Kobo Libra 2 - eReader Compass

Custom Operating system

7" Screen size

215 grams Weight

Unknown Single-core 1 GHz Processor

32 GB Storage

1,500 mAh Battery

Verdict

The eReader market doesn’t tend to compete as much as the smartphone market but there are still some good things happening and differences to be found between the various models. The Kobo Libra 2 is a great example of this with its audiobook support and wide range of support e-book formats.

+

What's good

+ Audiobook support

+ Bluetooth capable

+ 32GB of storage

+ Physical page turn buttons

+ Many formats supported

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What's not

− No Amazon support

− No speakers

− Heavy

By category

Key specs

In Depth

As digital books and magazines have gotten bigger, so have the specific needs of eReader users. What does Kobo Libra 2 have to offer? And can it pry people away from the king of the eReader market: Amazon?

Design

Many eReaders admittedly look the same, there’s not a lot of room for innovation (and that’s okay.) That being said, the Kobo Libra 2 has one thing that the others seem to have abandoned: physical page turn buttons.

Reviewers were very happy to see this on the new Kobo eReader. If there was something to complain about reviewers found the eReader heavy for its size.

Screen

Keeping with their original designs in the Kobo line, the Libra 2 includes a 7-inch eInk display. However, they claim the new display offers a 20% boost in contrast compared to previous models. Reviewers found the eInk Carta 1200 display a joy to use overall.

Storage

Kobo has beefed up the storage in a big way with the Kobo Libra 2, offering a whopping 32GB of space. That may not seem like a lot if you’re considering a phone or tablet, but books and documents are much smaller than apps and movies. So unless you’re listening to multiple audiobooks a day, it should serve you very well.

Battery Life

Battery life was one of the best-reviewed traits of the Kobo Libra 2. Boosted since the last Kobo eReader up to a 1500mAh battery, reviewers found that the battery could last weeks when ready several hours every day.

Software & File Format Support

The Kobo Libra 2 supports a huge range of formats, including EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, FlePUB, MOBI, CBR, and CBZ allowing you to pick and choose what you want to read from just about any source.

However, it doesn’t natively support Amazon’s Kindle formats. So you’ll need to jump through some technological (and legally grey) hoops to read your Kindle library on a Libra 2.

Extra Features

Kobo Libra 2 offers Bluetooth support, allowing you to pair it to a Bluetooth speaker or headphones when listening to audiobooks

Specs at a Glance

Plastic chassis
7-inch 300ppi E-ink Carta 1200 display
Color-changing backlight
32GB of storage
1500mAh battery
Bluetooth audio support
BMP, CBR, CBZ, EPUB, EPUB3, GIF, JPEG, MOBI, PDF, PNG, RTF, TIFF, TXT file support

Bottom Line

The needs users have for eReaders seem small, but the Kobo Libra 2 highlights how little features can make a big difference. Format support is above and beyond (as long as you’re not tied to Amazon’s library.) Longer battery life and a temperature-adjustable backlight ensure comfortable reading for days or weeks at a time. There’s very little, if any, reason to be disappointed with the Kobo Libra 2.

Good eReader states, “The Kobo Libra 2 takes all of the best elements of the Libra 2 and takes them even further. You get double the storage, which makes a big difference when buying or downloading audiobooks. If you are not a big into audio, the extra space is great for a big ebook or PDF collection.”

PC Magazine says, “Although Kobo’s Libra 2 ebook reader offers only minor upgrades over its predecessor, it’s pleasant to hold, supports many formats, and is terrific for accessing material from public libraries.”