is energy efficient so you can turn 12,000 pages of battery power.

The internal memory of the device is 1.75 GB. This is enough for several hundred e-books. In addition, the device is equipped with a slot for microSD memory cards.

The model supports TXT, DOC and RTF documents, as well as PDF and EPUB. Graphics and music files are also played.

Dignity

Large, touchscreen display made using e-Ink technology;

The battery is enough to display 12000 pages;

Tight assembly without creaks or crevices;

disadvantages

Glossy display without backlight;

Inconvenient copying of books from a computer through a complete program;

Doesn't support FB2;

Why second place: 6-inch e-Ink Carta screen with touch control and backlighting, but the book itself runs on the Android operating system.

Description: Onyx Boox Vasco da Gama 2 combines the advantages of classic e-books with the features of tablets running on the Android operating system. It is equipped with a 6-inch touchscreen made using e-Ink Carta technology, with Moon Light soft backlighting and a pixel density of 212 ppi.

The internal memory of the device is 8 GB, but most of it is occupied by Android files. A microSD card slot is available. The device connects to the computer as an MTP device, so you can copy new files to it directly in Explorer.

Out of the box, the model supports common text and image file formats, including DOC, TXT, FB2 and PDF. Additionally, you can install applications from the Play Store that support other types of documents.

The battery capacity is 3000 mAh, which is enough for 25 hours of operation with a backlit display. The model is equipped with a Wi-Fi module for connecting to the Internet and downloading applications.

Dignity

Screen with soft backlight and Snow Field contrast enhancement mode;

Expandable functionality due to support for Android applications;

8 GB of permanent memory;

disadvantages

Low battery life due to the Android operating system;

Uneven backlighting;

Setting up an e-book can be awkward because of the e-Ink screen;

Why third place: Non-touch 6-inch screen with 800x600 pixels, but Carta screen and solid body.

Description: The device from the company that created the "e-books" - PocketBook - ranks third in the ranking, because in terms of functionality it is noticeably inferior to other models. It is equipped with a 6-inch Carta e-Ink-screen with a snow-white contrasting background and a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels. The display is not touch-sensitive; physical buttons are used to control the model. There is also no backlight.

The built-in memory is 8 GB, which is enough for several thousand files. The device displays text and graphic files in TXT, DOC, FB2, RTF, EPUB, PDF and many others. Memory cards are also supported by the book.

Built-in battery capacity - 1300 mAh. This is enough for 1-2 weeks of battery life with active use.

Dignity

Reliable build and durable body;

8 GB of internal memory and support for microSD;

Fast flashing and support for the most common file formats;

disadvantages

No backlight;

Non-touch display;

Low screen resolution, which makes images appear too “pixelated”;

Why the fourth place: E-book with a 6-inch screen e-Ink Pearl.

Description: The e-book Reader Book 2, which is equipped with an e-Ink Pearl display, closes the rating. It is equipped with a "pearlescent" substrate, which does not burden the eyes, but at the same time has a low contrast. The screen is 6-inch, with a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels and a capacitive touch panel.

Internal memory - 4 GB. The device is equipped with a Wi-Fi module for downloading documents from the network. Support for memory cards is available. The model is compatible with TXT, DOC, FB2, RTF and many others, including archives and CHM reference files.

The device is equipped with a 1000 mAh battery, which provides up to 1-2 weeks of battery life with regular use.

Dignity

Laconic design and user-friendly interface of the "reader";

Weight is only 140 grams;

Compatible with PDF and DJVU formats;

disadvantages

Cheap, fragile body materials;

Poor build quality;

Slow interface

The best e-books with a 6-7 inch screen

Why first place: An e-book from PocketBook with a 6-inch touch screen e-Ink Carta with backlight and a resolution of 1448 × 1072 pixels.

Description: The flagship e-book PocketBook 631 Touch HD won the first place in the rating thanks to its display. It is made using e-Ink Carta technology with a snow-white backing and maximum contrast. Also, the display has a resolution of 1448 x 1072 pixels, which provides smooth and detailed images; Equipped with a touch layer and soft uniform backlighting.

Built-in memory - 8 GB. A microSD card slot is available. The Wi-Fi module is also, and it is designed to sync the library via Dropbox. The device supports almost all e-book formats and can play music in MP3 files.

The model is equipped with a 1500 mAh battery, which provides up to 1-2 weeks of battery life with active Wi-Fi.

Dignity

High resolution e-Ink Carta screen;

Supports most file formats and Dropbox sync;

Adaptive backlighting;

disadvantages

Works slowly, especially when navigating the interface;

Problems with the speed of work on some firmware;

Few settings;

Why second place: An e-book with a high-resolution e-Ink Carta screen, but with Android and more expensive than its predecessor.

Description: The Onyx Boox Cleopatra 3 e-book is an excellent competitor for the leader of the rating. The device is equipped with a 6.8-inch touchscreen display made using e-Ink Carta technology with a snow-white background and a high resolution of 1440 × 1080 pixels, as well as with backlighting.

The device is based on the Android operating system, which expands its functionality due to the ability to download additional programs from the Google Play Store. Out of the box, the book is compatible with almost all text and image file formats, including FB2, PDF and EPUB.

The built-in memory is 8 GB, but some of them are occupied by the operating system and additional files. MicroSD card slot available. The device connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth module is also available. A 1700 mAh battery is enough to display 10,000 pages.

Dignity

High resolution e-Ink Carta screen;

High performance;

Refreshing the picture with non-conspicuous flicker;

disadvantages

Inconvenient, not optimized for electronic paper firmware;

High cost;

Android leads to decreased autonomy;

Why the third place: PocketBook e-book, but with a lower screen resolution than its predecessors.

Description: The e-book PocketBook 641 Aqua 3 has the lowest screen resolution in this segment of the rating. It is 1024 × 758 pixels at 6 inches diagonal. Nevertheless, it is sufficient for comfortable reading and viewing of graphic files. The display is made using e-Ink Carta technology with a snow-white backing and high contrast, complemented by a touch layer and backlighting.

The model supports almost all file formats, including FB2, PDF, EPUB and MOBI. CHM images and guides are also reproduced. Built-in memory - 8 GB, there is a slot for memory cards and support for Wi-Fi for synchronization via Dropbox.

The built-in battery of the device has a capacity of 1500 mAh. It will last for 1-2 weeks of battery life.

Dignity

High-quality display;

Wi-Fi with reliable connection;

Tight assembly, waterproof body, materials pleasant to the touch;

disadvantages

Slow startup and not very smooth interface;

1-2 weeks of battery life;

Not always successful firmware versions;

The best e-books with a 8-10 inch screen

Why first place: Multifunctional e-book based on Android with e-Ink Carta screen.

Description: Like the rest of the Onyx Boox e-books, the Chronos model is based on the Android operating system. The model is equipped with a 9.7-inch screen made using e-Ink Carta technology with a touch layer and backlighting. The display resolution is 1200 × 825 pixels.

The model supports most of the file formats. Additionally, you can install "readers" for exotic types from the Play Store. The device has an internal memory of 8 GB, but some of it is occupied by the Android OS and service files. MicroSD cards are supported. Wi-Fi and cloud sync are available.

The model is equipped with a 3000 mAh battery, which is enough for 2-3 weeks of battery life with daily use.

Dignity

E-Ink Carta screen with high contrast and built-in backlight;

Protective case included;

Solid metal body;

disadvantages

Comparatively short battery life due to Android OS;

Low screen resolution with such a diagonal;

Relatively heavy

Why runner-up: A budget e-book with e-Ink Carta, backlighting and touch input, but not always a high-quality build.

Description: The Tesla Logos e-book is equipped with a high-resolution e-Ink Carta screen - with a diagonal of 7.8 inches, it is 1872 × 1404 pixels and a dot density of 300 ppi. The display is touch-sensitive, supplemented by backlighting. The book itself, like the Onyx Book models that are often found in the ranking, runs on the Android operating system with a special interface.

The book out of the box supports most of the popular file formats and a few exotic ones, including TAR and TCR. But to read DJVU or EPUB you will have to install additional software from the Play Store. Built-in memory - 16 GB, there is no microSD card slot. There is a Wi-Fi module, you need to enter the Play Store and cloud library sync.

Built-in battery capacity - 2800 mAh. This is enough for 2-3 weeks of work.

Dignity

High-resolution backlit e-Ink Carta screen;

Good quality Wi-Fi connection;

A lot of permanent memory;

disadvantages

Build quality is not always good;

Uneven display backlighting;

Comparatively low screen clarity due to anti-aliasing of fonts;

Why third place: E-book reader with QWERTY keyboard and e-Ink Pearl screen, but no backlight.

Description: Ranking the best e-books without a device from Amazon is a pointless exercise. The Kindle DX offers a large and comfortable 9.7-inch e-Ink Pearl display with a resolution of 1200 x 824 pixels. The backlight and sensor layer, however, no. But the book has a built-in module of unlimited 3G Internet for downloading new documents from Amazon.

The device is compatible with most formats, however FB2, EPUB and DJVU are not supported. Can play MP3 music. Built-in memory - 4 GB, there is no microSD slot.

The built-in battery lasts for 4-5 weeks of battery life without shutting down and with daily use.

Dignity

High performance;

E-Ink Pearl screen with minimal eye strain;

3G for downloading books from Amazon;

disadvantages

No backlight, no touchscreen;

There is no Russian language in the interface, but it copes with encodings;

Doesn't support FB2 and EPUB;

The best big screen e-books

Why first place: An e-book reader with a 13.3-inch e-Ink Carta screen and support for stylus input.

Description: Onyx Boox Max is an e-book with the largest screen not only in our rating, but also in the world. The device is equipped with a display with a diagonal of 13.3 inches, made using e-Ink Carta technology. The display resolution is 1600 × 1200 pixels. There is a touch layer, and a stylus is included with the book, which simplifies the work with the interface.

The device, like other models from Onyx Boox, runs on an adapted version of Android. The operating system out of the box supports almost all file formats, and to open exotic you can download the program from the Play Store. Built-in memory - 16 GB, there is a microSD slot, WI-Fi too. The device has a built-in mail client and dictionaries.

The device is equipped with a 4100 mAh battery, the charge of which is enough to display 20,000 pages.

Dignity

E-Ink Carta screen with high contrast and backlight;

Built-in dictionary and mail client;

16 GB of internal memory;

disadvantages

High cost;

There are versions with e-Ink Pearl;

The complete cover collects dust;

Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.